The Road to Glory Chapter 171 - Late

The next day, the photo that topped Korean internet news sites wasn’t of a heinous criminal, nor was it of any politician or businessman.

It was a photo of a distant cruise ship with spectators pointing at it, fireworks lighting up the night sky, and a boy watching it all from the stage.

Though only his back was visible, not many people didn’t know who he was.

The article title itself indicated who the boy was.

And scrolling down, numerous related articles appeared.

Subway and bus outdoor advertisements, donation amounts, acquaintances’ stargram posts – how many people had celebrated the boy’s seventeenth birthday. Also, how much it cost to rent a cruise ship.

There were even numerous articles that just posted photos without any particular content.

That day, articles about the boy dominated to the point where someone complained that it looked more like a fan cafe community than news.

Follow-up articles were quick to appear too.

This was because overseas fans had also celebrated the boy’s birthday as November 14th arrived. One didn’t even need to check foreign portals to guess the situation.

Among them, the best photo was the moment when water droplets formed on the boy’s cheeks while he was singing the birthday song.

[Halo, Tears of Emotion from Fans’ Celebration]

The high-resolution shot of water droplets rolling down his cheeks in the rain touched even those who hadn’t attended the concert. Perhaps it was because the boy in that photo looked truly happy.

Of course, it was quickly revealed that those droplets were raindrops, not tears, but that was enough for the fans.

[Roh Haeil’s fandom really went all out with preparation, spinning LED candles, renting a cruise ship, setting off fireworks]

[The Seoul concert is legendary wow…]

[Wow, even without seeing it, this is so touching]

[I went to the concert yesterday, and even though I was in the rain all day, I wasn’t cold at all and felt amazing ㅠㅠ Haeil, let’s only do concerts forever]

[To everyone who attended the concert yesterday, thank you for your hard work]

Though it was a bit disappointing that the boy hadn’t actually cried, since he wasn’t really the type to cry easily anyway, Korea was plenty excited just to have elicited such a reaction.

Of course,

[We can do even better]

[Wait for the London concert, it’s not over yet]

[Definitely bigger than Korea In Hongkong]

[Have your next birthday in America, we’ll show you what ‘Big Money’ means]

└ You know his second hometown is England, right?

└ Your country doesn’t even have food

[How dare Korea leave our precious Sun out in such cold weather? Have they lost their minds?]

└ Seriously, that’s what I’m most upset about too.

Overseas fans were jealous, claiming they could do better.

Though they knew Korea was his hometown, birthday celebrations could be held in any country.

Next, attention focused on the merchandise.

Since Halo was known for creating issues with merchandise, and there were many exceptional items this time, it was naturally discussed.

The watch that came with the golden ticket was a given,

But when people who didn’t receive them saw proof that raincoats and hand warmers were given out, they went crazy. Even if they were just from convenience stores, the fact that Halo gave them made it special, and they weren’t just any raincoats.

[Mom told me to bring a raincoat, mom I love you♡♡♡]

[This is why I can’t quit being a fan. Ah… Really giving out hand warmers so we won’t be cold, giving raincoats too… Love you Roh Haeil]

[You don’t have this at home, do you? Lol. Winter raincoats are delicious]

[I kept it without using it at first, but when I checked at home, there’s a moon marking. Damn, this is crazy ㅠㅠㅠ Someone threw away a torn one on the street so I picked it up, I did good baby, merch gets copied]

└ I searched trash cans and behind toilets right after the concert just in case but couldn’t find any…

└ Isn’t it standard to throw away trash at Han River Park? I wandered around after the concert but why isn’t anyone throwing anything away… Please throw something away…!

└ It’s merchandise

The raincoat, which Halo had worn on stage himself, had a crescent moon printed on the back. While giving out raincoats made sense for an outdoor concert in the rain, there was no helping the burning desire when seeing the words ‘limited edition’.

However, what was actually generating more talk than the raincoat was-.

[Halo “directly” puts his “used” cap on an audience member…JPEG]

The photo and video of Halo taking off the cap he was wearing when he came to the extended stage and putting it directly on a front row audience member.

Both those who were there and those who were late to the party now felt like they were losing their minds.

[Ah I was in the rain too]

[If I knew he’d give out his cap, I wouldn’t have worn the raincoat. Ah, damn, I struggled to open it for nothing]

[So jealous So so jealous So so so jealous]

[By the way, did that person make it home safely?]

└ Don’t know, the killing intent at that time was no joke, there might have been fights on the way home

[I’m not jealous of the watch… well I really want that too but the cap is really!!! Ah I have a head to wear a cap too!!!]

People who analyzed it frame by frame caught Halo’s lip movements. The whisper that wasn’t caught by the microphone at the time.

‘Why are you getting cold like this.’

Not only did he give the cap, but he made eye contact and talked too.

As always, kindness that’s hard to witness often creates too much deprivation for those who don’t receive it.

