The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 471

# 47. Turning the Repeat Sign into a Period

“Student? So, you must be Mr. Waver?”

It seemed someone familiar with Noh Hae-il’s YouTube channel would recognize him by that name. Hae-il greeted him nonchalantly.

“I’m Noh Hae-il.”

“Ah! Noh Hae-il… so ‘wave’ with an ‘r’!”

The man in the hat nodded, as if struck by a sudden realization.

“I’m Lee Jong-seop, the assistant director (AD) from the [From Today, We] music production team. I’m here to discuss the contract and the original soundtrack (OST). First, shall we head to the studio?”

“Yes.”

Hae-il simply nodded.

“…?”

Lee Jong-seop AD was taken aback by his attitude.

In the video, Hae-il looked like a typical middle or high school student. Lee Jong-seop was prepared to be understanding if the student, likely inexperienced in social situations, seemed a bit flustered.

He intended to be patient and accommodating, like a responsible adult.

But somehow, Hae-il’s demeanor and expression didn’t match those of a rookie or an aspiring artist. It was as if he’d been navigating the entertainment industry for a decade.

‘Well, it’s been a while since he uploaded that YouTube video. He might have been busy with other things in the meantime.’

Lee Jong-seop knew that young people these days were incredibly driven. Even outside the entertainment world, Hae-il might have gained similar experience through contests or competitive arts high school entrance exams.

“First of all, we can’t guarantee that Noh Hae-il’s recording will definitely be used.”

As soon as they arrived at the studio, after signing the contract Lee Jong-seop AD had prepared – they agreed to have Hae-il’s mother sign a consent form after she parked – he explained the OST and the drama’s production environment.

“You’ve probably heard about the live-script system [a system where scripts are written and revised very close to the filming date], and we’ll have to assess things after filming. It’s possible that Noh Hae-il’s vocals might not perfectly match the character’s theme. Do you understand what I mean?”

He didn’t mind the live-script system explanation, but the latter part sounded like, ‘We won’t include you if you can’t sing well.’

‘Interesting.’

Hae-il’s lips curved upward.

“Yes.”

Lee Jong-seop AD studied Hae-il.

It was an answer that implied, ‘There’s no way that could happen.’

Lee Jong-seop AD wondered if all young people these days possessed such unwavering confidence.

‘Well, it’s better than lacking confidence.’

What was there to dislike if he was truly talented?

Lee Jong-seop AD asked the engineer to prepare and was about to leave.

He wanted to see just how good this kid was, the one who had captivated the music director and the general director.

‘Should I watch for a bit?’

Hae-il quickly scanned the script.

The genre was romance. The story revolved around a former delinquent who becomes a teacher and mentors students similar to his past self.

Initially, the protagonist focuses solely on his assigned tasks, but he gradually becomes dedicated to teaching the students. The students, in turn, overcome their personal struggles and develop trust in the protagonist, creating a story of mutual growth.

The song assigned to Hae-il was described as ‘Hui-tae’s’ theme song.

‘I’ve never really done anything like this before.’

He had received acting offers, but he hadn’t pursued them. He preferred focusing on himself and pursuing his own interests rather than embodying someone else.

‘A model student, huh.’

Hui-tae, who presents a quiet and exemplary student image, seemed to resemble Noh Hae-il – that is to say, he had a personality completely opposite to him.

Was the person who recommended him after watching the [Confession] video seeing this meekness in that video? If so, it seemed like they misinterpreted it.

In any case, Hae-il decided to try to understand the story of the character he had to sing about.

That’s it. Why is this kid a model student?

What is he living for?

For his parents? Simply because he enjoys studying?

The script lacked any particularly revealing content.

It was difficult to grasp the character due to the live-script system, and only the second episode was available.

So, Hae-il set the script aside and examined the sheet music. Music often contains hidden information, just as he eventually understood Noh Hae-il’s [Confession] through its melody.

The melody flowed calmly and monotonously.

It was a song about everyday life. However, what hinted at something deeper was the subtle melancholy concealed beneath the calm melody.

‘Found it.’

Hae-il’s lips curved upward.

Wasn’t melancholy the very emotion he explored in his third album?

It was a theme he could execute flawlessly.

“I’ll start recording.”

The engineer’s voice echoed through the headphones.

Hae-il closed his eyes, listening to the instrumental (MR).

As always, memorizing the song was effortless.

Once he heard it, it was stored in his memory, ready to be recalled at any moment.

