The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 931

< Episode 93 The Greatest Value of the 21st Century >

“Noh Haeil?”

“It’s Noh Haeil.”

The murmur started with someone’s exclamation.

“It’s really Noh Haeil.”

“But why is Noh Haeil at Korea University?”

“More than that, does he know the professor?”

Seats were shuffling.

Half of them wished they weren’t in class.

If only Professor Noh Yoonhyun wasn’t here.

They would have rushed to the boy.

However, this was a summer semester major class, and Professor Noh Yoonhyun held their names and grades as excellent hostages.

Not elementary school students, the somewhat mature (?) 3rd and 4th graders didn’t try to challenge the professor’s authority.

However, their concentration had already scattered.

It wasn’t like some unknown celebrity had come; it was Noh Haeil!

Would it have been different if he had shown his face on this show and that show?

The overnight star who suddenly disappeared after causing a stir was interesting enough even for perverts who liked studying.

‘Come to think of it, Noh isn’t a common surname.’

Moreover, Noh Haeil and Professor Noh Yoonhyun seemed to know each other at a glance.

Whatever it was, it was more interesting than class.

“Everyone, quiet.”

The classroom fell silent at Professor Noh Yoonhyun’s words.

The professor, looking around at the students with a stern face, glared at the boy once and added, “You wait quietly too.”

The son, oblivious to his father’s feelings, smiled innocently and placed both arms on the desk.

Professor Noh Yoonhyun quickly proceeded with the class.

“In the Statistical Investigation of the Globular Cluster Luminosity Function, the luminosity of globular clusters in our galaxy is modeled as a Gaussian curve-”

As Professor Noh Yoonhyun relentlessly pushed forward, the gazes towards Noh Haeil naturally decreased.

He also shut their mouths about Noh Haeil.

However.

No matter how great and wonderful a lecture a professor gives, they can’t control the students’ hands.

The word about Noh Haeil had spread like wildfire on Korea University’s Everytime [an online forum for university students], the largest community for current students.

[Noh Haeil is in the College of Natural Sciences right now]

[Noh Haeil? That Noh Haeil we know? Why is he at Korea University? Is the rumor on Everytime real or just trolling]

[Noh Haeil is in our department?]

[Seeing as no one is verifying it, isn’t it obvious?]

└ Someone said they’re in class

[Is Noh Haeil a Korea University student?]

Special admission? Noh Haeil deserves it though

└ Noh Haeil isn’t even a high school graduate, he’s a middle school graduate, so there’s no way he’d be admitted to our school, but it would be nice if he came.

It was utter chaos.

[What are you talking about? Is Noh Haeil at school? Is it a festival today? Since no one comes anyway, did they decide to have the festival during vacation? Is the student council crazy?]

[No, so assuming Noh Haeil is at school, why would he go to the College of Natural Sciences, not the College of Music?]

[I’ll go check if it’s real or fake, but does anyone know where the College of Natural Sciences is?]

└ Are you a freshman? It’s across from the College of Humanities, between the Central Library and the College of Agriculture ㅇㅇ

└ Where’s the College of Agriculture?

Everytime is where you go when you don’t want to study, don’t want to write a cover letter, don’t want to listen to class, or just want to drop out.

Even though there weren’t many posts because it was vacation, the name Noh Haeil was enough to cause a stir.

And in classroom 207 of building 109, in the middle of class.

“Um…”

Haelo, who was staring blankly at a formula that was neither English nor math, tapping the desk rhythmically, turned his head.

A male student wearing glasses was timidly holding out a notebook to him.

“Can you sign this for me?”

Haelo acknowledged the existence of a male fan he hadn’t seen in front of the broadcasting station and nodded.

“What’s your name?”

“My girlfriend is a fan, so please write Eunji.”

“Ah, okay.”

So, a female fan.

Haelo nodded and wrote it the same way he had done for fans in front of the broadcasting station.

His signature was always the same.

A fluent signature and, like the first line of a letter, Dear [Name].

When he was active as Noh Haeil, he used Korean instead of Dear.

There were various meanings, but he initially wrote ‘Dear’ until he changed it at the request of a fan.

Smiling brightly, he handed over the notebook, and the male student whispered his thanks as he accepted it.

A fluent signature, and the phrase written below it.

-To my beloved Eunji.

‘Beloved… what?’

While the returning student was flustered, the class ended.

The professor, who had always filled the lecture time to the brim, not wasting a single minute, to ensure that the tuition was worth it for the students, unusually finished fifteen minutes early today.

The reason was obvious.

And before the rumor that Noh Haeil was in room 207 of building 109 could spread further, Professor Noh Yoonhyun took the boy out without taking questions.

#

“You said you weren’t interested in college, so what brings you to my class?”

