The Road to Glory

“It’s a new semester now.”March.Along with spring, new calendars and new classes begin.Park Seungah, a parent, gazed wistfully at the students going to school in uniforms.She had forgotten, but originally around this time her son would have been going to high school like those kids.Now she no longer felt the need to send Haeil to school like them.It seemed she had completely let go of that attachment.He was doing exceptionally well on his own and achieving outstanding results.Though not much time had passed by the calendar, it felt like quite a long time.“Oh, who’s this? Haeil’s mom?”Park Seungah turned her head.A familiar face came into view.It was Chansoo’s mother, who had first shown her Haeil’s busking video. And behind her, Chansoo was also there in his school uniform.He must have failed the specialized high school and gotten into a regular one, as Chansoo’s mother was holding a car key, likely to drive him.“Chansoo’s mom, you’ve been well? And Chansoo too.”“Hello.”Chansoo’s mother and Chansoo both looked around.They were clearly looking for Haeil.“Did Haeil go to school?”“No.”“Then?”Before she could answer, Chansoo’s mother exaggeratedly exclaimed “Ah! Right.”“There was a rumor that Haeil didn’t even apply for high school, is that really true?”“Who said that?”“Other moms were all… No, did you really not send him to high school? Even if he appears on broadcasts, this is too much. Can you really be a middle school dropout?”Park Seungah definitely saw her laugh as she passed by.Park Seungah laughed along and asked,“Why not?”“Well, obviously you have to at least graduate high school…”“And?”“And go to college. You’re not going to send him?”“Does he have to go?”“Huh?”Chansoo’s mother repeated as if she had heard something unbelievable.The Park Seungah she knew wasn’t someone who would ask “Does he have to go to college?”“Haeil has already found his dream and is working hard at it. Since he’s living his life well, does he really need to go to college unnecessarily?”“Aren’t you worried?”“No.”“!”“I just think he’s amazing. How many kids at that age have found their dream and work hard at it?”“…Is there anything you want to do Chansoo?”When Park Seungah looked at Chansoo, Chansoo’s mother shouted out.“At least I won’t let him chase empty hopes.”“Empty hopes?”“Well, it’s not like he succeeded just because he went a bit viral on Watermelon. There are so many singers who get one song known and then disappear. And anyway, it wasn’t even number one.”Chansoo’s mother scoffed, recalling the chart she checked every morning.[10. (title) Another Day | Roh Haeil]Just a number 10 that anyone could get. This time it would probably end at 10 again.“Hmm.”Park Seungah quirked her lips watching Chansoo’s mother.The disrespect was obvious, but she wasn’t angry.You can’t get angry without being hurt, right?Well aware of who was currently number one on the digital charts, she just found Chansoo’s mother who knew nothing amusing.Did other moms think similarly? She just thought that, without harboring resentment like before.Park Seungah smiled faintly as she looked at the much bigger Chansoo.“Chansoo, you should definitely go to a good university and get a good job to make your mother happy.”This was sincere.Because she was already happy.#“So is it true that Roh Haeil really doesn’t go to school?”“Too bad. I was trying to get him to introduce me to a celebrity.”If a child’s grades spread through a mother’s mouth,then fights between mothers inevitably spread through children’s mouths.Park Seungah and Chansoo’s mother’s conversation was relayed during morning time through Chansoo to his friends B and C, who giggled.A had gotten into a foreign language high school, so he wasn’t present.“He must have made a lot of money too? My mom looked up how much digital profits are and it’s in the thousands. And the Lee Hwanhee Drawing Book also came out, they said the appearance fee for that was high.”“Reporters will probably visit the school eventually, to ask about Roh Haeil’s school life.”“Roh Haeil won’t answer our calls. Should we just spill everything?”“Yeah, let’s do it. But then, do we have anything to say?”“…Hmm.”They pondered Roh Haeil’s activities.The only things they could really remember were him sleeping in class and going to academy hangouts.They just had memories of going to academies together before that. He was so quiet that there were no fights, and his mom always came to pick him up after academy.“Should we say he cheated on a final exam once?”“Let’s say he was really bad at English too.”“Why was Roh Haeil bad at English? He got perfect scores except for finals.”“Memorizing questions and solving them isn’t being good. Language is about speaking. Remember how he froze up in front of native speakers at academy and his pronunciation was bad?”“Ah, true.”Gulp. Then, they heard laughter from behind them.Since it was a quiet classroom, the sound echoed loudly, forcing them to turn around.And the person they made eye contact with was…“Jang Jinsoo?”Unlike in middle school, Jang Jinsoo was properly wearing his school uniform. Of course, the uniform Jang Jinsoo wore was different from theirs. It was a group purchase from the school and very poor quality.After glancing disdainfully at his uniform, they suddenly opened their eyes wide.“Ah, that’s right. You were close friends with Roh Haeil, weren’t you?”“Are you still in contact with him? It seems like Roh Haeil completely cut everyone off.”“But didn’t he never really keep in contact from long ago?”“…”Though they briefly agreed, they paid no mind and continued speaking.“By the way, you must feel hard done by. You were on Soyou too, but why are things reversed for you two now?”“Really. Roh Haeil suddenly started doing music, and you suddenly became a proper student. Hey, didn’t you notice anything while hanging out with him?”Asking him to spill since they would listen.Jang Jinsoo scoffed and ignored them, opening his textbook.Even if he was unlucky at times, he was far better than those guys.-You can still show them nowHe’s a much better guy.Recalling his last busking performance, Jang Jinsoo opened his notebook filled with middle school-level English vocabulary words.They said Roh Haeil was bad at English, but the one who was truly bad was him.‘I need to work hard too.’Jang Jinsoo had just set the goal he should pursue.Someone might say it’s too late, but.