The Road to Glory – Chapter 137 – East Sea Glitters, West Sea Sparkles

Author: Dawn

[Photo(10)]

[How is it?]

[Is it okay?]

[It’s the house where you and your father will be staying for a month in Jeju Island]

Halo tapped on the photo.

The blue sea of Jeju Island, a small yard with a swing and jars, a single-story house with stone walls and a black tile roof – from the outside it looked like an ordinary countryside home, but the interior was spacious and clean. With its sophisticated furniture and lighting, it resembled a modern studio.

As Halo replied, he thought his parents would be sleeping now. There was a 7-hour time difference between here and Korea, after all.

However, his mother read the KakaoTalk message immediately and replied.

Whether she had just woken up or had been awake all along was unclear.

[Since it’s your father’s sabbatical year]

[We’re thinking of staying another month if the first month goes well]

[Of course, we’ll return when your homecoming date is set]

[Let us know when it’s decided]

[Okay]

Halo then told her he had arrived in Paris.

The place he was staying was one of August Veil’s properties.

Halo continued the conversation while looking at the Eiffel Tower from the terrace.

Unfortunately, there were no commemorative photos to share right away as they were saved on a digital camera, not his phone. Come to think of it, Moon Seoyeon had said she would post them on Roh Haeil’s official SNS when she returned to Korea, so he could show them later.

Even without photos, his mother was a good listener, responding with emojis and questions as if the conversation alone was enough.

[You seem to be doing well]

[I’m taking a break and looking for a suitable house to live in Seoul]

Halo tilted his head at this unexpected news.

It didn’t seem like she was talking about real estate investment.

[Are you moving?]

[The current place feels a bit cramped]

[I’m not planning to move far]

[But I’m considering a villa or house instead of an apartment]

[What do you think?]

[I’m fine with anything]

In truth, part of the reason for moving was the awkwardness with the apartment residents. Since Roh Haeil’s label was empty, journalists most frequently visited the Jamsil apartment to report on Roh Haeil.

While no one had specifically complained, Park Seungah thought it was time to move.

She didn’t tell her son this reason.

She didn’t want her son, who was happily going about his life, to worry about such things.

Not that Halo couldn’t guess the sudden reason for moving.

It’s not like people were more polite and well-mannered in the past.

He had already experienced the side effects of popularity and attention.

The experience of finding someone – whether a thief, stalker, or paparazzi – in his home.

Having faced off with a shotgun until the police arrived, he thought moving to a place with tighter security wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Especially since the day HALO’s identity would be revealed wasn’t far off.

The hot sun shone down on his first day in Paris.

As if welcoming him.

“It’s been a while since I traveled like this.”

“Have you finished all your work?”

“I’m scheduled to meet with the Coachella people soon. Other than that, I’ve delegated everything, so don’t worry.”

There could only be one reason for August Veil to meet with Coachella. Halo nodded vaguely and walked out onto the Champs-Élysées.

The luxury street stretched in a straight line to the Arc de Triomphe. The boy in a French coat and sunglasses walking alongside August Veil in his elegant suit, hunting cap, and sunglasses made for an unusual combination.

They were too different in race to be a typical grandfather-grandson pair, yet they walked side by side in a way that didn’t suggest a successful CEO and his secretary.

Of course, ordinary tourists and Parisians would probably not think much of it, but-

‘August Veil leisurely shopping? Veil should be busy with the Venice affair!’

The social affairs journalist Chang, who recognized August Veil, couldn’t believe his eyes.

‘Who’s that with him?’

Judging by how he waited while August Veil shopped for clothes, he didn’t seem to be an ordinary person.

At first, Chang thought he might be an employee, but their relationship didn’t appear that way.

The young man looked too comfortable for that.

Rather, he seemed like family, a friend, or-

The journalist noticed the guitar case on the young man’s back.

He could see it because the young man had turned to look closely at a display window.

As August Veil gestured for the young man to go inside, the young man shrugged and declined.

‘They’re like a celebrity and manager.’

The journalist, who had unconsciously thought this, was startled.

‘August Veil as a manager? Impossible!’

It was an absurd thought, but he couldn’t deny that their relationship appeared that way. After taking some paparazzi-style photos, the journalist saw them enter a huge building.

The Champs-Élysées was lined with various luxury brand stores and headquarters. The high-rise building they entered was also the flagship store and headquarters of a world-renowned brand.

It was Arbor, famous for its unique architecture resembling the Tower of Babel intertwined with the World Tree.

Since the appointment of the new creative designer at Arbor, the brand’s design direction had completely changed.

