Bzzzzttt-

His phone rang.

The letters [Mom] appeared and when he pressed the red button, a list of rejected call messages popped up. He randomly pressed something and the message, [I'm in class right now. I'll contact you back in a bit] at the top was sent.

When the vibration stopped, Halo picked up his chopsticks.

"It's so good."

Jang Jinsoo, who said that cheekily shoved a wrap into his mouth. It was such a careless gesture that Halo frowned. He gentlemanly moved a piece of grilled pork belly to his bowl.

"No, No Haeil, hey, don't take it all."

"Kids, don't fight. This hyung will order more even if he has to starve for a day."

"I heard people can starve for three days, hyung."

"Jinsoo, come out for a second?"

"I'm sorry."

While they were having a friendly conversation, Halo moved it all over, worried the meat would burn.

He was shocked when he heard they were barbecuing fat instead of steak cuts but the fatty pieces were delicious in a different way from steak.

The side dishes were seared in the grease too.

Did his palate follow his body? Or was this food just tasty? As he felt the lingering taste of grease and hot pepper powder on his lips, he felt like it would taste good eating with his original body too.

"Seriously, so greedy. Hey, give me just one."

"Cook it yourself."

"Shit, you took them all."

Seeing the bickering children, Han Jinyeong smiled like a father. Next to him, Gonghak picked up his jacket, preparing to leave for his shift. He seemed busy.

"Calculate it and tell me the amount later."

"It's fine, I'll just pay for it."

"Oh! I won't decline that."

"Good luck at work hyung!"

When Jang Jinsoo bid Gonghak farewell, Halo also roughly nodded his head. Expressionless Gonghak nodded once before leaving.

"Is that person the drummer?"

At Halo's question, Han Jinyeong smiled thinly.

"Everyone asks that. Surprisingly, no. Gonghak is the keyboardist."

"?"

A keyboard refers to a synthesizer or electronic organ. That solid-built guy playing something that requires a delicate touch? Hard to believe but Han Jinyeong wouldn't have a reason to trick him.

"Gonghak-hyung really plays well."

Jang Jinsoo added.

It was still hard to imagine.

"Then hyung is-"

"I'm on drums."

Han Jinyeong bass, Gonghak keyboard, Kim Deoksoo drums.

So that was the formation. Halo roughly nodded his head and picked up some meat. It cooked quickly over the blazing blue flames.

The course menu at this restaurant was good too.

Fried rice in the hot grill pan with cooked meat.

Most of all, putting mozzarella cheese on steamed eggs.

How could first-class chefs not come up with an idea like this? He felt like he'd wasted 32 years of his life.

The fullness was uncomfortable yet warmed his body in the early winter chill. There were still many people coming and going on the streets without snow.

"It's noisy no matter what time it is here."

"It's peak noisy hours now."

7 p.m.

The sun had set but it was time for the lights to shine bright.

Lovers or friends. Many more people were walking in pairs than alone. They talked to each other or stopped to browse goods, settling near the busking spot they liked.

Just like those countless ordinary people, Halo also occasionally stopped to watch the busking.

Some hurt his ears but some weren't bad. If he had had his wallet on him he would have already thrown money but he only saw plastic cards. How unromantic.

"Don't you guys busk?"

As they moved further away from the busking, the hyungs' studio came closer. It didn't look like they performed often so he asked once.

The reply came quite a while later.

"We're not at an age to busk anymore."

"You need to be a certain age to busk?"

"No, it's not that. More that we're old so we lack stamina."

It was an answer he didn't like.

Various excuses show fear.

What was that proud attitude, wanting to passionately play?

"We don't have vocals either."

The excuses were subpar too.

Halo pointed at the person across the street.

"That person isn't singing either."

"..."

They didn't reply anymore, as if they had nothing left to say.

It happened naturally as they had just arrived at the underground studio at that time.

Han Jinyeong awkwardly smiled as he looked around at them.

