The Road to Glory – Chapter 148 – Interpretation

Author: Dawn

“It’s soon now.”

The word “Soon” reached his ears.

Jang Jinsoo, without looking back at August Veil, gazed at the stage shrouded in darkness.

His heart was pounding.

It felt like something was about to happen.

At that moment, Roh Haeil’s voice came through the darkness.

“Don’t you like me because I’m not white?”

Jang Jinsoo couldn’t quite catch the quickly passing sentence, but he recognized the answer that came from where he was.

Roh Haeil then asks another question.

The audience’s cheers grow louder.

And a gentle laughter.

“Crazy bastard…”

Jang Jinsoo felt goosebumps.

This time, he wasn’t surprised by Roh Haeil’s antics.

He just wondered how someone could be so relaxed in a place like this.

Soon, HALO’s first album “Struggle” was heard from the darkness, no, it was Roh Haeil.

Jang Jinsoo noticed something was off because the stage was still shrouded in darkness.

“Was that helicopter also intentional?”

Jang Jinsoo, who ended up watching the stage with Roh Haeil’s parents and the staff, pointed to the sky.

One by one, people looked up at the sky, and August Veil also raised his head.

A broadcasting station helicopter had its searchlight on.

“What are they doing now?”

“Call them quickly!”

Seeing August Veil’s expression harden and the staff room become urgent, it seemed unintentional. The Coachella stage management team urgently asked via radio if there was something wrong with the helicopter.

The stage lights were planned to turn on sequentially with the instrumental of the boy’s new song “Until dawn comes”. Everyone was shocked by the helicopter’s searchlight for this reason.

Still, the stage continued to build up.

Clearly, Roh Haeil must have seen the helicopter from his angle, but he continued singing without paying attention to it.

Just like when they first heard “Struggle” and couldn’t help but tremble, the audience was already going crazy with the live performance of “Struggle”.

“Wow…”

Jang Jinsoo blankly watched the scene.

The worry that people might not acknowledge Roh Haeil was unnecessary.

Anyone who saw this scene would know.

These people had been waiting for Halo for a long time, and this would be the scene Roh Haeil would see from now on.

“It’s cool.”

If in the past he was envious, jealous of the talent he didn’t have, and thus despaired at not being able to be like that himself, now he was just calm. Perhaps he had finally accepted that he could never be the same as Roh Haeil, or on the other hand, he felt relieved that Roh Haeil, who had seemed precarious, would become happier with such an audience.

Not knowing that August Veil was quietly watching him, Jang Jinsoo now admired and enjoyed his friend’s performance with ease of mind.

At that moment, the helicopter caught his eye again.

The helicopter, still with its searchlight on, was gradually lowering its head.

Uh… what if…?

Once again, a sense of crisis filled him.

If it lowered its head like that, the searchlight would hit Roh Haeil’s stage, and soon, Roh Haeil who would be at the center of it.

“That, that-!”

He tried to shout something, but the accident happened before he could finish his words. The searchlight hit Roh Haeil, who was exactly at the center of the stage. Taking a direct hit head-on, Roh Haeil instinctively covered his face with both hands.

Kyaaak!

The song stopped, and people who realized it was an accident screamed. The session’s performance also stopped, and the members jumped up from their seats.

They urgently called out to Roh Haeil, but Roh Haeil stood still as if he couldn’t hear the sound.

Bang-!

August Veil jumped up and rushed out.

Only then did the stunned Coachella staff express their anger and contacted somewhere.

The helicopter’s light was turned off belatedly.

However, Roh Haeil’s appearance was already revealed, and the song had stopped. Now, only silence, no, the murmur of fans filled the main stage of Coachella that had fallen back into darkness.

Jang Jinsoo also belatedly rushed out, pushing through the crowd of people to run to Roh Haeil.

“Hey, Roh Haeil.”

It was Roh Haeil who had always been composed. It was Roh Haeil who hadn’t cared even when there was an audio accident at the college festival. The fact that he couldn’t continue the stage now meant that a huge problem had occurred.