“You left something at home.”

Haelo shook the document file in his hand.

Professor Noh Yoonhyun received it and nodded.

“You came all this way to give me this?”

“That too, and there’s something I want to look up.”

“At Korea University?”

“I’m thinking of applying to audit some classes.”

While Professor Noh Yoonhyun’s expression became subtle, Haelo opened his mouth.

“What kind of auditing?”

“Korean traditional music summer semester classes.”

Haelo showed him an article on his phone about [Korea University Korean Traditional Music Summer Special Lecture].

The father, who took the phone and read it, stopped walking.

“You’ve become interested in Korean traditional music?”

It was the same question his mother had asked.

Haelo shrugged and gave the same answer.

“I received a request to create music filled with ‘Han’ [a complex Korean emotion of sorrow, resentment, and longing].”

“Han…?”

In that instant, Noh Haeil, who had been diligently watching Korean documentaries from the 60s and 70s, flashed through Professor Noh Yoonhyun’s mind.

Could it be that his study of modern and contemporary history wasn’t for studying but to create music filled with ‘Han’?

Professor Noh Yoonhyun realized that he had completely misunderstood and unconsciously touched his forehead.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. So that’s why you’ve seemed so busy lately.”

“Well, I’ve been doing this and that.”

That’s true. Professor Noh Yoonhyun also knew his son’s other identity and acknowledged that he had no choice but to be busy.

Anyway-.

Professor Noh Yoonhyun turned his head sharply with a piercing gaze.

“By the way, how far are you guys going to follow us? Do you have any questions you need to ask right away?”

“Um, well, Professor…”

Several people who had been following Professor Noh Yoonhyun and the boy from a distance froze in place.

They stopped and rolled their eyes.

They were waiting for the right moment to speak, but since they had followed him all the way to Professor Noh Yoonhyun’s office, it was only natural that they would be called out.

Haelo lightly responded to their desperate eyes.

“I think they’re following me.”

At those words, his father clicked his tongue.

“Was today’s lecture too easy? If it was difficult, they would have gone to study. I should increase the difficulty a bit more.”

“No, that’s definitely not it, I’m sorry! Professor!”

The students shouted reflexively and bowed.

Even so, they showed no signs of leaving, so Professor Noh Yoonhyun looked at his son, who was also the cause of the problem.

“So why did you doze off and create this mess?”

“I’m telling you again, I didn’t doze off, Father.”

“You didn’t doze off. Go resolve this well. I’ll go inside first.”

Professor Noh Yoonhyun affectionately patted his son’s head and went into the office first.

‘Did you hear that? Did you hear that? He said Father.’

‘Is he really his father?’

‘No wonder they looked alike!’

‘I heard Noh Haeil’s father was a professor, but I didn’t know it was Professor Noh.’

The students, who had been communicating with their eyes, hurriedly took out their notebooks from their bags as soon as Professor Noh Yoonhyun went inside.

“Um, can we take a picture with you?”

“Yes, sure.”

Haelo slightly lowered his mask and made a V sign with a smile.

Click.

It goes without saying that the photo taken with the student wearing the Korea University jacket soon dominated all sorts of communities.

After finishing the impromptu autograph session, Haelo entered his father’s office and discovered books and astronomical drawings filling the wall. Books that made his head hurt just looking at them.

And colorful space photos.

“That’s what we learned today.”

The father said nonchalantly in the calm voice he used during class.

“Excuse me?”

“Did you not hear because you were sleeping?”

The father, who clicked his tongue, came to his side and pointed at the photo.

“Now, this giant disc is our galaxy, composed of stars and gas. The Stellar Halo surrounds the disc, and the Dark Halo occupies the wider blue region.”

Hmm, a very old memory comes to mind.

I think I saw a picture like this in a crumpled science textbook once.

Thinking about what that vast and beautiful world would be like, I took the cool name written below it as it was.

The name [HALO].

“You were looking at it like that even when you were young, so that’s why you liked this name.”

The father affectionately stroked the boy’s head.

Thinking that he might not be able to stroke it like this in a little while.

“Haeil, about that Korean traditional music you mentioned.”

“Yes.”

“I just looked it up, and it seems like the application for auditing is already closed.”

“Is that so?”

It’s already been quite a while since July started.

The lectures had already started, and the application period had naturally passed.

Still… Professor Noh Yoonhyun looked at the computer again.

“So, do you have any plans today?”

“No. Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

Professor Noh Yoonhyun scrolled down and quietly watched the Korean traditional music department’s schedule.

There was a Korean traditional music summer seminar scheduled for the concert hall today.

A regular Korean traditional music performance by Korean traditional music students.

It was unusual to hold a special lecture in the concert hall unless it was a graduation recital.

