Chapter 77:For 15 Seconds – (1)

A regular 20-something office worker in New York, John had a hobby taking walks.  

The weekend approached.  

He got dressed and grabbed his keys from the shoe rack.  

— Jingle.  

Walking was a hobby with many advantages.  

For one, it didn’t cost much.

As long as he had comfortable clothes, a good pair of shoes, an MP3 player for music, and a light book in his bag, he could easily spend over six hours outside. The money he saved could go toward rent or a nice pizza.  

And walks often led to interesting experiences.  

On rainy days, he might stumble into a cozy café, order a coffee, and read until the rain stopped. Sometimes, he’d run into someone he knew and have a spontaneous chat. That’s actually how he met his ex-girlfriend.  

‘…Though we broke up because of personality differences.’  

Anyway.  

That’s why John set out for another walk today, stepping onto the bustling streets of New York.  

As he left his cheap apartment, he was met with a sea of people.  

“The end is near! The world will end in 2012! Nostradamus’s prophecy wasn’t based on the solar calendar, but the lunar one…!”  

“Get your newspaper here! A famous hip-hop artist’s scandal is making headlines!”  

“I saw Jamie this morning, and I swear, she got a boob job…”  

“Really? That company’s stock is actually going up?”  

“Trust me, the market crash is just a conspiracy by Wall Street scammers! Taking out loans and investing is the fastest way to get rich!”  

“…”  

Ah, the scent of car exhaust and the sound of intellectual conversation.  

This was the true essence of living in New York.  

John felt like this place was his real home. It was nothing like the quiet, manure-scented countryside of the South.  

‘…A sophistication you could never find in redneck country.’  

With a satisfied smile, John walked on.  

Now, where should he go today in this magnificent city?  

‘Maybe I should head to Central Park for the first time in a while? Or just hang out at the library and people-watch?’  

Just then—  

A piece of paper landed right at his feet.  

— Flutter…!  

Almost like a divine sign,  

it fell precisely onto his shoe.  

“…?”  

John picked it up.  

‘Did it blow over from a newspaper stand?’  

It was a flyer for an art event a massive international exhibition at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.  

As he absentmindedly skimmed through it, he suddenly stopped.  

“….”  

『New York International Contemporary Art Fair』  

— Admission: Free  

“…Huh.”  

A grin spread across John’s face.  

Now this was a perfect way for a cultured New Yorker to spend the day.  

Missing out would be a huge loss.  

…Not that he was going just because it was free.  

‘And the subway station is right there. I can just hop on and get there in no time.’  

Braving the subway, home to adorable little rats, John arrived at the convention center in just ten minutes. The place was buzzing like a festival.  

The Hudson River gleamed under the blue sky. A towering glass building stood beside it, filled with a lively crowd and distant music. Through the windows, he could see traces of countless artists’ works.  

A sight far removed from everyday life utterly fascinating.  

John, the cultured New Yorker, smiled with satisfaction.  

“…Oh.”  

Looks like our wonderful mayor put in some effort to make my weekend great.  

With curiosity, John started walking. The closer he got, the louder the voices and music became.  

‘According to the flyer, there are thousands of works from artists all over the world inside…He’d have to move quickly to see everything.’  

Even if admission was free, he was determined to make the most of the subway fare he spent getting here.  

With that resolve, John stepped into the convention center.

*

And that resolve? It crumbled within ten minutes of entering.  

“….”  

John had wandered into an unexpected space.  

It felt like a massive surveillance room dozens of TVs of varying sizes hung on the walls, each displaying a different video.

Comfortable chairs were scattered around, almost inviting visitors to sit and watch.  

And so, John found himself seated, eyes fixed on the biggest, clearest screen.  

‘At first, it felt like my brain was melting from the sheer amount of information, but the more I watch, the more entertaining it gets.’  

It was similar to taking a sip of strong alcohol for the first time overwhelming at first, but strangely addictive once you got used to it.  

A kitten.  

A tiny, fluffy kitten playfully waved its little paws. A young Asian girl beamed with joy as she held the cat in her arms. The sight filled him with a subtle warmth.  

‘…Cute. I wonder where she’s from. Japan? China? My cousin used to love cats like that too. Maybe I should call her see how she’s doing.’  

That was the entire video.  

And yet, he couldn’t look away.  

Because 15 seconds later, it switched to another clip.  

A skateboarder.  

A young man skillfully maneuvered his board, pulling off impressive tricks. The handheld camera he carried captured the rush of his movements from a first-person perspective.  

‘…That’s cool. He’s definitely been skating for years. His moves weren’t ordinary. Come to think of it, Henry from the next department once asked me to go skating with him.’  

That was the entire video.  

“….”  

And yet, he couldn’t look away.  

Because 15 seconds later, the screen changed again.  

A subway scene.  

A man and a woman were belting out a song inside a subway car. The passengers around them were desperately trying to ignore them, creating a surreal sense of disconnect.  

That was the entire video.  

“Pffft! Hahaha!”  

John burst into laughter.  

It was hilarious because just earlier, on his own subway ride, he had witnessed almost the exact same thing.

“Oh, come on. Are all places where people live the same? And since new videos keep coming up, it never gets boring.”  

