Episode #75. A play that can’t die.
Didding Deering.
A performer in jeans with a baggy hoodie tucked deep into his head, awkwardly strumming a clunky guitar.
Listening to the performance, Limon crossed his arms.
‘Hmm, I’m not particularly good at it.’
Thanks to watching various performances lately, Limon’s ears to listen to the performances were quite open.
By Limon’s standards, the performer’s skills were quite lacking.
At best, the level is inferior to that of the guitarist of the indie band that Limon just graduated from.
‘But it’s not annoying.’
Even so, Limon did not change his pace and deliberately listened to the performance with his arms crossed.
It was because Limon was the first performer who did not use the skill he had seen after listening to various performances and wandering around.
Dirring Dididing.
‘I’ve only been listening to dog-like performances lately, but even listening to these things makes me feel like my ears are purified.’
Limon laughed.
The dissonance caused by the musical skill is not heard.
Just that reason alone was enough reason to appreciate this lacking performance.
But it was only until then that he could watch so leisurely.
Don’t look at me―
(Don’t look at me)
The moment the performer opens his mouth.
Limon raised his eyes involuntarily.
I’m not lonely.
I’m not bothered.
Don’t look at me like that―
(I’m not lonely)
(I’m not suffering)
(So don’t look at me that way)
A husky voice that resonates live without a microphone or amplifier.
In this street full of all kinds of sounds, the voice is too quiet to hear and too crude to be interested in, so no one cares.
‘This is…’
Seeing the performer that everyone turned away from, Limon made a strange expression.
It’s not a good call.
It’s clumsy as if it’s also self-made.
Even her voice isn’t particularly nice or pretty.
An immature song, like a guitar playing, where you’ll find more reasons not to listen than more reasons to listen.
But Limon saw.
The happiness of having the whole world on the performer’s face the moment he started singing.
And listened.
The beautiful chords created by mixing the clumsy performance with the immature song.
‘Right.’
It’s half at best.
Even though it has improved, it is still a chord that is still lacking compared to the first class, which basically has a perfection of 50 or 100, which is only 10 by adding 5 to 5.
But at least for this moment.
The song penetrated Limon’s heart as clearly as Julia’s playing.
‘I wonder if this meant to love performance.’
Skill in the realm beyond finesse and talent.
The power to make such a clumsy song comparable to the performance of a top-notch violinist like Julia.
Even though he ignores the pitch and beat and just sings as he pleases, the emotion of the performer is transmitted more purely because of that.
Feeling his own sympathy, Limon understood.
And he smiled bitterly.
‘It’s a performance I can’t even die.’
I felt like I now understand why my violin playing skills didn’t improve as if something was blocking me.
He was too old and a cunning swordsman to enjoy playing and show his emotions innocently like that player.
You can learn it, but you can’t change it, and as you get better at hiding it, you become weaker at revealing it.
That’s what getting old is like.
That’s why old people always miss their youth and envy them.
It was the same with Limon.
‘I’m a little envious.’
His youth ended in the Bronze Age.
The pure passion of these young people goes beyond simple envy and makes them feel even dark jealousy.
‘It’s time… It’s been a while since I’ve felt something like this.’
I have never felt envy, let alone jealousy, when I see those who solve everything with skills, from swordsmanship to talent, when the age of iron opens.
Despite ridiculing himself for now feeling jealous of the street performer, Limon continued to appreciate the song.
Don’t look back—
there’s nothing to tell me.
there’s nothing holding me.
look at me and smile like that―
(Don’t look back)
(You don’t have to say anything to me)
(Nothing holds me back)
(So smile at me like that)
Just cheerfully, just happily.
A musician who randomly strums his guitar and sings.
Was it because the performance was so messed up or because I couldn’t hear the song?
Except for Limon, no one listened to the performance, and even a passer-by who listened for a while quickly lost interest and hurried on.
But the performers don’t stop.
It seems that there is only one spectator.
Or maybe it just sounds like fun.
I just sang and sang again and again while strumming my guitar.
‘It’s such a waste.’
As the player’s sensitivity deepened, Limon felt regret for the immaturity of the performance that stood out.
And suddenly I thought.
What if a performer who could sing a song like this with just this crude technique would be taught by a professional trainer?
So, what kind of songs can you sing if you fill up the lack of technique?
‘I never thought I’d think of this after listening to the song.’
Limon smiled bitterly.
As the head of the sword tower, he taught swordsmanship and felt sorry for geniuses who failed to bloom or brilliant talents who were blocked by walls.
However, it was the first time I felt regret for a talent that had nothing to do with fighting or state affairs, let alone swordsmanship.
‘If it were Julia…’
If she, who loves playing more than anyone else, had listened to this song, she would have tried to make this performer’s talent bloom no matter what.
She said that she hadn’t taught anything, and instead of taking classes, she paid all the lodging fees and went away.
‘No, it’s a useless idea.’
But Limon is not Julia.
He only learned to play out of necessity, so there was no reason for him to engage in such a fuss.
Especially now that he knows that his playing is not going to get any better.
[Eh? Do you want to go, manager?]
“Yes.”
It was for this reason that Limon turned away.
If I keep listening to this song like this, I thought I would have useless regrets for no reason.
[It’s still in the middle of the performance?]
“What are you saying out of the blue? It’s not once or twice that I stop listening to a performance.”
[Yeah, but…]
Maybe it’s because Limon, who was dissatisfied with any performance, didn’t complain about this song.
Yuna-kyung tilted her head, but Limon didn’t care.
I just moved on and tried to get out of there.
“uh? what? Who is at our table?”
