The Road to Glory

“Hello, everyone.”Today’s stage was different from before.Usually, the stage lights would go out first, and the session’s melody would come in, but today the lights came on first.Then, a boy wearing a white T-shirt with an oversized short-sleeved shirt and black jeans stood at the front of the stage and greeted.Everyone understood that the format was a bit different, as it was the last day of the concert.And some were hoping for the singer’s talk. People usually go to concerts to listen to the singer’s music, but isn’t it also appealing to hear the singer’s views on music, recent thoughts, and concerns?Of course, sometimes people are disappointed or regret when the comments aren’t very entertaining.But Roh Haeil’s comments weren’t boring, and rather, the intermittent remarks.For example, the legendary “Just look at me” from the first concert, or the banter with other guests, left quite a few fancam clips.It wasn’t like he was funny like a comedian, but it felt like getting to know other charms they hadn’t realized well, like their relationships and Roh Haeil’s real personality.So people responded enthusiastically to the boy’s greeting.More than just screams or cheers, but in sentences.“It feels like we just started the concert, but it’s already the last day. I’ve just realized how short a week is.”Then came pleas to please extend the concert. The boy laughed heartily at those earnest pleas.People felt a bit wronged thinking the boy was taking their pleas as a joke, but they all laughed together, finding it nice to see him laugh like someone his age.“By the way, is there anyone who’s come to my concert multiple times?”Suddenly remembering the people who used to follow him everywhere, including every concert.Maybe because he wasn’t familiar with people’s faces yet? He had never seen a repeated face here.At the boy’s question, the 830 elites who had struggled to get tickets felt wronged again. Someone might think they only wanted to come once after ticketing.They wanted to come all seven times if they could. They felt even more wronged remembering other fans who had mocked whether 830 people were real.Humanly, please perform at a bigger stadium next time! When someone shouted,“I’ll prepare a bigger concert next time.”Halo smiled faintly as he looked around the theater and audience.“But I also like this place where I can see all of you well.”How can you resent him when he smiles and says that?People’s hearts softened again.Even those who had insisted on a bigger venue all said in unison that this was good. Yeah, even with 830 people, it might be fine if they pulled off concerts for a full year.“Then for today’s performance-“Usually at times like this, humble singers would say ‘I hope you enjoy today’s performance’. But the boy always said this:“-you will enjoy it.”There was no sense of humility, but the audience liked this confidence. They liked their singer who was confident and relaxed in front of 830 people, which is usually hard to gather…They also liked that ‘Lighthouse of the Night’, which had been the ending song of the first concert, became the opening song in a circular structure.They liked the full sound of the session.And soon, they liked the boy’s singing too.It was natural for the boy to boldly declare they would enjoy it. They were already enjoying themselves.There were no special guests or the spectacular connections that had heated up the internet from the second to sixth day, but no one felt disappointed. Not a single overlap for seven days, with each day being legendary and the most special performance.Even without Sin Joohyeok, Liv, or Lee Seongrim,Has there ever been a Roh Haeil concert with this much talk?You can already see what kind of reviews will be posted.Well, someday there will be a better concert than this. That’s something to boast about then, and today they can boast about today’s.The first part’s opening was occupied by Lighthouse of the Night, Another Day, and Welcome to my world, and as soon as the second part started, a small box was placed in front of Roh Haeil.It was a box containing people’s stories.He planned to pick and sing requested songs between the setlist. He said he would try to sing most of them, but asked for understanding in advance that he couldn’t sing songs he didn’t know.A strange tension filled the audience as the boy reached for the box.He stirred the balls in the transparent box, almost grabbing them, and took out one from the bottom. It was an ominous pink ball.He opens the ball and unfolds the note.A not-too-long story caught his eye.“Hello, I’m Jin, a high school senior preparing for college entrance exams.”People murmured briefly at the phrase the boy read.The date of Roh Haeil’s small theater concert’s last day was September 27th. It meant a student preparing for the college entrance exam, with less than two months left, had come to the concert.