The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 401

# 40 The Earth Is Flat Too

“Do you happen to know Scorpion?”

My parents’ and Caroline’s voices gradually faded away.

Halo opened his mouth first as August quietly stared at him.

“Speak comfortably.”

This meant he would treat him comfortably as well.

The old man’s smile deepened.

“I have many questions for you, Mr. Halo.”

The old man didn’t treat Halo casually and used honorifics. He didn’t intend to underestimate him just because he was young. It was even more so because there was something irrationally unknowable about him.

The real ‘Halo’ had an unusual number of suspicious points.

“How can you speak such posh English?”

It was uncommon for an Asian child to use clear RP (Received Pronunciation) [the accent traditionally associated with the British upper class]. Most citizens used Estuary English (practical standard English) [a more common accent in the London area]. If they were from a multicultural family or were international students, the influence of their mother tongue often appeared.

The child in front of him didn’t fit either of these cases at all. It was posh, the kind used by the British upper class. And, if he hadn’t misheard, Halo seemed to use expressions that someone of August’s age would use.

“Also, how can you be so skilled at contracts?”

Even if it wasn’t language, there was something off.

The attitude of calmly reading through the contract was not at all like a child.

Casually reading the contract and calmly asserting one’s rights was a common sight among top stars. It was strange to see that behavior from fifteen-year-old Halo.

“Please understand. An old man becomes more curious.”

He wondered if he had experience conducting contracts in his hometown, but one thing bothered him. The child’s parents didn’t seem familiar with contracts at all.

They used the language—American English—fluently, but showed considerable caution and nervousness. At least, they weren’t people familiar with contracts related to this industry.

Having said this, August examined Halo’s face. Halo was still smiling, as if telling him to continue.

“I’m not forcing an answer.”

He was curious, but it wasn’t important.

August didn’t want to satisfy his curiosity to the point of upsetting Halo.

Perhaps all his curiosity stemmed from prejudices he hadn’t erased. Questions that wouldn’t have come up if Halo was who he had imagined.

“Now that I think about it, what’s important? What’s important is that you are the sun.”

Halo, who had been listening quietly to August’s words, twitched his eyebrows at the familiar word.

“The sun?”

“Ah, you might not know.”

It was unexpected that an elderly man in his 70s or 80s, and a prospective contract partner, would call him the sun like his fans, but August told him that ‘the sun’ meant him with a slightly excited face.

To summarize:

Everyone who thought Halo was a top star from the past who had hidden his identity was hush-hush as if they shouldn’t even say the name ‘Halo,’ and in the midst of being called only ‘he’ or ‘that person,’

A comment left by his deceased fan, who had gone crazy because he hadn’t appeared for a month, ‘Oh sun, the world is plunged into darkness,’ gave rise to the nickname ‘the sun.’

In about thirty minutes of the story, Halo realized why he had gotten the same nickname as in the past.

Even though the reason was very different from the past, the fact that he ended up with the same name made him wonder if there was such a thing as ‘fate’ in the world.

Anyway, he heard the reason why he became the sun, and now it was his turn to ask.

“I also have something I’m curious about.”

“What is it?”

August asked back with a subtle face, as if he knew he would ask something.

“How did you know for sure?”

That I am Halo.

Just as this old man had many questions about him, Halo felt the same way. How did this old man recognize him as Halo and bring him to this meeting room?

Moreover, the old man proceeded with the contract without asking for separate proof. He believed that he was ‘Halo’ without a shred of doubt.

“It wasn’t the Halo I imagined.”

Halo didn’t answer any of the old man’s questions, but the old man answered willingly.

“What kind of Halo did you imagine?”

Halo thought based on the comments.

Age 40s or 50s or older. A heavy drinker and smoker, 3대 1500 [a Korean slang term referring to someone who can lift a combined weight of 1500kg in the three major weightlifting exercises], height 2m, beams coming out of his eyes, a top musician or band from the past.

He expected such an answer, but August’s answer was different from his expectations.

“A young man who has experienced and overcome the storms of the world.”

“…”

“Am I wrong?”

The old man then gave a sly smile.

Halo no longer asked the old man how he recognized him. In fact, that wasn’t important, and what to do in the future was more important.

