Time Mansour - Chapter 22



Only Noblemtl

Episode 22 The first and the first time.

abjection.

He is the main singer of this concert.

A trot singer of similar age to us.

I knew he was famous.

I’ve heard the name somewhere before.

still.

I really didn’t know it would be this bad.

The grounds of Wolgye Temple were dyed in blue waves.

Yeongrak’s fan club, Yeongrak without a doubt.

Fans wearing blue T-shirts, the fandom’s symbolic color, are flocking to Wolgye Temple like an ebb tide.

“Just a moment. I’ll be on my way.”

Sorry, sorry. I hurriedly squeezed my way through the crowd, carrying a bulky keyboard.

So I moved forward, surrendering my body to the waves.

I spotted Gukyeong and Changseok from afar.

“Hey. Over here! Where’s Myeong-gyu?”

I waved my hands and screamed.

The keyboard on my back shakes along with it.

“Myung-gyu, go park your car. What else do you have for today?”

“So. Is today Buddha’s birthday?”

“Even if Buddha came back to life, it wouldn’t be like this.”

They look around with their eyes wide open.

The road that goes up by itself.

Every alley was crowded with people.

It wasn’t just fans from the fan club who flocked there.

Did the Buddhists spread rumors in the neighborhood that Yeongrak was coming?

All the elders in the neighborhood gathered.

Outside of Seoul.

An area that takes about 30 minutes to walk from the subway station.

“There are so many people gathered here, even in this mountain village.”

The quiet neighborhood is bustling.

I pass through the main gate and enter the temple grounds, exclaiming in admiration.

The parking lot where the stage is set up.

Seongtae was moving busily next to Daeungjeon.

“Oh. Is everyone here? Where’s Myeonggyu?”

“I was walking around looking for a parking spot. There was no place to park nearby.”

“Of course. This is what the parking lot looks like.”

Seongtae’s eyes turn towards the stage.

The parking lot inside the temple was transformed into a stage and audience seating.

“But there’s still some time left until the show starts, right?”

“Come early to reserve your seat. This kind of concert hall doesn’t have reserved seating.”

We nod our heads at Seongtae’s explanation.

Temple events with no admission fee.

A singer with a strong fandom called Yeongrak came there.

“I’ll just pass by for a moment.”

I’ve been out of my mind since early in the morning.

Plastic chairs lined up in a parking lot waiting for people.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen people, so it’s nice to see them.

Rocking my body on the bumpy sandy floor.

Every time the wind blows, dust rises.

While talking to Seongtae in such a chaotic atmosphere.

From the bottom of the hill, I saw Myeong-gyu running out of breath.

“Gasp. Gasp. Wow, this is crazy.”

“How far did you go?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I went all the way to the 2nd floor of the cathedral over there. I barely managed to find a seat there.”

cathedral?

You parked at the cathedral?

Isn’t that a bit much?

I wondered if I was the only one who thought this was weird, so I looked at the other kids’ faces.

As expected, everyone looks at Myeonggyu with the same expression as me.

“He’s crazy. He’s coming to a Buddhist ceremony and he parks his car in the cathedral?

“It’s okay, God will understand.

Amen. He shamelessly makes the sign of the cross and slumps down on his chair.

As soon as Myeong-gyu arrived.

Right away.

“Okay. They’re here. Then everyone just wait for now. I’ll let you know when it’s your turn.”

Seongtae holds the phone and runs somewhere.

“I’m busy.”

“I guess it’s because there are two parts. The singer and the sound.”

Seongtae’s back gradually became smaller.

It is soon swept away by the blue waves and disappears.

It’s been a long time since I felt such a bustling atmosphere.

At that moment when I was about to become absorbed in the sentiment without realizing it.

“But here… there’s no separate smoking area… right?”

Guk-yeong turns his head from side to side and asks.

He caresses every corner of the temple with warm eyes.

**

“Next up! Our band from Sayang-dong! Rabbit to Dal-dongne!!

The host’s voice echoes throughout the venue.

When it’s our turn.

“Wow, wow!”

The stage shakes to the cheers of the ladies.

Yeongrak was next in line.

Thanks to this, the audience seats were still full.

‘I’m shaking.’

Even when I was working at the company, I was relatively calm.

Even if the server crashes.

Even if there is a serious problem in the customer environment.

I always typed on the keyboard with a blank expression on my face.

‘This keyboard is a bit shaky.’

All of us.

I have never been on stage before in front of this many people.

That being said, it’s not just me.

Everyone’s expressions were frozen.

Just one person.

Except for the national one.

“I should have come outside and smoked it···”

Guk-young taps the off microphone and mutters quietly.

A face that doesn’t seem nervous at all.

Rather, the first thought that came to mind was that it was fortunate.

The sound of the instrument is not that noticeable even if it is out of tune a few times.

Because the songs are different.

Doo-woong.

Doo-woong.

As always, Seongtae’s guitar strings shake first.

Everyone follows along and plays as if they have been waiting.

-The temple is quiet at night~

Let’s blow air into the microphone.

-Sometimes a broken syringe will grind your teeth~

A disaster sweeps through the area.

The speakers vibrated as if there was an earthquake.

Blue waves ripple in the audience.

Grandmothers are dancing the drum dance.

Seniors who break out of their comfort zone and shake their bodies.

Because the appearance is exactly like our music.

beep.

beep.

Mistakes keep coming up.

But still not caring

If you call loudly, no matter what.

Just like our bullshit philosophy that music is just good.

The audience cheered loudly.

“Oh! Brothers. You’re handsome!”

“Yeah. He’s handsome!”

Thanks to the forced support from the ladies.

Kookyoung makes an ad-lib that wasn’t planned.

