The Road to Glory Chapter 124 - What If

“Rookie, do you know how to drive?”

The youngest director, who was tense from driving after a long time, finally had the chance to ask PD Park, sitting in the passenger seat, about something he was curious about when they got onto a less busy road.

“What happened with contacting PD Jang?”

When someone suggested asking PD Jang for tips on “How to persuade Roh Haeil,” she was curious too.

“Ah, that.”

PD Park remembered the night he had drinks with PD Jang.

PD Jang insisted for a long time that he didn’t know either. He added that even he found it difficult to cast Roh Haeil now. That was incomprehensible to him.

-Senior, you made Roh Haeil a star, didn’t you?

-Kid, Roh Haeil would have made it big even without me. If anything, I benefited more from him.

-Still…

-What do you mean ‘still’? Look at what he’s doing now, getting number one on music charts by his own power. For someone who everyone begs to appear even when he’s not on TV, how much influence do you think I have?

-Senior, you’re a star PD.

-I’m a star PD, and he’s become a star that even star PDs can’t touch.

It seemed he had gone on a drunken rant like that all night.

The youngest director, who had listened to the completely uninteresting drunken rambling of men, sighed.

“Ah… So it wasn’t helpful at all.”

“…Not necessarily.”

“Did you get something?”

The youngest director unconsciously stepped on the brake.

“That’s why we’re going to use it now.”

“! Right now?”

The youngest director’s eyes widened as he checked the navigation. No wonder the address was in Seongsu-dong.

“Are we going to Roh Haeil’s label now?”

“No, a nearby cafe.”

“Wow, did you manage to cast him?”

“If I had, I would have brought cameras.”

“Huh? Then-“

“We’re going to persuade him. I begged him to meet me after three, no, five visits. I said I just want to talk, that he doesn’t have to agree to appear this season, just to meet me.”

“Roh Haeil agreed to meet?”

“Why else would we be going now?”

So that’s where they were heading. He’s going to meet him in person.

The youngest director thought that PD Park didn’t simply want Roh Haeil. Of course, these days all broadcasters are looking for Roh Haeil, but it’s not often that a PD goes to persuade someone in person like this.

“Actually, does it have to be Roh Haeil?”

It’s not like there’s no one else to cast. The PD seemed to understand well what he meant by asking if they really had to go this far.

“How much do you think songs in Korean will resonate abroad?”

“Huh? Why suddenly?”

Regardless of the puzzled director, the PD gazed out the window, lost in thought.

The Korean language, the sensibilities of the country – how many barriers are there? Even if it resonates to some extent, he always thought there would be limitations.

But Roh Haeil was different.

How impressive was Roh Haeil’s live performance on that LA talk show before? The reaction of the audience watching that live performance?

At that moment, it really seemed like there were no barriers.

Even though it was a cover song, with a different language and quite a bit of Roh Haeil’s own arrangement added, it resonated. So perhaps Roh Haeil’s album might cause a stir as well.

“Above all, what I really want to hear is…”

Besides Roh Haeil’s album.

What would happen if Roh Haeil sang music on foreign streets that completely matched their sensibilities, language, and voice?

‘Roh Haeil hasn’t sung a pop song yet, right?’

“We’ve arrived.”

PD Park raised his head at the director’s voice.

:

“Our program is solely for ‘music’ and ‘performance’, there’s absolutely no part that makes you suffer. Starving if you lose a game? No, Koreans run on rice power, we can’t let you starve!”

The youngest director glanced at PD Park.

Before taking charge of Spring Again, PD Park had been an assistant director for a famous real variety show. It was a grueling entertainment show where even special guests had to sleep in tents outdoors, let alone eat, if they lost games.

“Absolutely! Never any tough schedules, and we’ve maxed out the budget. You’ll stay in hotels, there are practice rooms too, and we’ve booked good restaurants.”

“Hmm.”

“5-star-! -like 3-star! Restaurants that would make Michelin cry! What do you think?”

The youngest director thought.

Is this the tip he said he got from PD Jang?

Roh Haeil’s expression was unimpressed. It clearly wasn’t working at all.

Well, if he gives music boxes as gifts to fans at fan meetings, wouldn’t he stay in 5-star hotels when traveling?

PD Park realized it too. That his words weren’t working at all. So he recalled the tip PD Jang had given him.

The reason Roh Haeil had agreed to Rendezvous. At that time, he said he accepted under the pretext of collaborating with Hwang Ryongpil.

Hwang Ryongpil doesn’t appear on his program, but singers who dominated the era after him do.

The casting fee, luxurious details, a tip that might work on a boy who doesn’t seem to care much about the travel format and viewers’ eyes-

PD Park carefully took out his pad.

“This is something that shouldn’t be disclosed yet, but-“

The youngest director was startled by the list of Spring Again cast members.

“The final goal of our program is to show not my song, but our song together with the members.”

