Semua Bab I Was the Permanent Minority at Home: Bab 1 - Bab 10

"Joshua, do you understand the situation regarding your tuition fees?"Dad sat at the head of the dinner table, cradling the same coffee pot he'd cherished for over a decade. He gently blew on his cup of coffee before taking a sip.I was wiping grease stains from the tabletop with a dishcloth. I replied flatly, "I understand."Mom came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of sliced watermelon and set it on the coffee table. "That's good," she said. Letting out a relieved sigh, she casually nudged the plate toward my brother, Jonathan Hayes."Jon is at a critical stage with his startup. We can't let the cash flow run dry. Once his company gets on its feet, our whole family will benefit from it."Jonathan was wearing headphones, both hands flying across the screen. Without even looking up, he opened his mouth and bit into a slice of watermelon Mom held out for him."Thanks, Mom."Then, he turned to me and, with his mouth still full, said, "Josh, once I secure this investment, I'l

"Four to one." Dad made the final call. "Josh, go get the bracelet."I sat in my chair, staring at the four hands raised in front of me. Just like countless times over the past 18 years, whenever they raised their hands, I was expected to hand over whatever was mine.My tuition fees, my college choice, and now, the last thing I had left from Grandma."Okay."I didn't argue. I didn't cry or make a scene. I got up, went into my room, and pulled an old velvet box from a storage box under my bed. I gently ran my fingertip over the pattern on its lid.Grandma, I'm sorry.I carried the box back to the living room and set it on the dining table. Mom snatched it, opened it, and her face lit up."This is in great condition. I'll take it to the jewelry store this afternoon and sell it."Jonathan let out a long breath of relief. "Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad. And thanks, Josh."They all ate that meal with great enthusiasm. After dinner, as I stood at the sink washing the dishes, I heard la

"What… What is this?"Dad shot to his feet so fast that the household registration documents nearly slipped from his hands.Hearing the commotion, Mom rushed out of the kitchen. "Honey, what's wrong?"She leaned over to take a look, then froze. "Transferred out? Josh has transferred out of our household? Where did he transfer to?"Jonathan gulped. "I just looked more carefully. It says he's been transferred to a confidential facility somewhere in the Northwest.""A confidential location?" Dad's brows furrowed. "He's a kid who just graduated high school. Why is he going to a confidential facility?"At that moment, Jasmine emerged from the bathroom with a face mask on."Oh, come on. Why is everyone freaking out? He's obviously scared we'll make him attend the teachers college, so he's pretending to run away from home. He's probably just working in some factory somewhere. As if he'd qualify to be assigned to some confidential facility."Her words seemed to calm Dad slightly. He

Mom couldn't remember how she got home. When she pushed open the front door, Dad was sitting on the couch, smoking. The living room was thick with cigarette smoke."Did you find him?" Without turning around, Dad asked impatiently.Mom said nothing. She absentmindedly walked to the coffee table and placed the photocopied confirmation letter they had gotten from Mr. Lawson on top of it."What's this?" Dad picked up the document and glanced at it. Cigarette ash fell onto his pant leg, but he didn't even notice."Northwest… National classified research program?" He shot to his feet, his voice rising several octaves. "That's impossible! How could he qualify for something like this?"Just then, Jonathan staggered in through the front door, reeking of alcohol. He had spent the afternoon trying to salvage his business by meeting with investors. But in the end, he'd been humiliated by having a drink thrown in his face."Dad, don't look at that!" Jonathan snatched the paper and ripped

I put on my thick windbreaker and followed the guard toward the main gate.A tall barbed-wire fence surrounded the entrance, with yellow security tape stretched beyond it. The wind howled, whipping loose snow across the ground.About 30 feet away, I saw them. Dad was bundled in a thick down jacket, shivering violently from the cold. Mom's face was bright red from the wind, while Jonathan hunched his shoulders and stomped his feet repeatedly.When they saw me walk out, they froze for a moment.I was wearing the facility's army green uniform. My hair was shaved short. The wind and sand had roughened my skin, and my shoulders had grown noticeably broader. I was no longer the timid second son who wore torn old clothes."Josh! Josh!" Mom was the first to react. She rushed to the fence, tears and snot streaming down her face. "We finally found you! You little brat! Why did you come to this miserable place?" She sobbed bitterly.But I felt nothing."What are you doing here?" I