The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 251

Glorious Tides – Episode 25 (25/237)

25. But It Still Won’t Change

“Hi, Junsu, we’ve met before, right?”

“Hello, it’s Jang ‘Jin-su’.”

“Yes, Jin-su, come on in.”

He nudges me from behind, as if asking if it’s really okay to go in.

A timid guy.

As Halo enters with his hands in his pockets, Jang Jin-su hesitantly follows.

Jang Jin-su wondered if this was the right thing to do.

He was sure No Hae-il’s mother didn’t like him. It felt like he was walking in to receive a poisoned drink. Unlike last time, she greeted him with a smile, but still…

‘I think I shouldn’t have come,’ Jang Jin-su thought, looking around No Hae-il’s serene house.

A house without a speck of dust felt like ill-fitting clothes, making him extremely uncomfortable.

He shouldn’t have agreed when his mother told him to come over and have a meal together.

Or at least, he should have made Hae-il use his wish ticket.

He remembers No Hae-il scoffing at him, ‘Do you think this is a wish?’ when he asked, ‘Is this your wish?’

He should have snatched the wish ticket by force.

Jang Jin-su was scared of what kind of wish No Hae-il would make, but No Hae-il’s mother was just scarier.

“I haven’t prepared much, but eat a lot.”

‘This… she says she hasn’t prepared much?’ Jang Jin-su’s eyes wavered.

The table looked like it was about to break. The side dishes didn’t overlap and filled every space without any gaps.

Moreover, most of them were meat dishes.

“Are you a vegetarian or do you have any allergies?”

“No. I eat everything well.”

“That’s a relief. Hae-il likes meat, so I prepared mostly meat dishes.”

‘Does he think he’s King Sejong [a highly revered Korean king known for his love of meat]?’

Jang Jin-su cursed inwardly, but outwardly maintained a smiling face.

Hae-il didn’t bother to tell him that his face looked like a Hahoe mask [a traditional Korean mask with a fixed, often comical, expression].

“I heard you’re on TV.”

“Yes, yes, that’s right.”

As his mother put side dishes on No Hae-il’s rice, No Hae-il nonchalantly accepted them.

On the other hand, Jang Jin-su glanced around, trying to read the room. There were so many dishes, he didn’t know what to eat.

“What kind of program is it?”

“It’s a music survival program called Show Your Show-.”

“Show Your Show?”

“It’s like, an audition program.”

“Ah, like Superstar K [a popular Korean singing competition show].”

“Yes, yes, that’s right.”

As his mother looked at him with sparkling eyes, Jang Jin-su couldn’t even put a spoonful in his mouth.

Meanwhile, No Hae-il was nonchalantly eating a wrap.

“How does that work?”

The mother seemed to be hearing about ‘Show Your Show’ for the first time.

Well, given No Hae-il’s personality, he wouldn’t tell his parents about these things. He couldn’t imagine him being chatty.

“Usually, survival programs proceed with auditions. They receive applications, filter them in the first round, and then film. Some programs have multiple rounds of judging.”

“How was Show Your Show?”

“SSY3, so Show Your Show, received applications until early November. They submitted two videos: an acapella video and a stage video. Then, the production team selected the first round of合格者 [gokkakusha – Japanese for ‘successful applicants’] and told them the filming date by phone.”

“Ah, it’s no different from college entrance exams.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

No Hae-il is putting on a mukbang show [a live online audiovisual broadcast in which a host eats large quantities of food while interacting with their audience] in front of him.

Jang Jin-su, who was just watching, slowly felt hungry.

He was about to eat and picked up his chopsticks when he heard his mother’s words again.

“That must be tough.”

“?”

Jang Jin-su was puzzled when he heard this.

‘Does she not know?’

He glanced at No Hae-il, who was diligently eating his rice.

It seemed like his mother didn’t know anything.

Even if he didn’t talk about his friends, he didn’t even brag about himself.

Should he tell her or not?

Jang Jin-su hesitated and opened his mouth.

“No, it was manageable.”

“Really? You must have prepared hard.”

“That’s also true, but Hae-il helped me.”

“…Our son?”

The mother looked back at No Hae-il once and expressed her doubt. It seemed like he hadn’t said anything at all.

“How did Jin-su help you?”

If it had been simple interest in the audition until now, it changed from the moment she mentioned No Hae-il’s name. The mother’s eyes became intensely hot.

