The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 381

# 38 The Boy Who Carried the Sun

A question once sparked global debate.

When presented with a slice of strawberry cake, do you eat the strawberries first, or savor the cake and save the berries for last?

The answers were sharply divided, leading to passionate arguments.

Those who ate the cake first reasoned:

The most delicious strawberries should be enjoyed last, heightening their sweetness.

Of course, the strawberries didn’t actually become sweeter, nor did their flavor change. Rather, ‘anticipation’ acted like powdered sugar, enhancing their taste.

Like the fox who found joy in anticipating the Little Prince’s arrival from three o’clock [a reference to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s *The Little Prince*, where the fox explains the importance of anticipation], some people preferred to prolong their anticipation of the strawberries.

They believed that anticipating happiness was a more fulfilling way to live.

Heilo stood on the opposite side of this debate.

He was the type to devour the best part of the strawberry cake first. Strawberries first, then the whipped cream. He believed that delaying gratification would only lead to feeling full and diminishing the taste.

One could say that Heilo valued immediate happiness over future expectations.

He always lived in the present,

And entrusted the future to his future self.

If asked whether he feared the future, he would retort that it was foolish to sacrifice present happiness out of fear.

Therefore, upon arriving in England, Heilo immediately pursued his greatest desire.

Distribution contract?

No, that was merely a secondary objective.

He could secure a contract at any time; their company’s loss if they missed him. Contracts weren’t a matter of desperation for him.

What he truly wanted was,

To revisit the familiar landscape he had cultivated in his memories.

He mentally revisited the construction site from that era.

Time began to flow across it.

Like watching a time-lapse.

Buildings rose, new structures emerged.

Countless people and cars traversed the streets.

The seasons shifted, colors filled in, and the present was born.

“It hasn’t changed as much as I thought.”

Heilo, having slipped out of the hotel alone in the early morning, strolled down the road with his guitar. Evading his parents’ notice wasn’t difficult. Respecting his musical pursuits, they had booked him a separate room adjacent to theirs. He departed early, leaving only a note.

They might be horrified upon waking.

He could contact them then.

Still, there was no need for his parents to worry.

He wasn’t a child who would follow strangers for food, nor would he get lost.

The city, preserving its classic charm, remained largely unchanged from his memories. Despite being a world he hadn’t lived in, the overall layout was familiar.

The first place he longed to see was, naturally, there.

The house where he had resided for an extended period.

And the hotel where he stayed almost as long as his house.

The hotel’s name differed from his recollection.

Perhaps natural, given the different time and world.

Yet, the exterior appeared nearly identical, and Heilo experienced a rare pang of nostalgia.

He resumed walking.

The magnificent Trafalgar Square.

Tourists congregated around the fountain.

They observed performance artists clad in silver foil and snapped commemorative photos.

Unlike the indifferent locals, tourists occasionally glanced at the silver-haired boy.

The boy with the striking silver hair and a guitar as large as his body possessed an aura distinct from ordinary people. Moreover, his detached expression made him appear special.

What to say?

It was as if he were isolated from the world.

Click.

Someone unknowingly captured the boy in their camera lens.

The silver hair fluttering in the wind shone in the morning sunlight. The atmosphere, detached from the world, was captured in the lens.

He considered the camera’s storage capacity and contemplated deleting the photo. But strangely, he hesitated to press Delete.

Just as the lottery numbers he suddenly felt compelled to choose turned out to be real, he had a strong intuition that this photo should be preserved.

The unknown photographer couldn’t bring himself to delete the photo and redirected the camera to the female model.

When he turned his head again to adjust his position, the boy had vanished.

Heilo drew closer to the London Eye and Big Ben. Soon, the Thames River wind swept past. It wasn’t as bitterly cold as Seoul, but still chilly, as expected of a winter wind.

At the intersection where Big Ben stood, Heilo turned. His destination was the Thames River.

Around that time, office workers on their way to work and young people jogging in tank tops despite the weekday were visible.

Morning was slowly breaking.