But they couldn’t hate Halo. Therefore, the target became that kindness itself.

This was all Halo’s doing.

Though the raincoat and cap made people angry again, there was plenty of content from Halo’s setlist, fancams, and photos. After all, a scene that seemed like it could only happen in movies – singing with the audience in the rain – had been recreated in reality.

[Dancing in the Rain in the actual rain]

[I Am Halo is my favorite song and he sang it in Korea]

[It was good when he sang Roh Haeil’s song during the encore… ah]

[He looks truly happy. So I’m happy too. I’m looking forward to the London concert but-.]

Meanwhile, as much as the romance was great, so were the concerns.

Even with a height over 180cm, he was still just barely 17 years old. And with his thin build often compared to K-pop idols, plus clothes that were clinging to his body.

The boy in the photos seemed to have been caught in too much rain.

Though he was wearing a raincoat and didn’t slip, it was November after all. Even if the temperature wasn’t that low, it was still early winter.

[Seems like he got too wet in the rain]

[I admit it makes for pretty photos. But this isn’t a movie, it’s reality, how much rain did he get soaked in, and it’s November now]

[Perfect conditions for hypothermia. Even if the audience had hand warmers, The Sun doesn’t seem to have any]

[Look how pale his face and hands got]

[Kids who are amazed at how good the photos came out, you haven’t forgotten The Sun is still young, right?]

Maybe because of the characteristic youthful appearance of Asians.

People saw him as younger and weaker than his actual age and build, and voices of concern were loud.

[My friend who likes getting rained on like that got pneumonia]

[Singing while shivering in the rain is perfect for getting vocal nodules]

Like internet search results where searching symptoms always leads to cancer, many people brought up serious diseases.

“Haeil.”

“Yes, boss. First, ah-“

Halo, who had shown off his ad-lib by going out into the rain on his own, was properly scolded by the members after the concert. Even Nam Gyuhwan, who usually couldn’t scold him, called a doctor right away with an anguished face.

After hearing that he had been in the rain for several hours, quite a few calls came from August Veil as well, and the secretary-turned-manager that Veil had left behind had definitely been chewed out by Veil – though he didn’t show it.

The staff was in an uproar too.

Though they had wiped off the rain intermittently and changed his clothes before the encore, he had to sit in front of a heater wrapped in a thick blanket until the doctor arrived after the stage ended.

Thanks to these people, he didn’t get pneumonia or vocal nodules, but,

“…”

It seems he did catch a cold.

Instead of a throat cold, he got a fever cold, and Halo ended up confined to his family home.

His fever, which had gone over 38 degrees, had now dropped to a low-grade fever of 37.5 degrees.

Fortunately, there was some time before the London concert.

His mother and father couldn’t bring themselves to get angry at their sick son, but there was an atmosphere of suppressed anger, and he received an angry text from Sin Joohyeok saying [Are you crazy? Want to do just one concert and never do another? Or are you trying to retire?]

Along with birthday presents, he had to receive recovery presents too.

“Will you go out again next time, or not?”

Also, he received the same question from quite a lot of people.

Ad-libs were good, but his acquaintances were worried about him and told him not to do this kind of ad-lib.

However, unfortunately, this wasn’t something he could promise.

Though he didn’t like getting sick, he didn’t regret his ad-lib at the concert, and was even proud of his actions.

If he hadn’t gone to the extended stage, wouldn’t he have missed knowing about that gift?

As always, he would give his all on stage.

He would sing as if the world would end tomorrow.

“Next time I won’t catch a cold.”

It couldn’t be helped that people sighed or shook their heads as if to say it couldn’t be helped at these words.

“Then next time I’ll go outside too.”

“Huh?”

“Joint responsibility. Good idea, right?”

At that moment, Nam Gyuhwan suggested a Solomon-like solution.

Though questions about how percussion could go outside followed, Han Jinyeong and Moon Seoyeon, who had lost their rational judgment, said they would go out too.

“Should we book the next concert venue at a hospital?”

It couldn’t be helped that Veil, who seemed to have aged several years in that moment, sighed while looking at the close-knit group.

#

And so three days passed while recovering.

When he was in the final stages of his cold, alternating between low-grade fever and normal temperature. They decided to leave the country. Considering the rehearsal, departure was essential unless they delayed the concert. Since delaying the concert wasn’t considered from the start, they decided to depart tomorrow.

“Boss, since we’re leaving tomorrow, you need to rest well today.”

“Oh kids, why don’t you stay over tonight?”

“No, Mother. It’s fine. We’ll come tomorrow. Please rest well.”

The members left Halo in his parents’ care while looking at him with suspicious eyes. Until then, Halo waved goodbye to the members with an innocent expression.

“See you tomorrow.”

Waving his hand calmly.

After the members left, Halo faced his sulking mother.

“Nothing to say?”

