Villain’s Programming - Chapter 252
Only Noblemtl
Episode 252: The Great East Japan Earthquake
The general affairs team responded to Dojun’s order in less than 10 minutes.
‘The Shinkansen to Fukushima is the fastest?’
The general affairs manager said that it takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to get from Tokyo Station to Fukushima Station.
‘It’s currently 9:45. If I can just get there, I won’t be late.’
Dojun told everyone to go to Korea and ran out of the airport.
Dojun, who was feeling anxious, took a taxi from Haneda Airport to Tokyo Station.
‘Oh, should I have taken the subway?’
Even though it was past rush hour, the roads were still clogged. I arrived at Tokyo Station just before 11 o’clock.
‘What time does the earthquake occur?’
I remembered that it was March 11th and that it wasn’t in the morning. I remembered that in my past life, I was working after lunch when the breaking news came out.
But I didn’t know exactly what time the earthquake occurred.
‘You have to wake up by 3 o’clock at the latest. Then you have to meet Marshall around 2 o’clock.’
Dojun, who was in a hurry, immediately bought a ticket to Fukushima.
‘You’re leaving at 12:20?’
The Shinkansen was not very frequent. The earliest one left at 12:20.
‘Then, even if we arrive at Fukushima Station, it’ll be at least 2 o’clock, right?’
The problem was that Fukushima Station was not the destination. I heard that the Marshalls were going somewhere else from Fukushima Station.
Marshall’s wife, Ashley, said she was going to her parents’ hometown, but I only heard it was Fukushima, not exactly where.
‘Should I call and ask?’
After thinking about it for a moment, Dojun shook his head. It felt strange to ask now.
‘Isn’t there a way to find out naturally without being suspected?’
Dojun, who was worried, suddenly remembered how Marshall and Ashley had enjoyed themselves so much at the performance yesterday.
‘Ashley especially loved the song Bang Bang! This is it!’
Dojun contacted the concert manager and asked him to send the ‘Bang Bang’ concert video by email.
The email arrived around 11:30. Do-jun opened his laptop, embedded a ‘location tracking’ program into the video, and sent it to Marshall.
[Dojun: Marshall, this is a video of yesterday’s performance. The Bang Bang video came out, so send it to me.]
[Marshall: Oh my gosh! Thank you, Dojun. Ashley is already excited!]
After a while, the location information was captured on Dojun’s laptop.
‘I guess they’re still moving?’
Location information changes in real time.
‘It’s almost near Fukushima.’
After a while, the Shinkansen to Fukushima arrived. Dojun got on the Shinkansen and took his seat.
‘Please don’t be late. If there’s an earthquake on the way, we might have to give up Marshall.’
No matter how important the lost memories were, one’s own life was the most precious.
Dojun thought back to his past life.
‘It was definitely scary when the Fukushima nuclear power plant exploded. But what was really scary was… the tsunami.’
Dojun was born and saw the video of a tsunami for the first time then.
‘It wasn’t like a huge wave like in the movies. The sea water was overflowing and flowing in slowly. But the water was destroying houses and sweeping away cars and people. It was so realistic.’
It was then that Dojun realized the fear of Mother Nature.
‘If you run away after seeing water, it’s too late. So, when an earthquake occurs, you must run away without looking back.’
So Do-jun considered running away in the worst case scenario.
But then it happened.
A countdown began before my eyes.
* * *
Marshall watched the video Dojun sent together with Ashley.
“Ashley, stop looking. How many times have you seen this? Aren’t you sick of it?”
“It’s so good that I can’t even look at it anymore, but what should I do? Besides, I keep thinking about the memory of seeing it right in front of me yesterday, and my heart is still pounding.”
Marshall asked with a grin.
“Me? When you look at me, doesn’t your heart race?”
“Pfft. Are you jealous right now?”
“huh!”
When Marshall pretended to be upset, Ashley kissed him on the cheek. Marshall immediately relaxed.
“Well, as compensation, I’ll take you to a good restaurant when we get to Fukushima.”
“Good restaurant?”
“Yeah. I heard there’s a ramen place that makes really good ramen.”
“Is it in the travel guide?”
