The Road to Glory – Chapter 207 – [Side Story] Chapter 9. Welcome to My Home

Author: Dawn

People’s eyes followed a boy who was moving busily.

Among them, someone thought.

‘Why is he moving so inefficiently?’

Recording nature’s sounds might seem difficult at first glance, but you just needed to wait patiently with perseverance.

It was just a matter of sitting still, deleting if it wasn’t the desired sound, and recording again.

Before they knew it, Halo stood on the slope with his arms raised.

Whether he wanted to record the trees swaying or the wind, they knew he would soon be somewhere else.

Putting it nicely, he was a beginner working enthusiastically. Putting it badly, ADHD…? He just seemed to be working inefficiently.

But no one said anything to Halo.

Not just because Professor Ma had told them to leave him be, but there was also this strange feeling that they shouldn’t interfere.

And whatever he was doing, it was quite enjoyable watching the various expressions that flashed across his face while recording. They wondered what kind of sounds could make someone that happy.

The graduate students, who thought they were brought here for the professor’s project and volunteer work, envied his demeanor.

Time passed like that.

“Snort… Hmm! W-What…”

“Nothing happened.”

In this place where only nature’s sounds remained, someone woke up startled by their own snoring.

“Boss! Have a sandwich!”

Even as everyone sat together eating sandwiches, Halo darted here and there.

When the sun began to set, the professor stood up.

“Let’s head down now.”

The sun sets early in the mountains.

Especially in places with few people.

The graduate students’ faces brightened at Professor Ma’s words. Usually, they would record at night too, but it seemed they were finishing early because of Moon Seoyeon and Halo’s presence.

“Since we’re finishing early today-“

Finally, can they go home?

Never had the professor’s words made their hearts flutter so much.

“Let’s organize the data when we get back.”

“!”

Moon Seoyeon giggled at their despairing expressions while looking around.

‘Where did the boss go?’

He wasn’t visible in the moment she took her eyes off him.

“Boss!”

Moon Seoyeon headed to where she last saw him.

“Boss?”

Her voice echoed, but no one answered. The fallen leaves rustled on the ground.

That’s when it happened.

Something swooped down beside her.

“!”

Moon Seoyeon was so startled she couldn’t even scream, and she was even more surprised when she realized it was Halo who had dropped from above.

“Did you call?”

“Yes! But boss, why were you…”

What if you fell from the tree.

No, before that, since when was he good at climbing trees to be up there.

Unaware of the leaf stuck in his hair, Halo grinned and pointed upward.

Moon Seoyeon’s head followed his gesture.

And then, she-

“Wow-“

She let out a small gasp and covered her mouth.

Through the tangled tree branches, she could see a hidden nest. Baby birds were chirping with their heads poking out.

The sound was so faint that you’d miss it if you weren’t listening carefully.

“They’re so cute.”

Moon Seoyeon bounced one leg, not daring to reach out for fear of startling or hurting them.

“How did you find them?”

“I saw one crying after falling outside the nest.”

Ah, so that’s why he climbed the tree. Moon Seoyeon nodded in understanding as she watched the baby birds.

“By the way, why did you call?”

“Ah! Right. They said we’re heading down now. Do you have anything left to record?”

“Nope.”

Halo shrugged.

Unlike someone who had been running around everywhere with a microphone. Whether he had recorded everything he wanted to, or perhaps lost interest in collecting sounds, was unclear.

“Can I listen to it?”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s listen in the car later!”

Unfortunately, Moon Seoyeon never got to hear the recording.

“Ah, but Seoyeon. Do you have time today-“

Professor Ma turned around when his favorite student didn’t answer, only to find the boy sleeping with his arms crossed and his protégé passed out with her head against the window.

“They must have been very tired.”

Professor Ma smiled faintly and turned to face forward. Two cars drove off with the sun at their backs.

PD Namgung’s hands trembled.

Damn, why did I do that? I should have gone with them.

“Oh my…”

He had felt ominous- no, expectant when Moon Seoyeon mentioned that the boss had carried the camera himself, but the result was truly.

“Oh Sun…”

PD Namgung paid his respects to the footage and his future self.

The early footage wasn’t bad. The camera focus was clear, and Halo’s contemplative expression after talking with the professor had its own charm.

But the problem started when Halo began carrying the camera.

Heaven and earth turned upside down.

Was this how God created the world?

Not just the focus, but the angle started shaking.

As if riding a roller coaster, extremely so.

Moreover, the usable footage didn’t even show Halo. No, it would have been better if other people appeared instead.

Rocks… Dirt.

Tree trunks and branches.

Clear water.

And aack!

PD Namgung, who nearly got exorcised by the intense sunlight, took a deep breath.

There was footage where Halo appeared. Just a blurry back view of him walking around with a microphone from far away.

This could be enhanced somehow.

…R-Right?

PD Namgung, who had given a thumbs up and said “It’s perfect” when Halo asked about the footage, now had a very sore stomach. Of course, if Halo asked again, he would give the same answer.

