The Road to Glory Chapter 203 - [Side Story] Chapter 5. Being an Instructor at a Music Academy

[Hello everyone, this is Roh Haeil]

Heh… hehehe… hehehe

Theater and Film major, specializing in directing.

Despite their impressive specs including awards from school competitions, university advertising contests, and various advertising competitions,

PD Nam of the Content Planning Team, who applied to Label H purely out of being a fan, was watching the video while making strange laughing sounds.

“PD Nam, let’s have lunch-. No, never mind. I won’t disturb you. Continue.”

PD Nam, who didn’t even notice his senior flinching and walking away, watched the video with that perverted-like gaze for a while before tilting their head at some point.

After rewinding, they paused the video with the spacebar.

[I think I’m in a slump]

Soon, the scene shows the members encouraging him when they were confused. It was heartwarming to watch, and on the other hand, it was concerning. That was the first impression.

However, after watching a week’s worth of recorded videos, the impression was ‘What is this?’

He clearly said it was a slump.

Halo, who lives in the penthouse on the top floor of the company building or in his studio, showed no signs of being in a slump.

Playing guitar under the sunlight, writing in his notebook. Throwing the pages he didn’t like on the floor after ripping them up was typical Halo behavior.

For something called a slump, there wasn’t even a trace of stress, and his expression wasn’t dark either.

And the ‘practice songs’ that Halo was humming sounded too good to PD Nam – of course, his voice is unfairly good – they couldn’t understand why they were considered practice songs.

Moreover

[Hey, kiddo. You should say something when you arrive.]

[I did.]

[When I asked about the LA weather, you just said you were in Korea. Is that what you call telling me?]

[By the way, I heard you’re coming back]

[Stop changing the subject. Yeah. Want to hear it?]

When Sin Joohyeok visited due to the sudden news of his return to Korea, Halo showed off his arrangement skills by demonstrating his own style after listening to Sin Joohyeok’s new song.

“Why on earth is he saying it’s a slump?”

The more he watched, the more he couldn’t understand why it was called a slump.

‘Am I misunderstanding the definition of a slump?’

It was PD Nam who seemed to have fallen into an incomprehensible slump.

And that was the same slump that viewers would fall into when they watch the video later.

Anyway, the devoted members are now trying their best to help Halo overcome his slump.

The first one up, outdoor filming with Han Jinyeong is happening today.

Where was it again.

“Some music academy, I think.”

#

“Teacher!”

“Oh, kids.”

“I practiced a lot today!”

“Can you check this for me?”

The children swarmed around Han Jinyeong like a pack.

While the figure behind him flinched at the predator-like rush, Han Jinyeong handled the children skillfully.

“Kids, did you practice? You did? Good job. Now go practice twenty more times and come back.”

“What?”

“Seungjun, did you finish the homework I gave you?”

With his words, their booming voices dropped a notch.

“Teacher.”

“Yes, Eunji. What is it? Having trouble with something?”

“Yes, I don’t understand this well.”

“But I’m busy right now, can I check it later? I promise I will.”

“Okay!”

He quickly cleared the bustling scene in one breath.

“Teacher, who’s coming with you today? The director said there would be filming.”

“Is it a celebrity? Could it be Halo?”

Han Jinyeong flinched, but the children, not noticing, continued their conversation.

“You blockhead. Halo’s in LA, why would he be here?”

“Teacher is Halo’s bassist.”

“So what if he’s Halo’s bassist. Halo went to LA alone. He abandoned Teacher!”

“Gasp! Teacher was abandoned?”

“Maybe he got fired and that’s why he’s here.”

“Haha, kids. It’s not like that.”

Although Han Jinyeong denied it completely, the children with their own distinct world wouldn’t properly listen.

And there’s no way that booming voice wouldn’t reach the ‘guest’ behind them.

The figure behind him started trembling.

Han Jinyeong felt even more embarrassed.

Fortunately, when the class bell rang, the children scampered into the practice room.

“Phew.”

It felt like he could finally breathe.

“You’re quite teacher-like.”

At that moment, Halo, who had been quiet until now, spoke up.

“I’ve just barely gotten past the rookie stage.”

“Did you teach kids during the entire break?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

The place Han Jinyeong brought him to was a practical music academy in Hongdae. It’s a practical music academy that teaches various levels from lower elementary school students to adult hobby classes, with only the entrance exam class being separate, he heard.

Han Jinyeong had been teaching here since last summer.

His brother who runs the academy asked if he wanted to try it since he had nothing to do these days, and Han Jinyeong, who initially felt reluctant about teaching someone, ended up trying it after much persuasion.

And since it turned out to be more manageable than expected, he stayed on as an instructor until his return to Korea.

“I didn’t know I had this aptitude, but after trying it out, it seems to suit me quite well. Surprising, right?”

It felt like it suited him much better than being a DJ, which he had done for a long time.

The kids were cute, and teaching turned out to suit his aptitude better than expected. Nothing was more satisfying than being helpful to people and seeing their skills improve visibly.

“I didn’t expect you to bring me here, but it’s not surprising.”

“Huh?”

“You used to teach well before too.”

“? Who did I teach?”

“…Did I teach you, Haeil? When? Hey, Haeil.”

Halo didn’t answer and walked ahead.

Han Jinyeong was about to call his name loudly but lowered his voice.

There was no one in the hallway, but just in case.

And he thinks.

While it might make sense for Jinsoo, Haeil was someone who was good at everything from the start, so he wondered what he could have taught him.

Halo watched through the glass window at a child sitting next to their teacher in the practice room.

