The Road to Glory Chapter 180 - This is Christmas

Messages in various languages started appearing.

English, French, and Korean.

While most Korean messages were filled with surprise and shock like [Wait a moment] [No way, why am I in Korea], they were quickly pushed out by other languages.

The notifications on Stargram kept vibrating non-stop.

Meanwhile, the crowd at the Champs-Élysées and the Noël Market was growing in real-time.

People who were quietly enjoying their vacation looked puzzled.

By then, Halo had become a Santa Claus.

Though he hadn’t prepared a special outfit, this time he removed his sunglasses and hat, replacing them with a Santa mask.

The Santa mask with only eyeholes had red cheeks and nose, making it look somewhat bizarre, but it was commonly available at the market.

This time, he couldn’t dress up properly like before.

He only wore the Santa mask over the knit sweater he had posted on Stargram and the coat he wore on top. Though the muffler and coat partially covered the knit, those who would recognize it would definitely do so.

While walking around the market, Halo pondered what gifts to give to the good children who recognized him.

This should be thought of as a role-play.

He is Santa Claus.

His fans are good children.

In reality, it would be creepy for a stranger to enter good children’s homes through the chimney. Hence, while Halo didn’t particularly like Santa himself, he was immersed in this current role-play.

And so, on December 8th.

An unforgettable day began for the good children.

Self-proclaimed, Bloody Christmas.

No, Early Christmas, that is.

“They say Halo is over there!”

“Really?! Hey, run!”

The crowd at the Noël Market grew in an instant.

It happened so quickly that the roads became packed as if there was a mass migration, and while people kept entering the market until there was no room to step, no one was leaving.

Halo was watching people rush past him when,

“It’s Santa!”

He waved to a little girl who had gestured toward him.

While he thought fans would recognize him, only babies seemed interested in him.

Parents apologetically requested photos,

“Could we possibly take a picture?”

“Of course. I’ll do it for free. Merry Christmas.”

“Oh my. Merry Christmas.”

Halo graciously took photos for his future fans.

Giggle

Though the hands pulling at Santa’s beard weren’t particularly cute.

Though to Halo, who didn’t like children, nothing about them looked cute.

Halo provided special fan service.

It was a bit cute when they bowed their heads in thanks while receiving candy as gifts.

[Please come to my home our beloved Sun]

[I show you my crown]

Occasionally, people holding papers with strange messages could be seen on the streets, and chase scenes broke out in other places.

Unlike in Venice, some people did recognize Halo this time.

When someone blocked his path, Halo tried to move sideways, but when the person blocked him again, he looked up.

It was a man with such a large build that even Halo, who was over 180cm, had to look up. Despite his intimidating appearance, the man pointed to his own clothes with an unexpectedly round expression.

[If you’re Halo, give me a fist bump]

That outfit-.

Just as he thought it looked similar to something he’d seen in Venice, Halo smiled and raised his fist.

The man’s face slowly brightened, and he raised his fist, which was as big as Halo’s head.

The trembling fist looked like it might hit someone’s head, but it safely bumped against Halo’s fist.

“Oh Jesus.”

As the man looked like he might cry any moment, Halo smiled and searched his gift bag.

Then he dropped some candy mixed with gifts for him.

“Merry Christmas.”

When he whispered this, the man clutched the gifts tightly with both hands, looking truly moved. He seemed ready to preserve whatever he received for life.

Though he thought they’d parted ways after greeting each other.

At some point, Halo noticed people gathering behind him.

The man who had received the snow globe earlier gave him a thumbs up when their eyes met.

A lady wearing reindeer antlers headband stamped her feet, not knowing what to do.

She showed no intention of leaving.

Halo didn’t particularly want to send them away either and looked forward again.

He knew that as more good children followed him, people would soon recognize him, but this too was enjoyable.

It felt like the title of this role-play had changed from Santa Claus to the Pied Piper.

That’s when it happened.

A man who had been running from afar collided with his shoulder.

“Ah!”

Though he didn’t fall, he was pushed back, and above all, it seemed intentional. It was strange to be running in such a crowded place to begin with.

As Halo grabbed his shoulder while stepping back, he looked at the man by reflex.

And it happened in an instant.

The moment Halo let out a cry, fire ignited in people’s eyes.

“No way, that bastard…”

The reindeer lady who had been shyly making heart signs when Halo turned around tripped him with incredible speed, and the man who kept showing thumbs up to Halo grabbed the falling person’s nape and slammed him to the ground. Thud!

Then one of those who had stepped back came to their senses and picked up the phone that had fallen to the ground.

It was his phone.

“…!”

Halo realized it belatedly.

That the shoulder bump was intended for pickpocketing.

Otherwise, his phone that had been in his coat pocket wouldn’t have fallen there. If it weren’t for them, he would have lost his phone.

An office worker who cleaned the dirt-covered phone with his expensive-looking muffler came forward as a representative to return the phone to him. With both hands.

“Thank you.”

“Th-thank you? I should be the one thanking you.”

“?”

“But, that shoulder…”

“It’s fine.”

“It looked like a really hard collision though. That crazy bastard…”

The office worker’s position perfectly blocked Halo’s view of the pickpocket, so he couldn’t see what was happening. He was busy telling the office worker who was acting like his shoulder was ruptured that he was fine.

“We should have protected you from the front too…”

“What?”

“How could this happen…”

The office worker seemed more shocked than Halo, who was the pickpocket’s victim, so Halo had to comfort him.