Well, what parent in the world wouldn’t want to hear praise for their child? Jang Jin-su could understand.

“That’s-”

He wondered where to start, then remembered that he had already told this story once before.

He told this story at the broadcasting station in Mapo-gu. Back then, everyone was negative, but this place would be different.

Jin-su put down his chopsticks.

And he recalled the memory of busking in Hongdae [a vibrant district in Seoul known for its street performances and indie music scene]. He told the story of what happened then, step by step.

The mother responded more passionately and actively than ever. Occasionally, she looked at Hae-il as if asking why he hadn’t told her, her eyes filled with pride.

It was a good sight of a mother and son, so Jang Jin-su could talk comfortably. He also felt envious in his heart.

“He arranged the song for you?”

“Yes, you’d be surprised if you heard it, Auntie. No Hae… Hae-il is really good at composing.”

“That’s right!”

The mother nodded repeatedly.

Her nodding was full of conviction.

‘Has she ever listened to No Hae-il’s songs separately?’

Jang Jin-su just brushed it off for now.

“I got in thanks to Hae-il.”

This was sincere.

It was a bit bitter, but he still thought it would be an opportunity. How many chances would he have to receive mentoring from famous singers and producers? He would think of the opportunity No Hae-il created as winning the lottery and take it well.

“Is that so?”

The mother clasped her hands together, looking like a girl.

“When can I watch it?”

“The first trailer is on the 6th, and the first episode airs the following Friday.”

“That’s soon!”

Jang Jin-su nodded.

And when he turned his head, wondering if No Hae-il had anything to say, he found that he had already finished his rice.

‘Damn it.’

“Son, would you like another bowl?”

“No, I’m okay.”

‘I haven’t even had a spoonful.’

Jang Jin-su lowered his head.

His bowl was piled high with rice, with no empty spaces.

‘Okay, I can eat from now on.’

No Hae-il and No Hae-il’s mother started talking.

He could finally eat. Jang Jin-su picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a rolled omelet.

“Come to think of it, the 6th is the high school entrance exam day. What are you thinking of doing about high school?”

“Uh…”

As soon as he heard about high school, his chopsticks stopped in mid-air. It was clearly a question for No Hae-il, but he felt like he was being scolded too.

“I heard that trainees usually apply to arts high schools.”

“The arts high school entrance exams are already over, Mother. They started the first round in early November.”

“Really?”

The mother’s eyes widened at the unexpected fact. The mother asked Jang Jin-su again.

It seemed like the mother regarded Jang Jin-su as an expert.

“Then what should we do?”

“Well, if you want to go to an arts high school, there’s a way to transfer from a regular high school, or you can just go to a regular high school.”

“Ah.”

“There are some regular high schools that are more friendly to arts and sports.”

No Hae-il’s mother’s words trailed off as if she was thinking something over.

‘Can I eat now?’

Just as Jang Jin-su’s hand twitched, No Hae-il’s voice was heard this time.

“Mother.”

“Yes, Hae-il.”

His hand reached for the rolled omelet.

No Hae-il lengthened his words with a nonchalant face. Jang Jin-su wondered why he was saying such a thing out of the blue. It seemed like No Hae-il’s mother had already become a passionate fan.

“You told me to do what I want to do.”

“That’s right?”

As his mother nodded, Halo continued to speak.

“So I have no intention of looking elsewhere.”

“…?”

Wait a minute.

Jang Jin-su held his breath.

Wait, what was he saying?

He had once said that he wasn’t going to high school. Back then, he brushed it off as if he was crazy, but he didn’t know he would say that seriously.

Surely not?

Jang Jin-su looked back and forth between No Hae-il and No Hae-il’s mother. The mother didn’t seem to understand what No Hae-il was saying yet.

“Hey, No Hae-.”

He lost his appetite.

He was about to stop him now.

“I want to live for myself during the time I would be going to high school, Mother.”

“What does that…”

Time seemed to flow slowly.

The mother, who was just puzzled, gradually opened her mouth and her eyes widened. Jang Jin-su also didn’t say, ‘Crazy bastard, he’s really saying it,’ but only moved his lips.

“I think the compulsory education designated by the state is enough.”

The guy who sometimes makes you doubt if he’s Korean was spouting words that a real Korean would never say.

Not even a high school graduate, but a middle school graduate!