Ashley shook her head.
“No. Mom told me. She said there was a ramen place that she and Dad used to go to often. She said it was a famous restaurant known only to the people who lived there.”
“Ah! That place is really delicious. I’m looking forward to it.”
At around 12 o’clock, the two arrived at Fukushima Station.
The two took a taxi from there and went to a town near the sea. They unpacked their luggage at the ‘ryokan’ they had reserved and went out onto the street.
The village was a typical fishing village. It had a white sand beach in front and a port.
The two held hands and walked along the white sand beach.
“Ashley, your parents probably walked like this here too?”
“huh.”
“Isn’t it so nice here? The view is nice and the sea is unusually quiet today.”
“Yeah. If you come in the summer, it would be perfect for swimming.”
“You can come again next time.”
The two walked all the way to the end of the white sand beach and came out because they were hungry.
Ashley asked around in Japanese and found a ramen restaurant. It was almost 2pm when they arrived at the ramen restaurant in town.
“This house looks really old?”
At first glance, it was an old house that looked like it had been built over 100 years ago.
“Wow! I’ve always wanted to come to a place like this. Marshall, let’s go in.”
The two people went inside. The inside was not very large. It didn’t seem like even ten people could sit together.
Marshall ordered the ‘Tonkotsu Ramen’ that Ashley recommended and looked around.
“Ashley? I think those people are Korean.”
It was a late lunch time, past 2 o’clock, and there were two people inside the restaurant who appeared to be tourists.
But the voice sounded a little familiar. Ashley, who loves Korean Wave, immediately realized that it was Korean.
Normally, she would have just let it go, but Ashley, who remembered the Korean Wave concert she saw yesterday and Dojun, spoke to them.
“Are you Korean?”
When Ashley asked in English, the two people eating ramen were startled and answered in awkward English.
“Yes. I am Korean.”
“nice to meet you!”
That was the beginning. The four of them exchanged a few words, and soon became close friends as they talked about Bang Bang and Kira.
“Oh, but I haven’t even told you my name yet. I’m Kim Joo-yeon, and this is Kevin Park.”
* * *
Dojun got off at Fukushima Station and his heart started pounding.
‘It’s already 2 o’clock.’
It was now a time when it would not be strange for an earthquake to strike at any time.
‘But what is this timer?’
Do-jun asked Saet-byul, but all he could hear was something related to ‘saving Marshall’.
‘Is this the time when an earthquake occurs?’
Dojun shook his head.
‘No. If we calculate the remaining time, it’s around 4 PM. I’m not sure, but the earthquake happened before that. So… what’s this timer?’
Do-jun, feeling frustrated, asked Saet-byeol again.
“Saturday Star, are you really not going to answer me? How much time do we have left?”
“What do you see in front of you?”
Dojun, feeling frustrated, looked at the message window.
Dojun blinked.
‘Wait, isn’t this the time for a quest failure? But this is a helper’s hint, not a quest?’
Dojun, who had thought that far, flinched.
‘Wait, it’s not a quest, but isn’t it supposed to tell you when the hint is no longer a hint? The hint is to save Marshall… ‘. When you can’t save him?’
Dojun shouted without realizing it.
“The time Marshall dies? Crazy, that’s the worst.”
That meant that an earthquake would occur within the remaining time, and a tsunami would also occur.
‘There’s no time. I have to find it in at least an hour!’
Dojun, who was becoming anxious, turned on his laptop and checked where Marshall was.
‘Isn’t that not far from the Fukushima power plant?’
Dojun prayed in his heart to God, Buddha, and Allah.
‘Please! Let me save Marshall!’
Dojun got out of the station, caught a taxi, and showed his laptop. The taxi driver understood right away and headed there.
“Are you here for a trip?”
Do-jun answered the taxi driver’s words.
“Yes. I’m from Korea.”
“Wow. You’re Korean, but you speak Japanese fluently. If it weren’t for your style, I would have thought you were Japanese.”
The taxi driver was kind. But Do-jun was anxious. When Do-jun looked out the window, the taxi driver stopped asking questions.
After about 20 minutes, something appeared far outside the window. Dojun opened his eyes wide and looked at it.
