The angry laugh of the third master snapped Lee Yong from his spiralling thoughts of wondering about him being a failure of an elder brother. Before he could pull himself together, a series of questions were asked by the Third master that was nothing but a slap on the face.
"Apologise? To who? The son you failed? To the son, your wife hurt every single opportunity she got? Or the family he found for himself? The family that fixed his heart each time? Who are you going to apologise to exactly?" All the questions were valid and hit the nail.
Lee Yong was not sure if his father felt guilt, but he definitely did, even without knowing all the details of the issues.
The third master's tone changed, and he spoke as calmly as everyone awaits the storm. "Once he is back in the Lee family, your wife would taunt him again. Whan would put up with it because he did not want to worry us, his friends and true family. But once your wife hurts him more, he returns to us to lick the wound as he heals under our care. Then you convince us to send him back. And the cycle continues as it had for years!"
"Third master…" Lee In-Su could not refute any words. After all, it was what had been happening for years.
"This time, no one is sending him back. I called you to say that only." The third master spoke his words with finality.
"Third master… don't be unreasonable. He is my son. Please!" Lee In-Su begged a man who was of his son's age without any hesitation or shame.
"Well, all the best in explaining that to my siblings and mom. Prove to them that you still give a double fuck about Lee Whan and still care about him." But the third master spoke as if he picked a page from his brother's handling of people - unbothered as he washed off the responsibility to the others.
"Third master! It is a family issue. Once we explain everything, Lee Whan would understand. Things are changing. I am changing." Lee In-Su tried to explain, not realising he messed up even further.
"You still think it is Lee Whan who needs to understand, not your wife. Wow! That says a lot about your understanding and change." The third master understood why his little brother and little Choi called Lee In-Su, 'the Master of Hypocrisy'.
"Fuck!" Lee Yong swore under his breath, realising this third master's words were accurate.
He was determined to fix everything in the family. If he ever gets a chance to meet this third master, he would pay proper respect to the man who stood by his little brother and express his gratitude.
The third master threw away the last bit of respect he had for Lee In-Su and spoke to him as if how his mother would speak. "I know you tried to understand and stay by him even though you initially could not accept his sexuality. But trust me. It is not enough. What you did as a father was not enough?! Accept it… you failed as a father the day you chose not to ask your son what happened and blindly believed others to punish him. You did not fail today or when he came out to the family. You had failed as Lee Whan's father for more than two decades when you chose to believe others' words over your son's cry!"
Lee In-Su did not have any ways to defend himself anymore. There was nothing to defend him anymore. He gave up.
It was true he was indeed a failure of a father.
The fact refused to acknowledge for so long. But it was thrown in his face, and he could no longer refuse to agree.
"Lee Whan is my brother. We are done with the conversation. I have better things to focus. Bye, uncle." The third master prioritised checking on his friends and making sure they don't end up doing anything stupid rather than handling this.
With the lack of response, the third master terminated the call as if he would instead do something else than waste his time on his friend's failure excuse of a father.