ReLife Player

[Academic Recital at the age of 6]

How quickly time passes.

The events of the Household Month had come to a close, and winter had arrived.

Christmas was approaching, and there was a lot of hustle and bustle all around. Television was showing the celebrity awards and discussing which celebrities had won or lost this year.

At work, people were busy organizing the year’s events. That might explain why my dad had been coming home late lately.

The neighborhood kids were waiting with baited breath for Santa to leave their presents.

Young, young, young. In fact, Santa’s identity is… Okay, that’s enough.

After returning to such a routine, Eunha wanted to enjoy the peace, but─.

Unfortunately, kindergarten couldn’t escape the end of the year.

He was told that kindergartens prepare for their school performances at this time of year.

Well, before the regression, I had lost my family and was living in a state of disorientation, so I hadn’t been able to attend kindergarten properly, and I hadn’t been able to go to school.

Anyway, that was the situation.

As the recital approached, Mr. Tayo pushed the children to practice harder and harder.

Eunha, who had been avoiding practice, was soon caught by Mr. Tayo.

An instrument? Singing? Dance?

It was a three-part performance that Eunha couldn’t do.

Even if he regressed, he couldn’t do what he couldn’t do. Like mana, he thought, the art of music was innate.

Of course, he was surprised that he couldn’t even ring a handbell.

«Teacher! Eunha is wrong again!»

Mukminji you….

Eunha’s hands were shaking as he held the handbell.

He turned around and glared at Minji, but Minji didn’t seem to mind and stuck her tongue out.

«Eunha, you need to focus.»

«…Yes.»

I won’t leave you alone, Minji. We’ll see about that later.

Gritting his teeth, Eunha went back to practicing.

Jingle Bells, Merry Christmas, and We wish you a Merry Christmas were some of the songs that the Evergreen Solban played at the school assembly.

Even before the regression, he had heard the songs over and over again as Christmas approached, but when it came time to sing them, it wasn’t easy.

«Sir, Eunha is out of tune~!»

Hah, in your past life, did you lose to me even as an enemy?

«I sang it right this time, right?»

«Don’t you realize that singing loudly doesn’t mean singing well?»

If you sing loudly, only half of it goes in, you know? Just like how the person with the louder voice wins in a fight, in singing, it’s all about the volume.

But what do you know, since you only like eating.

«You’re thinking of me as pig again, aren’t you!?»

Huh! How did she know? Poker face, poker face…

I had a flash of realization.

When I got caught out from Minji, I changed the subject, suggesting that we should practice with Mr. Tayo.

Of course, he made a mistake again. This time it was rhythm. He swayed from side to side, leaned forward at the waist, and shook the bell, each beat faster than the last.

«You’re too slow. Can’t you do it faster?»

«You’re too fast!»

«Hey, don’t fight~!»

There was no way to practice properly. Eventually, Eunha and Minji started bickering, which had become a daily occurrence.

Jung Hayang was the one who always stopped them when they fought. Hayang, who spent her days quietly reading books in the corner, playing with Minji, or quietly sipping barley tea from a thermos, would often shed tears when they fought like this.

This time, her big eyelids fluttered back and forth, and the two children, realizing she was about to become a sea of tears, hooted and dodged each other.

«Ha, you can’t even do that, aren’t you a total idiot?»

And just when you think the fight is over, Choi Eunhyuk comes in.

At some point, the children Eun-hyuk was taking with him started to hang out with Eunha, but Eunhyuk’s behaviour hadn’t changed over the past year.

«Ha, you’re holding the handbell upside down.»

«What, what…! I was just taking a break!»

Eunhyuk, who was holding the handbell upside down, blushed and raised his voice. Eunha had gotten to know Eun-hyuk over the past year or so, and realized that while he was good at arguing with others, he couldn’t respond well when someone else argued with him.

«You’re the same way, Choi Eunhyuk. You two are the worst in our class!»

«What! My mom says I’m a really good singer! Do you want to tell me off?»

«Haaa, Mr. Teacher. Can we stop practicing today?»

«I told you, fighting is bad…. If you fight, Santa won’t bring you presents….»

The classroom was always a mess. While the three were arguing, the boys were playing with each other, and the girls were busy ringing handbells.

Jung Hayang was flustered and didn’t know what to do in a situation that she couldn’t control. She was struggling alone, not knowing what to do.

«Hey, you guys!»

«Squeak─!!!»

«Didn’t I tell you not to fight?»

Teacher Tayo, who had decided that he couldn’t leave it alone anymore, stood with a stern smile.

All of the children in the class know now.

Behind the polite face of Mr. Tayo, a demon lurks.

By the way, I don’t know why.

I fell in the middle of it, and all I did was stand there like a folding screen.

«Eunha still hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing, has he?»

«Oh, no!»

There was no way Mr. Tayo was going to let Eunha get away with this. The way he tugged at his cheeks, which were stretched out like glutinous rice cakes, was like the Great King of Yala trying to pull out his tongue.

Oh, come to think of it, this is the time of year when the rice cake vendors are selling rice cakes with a chorus of «Glutinous rice cakes!» I’ll have to ask my mom when I get home.

«Eunha?»

«Yes, I’m reflecting.»

«Hmm, well, then shake hands, all three of you, and apologize.»

Eventually, with Mr. Tayo behind them, the three of them were forced to apologize.

Of course, there was a hidden meaning behind their handshakes, hugs, and apologies.

