The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 227

[Extra Story] 29. The Song of the Sea

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen so many people. Welcome aboard my ship.”

Heilo stood at the bow, facing the wind.

He enjoyed the feeling of the ship hitting the waves and pushing forward, cutting through them.

“Has everyone done a lot of fishing?”

The captain, who had been sailing for a while, stopped at one spot and asked Heilo, Kwon Jae-ik, and the VJ [videographer] who was holding the camera behind them. He decided to speak informally.

“This one seems to have baited hooks more than once, judging by his speed.”

“I go sea fishing here and there sometimes.”

“I see.”

And the other one-.

The captain found Heilo staring blankly at the earthworm.

“You want me to touch this?”

“Fishing starts with bait.”

“With my hands?”

“Are you going to borrow someone else’s hands then?”

He thought it was a dead earthworm, but it wriggled.

He had seen rats and bugs running around in the sewer, but live earthworms… especially sandworms, were different.

“Come here, I’ll do it for you.”

“Goodness, you can tell he’s a city person.”

Kwon Jae-ik couldn’t stand it and baited the hook with an earthworm.

“And this is how you do it.”

It seemed like it would take a while.

He probably wouldn’t catch much even if he tried.

In that case, a master had to step in.

Kwon Jae-ik was going to show the beginner fisherman the secrets of a master.

“Hmm…”

However, an hour later.

“It’s here…!”

Kwon Jae-ik pulled up a small fish.

“I think the water is a bit bad here.”

“…A bite! …Pull, young man!”

People couldn’t hear him and only stared at the boy’s fishing rod.

The boy waited for it to come, winding and unwinding the fishing line as he had learned.

Fishing seemed like an endless exercise in patience.

You cast the hook and wait indefinitely for a signal.

And even if a signal comes, you shouldn’t pull without patience.

You have to pull and release gently, pulling the fishing line so that it doesn’t realize it’s caught.

After a period of endurance, the fish reveals itself.

“Gasp!”

“Wow, a big one!”

“Mr. Heilo, congratulations.”

Heilo smiled brightly as he looked at the fish, which was the size of a person’s face.

He knew why people went fishing.

“This is fun.”

“Right?”

The captain, who had given the beginner the joy of fishing, smiled proudly.

“The first fun is waiting to see what comes out, the second is that it’s not caught until it’s in my hands, and the third is that you can be rewarded for your patience, even though you sometimes miss it.”

“Isn’t it like our lives? Sometimes we lose and sometimes we fail, but we still have to keep throwing for something. Then sometimes a big one bites, and we catch it like this. If you get addicted to this fun, you keep throwing and throwing, and it becomes a daily routine, and that blends together to become life.”

The captain looked at the boy who was sympathizing and soon held up one finger.

“And shall I tell you the real fun that you haven’t experienced yet?”

“Real fun?”

“Actually, the reason I fish is because of this. How much did you catch?”

Kwon Jae-ik grumbled, finally getting attention.

“You should have paid attention to me earlier.”

“You said you fished a lot, is this all?”

“I think the water is bad here.”

“Bad water? Don’t you know when you see this.”

Kwon Jae-ik closed his mouth when he saw Heilo’s fish.

It seemed that even a fishing master couldn’t beat the luck of a beginner.

“Just you wait.”

“?”

“Goodness, what a narrow-minded person. Just wait.”

The captain chuckled and went inside and came out.

And the three people’s eyes lit up as they looked at what he was holding.

“That’s why I can’t quit fishing.”

A gas burner, ramen, red pepper paste, and-.

The captain shook the plastic bottle.

A whirlpool formed like the sea.

“This is amazing.”

#

“Kya.”

Freshly caught raw fish and freshly cooked ramen.

Kwon Jae-ik blew on the ramen with a face full of happiness.

He didn’t look like a male actor, but just like a neighborhood uncle.

“I thought it was alcohol. It’s cider [a sweet, carbonated drink similar to soda].”

“The laws have been strengthened these days, so passengers get caught if they drink too.”

Kwon Jae-ik exclaimed.

That’s right, an actor shouldn’t get caught drinking on a ship.

He should just eat ramen.

“Young man, are you good at drinking? Judging by the fact that you don’t eat much, I wonder if you’re good at drinking-.”

Heilo smiled faintly at the captain’s question.

“I’m good at drinking, but I don’t drink when I sing.”

