Chapter 3 -LTC

As Mason had expected, the small three-bedroom, brick house was consumed with darkness when he arrived. The drowning quietude suggested that the home hadn't been occupied for most of the day and erased the dread he had anticipated upon entry. Evidencing his thoughts, the same green bottles were dotted about on the oak dining table, and the smell of stale soju, Korean vodka, lingered in the air.

A small sigh escaped his lips as he kicked off his trainers and tossed his keys in the small bowl so that they wouldn't get lost. After stacking the magazines that would continue to be unread, Mason collected the bottles and disposed of the rubbish before retrieving some food from the fridge.
Fortunately, there was some leftover rice, and after heating the food and collecting some side dishes, he returned to his bedroom, where the silence continued. His bed greeted him with unkempt sheets, and the pillow had remained on the floor. Flinging it back onto his single bed, Mason took a seat at his desk that leaned against the bay window, giving him an impressive view of the tree-lined street below.

After devouring his meal with a video in the background, he picked up the guitar he kept at his bedside and began to strum. He had a music composition assignment that deep down he needed to start, but when the wind howled,  the words of Rag 'n' Boneman escaped his lips.

Darkness had begun to seep into the blue sky, and with his stomach full, fatigue found him quickly. After a quick to the bathroom, he stripped his layers and found warmth beneath his sheets. It was 9 pm, but after the exhausting day he'd had, and without the threat of memories crossing his mind, sleep captured him rapidly, and he embraced the darkness with a smile on his face.

Unfortunately, his dreamy, peaceful state could not be maintained, and his alarm began to ring. His stomach was rumbling, crying out for some breakfast, and though he didn't want to leave the comfort of his bed, Mason knew he was only wasting his time. If his father were home, he'd only be yelled at, and he'd much prefer to start his early morning without a fight.

After a quick shower to force himself awake, he slipped on an old hoodie and moved downstairs to hear the television blaring from the lounge. It would be a lie to suggest Mason wanted to see the parent currently occupying the lounge, but his face read too quickly. The pain in his heart was too much. If the lounge didn't connect to the kitchen, he would have avoided all forms of interaction, but the moment he switched on the light, he would be seen.

So instead, Mason swallowed his tongue, inhaled deeply for courage, and entered the room, praying that the night hadn't haunted the person beyond the door.

"Hi ma," He greeted, and the stench of alcohol, which became increasingly potent as he entered, told him all he needed to know. It had been a stormy night, and Iseul Park glanced his way. Her lips spread with a lazy smile, and glassy eyes beamed upon him as he released his first hesitant breath.

"Mason," The shock could be heard behind the slur as she slowly moved upright on the couch. "Honey, are you home?"

"I'm home," He nodded, moving to sit beside her as she placed a sweaty hand on his face. "I have work in a little while. Shall we go to bed?"

"I haven't seen you for so long," She whimpered, and Mason tried to force his emotions down as he silently acknowledged it had been a terrible night.

"I'm here," he promised, "I'm always right here," Mason reassured, pressing her hand harder against her cheeks as her tears began to flow.

"I was so scared," She whispered, closing her eyes tightly as she spoke. "I was so scared you'd gone too,"

"I'm not going anywhere, ma. I practise, go to school, and work at the diner; I am always home," The thought of greeting the sunrise with his guitar was far removed as Mason stood up, pulling his mother along with him.

They staggered up the stairs as she cried, and when Mason surprisingly found his father fast asleep in their bedroom, he decided to take his mother to his own. She clambered into the sheets with difficulty, but eventually, he could cover her shivering body as her cries increased by tenfold.

Eventually, Iseul cried herself to sleep, with Mason present to hold her right and caress her hair, and when her whimperings were replaced with soft smores, he ignored the time and ran down the stair, jumping into his car without a moment's thought. It had been the same routine for the last 18 months, ever since Haneul, his older brother, passed away. While his father found refuge in work and Mason's training, his mother's spirit had shattered.

Their life was now shrouded in alcohol and tears, and Mason's heart continued to weigh heavy with helplessness as he thought back to the woman sleeping in his bed. The last two years had taken their toll, and the excitable woman his mum used to be, was now marred with worry lines and exhaustion. She was unrecognisable.

Thankfully Mason had the breakfast shift, 5:30 until 8 am, and being a Tuesday, he was grateful that the deliveries would have been made the day before, likely ensuring a quiet morning. The sun began to beam through the thicket of the clouds, and the cold air felt excellent against his cheeks. Fortunately, based on the empty car park, his expectation was correct, and the quiet diner featuring fuschia pink booths and white tile with light jazz music in the background; allowed relief to pass over him.

Outside of his favourite spot on the cliff and being with Lucas, the diner was one of the few places Mason felt at ease. The restaurant was a family-operated business that conspired of Spencer, who cooked, Vanessa, who ran the show, and their daughter, Louise, who supported Mason on their busier nights. Alison and Nathaniel also worked the odd shift and were a year below Mason at school; their schedules clashed occasionally, and it was nice to have their company when possible.

The Sinclair's had welcomed Mason with open arms two years ago when he had arrived to ask if they had any vacancies.  The timing couldn't have been any more perfect as Louise was leaving to have a child of her own, and the family needed someone to operate the main dining area while Spencer and Vanessa cooked.