«…You know I’m a little sorry, right?»

You know I’m not sorry at all, right?

«…Oh, I’m really sorry about that.»

I hope you’re sorry because I’m not.

Minji and Eunhyuk grind their teeth.

Eunha, who received the apology, replied with a wide smile.

«Yeah! I’m sorry too.»

Yeah, I’m not sorry either.

«You guys!»

I wonder if Mr. Tayo read his mind that far.

In the end, Eunha had no choice but to go home with a note that read, «Eunha fought with Minji and Eunhyuk again today. Please take care of him at home.»

☆

Then came the morning of Christmas Eve.

It was the day of the academic assembly.

Eunha, who had gotten up early in the morning to get ready, stood on the stage of the Arirang Art Hall.

Even though they had practiced countless times since then, the children were nervous and less talkative today.

Even Minji, who had always acted confidently, was secretly fidgeting with her hands, so it was obvious that the other children were nervous. Hayang was hovering close to Minji like a duck following its mother.

«We haven’t even started yet and you’re already shaking.»

They had been through a lot together.

Eunha spoke in a voice filled with mana, hoping to ease their tension.

The children’s eyes turned to him as he spoke.

«I’m sure Santa is watching right now, don’t you guys want to get your presents?»

The heat in the children’s eyes was instantaneous.

Even Eunhyuk, who had been pretending to be a tough guy, but had been fidgeting and showing signs of anxiety, changed his demeanor when he heard the words.

«Let’s have fun today, and tomorrow we’ll get our favorite gifts.»

The children had been waiting to receive their Christmas gifts from Santa Claus while practicing for the recital.

It was impossible for them not to know that a child who cried would not receive a gift from Santa Claus.

So work hard. Hard enough to not cry. To the point where they could brag to their parents.

Their faces grew more and more confident, burning with the will to succeed.

«Anyway, who’s the worst singer here? You’ll are ruining the mood.»

Minji had already relaxed. With a sigh, she slapped him, and the girls burst into giggles.

«Me, me, daddy’s coming to see me today, and I’m gonna show him a good time!»

The excitement of her father coming to see her today was full of energy. The last few days, she had been worried that her father might not come, but now that things had been resolved, she was in a good mood.

«Let’s get started, everyone take your places!»

Mr. Tayo clapped his hands to liven things up.

As he disappeared backstage, the curtain that separated the stage from the audience slowly rose.

[Next up is a handbell recital by the children of the Evergreen Pine class].

I could hear gulping sounds from around the room. The kids were waiting for the curtain to rise.

It’s okay, they’re supposed to enjoy it.

After all, it’s the first time I’ve been to a school concert. Before his regression, he hadn’t had a childlike life or a student’s life, so everything that happened after the destruction of the Kraken was new to him.

Even though he had been through a lot before his regression, his heart was pounding at this event.

It didn’t take him long to find his parents in the audience.

Euna’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

«Eunha, over here!» shouted his father, capturing the stage with his camcorder.

And his mother, waving her hand and saying, «I’m watching you,» while her belly swelled with the baby she was about to give birth to.

Moments that didn’t exist before the regression. Memories that would not have existed.

My family is watching!

That alone lifted his shoulders.

My shoulders went up and up and up,

and he couldn’t stop looking at her family,

Eventually, Eunha made a mistake.

«No Eunha….»

In the middle of singing the jingle bell, he accidentally hit the bell too hard.

Even without turning his head, he could see Minji in the back with an expression of disappointment on her face, sticking out her tongue.

Don mind, don warri. I am a kid don ya know? (E/N: Eunha it’s my personality at this point»)

What the hell. I’ll just have to enjoy it.

Because Eunha made a mistake once, even the children who were playing diligently started making mistakes.

In the end, the first song with a mismatched rhythm and pitch became «Bellgle Jing» instead of «Jingle Bell».

Bellgle Jing, Bellgle Jing. What’s that? It’s just scary for no reason. Who sang this song backwards? Oh, it was me.

It was a moment of black history that didn’t exist before the regression.

The same goes for the second song, «We wish you a Merry Christmas.» The mistakes from the first half of the song spread to the whole group, and their bodies swayed in different directions. Eventually, the dance fell apart.

The final song, «I Wish You a Merry Christmas,» is also a failure. The kids had already made enough mistakes that they weren’t afraid to be wrong, so they sang at the top of their lungs.

Still, the last song was worth listening to

Maybe.

At first, the parents and teachers were stunned by the kids’ failure. At the end, they looked at the stage with a wry smile, as if they couldn’t help it.

Laughter spread throughout the auditorium. When the curtain fell, all the children were laughing and saying, «We failed! Yay!»

I thought, «Hey, who’s the one who says his life is ruined?» A little kid is already talking about his life being ruined….

Nevertheless, Eunha finished his set and jumped in with the kids who were less pressured.

Today, regardless of whether they were in Minji’s group, Eunhyuk’s group, or Eunha’s group, the children were united.

Even though the performance was over, I still had the illusion that Christmas songs were playing.

No. It’s not an illusion.

Because it still sounds like this.

I just want you for my own

More than you could ever know

Make my wish come true

All I want for Christmas is you…

Tomorrow is Christmas.

May everyone get the Christmas gifts they want.

Merry Christmas to all in advance.

Every day passes by.

Time passes quickly─,

─Two years old.

No Eunha 7 years old.