Shock.

Yes, having been hit by the searchlight right in front of his eyes, he could have been shocked as if hit by a flashbang. Or, even for Roh Haeil, he might have been nervous standing in front of so many people.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

Jang Jinsoo once again recalled that Roh Haeil had been precarious recently.

“Get it together, hey.”

Even though there was no way he could hear, Jang Jinsoo shouted.

“Get up, Roh Haeil.”

At least Roh Haeil, who had wanted this stage the most, wouldn’t have wanted this situation. This stage had to continue. It had to.

“Halo!”

Jang Jinsoo shouted towards him.

It was the first time he called that name.

And at that moment.

A sound was heard from far away.

The vibration that arose from the darkest and lowest place grew louder and louder.

Someone stomped their feet, and it spread.

Halo! People who were urgently calling him on the stage turned their heads one by one, and soon began to participate one by one. They create the same rhythm by stomping their feet.

Jang Jinsoo forgot about pushing through the crowd and listened to the rhythm. It was a rhythm he knew well.

And people began to join in the song that someone had started. At least no one among those gathered here didn’t know this song. Those who had turned their heads back looked forward with determined faces and began to sing.

At first, it sounded like noise, and sometimes like crying.

But as people’s voices created harmony, the lyrics began to become clear.

[Whatever you look like]

The voices of the people below the Coachella main stage reached the microphone.

It was encouragement for the singer who might have been shocked by the sudden accident, and an answer for him who might have worried that they wouldn’t accept him.

[Whoever you are]

Jang Jinsoo, who had been catching his breath, stood among those audiences and slowly opened his mouth.

[We’ll call you Glory]

Somehow, tears came to his eyes.

Roh Haeil’s session members also gritted their teeth and sat in their places to start playing. As the stage filled with sound except for the singer’s voice, lights began to turn on from far away.

The lighting that was originally planned for ‘Until dawn comes’ touched his feet, as if not to surprise the singer.

[Our eternal Sun]

The figure standing still on the stage begins to respond to the song.

Then the second layer of lights turned on with a snap.

It illuminated Roh Haeil’s waist and stomach, and his hands that had been hanging down.

His trembling hand firmly grips the microphone and slowly raises it.

“Yes.”

Snap.

As he answered, the third layer of lights came on.

That light illuminated the 16-year-old boy, and the boy’s silver hair shone golden.

“I am-.”

The voices of the people and the boy’s voice synchronized.

The light above the boy’s head turned on, and everyone could see the boy’s face.

His face, which had been contorted as if about to cry, gradually brightened.

As if moved by their call.

“HALO.”

At the long-awaited answer, a thrill swept over.

Their voices brightened the darkness, and their singer shone brightly like the sun.

People held up their light sticks, glow sticks, or phone lights to show affection for the boy, continued the song, and cheered.

In the Indio desert, countless lights gathered towards one place.

Halo (HALO).

Glory and halo. And like the galactic halo somewhere in the universe.

[Please interpret my dream]

This is a question you might see on Naver’s Knowledge-iN. Except for the fact that the date posted is today, Monday, April 19th, there was nothing unusual about it.

[It’s not a nightmare but it’s a really absurd dream

It’s even embarrassing to say

I dreamed that a 17-year-old K-pop singer turned out to be a legendary singer who had dominated overseas;;; I woke up from the dream after seeing him reveal his identity at Coachella;;;]

└ Seems thoroughly marinated in national pride

└ Please recommend a light novel with this content

└ What era’s hidden gem fan are you, sigh

└ (Original poster) So this is just a weird dream?

└ Nope, doesn’t even reach the level of a weird dream

└ For real, forget weird dream, let’s just call it reality

Except for the fact that today is not 2030, not 2031, but specifically Monday, April 19, 2032.

[That helicopter f#@%$#[email protected]%#$]

[What’s with Roh Haeil stopping the song in the middle? Was he shocked?]

