The Road to Glory – Chapter 164 – Until That Day Comes

Author: Dawn

[Did you see the watch he was wearing?]

[So, what brand is the watch he’s wearing?]

His outfit had been analyzed long ago.

That is, the two outfits from the concert scene and the street scene.

Everything from the shirt being a product worth a few hundred dollars from the OO brand, thoroughly.

Not just Halo, but the outfits worn by all five members were dissected by those interested.

Mostly in passing.

The only thing that didn’t just pass by was the ‘watch’ Halo wore.

First of all, in the two scenes, Halo came out with completely different hairstyles, outfits, and shoes. A music video expert interpreted that the two scenes might represent dream and reality, or wish and reality. Thus, the outfits were intentionally designed not to overlap at all, and in fact, Frau also didn’t have a single outfit overlap in the scenes of his wish (what he wanted to do if the world would end tomorrow) and reality.

The same was true for Jason, Dick, and Michael, and so was Halo’s clothing.

However, there was one thing: the watch.

The watch Halo wore in the concert scene – though hidden by clothes, it was clearly the same watch – was definitely the same as the one exposed while walking side by side with Frau on the street.

Moreover, the watch Halo wore had a unique design with two large and small beads instead of hour and minute hands, making it even more noticeable.

However, strangely, the watch didn’t come up in searches.

Looking at the quality, it seemed to be a luxury item, but people couldn’t find the product model.

Luxury watch collectors, who usually jumped at the chance to show off, even lost their focus wondering where in the world Halo’s watch was from.

[Could it be a gift? He’s Halo, after all!]

[Or maybe it’s a collaboration with a watch brand]

[I liked the watch, could it be a Halo edition?!]

No one associated it with the golden ticket.

Although there was a precedent with the music box, who would put a luxury watch and a music box on the same level?

Logically, no one in the world would give a luxury watch as merchandise.

With people verifying golden tickets ranging from a few units to dozens of units, and it being known that it wasn’t just one or two, it was impossible to give dozens of luxury watches per concert.

So, the only thing left was a collaboration with a luxury brand.

The collaboration opinion became more certain when Frau appeared on a talk show wearing the same watch.

Unless Frau had forcibly taken Halo’s watch, he must have received it as a gift, which means that at least the same design product is being produced.

[Since Frau said he received it as a gift, it seems to be a collaboration]

[Crazy… Finally, a collaboration… It was about time, actually]

[There’s perfume, cars, fashion, and even guitars, so a watch makes sense.]

[How much would everyone pay for a Halo watch?]

[Must buy, must buy…]

[Considering Roh Haeil’s style, there’s a possibility of a limited edition. If you don’t buy it now, you might not get another chance]

They were only worried about how much the merchandise would cost, not thinking about the situation where they might not be able to buy it even if they had the money. It was the same for Koreans. Although they felt PTSD at the mention of Halo merchandise.

[But surely they won’t sell only ten worldwide, right?]

[Impossible for a corporate collaboration. What crazy company would only produce ten items for merchandise purposes]

[It’s a corporate collaboration, so it’s unlikely… but I’m a bit worried… right? Haeil, right?]

[Unless they take reservations… and even if they limit it, they’ll probably keep releasing editions 1, 2, 3, 4. We just need to worry about the price]

Anyway, in this situation where everything from the lyrics of the music video to the watch worn by the performer became a hot topic, the new song collaboration was clearly successful. From the song’s performance to streaming index, NuTube views, buzz volume, etc., it was superior to any other song.

From the beginning, before the release, didn’t they praise themselves saying the song turned out well?

Frau even said on the talk show, looking around at his team members’ faces, that he was already confident of success.

Frau, who appeared on radio and talk shows, said he was grateful for participating in the collaboration and would buy drinks amidst their busy schedules. Of course, one person would have to drink juice.

For Jason, who said he couldn’t come because he was preparing a new album, they decided to hold a special commemorative party without Jason at Jason’s house.

“Damn bastards.”

Jason, who almost had his house taken over, ended up coming out.

“By the way, do you know that people are asking about you here and there these days? Hey, Frau, you hear a lot too, right?”

“That’s right. Everyone asks me when Halo’s album is coming out. As if I would know.”

The conversation, moistened with a drink, flowed like water, and also without context.

While talking about Michael’s daughter, for some reason the topic of conversation arrived at Halo, and Dick’s complaints were joined by Frau.

“Everyone is curious about my album.”

Halo replied nonchalantly.

It was an annoying thing to say, but everyone laughed, giggling.

If it had been any of them, they would have cursed, but as fathers with children around elementary school age, the obnoxiousness of a 16-year-old was just cute.

“Well, you’ll release it when the time comes, right?”

“That’s right. Frau also released a new song after 3 years of just playing around.”

“Playing around? Do you know how hard I worked?”

“Who here has lived more diligently than Halo?”

Everyone shut their mouths and turned their gaze.

Yeah, not many people could say they lived diligently in front of someone who released thirteen houses just last year.

“Isn’t Jason also coming back with a full album after a long time?”

“It’s been a little over a year. I’ve been living like I was dead for a while.”

“Uh…”

And this time it became quiet in a different sense.

If earlier it was a playful atmosphere, this time it was a bit more solemn.