"Kids, you should go home now. You already ate dinner too. Your parents must worry."

"Yes, see you tomorrow hyung!"

"Yeah, come by often to play Haeil."

"...Yes."

He had no more words for the expulsion order.

After all, this studio was theirs.

Halo obediently picked up his jacket and left.

Bidding the hyungs goodbye once more, he walked up the stairs. Jang Jinsoo, who had been walking ahead of him, abruptly stopped and turned his head after moving away from the studio.

"Yo No Haeil, are you unable to read the room?"

What's this punk saying to him now?

"You could clearly tell from the hyungs' faces they didn't like it yet you kept prodding. You really can't read people can you."

"I know."

"You know yet you still went on? Hey, take it down a notch. The hyungs let it slide since they're nice people so let's mind our manners."

There was no way he didn't notice their subtle avoidance.

He wanted to let him know who really couldn't read the room here.

"That's why I poked more. Don't be wishy-washy, go all in, or don't do it at all."

"What wishy-washy. You rejected the offer to learn earlier from Jinyeong-hyung too."

"You overheard that?"

"I just heard it."

He had too much pride to take back a single word.

Thinking he should be the adult, Halo didn't refute further. He planned to ignore him and go to the subway.

However, Halo couldn't keep that resolution for even a few minutes.

"Oh, who's that person."

A new person appeared in the busking zone and quite a lot of people had gathered.

It wasn't a band but rather guitar playing and vocals attracting all those people.

There were cheers at the rather high falsettos and shouts so people, including Halo and Jang Jinsoo, stopped.

"The last train is still a ways off. Should we watch for a bit before going?"

"Sure."

Objectively, the skill of the man in the cap wasn't at a level that could be called amazing. However, his song selection wasn't bad and he passionately sang well. It went together nicely with busking. The audience sang along to the singer, matching their breathing.

A fun, exciting mood.

Halo joined in on that mood too.

As people left and new people entered, he gradually moved closer to the front until finally sitting in the very front row.

Halo liked the stage. Whether clumsy or awkward, the passion was fully conveyed. If you have that, it was good enough.

Pant pant.

He wondered how much time had passed.

At some point, Jang Jinsoo next to him was drenched in sweat and the girls sitting on the other side had bright red flushed faces.

And a man with good sense notified it was the last song.

The strained throat and insufficient stamina.

The man recognized the moment to leave when receiving the applause.

The busking ended 40 minutes before the 2-hour reservation ended.

"Thank you for listening."

He cleanly bid farewell without regrets and Halo applauded the wonderful stage that made a short time feel special. For the singer who did that.

As the performance ended, the crowd dispersed.

What remained in that spot until the very end was Jang Jinsoo noisily wearing his jacket and Halo standing there looking pathetic.

"Um, kids."

Just then, the busking man finished organizing his equipment and approached.

"Yes? Us?"

"Yeah, you guys. Weren't you two here from the start? Thanks for listening. I came to say this."

The busking singer had quite a nice impression with his hat off.

"No, we really enjoyed the singing. You sing really well. And the guitar playing was seriously good too."

"Really?"

The man laughed candidly.

"I made a ton of mistakes though. I'm relieved you say you heard it well. It's thanks to you passionately singing along that I could cover them up nicely."

"Oh really? Should've taken it easy. I was too focused on your singing."

"Hehe, I like your honesty."

The man then looked over at Halo, who was blankly standing there.

"But is this friend the quiet type by nature? He didn't sing along at all from start to finish even though I tried really hard because I'm pretty good at audience engagement usually. He really didn't participate until the very end. Was it not good?"

"You didn't?"

Jang Jinsoo asked as if he hadn't known.

Halo denied it.

"No, I heard it well. The audience engagement was good and your stage manners were good too. I just didn't sing along because-."

"Because?"

With a truly curious face, Halo calmly said,

"I didn't know the songs."

"!"

At Halo's reply, the man's eyes opened wide.