└ It was almost like a flashbang, so he must have been shocked. Considering his hands were shaking afterwards, and he seemed to have lost consciousness for a moment while standing

└ Some say it might have been a panic attack

└ Wasn’t he just scared when he was about to reveal his identity? It’s Roh Haeil’s first time performing on such a big stage

└ We should also consider that Roh Haeil is still a minor

└ But seeing how he lit up Coachella until dawn afterwards, that doesn’t seem to be the case

It was a Monday like any other.

Surely office workers went to work shouting “I hate Mondays,” and students went to school shouting “I hate Mondays.”

Yet it couldn’t be an ordinary Monday because the previous Sunday wasn’t an ordinary Sunday.

People were suffering from Coachella fever.

The six-day festival that lasted from April 9 to 18, 2032.

However, there’s only one reason why the entire nation, no, the whole world, is suffering from what used to be an event only attendees cared about.

[Roh Haeil is Halo? LOL]

;;;;This is real

└ There were rumors about Roh Haeil being Halo from long ago

└ But who would believe that lol Even now it’s fucking unreal

└ So, did the entire nation collectively get hypnotized?

Although there was quite a bit of talk due to the stage accident that lasted for a few minutes, the small incident had to fade from public consciousness due to Halo’s subsequent performance and the truth that Roh Haeil was indeed Halo.

[Breaking news) Hellys strikes again, this time sends threatening letter to XYC Broadcasting Station after helicopter stunt]

[Breaking news) XYC Broadcasting Station calls violent fandom “terrorists”, legal battle expected]

└ These bastards were behind that helicopter?

└ Are they crazy? They’re the ones suing;;

└ If they lose to Halo, they’ll go bankrupt, so they’re trying to squeeze money out of the Hellys first?

└ But is there a law firm in America that would side with these bastards?

└ I don’t think even the judge would side with them. If they make a wrong decision, 6 billion The Sun fans might beat them to death

└ Why aren’t you considering that there might be Hellys among the judges?

└ !

└ And since it’s clear that Halo went into shock because of their lights, it’s 100% loss. Veil Love, Coachella, and big companies are all preparing to sue, they really have no way out

So, at least for now.

Rather than the owner of the helicopter that caused the accident, the identity of Halo who had dominated the world for over a year, the miraculous ‘I am HALO’ performance created by the stage accident, and the live performance of ‘Until dawn comes’ that continued until dawn had a bigger impact.

Moreover, at 00:00 AM that dawn.

The title track of the 13th album was uploaded to music platforms, completely confirming all the questions so far.

[No matter how I look at it, I can’t believe it]

[Now on my 12 millionth play;;;]

[I am Halo still makes me tear up, why is it so touching]

[This Coachella was truly great]

[Our ancestors already knew]

Joseon (朝鮮) = The country where the morning sun rises clearly

└ Wow… the wisdom of our ancestors

└ Ancestors, how far exactly did you see;;;

└ They’ve been giving hints for 700 years, and we didn’t know

└ Television really is an idiot box, wow

[Come to think of it, Roh Haeil’s English name Hae-Il Roh, if you read it as is, it’s Hail-ro, why did everyone pretend not to know?]

[108 reasons why Roh Haeil had to be Halo]

Although it seemed unbelievable and absurd, it couldn’t be denied as it was streamed with tens of thousands of spectators.

People who had thought it wasn’t true until now began to dig up the past one by one.

[1. The reason why Roh Haeil disappeared frequently]

We thought this bastard was living as he pleased, but he was busy making 13 albums

[2. Roh Haeil’s English name Halo]

[3. Did you all know Roh Haeil’s dad is an astronomy professor at Korea University?]

Halo, we thought it was just a game name, but it’s an astronomical term

[4. Roh Haeil’s English pronunciation]

[5. Excerpt from Roh Haeil’s American talk show]

This is the actual conversation

-MC: Do you have a favorite song among HALO’s music?

-H: The 6th album that’s coming out

-MC: But we don’t know when it’ll be out?