Michael had said it without much thought, but it could hit Jason hard, so Michael realized his mistake.

“It’s not wrong though.”

“I’m sorry.”

As Jason, who had been continuously drinking, came in as if nothing was wrong, Michael quickly apologized. Jason took another drink.

“Should I go smoke one?”

“I was just about to go too.”

“Can I go too?”

Frau and Dick, and finally Michael stood up, looking cautious.

Jason, a smoker, didn’t seem to have any intention of smoking, and nodded as if to say do as you please.

“Halo, should I buy you a Dr. Pepper or something?”

Halo, who had to drink only juice at the drinking party, raised an eyebrow.

“Hahaha, I’m just kidding.”

Frau put his arms around Michael and Dick’s shoulders and left the place. Halo wondered what was going on as the atmosphere suddenly froze and the three hurriedly left.

It’s not like a star gets cursed at only once or twice.

He wondered if there was anything special about last year.

With only the two of them left.

Then, with a thud, Jason put down his beer glass and opened his mouth.

“Hey. Why did you say you’d do this?”

It was an abrupt question.

“What? The party?”

“No, this collaboration.”

Had he forgotten that it was Jason who brought him to that collaboration?

“You, you didn’t have to do it. You didn’t even want to do it at first.”

That wasn’t wrong.

If the theme hadn’t been interesting, he wouldn’t have done it.

“But still, you deliberately came forward to wash me clean-.”

Jason stared into the air for a moment as if trying to think of the right word.

Then, finally frowning, he said,

“Are you trying to erase a debt?”

Pop. Halo chewed on the fried spaghetti.

The noodle broke with a crunch.

“Or are you trying to make me feel guilty?”

Crunch crunch.

A not-at-all serious sound echoed.

However, Jason didn’t care at all.

It was as if he couldn’t hear the sound of the spaghetti breaking.

“Do you want me to apologize to you?”

“Sorry for pretending to be you?”

Suddenly Jason asked.

It was a conversation they had once before.

-Hey, should I apologize?

-No. Would you if I wanted you to?

-No.

Halo wondered why the conversation that had ended then came up again.

Just as he was about to say that he didn’t want it, like back then, Jason spoke first.

“I still won’t apologize.”

Seeing him repeat what he said back then, he was clearly drunk after a few beers.

His pronunciation was also gradually becoming slurred.

It was the most clumsy thing to say, but also the most unfitting thing for a liar to say.

“I, I. Even if I go back to the past, I’ll claim to be Halo. I’d rather be at the top even if I get cursed at a bit. Better than being at the bottom where no one looks at you.”

In the past, when Halo’s identity was hidden behind Veil, there were many who claimed to be Halo and gained popularity. Most of them collapsed because they couldn’t prove it, but some survived. Jason Dyke was one such case.

Until now, he has been branded a liar by the Halo fandom and still is, but he didn’t regret it nonetheless.

It was thanks to that one lie that he could get this mansion in LA, perform at Coachella, collaborate with guys like Frau, and rant drunkenly to the real Halo.

Jason Dyke couldn’t regret that lie.

Although it became his biggest point of criticism, it also made him a star.

A half-baked star who couldn’t rise on his own didn’t have the right to feel guilty.

“An apology-.”

Jason glared at Halo again.

He still couldn’t understand what intention Halo had in washing him clean.

But regardless of the intention, he had been washed clean.

The collaboration with Halo was seen as a gesture of Halo forgiving him, and it reduced the negative perception of him. Some might still hate his lie and him, but the gesture from the person involved clearly had great meaning.

“When I beat you, then…”

Then. Someday when he could stand on his own two feet, and thus when his lie would remain only as his dark history.

When that time comes, he would regret his lie and scold himself for being stupid.

When that time comes, he would be able to apologize.

For borrowing his name because he couldn’t wait for that short time when he could have risen on his own.

And… that borrowing his name wasn’t because he hated him.

He wanted to say that his music was so beautiful, the life reflected in that music was so beautiful that he wanted to be him even for a moment. Because if he could become him even a little, he thought he could change too.

“You’re going to beat me?”

Then, Halo’s voice was heard.

Feeling the clear snort, Jason got upset.

“Why? You think I can’t beat you?”

Music isn’t a sport, so winners and losers aren’t clearly distinguished.

Still, it can be shown sufficiently by performance. Jason believed that he could beat Halo someday. He wanted to win. To be precise, he hoped to capture in his album the awe he felt from Halo’s album.

Hiding these inner thoughts, Jason shouted.

“Fuck, when are you going to release an album. Just tell me. I’ll release on the same day.”

It’s unclear how the conversation flowed this way.

“It’s not far off now.”

However, Jason spoke with a huff at Halo who seemed to be ignoring him, while his head grew heavier. The swaying drunk faced Halo through the glass bottle.

Halo was-.

He wanted to see what kind of face he was looking at him with, but it was hidden by his own hair.

Jason tried to see but gave up, and shouted with a puff.

“You’ll regret washing me clean.”

His voice gradually scattered.

Jason thought he was lying on a cloud now.

At that moment, through his sleepiness, he heard laughter.

It was the brightest laughter he had ever heard.

There was no mockery in it.

Rather.

The joy he once felt listening to Halo’s music-.

Jason fell asleep unable to remember any more thoughts.