Devil’s Music

Sera, a 24-year-old vibrant young woman from the UNICEF Nepal Disaster Response Headquarters, had been a university student in Paris with a keen interest in volunteer work. Prompted by the news from Nepal, she volunteered to come here, harboring aspirations to work for UNICEF after her graduation. Hence, she possessed a genuine interest in her work and a deep understanding of the organization. It was her 29th day in Nepal when she noticed Kevin Deisler, the director, heading outside the base camp with a telescope late at night to observe a specific area.

Stealthily following him, Sera peered towards where Kevin was looking. Straining her eyes in the deep night that made it hard to see, she called out, "Director!"

Startled, Kevin, who had been intently observing through his telescope, jumped, his shoulders visibly shaking from the shock. Turning to Sera with wide eyes, he found her with her hands on her hips, stating, "I'm not sure what you're looking at, Director, but you do know that could be considered a crime, right? If news got out that the head of a humanitarian organization like UNICEF was involved in this sort of crime, it could cause quite a stir. It's time to stop now."

Fumbling with his telescope, Kevin stammered, "No, no... Sera, it's not what you think..."

"What do you mean it's not? I've seen you come out here every night with your telescope for the past two weeks."

Looking around uneasily, Kevin offered the telescope to Sera, urging, "Look, you'll understand if you see for yourself."

Sera took the telescope, skeptically aiming it at the spot Kevin had been observing, to inquire, "What beauty could possibly be... Oh? Is that Geon?"

Detaching from the telescope to regard Kevin, Sera's expression grew even more puzzled.

"Really? You were interested in that?"

Blushing and waving his hand dismissively, Kevin exclaimed, "What are you talking about? Do I look like that kind of guy?"

As Sera motioned with the telescope, implying him to explain further, Kevin clarified, "Look again. Isn't Geon sitting on the cliff, singing? Just look around him."

Sera gave Kevin a disdainful look before peering through the telescope again.

"What's there? He's just playing guitar and singing."

"Look around him, will you? Around where Geon is singing."

"Around? What's around... Oh?"

Through the lens, Sera saw Geon seated on a cliff, endlessly extending his legs over it, strumming his guitar and singing. Although too distant to discern the song, the faint sound of the guitar reached her. Shifting the telescope's lens around Geon, a black cow came into view, seemingly in high spirits, laying on its back, rubbing itself on the grass. Not taking her eyes off the telescope, Sera remarked, "A cow? Why a cow? Is this your first time seeing a cow in Nepal? It's common here since they're considered sacred."

"Yeah, I've seen plenty. But Sera, have you ever seen a cow lying next to a person, belly-up, rubbing its back on the ground like that?"

After a moment's thought, Sera admitted, "I guess not... Is that so unusual?"

"Look around more."

"What else is there? Let's see... Oh?"

"Do you see? There are over thirty cows lying around."

The scene in Sera's telescope was indeed astonishing. Behind Geon, who was looking towards the mountains and singing, lay over thirty black cows in various positions, all sleeping. Kevin spoke to an awestruck Sera, "If you look around, there are over ten dogs and cats, even chickens and ducks. Look up at the trees. There are even unknown birds sitting on the branches."

Hearing Kevin, Sera frantically scanned the area as he described. Among the large black cows, yellow and black dogs lay sleeping in the grass, tongues lolling out. Cats of various patterns, normally avoidant of dogs, were sprawled on rocks and grass, asleep. Several chickens and ducks waddled around, and on the trees, numerous birds of unknown species perched on the branches, looking towards Geon.

Lowering the telescope, Sera gaped, momentarily speechless, before pointing towards Geon and looking at Kevin, her mouth agape in silence for over a minute before finally speaking.

"Are... are those animals gathered because Geon is singing?"

Kevin nodded slowly, "I had the same thought initially, wondering if such a thing could happen... The first time I saw this was 15 days ago. Since then, I've observed Geon singing every day at the same time, and it's only after he starts singing that the animals gather. Before he sings, not

even a mouse is in sight. As soon as Geon begins his first song, birds start settling down on the branches first, followed by dogs with sharp hearing, and then the black cows arrive, with cats, chickens, and ducks following."

Sera, dumbfounded, exclaimed, "Is that even possible?"

