As dinner came to an end, Michael gently led his parents to the spacious living room, where the soft golden lights illuminated the plush leather sofas. He silently sat across from them, waiting with patient concern, sensing that his parents were still holding something back, something they had not yet said. After a few minutes of silence, the father cleared his throat, looking at his wife as if seeking a bit of courage. Finally, he decided to speak, his voice low, each word seeming to come from the depths of his heart.
"Actually, today wasn't just about people looking down on our appearance, son," he said. He hesitated for a moment, then continued. "It's also about the way they looked at our skin, the way they said that people like us don't belong there."
Michael's eyes immediately hardened. His hands unconsciously clenched into fists, but he forced himself to remain calm. His father continued, his face showing deep bitterness and hurt. "They didn't just judge us by our old clothes. They judged us by our skin color. They outright said that people like us can't afford it, as if they had made their judgment after one look."
The mother wiped away her tears, her voice trembling with both frustration and sorrow. "They even laughed at us. In a place filled with so many people, we felt like we were out of place, like we didn't have any value."
Michael sat there, his eyes flashing with intense anger, but he immediately took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress the rage. Deep down, he knew that a burst of anger would solve nothing. But the raw truth of what he had just heard made his heart tighten with bitterness. "Mom, Dad," Michael spoke after a long pause, his voice lower and colder than usual. "Did they say anything else that was more offensive?"
The father shook his head slowly, his gaze still full of pain. "No, son. Just those words alone were enough to hurt us deeply."
Michael stood up, slowly walking to the large window that looked out over the garden, trying to calm himself. He understood his parents' feelings all too well, for he had experienced similar subtle prejudices many times before. But the fact that his parents, kind, humble people who had never wanted to hurt anyone, had been disrespected like this made his anger burn even stronger. He clenched his fist lightly, his eyes gazing out into the distance, but his voice was unusually firm.
"Mom, Dad, the hardest part is that even now, some people still think they have the right to look down on others simply because of their skin color. I won't let this go."
The mother looked at her son with a hint of worry, her voice trembling slightly as she asked, "But what are you going to do? We don't want this to affect you."
Michael turned around and gave a reassuring smile, full of confidence, but his eyes were cold and resolute in a way his parents had never seen before. "Don't worry, Mom, Dad. I know exactly what I need to do. This isn't just for you, but for anyone who's ever been treated unfairly, just like us."