“Now, shall we have a more constructive conversation?”

#

When his parents returned, Halo came out of the meeting room.

“Did you talk well?”

“Yes, it was fine. Did you enjoy looking around the company?”

“It was decorated beautifully. What did you talk about with the grandfather?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.”

They exchanged glances with August Bale and Caroline, who had guided them through the company, and came out. They planned to share the details again after reviewing the contract.

On the way home, Halo briefly recalled the ‘constructive’ conversation with the old man.

-We have something to talk about regarding the identity of ‘Halo.’

August Bale made it clear that he would not interfere with future musical activities (concerts, etc.).

Halo had no intention of performing live right away.

First of all, due to his still young body, Halo’s pride would not allow him to collapse during a concert, and he was also in a hurry to record his past albums.

The old man was surprised once by the factory-style composition in the plan to release a single album soon, and asked if there was any reason to do it so urgently.

-Wouldn’t it be more fun to enjoy success and communicate with fans?

-It’s not that I dislike communicating with fans, but.

Halo thought.

Isn’t it too easy to enjoy success again with an already successful album? If he had to pick, it was a gamble, and he preferred tension over an obvious result.

He enjoyed the saying that he had no slump.

His past albums were just a record of the past, and he wanted to enjoy new success with albums he hadn’t yet released to the public.

And the first start was Halo’s unreleased

Thirteenth full-length album ‘Until dawns come.’

Since he was churning out one full-length album a month, full-length albums alone would take more than a year, and if he went to singles-.

Halo estimated it would take about 2 years. It was a long time if it was long, and a short time if it was short.

Considering Noh Hae-il’s age.

‘It’ll be over soon.’

Halo nodded.

He didn’t know what August Bale thought of the word easy. However, he agreed with a very happy face at the statement that he had no plans to reveal himself to the world yet.

-I’m already enjoying imagining them catching some random guy and fighting over whether they’re right. Chuckle.

Halo knew what he was thinking from the words he heard in passing. He could understand the old man’s heart because he sometimes found it interesting to see the reasoning comments.

And he was looking forward to the reaction of the fans who would be surprised when the truth was revealed someday. He didn’t like what was expected. To be expected meant it was boring.

He, who always wanted to leave unexpected and shocking shocks to his fans, still smiled as he looked at the newly uploaded comments.

-He was alive after all #Michael Jackson alive

# because of 200 billion debt

└ oh

└ These guys are starting again

└ Yeah, the earth is flat too

“So, you’re not going to tell me?”

His mother asked with curious eyes.

His father didn’t say anything, but he looked curious too.

“I just told him about my future plans.”

Halo shrugged.

“That I’ll work harder.”

#

While putting in a request to review the contract, Halo and his family wandered around London, which was bustling with festivals. At other times, even jokes were dark, but Christmas was a city that was second to none compared to any other country.

Halo spent a lot of time enjoying satisfactory cultural activities with his family, and then sent only his parents out under the pretext of composing at the hotel.

Neither his father nor his mother seemed to believe him very much, but they emphasized that he should stay at the hotel no less than three times, as if they secretly wanted to go on a date, and then left.

A little later, he saw his parents leaving through the window. Seeing his mother and father arm in arm, they were a rare affectionate couple.

Watching them, Halo immediately strapped on his guitar.

The Christmas festival is full of alcohol, music, and people. People come out to the streets to clink glasses and chat with strangers for no reason.

Romantic situations that might appear in movies can happen enough with alcohol and music.

From Trafalgar Square, which was full of Christmas street markets, Halo walked to where he heard his favorite thing.

The cheerful acoustic guitar and another guitar’s sound came from one side. It was clashing fiercely, not like a duet. It was a situation where he couldn’t help but feel curious.

Halo, who had entered the fountain where many people were gathered, found a man wearing a hoodie and another man looking at each other and shaking their guitars.

When one person skillfully shook the guitar,

The other smirked and played the guitar more elaborately.

They’re competing in skill.

Even though it was a rare sight, he could recognize it at a glance. The surrounding audience watched with interest or cheered for the person they thought was better. They, who had each had a drink, were in an atmosphere where they would cheer even if the two men grabbed each other by the collar and fought.