“Sing?”

In the old days, he used to drink and smoke while singing or doing anything.

He realized that his voice was getting more and more hoarse over time.

His throat was strong and he had no health problems, but Heilo, who had once experienced Nohaeil’s body being as fragile as glass, was being more careful.

He might have been like that because he was a child back then.

And he didn’t crave alcohol as much as he used to.

It’s not that he hated alcohol or parties.

However, even without alcohol, he felt the joy of being surrounded by people and partying.

Even if he didn’t drink alcohol, he was as happy as if he had drunk alcohol, so he didn’t often think that he had to drink alcohol.

“The sound of the waves is nice.”

Heilo added as he looked at the sea, and the conversation changed.

The captain also looked at the sea with him.

“How does it sound to you?”

Heilo closed his eyes and listened.

“A sound that covers everything.”

Splash. The waves receded.

“Even if it crashes and is pushed back, it comes back.”

The seagulls cry.

They take the small fish that the captain threw them and fly away.

“It can be regular, but it can change at any time.”

The wind blew.

It passed through the waves shining golden in the sunlight.

“It sounds like an orchestra that is everywhere.”

It’s a sound that everyone knows and everyone likes.

“It could be.”

The captain nodded as he looked at the boy.

Whether he understood or just sympathized, his face was deeply lost in thought.

“To me, it sounds like someone’s voice.”

The eyes of the three people were focused on him.

“It shouts at me to wake up when I’m dozing off.”

The captain recalled being startled awake by the sound of the sea.

“It scolds me when I try to drink alcohol.”

The waves were especially strong on the days he brought alcohol.

“Sometimes it whispers to me, asking if I had a good day today.”

When he brought the boat to the harbor, it told him that he had worked hard today.

“Like my wife. She was a very grateful person.”

Past tense.

The audience who noticed became silent.

The captain waved his hand.

“I didn’t mean to make you sad. I just thought of it strangely when you said it was the sound of the waves. I didn’t even drink alcohol, but it’s like I drank alcohol.”

The captain laughed heartily, and the VJ hurriedly grabbed the camera.

“Shall I turn off the camera?”

It seemed like a story that shouldn’t be filmed carelessly.

“Turn it off. I won’t say bad things anymore, so you don’t have to turn it off. And you brought it to capture life. Everyone has a life. How can I interfere with such a good thing? I’m fine. You really don’t have to worry about it. It’s a long time ago, so I’m not sad anymore. Rather, I’m just glad. I didn’t realize it, but it really seems like that.”

The captain laughed heartily and said he was okay.

“She was a good person.”

The captain nodded at Kwon Jae-ik’s words.

“She was my greatest blessing.”

The captain looked around and opened his mouth.

“Can I just tell you a few old stories?”

“Yes, please do. It’s fate that we met like this.”

“I’ll edit it if you say so.”

“Well, I’m satisfied with you listening to my story.”

“It’s just a story that everyone has.”

That’s how the captain’s story began.

A story that everyone has, but is special to each person.

At some point, the VJ sobbed, and Kwon Jae-ik’s voice became lower.

“I wonder if I made the atmosphere too dark.”

The captain smiled embarrassedly.

He was just happy to talk about his wife after a long time, but he felt sorry that other people were sad. Really.

Everyone came to have fun, what is this old man doing?

“I should go back soon, was fishing fun?”

“Thank you so much for taking us.”

The captain looked at the ship where gratitude and sadness coexisted, worried, and then raised his head. The captain was very grateful for the only calm boy.

“Young man, can I ask you for one favor? The radio is broken, so can you sing any song?”

Heilo asked.

“Any song?”

“Any song is fine. I like any song.”

Heilo sat at the bow and held the guitar.

What song should I sing?

His fingers twitched.

Heilo realized.

Ah, I want to make music.

His hands moved restlessly, grabbing the guitar.

Whether the captain and the people were watching or not, Heilo strummed the guitar a few times and then turned his gaze to the sea.

The voice of the sea that the captain had told him about was heard on the wind.

Heilo, who listened to the melody of the sea, strummed the guitar strings.

A slow but sweet melody.

Soon the boy opened his mouth.

[One day the sea comes and says]

[Everything will be alright.]

The captain’s lips slowly closed as he listened to the song.

[I am still in the dark today
Shining a light on the sea
I live rowing]

[One day you come
Tell me]

[Don’t cry today
For you who live that day]

The boy smiled kindly.

