Three Years in Three Minutes
Three years in just three minutes.
"Traffic's insane. They're not even trying to move."
"Hey, shut up. I'm listening to the radio."
"Citizens, Comet 3I/Macdrian will soon pass dangerously close to Earth!"
"Can you see that small sun-like object streaking across the cosmos? As the third interstellar comet Macdrian draws near our planet, you'll witness a breathtaking light show!"
"Don't miss this unprecedented astronomical spectacle in human history—absolutely, under no circumstances!"
"Why'd you sneak the car out and crash it? You use it, so why am I the one driving?"
"Watch your mouth with your big sis, son of Lee Jeong-sook."
"Breaking news! The comet's trajectory has changed! It's not just grazing Earth—it's heading straight for us! But rest assured: by the time it reaches the surface, it will have shrunk enough not to cause major damage!"
"Hey! Jeong Seo-hoon! That! That! Isn't that the comet?"
"Damn it! Everyone's gawking, and traffic's not moving!"
"Experts from the US, Germany, UK, Russia, and more are mobilizing to the crash site with full preparations..."
"Huh? What? It's getting bigger? Bigger! Bigger!"
"Bigger? What're you talking about?"
"The comet's coming right at us! Aaaah! We're all gonna die!"
"Coming at us? You're just putting on a show 'cause you don't wanna drive."
Jeong Seo-hoon saw it crystal clear.
A massive flash like a nuclear explosion hurtling straight toward him, devouring every inch of his field of vision.
He alone plunged into the blaze of the comet's kinetic fury.
Everything had changed.
He'd volunteered to pick up his blood sister from her audition at their mother's request, only to get stuck in gridlock. Now, a different world unfolded before his eyes.
Shouts, sobs, the clumsy stomp of boots trying to fall in line.
A burly officer mercilessly kicking a pleading young soldier who was bawling his eyes out.
Soldiers lined up endlessly before and behind him.
Warships docked one by one, swallowing troops whole.
A uniformed propaganda officer bellowed:
The cold bite of the rifle and the rigid weight of his gear crushed Jeong Seo-hoon's consciousness.
"What... where the hell is this?"
Honk! Honk! Honk!
"...What... are... you..."
"What... are you..."
"What are you doing! What are you doing! What are you doing!"
Amid the blaring horns, his mother's eldest daughter's shrill screams sharpened into focus.
In an instant, Jeong Seo-hoon bolted upright like a spring, lunging toward the passenger seat—toward his mother's eldest daughter.
"Hey? You nuts? Why aren't we moving! Get going!"
He slammed the brakes just in time.
A split second later, and he'd have snapped her neck without mercy.
Jeong Seo-hoon blinked rapidly, glaring at his mother's eldest daughter like she was the enemy.
He quickly scanned his surroundings.
It resembled a soldier dropped in hostile territory, twitchily sweeping for threats.
His 'trained composure' kicked in, posing the critical question.
"How long since the comet hit?"
"Like three minutes? Whatever, just drive already! I'm gonna be late!"
Jeong Seo-hoon gripped the wheel calmly and floored the accelerator.
As the car lurched forward, the horns finally died down.
'Three minutes? Not three years?'
He'd fought for three whole years on that battlefield.
There, he'd dismissed his life as Jeong Seo-hoon as a mere dream.
'Maybe Jeong Seo-hoon's memories faded too long.'
His arms trembled faintly—invisible to the eye—as his heart thundered.
He bit his lip hard, forcibly reining in his fraying nerves.
Digging up dusty memories, he forced out a question.
"What happened to the comet?"
"Epic, right? News said it veered off and crashed into Gwanak Mountain. Traffic's probably paralyzed there now."
"Gwanak Mountain..."
"Heard it damaged some school facilities too. Lucky you're on leave."
School. Leave.
All of it felt alien to Jeong Seo-hoon.
Like wearing clothes that didn't fit.
The screams of the battlefield echoed relentlessly in his ears.
'I thought Jeong Seo-hoon's life was just a dream.'
Confusion clung to his mind.
His arms still quivered.
He felt thrust onto an unwanted stage in ill-fitting garb.
Even as Jeong Seo-hoon's memories resurfaced, he didn't feel like himself.
The phantom roar of naval guns stuck to his eardrums.
To overcome the sickening disconnect, Jeong Seo-hoon scrambled for words—anything.
To pass as Jeong Seo-hoon.
"Still chasing auditions, huh?"
"What?"
"Kinda impressive."
His blood kin furrowed her brows at words scraped from Jeong Seo-hoon's memories.
Her name was probably...
'Jeong Su-ryeon, right?'
Jeong Su-ryeon looked up, staring him down.
Her gaze dripped with prickly irritation.
"What? Wanna mock the girl who bombs on camera for still chasing acting gigs? Scared I'll blow the family fortune on this 'acting' dream? Worried your tuition'll dry up?"
"..."
"Cut the crap. Update your damn head. You think I'm going for a role audition?"
"Didn't you say audition?"
"Staff position, first son of Lee Jeong-sook. When'd you get over your celebrity delusion? You still think I'm a terminal case?"
"..."
Memories flooded back vividly.
Celebrity delusion. Terminal case.
All words he'd spat—or he'd spat.
Jeong Su-ryeon buried her head back in her stack of papers, unleashing her sarcasm without a flicker of expression.
Jeong Su-ryeon was production staff.
She'd dreamed of acting, but her camera-unfriendly face led to endless heartbreak until she quit.
She couldn't let go of the industry, though, sticking it out as assistant director.
She drove because she had to shuttle colleagues and haul gear.
Their mother insisted on providing the car so her only daughter wouldn't suffer.
But never handed over the keys—to avoid bumper-smashing disasters.
"Hey, what're you doing? Hurry up and get in!"
"Me?"
"What, just drive and expect daily pay, first son of Lee Jeong-sook? You know how strict she is about that? Slacking means no pay today."
Jeong Seo-hoon called his mother to confirm.
"Huh? I'll give you 150,000 won allowance, so help your sister. Not the first time, right?"
Only then did he recall occasionally doing these day-labor gigs for her.
Griping outwardly, secretly thrilled at the sweet deal.
Haul gear a few times, drive a bit, chill the rest—150,000 won pocketed.
Mom skipped mentioning money because it was a done deal.
Jeong Seo-hoon grabbed the luggage and headed inside the broadcasting station.
In the cramped hallway swarming with celebrities, reporters, staff, and directors, dizziness hit, hands shaking.
As if amid the bustling facade, enemy snipers lurked in the crowds, zeroed in on him.
'Damn.'
He suppressed the creeping war tremors and followed Jeong Su-ryeon with the bags.