The Road to Glory Chapter 183 - A Good Family

Music existed everywhere in Halo’s life.

A car horn. A soccer ball breaking and falling through a window. For about three seconds, all music died, then “Kyaa!” Children’s screams brought it back to life.

In a slightly lower tone, the house owner searched for who did it, and the highlight was their dog barking like a beast while stepping on the iron fence.

The ‘boy’ tapped along with it.

Light and quick.

Then, tap.

All sounds folded away, and the ‘boy’ smiled brightly, bowing to invisible audiences like the orchestra conductor he once saw when following his parents.

However, that euphoria was brief.

The world kept changing, and all sorts of sounds came.

The boy didn’t know how to control these numerous sounds, and they usually became noise mixed with all sorts of musical chunks.

“It’s so noisy!”

When the boy suddenly covered his ears and shouted in the quiet living room, his brother muttered “Here we go again” while spinning his finger around his head.

The boy felt frustrated.

He instinctively knew he needed to express sound. The boy knew well how happy he was when expressing it, and also knew that when he couldn’t express it, the sounds gradually mixed into noise and ultimately caused headaches.

But not knowing how to express it, not knowing how to release the fire inside his body, the boy’s outward appearance wasn’t pleasant for others to see.

When it was time for his parents to return home, the boy quietly went into his room. His parents didn’t like seeing him like that.

‘His’ parents were immigrants of Dutch and French descent respectively.

However, for immigrants, they were living well as faithful British citizens.

Father had secured upper-middle-class wealth through decent business acumen, and mother was an employee at Fortnum & Mason—a tea brand that supplies to the British Royal Family—directly connected to the upper class.

As an employee serving the upper class, she had to maintain the same dignity and language as them, and naturally, meeting and dealing with them regularly led to admiration.

Originally known for their enthusiasm for education as immigrants.

And added to that was their desire for upward mobility and admiration for the upper class. Though they didn’t think of themselves as upper class, they hoped their descendants would become upper class.

They were certainly good parents and wanted to be good parents themselves. They succeeded in nurturing the boy’s talents and sending their children to public schools (pure private liberal arts elementary and secondary schools) by pulling whatever connections they had, whether existing or not, to help them become better members of society.

A bit strict, but loving parents and children who loved such parents and tried hard and practiced self-control. They certainly seemed like a perfect family.

Halo, having shared a cup of tea with BB, smirked.

“But as usual, they had their troubles too.”

“Right. Trouble. I was just waiting for that.”

Isn’t it always the case? Most stories start with one troublemaker in a perfect household.

Halo, who had taken on the role of that troublemaker, spoke calmly.

“Their second son was the trouble.”

They hoped he would naturally blend into the upper class by mingling with upper-class children, receiving the same education they did, and eventually advancing to university. But their second son, who originally had a ‘minor illness,’ caused problems again.

They had to briefly stop work and go to school after receiving a call.

It was the shocking news that the ‘boy’ had broken a friend’s guitar. And the bigger problem was that he wouldn’t answer no matter how many times they asked why.

The music teacher and literature teacher who had been fond of the ‘boy’ defended him, saying there must be a reason, but the more he kept his mouth shut, the more disadvantageous it became for him. The math teacher who had always disliked the boy, and the friend’s parents came rushing in, requesting that the boy be punished. Though the guitar itself was worth almost toy value, ‘violent behavior’ at a public school couldn’t be defended.

Only when his parents arrived did the boy finally start to open his mouth.

“Mom, Dad, I—”

“Be quiet.”

“We’ll talk at home. Haah.”

He tried to say it was unfair, but the boy met his parents’ eyes looking at him like a troublemaker. He couldn’t say anything. The boy froze on the spot, and even when his friend, the owner of the guitar, pulled at his clothes and called his name, he couldn’t respond.

The parents humbly apologized to both the music and literature teachers who had defended their son and to the teachers and friend’s parents who had demanded punishment, saying ‘We will educate him properly.’ In the end, the boy was shown leniency with a letter of reflection and community service.

The boy had kept his head down the whole time and followed behind his parents. Though his friend kept calling out, the friend was held back by his own parents.

“Don’t associate with such a violent child.”

“How could there be such a child here… Did you see his eyes earlier? He looked just like a crazy child.”

“No…”

The friend mumbled while looking at the retreating boy and his parents.

“He’s not crazy.”

Rather, he’s…

…a genius.

Unfortunately, the friend’s voice didn’t reach anyone.

“Call the doctor right away. Tell them it seems to have relapsed.”

“We thought it was all better when he became a 7th grader.”

The parents were serious in the running car.

They thought their second son’s ‘minor illness’ had relapsed. The mental illness that was embarrassing to mention anywhere.

Constantly hearing auditory hallucinations, humming to himself, never being able to stay still, moving one part of his body, etc. The ‘illness’ that they initially thought was just because he was young showed no signs of improvement even as he became a teenager.

But except for that, their second son was perfect.

He was smart enough to memorize Shakespeare’s lines well, had a face so handsome it was hard to believe he was their child, and had excellent physical abilities. He was more ‘upper class’ than anyone.

Therefore, they believed.