[I know
Everyone says the past is just the past
They say today is the most beautiful
But you are the most beautiful to me
A gentle breeze and waves
A sea with no end.
And you are part of all of those things.]

The captain’s body began to tremble.

Heilo looked at him and then turned his gaze to the sea.

The waves came.

As if responding to his song.

[One day you come
Tell me
You can cry today
For me who lives today]

And gently pushes the boat.

It was as if he was holding on.

[I know
Everyone says the past is just the past
They say let it go with a drink
But a drink can’t cover the sea]

A gentle breeze and waves.

A day with no end.

And you are part of all of those things

Kwon Jae-ik stared blankly at the boy.

A simple but lyrical melody flew into his ear and pierced his heart.

It pricked his chest like a sharp needle.

The boy sang in an even lower voice.

[I am proud
Standing on the sea, I say
As promised with you
I’m doing well]

The performance was getting slower and slower.

It was vaguely similar to the captain’s appearance, who said he was okay, but his words were getting slower and slower.

[One day you come
You can cry today
For us to meet someday]

The captain’s breathing became rough.

[I know
That day is not today
They say I have to be patient
But when can I catch it?]

When can I catch what’s on the end of the fishing line?

The captain realized that the story he had told earlier was coming back to him.

[One day the waves come and say]

Soon the song scattered on the waves.

[Everything will be alright.]

The music ended, but the captain’s shoulders began to tremble from then on.

Kwon Jae-ik slowly patted his shoulder, and the boy who had put down the guitar came forward and filled the seat.

The captain reached out and grabbed the boy’s hand.

Actually, he didn’t know what he wanted to catch.

However, the captain held on firmly and trembled for a while.

It was around the time the sun began to set that he dropped them off at the harbor again.

#

Euneuneul beudeugeu~

Kwon Jae-ik, who went fishing with Heilo, kept humming, moved by the emotion.

He sang it while eating, and he sang it after finishing eating.

His pronunciation was so twisted that I didn’t even know what song it was.

Lee So-ra opened her mouth with a strange look.

“Why is he like that?”

“I don’t know, did something happen?”

Lee Jung-min and Lee So-ra’s eyes reached Heilo.

Heilo just shrugged his shoulders, saying, “I don’t know.”

“Why is Kwon Jae-ik suddenly like that? Did something happen?”

“There was a sea-like…thing, yes.”

“Why are you tearing up again?”

Na PD [Na Young-seok, a famous Korean TV producer] patted the VJ who had accompanied him, left the outdoor fixed camera, and announced the end of filming for today.

“Everyone worked hard. Have a good night today.”

“Go in.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

It was when the cast members also greeted each other and scattered.

Lee So-ra, who was the first to enter the room, rummaged through her things and took out a blanket.

“What’s that?”

“Blanket.”

“…Ah, a blanket.”

That’s not why he was asking.

Whether Kwon Jae-ik was embarrassed or not, Lee So-ra put the blanket down on the floor.

“I know everything. Are you guys having secret talks without me?”

And she shouted, feeling wronged.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

Lee So-ra pointed out that they spent time together every night.

Kwon Jae-ik muttered.

“…I thought you didn’t know.”

“You guys didn’t make a separate group chat just for the three of you, did you? Anyway, include me from now on.”

“We don’t have any secret talks.”

And since when have you cared about secret talks or group chats?

Lee So-ra answers Kwon Jae-ik’s words.

“I’m more sensitive than you think.”

“I haven’t seen that in ten years.”

“You just haven’t seen it.”

Lee So-ra sat down on one side of the floor.

“Why don’t you go in and sleep.”

“It’s okay, Jung-min. Have I told you? I’m the type who can’t sleep in unfamiliar places.”

“…”

Um, I see.

Even Lee Jung-min, who usually speaks kindly, couldn’t protect her.

“Who have I been seeing for over a week?”

“Heil, aren’t you cold? Let’s cover up.”

Lee So-ra covered their legs with the blanket she had brought.

“Ah, the stars are so pretty.”

Then she lies down and looks at the sky.

The light that cannot be seen in the city was filling the sky.

She had already laid down, so there was nothing to nag about.

Kwon Jae-ik and Heilo also laid down one after another, and Lee Jung-min sat and shared the same sky.

Around that time, Wellma World Episode 6 was uploaded to YouTube.