The Road to Glory Chapter 230 - [Side Story] Chapter 32. Something Called Farewell

“You’re leaving?”

Gyeowool knew too.

That he was people from the city.

That he wasn’t residents who were born and raised in Baegun Island, but that he had homes to return to someday.

She had heard that the filming would last for two weeks.

“Yeah.”

At Halo’s answer, Gyeowool’s lips quivered.

She knew he had to leave, but she didn’t know he had to go this early.

Can’t you not go?

She wanted to ask that, but she couldn’t.

Gyeowool just fidgeted with her fingers while looking at Halo’s clothes.

Then, one of the production staff approached.

“Halo-ssi, can I have a moment?”

“Ah, yes.”

The staff member saw Gyeowool and awkwardly waved.

“Hi Gyeowool…? Can I borrow your teacher for a moment?”

“Okay.”

In the end, Gyeowool couldn’t say a single word asking him not to go, and let Halo leave.

The school is bustling.

No, the entire Baegun Island is bustling.

Everyone realized too late that the last day of filming was approaching because they were busy with their daily lives. Now they’re hurriedly saying their goodbyes and preparing to spend the last day well.

Watching the adults move around busily, Gyeowool thought.

That she seemed to be the only one who wanted to tell them not to go.

“Gyeowool, what are you doing?”

Gyeowool looked up when a shadow fell over her head.

Teacher Lee Sora crouched down with a gentle smile.

Prettier than anyone else she’d seen in the village, Teacher Sora could understand all of her feelings just by looking at her expressions.

And since she would comfort her kindly, Gyeowool tended to be a bit more whiny with Teacher Sora.

“Are you leaving tomorrow too, teacher?”

At Gyeowool’s question, Teacher Sora hesitated before stroking her head.

“Yes, I have to go.”

“Really?”

“…Our Gyeowool, you must feel very disappointed.”

At those words, Gyeowool felt her eyes getting hot.

Only then did she realize how disappointed she was.

With the village adults who were preparing to send them off like it was nothing

And with Halo who said he was going back like it was nothing.

“Aren’t you affected at all, teacher?”

And the teacher in front of her seemed the same way.

“What do you mean not affected? I’m disappointed too. I want to play more with Gyeowool, and this place-“

Lee Sora looked around the village.

She waved when she made eye contact with the villagers.

“It’s really nice. The best place I’ve ever been to.”

“But you’re smiling.”

“Ah, about that.”

Lee Sora chose her words carefully.

“Teacher is trying too. Holding back the sadness, wanting only pretty moments to be remembered by Gyeowool. That way, Gyeowool can remember teacher well, right?”

“But teacher is pretty every day.”

“Even prettier. So Gyeowool can remember teacher more beautifully, to look forward to next time. The village adults are doing the same thing right now.”

Wearing slightly better clothes, preparing slightly better food.

“We’re all trying to remember only the good moments.”

When Gyeowool seemed to have difficulty understanding, Lee Sora added:

“There’s a saying that first impressions are the most important. Once something is perceived, it’s hard to change that impression. That’s why they say you need to do well at first. But you know what? That’s not it. It’s not the first impression that’s most important, but the last impression.”

“Why?”

“Because people are too busy, because memory capacity is limited, or for various reasons, they erase memories one by one starting from the distant ones. But you can’t completely forget everything about a person, right? So when only one memory remains, it’s usually the most recent one. In other words, the last impression.”

“That’s why everyone is preparing so hard. To leave only good memories of the village, so it can be remembered fondly anytime. That way, they’ll want to meet again next time.”

Though she didn’t seem to fully understand, Gyeowool nodded.

“You want Teacher Haeil, no, oppa to remember only your pretty side too, right? That’s why you can’t tell him not to go?”

“Yes.”

“How mature, our Gyeowool.”

After giving Gyeowool a hug, Lee Sora suddenly winked.

“Hey. Should teacher help you with something? To make sure Haeil-oppa can never forget. So he’ll contact Gyeowool first later, and come visit.”

