After the Curtain Falls
"Uh…… Hmm……."
The roughly three-hour musical performance had finally ended. I let out a short groan inwardly.
Is this…… what a musical is?
It was my first time ever seeing one, counting even my previous life. The massive, flashy stage that changed rapidly with each scene had been impressive. Especially the various special effects, like the entire piano descending from above. I couldn't analyze every element like a pro, of course.
But it was easy to tell they'd poured a ton of money and effort into the staging.
The acting was better than I expected, too.
Truth be told, I'd gone in with a bias, assuming musical actors would be worse than drama or movie stars. After all, musical performers have to handle both acting and singing. I figured it would be harder for them to excel compared to actors who focus solely on performance.
But this experience proved my thinking too narrow. It wasn't about who was "better"—it felt more like a difference in genres. Musical actors came off more dramatic and powerful than drama or film stars. And on top of that, their voices filled the entire theater. Just watching them conveyed the situation and their actions so effectively.
The stage and the performers—the two core elements of a musical, you could say—had both satisfied me.
Except……
What the hell was the story?
It felt like the crucial substance was missing. Even though it had only been five minutes since the curtain fell, I could barely recall the plot.
The pacing flew by, and the connections between scenes felt vague. In other words, the story's logic just wasn't there. The characters were oddly flat, too. None left a real impression—like they were just background props rushed into a hasty narrative.
Personally, I figured fans of flashy production would love it, while story-focused folks might not. Glancing at the passing audience, sure enough, satisfied faces and disappointed ones split almost evenly.
"……."
This is bad……
And Kim Seo-yeon's expression clearly fell into the latter camp. Her lips pressed tight, brows slightly furrowed, she stared straight ahead as she walked.
I didn't have the guts to meet her eyes. Touching her now would just backfire spectacularly.
Why had it turned out like this? In the original story, she'd seen this musical with Kang Min-jun and loved it. The novel explicitly described them chatting happily afterward, all smiles.
I'd confirmed it in my notes and used it as a reconciliation tool. But judging by the current vibe, it hadn't helped much. If anything, things might've gotten worse.
"Thanks for today. I'm heading out first."
"Get home safe."
At the crowded bus stop, I exchanged a perfunctory goodbye with her—she still looked far from pleased—and turned toward the subway station for home.
On the way, I pondered it again. Why her reaction differed so much from the original.
……It's gotta be who she went with. Should've read the character psychology descriptions more carefully.
I smacked my lips at the belated realization. In the original, she'd seen it with Kang Min-jun about a month from now—right when her feelings for him were building to a peak.
Then he suddenly scores tickets and suggests they go. She'd wanted to but couldn't get good seats, so she jumps at the invite. But instead of focusing on the show she'd anticipated so much, she catches herself just staring at Min-jun, sighing in awe at the musical—and that's when she realizes her crush is real.
Long explanation, short conclusion: The musical's content didn't matter at all in that episode.
But coming with me—someone utterly uninterested—she had no choice but to focus on the performance. The flimsy plot stood out, flipping the outcome entirely.
My clear mistake for undervaluing the process. Writing summaries instead of the full original meant I only roughed out events and results—never expected it to boomerang like this.
My head throbbed.
"Just rest for now……."
Back home, I showered roughly, changed, and flopped onto the bed.
Body and mind exhausted. I decided to spend the rest of the day with zero thinking—just rest.
The fix-it plan I'd banked on had bombed. Sure, I needed to brainstorm the next one pronto, but not tonight. Planning in this state would just yield another dud like today.
Remaining Life: 54 days
"What the actual……."
I glanced at the damn floating status window, then immediately dropped my head. My face sank into the soft pillow, breath stifling a bit—just like my mood right now.
A life of wealth and comfort, unlike my past one, felt happy. But the terminal illness leash tightened bit by bit, choking the air.
Since Kim Seo-yeon was closest among Kang Min-jun's main heroines, our strained relations stalled my life gains. From Monday, I'd added barely three days. My psychological red line of 50 days loomed closer.
"Suuuuck. Hooo……."
The more I thought about my situation, the tighter the chokehold. I consciously took deep breaths, in and out. After over ten reps, my vision cleared a little.
Really. No more thinking. My heart couldn't take it.
For real this time, I sent Kim Seo-yeon a cautious check-in—"You get home okay?"—then killed the lights and lay in bed.