“Okay. All together, sisters. The lotus flower has bloomed. The lotus flower has bloomed.”

We play the last chorus a few more times, as if we were playing a song.

like that.

Blue lotuses bloom in the temple.

**

Before we knew it, the sun was beginning to set.

The heated stage has come to an end.

In the middle of waiting for Sungtae while sitting on a plastic chair.

“I heard you well.”

The head monk looks at us and puts his hands together in prayer.

Put both hands together as if catching a bug.

“thank you.”

“thank you.”

Let us follow along and put our hands together.

The monk smiles.

“Everyone is still the same as they were back then.

“Do you remember us?”

“Yes. You performed at the Shinhan Theological Seminary Stadium back then, right? It must have been about 20 years ago.”

“That charity event?”

Of course I remember.

To begin with, the number of times we went to performances was something we could count on one hand.

but.

What I found surprising was.

“Wasn’t that a church event?”

“Sayang 2-dong Cathedral. Songyeom Church. And we also hold a joint religious event together every year.”

“But… you remembered it after seeing it just once?”

“I can’t help but remember. He sang those heartbreaking lyrics with such passion.”

It was really nice to see the monk laughing and saying only good things.

I felt grateful to the monk who remembered us from our childhood. Thank you. Thanks to you, I had a good experience.

The moment you put your hands together and raise your head.

“Hey! I’m done. Let’s go quickly!”

Seongtae’s voice was heard.

Is the tension finally relieved?

Seongtae again.

Shout out “hurry, hurry”.

**

On the way to the restaurant, following Seongtae.

As I walk, I slowly look around.

It doesn’t seem like that long ago, but the neighborhood has changed a lot.

In those days.

Broken glass shards show through the cement of the wall.

Coal briquette ash blew in the wind under the electric pole.

Now, the alley has become so clean and neat that I can sense the passage of time.

As I walked down the alley, my eyes slowly scanning the area.

Suddenly, Seongtae stops.

“Do you guys remember? We ate military dumplings here.”

A shabby building.

Seongtae points to the building entrance and laughs alone.

“I remember. Those dumplings were the best I’ve ever had.”

“That’s because it was the peak of my appetite. I ate even more greedily.”

Seongtae’s laughter was contagious and they all laughed amongst themselves for a long time.

suddenly.

“In the meantime, didn’t Youngjun just not eat that guy?

Changseok points his finger at me.

“That’s right. You were the only one who was embarrassed and fell back.”

“Then why are you picking up and eating the fallen ones? It’s dirty.”

I laughed as if I was dumbfounded.

It was a dumpling that someone had served with a bowl of jajangmyeon.

I also felt bad about eating leftovers.

I feel a little embarrassed for those who eat it and say it’s delicious.

I pretended not to know.

“I told you, it wasn’t obvious from the beginning.”

“I thought Youngjun transferred from Daechi-dong.”

Seongtae and Myeonggyu shake my shoulders and laugh.

You sound like Daechi-dong. I beat all of you and came in last in the entire school.

“So I thought you were kicked out of Daechi-dong because you weren’t good at studying.”

We laughed together like that, with old memories still in our eyes.

Seongtae points to the sign and says, “Here he is.”

“We’re here for dinner tonight. How is it? Long time no see?”

“This house… still exists?”

-House in the field.

Tteokbokki. No. To be exact, a rabokki restaurant.

5,000 plates. 8,000 plates. The menu is divided according to quantity and price.

Rabokki with a little bit of rice cake and mostly ramen.

A place always crowded with students because of the generous portions at a low price.

like that.

Seongtae tightly holds onto the old doorknob that is filled with our memories.

**

Poke the tteokbokki with a fork.

After eating a few pieces of rice cake, I rolled the ramen around my spoon like spaghetti.

I don’t know if it’s a memory correction.

I felt that the plain rabokki was quite tasty.

Everyone lowered their heads and absentmindedly stuffed noodles into their mouths.

“Hey… Should we continue doing this as a band, even if it’s just every once in a while?”

I raise my head at Seongtae’s words.

“Other guys are like that. What about Changseok? Are you okay?”

As soon as I said that, everyone’s eyes turned to Changseok.

He is the only married man.

The child was young.

Besides, my wife’s maternity leave will soon end.

But contrary to our worries, Chang-seok nods his head with an indifferent expression.

“Me? I guess I’ll be fine.”

“What about the child?”

“After maternity leave, my mother-in-law will take care of me. Well, I won’t be able to come out every weekend. But sometimes it’s okay.”

Okay. Seongtae clenched his fists in response to Changseok’s answer.

“Do you have time, Gook-young and Myeong-gyu? Let’s get together once in a while, even if it’s not necessarily the weekend.”

I nodded along with the other kids.

‘Wait a minute. Something seems strange.’

At some point.

I felt a little uneasy.

“But why don’t you ask me?”

“You’re unemployed. Why would I need your permission···”

match.

While talking, Seongtae clapped his hands as if he remembered something.

Before I could even respond, he continued speaking.

“Oh, that’s right. This manager asked if you got a job.”

“Why is that?”

“I guess you like it. Ive has a vacancy for a cloud engineer. He told me to ask him out.”

“Arthur. How can it be easy for salaried workers like us to recommend someone? Go and ask for help. Say sorry. I know it all. Stop it. I don’t want to be indebted to you.”

I shook the fork from side to side.

Unless you’re an executive.

Recommending someone doesn’t end with just a few words.

Also, if I make a mistake later, it will be that person’s responsibility.

I didn’t want to burden you unnecessarily.

Well, even if it’s not for that reason.

I still had no intention of going back to work.

however.

Seongtae’s eyes widen at my words.

“You? Don’t you know who this manager is?”

He looks at me as if he saw something he shouldn’t have seen.