The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 1371

< Episode 137. Appearing in the East, Flashing in the West >

[Photo(10)]

[How is it?]

[Not bad, right?]

[It’s the house I booked with your father for a month-long stay in Jeju Island]

Halo tapped on the photo.

The one-story house with a blue Jeju Island sea view, a small yard with a swing and potted plants, a traditional stone wall, and a black-tiled roof looked like an ordinary country house from the outside, but the inside was spacious and clean. The sophisticated furniture and lighting resembled a modern studio apartment.

Halo left a reply, thinking that his parents would be asleep now. There was a 7-hour time difference between Paris and Korea.

However, his mother read the message right away and replied.

It was unclear whether she had just woken up or had been awake all along.

[Since your father is also on sabbatical]

[I’m thinking of staying another month if it’s good after living there for a month]

[Of course, I’ll go back when your son’s return schedule is set]

[Let me know when it’s decided]

[Okay]

Halo then told her that he had arrived in Paris.

The place where he was staying was one of August Veil’s properties.

Halo came out to the terrace and continued the conversation while looking at the Eiffel Tower.

Unfortunately, the commemorative photos were stored on a digital camera, not a phone, so there weren’t any right now. Come to think of it, Moon Seo-yeon said she would upload them to Nohaeil’s official SNS [Social Networking Service] account when she returned to Korea, so he could show them to her later.

Even without the photos, his mother became a good listener with emoticons and questions, as if the story alone was enough.

[You’re doing well]

[Mom is trying to find a house to live in Seoul while resting]

Halo tilted his head at the unexpected story.

It didn’t seem like she was talking about real estate investment.

[Are you moving?]

[The house seems a bit small]

[I’m not thinking of moving far away, though]

[I’m considering a villa or a house instead of an apartment]

[How about you, son?]

[I’m fine with anything]

In fact, one of the reasons for moving was that she was somewhat conscious of the apartment residents. Because Nohaeil’s label was vacant, the place that reporters most often visited to cover Nohaeil was the Jamsil apartment.

Although no one had said anything directly, Park Seung-ah slowly came to the conclusion that she should move.

She didn’t bother to tell her son this reason.

She didn’t want her son, who was happily doing well, to worry about these things.

However, it wasn’t that Halo couldn’t guess the reason for the sudden move.

It wasn’t like people were polite and gentle as they used to be.

He had already experienced the side effects of popularity and unwanted attention.

The experience of having a guy who was either a thief, a stalker, or a paparazzi in his house.

He, who had the experience of aiming a shotgun and confronting the intruder until the police arrived, wouldn’t mind moving to a place with thorough security.

The day HALO’s identity is revealed is not far off.

The first day in Paris was scorching hot.

As if welcoming him.

“It’s been a while since I’ve traveled like this.”

“Have you finished all your work?”

“I’m scheduled to meet with Coachella [an annual music and arts festival in the US] soon. Except for that, I’ve delegated everything else, so don’t worry.”

There would only be one reason for August Veil to meet with Coachella. Halo nodded roughly and walked down the Champs-Élysées [a famous avenue in Paris].

A luxury street stretching in a straight line to the Arc de Triomphe [a famous monument in Paris]. A boy in a stylish French coat and sunglasses and August Veil, walking side by side in a luxurious suit, hunting cap, and sunglasses, were a unique combination.

It wasn’t quite an ordinary owner-employee relationship due to the difference in race, and it wasn’t like a successful CEO and secretary because they were walking side by side.

Of course, ordinary tourists or the Parisian public would just pass them by.

‘August Veil is leisurely shopping. Veil, who should be busy with the Venice case!’

Jang, a social affairs reporter who recognized August Veil, doubted his eyes.

‘Who is that guy?’

Judging by the fact that August Veil was waiting for him to buy clothes, he didn’t seem like an ordinary person, but it was an unfamiliar appearance.

At first, he thought he was an employee, but it didn’t seem like that kind of relationship.

But the young man looked too comfortable.

Rather, family or friend, or-.

The reporter noticed a guitar case on the young man’s back.

He was able to see it because the young man turned his body to look closely at the display case.

While August Veil gestured for the young man to go inside, the young man shrugged his shoulders and refused.

‘It’s like an entertainer and a manager.’

Unconsciously thinking so, the reporter was startled.

‘August Veil is a manager!’

It was an absurd thought, but he couldn’t deny that their relationship looked that way. The reporter, who took pictures like a paparazzi, soon discovered that they were entering a huge building.

The Champs-Élysées is lined with stores and head offices of various luxury brands. The high-rise building they were entering was also the flagship store and headquarters of such a luxury brand.

Arbor, a global brand famous for its unique architecture with a Babel-like appearance and a world tree intertwined.