Only then did a glint appear in Roh Haeil’s eyes.

Just as time was about to feel wasted, it was the only content that piqued his interest.

He enjoyed mingling with singers from around the world and talking about their music. It would be really fun to perform on the streets in harmony with them.

However, his answer was the same.

“Unfortunately-“

There will be no chance to put his name on the Spring Again member list. There were certainly attractive points, but he had planned to travel with the members and it would be plenty enjoyable.

“I understand, in the end it’s difficult to fully enjoy a trip through broadcasting.”

PD Park, who ultimately failed to persuade Roh Haeil, became dejected. There’s no way to persuade further when he’s this firm.

It’s something that he met him in person. Other PDs consistently curse at the boy who is not only hard to cast but even difficult to contact, saying he’s got top star disease, trying to play above their heads, but the Roh Haeil that PD Park saw wasn’t like that.

He just had firm convictions to a degree that was hard to understand for his young age, but it certainly wasn’t top star disease.

It’s hard to say he’s arrogant when he ended up meeting him, right? Even if he doesn’t like being contacted for casting, seeing him give a sincere answer in person, he just seemed like someone with a slightly different approach.

Then PD Park recalled the reason the boy came out here while exchanging messages with him.

“By the way, I think you said you were curious about something regarding our program. Has that been resolved?”

“Ah, that.”

“Ask anything!”

PD Park was fine with anything as long as the boy could take interest.

“It’s nothing much. I was just wondering if there’s a reason you titled the program ‘Spring Again’?”

“Uh…”

It was a rather unexpected question, as he thought he would ask about the cast singers, casting fees, or PPL. Still, PD Park decided to sincerely answer the boy’s goodwill.

“That’s the first time I’ve heard that question. Usually people know it’s HALO’s album name and don’t ask.”

“…”

“It’s not wrong either. But it’s also because of the scene we want to put at the end. Do you happen to know what the title track of HALO’s 2nd album Spring Again is?”

Usually people don’t know which songs are in which albums. But the boy chuckled as if he had heard an interesting joke and replied.

“‘When we meet again.'”

“That’s right. I wanted to put that song as the final busking song of our program.”

“Who sings it?”

“This was just my own plan so far, but I’m thinking of a chorus.”

The boy thought silently for a moment before nodding.

“…Not bad.”

“Right?”

PD Park felt strange for a moment about why he was having this conversation with a singer he failed to cast, but he felt good about having his idea acknowledged.

He was becoming more and more interested in Roh Haeil as a person beyond just a singer, but the boy firmly said goodbye. It was time to part.

“What if.”

The boy stopped at PD Park’s sudden voice.

“What if by chance our team and Roh Haeil-ssi happened to run into each other somewhere.”

It was actually an impossible thing to say.

He hadn’t told the boy where the Spring Again team was going, and the boy hadn’t said either. The vast European landmass. Even if tourist attractions overlapped, the chances of people who don’t stay in one place running into each other weren’t high.

“How about performing together then? Even if just for a moment.”

Halo also knew it was almost impossible. For one thing, he didn’t even have plans for where he was going right away. He was just planning to follow wherever his feet took him.

But if he did happen to run into them performing on some street.

The boy who had been listening while half turned away suddenly raised the corner of his mouth.

“Then I’ll participate for a moment.”

PD Park’s mouth gradually opened at the boy’s words.

After the boy left, the youngest director urged the PD to go back, crunching even the ice as he ate.

PD Park, who seemed dazed somewhere, finally came to his senses and

“Thank you for giving us our daily bread today, God.”

prayed looking at the finished cake.

Someone who usually gets annoyed seeing religious promotion teams on the street.

“PD-nim, weren’t you non-religious?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not? No, I thought you were non-religious. Since when have you had a religion?”

The youngest director asked, too curious, and PD Park answered.

“Starting today.”

#

Halo notified the members, and thought of the last people to tell. In fact, they might have been the people he should have told first.

For the first time since his birthday, Halo returned home.

Reporters knew he didn’t go to his family home often, so the area around the house was quiet.

“Uh…”

Of course, that doesn’t mean the residents were quiet too.

“Aren’t you getting off?”

“Huh? Oh! I’m fine.”

The person glancing at him repeatedly didn’t get off even though they lived on a lower floor, and kept riding the elevator up with him.

And when he arrived home, he found someone there.

In fact, he seemed to know who it was even without seeing their face, but it became certain when he stretched his neck towards the entrance.

“You’re here?”

Halo calmly walked to the kitchen.

Jang Jinsoo was sitting at the kitchen table solving problems from a workbook. There was also a self-study book in front that had obviously been Roh Haeil’s.

“The professor said he’d help with problem solving.”

“Oh? Was it helpful?”

“Of course! The professor explains really well!”

He knew his father had taught math, but what Jang Jinsoo was solving now was English problems. There were quite a few stars marked, and he was still struggling looking at the passage.