As a result, the products displayed on the first floor were divided into past and present designs, creating a stark contrast. Yet rather than looking awkward, even this contrast seemed intentional. This was probably because the image Arbor pursued ultimately aligned.

Boundless growth, reaching to the ends of the earth.

The transcendent will of nature was embodied in the different designs and interiors.

In the center of the circular building was a large tree surrounded by a flowing stream, enclosed by glass cylindrical walls. Although inaccessible, many people sat around it, observing.

While one side was a store, the other side was decorated like a museum showcasing Arbor’s history. It contained items from the albums Halo had seen during previous photo shoots.

Arbor’s history and main design products

And photos much taller than a person hung on the walls like royal portraits.

People circled around the walls looking at the photos, gradually moving from past to present.

Halo took off his sunglasses and followed the photos until he finally discovered it.

Himself, standing like a rebellious youth, kicking away a low table.

His coat embroidered with a crane billowed as if he were riding the wind.

Unaware that an employee had hurriedly called upstairs upon seeing the same person standing in front of the photo, Halo quietly gazed at his own image.

When he first became Roh Haeil, the unfamiliar appearance now felt as familiar as his own. Whether because memories were fading or because Roh Haeil was also growing, it even felt similar to his original self.

“Mr. Roh?”

Halo, who had been looking at his photo while people whispered and took pictures, alternating between the photo and him, turned his head at the voice calling him.

At the end of people’s gazes stood the chief designer Per Aspera, who had hurried down.

Most people probably wouldn’t recognize the face of a luxury brand’s chief designer. But a few keen-eyed individuals recognized him, and it didn’t take long for their whispers to spread.

“It’s Arbor’s chief designer.”

“Why is the chief designer here…”

Per Aspera approached the boy with quick steps and expressed his delight.

“Mr. Roh, you really came. It’s good to see you.”

It was a face he never expected to see.

Well, he originally had no plans to come to Paris.

It might have been different if the members had asked him to come.

“And this person-“

“Nice to meet you.”

“August Veil?”

Per Aspera easily recognized August Veil.

How could he not.

The Veil covering HALO.

Whenever news about HALO broke, Veil’s photo often appeared in place of Halo’s, since there were no photos of Halo.

“Why are you two here together-“

“It’s nothing special. I’m just a fan of this friend here.”

“I see.”

Per Aspera couldn’t understand why Veil, who should be busy after Halo’s appearance in Venice, was here.

But unable to ignore him, Per Aspera quickly gestured to an employee. It was a signal to contact the chairman.

“Well. Since there are many people, shall we move to a different location?”

The 3rd floor VVIP room, accessible only to celebrities or chosen individuals, offered a panoramic view of Paris. Per Aspera briefly excused himself, saying the chairman had called for him, and while August Veil went to the restroom, Halo gazed out the window.

After a short wait, a middle-aged waiter entered with a tray.

“Would you like a drink?”

The middle-aged man in a unique bread-shaped hat bowed and showed the inside of the tray. Various drinks including juice, water, and tea were prepared.

“An espresso, please.”

At Halo’s words, the middle-aged man politely bowed and took out a cup. Halo accepted the coffee with a strong aroma of beans and leaned against the wall.

“How do you find the beans?”

“The aroma is strong. The acidity isn’t too high.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

The middle-aged man kindly explained what kind of beans they were, but suspiciously kept his head down. Halo nodded vaguely in response.

“By the way, that guitar case is very beautiful-“

The middle-aged man reached out his hand but stopped, seemingly conscious of the owner.

“May I touch it?”

Halo shrugged and agreed.

It’s not like it would wear out from being touched.

He placed the guitar on the sofa for all to see, and the middle-aged man delicately stroked the guitar case.

From the golden butterfly to the stitching of the zipper.

After feeling even the zipper pull with his hand, the middle-aged man gently pulled the zipper down.

The zipper slid down smoothly.

Opening the case would reveal the guitar inside.

The hand holding the case hesitated.

He raised his head, aware of the gaze on him.

Halo was leaning against the wall, drinking coffee, watching his actions with interest.

“Why don’t you sit comfortably?”

Though his neck was bent as if bowed, his sharp gaze behind the glasses seemed to scan him.

Halo raised the corner of his mouth.

Although he wasn’t born into the bourgeoisie, he had lived a VIP lifestyle ever since gaining wealth at a young age. He always had luxury items prepared for him, and beside them were always staff with manners and dignity.

None of them ever spoke to a VIP first. From the absurd request to touch the guitar case to the basic question about how the coffee beans were.

Questions were solely the VIP’s privilege.