Gayageum, geomungo, haegeum, daegeum, piri, ajaeng, etc. The names of Korean traditional instruments were written below the performance poster. Such student seminars were usually open to anyone to watch the performance.

“You’ve never seen a Korean traditional music performance before, have you? There’s a seminar by Korean traditional music students today, how about listening to it?”

Haelo, who had been listening quietly, nodded.

Korean traditional music performance. Other than the live pansori [Korean narrative song] performances uploaded on YouTube, he had never seen one, so he thought it would be a good stimulus.

At that moment.

He heard the sound of someone rushing down the hallway.

Followed by knocking on the door.

“Oh dear.”

Professor Noh Yoonhyun sighed deeply and touched his forehead, approaching the door with a stern expression. He wondered if the rumors had already spread this far and students had gathered.

Rather than causing a commotion in the quiet office by letting them in, the professor abruptly opened the door himself.

Just as he was about to say something.

Professor Noh was taken aback by the unexpected faces.

“Why are you guys here?”

“Oh, Professor Noh! We, um, didn’t seem to have greeted you today.”

“What do you mean, what greeting? We greeted each other this morning.”

“Well, is there a law that says if you greet someone in the morning, you can’t greet them in the afternoon? Good afternoon! I know you don’t have class, can we come inside?”

Not students, but fellow professors were gathered with sly faces. The reason they had left their research and gathered here was-.

One professor craned his neck and waved his hand after discovering the blond boy.

Ugh. These people.

Professor Noh Yoonhyun twitched his eyebrows.

They were all maintaining a polite attitude, but in reality, they seemed no different from students who had come to see a celebrity.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think that will work.”

“Why?!”

One professor became serious at Professor Noh Yoonhyun’s words.

Then, realizing that he had overreacted, he cleared his throat.

“I have somewhere to go.”

Professor Noh Yoonhyun checked the watch on his wrist and gestured to the boy sitting inside, drinking a beverage.

“Oh, where are you going? So suddenly, as soon as we came?”

“Concert Hall.”

Professor Noh Yoonhyun was about to leave, but he asked out of courtesy.

“Well, are you guys coming too?”

#

[The Korean traditional music seminar will begin shortly. Audience members seated in the audience-]

“Hehe, I’m quite the Korean traditional music enthusiast.”

“What do you mean, Korean traditional music enthusiast? You’re more like a Korean traditional music chin enthusiast [referring to someone who only knows the surface level].”

“What? What’s wrong with my chin? And if you make jokes like that these days, the kids will laugh at you.”

The sight of middle-aged professors sitting side by side in the concert hall audience was quite unique, but the lights dimmed and soon concealed their appearance.

Professor Noh Yoonhyun shook his head, looking at the professors who had actually followed him.

They were all said to be geniuses, but there was no match for curiosity.

The professors, who had been grumbling for a while, closed their mouths when they heard the sound of instruments.

Since they couldn’t talk to Noh Haeil right now, they wanted to politely watch the Korean traditional music performance and then talk to him.

The performance soon began.

As with all performances, performers wearing matching outfits came out and tuned their instruments.

Haelo watched the tuning with interest. He liked this time of tuning the instruments.

Not only was he looking forward to the performance, but he could also hear the sound condition of the instruments as it was.

Besides, most of them were unfamiliar sessions to him.

Around that time, a broadcast announcement was heard.

Before the performance began, they gently explained the interpretation of the performance.

It might sound like a boring museum curator’s explanation to some, but it reached Haelo, who was unfamiliar with Korean traditional music, in a friendly way.

And soon the lights fell on the stage.

‘It’s definitely different.’

The feeling is different from violin or flute.

The haegeum [a traditional Korean string instrument, similar to a fiddle], which was introduced as a stringed instrument, didn’t sound like a violin but gave off a heavy, raw sound.

An unrefined wail.

The performance, which started with Arirang [a famous Korean folk song], sounded sorrowful even to those who didn’t know the background.

Haelo listened intently and thought again about music filled with ‘Han’.

‘Can I create a sad sound like this with the haegeum?’

Since rock bands don’t use the haegeum, Haelo tried to implement the sadness of the haegeum with the sound of an electric guitar.

The song of pain coming from Jungwoo, who lost his beloved friends and family and was being beaten. Originally, such desperate music also comes out in traditional plays.

Haelo wondered if this was right and began to compose a melody.

At that time.

The atmosphere of the performance changed.

The instruments that had been sobbing while explaining the sad history suddenly changed.

The composition of the instruments didn’t change.

But their melodies changed.

Haelo slowly leaned his body forward.

A faster tempo.

A major key melody instead of a minor key.

Clearly, the story told on the broadcast was sad and desperate, but a joyful and exciting sound ran.

