Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Studying, chatting, and then going home. Occasionally visiting PC bangs and bathhouses with friends before coming back home to study. By the time Maru was done with his studies it was already 11 at night. He would blog a little, surf the web for a few minutes before going to sleep at midnight. He could hear his computer’s fan whirling in the background.
Maru stared blankly at his monitor for a second before pulling out a book. It was something he borrowed from a nearby library. He tried to find a few "self-improvement" books, but couldn’t find many of them. Come to think of it, there was no such thing during this time.
From the time Maru started working in a company all the way to becoming a bus driver, he had read a pile of books as high as him. Reading this many self improvement books lead him to one conclusion.
Self improvement books were just books about successful people reminiscing about their past.
"But I keep reading them again and again for some reason. "
One of the books he remembered most had a Japanese author: The Morning Person. The trend of this era was being active in the morning. The idea that the early birds would succeed was the prevalent thing in this time. Maru turned the page. He knew every word the author would say after each page, but still read it anyway.
It was 1am by the time he finished the book. He set it next to his bed before falling asleep. Today was a productive day. So why…
"Why did it feel so unfulfilling?"
It feels like he was on a highway with nothing around it. He knew he wouldn’t be taking any detours as long as he was on this highway. Despite that, he couldn’t help but look at people driving on the twisty local roads. At the people who were enjoying the scenery to the fullest, going on an adventure following where the road was taking them.
Being late to their destination didn’t matter, as long as they managed to arrive in the end. The only problem is…
"When you run out of fuel. "
Having to watch other people zoom by you as you sit on the road completely out of fuel. Maru closed his eyes again, this time accompanied with a bitter smile. Today, too, he realized living again wasn’t such an easy thing after all. A quiet air descended down on his room.
Time passed quickly. The entire class was used to school life by now. None of their previous confusion was here now. Everyone was in a friend group of their own, friend groups that’s been around long enough to last the entire year now.
It was currently the end of April. Maru looked out at the window as his two friends sat next to him, with bread in one hand and chips on the other. Countless students approached them asking for a bite, but Dojin shooed them all away.
Dojin offered Maru half of the burger with a grin. Maru accepted with a quick thank you.
"This guy needs to lose weight. At least, according to instructor Miso. "
"Just a little more, she says. Ugh. "
Daemyung sipped on water sadly. They both seemed to be working at the club well. Dojin and Daemyung both became actors. According to them, Miso told them to practice the characters they wanted to play. They both tried for the more important side characters, but failed just like that. In the end, they ended up becoming passenger 1 and co.