Jeontugi High School
Back to School
When I got home from that semester, my parents weren’t happy at all. I hadn’t done as they wanted, winning all my fights and getting high praise. Last year, when I was undefeated, my parents couldn’t stop talking about my accomplishments. This time, my dad wouldn’t speak to me, and when I called my brother to tell him I was home, his first words were “Why’d you lose?”
That was how everyone viewed it, even my best friend, Ricky. He teased me for losing, though he wasn’t as harsh as my parents. He just made fun of me, even though he had lost before, himself. They saw me as a disgrace. If you don’t win, you aren’t worth anyone’s time. Imagine what their feelings will be when they find out that I lost on purpose. I couldn’t even tell Ricky about that, since he won’t be happy about it. He would start asking why I didn’t win. He knows I could have. As it was, he didn’t mention it…just like my dad.
I felt alone now.
*******************
Summer went by slowly, with my parents treating me like I couldn’t do anything right. It was all because I had lost to the short, muscular kid. The principal luckily never mentioned that I had lost on purpose. I wonder why? Was he ashamed of me, his best student? That was something I would face when the time came. I saw it as worth it, even though they didn’t.
To my dismay, my parents told me I was going back in the Fall. I know I will be seen as a loser who had been a champion fighter. We’ll see how THAT goes…especially when I stand up for the right thing…freedom from control.
The Summer passed slowly, with my parents staying away from home as much as possible. They didn’t want to be around me since I was a failure. This was the first year they had treated me this way: indifferent. It was like I didn’t exist, except to do my chores and come to dinner. I had never thought about getting a Summer job before, but this year it would have been appreciated, if only to get away from the awkwardness at home. Now I knew how all the kids I had beaten the last three years must have felt.
Losing made me feel invisible and insignificant. It seemed like no one cared, something that had not been a part of my life until now. This was the reason kids tried so hard to win and why my father had trained my brother and I from the time we were small to fight. Back then, if we didn’t beat him, we were getting beat up. He also pit us against one another. My brother was not happy when I became bigger and more muscular than him and I started beating him. That was when he was sent to Jeontugi and I never sparred with him again. I now know that he was not happy about me winning and was probably happy to go to college. Now that I have a loss on my record, he won’t speak to me at all. It feels like I have lost my family because of it.
That Fall, I packed up my things to go back to Jeontugi High School. I didn’t want to, but it wasn’t up to me. I was going because my parents wanted me to, and they were the ones that had a say in what I did with my life. It would also mean I could get away from their disappointed faces and be by myself. I tried to not let it bother me, but it had been eating at me all Summer.
When I walked into school to hand in my enrollment papers, I noticed the long line in front of me. I frowned. There were so many kids that were ready to fight their way through school. I shook my head in disgust. There were younger kids in line that were just starting into this. I had never noticed the afraid and resolved expressions on their faces. It was sad, because they were being taken from middle school where all they had to worry about was getting through school, to Jeontugi. Here they would fight their way through and probably half of them were going to lose and go home “failures” and ignored like I was all Summer. Looking at them, I hoped that I would be able to help them through this, if possible.
While I am waiting in line, let me explain enrollment. First of all, if you aren’t at least middle class, you can’t afford to go to Jeontugi. Those kids usually end up in the “special school” automatically, so that is why there are more middle class or upper class people. I am from the upper class, so I don’t have to worry about running out of money.
I’m sorry for distracting you. Back to enrollment. Each year, we have to sign a waiver that says we are okay with fighting and don’t hold Jeontugi High School responsible. That way, if someone gets injured, it’s simply because they didn’t fight hard enough and it’s THEIR fault. That’s what I’m in line for now. Nice, huh?
I saw several familiar faces, though I have to admit that I didn’t make much of an effort to get to know anyone the last three years. What’s the point, when we probably won’t see one another after graduation unless we happen to go to the same profession that was chosen by our parents, if you remember correctly. Maybe I will try to make an effort this year. We’ll see.
When it was my turn, I filled out my form and handed it in. I could see that on top of all my accomplishments in fighting for the first two years. The latest mark was my loss against Park Jimin, the guy I was supposed to be last year, in bright red letters. Sighing, I simply signed it and walked through. Maybe he wouldn’t be here, though that was unlikely. There was no way he was going to the school of disgraced for the “special kids” that couldn’t win. He had beat the school champion, me. Shaking my head, I walked to my dorm to put my thing away.
When I got there, I saw none other than Jimin sitting on one of the beds, organizing his things. He was my roommate…obviously. Jimin turned to me, saw who I was, and went back to his things. He didn’t even say “hi” to me, and I figure it was probably because he beat me and sees me the same way other people do. I’m not worth it, since I am “the loser former champion.” This was going to be an interesting year, and an awkward first few days.
