The Road to Glory

“Hey, but is it okay for you to be wandering around like this?”“Well, it’s not like I’m a wanted criminal.”“Wanted… Aren’t you, in a way?”Jang Jinsoo recalled the different kind of wanted status he had.——WANTEDONLY ALIVEHALO$-——Of course, it wasn’t a wanted notice to kill or capture him alive, but rather a request (?) to just identify him.“The bounty is even market price. It should be at least 100 million won.”Halo’s eyebrows twitched slightly.“They’re really going all out.”Seeing that he clearly didn’t seem pleased, Jang Jinsoo chuckled.They were now in front of Jang Jinsoo’s villa apartment.His mother, saying Jang Jinsoo had gotten too thin, had driven over with food, and Halo had come along.It was partly to ask about the serious conversation he seemed to be having with his father earlier.Of course, by the time Jang Jinsoo was leaving, it didn’t seem that serious. Both parents were generally cheerful, telling him to visit often and packing food and nutritional supplements – he had received many as gifts.Still, Halo opened his mouth as he waited for Jang Jinsoo to enter the door code.“Earlier, your father…”Just as he was about to ask, Jang Jinsoo, who had seemed unusually happy, opened the door and his expression suddenly hardened.Before Halo could turn his head, he could smell the strong odor of alcohol and stale cigarettes wafting out.His expression gradually stiffened.As he peeked his head in slightly, he first saw a man sitting in the living room. Regardless of whether anyone had arrived, he was watching TV with a bottle of soju in his hand.Since Jang Jinsoo had said he lived with his father in a divorced household, this must be Jang Jinsoo’s father.However, there didn’t seem to be a chance to greet him.He was staring intently at the news and muttering.It was mostly high-level profanity, with ‘fuck’ accounting for about 90% of it.Jang Jinsoo’s face grew increasingly pale.‘Shit, I thought he’d be asleep at this hour.’It was past 11 pm since they had a late dinner. He naturally thought he’d be holed up in his room sleeping.Jang Jinsoo was conscious of the friend beside him.That is, the friend who had good parents.Lake Palace overlooking Seokchon Lake.Roh Haeil, who had a cool father who was a professor at Korea University, would never have seen someone like this.“Elon Musk, you son of a bitch. Are you playing with me? Fuck, fuck”That man didn’t utter a single sentence without swearing.Though it was that man speaking, he felt ashamed listening to it.His feet grew heavier, and he felt his ears becoming vulgar.Roh Haeil’s dad didn’t even swear once.Rather, he spoke kindly.The more he thought about it, the more embarrassed he felt.This was different from the inferiority he felt towards Roh Haeil.While inferiority was neutralized by envy and pride,There was nothing that could neutralize this.Regardless of whether the two kids kept standing at the front door, the man continued grumbling while watching the news, and after a while, he shuffled into his room like an unemployed person, dragging his pants.Roh Haeil, who had remained silent until the storm passed, opened his mouth.“So…”Each phoneme made him tense.His mind was filled with black scribbles.He wanted to hit Roh Haeil’s head to erase his memory.“Is your father’s girlfriend’s name Elon Musk?”“!”Jang Jinsoo’s eyes flew open, wondering if he had heard wrong.Roh Haeil was asking with a casual expression.“What, what are you saying, are you crazy.”The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed, and he started laughing.As he burst into laughter with a “heh”, the tension burst out with it.The laughter that erupted along with curses grew louder and louder.Roh Haeil, with an indifferent face, looked around, pushed aside the soju bottle with his foot, and set down the fruit basket his mother had packed.It was obvious at a glance.He didn’t care at all.Right, Roh Haeil was always this kind of guy.The type who doesn’t care about what others say and lives however he wants.His attitude that was usually annoying was fortunately welcome today.‘Ah. Thank goodness.’Jang Jinsoo laughed out loud, holding his stomach for a long time.Just like back then.-Hey, Jang Jinsoo is a bully.-Even the teachers and parents usually say not to get too friendly with him.-Hey, Roh Haeil. But hanging out with Jang Jinsoo. Your mom will hate it the most.The snort-laced words that reached Jang Jinsoo, who couldn’t enter the classroom because of their talk about him, were-What are you talking about.Just like now.That friend, like then, as usual, looked around as if it was nothing and lost interest.“Come over to my house often.”“Suddenly?”Jang Jinsoo asked back, giggling.“My parents said to come often. They’re not the type to say empty words, so they really mean come often.”“What about you?”To the implied question of whether he wouldn’t be uncomfortable, Halo replied indifferently.“That’s not my house, it’s my parents’ house.”His house was the workshop near Seongsu Station, and Lake Palace in Jamsil was clearly his parents’ house.And since he usually didn’t go home much, he didn’t mind if Jang Jinsoo went to live there if his mother and father were okay with it.“…I see.”Jang Jinsoo thought.With this guy,“Jinsoo, come visit often.”“Come visit sometimes, if you’re okay with it… I can look after you.”Such a warm mother and uncle.Warm food, warm greetings. And warm gazes.Everything was so thankful and grateful…He felt like he would stay by their side for life, even if the whole world turned their backs and threw stones at him.