Shaking his head, Kevin admitted, "It doesn't make sense, which is why I haven't told anyone. You've seen it with your own eyes and still can't believe it, who would believe such a story if I told them?"

Sera stood in silence, then once again raised the telescope to her eyes to watch Geon. A bird had landed on his head, not waking from his gentle singing. Geon opened his eyes wide in surprise but soon smiled and continued singing. The bird, undisturbed by his presence, began to play with his hair. Watching this surreal scene, Sera again removed her eyes from the telescope to stare into the darkness, then back again, stealing glances at Geon. Kevin, folding his arms and chuckling softly, remarked, "You're reacting just like I did when I first saw it."

Sera, eagerly peeking through the telescope at Geon, suggested, "Wouldn't this be a huge sensation if it were reported?"

Kevin shook his head, "I tried to take pictures, but it only happens late at night, and there's no lighting. If I try to approach stealthily, the animals sense it and run away, and so does Geon. So, I ended up lying that I came just for a cup of coffee."

Lowering the telescope, Sera nodded in agreement, "Even with infrared mode, it wouldn't capture the atmosphere. Maybe a professional photographer or documentary cameraman could do it?"

"Maybe, but taking photos without Geon's permission would be invasion of privacy. We're disaster relief volunteers, not paparazzi. I wouldn't want to go that far."

Sera, nodding, asked, "Then why do you keep watching every day?"

Extending his hand for the telescope, Kevin explained, "You know why. You'll definitely be here tomorrow at this time, holding a telescope, right? Where else would you see something like this in your life?"

Sera smiled, handing back the telescope, "Not tomorrow, I want to see more right now. Let me watch a little longer."

Kevin, attempting to snatch the telescope, protested, "No, Geon goes inside once all the animals have fallen asleep. There's not much time left, give it here."

Sera stepped back, exclaiming, "But you've seen it every day, let me watch a bit more!"

As Kevin rushed to take the telescope, he suggested, "There's another telescope in the camp! Go get it and watch."

Moments later, the two sat side by side on a rock, each with a telescope, gazing at Geon. The scene they observed through their lenses was mystically beautiful. Sera watched in amazement as a bird on Geon's head snuggled against his hair, slowly nodding off. As the Himalayan night deepened with Geon's song, Sera and Kevin continued to sneak peeks at him. At that moment, Geon found a reason to smile, thanks to the animals. Carefully setting aside his guitar to not wake the bird on his head, Geon turned to gaze at the sleeping animals around him. Not all were fully asleep, but the ones dozing off contributed to the quiet surroundings. Looking further into the Himalayan mountains, Geon's thoughts deepened.

'I certainly had opportunities to make money in the past. But I've always tried to avoid it as much as possible.'

Reflecting on the past month of physical labor, Geon considered, 'Of course, I must have been of some help, but my efforts were too insignificant. Although I've contributed financially through fundraising, if I had my own disposable income, I could have provided immediate assistance to those in need more swiftly.'

Gazing at the mountains, barely visible in the darkness but unmistakably filled with life, Geon pondered, 'Would I have had the same thoughts here if I had aggressively pursued wealth? Might I have been too caught up in the comfort money brings, striving only to accumulate more?'

Leaning forward, elbows on his thighs and chin in hand, Geon mused, 'It's hard to say... If I had money, would I have readily offered help, or would I have been too stingy to part with it?'

As Geon shivered slightly in the cold mountain air, causing the bird on his head to fly away, he watched it disappear into the mountains with a sigh.

'Maybe it's time to start making money... to plan and set rules, ensuring a portion is always donated.'

Geon looked towards the school, brightly lit by government-installed lights despite the late hour. Patients lay on temporary mattresses in the playground

, awaiting treatment. Even at this late hour, nurses in white bustled among the patients, looking like ants from a distance.

'Sigh... But how do I begin making money? Should I try producing an album right away?'

Pondering, as he doodled with a twig on the ground, a person came to mind. A serious expression turned into a faint smile on Geon's face, gradually deepening into laughter. After glancing around at the animals, careful not to awaken them, Geon tiptoed back to his tent to sleep. Left behind on the rock, a message doodled with the twig remained: 'Son Lin.'

>

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