English was more urgent for getting into Korea National University of Arts, but he who had never studied in his life had more words he didn’t know.

“It’s number 3.”

Just then, Halo spoiled it.

Jang Jinsoo jerked his head up and looked at the passage.

He seemed to be able to solve at least one grammar problem at a glance after studying hard in elementary and middle school.

“Why is it number 3?”

Jang Jinsoo glared for a while before asking.

At times like this, Professor Roh Yunhyeon would calmly explain the formula first.

“The others are all weird.”

“…”

Right, this wasn’t Professor Roh Yunhyeon.

Jang Jinsoo became gloomy at the déjà vu of something he seemed to have experienced before.

“Is studying manageable?”

Jang Jinsoo seemed to ponder before nodding.

“English is still difficult, but math is doable. It’s kind of fun.”

“That’s fun?”

“Don’t you think I have some talent?”

Professor Roh Yunhyeon had also praised him saying he seemed to have talent for math. Jang Jinsoo liked math even more after hearing praise for the first time.

“Hey, and you know what? They say people who are good at math usually have talent for music too.”

“Really?”

“The fact that I’m good at math must mean I have talent for music too, right?”

Halo, who shuddered at math, didn’t understand what connection there was between math and music, but it wasn’t actually wrong.

Quite a few famous mathematicians throughout history were deeply versed in music and acoustics, and there were research results showing that the brain that governs sound is similar to the brain for math.

“Well, results are more important right now.”

But he felt a bit better.

Right now results were more important than talent, but his goal didn’t end with getting into Korea National University of Arts.

He wanted to get into Korea National University of Arts, learn music, and become a great musician. Even if he couldn’t make music instantly like Roh Haeil, he wanted to make his own songs, even if it took a very long time.

Some might laugh, but his goals stretched on endlessly. He wouldn’t burn out just from achieving one goal. It would take a lifetime for all his goals to be achieved.

“By the way, what are you going to do later?”

Jang Jinsoo suddenly became curious about Roh Haeil’s goals.

He’s already getting #1 on Korean music charts as he wants, and it doesn’t seem like the boy has a dream of becoming a millionaire either.

“Me? I’ve never thought about it.”

“Billboard #1? You haven’t done that yet.”

“That’ll be soon.”

Halo said matter-of-factly.

His album had never reached #1 on Billboard – because everything except streaming scores was low. What was the highest rank again? It didn’t seem impossible to him.

“Then what after Billboard #1?”

“I don’t know.”

Goals, huh. He seemed to have set some in the past.

From breaking his contract, to establishing his own label, to receiving awards he could get as a musician and dominating (?) the world. And he ended up achieving all of that.

Then his current goal is-.

Just as Halo was about to think deeply,

“Oh, Haeil is here? Let’s eat.”

His mother and father, who had briefly gone to the mart, returned.

With a Korean beef set.

Today’s dinner menu seemed to be beef.

Both Jang Jinsoo and Halo forgot what they were going to say in front of the dazzling marbling. Fortunately, he remembered why he came home while filling his stomach for a while.

“Ah, right. I’m planning to go on a trip. At the end of December.”

“A trip? With whom?”

It was natural for his mother and father to be surprised by the sudden announcement.

Moreover, the travel date was soon.

“I think I’ll be going with the members. And probably-“

Halo recalled August Veil who had suggested the trip to him. Though he didn’t directly say he would travel together.

Halo added with a faint smile.

“Sir Veil too.”

His mother and father seemed a bit relieved at the presence of an adult.

“When will you be back?”

Since it was an indefinite trip with no set return date, Halo vaguely evaded and took out the envelope he had brought.

The envelope said ‘Rock‘.

“More importantly, are you free at the end of December? It’s a musical I’m participating in.”

“Oh my…!”

Park Seungah nodded repeatedly despite seeing a familiar date.

It’s the day of the apartment women’s association meeting.

She was planning to reunite with Chansoo’s mother then.

Nothing was more important than her son’s musical.

“When exactly are you going on the trip?”

“I’m planning to go after watching the musical.”

“Then, mom will make you rice cake soup on the 1st, so eat it before you go.”

Park Seungah and Professor Roh Yunhyeon, not imagining it would be an indefinite trip, started grilling the meat again.

“Honey, shall we go on a trip too?”

“Sure. Where should we go? But don’t you have classes?”

“No, I decided not to this time. The students kept coming, so I should take a sabbatical or something. Let’s go to a resort or Jeju Island and rest until Haeil comes back.”

The cheerful conversation continued.

Warm rice grains and fragrant Korean beef. The mother whispered to Jang Jinsoo, who was eating soybean paste stew, to be careful as it was hot.

“By the way, son. Did you book the plane tickets?”

“No.”

“…?”

With less than two weeks left until January 1st.

While the parents were shocked by the statement that he hadn’t even booked plane tickets, time passed and the day of the original musical ‘Rock‘ performance arrived.