It was an answer he had never once considered before.

"What, I sang only famous songs though. Don't you know Pie? You don't listen to idol songs then? What songs do you usually listen to?"

"Usually... foreign songs?"

Since Halo hadn't heard much music after coming here, he couldn't rightly say he knew any one thing properly. Still, the songs he listened to most were masterpieces in his native language.

The man kept mumbling 'How could you not know' before conceding peacefully.

"So that's why you didn't sing huh. And here I was wondering. I'm glad I asked. I was really curious. I thought my songs weren't good or something. Now I can relax and sleep well."

Since he kept staring, that must have been why.

"But what pop songs do you usually listen to? You're young so is it hip hop? Or do you just listen to Billboard tracks?"

Halo recalled the songs he listened to last night.

Though he heard many songs, what came to mind first of all was,

"I've been listening to The Beatles recently."

"The Beatles?! Oh! Do kids these days listen to The Beatles too?"

Surprised he wouldn't know such an old song, the man grew excited.

"Yes, Beatles! Makes me want to sing a Beatles song talking about them."

The man briefly hummed.

A clear voice rang out.

"It's a waste but should I sing some pop songs again since it's been a while?"

"Oh, will you sing more? I'd love that!"

"Hmm hmm-"

The man hummed some more then frowned.

His throat was shot from singing too passionately plus he drank yesterday too.

It was a pity to leave like this but. The man glanced at the two kids in front of him as he swallowed his saliva.

One kid with twinkling eyes and one kid sitting there awkwardly.

They seemed like they had talent since they eagerly followed him.

"My voice is about to give so do you guys wanna try?"

"Huh?"

"What do you think? Not difficult. Just do the same as before. I'll accompany you on guitar."

"Us?"

Jang Jinsoo was startled, pointing at himself.

"There's still 30 minutes left. Wanna give it a go? It's fine to refuse if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you. Speak comfortably."

"I..."

Jang Jinsoo read the atmosphere.

He seemed like he would refuse, saying he couldn't do it.

The man was about to accept it as inevitable-

Just then,

"How many chords do you know?"

Jang Jinsoo's eyes snapped wide as he looked at Halo.

Did he just say what he think he said?

The man was surprised too, saying,

"You'll sing? I know all the famous songs."

"All the titles?"

"Famous ones?"

Halo had absolutely no idea what or how much he knew.

Well, he could just take the guitar if he turned out to not know.

Halo stepped forward, setting his bag down.

Both the man and Jang Jinsoo looked at him in confusion.

"What should the first song be?"

"Play something you know."

"Then, Let It Be?"

That was the first thing that came to mind.

Halo received the mic from the man and plopped down next to him.

The man ended up picking up his guitar, flustered.

#

There once was an ordinary man.

He graduated from an ordinary school.

Entered ordinary society,

Lived an ordinary life,

He was that kind of everywhere person.

But after work, he didn't go home, he wandered the most familiar streets.

Marveling at shops still there, lamenting new unfamiliar shops.

Knowing these meaningless acts, yet unable to go home despite fatigue.

Why has he returned to this street he once roamed with friends? He doesn't know his own intentions

Like looking for something lost

Or waiting for something.

Frustrated at not knowing just what.

Then he heard a very familiar song.

Very familiar accompaniment

And a very familiar melody.

Even the most familiar lyrics.

He headed to that familiarity before he knew it.

Many people had already gathered there.

They instinctively sang along. Shook their heads, sang, and expressed their existence.

He wanted to know what they were watching.

He carefully slipped through.

Surprisingly, inside wasn't a beauty, a pitiful severely handicapped elderly, nor a priest to warmly embrace. 

Just an ordinary kid.

A male student in uniform sitting on the ground singing. That was all, nothing special

However

I wake up to the sound of music.

A truly beautiful sound rang out

Mother Mary comes to me.

Speaking words of wisdom.

Before he knew it, he sang,

Let it be.