Moving Fast (2)

'Why did the sound suddenly cut out?!'

Dain, who was busking after finally getting a rare opportunity, felt panic rising within her.

With no manager or fellow members around to help, she couldn't even ask for assistance. She might have to pack up and end the performance right here.

Just as tears of frustration began to well up in her eyes, a soft, melodious voice brushed past her ear.

"Need some help?"

A man with a remarkably pleasant voice had approached, standing at a polite, non-threatening distance.

'Is he a fan...?'

Jeong Dain, the center of the idol group Happy Day—who had technically released two albums—immediately dismissed the thought. There was no way.

This busking session was a desperate attempt to soothe her troubled mind amidst the looming threat of the group's disbandment.

She had been singing for thirty minutes, yet not a single soul had recognized her.

Still, the crowd's reaction had been warm, so she comforted herself with the fact that it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hadn't been a total failure.

"Yes, please... The sound suddenly cut out..."

She managed to squeeze the words out in a barely audible whisper.

The man nodded and stepped closer.

Perhaps because his tall frame blocked out the light, the sudden shadow cast over her brought an unexpected sense of relief.

It felt just like when she was a child, hiding inside a dark wardrobe to escape being scolded.

"...May I see the guitar for a second?"

Ah! What on earth am I fantasizing about?!

Flustered, she quickly handed over the guitar.

"Usually, in situations like this, it's a broken connection in one of the cables. If you look at the pedalboard here..."

She stared blankly at the man, who had slung her guitar over his shoulder and crouched down to explain.

He was incredibly kind.

His hands were practiced and deft as he unplugged and checked the cables one by one.

Is he a musician?

He was definitely someone who did music.

The moment he finished adjusting a few things, the silent guitar suddenly wailed back to life.

Bzzzzzt—

"Ah..."

The man who had appeared like a comet to save her day smiled brightly.

"It was a cable issue near the reverb pedal. Here you go..."

"Wait!"

She stopped the man just as he was about to hand the guitar back.

She didn't know what came over her.

For some reason, she just wanted to hear him play. So, she gathered her courage and made a reckless request.

"...Um, if it's not too much trouble, could you play a song for me?"

The man paused, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠looking up at her with wide eyes.

'Wow... His eyes look like jewels...'

The brief moment their eyes locked felt like an eternity.

Just as heat began to rush to her face and her breath caught, he spoke again.

"Well then, shall we try a song?"

All she could do was nod.

'Well, look at that. I've suddenly become a knight in shining armor.'

Pink hair, a cap pulled down low, and that desperate expression?

She reminded him of Puss in Boots.

Did she have some kind of story?

As he had thought before, this was definitely... the hormones talking.

Saebyeok raised the mic stand and adjusted the guitar's volume.

The audience, whom he thought would have dispersed by now, was still standing there.

Did they find this little drama entertaining?

Anyway,

As long as there was an audience and a microphone, the only thing left to do was make music.

The song that suited this moment...

'Hmm... this one will do.'

Saebyeok began to play a repeating arpeggio rhythm.

He engaged the overdrive pedal, bumped up the guitar's gain slightly, and began to sway gently to the rhythm.

Hearing the familiar melody, passersby stopped in their tracks and turned their heads.

Just as the chatter of the existing crowd began to quiet down, he sang the first line.

Gasps echoed from the crowd as people covered their mouths in surprise, while others hurriedly pulled out their phones to start recording.

Even without a massive amplifier, Saebyeok's clear, resonant voice carried far into the street.

Drawn by the sound, more and more pedestrians began to gather around.

In this moment, Saebyeok completely dominated the space.

The swaying shoulders and nodding heads of the crowd fell into a synchronized rhythm, as if by unspoken agreement.

Standing off to the side, Dain stared at him blankly until he gestured for her to come closer.

'Me?'

'Yes, you!'

Dain hesitantly shuffled toward Saebyeok.

Maintaining the looping arpeggio rhythm, he asked her in a low voice.

"You know this song, right?"

"Huh? Yes!"

"Then sing along with me."

A few playful groans rose from the crowd at the sudden interruption, but Saebyeok simply cranked up the guitar's gain even more and gave her a cue.

"One, two, three, four, now!"

The street in front of her was now packed with people. Even though some were jokingly jeering, Dain clenched her fists and summoned her courage.

As her voice soared into the champagne supernova he had created, the audience raised their hands and swayed along.