How many parents would grab their necks and collapse even if they said they wouldn’t go to college? Not going to high school, what should he say about this.

“Hae-il?”

The mother’s eyes shook.

Jang Jin-su understood the mother’s feelings.

In particular, No Hae-il was originally a model student in the foreign language high school entrance exam class. The gap between a foreign language high school student and a middle school graduate was quite large.

“Yes.”

Hae-il answered with a nonchalant face.

He was serious.

He had no intention of going to high school.

It was fun to go to school after a long time, but it wasn’t something he would do in the future. Hanging out with kids was enough in middle school.

“…”

The mother seemed speechless.

Jang Jin-su was also breathless, but the mother’s reaction was not strange.

Jang Jin-su was fidgeting, wondering what to do, and opened his mouth.

“Oh, right. No Hae-il, but don’t you have to tell your father too?”

“Suddenly?”

A gaze returned as if asking what he was talking about out of the blue.

“That, that, that! Your song! Your father has to listen to your song too. He said he was on a business trip!”

“That’s right.”

It was not No Hae-il but his mother who answered.

No Hae-il’s mother got up from her seat with a delighted expression.

“I have to tell my father when Show Your Show airs. It airs before he comes back. As a father, he must listen to his son’s song.”

“…”

Even though it was someone else’s family affair, he deliberately intervened, telling her to talk when he wasn’t there. He couldn’t eat because he was suffocating.

The mother also didn’t seem to be thinking of deciding on her son’s further education in this place. Further education is a matter that requires careful consideration, so it’s not too late to do it after the whole family gathers.

Hae-il only watched the two with displeasure.

He couldn’t not know because the intention to divert the conversation was visible.

‘But my mind still won’t change.’

#

California, USA.

A campus in San Diego along the Pacific coast.

A woman in a hoodie walked down the hallway, looking around. The mark ‘Fiat lux’ [Latin for ‘Let there be light’] was tediously repeated on every wall.

Every time she saw the motto meaning ‘Let there be light,’ she thought they should start by changing the flickering lights.

She soon stopped at a familiar nameplate and knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

“Professor, did you call me?”

Her respected professor was wearing a classic suit today as well. Nothing was different from what he wore yesterday. She sometimes discussed the professor’s fashion with the lab members.

So, was the professor not changing his clothes, or did he have several identical suits?

Then, she discovered her own clothes.

Yale hoodie, jeans with baggy knees, dirty white sneakers… It wasn’t the time to give fashion advice to others, haha.

“About the research you presented at last week’s seminar-.”

“Last week? Ah.”

She talked about the seminar and research progress for about an hour and a half, and gradually saw the sun setting beyond the window. Time had already passed like this.

“Oh, Professor.”

She was about to return, but stopped because she remembered something. She had lost in rock-paper-scissors, so she was the representative to ask.

“What is it?”

“Do you happen to watch YouTube, Professor?”

“YouTube?”

She held up her phone.

The professor, who didn’t seem to have any time to watch YouTube, nodded.

“It’s a video that’s been a hot topic these days, and I thought you’d like it if you watched it, Professor. You like old songs, right?”

“The Beatles aren’t that old-.”

“It was a band that came out before I was born.”

The professor closed his mouth.

It was true that he couldn’t refute.

“Would you like to watch it? It’s a busking video.”

“…Okay.”

Assistant Instructor Kang quickly went to YouTube.

Because it was a video she had recently watched, she was able to find it soon.

“This place looks familiar.”

“Yes, it’s Hongdae. A Korean kid is singing.”

“Kid?”

“He’s a real kid.”

The professor frowned at the word ‘kid,’ imagining a six-year-old. He was cute, but he couldn’t imagine that kid singing old songs.

And soon the sound was turned on.

The sound of people talking noisily.

Among them, the phone camera is facing a man and children.

Then a child stands in front of the microphone-

Soon the melody was heard.

It wasn’t the professor’s favorite song, but it was a great song no matter when he listened to it.

When I find myself in times of trouble

“Isn’t his tone really good?”

“…”

Assistant Instructor Kang with a happy face as if she was falling into the video.

But the professor couldn’t hear Assistant Instructor Kang’s voice. Only the ‘kid’ in the video was visible in his eyes.

Thick bangs.

A small, thin body with fair skin.

The child who turned Hongdae into a small concert, sitting on the street and making passersby his audience.

“What-.”

Clearly, it was a child the professor knew well.