“Ah, I’m nervous…”

It was my job to constantly tap the vending machine in front of a large monitor all day long. Because of that, consciously, I kept my distance from the monitor and vending machine on weekends. I had limited myself to poking around on my phone or, at most, a tablet.

But today, on this weekend, I found myself in a seat in front of the monitor, unlike my usual routine. Of course, there was a reason for that. And a very important one at that.

I pushed the phone screen with my hand. I checked the message Hyunsoo sent yesterday once again.

[Sis. You can start watching from 1 hour and 53 minutes.]

A refreshing smile emerged at the meticulousness of detailing down to the minute. A message like an earnest plea to never skip what comes next and to watch without worries from then on.

Even though Hyunsoo wasn’t included in the message, I nodded my head while reading the message. As if responding, “I will definitely do that.”

On my monitor right now is a black screen announcing the start of the movie.

Curiosity about the first scene that will emerge by combining various colors on this black screen wasn’t absent. However, I decided not to be overly greedy. Joon also wanted me not to watch this movie.

I hesitated before the last scene, even though it was contradictory considering my current intention to watch it.

I picked up the mouse. I moved the cursor and precisely pressed and held on the point Hyunsoo had informed me of, the time.

Then, a village landscape where a fierce snowstorm made it almost impossible to see in the paused black screen came to mind. If I press the play button now, it feels like large snowflakes bundled up will pour down on the screen in no time. In the screen and beyond.

Is this the scene? The last scene of the movie Joon made…

Jung Eun and Hyunsoo had said. They hoped I could see only the last scene of this movie. It seemed like this scene represented Joon’s emotions at the time of making the movie. Not the entire content of the movie, but just that part. Would it be okay to pour my heart into that part alone?

Joon’s sincerity would be there.

A heavy breath, as if the round-shaped lips had quickly sunk, escaped. Now, with a single touch on the mouse, a snowstorm would start fluttering on the screen.

I lightly tapped the mouse without applying much force. Matching the slow rhythm, I shook my head low while determining the timing to press. At first, the chest, which used to beat regularly to that rhythm, gradually felt like it was getting tangled.

But at that moment.

Rrrrr. Rrrrr.

The phone bell started ringing loudly. Even in that brief moment, it was not the ears that reacted to the bell sound, but the eyes. In a hurry, I reached out to the table for the phone, not delaying, and quickly chased the name displayed on the screen.

“Uh, Director Jung?”

Director Jung Yeongsu, in charge of the weekend morning program.
About 6 months ago, when the Winter Olympics opened, the broadcast schedule for the programs we had already filmed was all pushed back. Ironically, all the popular events were scheduled to air at the same time as our program.

During that floating period, I took our team interns to join the shooting of the program I was in charge of. The gratitude from that time came to mind along with the displayed name.

Why would there be such a thing at this early hour? I answered the phone with a question mark.

“Hello, yes, PD-nim.”

[Oh, it’s this writer. I’m really sorry to bother you on your day off.]

Today was indeed a day off, and I understood that you must have felt sorry for calling on such a day. However, I was still puzzled about why you called at this hour.

“Oh, no, no. But why did you call at this hour? You must be in the middle of preparing for the broadcast.”

And before PD Jung could answer, I realized the reason for the call on my own, even from what I had just said.

That’s right. Surely, you must have had to make a call at this time. For instance, you suddenly had a shortage of hands even though you had to prepare for the broadcast.

[Writer, I find it really hard to speak up suddenly like this. But the situation is urgent right now. I know it’s a really unreasonable request, and I’m really sorry. If you have time now, or even if the situation is a bit tight, could you come and help with just the viewer text-winning section for today’s live broadcast?]

As expected, my guess was correct. When there’s a shortage of hands in a section managed by at least two or three writers, the company automatically looks for someone with experience in that field. Unfortunately, I was someone who perfectly fit that bizarre situation.

Like a proud mother duck with baby ducks about six months ago, I had bravely approached PD Jung. Back then, I had quite enjoyed helping to choose the messages sent by viewers and selecting the prize winners.

Unable to forget the gratitude of the otter who had warmly taken care of the young baby ducks, I consciously raised my tone to respond brightly to him, who was endlessly thanking me.