‘I want to properly learn music. Start over from the beginning in university.’Not too late.Even if he could only painstakingly follow in his footsteps.Of course, by then that guy would be in an even higher place.‘I wonder what he’s doing now.’That much was obvious, he probably already knew.He was probably doing music again today.:Yes, Halo folded his arms and stared at the midi today, his expression displeased.‘Hmm.’If there was a song he most wanted to try arranging, it would naturally be the one he made first, but he wasn’t satisfied with the arrangement he tried.This wasn’t just an arrangement, but a revision.It didn’t sound like the HALO that Roh Haeil sang.It sounded more like an advanced HALO singing his own song.‘Difficult.’Halo felt like he had encountered a rare challenge after a long time.It was quite a welcome feeling.Halo grabbed his legs and rocked his body.‘Let’s think it over from the beginning.’The new attempt he wanted to make as Roh Haeil.Focus on someone else’s emotions and--Somehow it feels comforting.He hoped people would be healed by his songs.‘Reprise’, which he sang for Heetae.‘Another Life’, which he sang to comfort and encourage ordinary people living regular lives.The new attempts pass through his mind one by one.What he had done. And the attempts he would make going forward.‘What about comforting HALO?’It felt like something flashed through his mind.#From some point, a new rumor had been circulating around Yeouido.It was a rumor that KDS was preparing a new program.Of course, a new program coming out wasn’t anything particularly special. Whether KDS or anywhere else, it was normal for broadcasters to try out various programs including pilots.However, the fact that a KDS star PD was planning a new music program was different.For a PD from the Variety Department, it could only be PD Jang, and he had never failed with a music program before.Numerous agencies and labels with trainees and new artists tried to find out about the program, and inquiries also came in from established singers.They tried to obtain information about the program by hovering around KDS Variety Department PDs, PR teams, and anyone even remotely related.Of course, the answers they received were all the same.“A new program? I don’t know? Is SDS doing something?”“PD Jang is on vacation.”“The number you dialed is not available.”“Huh? Suddenly I can’t…hear you…hello?”Pretending not to understand, pretending not to know, acting like they’d been hit by an EMP bomb – the staff members were evasive to an excessive degree.So it was certain that something was up.Even this might be a ruse, but.Then one day, a reporter prowling around the broadcasting station learned some news from an unidentifiable associate.First, that PD Jang had cast singers representing South Korea for his special program, and the station chief had immediately approved while pulling up his cheeks.And second, the outrageous casting list included ‘Hwang Ryongpil’.At the unbelievable news, the reporters posted articles pretending to be crazy. The facts didn’t matter to them, only the name Hwang Ryongpil was important.[Shocking Encounter Between South Korean Legend Singer and Star PD][Collaboration Between Master and Expert Survival PD? What Kind of Program Is This?]└Just from the title I thought it was about an affair LMAO└LOL. Shocking encounter└But wait, Hwang Ryongpil is appearing on a music show? For real?└He did appear in Lee Hwanhee’s Drawing Book but him being on PD Jang’s show is even more surprising└Hwang Ryongpil in a competition? He must be a judge, right?└If they’re generating this much attention then he’s not a participant?└Whatever it is, it’s crazyThe reaction was as dramatic as year-end.Though it was well known that PD Jang had tried hard to cast Hwang Ryongpil, it was understandable since Hwang Ryongpil had never agreed even once.Aside from Lee Hwanhee’s Drawing Book, Hwang Ryongpil wasn’t someone who appeared on broadcasts.In any case, it was the return of a national legend.[I hope my singer appears too][If Hwang Ryongpil was cast, who wouldn’t want to appear, we need an invincible singer][What’s going on this year, I thought music shows wouldn’t be airing for a while but even a survival is fine][But I thought Hwang Ryongpil disliked competitions and such]└There are also rumors saying it’s not a survival program“Who the hell is it?! The kind who just keeps flapping your mouth when you fall in the water!”It wasn’t just the internet that was turned upside down by the name Hwang Ryongpil. The KDS station phones were also flipped.The (tentatively titled) ‘Returns’ production team hurriedly turned off their phones and communication channels before entering an emergency meeting, and PD Jang, who closed the meeting room door, quirked his lips.Whoever it was, the timing was quite good.“Another call for you, PD.”“I said turn them off for now.”“It’s not reporters. Wow, even managers are getting calls now. The singer side is in chaos too, wanting to appear.”“Casting is all done though. …Just tell me their names.”Yes, the reaction wasn’t just from the public.Singers and agencies wanting to join the return of a legend and the buzz worthy program.Even advertisers hoping to secure ad slots early.Ever since dining with Hwang Ryongpil, the station chief hadn’t been able to stop smiling. Perhaps the rumors had spread from that time.“Wow, look how glamorous our casting list is.”Putting down his turned-off phone, the AD stuck out his tongue while looking at the casting list.Following Master Hwang Ryongpil were top singers of South Korea, a rare gathering except for award shows.Sin Joohyeok, Lee Seongrim, Liv…“Oh, but PD, isn’t this one too weak?”The AD then had doubts after seeing the very last name. It felt a bit out of place.“After Cold Brew Wonder, suddenly Roh Haeil? Doesn’t he have too little name value? And a weak fandom too. He might just get bashed alone.”Knowing that he was just starting to rise, but the others were so prominent, the PD laughed at the AD’s muttered words.“Who knows.”In fact, he wasn’t sure either.Whether the new face ‘Roh Haeil’ would become the trump card that helped cast Hwang Ryongpil.Or the joker that divides the stage.They would find out by watching.And so time passed until the long-awaited first recording day dawned.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)!