The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 741

< Chapter 74: I've Wanted It All Along >

Halo brought in the last package.

Then, he stared at the scattered boxes near the sofa.

From fruit baskets to fruit juices and extracts, various nutritional supplements, exercise equipment like dumbbells, and daily necessities like wet wipes and bottled water.

It was what acquaintances had sent after he told them he had been asleep for two days and couldn’t be reached.

He got scolded on the phone for a long time and lectured on how important it was for a singer to take care of their health.

He didn’t expect them to send him things like this.

“I’m not even a patient.”

It wasn’t like he had a serious illness or the flu; he had just slept deeply, but gifts arrived as if he were hospitalized.

Halo grumbled for no reason.

But conversely, he softly unwrapped the gifts, placing the letters on the glass table.

The corners of his lips were slightly raised.

“Ugh.”

After roughly finishing the tidying up, he stretched.

A cracking sound echoed as he stretched out.

Then, he felt like his fingers had become longer than usual.

His line of sight also seemed a bit higher.

His hair also seemed a bit shaggier.

Since there wasn’t a height measuring device in his studio, he couldn’t know if he had really grown taller.

But he could confirm whether his fingers had become longer.

Halo immediately held the guitar.

He plucked the strings, checking the position of his fingertips.

They were definitely longer.

He was satisfied.

He wouldn’t grow exactly like his original body, but he was growing smoothly.

Halo then started playing the electric guitar.

HALO’s 6th album, to be released before May ends.

He played the melody of the already completed song, lost in thought.

About the new song he was currently making.

Originally, it wasn’t planned, but he had recently gained inspiration.

Halo recalled the audience seats dyed with colorful light sticks, the stage they had all created together.

The red, purple, pink, blue, and white lights that gathered to create a cluster of stars.

He knew it was just a poor mass of electricity, but at that time, it looked like the Milky Way in the night sky.

Like the Milky Way that guides lost fishermen home from the sea.

“Dark night sky.”

He was already humming and strumming the guitar.

The sound of the electric guitar gave him tingles.

“Stretched out long…”

He continued singing, occasionally stopping his hands.

“Voyage of stars.”

It would be nice to have the heavy sound of the bass here.

Halo, who was thinking about the session composition, stopped playing.

And at some point, he jumped up from his seat.

“The weather’s nice.”

Even though the cherry blossoms were all gone, Halo strolled through the streets of Hongdae [a vibrant district in Seoul known for its artsy vibe and youthful energy] with a refreshing face.

People must like stories from faraway worlds but have no interest in the world right in front of them.

Wearing his usual clothes, with just a cap and mask, people didn’t recognize Halo at all.

Well, it might be because Nohaeil’s appearance was ordinary.

If his hair was silver, he would have stood out, but now he had cut off all the damaged parts and returned to black hair.

Jeans and a short-sleeved t-shirt. And with the old acoustic guitar he always carried, he became an ordinary student.

This was completely impossible with his previous appearance, so Halo felt a strange feeling and enjoyed his freedom.

There’s no special reason why he came to Hongdae.

There was little chance of meeting a session player by wandering the streets.

He just came out to change his mood.

It would be even better if he met someone nice by chance.

One thing he regretted was that he couldn’t have a good drink because he was a minor.

Daytime drinking is the best.

Halo smacked his lips and headed towards the busking zone [area where street performers showcase their talents].

One thing.

What Halo didn’t realize was that,

Even though South Korea is individualistic and many people walk around with their noses buried in their phones, there are definitely people with good eyes.

Even if they covered their nose and mouth with a mask, their eyes were clearly visible, and there weren’t many unemployed people walking around with a big guitar from the afternoon – even on a weekday in May!

Also, Nohaeil was the hottest potato [most talked about person] right now.

“Uh…”

Two female college students, who were wandering around Hongdae to enjoy a break before the exam period, glanced at Halo.

“Isn’t that him?”

“It seems like it. But logically, there’s no way he’d be walking around outside like that.”

Whispering voices. And a hot gaze was felt.

Halo turned his head towards the gaze, and soon met two pairs of fervent eyes.

“I think it’s him?”

“Excuse me-”

The female college students were about to approach him and ask, since they had made eye contact.

That’s when it happened.

“!”

The boy’s eyes folded gently.

They had never thought he was particularly handsome, but when his eyes folded prettily, the two female college students stopped talking.

His lips were probably raised under the mask.

He didn’t say anything, but his index finger went up over the mask.

The two female college students nodded repeatedly without thinking. As if they were possessed.

The boy, as if saying they did well, nodded at the female college students and said as he passed them.

“Thank you.”

A beautiful voice pierced their ears.

Like his music, ticklingly.

The boy with the guitar walked away leisurely.