“! How?”

“I have a way, want to go somewhere with teacher for a bit?”

#

“What is it?”

“Ah, Haeil-ssi. You see, maybe-“

PD Na very politely asked if he could sing for the villagers today. If he didn’t want to, he didn’t have to.

But since he was planning to sing anyway, Halo immediately agreed.

“I’ll do it.”

It was a simple request.

However, PD Na looked extremely touched, as if she hadn’t expected him to agree to such things.

“Thank you, Haeil-ssi.”

Then she belatedly added that they were planning to use it as the final scene of today’s celebration. She hadn’t mentioned the directing aspect while asking because she was worried the request might sound like pressure…

“It’s not a difficult request.”

“Still, our contract states it clearly. We will never force performances or music.”

At her declaration that she hadn’t forgotten, Halo smiled faintly.

“I understand. Then I look forward to the final filming.”

As the boy walked away, PD Na clutched her chest.

“Good… request… Yes, yes, must do well.”

Keep appropriate boundaries, and treat everyone fairly today too.

Since there wasn’t anyone among the cast who wasn’t a top star, there was no need to discriminate against anyone, but if she showed particular fan enthusiasm toward someone, others might feel bad. She wanted to remain a PD who worked well and maintained proper boundaries with everyone.

“I’m doing well, right?”

“Hmm.”

Writer Do Minhee’s expression turned cold.

“Well, I guess.”

Though she answered that way, it seemed the fan enthusiasm had already shown through for someone.

She didn’t tremble at all when talking to other cast members, but when talking one-on-one with someone, she got nervous and couldn’t even manage her expressions.

Writer Do Minhee turned her gaze away to avoid eye contact with PD Na.

That’s when it happened.

When a girl so cute she wanted to pinch her cheeks entered her sight.

“Oh my.”

Writer Do Minhee covered her mouth after unconsciously exclaiming.

:

Halo was already looking for where Gyeowool had gone.

She wasn’t visible in the short time he’d been away.

She wasn’t where the other kids were, and she didn’t seem to be with her mother either.

“Haeil.”

Halo turned his head without thinking at Lee Sora’s call.

“What-“

And then he stopped speaking.

The village young men’s gazes fell on Lee Sora, who was dressed prettier than usual.

It was such a different look that Kwon Jaeik watched from afar, gave a hollow laugh, and crunched on candy.

However, Lee Sora wasn’t the important one.

A head peeked out from behind Lee Sora in her white dress.

“…”

The girl wearing a dress reformed from Lee Sora’s cherry blossom dress looked like a baby cherry blossom. Her shy pink cheeks were cherry blossom colored, and her face that had been hiding(?) among her messy hair was fair.

Deer-like eyes looked up at him and called out.

“Teacher.”

“…?”

A familiar voice came from an unfamiliar girl.

Gyeowool’s undeniable voice.

“Why are you wearing a skirt…?”

Something flashed across Halo’s face, whose reaction was slower than usual.

Lee Sora laughed brightly at his gradually changing expression.

“Haeil, how could you think such a pretty child was a boy all this time?”

The camera director was already filming a close-up of Halo’s expression.

“How thoughtless.”

Lee Sora’s teasing didn’t reach Halo’s ears.

Because memories of all this time were flashing through his mind.

From when Lee Sora meaningfully said “You don’t know?”, to the use of “unnie”.

And above all.

-If someone says it’s weird, you say it’s weird too

-What if they still do it?

-Then hit first. Men use their fists.

Teaching how to fight with fists or

The pranks he played thinking she was a boy came vividly to mind.

If nothing else, the face of a gentleman who learned manners from his family and public school became dumbfounded.

“I’m telling you because I was worried you might never notice.”

And the black history was already recorded, at that.

Hadn’t he called Gyeowool a “boy” on the morning broadcast?

Lee Sora giggled and gently pushed Gyeowool’s back.

“Teacher.”

Gyeowool looked up at Halo.

She seemed to be expecting some words.