#

“You seem to have a lot of free time these days. You should work harder unless you want your desk to disappear one day.”

“You’re probably the only one who would tell a CEO on his way to meet a shareholder that he’s free.”

John Leonard, the CEO of August Records, sipped his Einspänner [a Viennese coffee specialty] with a disgruntled expression. He always craved something sweet when meeting August Vale.

“Have you contacted him?”

“What contact? Give it up. I’m too old now and don’t have the energy anymore.”

“You know I’m not talking about your virility, right?”

“Weren’t you?”

He knows everything but acts like that.

August, who had been throwing jokes like a sly raccoon for a while, put down his espresso and replied.

“…There was no reply.”

“You too, Elder?”

“You too, huh.”

“Yes. It seems like he checked the email, but there was no reply. I wonder where and what kind of offer he received. Universe recently signed a contract, so they probably don’t have any funds left, and Sona?”

The name of a major label escaped John Leonard’s lips. There was no mention of a music distribution company.

He assumed that ‘The Sun’ would naturally choose a label.

Even if he was young, older people hate troublesome things, so they preferred a label that would take care of them from head to toe.

“What did you bet on to be so confident?”

August Vale asked slyly.

“Of course, the best comeback. Jenna, Ariadne, and Carl, who are under our label. I received confirmation for a collaboration, and the marketing will be the best. We were planning to hold a concert whenever he wanted. As you know, we have talented managers, house managers, asset managers, lawyers, etc., ready.”

“Is that all?”

The old man scoffed, and John Leonard twitched his eyebrows.

“What are you not satisfied with?”

“It’s a very formulaic proposal.”

“Formulaic? It’s a natural proposal. What are you dissatisfied with, Elder?”

“Differentiation.”

There needed to be a unique selling point that compelled him to choose that label. John Leonard, who had been listening quietly, exclaimed, “Ha!”

“Why doesn’t our label have differentiation! Our artists each have their own beautiful personalities. The fact that he can collaborate with them is differentiation.”

“Is that all there is? Marketing, concerts, managers, aren’t those all clichés? Anyone can say those words.”

“It’s not a cliché, it’s natural. Isn’t that what a musician who has returned to regain his best comeback and glory needs most?”

“Well. Is that what he wants most?”

John Leonard thought the Elder was testing him. He always nitpicked like this and asked for his opinion until the end. His answer was never wrong.

“You’re not expecting something like love, friendship, crisis and overcoming, passion, like in children’s fairy tales, are you?”

“Those are important values.”

“Don’t say there are diamonds rolling around on the streets of London. This is business.”

“Business. Okay, it’s your company, so I won’t nag anymore.”

John Leonard felt like he was being scolded at August’s words. He hadn’t said anything wrong, but still.

“But let me ask you just one thing.”

“Yes.”

“What do you think shareholders prioritize most when appointing a CEO?”

“Of course, ability.”

John Leonard answered naturally.

He thought that August Vale had recognized his ability and made him CEO. The reason why a shoeshine boy who had nothing could become a CEO was because of his excellent management skills.

“Is that so?”

The old man neither affirmed nor denied it. John Leonard was frustrated with the old man, but he didn’t expect a clear answer to come. It was always like this.

He grumbled inwardly and finished his Einspänner.

“Well, it’s meaningless talk since The Sun didn’t respond anyway.”

“That’s… right.”

John Leonard rolled his eyes upwards.

August Vale, who was uncharacteristically dragging out his words, was staring at something.

“What’s wrong?”

John Leonard turned his head following the old man’s gaze. There was nothing there. The buildings and cars that were always visible. Occasionally people passing by, and one slightly unusual Asian boy.

In fact, if that boy didn’t have such strikingly white hair, John Leonard wouldn’t have noticed him. He turned his head again.

The old man was still staring at something.

The dilated pupils were wavering, and the corners of his eyes were wrinkled.

It was a subtle change, but John Leonard knew that the old man was reacting to something.

“Elder, what’s wrong?”

Still, there was nothing that caught his eye.