After setting up my things, I opened my laptop and looked up Jeontugi High School to see what had started this and how long it had gone on. I spent the rest of the night searching for a good site that would help me. I’ll let you know when I find out something. Maybe it will be able to help me to end this bullshit.
That was how everyone viewed it, even my best friend, Ricky. He teased me for losing, though he wasn’t as harsh as my parents. He just made fun of me, even though he had lost before, himself. They saw me as a disgrace. If you don’t win, you aren’t worth anyone’s time. Imagine what their feelings will be when they find out that I lost on purpose. I couldn’t even tell Ricky about that, since he won’t be happy about it. He would start asking why I didn’t win. He knows I could have. As it was, he didn’t mention it…just like my dad.
I felt alone now.
*******************
Summer went by slowly, with my parents treating me like I couldn’t do anything right. It was all because I had lost to the short, muscular kid. The principal luckily never mentioned that I had lost on purpose. I wonder why? Was he ashamed of me, his best student? That was something I would face when the time came. I saw it as worth it, even though they didn’t.
To my dismay, my parents told me I was going back in the Fall. I know I will be seen as a loser who had been a champion fighter. We’ll see how THAT goes…especially when I stand up for the right thing…freedom from control.
The Summer passed slowly, with my parents staying away from home as much as possible. They didn’t want to be around me since I was a failure. This was the first year they had treated me this way: indifferent. It was like I didn’t exist, except to do my chores and come to dinner. I had never thought about getting a Summer job before, but this year it would have been appreciated, if only to get away from the awkwardness at home. Now I knew how all the kids I had beaten the last three years must have felt.
Losing made me feel invisible and insignificant. It seemed like no one cared, something that had not been a part of my life until now. This was the reason kids tried so hard to win and why my father had trained my brother and I from the time we were small to fight. Back then, if we didn’t beat him, we were getting beat up. He also pit us against one another. My brother was not happy when I became bigger and more muscular than him and I started beating him. That was when he was sent to Jeontugi and I never sparred with him again. I now know that he was not happy about me winning and was probably happy to go to college. Now that I have a loss on my record, he won’t speak to me at all. It feels like I have lost my family because of it.
That Fall, I packed up my things to go back to Jeontugi High School. I didn’t want to, but it wasn’t up to me. I was going because my parents wanted me to, and they were the ones that had a say in what I did with my life. It would also mean I could get away from their disappointed faces and be by myself. I tried to not let it bother me, but it had been eating at me all Summer.
When I walked into school to hand in my enrollment papers, I noticed the long line in front of me. I frowned. There were so many kids that were ready to fight their way through school. I shook my head in disgust. There were younger kids in line that were just starting into this. I had never noticed the afraid and resolved expressions on their faces. It was sad, because they were being taken from middle school where all they had to worry about was getting through school, to Jeontugi. Here they would fight their way through and probably half of them were going to lose and go home “failures” and ignored like I was all Summer. Looking at them, I hoped that I would be able to help them through this, if possible.
While I am waiting in line, let me explain enrollment. First of all, if you aren’t at least middle class, you can’t afford to go to Jeontugi. Those kids usually end up in the “special school” automatically, so that is why there are more middle class or upper class people. I am from the upper class, so I don’t have to worry about running out of money.
I’m sorry for distracting you. Back to enrollment. Each year, we have to sign a waiver that says we are okay with fighting and don’t hold Jeontugi High School responsible. That way, if someone gets injured, it’s simply because they didn’t fight hard enough and it’s THEIR fault. That’s what I’m in line for now. Nice, huh?
I saw several familiar faces, though I have to admit that I didn’t make much of an effort to get to know anyone the last three years. What’s the point, when we probably won’t see one another after graduation unless we happen to go to the same profession that was chosen by our parents, if you remember correctly. Maybe I will try to make an effort this year. We’ll see.
When it was my turn, I filled out my form and handed it in. I could see that on top of all my accomplishments in fighting for the first two years. The latest mark was my loss against Park Jimin, the guy I was supposed to be last year, in bright red letters. Sighing, I simply signed it and walked through. Maybe he wouldn’t be here, though that was unlikely. There was no way he was going to the school of disgraced for the “special kids” that couldn’t win. He had beat the school champion, me. Shaking my head, I walked to my dorm to put my thing away.
When I got there, I saw none other than Jimin sitting on one of the beds, organizing his things. He was my roommate…obviously. Jimin turned to me, saw who I was, and went back to his things. He didn’t even say “hi” to me, and I figure it was probably because he beat me and sees me the same way other people do. I’m not worth it, since I am “the loser former champion.” This was going to be an interesting year, and an awkward first few days.
After setting up my things, I opened my laptop and looked up Jeontugi High School to see what had started this and how long it had gone on. I spent the rest of the night searching for a good site that would help me. I’ll let you know when I find out something. Maybe it will be able to help me to end this bullshit.