[I close my eyes again like that]

The moment he uttered the first word.

He found himself on a playground bathed in the setting sun.

[Melting in the rising sunlight]

Before he knew it, he was on a swing, feeling the wind beneath a bridge. What does it feel like to swing on a playground with no one around?

He immersed himself in Hui-tae’s story.

It wouldn’t be a long journey.

“Wow…”

The song had a running time of approximately 2 minutes.

It was a theme for a supporting character, so the song wasn’t lengthy, and the repeat sign at the end created an infinite loop of the melody.

When Hae-il began the first verse,

Lee Jong-seop stared at Hae-il, utterly captivated.

What could he even say?

It felt as if Hui-tae had stepped out of the script and was singing. The character in the text was alive and breathing.

Lee Jong-seop, who had secretly hoped for an established singer when suggesting a rookie, was no longer disappointed.

Because he couldn’t imagine anyone else embodying Hui-tae.

This *was* Hui-tae.

‘Ah, what did I say earlier?’

Lee Jong-seop suddenly recalled his earlier words to the boy.

-Noh Hae-il’s vocals might not perfectly match the character’s theme. Do you understand what I mean?

If it doesn’t fit…

If it doesn’t fit…

His foolish words echoed in his mind.

If this didn’t fit, what would? If he could travel back in time, he would cover his own mouth and insist on listening first.

Embarrassment. Followed by astonishment.

‘Where on earth did this kid come from?’

If there were talents like this everywhere, the music production team wouldn’t have to struggle so much.

When their eyes met, Lee Jong-seop flinched as if his thoughts had been exposed. The child, unusually composed for his age, was looking at him.

It was as if he was asking, ‘How about it? Still not good enough?’

Lee Jong-seop swallowed hard and approached the window frame, clasping his hands together. He had no other way to express his emotions.

‘With this level of talent, there’s no way that kind of atmosphere can be hidden.’

Noh Hae-il wasn’t particularly handsome.

When he entered the cafe, Lee Jong-seop thought his silver hair was striking, but that was about it.

But when he sang, Lee Jong-seop understood the meaning of the expression ‘eyes are drawn to him’.

From the relaxed child, even Hui-tae’s weariness flowed. It was like an adult wearing a child’s mask.

Was this what the music director and PD (production director) saw in the child? Lee Jong-seop felt a sense of awe.

“Wow, well, there’s really nothing to coach him on.”

The engineer chuckled helplessly and leaned back in his chair.

“Why did you even call me? You could just record it with your phone and do a rough edit.”

“No, how could you record it with your phone?”

Lee Jun-seop replied, dazed.

The engineer continued to express his lingering amazement.

“What can I say? It feels like I’ve been grabbed by the collar and dragged into the drama. Where did you find him?”

“Hahaha, well, we got lucky.”

They exchanged small talk and basked in the afterglow of the performance.

Then they realized that the child hadn’t left the recording room for five minutes.

“But why isn’t he coming out?”

“I know, is he tired?”

#

Hae-il stared intently at the sheet music.

The people outside the recording room were gesturing for him to come out, their faces beaming.

They seemed satisfied with his recording.

The instrumental had already stopped. Again, it was a short song of about 2 minutes, so the recording couldn’t have taken long.

‘It’s definitely over, but…’

What was this feeling?

It felt like something was incomplete.

Why was there a repeat sign anyway?

It had bothered him from the moment he saw the sheet music.

It felt like a Part 2 should be here instead of a repeat sign. They wouldn’t have given him an unfinished song, would they?

Strangely, Hui-tae’s story seemed to be cut short.

“…”

Hae-il recalled his conversation with Lee Jun-seop AD.

He had said that the purpose of the OST was not to showcase the singer’s talent, but to be a musical device that enhanced the drama’s emotional impact.

He shouldn’t overshadow the drama itself.

They were already satisfied, and he had fulfilled all their requests.

From now on, it was his own ambition.

Ambition. The corners of Hae-il’s lips lifted.

He had always lived driven by his ambitions.

There was no reason to be restrained now.

“It’s not over yet.”

He couldn’t help it if he was being selfish.

Hae-il ruffled his hair and lowered his headphones around his neck. He tapped the microphone as he pleased.

‘What is it?’

Someone was mouthing something from beyond the recording room.

Hae-il smiled brightly.

And he mentally erased the repeat sign on the sheet music. He shouldn’t tamper with other people’s songs, but he didn’t seem to be compatible with other people’s songs.

One two three four.

Hui-tae’s melody began.