“Fukushima nuclear power plant.”
The taxi driver said to Do-jun.
“You’re from Korea, but you know all that? Even Japanese people don’t know that.”
“I’m a little… interested.”
In fact, it was impossible not to know. Not only Do-jun, but people all over the world had seen that nuclear power plant explode in real time, dozens, if not hundreds of times.
‘How much time is left?’
Dojun’s lips were burning.
“We have arrived.”
Dojun calculated and got off. He saw a fishing village in front of him. He looked at his watch and it was 2:40 AM.
“Then have a nice trip.”
The taxi driver said that and started to leave.
Dojun also said that he thought he should say hello.
“thank you.”
But then it happened.
– Kuuuung!
The world shook.
* * *
“Wow, you both worked at MS?”
Kim Joo-yeon became interested in foreigners named Marshall and Ashley.
‘I never thought I’d meet people like this in such a remote place.’
It’s interesting that he worked at MS, but he was also very interested in Korea.
‘I heard there was a Korean Wave concert in Tokyo yesterday? I’m jealous that you got to see Bang Bang and Kira in concert. When I go to Korea, I should ask Kevin to go to the concert.’
It was when Kim Joo-yeon was making that plan in her mind.
“But are you two also traveling?”
Kim Joo-yeon glanced at Kevin and answered Ashley’s words.
“yes.”
“Honeymoon?”
Kim Joo-yeon answered, linking her arm with Kevin’s.
“Not yet.”
“Oh! Judging by the mood, you’ll be getting married soon.”
At Marshall’s words, both Kim Joo-yeon and Kevin Park laughed strangely.
The four people ate ramen while chatting happily.
As we were eating ramen and talking about places to visit in Fukushima, time passed quickly.
So it was 2:45.
– Kuuuung!
Suddenly the world shook.
“Whoa!”
“It’s… an earthquake!”
There were four people who had never felt an earthquake since they were born. Their faces all turned pale.
The decorations hanging on the wall came crashing down, and the bowl of ramen on the table fell to the floor.
“Get down and get out! You have to get out!”
The ramen shop owner shouted that. Marshall moved at the sound.
“Ashley! Hold on tight!”
“huh!”
Marshall was about to leave, holding Ashley’s hand tightly. But then,
Part of the building’s ceiling collapsed, and at the same time, a cupboard on the wall fell over.
“Aaah”
Kim Joo-yeon was lying on the shelf. Kevin shouted.
“Mr. Jooyeon!”
Kevin shouted, but Marshall and Ashley couldn’t hear him.
The world shook as if I was on a ship. The ground shook, dust flew from the ceiling, and soon part of the ceiling collapsed. I couldn’t come to my senses.
“Aaah”
At that moment, Kevin Park, who was trying to pull Kim Joo-yeon out, was hit by a structure that fell from the ceiling and screamed.
There was a scream, but Marshall and Ashley didn’t hear it. They were too distracted by the shaking of the building and the repeated banging of their heads and legs on dishes and tables.
“Marshall. Marshall… … .”
“Ashley, don’t worry. It’ll be okay. Don’t worry.”
The two of them could not even dream of going outside. The distance of only a few meters felt like an unreachable distance.
My body was stiff. It was so scary to experience an earthquake for the first time since I was born.
After about 15 minutes of being in that state of fear, the vibrations began to subside.
Marshall stood up, his trembling body strengthened.
“Ashley, now! We have to go.”
Marshall grabbed Ashley and lifted her up.
“huh.”
But the door was completely destroyed by the earthquake and didn’t work. Marshall kicked the door open.
– Boom! Boom!
After a few turns the door fell off and I could see outside.
The two were just about to go outside, but then…
“Save… me.”
A voice was heard from inside the restaurant. It was Kevin’s voice.
When Marshall paused, Ashley said,
“Marshall, we have to get out. We need a rescue team to come and save those people.”
Marshall nodded at Ashley’s words, but did not move. Marshall said, his face distorting countless times.
“Ashley, you go out first.”
“Marshall!”
Marshall hit Ashley on the back and went inside.
Marshall first cleared the fallen ceiling structure and rescued Kevin.