Halo hesitated, his lips quivering.

Reason and emotion fought fiercely as no words came out.

In the end, reason won.

“It suits you. You look pretty.”

For a complimenting face, it was very strange.

Lee Sora finally held her stomach laughing.

“But was I the only one who didn’t know? Did Jeongmin-hyung and Jaeik-hyung…”

“Haha. I really didn’t think you wouldn’t know…”

Lee Jeongmin laughed awkwardly.

“She looks like our Darin.”

“Hehe.”

Kwon Jaeik added, gently stroking Gyeowool’s head.

He did favor her more than the other children.

“To think you thought someone else’s pretty daughter was a boy. Haeil, you need to reflect for life.”

Lee Sora was busy teasing the real boy, and Gyeowool fidgeted with her dress as if uncomfortable. Halo regained his senses around when the village celebration preparations were complete. Though his gestures toward Gyeowool became a bit awkward, that would soon improve.

The village celebration was held in the open space next to the school.

It wasn’t as fancy as city celebrations.

However, it resembled the atmosphere of Baegun Island village.

A feast and alcohol more lavish than usual. Soft drinks.

Children who were just happy to have no classes, and villagers who decided to just enjoy today – that was enough.

And music that’s essential for parties.

They really ate their fill and played to their heart’s content.

Music that filled them up and rest that satisfied them.

It seems they left an impression satisfying enough to not feel hungry for a while.

“Rest well since you have to leave tomorrow.”

“Have a good night.”

“Sleep well.”

“Go in safely.”

And they parted as usual for those who would leave by boat tomorrow.

They thought there would be crying when parting, but no one cried.

Even those people.

“If you’re going to sleep anyway, go inside and sleep.”

“I’m not going to sleep today.”

And they sat around the wooden platform.

Everyone’s faces were peaceful and satisfied.

“Ah, I’m full. Think I’ll gain about 3kg today.”

“You can gain more.”

“As if. I’ll look like a pig on TV.”

Today they specially continued the conversation without fighting.

“Jeongmin, aren’t you tired?”

Kwon Jaeik asked casually.

Just like he would to other people.

“…I don’t think I’m tired.”

When Lee Jeongmin apologized, he just said “You’re young, young. When I was young I was fine even without sleeping for days.”

“I’m too full to sleep too. Isn’t there anything we can do? Like games?”

PD Na, who started taking turns with the assistant director after realizing the cast wasn’t sleeping, shook her head.

“What were you doing not preparing things like that. Haeil, don’t you know anything kids do these days?”

“Music?”

“…”

The first day’s PTSD almost came back up.

As Kwon Jaeik’s mouth closed, Lee Jeongmin smiled faintly.

Well, isn’t there anything to do.

It seemed a shame to spend the last night sleeping.

Though the celebration seemed to end too early, they acknowledged that the villagers had tomorrow too.

Lee Jeongmin, who had absent-mindedly put his hand in his pocket, took out what made the rustling sound.

“This is…”

“Don’t tell me it’s a note?”

“So that’s why they ended early.”

It seems he wasn’t the only one who felt the party ended too early.

Kwon Jaeik and Lee Sora’s eyes also lit up as they gestured for him to open the note.

“This isn’t what you’re expecting…”

“Then what is it?”

Lee Jeongmin carefully opened the note.

It was a note from the treasure hunt they had done before.

The treasure hunt they couldn’t solve because they were having too much fun.

Originally a child had it, but gave it to him before parting earlier.

-Since it’s too hard for us, teacher must solve it.

Though it seemed meaningless if not done together, the child gave it naturally and went back to their family.

“It’s a treasure hunt.”

“Treasure hunt? Haven’t heard that in a while. But this is a treasure hunt?”

“It’s an unsolved problem.”

At that moment Kwon Jaeik stood up abruptly.

Lee Sora also stood up without a word, and seeing the two, Halo re-strapped his guitar case that he had unpacked.

Lee Jeongmin looked at them with a bewildered face before finally standing up too.

“Shall we try it?”