It was then. August Vale’s mouth opened as he looked somewhere.

“The eyes… are dazzling.”

“Yes?”

What is he talking about?

How long ago did the sun rise?

“John, I have never been wrong about seeing people.”

“That’s right. Everyone the Elder picked became a star. That’s how you built August. I can only respect you.”

“But that’s not my ability. Everyone didn’t believe it, but I really didn’t do anything.”

“…”

“It wasn’t that I saw them, but that they came into my eyes. They shone so brightly that I couldn’t help but see them.”

John suddenly didn’t know why August Vale was rambling. But he knew there must be an ulterior motive, so he listened without questioning.

He had always learned something from the old man.

“John, can a person carry the sun on their back?”

August frowned.

He saw a light as intense as the sun.

“? Are you talking about Atlas? Atlas carried the Earth, not the sun.”

“That’s your problem. You always try to grasp numbers and information. The important thing is somewhere else.”

Then August Vale muttered again.

“Why is he shining?”

“It’s because of the refraction of light.”

This time, August didn’t even snort.

It seemed like he couldn’t hear his words.

“I’ve never seen such a light before.”

At the sighing admiration, John replied monotonously.

“Could it be that you’re senile?”

“!”

It seems like he heard it this time.

August Vale hit John Leonard’s forehead with a teaspoon.

#

‘What’s with that old man staring at me like that since earlier?’

An old man with white hair for a different reason than him was looking at him with a frown.

Heilo also looked at the old man without avoiding eye contact.

Then he realized his legs were shaking.

It’s still a weak body. He had been running, but the muscles weren’t building up as well as his previous body.

He went into a cafe to contact his parents.

The gaze follows behind him.

Heilo ordered an espresso and plopped down in an outdoor seat. He put down his guitar and sent a text message.

Saying he would be back soon. It seemed like his mother was more surprised by the empty hotel room than the text message.

A fragrant aroma rose from the espresso.

Classical music that suited him was playing, and Heilo propped his cheek and listened to the music.

He mainly liked intense music, but he also liked classical music.

The fact that it is remembered by people forever under the name ‘classical’ means that it is great music. In a way, it can be said to be the archetype of all music, and perhaps the most perfect form.

‘Still, I can’t help but have preferences.’

Heilo chuckled and turned his head to the left.

More than the classical music coming from the right,

The clumsy jazz performance coming from the left was more appealing.

The mellow saxophone and the heavy sound of the archtop guitar. As the people sitting on the terrace listened more to the jazz coming from across the street than the classical music, the sensible cafe owner gradually lowered the volume of the classical music.

All that remained was the sticky jazz.

It’s natural that the amateur’s performance is less complete than the classical music recorded by the best performers.

But he liked their performance.

Clumsy yet basic.

Originally, people are attracted to what they don’t have. Heilo shamelessly understood.

Ziiing-

After listening for a while, a text message came.

It was about where to meet.

He thought he should go back soon since the jazz performance was also ending.

#

“That’s a good song.”

John Leonard agreed with August’s words.

Neither of them thought the performer’s skills were excellent, but it was a decent jazz to listen to.

“I have to go now. I’ve been talking for too long.”

John Leonard said, looking at his watch. The coffee had already cooled down.

“Okay, go in first.”

“Are you going to stay longer, Elder?”

“I have something to do.”

The old man, who had been listening to jazz intently to keep John Leonard from paying attention, turned his head.

When John Leonard leaves, he will have a conversation with the boy carrying the sun…

“!”

“What’s wrong?”

August Vale jumped up from his seat.

“He’s gone. He’s gone!”

“Yes? What?”

“Where did he go so quickly?”

He hurriedly looked around, but not even a strand of white hair was visible.

“What are you talking about?”

August Vale sighed instead of answering.

At missing that light.

He was ashamed of himself for being idle.

He had learned in his youth that he should not hesitate and seize opportunities when they arise, but he was repeating the same mistake.

August Vale looked at the spot where the boy had been, muttering in vain. As if it wasn’t a mirage, a single espresso cup was left alone.