Mason hadn't expected the family to keep him on when Louise returned from maternity leave. Still, the conversation of his redundancy never came to light, and he was grateful for it. He had no thoughts about leaving unless it was essential.
Though the income was also a fundamental reason why he stayed, and the extra tips helped fund different guitar strings and gigs, the Sinclair's were his family. He loved them.

A fresh stack of pancakes was waiting for him upon his entrance, and Vanessa insisted that he take a seat before entering the kitchen.  "You need to eat before you work," Vanessa instructed as she passed the food towards him over the counter.

"I already ate," Mason lied, refusing to sit in his seat. The mother figure simply pursed her lips, and he sighed in defeat, picking up the cutlery from the holder. "Thank you," he added as she grinned.

"You're a growing boy, Mason, and growing boys need to eat." She stated before moving to tend the order of a customer in the near back.

Mason hadn't whispered a word to the Sinclair's about his home situation, but it was moments like this that he felt that they knew. It wasn't uncommon knowledge that his family was broken; Rye was a small town after all, and his brother's sudden death had been shocking.
Mason also wondered whether they could smell the vodka scent that tainted his home and was absorbed by his clothes, despite the showers he took regularly or saw his eagerness to work as a mirror of his financial situation.
They even offered him a bonus every few months for simply being present. No regular employer would do such a thing, and all Mason could be, was grateful for it.

"You look tired, " Louise assessed as he entered the kitchen to place his plate and cutlery into the dishwasher.

"I'm fine," Mason assured, unhooking the single apron that was waiting for him to wear. "It's a quiet morning; it'll be nice. How's Mia?"

"She's walking and talking and getting into everything!" Louise chuckled, "You can press the button on my phone. I took that picture over the weekend," Mason nodded, striding to the counter where Louise was peeling carrots for her father's famous carrot and coriander soup, which was a seasonal favourite at the diner.

"She's gorgeous," Mason chuckled, his smile genuine as he looked at the little girl with thick curls grinning excitably as she clutched onto the ice cream that had dripped its way down her yellow dress. "And getting so big," he added as the mother sighed.

"Yeah, she's growing up fast. You'll have to pop down when you can; she'd love to see you,"

"I will," Mason promised as the bell sounded from the kitchen. They shared final smiles of understanding before Mason delivered the order and officially began his shift.
Aside from an older gentleman who had fallen asleep at his table, there was hardly anything for him to do. He could have returned home if he had wanted to, and both Spencer and Vanessa had suggested it, but instead, Mason chose to stay.

He fried himself a fresh batch of chips that the family shared, as he decided to put in the effort to complete his homework. Though Mason didn't try hard, he didn't want to raise any negative attention either.  His physics teacher had given the class a pack to complete, and Mason still had a few pages to go. Fortunately, he kept everything in his bag, and so he was well equipped to attempt the questions that had been assigned.

Mason had received his mock exam timetable three weeks ago, and regretfully, he knew he should have started to revise over the summer holidays. A-Levels were far more challenging than GCSEs, and his chosen subjects did not offer him the opportunity to waffle his way to gaining straight B's, as he had done at the age of 16.

Instead, his subjects required a good understanding of the theory that could then be applied, and within half an hour, Mason was silently pulling at his hair in the realisation that he didn't know the content as he should.
Fortunately, he knew he could pass in maths- his current scores in the subject had been maintained, and music was also something he was naturally adept at. Still, physics was slowly turning into a black hole of remorse and dread. He should have picked English.

The second hour went by quickly, and the customers finally began to arrive. Mason mainly spent the time producing drinks and delivering orders and by 8 am, the diner was almost at total capacity. Still, his employer's emphasis on his schooling ensured he was asked to leave on time, and Mason made his way to the now filled car park.

The air was still thick with humidity, a curse of living by the coast, and Mason released a small sigh of fatigue. Usually, this was his favourite time of day. The streets were empty, and he could practise, but his energy had been entirely spent on revising.

Still, Mason also didn't want to go home, and after checking his phone, only seeing a message from his dad asking if he was doing okay, he switched on his vehicle and enjoyed the drive.

Mason hadn't considered where he was heading, but the sight of the blue sea caught his breath as he slowed down upon reaching the summit of the cliff face. Rye may not have been the best town to have been raised in, but it was undoubtedly beautiful.
The salty air caressed his cheeks as he moved to sit on the grass, leaning his back on the bonnet as he watched the fluffy white clouds roll over the brightening sky. The moon was still glowing in the distance, and it was here where Mason felt his energy disperse and shoulders relax as the tension finally escaped his body and flowed into each strum of the guitar.

Mason couldn't recall how or when he had found this single spot on the cliff face, but he knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was his favourite place in the world. The waves crashed beneath him, signalling their power and speed, and he smiled, his thoughts immediately rushing to the adrenaline he welcomed when he sang. The two entities couldn't have been more different, but Mason didn't need to find a reason to connect them further. To him, it made sense, and it was that thought that allowed him to lull into a deep sleep, with the extraordinary coast below.

A.N.
So I updated! Because well, surprise!
Haha. Plus I know that the last two chapters were kind of fillers so I figured, get the world-building side out there, and I promise, by Friday's chapter things are going to pick up! Though I am curious, did anyone predict Mason's home life to be this way?
I hope you've all had a lovely past few days! Happy Thanksgiving/ Indigenous People's day. I hope you all had a wonderful day.
And that the week continues to be awesome for all of us!
Love, Aamenah x
Song- Rag 'n' Boneman- Human