The Walk through

Seconds ticked by. Minutes passed with people hardly noticing. The hands of the clock struck twelve and moved on.

12.01a.m. The black digital clock read off.

Practical and pragmatic, Kyungsoo was a business events manager. He had gotten the job offer right after graduating from Tokyo’s top University and accepted it without hesitation, after all who could say no to a job that would never be out of the market?

One thing he had failed to account for, though, was the crazed timetable he had to deal with. By the second year, his body clock had been completed screwed over with zero mercy from the demands of his strenuous job. Tonight, was merely a repeat of the countless, sleepless nights he already had prior experience in.

His hands flew about the keyboard in a frenzy manner, mind clouded and hazy with exhaustion. He was clad in a black worn out tee-shirt, black shorts as he glared into the computer screen while pushing his overly huge glasses up his nose bridge, as he wrecked his brains more ideas and clarity. His boss, Suho, was an extremely well-mannered and kind boss, Kyungsoo didn’t ever want to disappoint him, and so he set himself to churn out the report and presentation without a single flaw despite his condition. He mentally went through the items; from administrative details, wet weather plans…to actual carrying out of the event, he had to make sure everything was perfect.  

To Kyungsoo, it didn’t matter if he had shortened his life span while not sleeping at all sometimes, as long as his work was flawless.

However, there were times like these, Kyungsoo desperately wished for more time. Why was time so unfair, constantly moving on as he struggled to finish his tasks. By the time he’d notice, time had flown by and he wouldn’t have enough time to rest. Kyungsoo sighed to himself in resignation of his fate.

“Why can’t time just stop for me?”  was the thought that laid at the bottom of his mind as he continued to work on his report.

4.31a.m

He was finally done. He scanned through the documents again and doubled checked before saving it into a thumb drive for the day’s presentation. He cracked his fingers and sore neck , stretching his numbed fingers after 4 hours straight of intensive typing.

“There. All done and ready for later!”  He satisfyingly packed away his computer before heading to his dear comfy bed for a short two hour rest.

6.50a.m

“Pi pi pi PIPIPI PIPIPIPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII”

His alarm sounded again and again. 6.50a.m, it was time to rouse from his sleep and get ready for work that day.  If there was one thing Kyungsoo absolutely detested, it was getting up, waking up from that state of slumber that was completely relaxing and extremely precious to him. He glared at the annoying wailing alarm and was tempted to swipe it, letting it smash to the ground in his fit of irritation. He was stopped himself, knowing he’d have the hassle of buying a new one if he did so.

He got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to get ready for work. Dark blue dress shirt along with black pants and a white tie, he got dressed and was prepared. He drank 2 shots of coffee which he did every day to keep himself alert for the rest of the day.

New day, new challenges and accompanying him was fleeting time as always.

7.30a.m

Kyungsoo was out of the house and headed to the metro station that was already busy with all walks of life, heading to their respective work places. Tokyo was the central business district, and time once again, did not wait for any man. Trains stopped, and took off as quickly as it arrived, people streaming in and out of the doors of the trains doors.

Living in Tokyo wasn’t always this easily to get used to. Kyungsoo still remembered when he had just arrived in the bustling city upon his admittance to his university. Everyone walked passed nonchalantly, engrossed in their own virtual world in their smartphones or just ignoring the world. Kyungsoo felt overwhelmed at glimpse of the coldness and reality of the true world. Everyone looked like they were in a hurry, too busy to be bothered by the presence of a country bumpkin. He had been afraid at the prospect of such loneliness in such a big city like Tokyo. But the lights of Tokyo were bright and welcoming so he had a conflicting feeling of terror and delight swishing together in turmoil as he stood in the middle of the passing crowds that day.

Years passed by and he was no longer that kid that arrived in Tokyo, dazzled and frightened by its brilliance and atmosphere. He, too grew to be those nonchalant poker-faced blue-collared workers that always seemed to be deprived of rest and the joy of living. Kyungsoo hadn’t noticed but the kid he had been previous, died along with his sense of excitement of living in a city like Tokyo. Studying then, and working hours on end now, had taken its toll on him as it became the core of his life rather than anything he genuinely enjoyed. Sometimes he’d regress into a state of depression, wondering whether if he was properly living his life. Or just wasting time and waiting for the end to finally come. Pretty grim words coming from the 26 year old. Sometimes he had wished to have taken the risk of becoming a professional singer.

All these secrets and regrets alike, were tucked in the deepest part of his heart, after all, this world was cruel and practical, no space for things like dreams to exist. Kyungsoo also thought so.

4.25p.m.

His work was finally done. His mind had been throbbing with a massive headache since morning, as though someone had been constantly knocking inconsistently on the insides of his head, playing with him. Presentations were over and his report handed in, he quickly exited his company’s building, relief flooding through him. The shots of coffee he had seemed to have no effect and Kyungsoo felt completely spent. Normally he’d still be fine after a day’s work. After all it was only 4 plus in the day. No biggie right..?

But he needed sleep. He swore he felt his soul almost slip out of his body as he felt it cry out “SLEEP”.

Dragging himself forward, he arrived at the metro station.

4.30p.m.

It was not peak hour, and the train seemed to be practically crawling towards the station as Kyungsoo impatiently tapped on his foot while waiting. He was annoyed again. Now why did time seem to be moving so slowly. Everything was inching by now, right when he didn’t want it to be. He peeked at the black digital watch that hung on his wrist, watching the numbers tick by so quickly within a flash. Yet the train seemingly took such a long time to arrive. Time was... so puzzling.

4.36p.m

He had settled himself on a seat in a train cabin that was isolated from any sign of human beings, an extremely rare occurrence in Tokyo.  The train had finally decided to begin moving off after a rather extended stop at his station. He clicked his tongue and let out sounds of blatantly impatience, he just wanted to get home.

Too lazy to take out his earphones to immerse himself in music, Kyungsoo opted to stare blankly into the window panels. His eyes followed through the passing scenery, watching the ever-changing landscape before him. it was the same one he saw everyday as he went back and forth to work. But this time it was more therapeutic than boring and repetitive. He realised he enjoyed observing the different landscapes from large tall buildings to bare lands that have been temporary left alone by urbanization. So Tokyo still had some of that left..

4.49p.m

 All of a sudden, the train passed through a black tunnel. All the greenery, glass and glimpses of the world disappearing altogether, swallowed up by the colour of black within a nano of a second. Kyungsoo didn’t even have the time to blink, sounds of the train rushing forward opposing the winds enclosed by the tight space, the whooshing and shushing, entered his ears. And before he knew it, the train’s cabin burst into light once more, entering back into its usual state being lit with evening light.

4.50p.m

He blinked. The time ticked. The second passed by and the clock struck 4.50p.m, approximately 12 hours after he went to sleep that night.

“Why can’t time just stop for me?” 

Strangely, Kyungsoo’s mind diverted to that very thought on that very second. He glanced at his digital watch and felt his goose bumps rise. He looked to the scenery and tried to see if anything moved at all.

And the second no longer passed. It stood at a standstill.