The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 1191

< Uncuttable - 119 >

It was a perfect birthday.

But it wasn’t the end.

It had only just begun.

The real beginning was on Friday, November 14th, before the festive mood had even faded. Not just No Hae-il and Halo’s actual birthday.

Around dawn.

Starting with the Lotte Department Store billboard in Myeongdong, Hae-il’s birthday celebration ads were plastered all over Hongdae entrance, Jamsil, and Seongsu Station. Despite overlapping with another actor’s birthday, No Hae-il’s name occupied the most expensive spots.

Seongsu Station isn’t particularly famous, but it seemed the fans paid special attention because No Hae-il’s label is located there.

As someone had joked, saying it was excessive for someone who wasn’t even an idol group, No Hae-il’s fandom was serious.

The support didn’t end with ads.

There were donations made independently by the fan cafe.

As a joke, they said it was the money left over from failing to get tickets, and that next year they wouldn’t have any money because they would succeed in getting concert tickets – so this was the last donation.

The money raised was sent to childcare facilities, disability support centers, and surgical support organizations for children and adolescents with disabilities under the name ‘No Hae-il Fan Cafe Wavetide’.

The chairman couldn’t bring themself to write ‘Do we look like jokes to you?’ as the donor’s name.

[No Hae-il Fandom Wavetide Donates in Celebration of No Hae-il’s Birthday]

[Rookie Fandom’s Donation Amount This Year is a Whopping…]

It was also true that birthday wishes for No Hae-il were being uploaded, though whether he would read them or not was another question.

However, something was being talked about as much as, or even more than, No Hae-il’s birthday. It was No Hae-il’s performance on the last day of the Korea University festival. From that evening until night, it had brilliantly adorned the Korea University festival.

Twelve hours was far too short to forget the lingering feelings of the stage. Many idols and singers have left legends at university festivals, but at least this lingering feeling was enough to sweep away all previous memories.

Rather than reviews, photos.

Rather than photos, GIFs.

Rather than GIFs, fancams [fan-recorded videos] conveyed the feeling of the time as it was.

No Hae-il’s confident moments, always seen at concerts, “You will have fun today too.”

Following skillful communication with the audience, the setlist.

Starting with ‘Another Day’, ‘Lighthouse of the Night’, ’17sec’, and ‘ever end’, No Hae-il’s performance, which replaced the spare microphone and received countless encores until it far exceeded the originally scheduled time, satisfied those who had failed to get tickets.

[How could you guys be the only ones who saw this…?]

[I didn’t go because I thought he wouldn’t sing many songs ㅅㅂㅅㅂ (a Korean slang expression indicating frustration)]

Or not.

However, the most important point of this performance wasn’t simply that No Hae-il recreated a concert.

Something was etched in people’s minds enough to be called a ‘legend’.

The first was No Hae-il’s birthday event.

The stage lights went out, candles were lit, and when the cake was delivered to No Hae-il while desperately blocking the wind with their bodies, No Hae-il’s expression seemed genuinely surprised.

The fans were even more proud of their singer, who seemed to have forgotten their own birthday and was moved by the surprise event, losing their words.

No special comments were needed.

That expression, that reaction alone, was enough to reward their efforts.

Rather, they would have been disappointed if he had just dryly said thank you. That rare, uncharacteristic reaction of No Hae-il made the fans even more anxious and tickled.

Even people who weren’t fans couldn’t complain about having a birthday party at someone else’s school festival because it was such a heartwarming reaction.

[Korea University student who saw it live: From now on, No Hae-il’s birthday party will be held at our school festival, confirmed]

└ Passing Korea University student: 2222 (agreement)

└ Yonsei University student scoffing: Who decides that, lol (laugh out loud)

[Yonsei University student: We’ll let you off this year. We’ll take him next year, lol]

└ Passing Korea University student: Where are you cutting in line, lol

└ Writer: Does our younger sibling not know about respecting elders?

└ What are those two doing?