“When was your first love, oppa? -Halo tilted his head here, wondering if oppa was correct- I think mine is right now. Of course, I know this is an important time. I have a university and major I want to go to, and I know I need to study hard to get there… So I tried to sort out my feelings, but recently that person confessed. I haven’t answered yet, but I’m troubled. What should I do?”The boy lowered his eyes.“The song I want to hear is…”And the boy’s eyebrows twitched as he looked down.“I asked for only one song to be written.”The audience burst into laughter at the serious words.However, Halo had no time to pay attention to the laughter.-Is it love-Cherry blossom love us-Wanna eat chicken and go?-Shape of heart-(omitted)Just looking at the titles, you could tell what kind of songs they were.She sent a story saying she was troubled, but the list of requested songs didn’t seem very troubled.Halo’s lips moved as he looked at the list.So you want me to sing these?As he silently read the list with a sour look, people asked him to tell them.“Because I don’t know most of these songs…”Woo-. It was true, but no one believed him.The boy slowly read out the list. The more he read, the more the audience cheered. Come to think of it, they seemed to like it more than when he sang his own songs.“And.”Halo read the title written at the very bottom.“Confession.”The loudest cheer was heard.That’s because it had been circulating on the internet as a laughing point that he hadn’t sung it even once until the sixth day.As the boy looked at the note with a seriously contemplating face, the melody was heard first.With the implication that the members full of laughter would choose for him instead, since he couldn’t make the selection.As the accompaniment had already started, people clapped, and Halo had no choice but to sing.[I have something I want to say all night]He, too, had a lot he wanted to say to the audience who liked it more the more he disliked it.People didn’t follow his intentions at all afterwards either. This meant that while they wrote proper stories, no one had written just one song.Well, it’s not that he doesn’t understand.It could be interpreted as thoughtfulness, giving him a chance to choose one because their singer might not know the songs.“Hmm, there are multiple songs this time too.”However, he couldn’t help but doubt whether it was really thoughtfulness. Seeing them laugh at each of his calm comments.It was a time when he was freshly realizing that there are always more songs in the world that he doesn’t know than those he has heard, but the concert proceeded smoothly.It seemed like he had sung all the tracks from the regular album along with the requested songs.Almost at the end, Halo picked two balls, and when he opened one, an unexpected language appeared.“…Bonsoir.”A short French greeting followed by a brief note in French.After reading the not-too-long text, Halo briefly interpreted it in Korean for the murmuring audience.It was a simple message saying they had come to Korea on a trip and were looking forward to the concert. And since they didn’t know many Korean songs well, they had written a French song instead.Halo looked around the audience.Then he opened his mouth.“Unfortunately, it’s a song I don’t know well. Instead…”And suddenly his eyes meet with foreigners holding dirty blondes. One adult man with long blonde hair and the woman sitting next to him.“May I sing a chanson I know? Madame Aspera”To be precise, a girl who looked not even ten years old was looking at him with sparkling eyes.The owner of this writing.A child’s or someone with terrible handwriting’s crooked writing. And clumsy spelling.And the reason for requesting a French song in French to a Korean singer was not because of the person’s lack of manners, but because they were a child.When the girl wearing a trench coat like a Parisian nodded, Halo raised the corners of his mouth.And remembering a song he had once heard on NuTube, he strummed the guitar.[Lovers’ dreams are like wine]At that one line, people who realized what song it was smiled. It was the OST of a famous animation.Following the boy’s voice, the familiar night view of Paris unfolds before people. Even the cute picture of a small rat pouring ingredients into a pot.A somewhat bright melody, unlike the realistic lyrics.It’s a song with chanson’s unique melancholy, saying there’s no free lunch in life.However, what this song aims to convey is not despair.[We will finally be able to enjoy]Singing for us, it spoke of the future life. That beauty.[There’s a festival on my path]Halo imagined himself standing in the middle of the festival.Himself happily popping champagne as the festival begins, and stepping back to watch the festival being cleaned up when it ends.People who had been holding their breath applauded when the song stopped.Some people knew what this song was, and some didn’t. Most didn’t know the meaning of the lyrics.Nevertheless, they strangely felt like they understood what it meant. Because they felt drawn into the song without even realizing it. It was just like…“By the way, was Roh Haeil always good at French?”“Seeing him sing chanson, I think he’d be good at pop songs too. I should have requested a pop song.”Two people sitting in the back row chattered.