The plain white ceiling, patternless. Just like my room back home.
Not a strange ceiling, but a familiar one. I relaxed my eyes and stared blankly.
Even if I closed them now, tomorrow would bring the same view.
Ding-.
Through my half-shut eyes, the ceiling turned blue.
Life extended by 15 days.
Remaining Life: 69 days
No, the ceiling was the same—the blue window had popped up in my vision.
"Huh?"
A sudden life extension notice. A whopping 15 days.
* * *
Ding-a-ling-. The high-pitched electronic chime. The front door opening.
Time for her daughter—out at a musical with a friend—to return. Kim Seo-yeon's mom glanced toward the door while checking the boiling stew's seasoning.
"Honey, you're back?"
"Yeah, Mom."
"Have fun? How was the musical?"
"It was fun."
Unlike her usual chatterbox self, spilling every detail, this was curt. Feeling a twinge of disappointment, Mom set down the ladle and walked to the entryway.
Kim Seo-yeon, shoes off, entering with a stiff expression—not looking happy at all.
Was it that bad?
Her daughter hadn't seemed upbeat lately anyway. Mom had hoped the musical outing would lift her spirits, but she looked even worse.
Knowing sometimes just being heard helped immensely, she offered gently.
"Come on, sweetie. Tell me more. Mom'll listen to it all."
"Sorry, Mom. I'm beat—gonna crash in my room. Details tomorrow."
The offer tempted her for a second, but she brushed it off and headed straight to her room.
Clothes strewn everywhere, bed included. Seo-yeon shoved them aside haphazardly and collapsed onto the mattress.
She hated getting into bed without changing, normally. But tonight was an exception.
She reached for the pillow by the headboard, hugging it tight to her chest. The soft fullness brought an inexplicable comfort.
"Phew……."
Her private space, unseen by anyone. Curled on the bed, she exhaled deeply. Tension easing.
And then, the heartbeat she'd half-ignored thrummed in her ears.
"……."
Trying to ignore it, she recalled the person she'd seen the musical with today.
Lee Jun-woo. One of her closest uni friends. Things had been off with him since last week.
The festival's final night—friends chugging expensive booze without restraint, leading to that mess. She'd been disappointed seeing him snap without knowing he'd cleaned it up.
But looking back, it made sense.
I'd be mad too.
The aftermath hit the bedding too—not just the floor. Discovering that out of nowhere? Yeah, anger was fair.
Sure, yelling at a friend was his fault. But not enough to avoid him like this.
So the real reason she dodged him? Embarrassment.
That moment he'd yelled, her own frustration boiled over into tears. Showing that vulnerable side to a close uni mate mortified her.
Time didn't help—seeing his face just resurfaced it, so she'd avoided him.
But he was best buds with Kang Min-jun, her crush. And they shared classes. Bound to run into each other.
This week alone, over ten times in five days.
Couldn't avoid forever. Pondering how to fix it, he'd beaten her to it—inviting her to a musical. One she'd once mentioned wanting to see, drunk at a gathering.
His sincerity touched her; she'd steeled herself against the shame and agreed.
—Wait…… seriously? Kim Seo-yeon?
And that resolve shattered the moment she saw him in his uncharacteristically dressed-up outfit.
Time blurred after that. She barely remembered the musical's plot.
Next thing, she was at her front door.
Forget it. Forget it, Kim Seo-yeon.
Forcing Min-jun to mind, pushing Jun-woo out. Unlike Jun-woo's usual drab engineering style, Min-jun nailed his look perfectly.
Jun-woo dressed up more than usual today, though…….
Jun-woo was just mildly handsome. Min-jun? Infamously hot in their department.
Maybe the new clothes…… Jun-woo looked better than I thought…….
Unlike Jun-woo's constant joking and carelessness, Min-jun noticed her discomforts and tended to them first.
This…… definitely.
Finally, Jun-woo's face started fading.
Ping! Her phone buzzed on the side.
"What the……."
Normally, she'd brush it off with "What's with the overkill?" But today, overlaid with his different vibe, the message hit heavier.
“…….”
Heartbeat pounding in her ears. Staring at the phone a moment, Seo-yeon buried her face deep in the blanket again.
Clutching the pillow till it nearly burst.
Kim Seo-yeon Returning Home (Image)
