It had been years since Seongho had actively talked to his father, besides family duties. Everyone in the family knew of his resentment of their father due to the curse. It’s why they all tried so hard to keep him occupied during the family dinners and his siblings did their best, but even then the air was tense surrounding the two. The second eldest had been summoned to Min Manor to help heal Sanghoon after a meeting with the Dark Lord. His nephew, Sanghoon, was the only Min to be marked by the Dark Lord. To make matters worse, he was the only Min in service to the Dark Lord, as his fathers quit once Sanghoon was marked. He walked in with a tight jaw, seeing his nephew and fathers on the floor holding him.
“A side effect of the curse, appa?” Seongho spat the word curse out in a bitter tone as he pulled out his wand to heal the boy. “ Min Seongho ” Jiwoo spoke sternly, gesturing to his grandson. His tone brooked no arguments and his eyes said that this was not the time for his judgment and resentment. “Fine.” He huffed and started healing his nephew while asking basic healer questions to determine what else was wrong with him.
It wasn’t until he was finished healing Sanghoon and that his papa, Sungjin had taken his nephew to his room that his father had motioned him to follow him to the lord’s study room for what was probably an overdue conversation. Seongho ran a hand through his hair and huffed, but reluctantly followed his father to the one place he spent the majority of his childhood in. He remembered the countless hours that he spent on his father’s lap coloring in the coloring books that Wendy Bones had gotten them. She was their godmother after all.
Jiwoo took a moment to take in the numerous pictures that colored the wall and then turned to take in his second eldest. He was so proud of his children and what they had done for themselves. He remembered the days that he would work on financial work or other stuff and his sweet summer child would climb in his lap and color. Oh how he had missed his coloring buddy. He wondered when his son had turned resentful of him. Scratch that, he knew exactly when and while his resentment and anger was warranted, a small selfish part of him knew that without the cuff and curse that none of them would be here.
“Listen, I know how you feel about the curse and me, but this blatant disrespect has to stop Seongho. I’ll gladly take all of your anger and pain in a heartbeat because you’re my son. I won’t try to say that I understand your pain and that you need to stop feeling this way, because your feelings are valid. However, I need you to understand this. Without the cuff your papa would be dead before his twenty-first birthday along with the rest of his family. Meaning that you, your siblings, children, nieces, nephews, and any other Min family member would not be here. I wouldn’t change a damn thing, Seongie as it meant that the love of my life lived and I got to have wonderful children.” Jiwoo told his favorite child, getting across any and every emotion to him.He wanted him to know that he didn’t regret this or else he wouldn’t have any of his children, least of all his coloring buddy.
“While, I understand that appa, I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fact that becasue of this stupid curse that you put on papa took away my ability to have children. It was all I ever wanted. I never asked for much. I just wanted company and to be a parent. You know how suited I am to be a parent. I watched my siblings grow up and was practically glued to papa’s hip everytime he was pregnant. I’m a pediatric healer for Merlin’s sake! I just don’t know if I can ever forgive you for that. Papa understands and that’s why he doesn’t say as much as you do. While I’m not saying you’re not a good father, it’s just that it doesn’t come as natural to you as it does to me.I didn’t mean any disrespect by all of this, it’s just that it’s hard for me to get over it like the others did. Hell, I don’t even know if they got over it. All I’m saying is that it’s going to take time to lessen the pain. I just ask for understanding and time.” Seongho said with a heavy sigh and a slump of his shoulders. This was not on his agenda for the evening, but alas it was already and done with.
The two Mins knew of each other's feelings on the matter of the curse and while they came to an understanding of sorts, their relationship was never really quite the same. Jiwoo would never get the quiet kid who would color on his lap and ask the occasional question back. Seongho would never get his second bestest friend in the whole world back. Revealing secrets, time, and growing up had caused a rift in their relationship and it would take a lot more than a simple talk for it to grow back. Then again who knew what would happen with the war at their front doorstep. Maybe that would cause the two of them to make up quicker. No matter what though, Seongho would be there for his family, as a Min always take care of their own.