-H: Let’s say the 6th album coming out in May

[6. Roh Haeil’s band = Halo session = May]

When Roh Haeil recruited his band – First appeared during Hongdae busking before ‘Lighthouse of the Night’ release (May)

Roh Haeil’s single ‘Lighthouse of the Night’ (May)

When Halo album session was formed – HALO 6th album ‘Dancing in the Rain’ (May 31)

[7. The time Roh Haeil and Scorpion met was around December 25, 2031 (Scorpion revealed it was last Christmas at Trafalgar Square)

Estimated time Halo contracted with Veil: December

(Halo’s 1st and 2nd album were released in early January)

Therefore, they were both in England at the same time]

[8. In paparazzi shots, August Veil is seen driving and shopping, managing him]

[9. The reason why Roh Haeil became a luxury brand ambassador?]

Of course, there were some mistakes, but it was an analysis post that resonated with many people.

[So except for the speed of music releases, all clues pointed to Roh Haeil being Halo]

└ Actually, the speed of music releases has been beyond common sense since Monthly Halo

└ Wow, it’s really true. But how did we not know this?

The more analysis there was, the more reasons came out why Roh Haeil had to be Halo, the less people understood.

Why on earth didn’t they find Halo when he was right in front of them last year? Someone explained it humanistically as the power of framing, but it was still hard to accept.

Roh Haeil had even sung ‘Let it be’ in Hongdae in the past. If they had just run a voice analysis on that, it would have been revealed earlier.

[They kept saying national level, and it really became national level?]

[Wow, I figured out the reason. This is crazy]

└ What is it?

[The year before last, 2030 = Year of the White Dog

Last year, 2031 = Year of the White Pig]

Wow, we didn’t know because we were dogs and pigs

└ The whole nation was in the year of dogs and pigs, wow

└ This is it, damn. I knew something was off

While people were slowly accepting reality after denying it, unable to escape the lingering emotions.

Halo slowly opened his eyes.

The dazzling sunlight was shining on him.

Drowsiness enveloped him.

While normal life was impossible outside due to the afterglow of Coachella, he was sprawled out like a jellyfish in a hammock.

Around that time. Someone knocks.

Halo looked out the window, not caring who came in.

Having returned to Korea in secret, he was sprawled out on the top floor of a hotel. He couldn’t go back to his family home or the label, so he planned to stay here until moving.

“Hello?”

Halo slowly turned his head.

At first, he didn’t recognize the person because they had lost weight contrary to his first impression, but soon he could recognize them.

“Manager Park Daehyung?”

“Hahaha, thank you for remembering me.”

It was Park Daehyung, the marketing manager of G’s Korean branch who had brought him the guitar before he left for his trip.

“But, I’m not a manager anymore.”

“?”

Did he quit?

He looks too happy for that.

Halo looked at the business card Park Daehyung handed him, and soon smiled.

“Let me introduce myself again, I’m Park Daehyung, the CEO of G’s Korean branch.”

The person who first proposed sponsoring Roh Haeil to G. G re-examined the detailed email he had sent, and despite the ‘Let it be’ video, they fired the headquarters staff who didn’t look at it properly, and Park Daehyung who made the proposal was recognized for his contribution.

It was a natural result, not just for finding Halo, but because Roh Haeil received tremendous attention overseas with G’s guitar, and gave Seoyeon to Coachella, enormously increasing G’s value.

“Should we call you Roh Haeil-ssi, or Halo-ssi from now on at G?”

When he shrugged that it didn’t matter, Park Daehyung decided to call him by the more famous name.

“We’ve decided to actively support all of Halo’s activities.”

“All activities?”

“Yes, anything.”

The attitude was that it wouldn’t matter even if Halo had dating rumors.

As if dating rumors would be a problem now.

Anything was fine as long as it wasn’t a crime. G was already considering a future of being with Halo for life.

“Please tell us anything!”

Park Daehyung bowed at a 90-degree angle despite being the CEO.

He wasn’t a frog forgetting its tadpole days, and the headquarters had also earnestly requested. Never go against his will, they said.

The smile on Halo’s face deepened.