The Road to Glory

Halo brought in the last package.Then he looked at the messy pile of delivery boxes scattered near the sofa.From fruit baskets to fruit juices and extracts, various supplements, exercise equipment like dumbbells, wet wipes, bottled water, and other daily necessities.These were sent by his acquaintances when he informed them that he had been asleep for two days and couldn’t contact them.He got scolded over the phone for a while and lectured on how important it was for a singer to take care of their body.He didn’t expect them to send things like this.“I’m not even sick.”It wasn’t like he had a major illness or the flu, he just slept soundly, but gifts arrived as if he had been hospitalized.Halo grumbled unnecessarily.However, on the contrary, he gently unwrapped the gifts and placed the letters on the glass table.The corners of his mouth were slightly raised.“Ugh.”After finishing tidying up roughly, he stretched.There was a cracking sound as he stretched out long.Then he felt like his fingers had grown longer than usual.His line of sight seemed a bit higher too.His hair also seemed to have gotten a bit shaggy.Since there was no height measuring device in his workroom, he couldn’t tell if he had really gotten taller.But he could check if his fingers had gotten longer.Halo immediately picked up his guitar.He plucked the strings and checked the position of his fingertips.They had definitely gotten longer.He was satisfied.Although it probably wouldn’t grow exactly like his original body, it was growing smoothly.Halo then started playing the electric guitar.HALO’s 6th album to be released before the end of May.As he played the melody of the already completed song, he became lost in thought.About the new song he was currently making.It wasn’t originally in the immediate plans, but he had recently been inspired.Halo recalled the audience seats dyed with colorful light sticks, the stage they had all created together.The cluster of stars created by the gathering of red, purple, pink, blue, and white lights.Though he knew it was just a shabby mass of electricity, at that moment it looked like the Milky Way in the night sky.Like the Milky Way guiding a lost fisherman at sea back home,It was the Milky Way showing him the path he should take.“The dark night sky”He was already humming and strumming the guitar without realizing it.The sound of the electric guitar gives a tingle.“Stretched out long…”He continued singing, occasionally pausing his hands.“The voyage of stars.”It would be nice if the heavy sound of the bass came in here.Halo, who was imagining the session composition, stopped playing.And at some point, he suddenly stood up from his seat.:“The weather is nice.”Although it was the season when cherry blossoms had all fallen, Halo strolled through the streets of Hongdae with a refreshed face.People clearly like stories from distant worlds but have no interest in the world right in front of their noses.Dressed as he usually did, with just a cap and mask on, people didn’t recognize Halo at all.Well, maybe it’s because Roh Haeil’s appearance is ordinary.If his hair had been silver, it would have stood out, but now it was back to black after cutting off all the damaged parts.In jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, and with the old acoustic guitar he always carried, he became just an ordinary student.This would have been completely impossible with his previous appearance, so Halo felt a strange feeling while also enjoying the freedom.There was no special reason for coming to Hongdae.The possibility was low to expect to accidentally meet session musicians while wandering the streets.He just came out for a change of mood.If he happened to meet a good person, that would be even better.If there was one thing disappointing, it was that he couldn’t drink heavily because he was a minor.Day drinking is the best.Halo clicked his tongue and headed towards the busking zone.One thing.If there was something Halo wasn’t aware of,It was that no matter how individualistic Korea is, and how many people walk around with their noses buried in their phones, there are certainly people with keen eyes.Even if he covered his nose and mouth with a mask, his eyes were clearly visible, and there weren’t many unemployed people walking around with a large guitar from the daytime – and on a weekday in May at that!Also, isn’t Roh Haeil currently the hottest topic?“Uh…”Two female college students, who were wandering around Hongdae to enjoy a break before the upcoming exam period, glanced at Halo.“Isn’t that him?”“It does look like him. But realistically, would he be walking around outside like this?”Whispering voices. And he feels intense gazes.Halo turned his head towards the gazes and soon met two pairs of fervent eyes.“I think it really is him.”“Excuse-“The college girls tried to approach and ask him since they had made eye contact.That’s when it happened.