Continuing the pansori that a blind man, who is blind and may die soon in the story, sings cheerfully.

Dancing and not caring about the criticism of those around him.

Continuing his song.

The darker the situation becomes, the brighter and more comical it becomes.

It was ironic, but the more he talked about the beauty of the world, the more exciting the melody became, the more something tingled.

It felt like the vibration of the gong was being transmitted.

Haelo felt the vibration with both hands.

The blind man’s dance doesn’t stop until his breath reaches it.

The narration hit him, who was mesmerized by the scene in front of him.

[In addition, I would like to talk about ‘Heung’ [a Korean concept of joy, excitement, and exuberance], which is mentioned as a pair with Han. People say that Koreans are a nation of Han, but at the same time, they say that they are a nation of Heung.]

[In fact, some people say that ‘Heung’ is more suitable for our country’s emotions than ‘Han’.]

[I don’t know which theory is correct. However, we often say this.]

[Heung is an emotion that comes from mental pain that can be overcome to some extent, and Han is an emotion that comes from pain that is too overwhelming or cannot be overcome-.]

Haelo thought of the protagonist of the musical.

The desperation of the protagonist who loses everything and sings rock alone. Is the freedom he longs for really coming from overwhelming and insurmountable pain?

In his head, documentaries from the 60s and 70s were playing.

The story of the youth movement against the military regime passed by, and in the end, the young people achieved the value you wanted.

‘It’s not overwhelming and insurmountable pain.’

Haelo hit his knee with his fist.

What he has to express is not the sadness that comes from despair. Rather-.

“Father.”

He jumped up from his seat.

Watching the performance that was almost over, his legs and arms moved anxiously.

“I’ll go first.”

Inspiration had come.

The most exciting melody that Jungwoo would sing was being heard all over the world.

“Now? So suddenly?”

“Yes. I’ll be going.”

“Haeil.”

Professor Noh Yoonhyun blinked.

His son seemed to be already lost in something.

His son hurriedly put on his mask, whether he was putting it on his ears or putting it in, and greeted him.

Then he ran out of the concert hall without saying a word.

Professor Noh Yoonhyun, who had been watching his back until his son was out of sight, turned his body back around.

“…That guy.”

Professor Noh Yoonhyun chuckled while watching the Korean traditional music performance.

He couldn’t not know where that urgency came from.

Even though he didn’t pick up the guitar, he was already moving his hands as if he was playing the guitar.

“He got the answer.”

Professor Noh Yoonhyun leaned back deeply into his seat.

Without his help, without a university or any institution, his son knew how to win the answer on his own.

“A commendable fellow.”

A satisfied smile hung on Professor Noh Yoonhyun’s lips.

#

And this is a story from long after the performance ended.

The concert hall was crowded with people who had gone to see Noh Haeil at the College of Natural Sciences and belatedly heard that he was at the concert hall.

“Where’s Noh Haeil?”

“I don’t see Noh Haeil? Did he already leave?”

“I came to school to see Haeil.”

The professors, who were grumbling after hearing that Noh Haeil had left while they were passed out, shook their heads at the crowd of students.

If they had come out of the performance normally, they might have been swept away by a crowd like Haeundae [a famous beach in Busan] in the summer.

Is Haeil that popular?

The professors forgot that they were also curious and went to find him.

The students glanced at the professors.

Noh Haeil’s father was among them.

Students who were not in the Department of Astronomy could not determine Noh Haeil’s father among the three or four professors.

Of course, students in the Department of Astronomy did recognize Professor Noh Yoonhyun. However, they also did not talk to the professor in a place where Noh Haeil was not present.

Professor Noh Yoonhyun’s expression was scary, so no one dared to say, ‘Professor, are you Noh Haeil’s father?’

At that moment.

Someone ran out of the crowd.

A male student with a white short-sleeved shirt soaked in sweat came out and breathed out. It seemed like he had run all the way here.

“Respected Professor!”

The student council president, who came out of the crowd, looked around for Noh Haeil, and recognizing that he was not there, looked up at the professors.

“I have always admired the professor, and I am Lee Jonghyun, the student council president who desperately wanted to take Professor Noh’s class!”

The student council president, who spat out the words like a bullet, looked for Professor Noh with a sense of tact. It seemed like he was Professor Noh, who was receiving the attention of the other professors.

The student council president bowed as if greeting and quickly organized his words.

A jackpot was exploding in his head.

He had to organize it one more time to avoid stuttering.

No, wow, he was a professor at our university!

The student council president didn’t really like the words school ties and regional ties, but he decided to love those words as much as today.

“May I dare to make a suggestion for the boundless development and glory of Korea University?”

School ties! Regional ties! And blood ties!

You are the greatest value of the 21st century!