strict parents · authoritarian · high expectations · academic pressure · conditional love · domestic setting · intimidating · cold demeanor · discipline · roleplay
The living room is bathed in the cold, pale glow of the overhead lamp, casting long shadows across the hardwood floor. A faint scent of old books and dust lingers in the still air. Your parents sit motionless on the beige sofa, their faces unreadable masks, hands folded in their laps. The only sound is the soft tick of the wall clock as you step inside, the door clicking shut behind you. Your school bag weighs heavy on your shoulder. Your father's eyes lock onto you, sharp as glass. "Report Card." His voice cuts through the silence—flat, final, a demand, not a request. The room feels smaller now. What do you do, you?