“!”The boy’s eyes curved gently.He had never thought he was particularly handsome, but when his eyes curved prettily, the two college girls stopped speaking.His mouth corners were probably raised under the mask.He didn’t speak, but raised his index finger over his mask.The two college girls nodded repeatedly without thinking anything. As if entranced.The boy nodded at them as if to say “well done” and said as he passed by them:“Thank you.”His youthful voice pierced their ears.Ticklish, just like his music.The boy with the guitar gracefully walked away.The college girls stared at his back with blank faces, only snapping back to their senses when he was obscured by the crowd.“What was that just now?”They couldn’t believe their own actions just now.Why they had followed that signal from the boy.Roh Haeil was even younger than them, wasn’t he?They had heard he was a high school student.But one thing was clear.They had been captivated by that mature and skillful gesture.The college girls looked at each other.One was touching her ticklish ear.It was somewhat embarrassing, but they didn’t feel bad.They just thought blankly.The whispering voice in their ear was really nice.And he seemed to have gotten a bit taller.#“Hello.”“Could it be Haeil?”The hyungs brightened up as soon as they saw him.Kim Deoksoo put down the comic book he was reading as usual, and Bae Gonghak who was watching TV approached him. Han Jinyeong was not visible.“Jinsoo’s not here.”That was an obvious statement.Jang Jinsoo would be at school.He might have been late to school often, but he’s never seen him miss it.Ah, except for filming times.“If you had come yesterday, you could have seen him. What a shame. Haeil, it’s been a while since you’ve seen Jinsoo, right?”“Yes.”He didn’t come even when he moved to the studio.The last time he saw Jang Jinsoo was probably during the joint busking with Gillaon.“You’ll be surprised when you see him.”“Why?”Did he shave his head and enter a temple or something?Other than that, there was no reason to be surprised.“Jinsoo has become a model student. He studies hard. Yesterday too, he solved math workbooks for a long time before going home.”“!”There it was.Jang Jinsoo studying. And-.‘He solved math workbooks before going home?’Halo asked with his eyes wide open.“Why is he suddenly studying?”“He says he’s going to university.”“…Did Jang Jinsoo give up on music?”“He’s trying to go so that he doesn’t give up.”It was hard to understand.He thought there was no need to go to university to do music.The whole world is teaching music.Halo was about to ask for the reason when his phone rang with a buzz.The caller ID said PD Jang.After briefly checking the content, Halo looked up.Suddenly he realized that someone else who should be here was missing.“Where’s Jinyeong?”He thought he usually doesn’t work at this time.Halo looked around.The drums and synthesizer were in their usual places as always.With a hazy layer of dust. But one thing that had changed was that the basses that were next to them had disappeared.He knew he had started playing bass again.He wondered if he was trying to apply to university like Jang Jinsoo.“Jinyeong has been busy lately too.”“?”“You’ll be surprised when you see him.”Now what is it this time?Bae Gonghak didn’t answer and just smiled freshly.#Someone once said that variety shows never end with applause.In reality, variety shows are structured in a way that makes it hard to leave when applause is given.They would be canceled when ratings and buzz dropped, and extended in the opposite case.So ‘2030 Festival-Rendezvous’ became a very exceptional broadcast.Rendezvous, which had been a great success, completely ended with a 28% viewership rating in the last episode covering the ‘special performance’. It concluded to a standing ovation.Also, all the participants in Rendezvous became beneficiaries.Not only broadcast appearances, but also advertisements, corporate collaborations, etc. boosted their popularity,And the music from Rendezvous ranked high on the charts.As it ended successfully, the variety department supported an end-of-season party like the drama department would do.Of course, that support also had the purpose of gauging interest for season 2.Although they hadn’t signed the contract yet, season 2 of Rendezvous was certain.“I hear you’re doing season 2. Congratulations.”“Has the rumor already spread?”“Well, it was quite famous.”After a simple end-of-season party, the singers gathered again.They originally planned to go to a bar, but due to the presence of minors, they rented out a cozy live cafe that serves beer.Popping open the non-alcoholic champagne someone brought, they first congratulated the boy.“To Haeil who has become a superstar!”“Please take care of us in the future, Mr. Superstar.”“Heheh, don’t forget about us.”“If you ask for a featuring, I’ll accept without hesitation.”It seemed more like teasing than congratulations.And the carbonated drink and honey bread placed in front of him.It was definitely teasing.Halo’s expression soured.To these people, he must look like a seven-year-old rather than a seventeen-year-old.‘Still, it tastes good.’He dipped the honey bread they ordered for him in cream and put it in his mouth with a sullen face.“What, you’ve already recruited participants for season 2?”“Have you already forgotten about us, PD Jang? Who did you recruit?”“Forget? How could I forget about you all? If you were to mention appearing in the first episode-““Ahem.”At those words, everyone averted their gazes.PD Jang grinned at their obvious gaze avoidance.Refuse all you want.Ever since Rendezvous succeeded, he was happy no matter what he did.