Time Mansour - Chapter 48



Only Noblemtl

Episode 48: My Sister and Best Friend

The eyes become red and bloodshot.

When people approach him, he starts crying alone.

When I try to leave, she starts crying again.

I turned around and zipped up.

“It’s so cold outside that I keep going to the bathroom.”

I just pretend to wash my hands with water in the sink. Then I roughly wipe the water off my pants.

“Thank you for your hard work. You and I.”

I spoke to the cage. Meow. Meow. The cat inside the cage answered.

Of course, I had no idea what he was talking about.

“You seem to have many regrets too.”

I lifted the cage, thinking about what I wanted.

The last day of the holiday. Now it’s time to say goodbye.

I came out of the bathroom clutching the cage. The winter wind hit my still-wet hands.

With my shoulders hunched like that, I enter the cafe.

I thought I would arrive a little earlier than the scheduled time.

Junwoo’s mother had already arrived before me.

“You came. It’s cold outside. You must have had a hard time.”

“No. The child suffered more than I did.”

As I look, the cat is rubbing its face against the iron bars. Since I can’t get it out of the cafe, I just lightly stroke its head with my fingers from outside.

I ordered and sat down. I had only seen Junwoo’s mother once before. Of course, we weren’t very close. It would be better if Junwoo was with her. She didn’t come because she said she was meeting her friends after the holidays.

so.

I tried to ease the awkward atmosphere in my own way.

“Since when have you been teaching piano?”

We quietly brought up a topic that we could both talk about.

Junwoo’s mother is a piano teacher. I can also play the keyboard a bit. I thought it would be okay to continue the conversation on a topic that we could understand.

“It’s been a few years. After he left… I had to raise Junwoo by myself. The only thing I know how to do is play the piano.”

I think I made a slip of the tongue. When I saw Junwoo’s mother’s forced smile, my mouth suddenly became dry.

Is it because it’s dry in the winter? I fiddled with the straw, making excuses in my head. Even if I drink, my thirst doesn’t go away.

An awkward silence hung over the table for a while.

I was thinking of several words in my head, as if I should say some comforting words.

“Meow.”

The cat opened its mouth before I did. Junwoo’s mother slowly smiled at the sight of the cat wagging its tail and acting cute.

“Oh. Our Jackpot hasn’t been causing any trouble, has he?”

“Yes. He listens well. He’s also very affectionate for a cat.”

“I guess the teacher liked him. Jackpot is a very charming child, but he doesn’t listen well.”

He covered his mouth and smiled faintly.

A warm breeze blew from the heater on the ceiling. A warm smile appeared on Junwoo’s mother’s face.

And so, before we knew it, the conversation was centered around cats.

I thought it was a good thing. Actually, I had something to ask Junwoo’s mother.

It’s about the jackpot. I was wondering if maybe the cat had some special ability, and that’s why time flowed again in my sister’s room.

Of course, I thought the possibility was very slim, but I still took a chance just in case.

“Is there anything special about Jackpot? Is there anything different from other cats?”

“Huh? Jackpot? No. Well, not really. Not a purebred cat either. As you can see, it’s just a common dog or cat.”

He tilts his head at my question. It seems like he has no idea what I’m talking about.

“Well, he really does like people.”

“It’s a bit harsh. Maybe it’s because I grew up with dogs since I was little.”

“Do you also have a dog?”

“No. Not now···.”

I crossed the rainbow bridge. Junwoo’s mother smiled bitterly. Judging by the way her expression darkened, it didn’t seem like it had been that long.

I regretted bringing it up for no reason. I kept glancing around.

Because I have never raised an animal before, nor have I ever sent one away.

I don’t know what to say at times like this.

so.

“I bet you went to a good place.”

I had no choice but to say the obvious.

“thank you.”

Junwoo’s mother answers in a listless voice.

Junwoo’s mother tried to smile, as if my words were not of much comfort.

Let’s make the air that heavy.

Again.

“Meow.”

Jackpot laughs, rubbing the iron bars with his front paws. He sticks his tongue out to comfort him, as if trying to cheer him up. Meow. Meow. Junwoo’s mother’s expression gradually brightens at his crying.

‘Yeah. I see. That’s your special ability.’

Before I knew it, I was nodding and laughing at Jackpot’s actions.

As I live, there are times when I envy cats. It’s truly a great talent to be able to make someone smile.

As the heavy atmosphere subsides, he crouches down again and straightens his hair.

As if nothing had happened, he started to lick the soles of his feet.

**

A few days passed.

Seongtae and Gukyeong came to our house. The others were busy, so they came to the housewarming party alone?

“Open the door. We’re here.

Seongtae waved a plastic bag over the intercom.

Click.

As soon as I open the door, the kids start pushing their way in.

“Oh! Your house is nice. So you’ve been living here all this time?”

“No. I moved around to other rental properties, and it’s been about 3 or 4 years since I came here.”

As I answer and hand over the plastic bag that Seongtae brought, a bloody smell suddenly hits me.

“What is this?”

“Floundfish, sea bass, and also… Ah! Live octopus. I came here after stopping by the fish market. It’s around here.”