Meanwhile, whether the pickpocket was well caught or not, when the office worker stepped aside, he was half-prostrated in front of him, begging.

“I’m sorry. Ah, I’ll never touch you again. I won’t do it again. P-please…”

When the restraining hand’s strength increased, the pickpocket spilled every apologetic word he knew.

“If I had known you had bodyguards, I would never have touched you…”

“What is this bastard saying? Can’t you apologize properly?”

“They say thieves should have their hands cut off since ancient times.”

“!”

The good adults each made comments about how theft was a social evil, and the pickpocket’s face grew darker with each word. It continued until someone called the police.

“Respected officer, please throw him in jail.”

“Even 350 years isn’t enough.”

“Just hold a civil participation trial.”

Not just the pickpocket, but it was clear that hearing their beloved singer cry out had left a deep shock on them. Fortunately, since pickpockets weren’t uncommon in the Christmas market, they properly handed him over to a nearby police officer.

However, there was a need to sort out the confusion.

The pickpocket had drawn attention, and Halo decided to end the game of hide and seek he had started.

By lifting his mask up himself.

Despite it being winter, sweat trickled down his cheeks because of the mask.

“It’s Halo!”

“Halo?”

People who hadn’t recognized him.

And people who didn’t know he was there gathered around.

With surprised faces.

At the market’s center.

Being near the Christmas tree made him more visible.

There, after completely removing his mask, Halo turned around once to check the audience.

“Hello everyone.”

The calm-mannered boy who greeted them pushed back his sweat-soaked hair and bowed deeply like a conductor.

“Merry Christmas.”

Though it was still far off, the Christmas market was ongoing, so it wasn’t wrong.

Besides, this place was full of people who would believe Halo even if he said it was raining spaghetti instead of snow from the sky.

Merry Christmas!

Countless greetings returned with his greeting.

Along with numerous happy faces.

“Did you enjoy the little Christmas game?”

While some people answered ‘it was fun’ to his question, thousands of unrelated answers could also be heard.

Some people just called Halo’s name, while others poured out words they had wanted to say to him.

Especially when someone burst into tears talking about ticket purchasing, everyone laughed.

“I had a lot of fun too. Thank you all for coming to see me, but unfortunately, we’ll have to end the game here.”

People who hadn’t recognized Halo yet let out sighs of disappointment.

Regardless, Halo maintained his smiling expression.

The game ends here.

That won’t be reversed.

However.

“Instead.”

People closed their mouths at his words.

It felt enjoyable, like the area in front of the Christmas tree had become another stage.

“Since so many people came to see me, I’d like to give you a gift.”

Though the catching game was over, Halo, still immersed in his Santa Claus role-play, looked around at the good adults.

“How about it?”

While he said the game was over, he hadn’t said Christmas was over yet.

People shouted at his words.

No one here would say no.

“If you don’t want to, then there’s nothing I can do.”

Halo O baby!

When some man shouted, Halo frowned then smoothed his expression.

Seeing his visible disgust, people laughed.

If you keep doing that, he’ll call you that! What an incredible threat.

“Ha, this won’t do.”

Halo turned his head as if he had no choice.

At the positive response, people created a stage themselves.

“I-I have a guitar. Please…”

Street performers kept taking out their guitars one after another.

As six guitars were presented before him as if asking him to choose, Halo laughed and picked one of them.

Needless to say, only one of the buskers smiled while the rest cried.

“Then what should we start with?”

“Everything.”

“Just stay here forever!”

“Isn’t Paris better than London?”

Meanwhile, someone operating a mini pub waved their hand.

When Halo pointed at them, everyone’s attention turned at once.

The uncle, startled by the numerous eyes, soon opened his mouth.

“Free beer until Halo’s concert ends!”

“Oh, then I’ll provide pretzels!”

“Everyone, take some popcorn!”

“Ah! Whatever, I’ll just get beaten by the wife later. I’ll provide beer too! Help yourselves!”

“Then I’ll help out!”

In an instant, the Christmas market became a festival.

People cheered and shared beer with happy faces. They asked strangers their names, clinked glasses, and put arms around shoulders.

Drinks came to Halo too.

Water, sparkling water, and juice.

Halo went “Wow” in amazement.

“I thought at least one person would give me beer.”

The people who shouted for him to stay until next year’s birthday if he wanted to drink beer were good citizens who respected morals and norms.

Halo clinked his juice glass and picked up the microphone someone had given him.

What should he sing first.

It’s a difficult choice.

Then he remembered the Christmas carol he sang in the Seoul subway about two years ago.

The carol he sang with the accordion uncle.

Yes, decided. Starting the selection with carols.

“Would you like to play together?”

The person who couldn’t give their guitar jumped in surprise at Halo’s words.

Then kept nodding their head.

“The chords won’t be difficult. They’re repetitive chords.”

When Halo spoke, the guitarist nodded with a determined face.

Soon after practicing a few times, when the guitarist nodded, Halo also picked up the borrowed guitar.

While they were matching chords, the people who had been noisy while receiving beer focused on them without making a sound.

[You know what?]

In front of the Christmas tree, the boy wearing a Christmas hat given by a fan opened his mouth.

[Look at those lights

The lights shining with you all]

Halo winked and pointed at the lights surrounding the people.

[And white snow is falling]

People looked up at the sky.

When someone sprayed snow spray, snow fell from the sky.

Soft laughter spread across the stage like a chorus.

[Love’s energy surrounds the world]

Halo closed his eyes.

[This is Christmas]