:

Since the new creative designer was appointed at Arbor this time, the designs that Arbor pursues have completely changed.

Perhaps that’s why the designs of the products placed in the first-floor store were divided into past and present, contrasting each other.

Even so, rather than looking awkward, the contrast itself seemed intentional. That’s probably because the images that Arbor pursues ultimately coincide.

Infinite growth that will stretch to the end of the world.

The transcendent will of nature was contained in different designs and interiors.

In the very center of the circular headquarters building, there was a large tree and a stream flowing around it. It was surrounded by a cylindrical glass wall and could not be entered, but many people were sitting around it, watching.

If one side was a store, the other side was decorated like a museum containing the history of Arbor. These were the things contained in the albums I saw when I did a photo shoot in the past.

The history of Arbor and main design products

And a photo shoot much larger than a person’s height was hanging on the wall like a portrait of a king.

People looked at the photo shoot and walked around the wall, gradually getting closer to the present from the past.

Halo took off his sunglasses, followed the photo shoot displays, and finally found it at the end.

Himself standing like a rascal, kicking a low table.

The coat with a crane engraved on it fluttered, as if he was riding the wind.

Halo, who was looking at his picture, not knowing that an employee was hurriedly calling upstairs after discovering the same person standing in front of the photo shoot, quietly stared at his picture.

The appearance that he thought was unfamiliar when he first became Nohaeil now felt as familiar as his own. Was it because his memories were gradually fading, or was it because Nohaeil was gradually growing up, he felt similar to him from the beginning.

“Mr. Roh?”

Halo, who was looking at his picture, taking pictures, and noticing people looking back and forth between the photo shoot and him, turned his head at the voice calling him.

At the end of people’s gaze, there was Chief Designer Per Aspera, who had hurriedly come down.

Most people probably don’t know the faces of chief designers of luxury brands. However, a few discerning people recognized him, and it didn’t take long for their whispers to spread.

“It’s Arbor’s chief designer.”

“Why is the chief designer here…”

Per Aspera approached the boy with quick steps and expressed his delight.

“Mr. Roh, you really came. I’m glad to see you.”

It was a face he never thought would come.

Well, he never intended to come to Paris in the first place.

It would have been different if the members had told him to come.

“And this person is-.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“August Veil?”

Per Aspera easily recognized August Veil.

He couldn’t not know him.

Veil covering HALO.

When HALO’s article broke, Veil’s picture often came up because there was no picture of Halo.

“Why are you two here, together-.”

“It’s nothing-. I’m a fan of this friend.”

“That’s what he says.”

I don’t know why Veil, who should be busy after Halo appeared in Venice, is here.

However, as he couldn’t ignore him, Per Aspera hurriedly gestured to the employee. It was a signal to contact the chairman.

“First of all. There are many people, so can we move to another place?”

#

In the 3rd floor VVIP room, where only celebrities or the chosen ones can enter, the panorama of Paris unfolded. Per Aspera left for a moment because the chairman called him, and while August Veil went to the bathroom, Halo stared out the window.

After waiting for a while, a middle-aged waiter pulled a tray and entered.

“Would you like a drink?”

The middle-aged man wearing a uniquely shaped beret bowed and showed the inside of the tray. Several kinds of drinks were prepared, such as juice, water, and black tea.

“An espresso, please.”

At Halo’s words, the middle-aged man politely bowed and took out a glass. Halo accepted the coffee with a strong bean scent and leaned against the wall.

“How is the bean?”

“The scent is strong. The acidity is not strong.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

The middle-aged man kindly explained what kind of bean it was, but he suspiciously couldn’t raise his head. Halo roughly nodded and responded.

“By the way, that guitar case is very beautiful-.”

The middle-aged man reached out his hand but hesitated, perhaps conscious of the owner.

“May I touch it?”

Halo shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

It’s not like it will wear out if you touch it.

As if to show off, he put the guitar on the sofa, and the middle-aged man delicately stroked the guitar case.

From the gold-plated butterfly to the stitching of the zipper.

The middle-aged man, who had stroked even the zipper ring with his hand, gently lowered the zipper down.

The zipper went down without any obstruction.

If you open the case, you will see the guitar inside.

The hand holding the case pauses.

He recognized the gaze and raised his head.

Halo, leaning against the wall, was drinking coffee and watching his actions with interest.

“Why don’t you sit comfortably?”

He kept his head down as if his neck was bent, but it felt like sharp eyes beyond his glasses were scanning him.

Halo raised the corners of his lips.

He was not born a bourgeois [middle class], but he had been living a VIP [Very Important Person] life ever since he gained wealth at a young age. He always had luxury goods prepared for him, and next to him were always employees with etiquette and dignity.