└ Yeah~ Hae-il promised to come to Korea University again next year

└ You know there’s nothing that can beat blood ties, right? Disagree and I’ll flame your parents, lol (internet slang for attacking someone’s family)

└ If you’re upset, come to the super fun Korea University festival~~

[Honestly, the sound system at Korea University is a bit much for No Hae-il to perform at lol. No Hae-il handled it well this time, but he must have been turned off]

└ We apologize to the students and No Hae-il (see text). [Source: Korea University Student Council and Sound Management Team’s apology notice on Instagram + poster]

└ It seems like the apology to No Hae-il is longer than the apology to the students, lol?

└ I’m a Korea University student and I agree ㅠㅠ (Korean emoticon for crying) Hae-il, please come again next year

If the birthday event received attention because of No Hae-il’s reaction, what truly captivated the public was the Korea University stage accident.

The stage lights going out for 15 seconds was an event for the surprise, but the banners and confetti flying around and the stage becoming a mess was an accident, and the microphone malfunctioning was a mistake.

It would have been a difficult time for a rookie, whether they lost their mind or panicked. Rather, No Hae-il smiled at the bewildered people. He even burst into a refreshing smile that no one had ever seen before, and then showed the most impressive performance of ‘Ever end’ on this stage.

He sang with his voice without a microphone.

His voice did not get buried in the session sound or people’s singing along, and it rang out far and wide. The people in that place sang along with all their might, swept away by an indescribable emotion.

They felt like crying, they felt so happy, they were joyful, they felt like they were going crazy, and they wished this time would never end.

However, like the title Ever end, the end was approaching.

The fact that there was an end was poignant and regrettable, and it was even more touching because it was a stage with a story.

[(311113) Ever end – No Hae-il (No Mic)]

└ Not just instrumental, but no mic??? I watched it for a while and wondered what it was, but ㅅㅂ (Korean slang for ‘shit’) it’s really no mic

└ Did No Hae-il major in vocal music? His vocalization was crazy

└ I was late because of class, but I could really hear it to the very end. I didn’t know he wasn’t using a microphone

└ The chills I got when he threw the microphone away…

└ Did you see the music professors’ eyes shining? They were drooling while watching No Hae-il as if they were watching Lee Hwan-hee

[It was perfect because it wasn’t a perfect stage, really…]

└ The stage accident was ㄹㅇ (Korean slang for ‘real’) a divine move

└ When I saw that live, I was cursing at how Korea University manages things, but when I saw No Hae-il continuing the stage so nonchalantly, I slapped my head. Who am I worried about?

└ The force when No Hae-il threw the microphone was real… Celebrities are born that way

└ If the stage accident hadn’t happened, I would have never seen it in my life, right? I was ignorant and didn’t know the will of Korea University. I’m sorry.

└ It reminds me of singers who can’t sing live. How is it the same job?

└ Do all students study well?

└ Ahh

[I’ve always liked ever end the most, but I’ve really achieved enlightenment]

└ Didn’t this guy say a few days ago why 17sec wasn’t the title track?

└ He said Welmaworld was his favorite song at the concert last month

└ Honestly, it’s understandable that his favorite song keeps changing. I can only admire it every time I see it live

└ But what’s certain is that the video can’t capture everything. It’s really amazing when you go there in person

└ I realized at Korea University why No Hae-il’s fans have such an amazing atmosphere. You can only see No Hae-il

[??? Didn’t everyone say they weren’t going? What. Am I the only one who didn’t go?]

└ㅇㅇ;;;; (Korean abbreviation for ‘yes’)

└You fell for it lol

└Your seat was awesome

The fan cafe president, who was monitoring the reviews of No Hae-il’s birthday party event, recalled that dizzying day.

She thought the perfectly prepared event was really ruined.

The more she did, the more she recalled No Hae-il’s flexible response and became lost in thought. She already knew her singer was amazing, but she felt it anew.

Perhaps, no, this is certain.

Among the celebrities she has liked and will like in the future, there will be no one more outstanding than him.

Anyway, she recalled after the stage.

She had to provide No Hae-il’s birthday presents.

The gifts given on stage were only a part of it.

And there were things to say as well as gifts.

Of course, it was a nerve-wracking meeting.

While living a vibrant life, going to fan meetings and movie premieres while stanning [being a devoted fan], she felt that meeting No Hae-il was different.

There was something different about him than on stage.

