Leaving Home

There were not many things to bring along with, and there were a few pieces of clothes that were brought back from his school in the suitcase. There was nothing else to take away from home either. He Jin finally got up and looked around in the room, as if he had determined to never come back…

Seeing the can of 7-up on his desk, he remembered that Qin Yu got him that in the train station, and he still hadn’t drunk it. He picked it up and put it on the back of the bag, picked up the suitcase, and pulled the door open.

The noise outside stopped suddenly, and his mother stared at him with red eyes, “what are you doing! What are you doing?”

He Jin ignored her, took the suitcase and went outside the door. His mother screamed behind his back, “where are you going?!”

He Jin’s father also got stunned and pulled his arm, “He Jin! What are you doing? Calm down!”

He Jin looked at his father, and his eyes were red, “you can calm down in front of such an unreasonable person, I can’t.”

The woman screamed again, “you said that I am not reasonable? Tell me exactly, who is being unreasonable in the end! The person who has been lying is you!” She began to throw things in the direction of He Jin, the teacup on the table, chair cushion, photo frame on the shelf, etc…

He Jin did not care any longer, he opened the door and went out…

His dad went also out of control. “He Jin! Don’t be angry! Your mother is not being serious, just endure it and let it pass!”

When Mrs. He heard that there’s someone helping, she immediately rose her voice, “let him go, let him go! If you have the guts to, remember to never come back!”

He Jin nodded, and his heart said yes, since this is what you’ve asked…

When he slammed the door, He Jin left without return. There was a silence behind him. Then, he started to hear his mother crying. As He Jin walked downstairs, the noise went weaker and weaker, until he couldn’t hear it anymore.

He didn’t feel soft-hearted. And he wasn’t influenced by his mother’s crying. He just felt utterly miserable.

His dad might be taking care of his mother, that’s why he wasn’t following. It might be better that way, He Jin wasn’t afraid to face his mother, but he was worried about his father. That honest man did nothing wrong except being weak.

He didn’t want to be like his father, and he didn’t want to be trapped in that cage for the rest of his life.

On the second day of the New Year, at 7 o’clock in the morning, the weather was very cold. He Jin only slept for an hour last night, and he felt cold and hungry at the moment.

Many stores weren’t open yet, and the bus was also out of service. He Jin had been alone for more than half an hour before seeing a taxi. He got on the taxi and said to the driver, “the train station.”

The driver glanced at him. “Young boy, are you studying or working? You’re catching the train so early?”

He Jin answered the question with a simple “hmm”, the driver saw that he looked depressed, and that he didn’t want to chat, he knew that he had to shut up. On the way to the train station, He Jin’s bracelet vibrated, it was his father.

He Jin picked up, and his dad asked him anxiously where he was, He Jin said, “I am on my way back to school.”

The man said, “come back, there is no train in the New Year, and there are no more tickets. You know your mother’s character, just bear with it…”

He Jin painfully said, “Dad, let me calm down. I really don’t want to go home, Mom makes me feel scared, I have been bearing with her for 20 years, I can’t stand it anymore. She’s driving me crazy.”

When his father heard this, he went silent…

He Jin, “Dad, when I’m at school, I’ll contact you again.”

His father didn’t persuade any further, but he still sounded worried, “is the school open now?”

He Jin, “yes. If not, I will contact my classmate. I will figure it out.”

My father paused and asked again, “do you have money? I…I can ask from your mother.”

Suddenly there was a sharp voice behind him, “ask from me? Don’t ever think about it! He’s gone today! And I will no longer give a dime to him! Tuition fees, living expenses, nothing! Ask him to start begging for food!”

He Jin, “…”

The man seemed to have argued with the woman for a few more words. He Jin didn’t want to listen any more. He hung up and sent a message to his dad, out of his own wish, “Dad, please tell mum, I won’t even ask for a dime from her in the future, not even when I beg on the streets. I’ll also return everything to her, everything that she’s given to me in the past.”

After finishing this sentence, He Jin blocked both numbers of his parents on phone. The corners of his eyes started to get wet, yet he didn’t cry. He said to himself – Dad, I’m so sorry. When I’m able to, I’ll reward you in other ways.