However, they were fighting with guitars like men instead of grabbing each other by the collar.

The police officer, who was waiting in advance for a possible situation, looked at them with a slightly relieved face.

The back-and-forth competition ended with the victory of the man wearing the hooded zip-up.

With skills that were hard to see as amateur.

The audience was curious about his identity, but didn’t try to see it.

“Isn’t there anyone who wants to beat me?”

The man asked while drinking beer.

White teeth, piercings, and tattoos were revealed under the hooded zip-up and large beanie. The person who made eye contact with him shrugged and stepped back.

It was clear that he was a person who was thirsty for attention, whether he was a professional guitarist or not.

“Enough with the match, play a good song.”

“You ruined the fun, so take responsibility!”

Another member of the audience shouted, looking at him.

“Play? My performance isn’t that cheap?”

“A pint of ale should be enough.”

When another man held up a new glass of beer, the man’s lips twitched.

“Call.”

Then he got ready to play the guitar again and pondered the song selection.

“Don’t you have your own album?”

“Listen to that at my concert.”

The man seemed to think for a while, then suddenly smiled.

“There’s a song I’m really into these days.”

The man moistened his throat again with beer.

“It’s quite difficult. I wonder if the composer is a pervert.”

The audience, who had been doing 티키타카 [a Korean term for playful back-and-forth banter], looked at him with expectant eyes this time. How difficult was the song that the man, who showed such great skill, was showing tension?

“But it’s a really good song. The title is-.”

“Struggle.”

Halo’s eyes widened.

A familiar word. The audience tilted their heads.

Just looking at the title, it was reminiscent of classical music, not pop.

Was he going to show classical music with a guitar?

The man took a stance.

Halo realized that the guitar he was holding was a folk (acoustic) guitar, not an electric one.

He was curious how he would express the struggle that he had expressed with an electric guitar with a folk guitar.

He crossed his arms.

Let’s hear how well he does. With that in mind.

A calm melody was heard.

#

Wow-!

A cheer echoed through the square.

At first, people thought he was playing a gloomy blues, and the stiff people were enthusiastic.

He didn’t express the atmosphere of an electric guitar, but it was definitely a good performance.

Except for a few things.

The man gasped.

It was skill, but he also seemed tired of the heightened emotions.

Someone handed him an ale beer.

The man swallowed the beer, spilling half of it.

The man’s eyes looked around the audience.

Then, when his eyes met, the man bent his knees slightly and asked.

“How was it, kid?”

I don’t know who he’s calling a kid.

Halo said with his arms crossed.

“It’s a little disappointing than I expected.”

I guess he thought I would praise him.

I might have praised him if it was another song.

But he made five mistakes in my song, so I can’t praise him.

“What did you say, kid?”

“You’ve made five mistakes so far. Once at 7 seconds of the intro, once at 1 minute 33 seconds. And… Should I call more?”

“…”

The man was speechless and crossed his arms.

He seemed to realize that he had made a mistake.

But he didn’t know that he would be pointed out by the audience.

The man’s eyes turned behind Halo’s back.

In fact, I’m not sure because I couldn’t see his eyes properly. However, judging from the movement of the tattoo engraved on his face, it was certain that a change had occurred.

The man’s lips twitched and moved.

“I don’t know?”

“Really?”

The man smiled slyly.

“Then will you tell me, kid?”

He nodded and pointed to Halo’s guitar.

“It’s a song by a musician I respect so much, so you have to do well.”

“Who is it?”

“Uh…”

I guess he’s speechless because he doesn’t know.

The man realized that he had lost a verbal fight to a child who might be more than twenty years younger than him and changed the subject.

“Still, if you play well, I might see you again. I can teach you the guitar.”

Halo snorted lightly and took out his guitar.

The people who were watching the brave teenager with interest whistled.

“You’ll have to learn from me.”

Halo saw the man’s expression change strangely and picked up the guitar.

The same ‘Struggle’ is heard.

The same folk guitar, but there may be differences due to the quality of the guitar.

I was going to bring an electric guitar, but the acoustic version is not difficult.

Because it was his music.