Time Mansour - Chapter 13



Only Noblemtl

Episode 13: I Want to Become a Human

D-DAY 0.

Pack a cheering stick in your empty bag.

Water, spare batteries, and even snacks.

After filling my bag with the supplies I found on the Internet,

The bag felt lighter than ever.

**

Red blue.

They were an idol band that played blues rock when they first debuted.

The first and second albums naturally failed due to the concept being against the times.

It was only after they transformed into an idol dance group with their third album that they were able to enter the Billboard charts.

They achieved success as a dance group.

-Back to that time, back to that era. Red Blue Band performance.

At this concert.

I picked up an instrument again after five years.

I wander around with my heart full of excitement on my back.

A middle-aged couple choosing photo cards at a booth. An older man waving his cheering stick awkwardly. And children whose smiles make the sunlight shine brightly.

I was wandering around the concert hall, taking in the unfamiliar scenery.

moment.

suddenly.

“Huh? Jeong Yeong-jun??”

Someone calls me from behind.

It’s not Director Jeong, it’s Youngjun Jeong.

I look back in surprise at the pronunciation I haven’t heard in a long time.

“you···”

“Seongtae. Inma. It’s Kim Seongtae. Did you forget my name?”

Checked patterned jacket with jeans.

A man with a headset around his neck.

Is your impatient nature still there?

He says his own name before I can even say my own.

“Yeah… It’s been a really long time.

“Child. Where have you been and what have you been doing all this time?”

“Just. I’m a little busy.”

“Does that mean you didn’t contact me at all? Everyone was really upset. Changseok in particular was even more upset.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been living so carelessly.”

I changed my phone number after graduating from high school.

After that, even the band members I was close with all lost contact with me.

No. I unilaterally cut off contact.

That’s why I was happy to see Seongtae, but at the same time, I felt a little awkward.

But unlike me who was feeling awkward.

As if nothing had happened for the past 15 years.

Seongtae continues speaking naturally.

“But what brings you here? Do you work around here?”

“It’s the weekend. You came to see the show. What about you?”

“Red Blue? I came to work for that show.

Seongtae shakes his head from side to side and points to the concert hall behind him.

“Are you still playing bass?”

“No way. I’m a sound engineer. I install sound equipment. That kind of stuff.”

“It must be hard.”

Without even knowing what a sound engineer is.

When dealing with customers, the hypocrisy that has become a habit comes out of your mouth.

“Why are you acting so worried? Oh my. This is creepy. This kid has grown into an old man since I last saw him.”

“Just an old man. Not a child.”

“Don’t be old. Hey. Stop it. Hurry up and get some contact information. I have to go take a test.”

Then he takes out his cell phone. Hurry. Hurry. He keeps urging me as if something is urgent.

It’s still the same.

Even when playing, the bass sound always came out first.

No matter how many times we pointed it out, it never got fixed, so eventually we all just gave up.

As soon as I dialed the number.

“Hey. You. Don’t ignore my calls again. I’ll call you back later after I finish, so let’s meet up.”

He just says what he wants to say and disappears without even listening to the answer.

They say that when a person changes, he dies.

You will live a really long life.

A smile appeared on my lips without me realizing it.

**

On stage.

On a stage with the lights off.

“and!!”

The silhouettes of the members are reflected.

Jeeeeing!

-The fox and the cat said.

The lyrics of the song fill the small concert hall along with the sound of the guitar.

-It’s time to go on stage.

The lights come on.

Jeez. The guitar strings are shaking precariously.

-Because I want to become a human. Move the ridges at the corners of your mouth.

Mina’s lips are trembling.

A small breeze blowing into the microphone.

-Everyone loves you. My lovely wooden doll.

It becomes a typhoon and sweeps through the concert hall.

-Pinocchio. You have to dance.

Those exciting memories of pressing the keys come back to me.

-Wooden dolls aren’t people.

Without any worries.

Back to the days when I only had big dreams.

I felt like I was back again.

“Wow!!”

Cheers erupting from all around.

Shyly, I pick up the cheering stick and wave it.

-Even if you want to be human.

Mina sends an intense gaze towards the cheering audience.

Her gaze stares straight ahead.

It was to the point where I felt like it was looking at me.

My heart is pounding for no reason.

**

“thank you.”

The breathtaking stage has come to an end.

So the performance ended.

I’m squatting on the stairs.

Someone taps my shoulder.

“Hey. Sorry. I’m a little late.”

It’s Sungtae.

“Are you here?”

No, that’s right. You wouldn’t remember me.

Even though I know, I still feel regretful.

Okay, let’s go. Seongtae pushes my back. Hurry. Hurry. He keeps urging me as if something is urgent.

“So where are you going now?”

“Let’s have a drink.”

“Do you know anything?”

“Yeah. I come here often because of the performances nearby… Hey! Let’s go quickly. Hurry up. The traffic light is changing. Run.”

Seongtae sees a green light blinking in the distance and starts running.

**

Knock the door of the sushi restaurant.

Every time a live fish in an aquarium wags its tail.

The water path parted like a soft accompaniment.

I order a bottle of soju, some flounder, and some sea bass and sit down.

Don’t you think you’re the only one who’s busy? It’s so disappointing. No matter what, you shouldn’t just disappear like that. Your contact information is the same. You can contact me sometime. You idiot with no sense of duty.

Seongtae’s mouth smelled like blood.

A pungent, fishy smell mixed with soy sauce wafts through the air.

He spews out harsh words as if he is venting his anger on me.

I could only repeat that I was sorry.

Bam.

I picked up the fish and dropped it.

I’m wagging my chopsticks in the air.

“So what are you doing now?”

“I worked at an IT company.”

“Developer. Something like that.”

Oh. It’s similar. Seongtae tilted his head at my answer.

Let me ask the question again.

“Then you want to use the computer a bit?”

“No. I don’t know. Don’t ask.”

It’s obvious. It’s either assembly or repair.

I drew a clear line because I didn’t know how to do it and I didn’t want to do it.

To this resolute attitude of mine.

“This is perfect. Let me ask you one favor.”

Seongtae doesn’t even listen and says what he wants to say.

It’s still the same.

I can’t even laugh in vain anymore.

**

Back to normal.

Time passes by and fall slowly arrives.

A ginkgo fruit bursts when it hits a sidewalk block.

Life that has not yet sprouted.

A pigeon steps on it and passes by.

“It’s 4,800 won.”

After working overtime, I buy a packed lunch and head home as usual.

A daily routine that repeats itself every day.

Every day, I copy the same date from Google and paste it into my developer tools.

“Huh? I’ve never ordered delivery before.”

As I was returning home with my lunch box, I found an unfamiliar delivery box in front of the door.

-Sender: Kim Seong-tae.

A box of considerable volume.

I pushed it gently with my foot but it didn’t budge at all.

Only then did I remember what Seongtae had said at the sushi restaurant.

-Please help me. I need to find the audio file. I must have deleted it a while ago. No matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find it.

At Seongtae’s words, I reluctantly nodded while thinking of an SD card or external hard drive.

“That guy is crazy. I need to go to the company to find out.”

When I saw the items inside the box, I couldn’t help but curse.

PowerG model from Dal Technology.

A large, beautiful server emerges from the shipping box.

It must be returned.

This is absolutely not possible.

It’s not a size I can handle.

The task of data recovery itself was closer to security.

I’ve never worked in security before.

While reading the manual.

Ability to use simple recovery software roughly.

I have to say it’s hard.

So make up your mind.

I opened my phone and tried to dial Seongtae’s number.

Suddenly.

I turned my head.

My sister’s tightly shut door caught my eye.