That with proper discipline and punishment, proper doctor’s diagnosis and proper effort, he could certainly get better.

#

BB raised his hand.

“Did they never consider the boy’s musical talent?”

They learn music at public schools too.

They considered playing one or more instruments like piano or violin as upper-class cultivation, classical music was their culture, and there was even an elective called ‘Class Voice.’

Halo, who had been loved by teachers in vocal classes, nodded.

“They did consider it at one point. This goes back to an earlier time.”

Again, they were ‘good parents’ who wanted to discover their child’s talents, and after seeing him humming after watching classical performances, they managed to arrange a difficult meeting with a university professor.

The first impression wasn’t bad.

The ‘boy’ was handsome enough to sometimes be confused for a different gender and looked angelic, and the tailored suit made him look like an excellent little gentleman. The university professor seemed to like even his upper-class pronunciation, and taught kindly until then.

But that didn’t last long.

The ‘boy,’ who had been listening earnestly at first, became surrounded by piano melodies, and heard better music than what the professor was playing.

So to the professor who finished performing while sweating, the ‘boy’ said very honestly

“It’s bland. This piece could be… could be played a bit stronger.”

The boy didn’t know many words, and didn’t know piano terminology either. Therefore, he could only express it as ‘bland’ and ‘stronger.’ Either way, it clearly left quite a scratch on the professor’s pride.

The professor’s face reddened, convinced the boy had read his recital review.

“Piano is not about playing strongly. And if you want to pretend to know so much, why don’t you prove it yourself.”

And so the ‘boy’ came to sit at the piano.

The professor crossed his arms and made a scary face, while the parents who were observing together watched the professor’s expression.

The boy’s fingers trembled.

The professor thought it was because he was scared.

However, in reality, it was because too many pieces of music were rushing in asking to be expressed.

The boy who didn’t know what to express first worried.

The trembling hands eventually fell on ‘do.’

Though what the professor had asked him to play was music that would be easy for the boy to follow, he didn’t play that. Just shocking performance continued.

It wasn’t like Mozart suddenly possessed him.

This wasn’t music.

The professor jumped up as the boy kept banging on the piano like he would break it. It would have been cute if he tried pressing one key at a time, or even looked at harmonies, but he was hitting the keys with his palms.

However, the boy seemed to be concentrating on his performance. Whether the professor approached or not, the boy stared intently at the keys, and his hands didn’t stop.

Just a bit more. Just a bit more.

If he removed this much, and went like this, it seemed like it would work.

While feeling like he would die from frustration, the boy thought he was gradually getting closer to something.

And for the first time.

A bit messy, but still complete-

When the first measure of Struggle came out.

The professor grabbed the boy’s nape and pulled him away.

The boy struggled but couldn’t overcome an adult’s strength.

“Insolent brat! Get away from my piano!”

“Let go!”

The parents hurriedly ran over and asked the professor if there was talent. The professor who had come out for a lot of money snorted.

“What talent? Does trying to destroy the piano look like talent to you? He doesn’t want to do music, he wants to destroy something. A bit longer and he might be dangerous enough to hit people. And if you want to learn anything, fix that insolent attitude first before coming back.”

From there, the ‘boy’ went to meet the doctor.

“Ah.”

BB let out a groan.

And returning to the original timeline.

The father who came home from the public school wanted to correct the boy’s impulsive and violent tendencies before he returned to the dormitory.

As soon as the father entered the house, he took off his wristwatch in front of him. And there was a flash before his eyes.

Though all the world’s sounds disappeared and became quiet, it was simultaneously terrible.

The boy ran away from that spot.

Into the music that always surrounded him.

The boy, who was wandering not knowing where to go, sees a performer appearing on a TV displayed in a shop window.

The boy who didn’t really know how to handle the guitar like his friend just strummed the strings and played around, wanted to make ‘thunder sounds’ and struck down the guitar on the spot. Thanks to that the music was completed, but the guitar became unusable. He was even called by adults and all.

Though he didn’t regret that incident, the boy learned there were ways to make more sounds in the world without breaking guitars. There were numerous playing techniques even for the guitar as an instrument.

The performer on TV hitting the guitar body like a drum instead of plucking the strings must be one of those techniques.

And as the boy entered a path he had never taken before, he learned there were numerous performers on the streets too.

Not homeless, but musicians.

However, most of their music was terrible.

He couldn’t understand why they would make noise when they could express it better.

While quietly watching, he would honestly tell them it was bad when they asked for opinions.

But they didn’t get angry like the professor.

Even when he said it was bad or weird, they laughed and happily sang and performed. Their music was bad, but that laughter wasn’t bad.

Above all, when they offered to let him try.

When they taught guitar techniques to him who didn’t know how to play guitar, and clapped and praised the sounds he randomly made, he began to like them.

“Still, go home, kiddo.”

“Isn’t it too early to run away from home.”

“You’ll have to work your whole life, but now’s the time to get more allowance from your parents. You look like you’re from a well-off family, you need to endure for your future too.”

“How can I meet you guys?”

“We’re always here. We can meet whenever you come.”