Something that people commonly call atmosphere or aura.

Something beyond appearance.

Perhaps it was the aura of a star.

Already exhausted from pouring all her energy into the performance, her voice hoarse, she stuttered stupidly. She was ashamed of her shabby appearance, but she couldn’t help but talk about the fan cafe.

“Wavetide? Of course, I know it.”

“You know it?”

The chairman, who couldn’t bring herself to say the current cafe name to the boy, widened her eyes.

“I thought Dal, no, Hae-il, didn’t even know our cafe existed.”

No, then why didn’t you leave a message?

We could have communicated! The boy, unable to read her mind, replied nonchalantly.

“I even joined.”

“You even joined?!”

This was so unexpected that she lost her very serious chairman persona and shouted. Of course, she forcibly regained her composure under the boy’s gaze.

“I-I’ll upgrade you right away. What’s your ID?”

In fact, upgrading wasn’t the problem.

If the boy wanted to manage the cafe, she was willing to transfer it, and if an official cafe was opened, she was thinking of closing the unofficial cafe.

Anyway, I have to upgrade him first!

Also, she quickly realized that she needed to manage the cafe more strictly. Recently, there have been occasional trolls, troublemakers, and antis [anti-fans] in disguise, so she had to deal with them before the boy found out.

While she was racking her brain in such a complicated way, she noticed No Hae-il’s troubled expression.

That’s what happened that day.

The chairman unknowingly slammed her head on the keyboard.

She didn’t do it directly, but she was the chief manager, so it was her fault.

She slammed her head on the desk again and then posted an apology on the cafe’s main page.

[(Notice) We were the culprits of the lack of communication that has been bothering you]

The staff who had been blocked also slammed their heads in the comments.

[I think I blocked Dal-nim. I just… I thought it was a troll… I have committed a mortal sin]

└ Eee…! You! You were the cripple…! I trusted you!!!

└ Dal tried to communicate with humans…

└ Serve as a Wavetide for life

It goes without saying that the post where No Hae-il left a comment became a new holy ground.

This is the story from the outside.

Unaware of what was happening outside, the boy, who had fallen into a deep sleep, stirred and naturally opened his eyes to the sunlight and espresso scent coming through the curtains.

A refreshing breeze came in through the open door. He stretched to grow taller, turned his stiff neck, and came out of the room to find his mother and father sitting affectionately on the sofa.

They also beamed when they saw their son.

“Son, happy birthday.”

“Happy birthday. You worked hard yesterday too.”

“Oh my, did you see Hae-il’s performance yesterday? You said you wouldn’t watch it to me.”

“…They said let’s go together.”

“So you watched it without me?”

When his mother pretended to be sulky, his father winked as if asking for help. Halo shrugged and ignored his father’s request.

While looking around, he discovered a lavishly set table. There’s always a lot to eat at his parents’ house, but it seemed like there was even more today.

“Shall we have breakfast now?”

Beef seaweed soup, bulgogi [Korean marinated beef], and a table with more than 12 side dishes. It was a meticulously prepared meal that looked like a birthday feast to anyone, but his mother winked as if this wasn’t the end.

“You don’t have any schedule today, right? Let’s have dinner together.”

“Ah.”

His mother’s eyes widened at Halo’s reaction.

“Did you get a schedule?”

“I was thinking of going to the studio.”

“It’s your birthday today, shouldn’t you take a break?”

“Today-”

Hae-il recalled the birthday event the day before and the birthday wishes he received when he woke up and said.

“There’s something I have to do.”

He wanted to do it today.

He felt like he could do it better today.

“How long will it take? Will you be late for dinner?”

“Not that long.”

His mother nodded as if relieved at Halo’s words.

“Did you make a reservation at a restaurant for dinner?”

“Something like that?”

If you made a reservation, you made a reservation, what’s something like that.

Hae-il didn’t bother to ask and ate bulgogi. He ate more meat than rice. His mother looked at her son, who would never be a vegan, with a pleased expression, as always.

“Then I’ll take you to the studio and pick you up for dinner.”

On a birthday that someone would be busy playing.

Hae-il, who went straight to the studio after eating breakfast, found that the lights were off. Originally, the studio was bright with sunlight coming in from the south-facing window, even without turning on the lights, but it was strangely dark.