“Really? I don’t know. I’ve never been there.”

“Well. I thought you would. Anyway, I parked in front. It doesn’t matter, right?”

“maybe?”

I trailed off. It left a lingering impression at the end. Seongtae laughed as if he found my lack of confidence in his answer ridiculous.

“You’ve lived here for three years, but you don’t know anything?”

“So let’s have the housewarming party now. Okay. Just hurry up and tear it down.”

“You’re so confident. That’s just like you. That’s just like you.” Gook-young shook his head at my words.

Then he takes out the soju and places it on the table.

“No. Not here. Let’s drink inside.”

“In the room?”

“Oh. There’s a prize inside.”

Then, I naturally headed to my sister’s room with the kids. There was yellow soundproofing material and a pink blanket. There was a baby mat on the floor. A cute penguin character was winking at the pillow.

“In this room… shall we have a drink?”

“Three shabby guys drinking here… doesn’t that look a little off?”

It’s cold, this room is the warmest. I said something nonsensical and went into my sister’s room first.

Towards the kids following behind with such a daunting expression.

“Look, isn’t it just the temperature that’s different?”

He shrugged, closing the door.

As I said.

How warm is my sister’s room.

Even in this cold winter, there were floral patterns blooming on the pink blanket.

**

Go to the developer community and keep pressing refresh.

I swipe the LCD screen from top to bottom. I keep swiping the phone like that, and after checking several times that new messages appear, I close the phone.

It’s just as I thought. Time definitely flows without stopping.

If you enter a room with another person, no, including an animal, time moves normally.

That means, when I’m alone, or even if it’s not me, when there’s only one person in the room, time stops.

Bugs and small creatures don’t seem to be included. No. In the first place, if you go by that unit, bacteria and fungi can also be classified as living things.

Then, what if smaller animals, such as birds or rats, come in?

So I stood alone in time, organizing the information in my head one by one.

“What are you doing? Hey. Hey? Can’t you hear me? Do you have any dishes?”

I came to my senses at the sound of the state voice.

“Uh. Sorry. I was just thinking about something else for a moment. Wait. Wait. Just wait.”

I brought the glasses and bowls from the living room. I placed them on the table, then mixed the wasabi into the soy sauce.

Seongtae opens the wrapper, and Gukyeong transfers the octopus and live octopus into a bowl.

After the settings are somewhat completed.

I split the wooden chopsticks in half to eat raw fish.

Suddenly, Gukyoung asked me.

“By the way, is there a smoking room here?”

“You can just go outside and smoke anywhere. There’s no concept of a smoking area in this neighborhood.”

“No. Are you not inside? It’s cold outside.”

Guk-yeong smiled awkwardly and wiggled his eyebrows up and down. Is he crazy? Seong-tae and I shook our heads from side to side.

“I wonder if it’s there.”

“I know. I was just asking.”

Then he wiggles his eyebrows again. It looks like he’s learned some strange skills somewhere.

Ignoring the state, he picked up the flounder flesh.

The colorless flesh of the flounder is colored. It is taken in a half-body bath in the marina.

“It’s delicious. Maybe it’s because I bought it in Oido. It somehow feels fresher.”

“Yeah. Since we’re at the beach, I guess. When are we going on our trip?”

“That’s right. If you let me go, I’ll have to perform again.”

“How about Singapore?”

“Good. The new song is almost finished.”

In this way, Seongtae and Gukyeong exchange questions.

As usual, we talk about whatever we want to talk about with each other.

Because I have seen it so many times, I have already reached the state of liberation.

I just ignored it and picked up the octopus.

Struggles between chopsticks until the very end.

I hope you go to a good place in your next life.

When you put it in your mouth and chew it, the sweetness spreads on your tongue.

I chewed and ruminated on it many times.

**

The housewarming party is over.

A few more days passed.

Finally, all the lecture videos have been completed. I have added subtitles and uploaded them all to the O-Tube channel.

“Still, I think I’ll make it on time.”

It’s past the beginning of spring and already past the end of rainy season, but the weather still hasn’t warmed up.

Are you afraid of the flowers blooming? Spring seems like it might come, but you hesitate and can’t bring yourself to come.

I stretch my whole body and twist my body. For now, I’ve finished up the urgent work.

Now, there’s something urgent that needs to be taken care of next.

“It might be too late. But I guess I should try contacting you at least once.”

Honestly, I don’t know if this room was really created because of my older sister, or if it was just a coincidence.

But anyway, I have to take this opportunity to take care of things I’ve been putting off.

“I wouldn’t have thrown it away.”

As he muttered, he turned the box containing his sister’s belongings upside down on the floor.

The box flipped over. I searched for traces of my sister, leaving things scattered on the floor.

Where did you say you were going then? I find the memo I received at my sister’s funeral before. If I had known this would happen, I would have just saved it on my phone. To be honest, I didn’t think I would contact you again at the time. There was no use regretting it. I didn’t throw it away, so there must be an address written down somewhere.

Now that you need me, I feel a little sorry for contacting you again.

Nevertheless, we must meet at least once.

“After all, I am the person who knows you best in the world.”

Even more so than my family.