None of them spoke to the VIP [Very Important Person] first, from the absurd request to touch the guitar case to the basic question of how the coffee beans were.

The questions were solely for the VIP.

Well, unless they were the same VIP.

“It’s alright.”

Also, the suspiciously hidden face and the stylish clothes worn inside the waiter’s uniform, along with the dress shoes and hands, sufficiently revealed the middle-aged man’s identity.

“I’m not one to stand on ceremony in front of the homeowner.”

At his words, the middle-aged man slowly raised his head.

“It seems you have something to say to me.”

The sharp eyes behind the glasses met his.

“I’d like to hear it first.”

A heavy silence fell.

It was then.

“What are you doing?”

August Veil, who entered through the open door, discovered the middle-aged man facing Halo. He clicked his tongue with a look of utter disdain.

“Are you still playing these pranks and bothering young people?”

The middle-aged man’s back gradually straightened.

Even when he was completely upright, August Veil’s nagging continued.

“Hey, mister. Act your age. Isn’t it about time people started saying you’re going senile?”

The sharp gaze dulled and turned towards August Veil.

The middle-aged man, or rather, Arvo’s Chairman Matthias, scoffed.

“I don’t need to hear that from you. Look at me. Who would ever say I’m your contemporary? But you need to take care of yourself, don’t you think? Huh? Unless you want people saying you should get new clothes made of wood [a euphemism for a coffin].”

“Why don’t you pick out a good final resting place for yourself, huh?”

Halo raised the corners of his lips, listening to their friendly conversation.

He too had once escalated things with his friends, promising to cover them with cocaine instead of dirt, to tap dance on their coffins, and to play wild rock and roll instead of a funeral dirge, until they grabbed each other by the collar.

It was a smile born from such empathy, but the two seemed to realize that a boy their grandson’s age was watching. They quickly stopped fighting.

“You’ve been acting busy lately. Turns out you’ve been busy hanging out with interesting friends.”

“If you know I’m busy, why don’t you treat your guest? Coffee.”

“Get it yourself.”

Then, the chairman sat down on a random sofa.

Ignoring the grumbling August Veil, the chairman looked at Halo again, his face beaming.

“Nice to meet you. I’ve been wanting to meet you. The ambassador chosen by our beloved designer.”

The chairman didn’t elaborate on how much sales had increased because of him. He had the pride that Arvo would have achieved that level of success even without the ambassador.

Still, it wasn’t a lie that he wanted to meet him.

In addition to the tradition of having a meal with the ambassador from time to time,

It was because of Per Aspera, the current chief designer, choosing him as the ambassador, and the photoshoot.

The chairman, who first encountered the artist Roh Hae-il’s appearance through the photoshoot, was intrigued by his intense aura.

“Intriguing.”

His cleverness in immediately recognizing his identity.

And the nonchalant attitude.

Even the relaxed and dignified demeanor, and the atmosphere that the photoshoot couldn’t fully capture, pleased him.

“Even that guitar case is to my liking.”

He was the one who first noticed Per Aspera’s design and appointed him. Just as the boy immediately recognized his identity, he recognized Per Aspera’s design at once.

“However, if there’s only one thing I don’t like-.”

The sharp eyes scanned the boy.

“That outfit. Why is my model, visiting my house, wearing someone else’s clothes?”

He would have been satisfied if even the clothes were Arvo’s products.

The greedy chairman clicked his tongue.

He wasn’t blaming the boy.

The ambassador contract didn’t have a clause requiring him to wear Arvo’s products 365 days a year.

He just didn’t like that the boy he liked wasn’t wearing his clothes.

Halo answered nonchalantly.

“Because they’re not comfortable to wear.”

“My clothes are uncomfortable?”

“They’re not for wearing just anywhere. Just like there are sneakers that are easy to crumple and wear.”

Besides, he enjoyed busking anywhere, so clothes that grabbed his shoulders or elbows were uncomfortable to wear.

It wasn’t common for an ambassador to boldly say that they were uncomfortable in front of the chairman, but the chairman listened with interest.

“You’re saying my clothes are not good enough.”

Ignoring August Veil’s words, the chairman continued.

“Sneakers that are easy to crumple and wear, huh? A novel expression. Quite interesting. That’s why I like young people. None of the guys around me would say such a thing. You’re just like my ambassador.”

The chairman suddenly grabbed the boy’s hand.

“I want to hear more details, but today is difficult. Are you free tomorrow?”

It was an unexpected remark, but Halo answered nonchalantly.

“I’ll see you in the evening.”

“Good. I’ll make a reservation at the restaurant. Do you prefer meat or seafood?”

“Of course-.”

Halo had only one answer.