Though the runaway incident ended there, Halo started a new relationship. Every weekend he escaped the dormitory to meet them, performed with them, and hung out with them.

Though there was nothing left to learn about guitar from them, the world they showed him was interesting. Riding on the back of a brother’s motorcycle feeling the wind, getting chased while doing street performances.

They treated the boy like their friend and allowed most things.

Of course, except for a few things.

“Drugs, alcohol, and sex are for when you’re older.”

“Go drink more mother’s milk, young master.”

“Do you really want to die?”

When the boy charged at them with a guitar they ran away with loud laughter.

It was a very happy time.

Some people gave up music and went looking for another life,

They fought among themselves and got into trouble, and eventually the moment of farewell came, but there was never an unhappy time.

The brothers (bros) opened their small wallets and gave a guitar as a gift to Halo who had learned to control the world’s sounds and express music.

“We’re going to Scotland. This is our last gift.”

“Scotland? Why?”

“Ta-da! We finally got a contract. It’s small but not a bad record label. We’re saying we’ll soon be on TV and become popular stars.”

“Don’t cry, young master. It’s not an eternal farewell. Just the distance got a bit farther. Come visit whenever you want. Can’t a popular star buy some fish and chips for a young fan?”

The excited brothers who were going to become a world-famous rock band left their business card and departed like that. The boy remembered the record label they mentioned, and thought he wanted to appear on TV and sing like them. He wanted to become a star together and cause some social issues like alcohol, drugs, and sex scandals, but above all perform together in front of people.

To become like that, now the boy was the one who needed to work harder.

Since the brothers were running ahead, he had to catch up to them, and to the boy who thought his music was better, that didn’t seem too difficult.

Though adjusting to the quiet streets was a bit hard.

The problem wasn’t the farewell.

The boy who returned home for vacation faced his angry parents’ expressions. In their hands was the boy’s report card, and besides that, letters received from teachers detailed the boy’s delinquent behavior.

Hanging out with people of poor character, sneaking out of the dormitory every night, making strange music.

None of it was what the parents wanted.

His father rolled up his sleeves and brought the cane.

The boy didn’t particularly try to avoid the punishment either.

However, he couldn’t comply with being told to quit.

The parents who would have supported him if he did classical music didn’t know about the genre called rock and roll that was just beginning to sprout at that time, and only took it as strange music, or social rebellion.

The parents grabbed the back of their necks.

The boy suddenly discovered sparks flying in his father’s eyes in that chilly air. His father suddenly grabbed and tore open the guitar case that had been thrown on the sofa, and grabbed the guitar’s head with both hands.

The boy realized what his father was about to do, and threw his body.

It happened before anyone could stop it.

Instead of the wall, the guitar collided with the boy, and blood flowed from his hand cut by the sharp strings.

Not sure what expression the boy made then, but his mother screamed that it seemed like the boy was possessed by a demon.

The boy couldn’t stay at home any longer.

At this rate, even his one remaining guitar wouldn’t survive. So the boy grabbed his guitar and ran out of the house. There would be no returning like before.

Since there was no one left to tell him to go back like before.

“How is it up to here?”

The sun was already setting.

Halo’s mouth was getting dry after telling stories until sunset. On the other hand, BB who had listened to his story with concentration didn’t seem tired at all. Rather, he shone even more with curiosity.

“It’s fascinating.”

More than fascinating.

BB hadn’t imagined Halo’s story would be this detailed and have such grand scale.

Moreover, this story has just begun.

The catalyst for how the ‘boy’ whose name they don’t even know yet came to do rock.

How many more stories must exist after this.

Don’t want to sleep.

Because the story was cut off at a very important part.

“So, did he go find those brothers?”

Halo felt his phone ring with a zing.

Seeing it ring once means it was a message.

“He did go look. But couldn’t meet them.”

“Why not?”

“They weren’t there.”

The record label the brothers mentioned wasn’t there.

He had been scammed.

Since there weren’t phones like now where you could contact immediately, he just ended up losing the train fare all the way to Scotland.

“But I didn’t starve to death.”

Though he got chased for performing without busking permits or had money stolen, when he performed there were people who would listen to his music, and he earned money, whether little or much.

“Then one day he met that person.”

“That person?”

Halo checked his phone and smiled brightly.

“The record label boss he would eventually contract with.”

BB received that one line and cleaned up his seat.

Again, he was someone with amazing intuition.

“Do you have plans this evening?”

“Yes, with family. Let’s eat together next time.”

There was still much to interview about.

This story didn’t seem like it would end right away.

Though BB felt like he wouldn’t be able to sleep wondering how this story would unfold, he didn’t insist. It was enough time to organize what he had heard today.

Halo stood up from his seat and looked out the window.

Though he couldn’t see from this high floor, his mother and father would probably have arrived by now.

[Son, are you tired? You worked hard today too. Mom and Dad just arrived at the hotel, so want to come down soon?]

It was a dinner appointment made for today since he would be busy with rehearsals from tomorrow. Was it lobster they were going to eat, what were they going to eat?

It seems like it was health food but since he always ate such interesting and delicious things he couldn’t remember.

Whatever it is would be delicious anyway.

“Have a good time.”