The female college students, staring blankly at his back, finally came to their senses when the boy was hidden among the people.

“What was that just now?”

They couldn’t believe what they had just done.

What the boy said and why they followed that signal.

Moreover, Nohaeil was younger than them.

They heard he was a high school student.

But what was clear was.

They were fascinated by that mature and skillful gesture.

The female college students looked at each other.

One was touching her ticklish ear.

Something was hurting their pride, but it didn’t feel bad.

They just blankly thought.

The voice whispering in their ear was really nice.

And he seemed a bit taller.

“Hello.”

“Is that Halo?”

As soon as the hyungs [older brothers/male friends] saw him, their faces lit up.

Kim Deoksu put down the comic book he was reading as usual, and Bae Gonghak, who was watching TV, approached him. Han Jinyeong was not visible.

“Jinsoo’s not here.”

That was obvious.

Jang Jinsoo would be at school.

He was often late for school, but he had never seen him skip it.

Ah, except for when he had filming.

“You could have seen him if you came yesterday. Too bad. Halo, it’s been a long time since you’ve seen Jinsoo, right?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t even come when he moved to the studio.

The last time he saw Jang Jinsoo was probably at the collaboration busking with Gillaon.

“You’ll be surprised when you see him?”

“Why?”

Did he shave his head and go to a temple?

There was no other reason to be surprised.

“Jinsoo became a model student. He studies hard. He was solving math problems for a long time yesterday before he went in.”

“!”

There was one.

Jang Jinsoo studying. And that too-.

‘He went in solving math problems?’

Halo asked with his eyes wide open.

“What’s with the sudden studying?”

“He’s going to college.”

“…Did Jang Jinsoo give up on music?”

“He’s trying not to give up, that’s why he’s going.”

It was hard to understand.

He didn’t think there was a need to go to college to do music.

The whole world was teaching him music.

Halo, who was about to ask the reason, stopped talking for a moment when his phone buzzed.

It was written as Director Jang on the caller ID.

After roughly checking the contents, Halo raised his head.

He suddenly realized that there was someone else who should be here besides Jang Jinsoo.

“Where’s Jinyeong hyung?”

He knew he didn’t usually work at this time.

Halo looked around.

The drums and synthesizers were always in their place as usual.

Covered in hazy dust. But one thing that had changed was that the basses next to them had disappeared.

He knew he had started playing the bass again.

He wondered if he was applying to college like Jang Jinsoo.

“Jinyeong’s been a bit busy these days too.”

“?”

“You’ll be surprised when you see him.”

What is it this time?

Bae Gonghak didn’t answer and smiled brightly.

Someone said that entertainment shows never end with applause.

In reality, it’s hard to leave an entertainment show when people are applauding.

It was bound to be canceled if the viewership and buzz fell, and in the opposite case, it was extended somehow.

So ‘2030 Festival – Rendezvous’ became a very exceptional broadcast.

Rendezvous, which had a great success, completely ended with a 28% viewership rating in the last episode covering the ‘special performance’.

It ended with applause.

In addition, all the participants who participated in Rendezvous also became beneficiaries.

They gained popularity with broadcast offers, as well as advertisements and corporate collaborations,

The sound source of Rendezvous was ranked at the top of the charts.

As it ended in a boom, the entertainment bureau supported an after-party that would only be held in the drama bureau.

Of course, the support also had the purpose of gauging the possibility of Season 2.

It wasn’t stamped, but Rendezvous Season 2 was certain.

“I heard you’re doing Season 2. Congratulations.”

“Has the rumor already spread?”

“Well, it’s famous.”

After a simple wrap-up party, the singers gathered again.

They were originally going to go to a bar, but since there was a minor, they rented a live cafe that sold non-alcoholic beer in a friendly atmosphere.

They shot up non-alcoholic champagne that someone brought and congratulated the boy first.

“For Halo, who has become a superstar!”

“Please take care of us in the future, Superstar.”

“Keuheup, please don’t forget us.”

“If you ask us to feature, we’ll unconditionally accept it.”

It felt like they were just teasing him instead of congratulating him.

And the carbonated drink and honey bread placed in front of him.

It was definitely teasing.

Halo’s expression soured.

He wondered if they saw him as seven years old instead of seventeen.

‘Still, it tastes good.’

He dipped the honey bread they ordered for him in whipped cream and put it in his mouth with a sulky face.

“No, did you already cast the Season 2 participants?”

“Director Jang, have you already forgotten us? Who did you cast?”

“Forget you? How could I forget you all? Even now, if you say you’ll be on episode 1-.”

“Ahem.”

Everyone averted their eyes at those words.

Director Jang smiled at the obvious avoidance of eye contact.

