Time Mansour - Chapter 144



Only Noblemtl

Episode 144: To tell the truth

Click. Click.

This director’s mouse cursor moved dazzlingly. It was the first time I saw him so focused in front of a computer, except when he was shooting a gun.

Sigh. He bit his lower lip slightly, pretending that something wasn’t going right.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been working at an entertainment agency for a long time, but my acting was very stable.

Compared to that, my acting isn’t that great.

‘Still, that’s true. That setting is too much···’

I looked at Director Lee with a dumbfounded expression without realizing it.

Even with the camera behind her, she completely failed to control her facial expressions.

I was just staring blankly at the director.

“But still. If you have financial freedom, wouldn’t happiness follow?”

I shook my head from side to side reflexively at the PD’s question that I suddenly heard.

At the same time, a vague memory of my childhood flashed through my mind.

Those were the days when we couldn’t even turn on the fan on a midsummer night.

It was said by word of mouth that rich people had air conditioners.

The sunlight comes in beyond the wall built with bricks.

Because the sunlight often steps on the threshold, I have bad luck.

Just when I was about to forget, a bitter wind blew on the shutters like a debt collector.

Although it was not abundant,

“Looking back, I think it was when I was poorest that I was the happiest.”

Those times with my family remain as the most beautiful memories in my mind.

So in my little world, wealth and happiness were independent of each other.

Each event did not affect the other.

After a while of being immersed in childhood memories.

Back to reality, I looked into the camera lens.

moment.

“But PD-nim. Will this be enough footage?”

I was genuinely worried about the broadcast.

“Well, actually, there’s not much to take pictures of in the office compared to what we thought.”

“Because originally, there was nothing in IT work that could be shown through video.”

“I think this much shooting in the office should be enough. Is there anything else worth shooting?”

“Then how about we pretend to code?”

The PD shook his head, saying that it was okay with what I said. While the PD and I were talking like that, the staff member who was filming next to me turned around and took a close-up of the bed.

“Isn’t there a bed over there? I don’t think you have any work to do that requires you to stay up all night.”

“No. That’s… no. It was in this room before it was used as an office, but I never got around to taking it out.”

I was going to say it was because of this manager, but I quickly changed my words when this manager glared at me.

“Come to think of it. I heard that Youngjun runs the welfare facility here.”

“I’m not the facility manager. I’m renting it out without any rent.”

“Then can I take a look around the facility?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I gestured as I took a step back. The camera left the office first.

It would be better to show disabled facilities in a video rather than making an app.

With that thought in mind, I followed the camera crew out to the living room.

“What kind of facility is this?”

“It’s a temporary shelter for the mentally and physically disabled.”

The camera suddenly turned towards me. The staff member’s shoulders half-crouched.

“Is it related to your deceased sister?”

“I can’t say that it’s completely unrelated.”

Then he briefly explained the reason for starting the business. He also talked about the reality of the lack of facilities for the disabled.

Since then, I have spent a long time in front of the camera lens, recounting my past life in a disorganized manner.

Since I’m not very good at talking, I answered in a somewhat rambling manner.

I thought the PD would edit it well, so I tried to say as much as possible.

**

The staff are packing up their equipment after filming. I wonder if they are all satisfied. They say it was good in front, but honestly, I don’t know what they really thought.

I cautiously asked the PD who was preparing to go back.

“How long is the documentary running time?”

“The first idea is to have it last an hour and a half.”

“Won’t it be boring?”

“Don’t worry. It’s our job to make it fun.

“Trust me, PD Lee Dong-chul. He is a well-known talent in this industry.

When I was worried, the director lightly tapped me on the side with his elbow.

“I’m really grateful to Director Lee. He convinced Youngjun. Seriously. I really wanted to do this shoot.”

“No. I didn’t persuade Youngjun. He said he would do it.”

It was only after the cameras turned off that the two people began to recognize each other.

After exchanging a few brief greetings, the PD got up.

“We’re going to go now. Please go in.”

**

After seeing the filming crew off and returning to the office, I noticed Director Lee lying on the bed.

“You went back to bed again.”

“Youngjun, do you know that? People are born lying down and die lying down.”

With his eyes closed like a dead person, the director muttered solemnly. Every time he muttered, his lips, covered in something, twitched.

‘People are born lying down and they die lying down.’

But isn’t there too much of the intermediate process omitted?

I leaned back in my chair as if lying down, letting the words that didn’t sound like they were from the director go out of one ear and out of the other.

He raised his head and asked himself a question, almost like a soliloquy, toward the drywall on the ceiling.

“I’m talking about a documentary. Will it be effective?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“I wonder. I’m not sure if people will be interested in this half-success story.”

As the PD said, my life was going up and down. It wasn’t the refreshing success story that the public wanted.

“Hey. What about a success story? Youngjun’s documentary isn’t a success story.”

“Then. Are you trying to capture it as a feeling of emotion or something like that?”

“No. Youngjun is a weirdo. If I had to make a comparison, it’s like something like that in the world. It’s like seeing a smoking turtle at the zoo and it’s strange.”

“That’s a really bad analogy.”

“It’s because I’m a science major.”

Every time I rolled my feet while lying on the bed, the earth shook under this director’s weight. That’s why I gained weight. I swallowed the sentence that was about to burst out, kicking away the gravity.

