Chasing in the dark

CHAPTER 4

The buzz of the town quiets down as the cold of the night seeps in. Dae-Seong finishes off the last of his cleaning responsibilities and decides to call it a night. He looks around the empty room feeling very satisfied with himself.  

=Dae-Seong POV=

I get up from the floor and walk towards the small chair right in front of the big window. I release a deep sigh as I plant myself down. Pleased with myself, I look at my hands and move my shoulders in circular motions to alleviate the cold and tightness creeping up in them.  

I look out the window as the night rolls in and the street empties out leaving nothing but unfinished conversations. The dark skies are slowly clashing with each other, making rain imminent. When in life will things go back to normal, I think to myself as I get up and walk towards the piano.  

I sit down at the edge of the piano, and as I run my fingers over the keys, I clear my throat. 

Yiruma's River flows in you echoes through the empty diner. As I play, I get transported back to a time when everything was fine and alright with the world. 

I'm reminded of a time when we were all happy. 

Dae-Seong continues to reflect as he gracefully glides his fingers across the piano. 

About seven years ago, the big recession hit and this once flourishing neighborhood and all the  surrounding businesses felt the pinch. 

My family more so. 

The perfect life that we had build, came crashing down.

My father like so many others lost his job. He became angrier as each day past and as door after door kept closing in his face, he blamed us for it. He found his only solitude in a bottle of cheap wine. 

My mom had to work two jobs. 

A factory worker during the week at the fish factory on the outskirts of town, and a cleaner over the weekends, just so that we could make ends meat. She worked 16-hours a day and still came home to perform her wife and motherly duties. 

At the end of the day, she neglected to take care of herself. 

All the businesses closed down and the few that remained, became less and less frequented by people. 

Mr. Han's Diner included. This once bustling diner was now abandoned. 

The tempo picks up as Dae-Seong thinks about how his mentor changed over the years.

The recession hit him hard, but Mr. Han was never really the same after his wife died. They never had children and when she died a piece of him died too.

I guess that's why I still come here today. This Diner has meant so much to me growing up. If I needed to escape my life, I'd come here and play the piano.

I'd play this piece.

The tempo slows down as he thinks about his painful then and now. With his eyes closed, a single tear runs down his cheek as he continues to play. 

Every time I play this piece, I cannot help but shed a tear. How simple and uncomplicated things used to be, before life happened.

Before all went to shit.

My family hasn't recovered from the harsh realities of our current situation. My dad is getting worse by the day. And my mom... has just excepted that life won't get better than this.

That is why I have to protect Jun-won. 

I need to be the role model my brother needs to survive in this world. I need to give him that security I once felt. He deserves to grow up in a time and surrounded by people that are there to  help him succeed and not break him down.