It was just a 15-second video, but it delivered only the most delicious parts in a powerful way.  

In fact, because it was cut off so teasingly, it struck his brain with an impact that made it linger for a long time.  

It was a memory more intense than reading a few books.  

Another strong and funny video started playing.  

It felt like an endless course meal was being served.  

John savored the next dish.  

“!”  

Oh no!  

That guy must have busted his butt falling like that.  

“Such a silly video, but it’s fun.”  

John suddenly felt refreshed and burst into laughter.  

“…Hahaha!”  

And he wasn’t the only one laughing.  

“Pfft!”  

“Hahaha!”  

“Kehehe!”  

Among dozens of TVs, the crowd was watching whatever screen they preferred.

Some had their noses practically pressed against old, small CRT TVs, while others, like John, watched on a crisp, high-resolution screen, laughing along.  

“Haha!”  

“Hoho!”  

John made eye contact with an elderly gentleman who had laughed at the same time as him. The old man grinned mischievously and said,  

“That video of the guy falling was pretty funny.”  

“It’s nothing special, but I keep watching it.”  

“This TV is so clear and nice. I don’t understand why everyone isn’t watching on this screen. It’s on a whole different level compared to those cheap TVs next to it, don’t you think?”  

“People probably just like what they’re used to. The TV brand is written below, too. I should remember it for when I buy a new one.”  

Then, they both fell silent, returning their gazes to the screen.  

There was nothing more to say, anyway.  

“….”  

“….”  

It was a short conversation, but somehow, John felt like he had become friends with the old man.  

More familiar than colleagues he’d worked with for years.  

“What a strange place. The way these short videos keep my eyes glued to the screen. The way everyone is gathered here, watching dozens of TVs like a theater. The way we’re all laughing together like fools…?”  

Satisfied with the bizarre experience, John decided to get up.  

“…Phew. What time is it?”  

He looked at his wristwatch.  

When he first walked in, it was 1 PM.  

Now, it was past 5 PM.  

He had spent over four hours here.  

His day was slipping away.  

“…Huh.”  

John was bewildered.  

“What the…? I just watched a few short videos and had a quick chat with an old man, that’s all…”  

Sure, it was fun.  

Better than watching a boring baseball game or reading some pretentious poetry book.  

But had it really been enough to make time melt away like this?

All he had done was watch a cat meowing and a few silly videos… but hadn’t an entire day of his weekend just flown by?  

For something that passed as a way to spend time in 2006, it felt almost too meaningless.  

“….”  

Somehow.  

Somehow…  

He felt like he had thrown his time into the void.  

“….”  

A cold sweat broke out.  

John glanced around.  

The place was still packed with people sitting blankly in chairs, watching the TVs. Rather than headache-inducing, highbrow artworks, they were flocking to this simple, intense experience.  

Each person clung to the TV they wanted to watch, laughing and chatting every time a 15-second video looped. They were taking interest in things they normally ignored, injecting information into their minds that they would have otherwise let slip by.  

And they were repeating it endlessly.  

“Hahaha~!”  

“Puhahaha!”  

“Kehehehe!”  

“Hohoho!”  

Laughing.  

And laughing.  

Over and over.  

Again and again…  

“….”  

John suddenly remembered this was a modern art exhibition.  

Yet, no one cared about the artwork. Instead, they were gathering around these endlessly replaying videos, like moths drawn to a flame.  

What exactly was it about these screens that pulled people in so irresistibly?  

John found the scene both amusing and unsettling.  

If this sight was intended by someone…?  

“…..”  

A strange unease settled in his chest.  

“…I should go.”  

And yet, even as he turned to leave—  

The sound of laughter behind him made him flinch, stirring a new wave of curiosity. A part of him wanted to turn back and watch just one more video.

He wanted to strike up another mindless conversation with that old man.  

The feeling was foreign.  

Why?  

Why do I feel like this?  

That lingering confusion stayed with John all the way home.  

And he wasn’t the only one.  

A journalist in the crowd had captured the scene in photographs. But unlike John, who was filled with doubt, the journalist was filled with certainty.  

The next day.  

A major New York newspaper published a sizable article:  

『Even at an Art Museum, Americans Choose TV.』  

The article was laced with sharp criticism of modern people’s ‘mindlessness’, even in the so-called intellectual celebration of a contemporary art fair. It argued that this satirical installation forced society to confront ‘the darkness of modern humanity’.  

And soon, this powerful critique spilled from the mouth of a well-known broadcaster turning it into a full-blown controversy.

– This morning, I saw something in the newspaper. ‘Americans love TV more than art!’ But what can you do? TV has been around as long as American history!  

It was a dark joke, poking fun at the short history of the United States.  

This humor slowly spread through conversations and began gaining attention. Soon, a heated debate ignited between those who criticized the media and those who didn’t.  

As the discussion grew more intense, so did the interest in the artist who had created this piece.  

– Who in the world made this artwork?  

And then…  

It didn’t take long for the truth to come out this piece was created by a little elementary school girl from the far East. And along with that revelation came the many events she had experienced.  

New York started buzzing with talk about this newly discovered genius.