“I guess you are a beginner again.”
“Oh Mr. Anyway, beginners who don’t know how to do it are terrifyingly brave even though they don’t have any skills. It’s a complete street yeopo yeopo.”
“Well, it’s okay for a beginner.”
“It’s okay, but the fucking sound is shit.”
Limon stopped abruptly.
It was because the trio, each with a guitar and a small bass amp, were talking in front of the musicians.
“Hey, let’s talk for a minute.”
“Hey, we’re not particularly quarreling, are we?”
“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear that. Is this our original place? So, could you please step out of the way?”
But no matter what the trio said, the performer didn’t stop singing.
Doesn’t sound like it at all.
Or maybe you just don’t care.
I just continued to strum the guitar and sing with emotion.
“I can’t speak the language.”
“Hey, let’s talk!”
Did he get annoyed with the musician’s ignoring attitude, or did he think it would be a waste of time if he tried to talk further?
Instead of speaking, the trio eventually forcibly took the guitar and stopped playing.
no i didn’t want to stop
“Hey young people.”
Unless suddenly there were two arms draped over their shoulders.
“I’m asking just in case, are you taking away the property of good citizens and using violence?”
‘What what…’
‘What is this power? Are you a high-level player?’
The two elders of the trio, who reflexively tried to shake off their arms over their shoulders, were taken aback by the solidity of the concrete.
Then, looking at each other, they intervened between them and focused their attention on Limon, a black-haired man who was forcibly wearing a shoulder strap.
“Big big! look at this bro You must have misunderstood something.”
“We were just trying to talk. Yes, talk.”
“Hmm, interrupting someone else’s performance and taking away an instrument at will is called conversation these days?”
Limon looked back at the hands of the two who were trying to steal the guitar and smiled bleakly.
They inadvertently shrunk their hands at the bloody stare, which was more terrifying than a hundred words, and zealously asserted their legitimacy.
“So it is a misunderstanding.”
“We just wanted to talk a little bit about the show. isn’t it? Joon-ah!”
“That’s right.”
“okay? Then I must have misunderstood.”
The threesome sighed in relief at the sight of Limon, who readily agreed.
“I’m glad you knew…”
“But what are you talking about?”
“yes?”
“What are you talking about, why do you interrupt other people’s performances? I don’t think that’s something the same performer would do.”
back.
Limon asks as if he is really curious.
On either side of him, the two people’s faces were distorted.
Contrary to the calm and weak tone, the hand that was pressing on the shoulder tightened tightly and gave a little pain.
I would rather have screamed if the scars were left. It was just a bit of intense massage pressure, so it was hard to resist properly.
So they reluctantly had to kindly answer the question.
“As you know, this is a street of music, isn’t it?”
“So, you say it’s a place where anyone can play?”
“By the way, with so many gossips gathering, this place has become a completely noisy street, right?”
“So we reached an agreement among the players. Only one team will play in a certain area.”
“…So, if you want to perform here, you have to be assigned an area by local residents?”
“yes.”
Limon frowned.
This is because I have known the problems that arise from long experience.
“I’m asking just in case, do you have to pay for that distribution?”
“It’s not something you have to pay, but every time you apply, you make a small bet according to your circumstances, out of morality.”
“And according to that amount, good seats and bad seats are divided?”
“Uh hmm. That’s not official.”
“Then informally?”
“….”
The threesome quietly averted their eyes.
Limon, who understood the answer with just that, clicked his tongue.
In the end, it was clear that the self-governing organization among the musicians would have become a corruption that was run through bribes and entertainment.
In any era, art has been one of the easiest occupations to collect rent as prostitution.
“What kind of music street is that?”
“Even if you say so…”
“Because we didn’t set the rules…”
They had no words to ask why the rules were like that, and there was nothing they could do.
Limon naturally frowns at the attitude of making excuses.
Seeing Limon’s reaction, the trio hurriedly added an explanation.
“I am not forced to take money. You can get a seat in a corner like this for almost free, and you only have to apply for it formally.”
“okay?”
“yes. If you just have music skills, you can share the area.”
“If you have a rare skill or a high level, they give you a good seat at a low price.”
“….”
Unless it’s a day when the musicians are really pissed off, you can get a zone at a cheap price.
So the problem is the performers who broke the rules, and they said they were not at fault.
The threesome’s words were usually quite understandable, even if they had an element of excuse.
Except for one part.
“If not?”
“yes?”
“What if I don’t have music skills?”
“Uh…”
Maybe it’s because it’s such a stupid question.
Or was it because of Limon’s raised eyes?
The threesome, who had a puzzled expression, hesitated for a while before answering.
“Then do you usually kick them out?”
“In the first place, there is no need for a person without musical skills to apply for a performance.”
“Why would someone with no skill play? This isn’t the place to play pranks like that.”
“That’s right, this rule was created because such ignorant bastards made noise pollution.”
“I don’t know if you pay a huge amount of money… but people who have the money don’t pay that money to perform on the street.”
As if asking something so obvious, the threesome answered without hesitation.
Looking at the other spectators nodding their heads at their words, they put on a confident expression, but soon they had no choice but to stiffen.
“The performance of a person without skill is just noise, and he doesn’t deserve to play on the street…” A
terribly cold voice.
A gaze sharp like a knife.
More than anything, the twisted smile on his lips that said he would die of regret.
made them freeze
“That’s a wonderful word.”
Limon asked in a low voice to the threesome who swallowed dry saliva like that.
“I’m just asking for confirmation, do you guys spill shit and urine when you poop if you don’t use a skill?”