PD Namgung set aside today’s footage and checked NuTube.

Today was finally that day.

As previewed in the teaser,

D-0

Pop.

The office worker opened a beer can from the freezer and sat on the sofa.

These days were good times, being able to watch NuTube on a smart TV.

The office worker leaned against the wall after setting Do Not Disturb mode.

One sip of beer seemed to wash away all the stress from work.

It was supposed to be released first as a live stream.

Even though it was 25 minutes before the stream, live viewers were already gathering.

[Finally ㅠㅠㅠ]

[Ooh it’s soon]

[good morning]

As if coordinates had been marked somewhere, the viewer count was swelling.

Well, it had already drawn attention, with people talking about it everywhere since yesterday.

While in reality, who knows how many would actually watch the stream, but the community side seemed to have gone crazy.

The office worker understood people being curious about a star’s private life, but couldn’t comprehend why they would get this excited.

Anyway, the remaining 25 minutes felt too long for the office worker.

Even after spending time ordering pig’s feet through the Delivery Nation app after much deliberation, 10 minutes remained.

Around then, internet articles started appearing.

Saying Halo’s web entertainment show would be uploaded soon.

The difference between community posts and articles wasn’t very clear.

Anyway, now only 1 minute remained.

The viewers counted down together.

[3]

[2]

[1]

[Go go go go]

A familiar music played.

The instrumental of “Welcome to my world” from Roh Haeil’s first regular album.

With it, as the screen brightened, a boy playing guitar appeared. The boy, comfortably dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and jeans, strummed the famous Halo guitar.

Indoor recording studio footage, said to be less than stage footage.

Before thinking how unfair it was for the production team to use their trump card from the start, the boy’s hands suddenly stopped.

The boy smiled while looking at something.

Whether he met someone he was glad to see, or heard an amusing joke, wasn’t clear.

However, he looked happy, and made viewers smile too.

Behind him, singing voices gently played.

Welcome to my world.

[EP 01. Welcome to my home]

And at the scenery that immediately followed, the office worker let out an “Oh” in amazement.

“Ugh.”

Crack crack.

When Assistant Ahn stretched, bones cracked throughout their body. However, those present couldn’t tease Assistant Ahn.

It wasn’t about their relationship with Assistant Ahn, they simply didn’t have the energy to tease.

Dark circles reaching their chin was nothing new, and everyone staggered around like zombies.

Even so, their only chance to rest properly was the 15 minutes it took to go to the bathroom.

Actually, Professor Ma wasn’t forcing the project on them. It’s just that, when Professor Ma was working without moving an inch, it felt awkward to say they were leaving first.

And anyway, it was work they had to do.

Listening to what they recorded while wandering across Korea’s land for days was more tiring than the wandering itself.

This trickling sound now sounded like bathroom noise, and this… Who recorded this?

Ah, right, it was me?

Assistant Ahn nodded off while listening to what must have been the umpteenth stream sound.

That’s when it happened.

One graduate student, thoroughly sick of it all, browsed through folders to clear their head.

Just checking how much was left.

It was meaningless, but they counted while pretending it had meaning.

Then, the graduate student tilted their head.

Unlike other folders with enormous sizes, there was one folder with an oddly small size.

Clicking it revealed just a single file.

‘What’s this?’

The graduate student, who almost got angry thinking someone might be freeloading, realized it was the most recently recorded file after seeing the date.

And that there were two helpers today.

Must be from one of them.

‘Come to think of it, I didn’t even get an autograph. Damn.’

The graduate student grumbled about not getting even one proof photo with Halo despite spending the weekend hiking.

Click.

This must be Halo’s, right?

Wonder what it’s like from someone famous for being a music genius?

They were curious.

Though thinking it would be the same sounds, they remembered how seriously Halo had wandered around everywhere.

What did he record to make such a satisfied face?

The graduate student put their headphones back on and pressed the spacebar.

“…”

A very small but delicate wind sound came through.

The graduate student thought they caught it well for a beginner, as it wasn’t just common wind sound but the sound of wind beginning to blow.

However, when the sound completely disappeared like in a vacuum, the graduate student felt unexpectedly disappointed.

‘The sound was good, shame. Wonder if it can be edited.’

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly water drops fell pitter-patter.

It sounded like a xylophone.

‘…?’

And gradually the wind spread.

In an instant, huge winds made the undergrowth stand up.

Water ripples spread out.

It was like someone gently caressing a stream. Along with it, the wind grew stronger, and even the sound of clothes rustling and bumping seemed like one part of this mountain.

Sunlight settled down, and leaves scattered in the wind’s touch.

The sounds merged.

The noise they talked about couldn’t be more beautiful in this moment.

Weren’t we in the same place?

Then why are the sounds different? What I heard wasn’t like this.

The graduate student rubbed their arms.

“Professor…”

“What is it?”

Professor Ma looked for the timid voice.

The graduate student answered, not even knowing what expression they were making.

“I think you should listen to this.”

The graduate student didn’t know how to define this.