Well, unless it was another VIP.

“It’s fine.”

Also, the way he suspiciously hid his face while wearing a waiter’s uniform, the stylishness of the clothes underneath, his dress shoes and hands – all sufficiently revealed the middle-aged man’s identity.

“I’m not one to stand on ceremony in front of the owner of the house.”

At his words, the middle-aged man slowly raised his head.

“It seems you have something you want to say to me.”

Sharp eyes met behind the glasses.

“I wanted to hear it first.”

A heavy silence descended.

Just then.

“What are you doing?”

August Veil, who entered through the open door, discovered the middle-aged man facing Halo. He slowly clicked his tongue with a look of disdain.

“Are you still playing these tricks and bothering young people?”

The middle-aged man’s back gradually straightened.

Even until he was fully upright, August Veil’s nagging continued.

“Goodness, you should act your age. Aren’t you old enough to be called senile soon?”

The sharp gaze softened and turned towards August Veil.

The middle-aged man, no, Arbor’s chairman Matthias, snorted.

“That’s rich coming from you. Look at me. As if I’d ever be mistaken for your age group. But shouldn’t you take better care of yourself? Hm? Unless you want to hear people say you should weave new clothes from raw wood.”

“You should choose your final resting place carefully, shouldn’t you?”

Halo raised the corner of his mouth, listening to the two’s friendly banter.

He too once had friends with whom he’d escalate jokes about covering each other with cocaine instead of dirt, or tap dancing on coffins while playing blasting rock ‘n’ roll instead of a funeral march, until they ended up grabbing each other’s collars.

His smile came from that sense of empathy, but the two men seemed to become aware that a boy young enough to be their grandson was watching. They hurriedly stopped their quarrel.

“You’ve been pretending to be busy lately. Turns out you were busy escorting an interesting friend.”

“If you know I’m busy, why don’t you try being a proper host? Coffee.”

“Help yourself.”

Then the chairman sat down on any sofa.

Ignoring the grumbling August Veil, the chairman’s face was all smiles as he looked at Halo again.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’ve really wanted to meet you. You’re the ambassador chosen by my dear designer, aren’t you?”

The chairman didn’t go on about how much sales had increased because of him. He had the confidence that Arbor would have performed that well even without an ambassador.

Still, it wasn’t a lie that he wanted to meet him.

Besides the tradition of having a meal with each ambassador,

It was because of the fact that Per Aspera, the current chief designer, had chosen this ambassador, and because of the photo shoot.

The chairman, who first encountered the artist Roh Haeil’s appearance through the photo shoot, was intrigued by his intense aura.

“Interesting.”

His cleverness in immediately recognizing his identity.

His personality that didn’t care about it nonetheless.

His relaxed and dignified attitude.

He even liked the atmosphere that the photo shoot couldn’t fully capture.

“Even that guitar case is exactly to my liking.”

It was he who first noticed and appointed Per Aspera’s design. Just as the boy immediately recognized his identity, he instantly recognized Per Aspera’s design.

“However, if there’s one thing I don’t like-“

Sharp eyes scan the boy.

“Those clothes. Why is my model visiting my house wearing someone else’s clothes?”

He would have been satisfied if even the clothes were Arbor’s products.

The greedy chairman clicked his tongue.

He wasn’t blaming the boy.

There was no clause in the ambassador contract requiring him to wear Arbor’s products 365 days a year.

He just didn’t like that the boy he liked wasn’t wearing his clothes.

Halo answered calmly.

“Because they’re not clothes comfortable enough to wear casually.”

“Are you saying my clothes are uncomfortable?”

“For wearing just anywhere, I mean. Like how there are sneakers that are comfortable to slip on casually.”

Besides, he enjoyed sitting down anywhere to busk, so clothes with tight shoulders or elbows were uncomfortable to wear.

It wasn’t common for an ambassador to boldly tell the chairman that the clothes were uncomfortable, but the chairman listened with interest.

“He’s saying your clothes aren’t that great.”

Ignoring August Veil’s words, the chairman continued.

“Sneakers comfortable to slip on casually. That’s a fresh expression. Quite interesting. This is why I like young people. No one around me says things like this. As expected of my ambassador.”

The chairman grasped the boy’s hand.

“I’d like to hear more details, but it’s difficult today. Are you free tomorrow?”

It was an abrupt question, but Halo answered calmly.

“I’ll see you in the evening.”

“Good. I’ll arrange the restaurant. Do you prefer meat or seafood?”

“Of course-“

Halo had only one answer.