“But who is there to bring in?”“Yeah.”Seeing how happy he looks, he must have caught a big fish, but no one came to mind.Since Shin and Lee from ShinNaParkLee appeared, what’s left is-.“NaParkKimJi is left. Hehe.”“Ah.”“Those two must have schedules?”One went to the military and one went abroad.PD Jang didn’t drag it out and answered straightforwardly.“This time, I’m thinking of inviting more diverse people.”‘Diverse.’ At those words, the others’ eyes lit up.That implied he would bring in non-singers.For example, actors, broadcasters, voice actors, etc.“So who have you already secured? There’s only us here, can’t you tell us in advance? We’ll keep it a secret.”At that question, PD Jang looked at the boy with a meaningful smile.When Roh Haeil, who met his gaze head-on, tilted his head, the eyes of those who noticed one by one gleamed.“Our PD Jang has gotten a taste for making stars. But isn’t it hard to find someone like Haeil?”“That’s true.”PD Jang easily agreed.He never imagined that the card he had put in for Hwang Ryongpil would truly become a joker card.If he were to pick the success factors of his show, that boy would certainly occupy a major axis.Some say that boy gained the most benefit from the show.Well, that’s not wrong.But while the show may not know, PD Jang thought he had received more benefits.Honestly, the boy would have succeeded even if he appeared on another program.Like creating a new star and taking the program to the top, PD Jang had a similar dream this time too. However, gambling is difficult. The boy had caught the big fish Hwang Ryongpil, but how could he find a gem among stones?So what PD Jang came up with was an elite who was not well known to the public but whose future would be brilliant.It was a child he brought in with great difficulty.For those who were curious, PD Jang dropped one hint.“It may be difficult to find someone like Haeil as a singer, but that friend is good at singing and good at other things too.”Time passed.Before going home, Halo wanted to ask Sin Joohyeok, Liv, or Hwang Ryongpil about session musicians.Even if he didn’t have high expectations, it wasn’t difficult to ask.It wouldn’t be bad to get introductions like how he formed his first band.If it didn’t work out, they could disband then.“Teacher, do you have a moment?”However, these were not his words.Sin Joohyeok said this as he caught Hwang Ryongpil, who was about to go out with the smokers.Hwang Ryongpil gestured to the others to go ahead first and sat down.“What do you want to say?”“Teacher, could you perhaps introduce me to some session musicians?”Halo stopped poking at his honey bread at those words.His ears perked up at the mention of session musicians.“Why do you need session musicians?”“Well, it’ll be in the news briefly soon. The bassist is about to quit.”“Suddenly?”“We weren’t really getting along well, so I was just thinking about it, but it turned out that way.”Halo recalled the bassist who made a mistake during the MT.If he didn’t have another bassist, he must be talking about him.His skills were certainly lacking.Judging by the reaction, it was clear he was fired due to skill issues rather than friction.“Well, I could introduce you to some.”“Thank you, teacher.”“But what I find curious is-. Don’t you know a lot of people too? You don’t really need my introductions, do you?”“Well, they’re not satisfactory.”“Is that all?”“…”“It seems you have someone in mind. Then why don’t you suggest it to that person? It’s Sin Joohyeok’s band, they wouldn’t refuse, would they?”“I’m not sure.”It was an ambiguous attitude unlike Sin Joohyeok.“Is it someone who quit?”“…I haven’t contacted them in a long time, so I don’t know what they’re doing. Maybe they’ve quit playing bass. It was quite a while ago. About ten years. Around that time.”Halo doesn’t know who it is, but the word bassist caught his ear.“You still remember someone from that long ago?”“They were the most talented bassist I’ve ever known. Maybe as much as me. In fact, they were better at guitar and could handle the bass well too.”“If they’re that good, why don’t you try asking them?”“They… probably won’t do it.”It was clear there was some reason.Halo swallowed a tangerine slice and joined the conversation.“Who is it?”Sin Joohyeok smiles faintly.“Just someone… A friend I was in a band with a long time ago.”If it’s a friend he was in a band with long ago, they must have experience.Halo was curious. He wondered how skilled they are.“Well, should I introduce you? They might not want to do it with me, but it might be different with someone else.”Halo’s eyes lit up, and Sin Joohyeok raised the corner of his mouth as if he knew everything.“You need session musicians too, don’t you? It’s about time you’d want them.”“…”Halo, who had paused for a moment, chuckled and replied.“I’ve been wanting it all along.”Hi everyone, I've fully translated this series. If you love the series and wanted to binge read until the end, you can go to my Patreon "Shop" page. Instead of buying the advanced chapters one by one, you can buy them in one bulk (with discounted price too)!