“Kevin, hold here.”
Marshall grabbed one side of the cupboard. Kim Joo-yeon was lying under it, groaning.
“all right.”
The cupboard was heavy. Two men could barely lift it. When the cupboard was at a 90-degree angle, Marshall said,
“I’ll hold on first, then Kevin, wake up Mr. Juyeon.”
“Okay, Jooyeon!”
Kevin took the lead and got up and running.
“Ugh, ugh. Sob, sob.”
The protagonist was not in his right mind.
“Kevin. Take Joo-yeon out and help me find the owner.”
Marshall said that, but Kevin didn’t answer. Marshall figured he was just out of his mind, so he pushed the cupboard away.
But then it happened.
– Kuuung!
The world shook again. It was an aftershock. Marshall, who was just about to push the cupboard away, fell over and the cupboard fell on top of him.
“Aaah”!
Ashley came in at Marshall’s screams.
“Marshal!”
Ashley ran to Marshall, who was unconscious, apparently from hitting his head.
Ashley tried to push the cupboard that was covering Marshall, but the cupboard was made of heavy wood, and she couldn’t push it by herself.
Ashley said to Kevin as he was just walking out the door.
“Kevin, help me!”
Kevin moved as if he hadn’t heard. Ashley spoke louder, wondering if he had misheard.
“Jooyeon! Help me!”
At that sound, Kim Joo-yeon, who had just come to her senses, glanced at Marshall and Ashley. Then she quickly turned her head away.
That wasn’t all. Kim Joo-yeon actually urged Kevin on.
“Kevin, hurry. We have to get out of here quickly.”
“…huh.”
So the two of them got out.
Ashley was going crazy. Marshall had saved two people, but they pretended not to know and just walked away.
Disillusionment with people arose. Curses welled up, but Ashley held them back. There were more important things to consider at the moment.
“Ugh!”
Ashley lifted the cupboard with all her might. Even though her fingernails broke, she didn’t give up and tried to lift it. How long did it take? Ashley’s strength was gone.
It was then that I heard people talking outside.
‘That’s right! Just ask people for help!’
Ashley went outside and screamed.
“Help me! There’s someone trapped inside!”
People shouted at Ashley’s words.
“Quick, get to higher ground! The tsunami is coming! If you don’t want to die, move quickly!”
“Ts… Nami?”
“hurry!”
Ashley saw people running out of the house. Her stomach lurched.
‘A tsunami is coming? Is it dangerous?’
Ashley felt like she was going crazy because of the words she had never heard before.
But then I realized that something was very dangerous.
“Please… please help me!”
He grabbed people and begged them, but they were busy running away with their faces turned pale.
Eventually, Ashley went back into the ramen shop.
“Marshal, I will never give up on you.”
Ashley started lifting the cupboard with her shoulders instead of her hands. It definitely lifted the cupboard a lot more than it did with her hands.
But that also had its limits.
“evil!”
Ashley fell halfway through the lift. Now there was no sound of people outside.
Ashley said, touching Marshall’s face with her hand.
“I’m sorry, Marshall. I asked you to come to Japan for no reason… … .”
That’s when Marshall opened his eyes.
“Ashley… Lee. Get out. Please, get out!”
“no!”
“Ashley. Please. You live.”
Marshall said, spitting up blood. Ashley screamed no, but Marshall pleaded, “Please.”
Just then Marshall’s cell phone rang. Ashley was surprised and took it out to look at it.
“Dojun… Hwang?”
Ashley answered the phone right away.
“Dojun Hwang? Help me! Please help me!”
– Where are you? Where exactly are you now?
“Hey… here? Here, Fukushima… … .”
– The exact address! Or even the name of a famous building nearby!
For a moment, Ashley’s eyes caught sight of the name of the ramen shop.
“Ichiya too… It’s a ramen restaurant.”
– Stop
“Hello? Dojun Hwang? Dojun Hwang?”
Ashley tried to talk, but the call was already disconnected.
Ashley tried to call Dojun again.
But then it happened.
– Squeak.
I heard a car stop in front of a ramen shop. Then a person came in and shouted.
“Marshall!”
It was Dojun.
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