However, he put his hand on the light switch without much thought, and the moment the light turned on with a 탁! (onomatopoeia for ‘click’).

With a fanfare, fireworks went off.

Colorful string fireworks went off, and the bright studio was decorated with lettering birthday garlands that read ‘Happy Birthday’.

Also, there were wine glasses, champagne, and alcohol on the bar, as well as macarons and other desserts. And in the center was a cake.

It wasn’t the cake he received yesterday, and it seemed like it was custom-made. However, the decorations on the cake seemed to be handwritten.

[Happy Birthday Halo, My boss]

Next to it stood the members wearing pointy hats.

“Happy birthday, Hae-il.”

“Happy sixteenth birthday, boss!”

“We celebrate your one and only birth, Your Majesty.”

“Did you prepare this from the morning?”

They expected the same reaction as yesterday, but Hae-il didn’t seem that surprised. He just smiled calmly and asked. Han Jin-young’s words that he shouldn’t expect it were right, but Moon Seo-yeon, who wanted to see yesterday’s expression again, was a little disappointed. Nam Gyu-hwan was a huge fan who liked whatever reaction Hae-il had.

“Ah, boss, please accept this!”

Still, Moon Seo-yeon handed over the gift with a brightened face again. It was a gift they had prepared. It was something that their boss could get anytime, but they still prepared it with sincerity.

Hae-il opened the box and took out what was inside. A custom microphone painted in matte white. When he raised his head, everyone nodded with a proud face.

Tell us you like it!

Show us your reaction! That was the expression on their faces.

“Thank you.”

At that one word, the three’s expressions became one and gradually brightened.

“You guys worked hard since morning, and I want to do something for you. What would be good?”

“!”

The members’ eyes twinkled at Hae-il’s words.

He wants to give us something. Isn’t this implying that he’ll give us a reward? They didn’t prepare the gift expecting a reward, but it was human nature to want to receive it if given.

Hae-il smiled at the members who were looking at him like meerkats and said.

“Let’s record the 10th album.”

“…Yes? What did you say?”

Moon Seo-yeon doubted her ears.

She didn’t even want an incentive, let alone work, and her pupils trembled up and down.

“Recording.”

She asked again if she had misheard, but all she heard was a firm answer. And a bright smile.

It was clearly a sunny day, but it felt like a storm was striking! Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.

“Lies…!”

In between her denial of reality, a traitor opened his mouth.

“That’s exactly what I wanted.”

Moon Seo-yeon glared at Nam Gyu-hwan

But Nam Gyu-hwan didn’t care.

“Jin-young oppa [older brother/male friend], you don’t want to, do you?”

Moon Seo-yeon looked at Han Jin-young, who seemed to feel the same way as her. But Han Jin-young discovered a boy who didn’t seem to want to change his decision at all.

I don’t know what he’s thinking.

Han Jin-young soon opened his mouth.

“I’ll prepare.”

“Even you, oppa…!”

Moon Seo-yeon shouted, becoming Caesar calling out Brutus. But Hae-il knew. Even if Moon Seo-yeon said this, Moon Seo-yeon would be the best at it when they actually started.

Hae-il said, holding the pure white microphone tightly.

“We have to go to dinner, so let’s hurry.”

“…Yes. I’ll prepare, boss!”

In the end, Moon Seo-yeon also accepted it.

Seeing the alcohol and champagne on the bar table, the members, who were planning to play all day, obediently enter the recording studio according to his will.

Despite his sudden change of heart, the members followed him bravely. Hae-il looked at them and thought.

‘Let’s finish quickly.’

HALO’s 10th album was a song that he didn’t sing as well as other albums because it made him annoyed just to sing it. So he wanted to sing it on the day he felt the best.

Hae-il, who put the first verse in his mouth in the accompaniment, suddenly felt it. It was a song that was so hard to sing, but now it’s nothing.

The audience who celebrated his birthday, his affectionate parents, and the white microphone gifted by the members wearing pointy hats are added to his memory.

He’s looking forward to his birthday party tonight.

The title of HALO’s 10th album is.

Cannot be cut

Uncuttable