“Please put down your phone. Recording is prohibited. We will escort you out if caught again.”“S-sorry. I’ll turn it off.”As someone who was caught secretly recording lowered their phone, the boy started singing his own song again.The very last song he hadn’t sung until now.This is the end, people thought. Of course, there would be an encore, but they felt regretful.Then, after finishing his song, the boy picked up the microphone and showed the ball he was holding.“!”Right, when picking the last request, the boy had picked not one, but two. People who thought it was the last called out his name.Halo smiled slightly and said,“Then I’ll open the last ball. My personal hope is that there are no love songs, because I don’t know them well.”Whether he really doesn’t know them well, or just doesn’t want to sing them.The fond smile at his cute complaint was short-lived.“Uh…”As the boy paused unprecedentedly, all eyes focused on him.He didn’t read the story.That’s because there was no story, only a request written.“This time, at least only one song is written.”Halo, who said that, thought it was the most unexpected request.At least he thought they would ask him to sing a HALO song or another pop song.Halo slowly opened his mouth for the curious audience.“‘Please sing a song that hasn’t been released to the world yet.’”“!”A concert that gets better every day.When everyone was saying theirs was the best because they couldn’t compare, one fan who really used their head requested this to make today the best.Honestly, it might be a bit too much to ask, but Roh Haeil, who had made three comebacks in a year, probably had some practice songs or unreleased tracks.“What?”Halo, who added the last word, moved his lips.Surely he doesn’t have any? Someone thought.Someone thought their singer was troubled, and someone thought there’s no way he doesn’t have any.Silence fell over the noisy concert.Everyone was waiting for the boy’s answer.They could accept it if he said no.Because it had been the best so far.Then, suddenly, the boy raises the corners of his mouth.“Do you all want to hear it?”Someone shouted loudly, “Yes!” breaking through the silence.At that moment, the quiet concert stirred.Yeah, there’s no way he doesn’t have any.“A song that has never been released to the world.”Something just came to mind.Something he thought of while singing the chanson ‘Le festin’.Just like recalling the end of the festival,Someday. There’s a song he made thinking of his end.Also, this song satisfied the condition of never having been released to the world.Because he never ended up releasing it.“The title is-“Halo hesitated for a moment.Should he say it in the original language, or-Suddenly he remembered how people had murmured because they didn’t know French well.Right, Korean would be better, right?“‘Until dawns come (Until dawn comes).’”It’s different from the music he’s done so far.If he sang rock stained with emotion before, this is a song that focuses on a calm acoustic sound.Come to think of it, it might be similar to Roh Haeil’s music.A song that stands out for its literary lyrics, fitting for the night.One regrettable thing is that Marianne, who was by his side, isn’t here. The streamlined folk guitar that Gibson made for him, that is.Well, that can’t be helped.The boy hugged a red guitar to his chest and hummed briefly.#People flowed out like the ebb tide.Halo thought he felt somewhat empty as he quietly watched them leave.It’s not surprising to experience burnout or feel empty after a concert ends, but still.While resting in the waiting room, a staff member knocked.“Hello. Roh Haeil-ssi, someone is waiting for you in the lobby.”“?”When Han Jinyeong expressed doubt, the staff member added more.“They said they had set up a meeting. Ah, there was also a message to deliver.”Halo raised an eyebrow.He didn’t remember setting up any meetings after the concert.Everyone’s expressions weren’t positive, so the staff member who noticed bowed their head, realizing their mistake!“I’m sorry if it’s not true. I thought it was a real meeting.”As the staff member was about to leave, Halo called them.“What was the message to deliver?”The staff member looked hesitant before opening their mouth.“‘You must have been surprised by the sudden request for a French song, but thank you for singing a chanson for our daughter. Ratatouille is our daughter’s favorite animation, so she really liked it. Thanks to you, we had a great time.’”Halo recalled the foreign father and daughter sitting in the very back row. They were French with dirty blonde hair.“And… ‘As the Creative Designer of ‘Arbor’, I have something to discuss with Roh Haeil-ssi regarding an ambassador position’ is what they said to tell you.”The staff member handed over a business card as well.A business card with a leafless tree drawn on it.Along with the contact information, it read:Arbor Creative Designer ‘Per Aspera’.Hi everyone, I've completely translated this novel! 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