A faster tempo than before.

He didn’t know what the future held for this story, but how could a person be trapped in an infinite cycle like a hamster?

Hui-tae’s story shouldn’t end like this.

Perhaps someone desired to break free from the endlessly repeating darkness. Was that role meant for the teacher, the drama’s protagonist, or for himself?

‘That’s what the drama will resolve.’

In any case, what Hae-il did was transform the infinite into the finite. He changed the repeat sign into a second verse and a period.

Hae-il sang someone else’s story with intense focus for the first time.

And…

“What are you doing instead of recording?”

“Director, you’re here? I already finished the recording.”

“! Then what are you doing now?”

“I’m just singing, should I stop?”

“No, Jun-seop. Just wait a minute.”

He didn’t even realize that the music director, who had arrived unnoticed, was staring at him intently.

#

The music director of the [From Today, We] production team couldn’t focus on Gil Ra-on’s recording. He sang well, but the sound didn’t resonate like ASMR [Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, a tingling sensation some people experience in response to certain sounds or visuals] and felt scattered.

In truth, he knew why he couldn’t concentrate.

It wasn’t that Gil Ra-on was a bad singer, but he was more intrigued by the song of the other boy in the same studio.

“How’s that side going?”

“I just heard that the recording is in progress, should I go check?”

“…It’s okay. This side is almost finished, I should go and check too.”

The music director stood up, as if compelled.

He nodded to Gil Ra-on and left the studio. He practically ran to the other studio.

He carefully opened the door, his eyes widening at the sound that poured out.

Hui-tae’s song echoed.

It was no longer just a song of a depressed model student, but a desperate plea from a child yearning to escape an endless world.

“Jun-seop, just wait a minute.”

The music director didn’t want to disrupt that world.

The music, which recognized something within Hui-tae but left it undefined due to uncertainty, was now being filled in.

The child hadn’t fully completed the lyrics, so he was filling in the gaps with humming. But it was already perfect.

What the music director had recognized in the child from the [Confession] video wasn’t just exceptional vocal talent.

He believed that the melancholy conveyed through the camera, along with the desperate desire within it, resonated perfectly with Hui-tae.

Of course, the composition of the self-composed song was impressive as well.

He wanted to keep him close and discover the full extent of the child’s abilities. He felt like he had received an unexpected gift.

“But he’s a bit arrogant? He’s tampering with the director’s song as he pleases.”

Lee Jun-seop was annoyed, viewing it as a challenge to the original composer’s authority.

“Jun-seop.”

The music director called out to him.

“Yes.”

“If Michael Jackson came and asked you to change your song, what would you do?”

“If Jackson told me to change it, I’d have to change it. It’s Jackson.”

What musician in the world could ignore Jackson’s advice?

“No, but do you think that kid is Michael Jackson? He sings well, but Jackson is a bit much. Isn’t that an overstatement?”

“What’s the difference?”

“Jackson is a genius, and he is…”

Lee Jun-seop couldn’t argue, having witnessed the performance.

“What do you think, Director?”

You see as much as you understand.

Lee Jun-seop asked for the director’s opinion, just in case.

The director answered plainly.

“I don’t know. Only posterity will know whether he’s a genius or just a musician who will fade away in this era.”

“Well, that’s true.”

That wasn’t the answer he was hoping for.

Then, the director called out again.

“Jun-seop.”

“Yes, Director.”

“But Jun-seop, what if I want to nurture him, whether he’s Jackson or Mozart?”

“Yes?”

Lee Jun-seop was so surprised he spat out saliva.

That’s because music director Park Jung-ho had never taken on a disciple before.

“Well, I have to finish all the work first and think about it. I’m not saying I’m going to do it right away.”

“Yes…”

“But Jun-seop, upload that song to PD too.”

“Yes?”

Lee Jun-seop was surprised in a different way this time.

His eyes darted towards the boy.

“The PD will really hate it. The PD really hates it when top stars improvise. Director, didn’t you like him?”

If he said he sang the song as he pleased, the PD would be furious because of his personality. The music director shrugged.

Lee Jun-seop couldn’t understand the music director’s intentions.

“Was the recording good?”

“Yes, the recording is going well.”

“When it’s all over, renew the contract too.”

“…He’s a high school student, aren’t you going too far?”

“You were the one who was angry until just now.”

“That’s true, but.”

The director turned and smiled.

He liked that kid very much, and he was very much looking forward to how Kang PD, a long-time colleague and senior, would react.