“Now, how should you play this?”

“-Getting louder!”

Above them, the image of Han Jinyeong teaching MIDI and his past self overlapped.

“So today, we’re going to teach kids?”

As always, he didn’t like kids.

And “A kid who doesn’t like kids.” Han Jinyeong, who always found this fact amusing, gave a mischievous look.

As Halo’s expression gradually twisted, he soon shook his head.

“Unfortunately”

“We’re not teaching kids today.”

Ah, I can’t stand it.

His honestly brightening expression was enjoyable.

“It’s true that I taught kids, but that’s not all I taught.”

“Then?”

“Let’s greet the director and go upstairs. I’ll explain on the way up.”

Halo nodded obediently.

The class Halo will be observing today isn’t the lower grade children’s class, but Adult Hobby Class D.

While Adult Hobby Classes A and B are scheduled around office workers’ after-work hours, Class D is the only afternoon class.

Rather than office workers, it attracted various occupations who could spare time at two or three in the afternoon, like housewives, freelancers, students on break, and so on, and it was the class with the smallest number of students.

Therefore, it was also easier to get filming consent.

An adult class that doesn’t require guardian permission.

They just needed to get direct consent from a small number of people.

However, Han Jinyeong didn’t think they would actually film.

He thought about bringing Haeil to observe, but hadn’t considered filming.

The Content Planning Team begged so much for footage of their first outing(?), and Han Jinyeong accepted on the condition that everyone agreed.

The director brother would say OK since there’s nothing to lose.

Thinking someone among the students would object.

But everyone agreed. While some people asked to be mosaic-ed or edited out if they appeared, it was practically unanimous consent.

“No, no, the person you’re bringing, I mean, I heard but, really Halo? Or should I call you Roh Haeil-ssi? Such an honorable person in this humble place… It’s truly an honor to meet you.”

“Please call me comfortably.”

“How dare I address you so casually…”

The director, who discovered Halo who came to get permission for observation and temporary instructor qualification, completely forgot about the permission and everything else.

While he can handle various instruments, as his main specialty is being a guitarist, his appreciation would be different.

“Perhaps… could I get an autograph?”

“Of course.”

Forgetting all about the permission and why Halo was here, the director went into fan mode and brought out a guitar.

Apparently, he had brought in G company’s product after much consideration. Han Jinyeong had only seen it once, showing how precious it was to him.

After getting Halo’s autograph on such an instrument, the director couldn’t stop grinning.

“Brother, so are you going to hire him as a temporary instructor?”

“That’s something I should be asking for instead. Of course, by all means.”

What qualifications would Halo need.

To the 21st century’s greatest vocalist and guitar genius. He felt burdened bringing such a massive figure.

“But Jinyeong.”

“Yes?”

The director suddenly asked with a sobered expression.

If I’m like this, then the students…

“Will the class… be possible?”

He was genuinely worried.

And the director’s worry became reality.

#

To preface, they had only gotten filming permission from the students and said they would bring in a session musician to help with performance practice.

While they might have guessed that a celebrity would come because of the filming, no one had imagined Halo would come.

“Wait…”

“It’s Halo.”

“Halo?”

“No way, Halo?”

“Is it really Halo?”

Until Halo appeared, the students were looking on with curious eyes, but when Halo took off his sunglasses, they doubted their eyes, and when he removed his mask, someone dropped their pen with a clatter.

A series of typical reactions people show when experiencing shock and extreme joy occurred in succession.

Rolling…

The pen rolls across the floor to his feet.

While everyone was stunned by Halo greeting them after removing his sunglasses and mask, Halo calmly picked up the pen that had rolled to his feet and returned it.

“Can, can I accept this?”

“Isn’t it yours that you dropped?”

“Ah.”

Were these the same people who were anxious about the upcoming performance until yesterday? Han Jinyeong looked around awkwardly before deciding to finish the introduction.

“As I mentioned before, this is the guitarist who will help with today’s practice. Let’s give a welcoming applause-“

They weren’t listening at all.

Han Jinyeong, who had already excluded the lower grade students from filming because they were hard to control, learned that being an adult doesn’t mean having superior self-control.

Much like adult ADHD.

Still, Han Jinyeong knew how to get their attention.

“Now everyone, the performance is only a week away, right?”

“!”

“Ah, I had forgotten about that.”

“Teacher, can’t we postpone it for a month?”

When reminded of the performance, people seemed to snap back to their senses. A celebrity wasn’t important right now.

Well, if it’s Halo, he is important, but.

The time was approaching when their terrible bass playing would be exposed to the world.

Those who had thoughtlessly invited friends and family wore suffocating expressions.

“You all do well. I believe you’ll do great.”

Han Jinyeong said skillfully while extending his hand in front of Halo.

“As you all know, this is Halo. Some of you are preparing Halo’s songs, right? I specially requested him for all of you, so let’s all welcome him.”

People’s faces turned pale.

Seeing Halo was nice, but.

Bringing the original artist himself – having to show their bass skills in front of an artist called this century’s musical genius was another burden.

Still, it’s nice to see my singer or celebrity’s face.

Halo, who came to the front of the podium, waved his hand to greet them.

“Hello, I’m Roh Haeil. Nice to meet you.”

Everyone welcomed him with a “Wow!”

They thought that would be his only words, but Halo smiled and added,

“And I look forward to today.”

“?”

Look forward to what? What are you looking forward to?

Han Jinyeong flinched at the very un-instructor-like words, but since he seemed to have succeeded in capturing people’s attention, he stayed quiet.