Reject as much as you want.

Ever since Rendezvous succeeded, he was happy no matter what he did.

“But who is there to bring?”

“That’s right.”

Seeing how much he likes it, it’s clear that he caught a big one.

There was no one in particular that came to mind.

Since Shin and Yi of ShinNaPark came out, all that’s left is-.

“NaParkKimchi is left. Hehe.”

“Ah.”

“The two of them have schedules, right?”

One went to the army and one went abroad.

Director Jang told them honestly without dragging it out.

“This time, I’m thinking of bringing in more diverse people.”

‘Diverse.’ The eyes of the others lit up at that word.

That meant that they would bring in non-singers, not singers.

For example, from actors to broadcasters and voice actors.

“So who did you already catch? We’re the only ones here, can’t you tell us in advance? We’ll keep it a secret.”

At that question, Director Jang gave a meaningful smile and looked at the boy.

When Nohaeil, who met his eyes head-on, tilted his head, the eyes of the people who noticed one by one were filled with interest.

“Our Director Jang is addicted to making stars. But isn’t it hard to find someone like Haeil?”

“That’s right.”

Director Jang easily agreed.

He never imagined that the card he put in for Hwang Ryongpil would really become a joker card.

If he were to pick the success factors of his broadcast, that boy would definitely take up a big axis.

Some say that boy gained the most from the broadcast.

Well, that’s not wrong.

But even though the broadcast was over, Director Jang thought he had benefited more.

Honestly, the boy would have succeeded even if he went on other programs.

Just like Director Jang raised the program to the top by creating a new star, he had similar dreams this time as well. However, gambling is difficult. The boy was holding a big fish called Hwang Ryongpil, how could he find a gem among the stones?

So what Director Jang came up with was an elite who was not well known to the public, but whose future would be brilliant.

It’s a child that was really hard to bring.

For those who were curious, Director Jang threw out a hint.

“It may be difficult to find someone like Haeil as a singer, but that friend sings well and does other things well too.”

Time passed.

Before going home, Halo wanted to ask Shin Joohyuk, Liv, or Hwang Ryongpil about the session.

It wasn’t difficult to ask even if he didn’t have high expectations.

It wouldn’t be bad to get an introduction like he formed his first band.

If it didn’t fit, he could disband it then.

“Teacher, do you have some time?”

However, these were not his words.

Shin Joohyuk said, grabbing Hwang Ryongpil, who was about to go out with the smokers.

Hwang Ryongpil gestured for the others to go first and sat down.

“What do you have to say?”

“Teacher, could you possibly introduce me to a session player?”

Halo stopped stirring the honey bread at those words.

His ears perked up at the word session.

“Why do you need a session player?”

“Well, it’ll be out in the article soon. The bassist is planning to quit soon.”

“Suddenly?”

“Originally, I was just thinking about it because we didn’t get along well, but it turned out that way.”

Halo recalled the bassist who had made a mistake at the MT [Membership Training, a common team-building activity in Korean companies and organizations].

If he didn’t have another bassist, he would probably mention him.

His skills were definitely lacking.

Judging from the reaction, it was clear that he had cut him off, whether it was due to friction or skill.

“Well, I can introduce you.”

“Thank you, Teacher.”

“But what I’m wondering is-. You also know a lot of people. You don’t necessarily need my introduction.”

“Well, I’m not satisfied.”

“Is that all?”

“…”

“It seems like there’s someone you’re thinking of. Then why don’t you suggest it to that person? There’s no way they’d refuse Shin Joohyuk’s band?”

“I don’t know.”

It was an unlike Shin Joohyuk’s vague attitude.

“Is it someone who quit?”

“…I haven’t contacted them in a long time, so I don’t know what they’re doing. Maybe they quit playing the bass. It was quite a long time ago. About ten years. Around that time.”

He didn’t know who it was, but the word bassist was stuck in his ear.

“You still remember someone like that?”

“Because they were the most talented friend I’ve ever known among the bassists. Maybe as much as me. In fact, they played the guitar better than me, and they handled the bass well too.”

“If that’s the case, why don’t you ask them once?”

“They… probably won’t do it.”

It was clear that there was some reason.

Halo swallowed the Hwangdo [canned peaches] and joined the conversation.

“Who is it?”

Shin Joohyuk smiled faintly.

“There is, just… a friend I used to be in a band with a long time ago.”

If it’s a friend he used to be in a band with a long time ago, they would have experience.

He was curious. What their skills would be like.

“Well, should I introduce you? Even if they don’t want to do it with me, it might be different with someone else.”

When Halo’s eyes widened, Shin Joohyuk raised the corners of his lips as if he knew everything.

“Don’t you need a session player too? It’s about time you wanted one.”