When Per Aspera came down after waiting for a long time on the 7th floor and discovering that no one was in the chairman’s office, Halo and August Veil had already left. Seeing the chairman sitting alone in the VIP room, Per Aspera shook his head.

“Chairman…”

“You’re here now? Young people, so slow.”

Before Per Aspera could feel wronged, the chairman continued.

“Keep tomorrow evening free.”

“Tomorrow?”

“I’ve made an appointment with our dear ambassador, you see.”

At those words, Per Aspera raised his head.

“Chairman, didn’t you say you had a schedule tomorrow? That it would be difficult to make time?”

“That’s right. I was originally planning to ask our ambassador for understanding.”

He had originally planned to skip dinner because it was too tight to remove from the schedule.

However…

The chairman noticed a glass with water droplets and wiped the moisture with his hand.

Per Aspera took out a handkerchief from his chest and handed it over.

“But it’s suspicious.”

“Mr. Roh?”

Regardless of whether his dear chief designer was puzzled, the chairman stroked his beard with a meaningful face.

-You’ve been pretending to be busy lately. Turns out you were busy escorting a young friend.

-Try being a proper host to your busy guest.

He remembered August Veil smoothly brushing off his words.

“Why, the words ‘escorted him’…”

The chairman’s eyes flashed sharply as he wiped his hands and put down the handkerchief.

“He didn’t deny it, did he?”

Meanwhile, Korea was once again abuzz with news of Roh Haeil.

The Champs-Élysées, a luxury shopping street that every tourist visits at least once.

It was a time when quite a few Koreans were visiting the famous Arbor headquarters since Roh Haeil became an ambassador. Roh Haeil, who had briefly caused a stir with the Venice and Vatican tour, now had photos uploaded from Paris.

[Roh Haeil’s recent activities, Paris Arbor headquarters]

[Arbor’s chief designer rushes out barefoot to welcome ambassador Roh Haeil]

└ Wasn’t Roh Haeil in Rome?? There was a post about him touring the Vatican two days ago

└ Is Roh Haeil possibly Hong Gildong? East Sea glitters West Sea sparkles lol. He’ll probably be in Switzerland tomorrow (+) ^[1]

└ East;;; It should be East glitters West glitters…

└ East LOL sea LOL glitters LOL You might as well say Mediterranean glitters Atlantic glitters LOL

“Wow, incredible…”

During a short break from filming.

The youngest PD, who had been squatting on the ground in front of the Eiffel Tower, jumped up.

“PD-nim! This is incredible…”

“What’s incredible? Are there no more insults on the viewer’s board?”

When PD Park, who had been cursed enough to last 500 years for releasing the preview too early, asked, the youngest PD turned his head.

“No way! About ten pages were posted today too!”

“…”

This kid.

While PD Park was staring at his own fist, not at all curious about how many pages of insults had been posted, the youngest PD shouted.

“It’s Roh Haeil-ssi! They say he’s in Paris right now.”

“Alright, just one… What did you say?”

“Roh Haeil-ssi! They say he’s at the Arbor headquarters right now? It’s a fresh post that just went up, so wouldn’t he come this way if we’re lucky?”

“Is he really in Paris? But there must be quite a distance from the Champs-Élysées to the Eiffel Tower.”

“The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris, wouldn’t he come?”

“I guess so?”

For once, the tactless youngest PD had said something right.

PD Park put down his fist and brightened up.

“If we wait, we might run into him, right?”

Teams A and B, preparing for the ‘When we meet again’ chorus, were buzzing with excitement. To think Roh Haeil might be there.

PD Park had a sweet dream.

If there was one thing to regret, it was that the impact had been lessened by HALO’s appearance in Venice.

The song that the real Halo sang was also ‘When we meet again’.

It’s too late to change the song now, so they plan to proceed with it, but PD Park felt somewhat regretful.

“As expected, PD-nim! This must be fate. A reunion on the last day of filming!”

“Fate, indeed. Hehe.”

As the youngest PD spoke without thinking, PD Park regained his energy. He clapped his hands and approached the cast. He probably thought they might accidentally run into Roh Haeil or something like that.

The youngest PD turned on his phone’s map while watching PD Park’s energetic face. The zoomed-in map shows the Champs-Élysées.

“Oh.”

The youngest PD scratched his cheek. He had thoughtlessly said they would meet because he thought the Champs-Élysées was right next door.

But it wasn’t.

Not only was there a river flowing between the Champs-Élysées and the Eiffel Tower, but it was far enough away that they would have to walk several blocks after that.

“This is… farther than I thought…”

The youngest PD, looking back and forth between PD Park and his phone, thought ‘whatever’ and put his phone away.