“But what did this director say his major was?”

“It’s in English.”

“You just said it was science.”

“In America, English literature is a science major. Youngjun, have you ever been to America?”

“Do you have to go there to find out?”

“Oh my. If you haven’t been there, then don’t say anything.”

With the cameras gone, they return to their pointless conversation.

As he spoke nonsense, a smile slowly returned to the corner of Director Lee’s mouth.

“Is this manager happy now?”

“No. It’s so boring.”

“···”

“So what I’m saying is, is there anything exciting going on?”

The director half-raised himself from the bed.

He looked at me and blinked his wide eyes.

“If I’m bored, I want to go look at the stars.”

I gestured to space with my chin.

**

On the way out with this manager, I ran into Da-eun.

“uncle.”

Da-eun waving one hand from side to side.

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

He holds his father’s hand tightly with his other hand and smiles brightly. When I first saw him, it was the hand that picked up the empty bottle. That rough hand has now become smooth.

“Uncle, I saw the camera earlier. Are you on TV?”

“No. It’s a shoot for Netflix.”

“Wow. Congratulations.”

Then Da-eun smiles brightly.

“Thank you. What about Da-eun? Is she doing well at school these days?”

“Yes. I will study hard and become a person who helps others like my uncle.”

“Then, take Sohyun to the academy with you. Help her out first.”

“I asked her that a few times, but Sohyun said she doesn’t want to study.”

Da-eun smiles awkwardly.

It’s been a while, so I wanted to talk a little longer.

“Wow. Wow.”

Da-eun’s father grabs Da-eun and drags her away.

“Okay, Dad. Let’s go home. Uncle. I’ll go now.”

Da-eun bowed her head and soon started running with her father.

“Da-eun is such a mature child.”

Director Lee muttered as he looked at the back of Da-eun’s head, who was gradually disappearing.

I don’t know about this manager, but in fact, that has become a lot more difficult now.

Before that, there were no real old people.

Because now it just looked like he was slightly above me.

**

The fog was thick in the park.

When autumn comes, cigarette butts fall to the ground along with fallen leaves.

I stopped walking for a moment and looked up at the blue sky.

“You said you were going to see the stars?”

“You’re watching it right now.”

“Where on earth are you?”

“It’s a star that only good people can see.”

In response to the director’s question, I pointed to the blue sky.

“Don’t say anything weird. Where are you really going?”

I crossed the fog park and came out into the city.

Over there. Then I pointed to the sign. I answered the manager’s question belatedly.

At my fingertips, the PC room sign was making the bright world shine even brighter.

An old FPS game. Every time you shot a gun, a starlight would sparkle from the muzzle.

As children, we grew up dreaming while looking at the stars.

Is it because I told a lot of old stories today?

Suddenly I felt like shooting a gun.

**

If time goes by quickly, it goes by quickly.

While the documentary was being produced, the app was first released on the market.

The app launched simultaneously with the airwaves advertising in North America.

The first one to contact me was Jaeshurong.

-Hey, you have a lot of money…? ABD is doing a Red Blue commercial? How rich are you?

-That’s not my money.

-then?

-Just think of it as blind money.

-That would be great. Where would I get that kind of money?

-That’s too much. They say the rich get more. The ones who have already earned their keep. How about advertising? Does it suit your sentiments?

-‘Countless stars come together to light up the dark night sky.’ I liked your slogan. It resonated.

-That wasn’t my idea. It was something Siri said and I’m using it all the time.

Siriu’s passing remark has now become our app’s slogan.

-Anyway, the response is really good. One more step. No. One or two more steps, and you can surpass UNICEF as you set your goal.

-··· I never set that goal in the first place. And what are you going to do beyond UNICEF?

-The bigger the dream, the better.

After replying, I looked at the concurrent users graph on the dashboard again. The graph was rising, if not skyrocketing.

‘My spine is going to break. It’s going to break.’

I haven’t been taking any commissions lately, but I think I should start doing freelance work again soon. Otherwise, I won’t be able to afford the server costs.

As I thought about that and pressed the monitor power button, I heard Sohyun’s voice behind me.

“Sir, please come to our channel this time. You will be Mina’s next guest, so please consider it an honor.”

“···”

“Answer. Answer.”

Sohyun is urging me with her arms crossed. That’s the attitude of someone who asks for something.

Sohyun’s very polite request.

“What do you really want to be when you grow up? A student has to study. Study.”

Even though I pressed down with my adult authority.

“I don’t have to study. No. I shouldn’t.”

Sohyun is so confident.

“why.”

“My dream is to become rich without working hard. Like you, sir.”

Those words left me speechless.

okay.

You have to be at least that good to not be called ambitious.

Anyone can succeed by working hard, but not everyone can eat well every day.

“I’m going to get rich just by breathing.”

Sohyun nods her head so shamelessly.

When I saw that sight, I couldn’t help but laugh.

Actually, I lied to the PD.

The most beautiful time in my memory is not the time when I lived in a shantytown.

“Okay? Hurry up! Don’t change the subject! It’s next week. You have to show up!”

Unfortunately, it seemed like this was the moment.

I feel sorry for my mom and sister.

So I didn’t want to admit it.

“What about the appearance fee? How much did you find out? My unit price is a bit expensive. You know that, right?”

To be honest,

I’m a little happier now than I was then.