His mother, who hadn’t said anything while he was sick, finally spoke up. Halo hesitated before opening his mouth, knowing that his mother had taken care of him all this time, even making porridge.

“I’m sorry.”

“Do you know how worried Mom and Dad were?”

Finally hearing an apology, his mother patted his head as if satisfied.

“Is there any present you want?”

His mother asked just now, since they had been busy with concert preparations until now. Halo was about to answer that he didn’t particularly need anything when he suddenly thought of something and smiled.

“There is?”

The excellent mother noticed right away.

“It’s not difficult.”

“I guess it’s something I won’t like?”

“Depends on how you think about it.”

Halo shrugged his shoulders.

Though his mother gave him a sharp look, she eventually gave her son what he wanted.

As a result.

The sound of music and loud laughter of people.

“Come to the Business School pub!”

“Hey, you two!”

Halo walked on the grass, passing by people who already seemed drunk. There were many tents on the grass.

More than the booths prepared for his concert entrance.

Halo glanced at a booth selling cocktails but

“Can I see your ID?”

Gave up after seeing how strictly they were checking.

Tsk. Clicking his tongue, he pulled his cap down low.

Though there were streetlights and yellow booth lights, darkness concealed his appearance.

With a music school nearby, a student in his 180s carrying an ordinary guitar case didn’t stand out much.

The smell of food and alcohol mixing together.

The sound of music and people mixing together.

The grass being stepped on softly and the wind starting to get chilly as early winter approached.

Halo looked at the university festival with curiosity as he passed by the booths.

When he came last year, he only performed and left, so he couldn’t feel the festival like this. In other words, this kind of university festival was a first for him, whether as Roh Haeil or Halo.

The vitality and joy of young people approached him.

Though he had cleanly given up on school thinking there was nothing to learn and it would be a waste of time, he briefly thought he’d like to go to a university like this.

It might be strange to want to go not to learn but to have fun.

But there was that kind of youth here, like the freshness he first felt in Hongdae.

Halo recalled how he came to end up at the Korea University festival.

Of course, he took a taxi to get to the Korea University festival, but that’s not what he meant.

The promise to come back next year.

However, an official performance was impossible due to overlapping tour schedules.

The Korea University festival coordinator accepted this with disappointment when informed.

But the one who felt most bothered was Halo.

Though he had promised, it wasn’t just because of the promise.

Even now when he closed his eyes, he could recall that Korea University festival performance.

Just like the doll they had given him was still somewhere in his house, the lingering feeling of that performance still remained in his memories.

After thinking about it, Halo told them he might or might not be able to come if he had time. The Korea University side said anything would be fine as long as he came.

And so, here he was.

Not in the official lineup, but unofficially.

Eating ice cream in the darkness, Halo slowly made his way to the performance venue. If he didn’t know the way, he could just ask.

“Oh, your voice sounds familiar? Don’t people usually say you sound like Roh Haeil, I mean Halo?”

“No, this is the first time hearing that. Is my voice pretty good?”

“Yes, yes! Your voice is really good. By the way, what department are you… Ah, Beodeulgol (Willow Valley) is straight that way.”

After calmly chatting and heading in the direction he was guided, Halo arrived at the outdoor performance venue where the curtain had already risen.

The singers who had heated up the last day of the Korea University festival had long since left.

Small highlight lights only illuminated the stage and front stairs area, perhaps to prevent people from falling.

It was a performance venue where everything had ended.

Since today was the last day of the festival, there was no need to keep the space occupied, and tomorrow there would be nothing here.

However.

Halo discovered people still sitting in the performance venue seats.

Quite a lot of people were sitting there.

Relying on the stage’s highlight lighting, they were having quiet conversations or drinking beer while looking at the sky.

They might have just been passing time.

That is, if he hadn’t heard his name.

“Even if Halo doesn’t come, I just hope he doesn’t catch a cold.”

“It’s disappointing but. He got too much rain. Hope he comes next year. It’ll probably get harder and harder to see him.”

“Let’s go home at midnight.”

Halo went down the side stairs.

The people sitting there glanced at him and started talking again.

The people sitting below were having everyday conversations about not wanting to go to class.

Next to their hips lay Roh Haeil’s fandom lightsticks.

Going down one more step, they seemed to be playing a drinking game.

Though it was awkward without alcohol, someone patted the back of the person who lost. The clothes they were wearing were Custom Stella’s tracksuit.

Whether they were waiting or just passing time.

People with traces of him were still there.

They saw someone go up on stage but didn’t think it was Roh Haeil whom they were waiting for.

With the concert having ended not long ago,

They thought that even if Roh Haeil came, he would just show his face at the festival and leave.

The waiting was just.

Simply honoring last year’s memories.

It was fun back then. Hope he performs next year.

Having such small expectations.

At that moment.

Inside the stage. A voice came from the darkness.

It was a voice they knew well, and the voice they were waiting for most.

“Was I too late?”