Just as her high notes rang out refreshingly, Saebyeok launched into a powerful guitar solo. The crowd could no longer contain themselves and erupted into cheers.

"Whoaaaaaaa!"

"Who is this band?!"

"So cool!"

How she had missed the stage. No, had she ever stood before a crowd like this in her entire life?

Overwhelmed by emotion, tears began to stream down Dain's face.

The crowd, sensing her vulnerability, cheered her on.

"Don't cry! Don't cry!"

"Don't cry! Don't cry!"

Yes. This is how I wanted to shine!

I've always wanted to sing like this, with everything I have!

Dain nodded vigorously and raised her fist high into the air.

"Let's gooooo!"

"Wooooooo!"

Stepping back to play his guitar solo, Saebyeok shouted to the crowd.

"You all know this song, right?"

"Yeeeeees!"

"Then let's all sing together! How many special people change!"

"How many special people change!"

"One more time! How many special people change!"

"How many special people change!"

"Yes! Let's sing it together!"

Saebyeok let the brightly shining, nameless girl take center stage as the protagonist.

He wanted to show her how beautiful it was when complete strangers put their arms around each other's shoulders, completely lost in a song.

Noel Gallagher once said:

He was absolutely right.

The proof was right here in front of him.

The entire crowd had become the singer, united in harmony, singing together for over ten minutes.

This was the power of music.

Now, time for the supporting actor to make his exit.

He slyly activated the loop station pedal to keep the rhythm going, then quietly set the guitar down.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Now, all he had to do was slip away...

"Ah! The guitarist is running away!"

"What?!"

The girl, who had been singing her heart out, whipped her head around.

"Ahaha... Goodbye!"

Saebyeok bolted.

The crowd and Dain stared in stunned silence at the sudden turn of events.

Once she snapped out of it, Dain let out the loudest shout of her entire life.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

Pant, pant—

"I've still got it!"

Though his trembling legs made that statement highly unconvincing.

If the crowd hadn't been so dazed, he never would have escaped.

Having stubbornly protected his identity, he hid in an alleyway to catch his breath.

Was it divine intervention?

Right in front of him was a clothing store.

"Oh my god! Good news!"

Was he filming a stealth action movie?

Looking around so frantically he nearly snapped his neck, he rushed into the store.

"Welco— gasp!"

"XL size! Quick!"

"Y-yes?"

The part-timer froze at his intense, sudden entrance.

Saebyeok bypassed the frozen employee, grabbed a black T-shirt, and checked the size.

"Okay, this should work!"

In his rush, Saebyeok whipped off his shirt right then and there.

"Kyaaaaah!"

Oh...

Right, this was the reversed world.

Since he had already crossed the point of no return, the best option was to put the new shirt on as quickly as possible.

Having changed into the black T-shirt in the blink of an eye, Saebyeok asked the part-timer confidently.

"How much?"

The half-dazed part-timer reflexively muttered, "Fi...", and Saebyeok, tilting his head in confusion, handed over a fifty-thousand-won bill.

"Have a good day~"

Chime—

He vanished like the wind, leaving the entrance door rattling in his wake.

The part-timer stood frozen for a long moment before finally snapping back to reality.

"C-customer! It's five thousand won, not fifty thousand!"

She threw the door open and looked around, but he was already long gone.

She stared blankly at the fifty-thousand-won bill in her hand.

"...Insane."

The scene of the man stripping off his shirt replayed in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠slow motion in her head.

Grinning foolishly, she suddenly noticed a metallic taste in her mouth.

What was this in such a blissful moment?

"A n-nosebleed!"

Having unintentionally left behind a massive "gift," Saebyeok continued his stealth mission as he made his way toward Seogyo-dong.

Finally, he arrived in front of the musical instrument store.

"Hehehe... My dear pedals, I have finally arrived."

He rubbed his hands together like a fly and walked inside.

Ohhhhh...

Gears to the left, basses to the right!

The sheer radiance reflecting off the instruments was almost blinding.

As Saebyeok's eyes sparkled at the sight of these lovely babies, a store clerk cautiously approached him.

"Excuse me, sir? Are you looking for something in particular...?"

Saebyeok whipped his head around and stared intently at the clerk.

"Where are the pedals?"

"T-they're on the second floor..."

"Lead the way."

"Right this way, then..."

Watching Saebyeok stride forward, the clerk tilted her head in confusion.

'Is he just a handsome lunatic...? But he's way too good-looking for that!'