By the time Per Aspera, who had been waiting on the 7th floor for a long time, came down after discovering that no one was in the chairman’s office, Halo and August Veil had already left. Seeing the chairman sitting alone in the VIP room, Per Aspera shook his head.

“Chairman···.”

“You’re here now? Young people are so slow.”

Before he could feel wronged, the chairman continued.

“Keep the evening of the following day free.”

“Tomorrow?”

“I’ve made an appointment with our beloved ambassador.”

At those words, Per Aspera raised his head.

“Chairman, didn’t you say you had a schedule tomorrow? That it would be difficult to make time.”

“I did. Originally, I was going to ask our ambassador for understanding.”

It was so tight to clear the schedule that he was originally going to skip dinner.

However···.

The chairman discovered a water-stained glass and wiped the moisture with his hand.

Per Aspera took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to him.

“But it’s suspicious.”

“Mr. Roh?”

Whether the beloved chief designer was puzzled or not, the chairman stroked his beard with a meaningful look.

-You’ve been acting busy lately. You’ve been busy hanging out with young friends.

– Treat your busy guest.

He remembered August Veil, who had cleverly glossed over his words.

“Why, the words ‘brought along’-.”

The chairman’s eyes flashed sharply as he wiped his hands and put down the handkerchief.

“You don’t deny it, do you?”

#

Meanwhile, the latest news about Roh Hae-il was once again causing a stir in Korea.

The Champs-Élysées, a luxury street that tourists visit at least once.

With Roh Hae-il as the ambassador, quite a few Koreans were now visiting the famous Arvo headquarters. Roh Hae-il, who had briefly caused a stir with the Venice and Vatican tour, was now photographed in Paris.

[Roh Hae-il’s latest news, Arvo headquarters in Paris]

[Arvo’s chief designer rushes out barefoot to welcome ambassador Roh Hae-il]

└ Wasn’t Roh Hae-il in Rome?? There was a post about him touring the Vatican two days ago

└ Is Roh Hae-il Hong Gil-dong? [A legendary Korean outlaw known for his ability to be in multiple places at once] Appearing in the east and west like lightning ㅋ Will he be in Switzerland tomorrow?

└ East;;; He’d be appearing in the east and west like lightning···

└ EastㅋㅋㅋSeaㅋㅋㅋLightningㅋㅋㅋ You might as well say Mediterranean Sea Lightning Atlantic Lightningㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

“Wow, amazing···.”

A short break during filming.

The youngest PD [Production Director], who had been squatting on the ground in front of the Eiffel Tower, suddenly stood up.

“PD-nim! Amazing···.”

“What’s so amazing? Are there no more complaints on the viewers’ bulletin board?”

PD Park, who had received curses that would last 500 years due to releasing the trailer too early, asked, and the youngest PD turned his head.

“Of course not! About ten pages have been uploaded today!”

“···.”

This bastard.

As PD Park, who wasn’t at all curious about how many pages of curses had been uploaded, was looking at his fist, the youngest PD shouted.

“Roh Hae-il! He’s in Paris right now.”

“Yeah, just one··· What did you say?”

“Roh Hae-il! He’s at the Arvo headquarters right now? It’s a fresh post that was uploaded a little while ago, so if we’re lucky, he might come this way?”

“Really Paris? But the distance from the Champs-Élysées to the Eiffel Tower is quite far.”

“Isn’t the Eiffel Tower a symbol of Paris? Won’t he come?”

“I guess so?”

The clueless maknae [youngest member] was right for once.

PD Park put down his fist and beamed.

“If we wait, we’ll run into him?”

Team A and Team B, who were preparing for the ‘When we meet again’ chorus, were buzzing. Roh Hae-il there.

PD Park had a sweet dream.

One thing that was a shame was that the impact was lessened by the appearance of HALO in Venice.

The real Halo even sang ‘When we meet again’.

He was planning to proceed as is because changing the song now was difficult, but PD Park thought it was a bit of a shame.

“As expected, PD-nim! This is what happens when you’re destined to succeed. A reunion on the last day of filming!”

“Destined to succeed, hehe.”

The youngest PD chattered without thinking, and PD Park regained his energy. He clapped his hands and approached the cast. He’ll probably run into Roh Hae-il by chance or something.

The youngest PD looked at PD Park’s energetic face and turned on his phone’s map. The enlarged map showed the Champs-Élysées.

“Huh.”

The youngest PD scratched his cheek. The reason he thought they would meet without thinking was because he thought the Champs-Élysées was right next door.

But it wasn’t.

There was a river between the Champs-Élysées and the Eiffel Tower, and it was several blocks further.

“This is a bit. It’s much further than I thought···.”

The youngest PD looked back and forth between PD Park and his phone, then shrugged and put his phone away.