“Hey, but earlier you said you didn’t really understand what ‘han’ is, right?”“Yeah.”“It’s probably related to music. Why don’t you look for the most relevant class?”“Class?”And he vaguely hoped.That he could be of help to these people who were so kind to him.#“We drove around for a while because there was no place to park.”Halo leaned against the passenger window, staring blankly at the road.“Did something bad happen?”“No. Just…”Halo recalled the man he saw at Jang Jinsoo’s house.A person who doesn’t just ruin himself but destroys other people’s lives too.It had been a while since he’d seen the type of person he hated the most.If his father had been such a person, he would have left home immediately without even thinking of compromising.“I don’t understand.”That’s why Halo didn’t understand.It was one thing that Jang Jinsoo hadn’t run away from home until now,But what he understood even less was that the person who had most strongly opposed when he had decided to leave home before was Jang Jinsoo.Well, it’s not like he had ever been particularly good at empathy. He hadn’t really tried to understand anyone in the first place.He’d only started trying a bit since coming here.While making an OST for the first time and collaborating.Thinking about ‘understanding’ reminded him again of his assignment to compose for a creative musical.A song containing han.-Hey, but earlier you said you didn’t really understand what ‘han’ is, right?-It’s probably related to music. Why don’t you look for the most relevant class?When he asked about that suggestion, Jang Jinsoo timidly added.-Like pansori. Traditional Korean music. Wouldn’t the Department of Korean Music have lectures on that topic? Even if you don’t plan to attend university, it might be worth auditing.“Mother.”“Yes, what is it?”“Where are there schools that teach Korean traditional music in our country?”After a brief moment of surprise at the sudden question, Park Seungah answered as if it were obvious.“There’s one at your father’s school too. The Department of Korean Music.”“But why Korean traditional music?”“It’s for composition. How can I audit there?”“Well, wouldn’t your father know? But I’m not sure since it’s summer vacation now.”Ah, that’s right.It was summer vacation period now.Halo nodded.Well, he didn’t necessarily plan to audit.He just thought he’d listen if there was one.There should be plenty of Korean traditional music-related performances on NuTube and the internet. Well, seeing it in person would be different.After looking up a few pansori performances, Halo stared at the internet with his arms crossed.[Korea University Department of Korean Music Summer Special Lecture]Among them, the lecture guide had “What is Han” written on it.He didn’t want to listen to all of it, he was just curious about that lecture week.It was then.His father had left the materials he prepared for the summer semester class at home and asked his mother to bring them.Halo, who was at home, grabbed the file folder from his father’s study, and before his mother could cancel her hair salon appointment, he said,“I’ll take it to him.”“Huh? You will?”“Yes.”Halo grinned.After constantly seeking new stimuli and new pleasures every day, this seemed like a good opportunity.He thought he might visit his father’s university in Gwanak-gu to inquire about auditing while he was at it.“But is it okay for you to just wander around?”“How is it, it’s not like I’m on a wanted list.”“That may be true, but…”While having a conversation in the same context as the one he had with Jang Jinsoo, Halo got into a taxi. Fortunately, his mother didn’t know that Halo was wanted overseas.In the sweltering summer. As he got into the taxi wearing a cap and mask, the taxi driver clicked his tongue and nagged him to take care of his health while young. It was around the time when summer colds were prevalent, and since he didn’t bring his guitar, there were no suspicious glances.“Thank you.”Halo got out of the taxi, lifted his head, and looked at the huge campus with ‘Korea’ written on it.And he thought.‘So where do I go now?’#He had let his guard down.The country looked only as big as a fingernail on a globe, so he didn’t expect the university territory(?) to be this vast.While others got on the shuttle bus, Halo, who walked alone, only reached the College of Natural Sciences after wandering under the blazing sun until his back was soaked with sweat.As he approached the university building, quite a few students taking summer classes were visible. In fact, even if it wasn’t summer semester, many had to come to school for various reasons like civil service exams, certificates, or resumes.They were too busy with their own affairs to pay attention to the student panting in a long shirt over a white short-sleeved tee, wearing a cap. They only thought it was pitiful to wear a mask in midsummer, but didn’t have the chance to look closely.Thus, that student(?) entered the College of Natural Sciences without arousing any suspicion and found his father’s office.Click.“…”His father’s professor’s office was locked with a sign saying ‘In Class’.‘Of all times.’If he’s in class, he probably won’t answer calls either.Halo looked at the file folder once more and then back at the firmly closed door. Of course, the door wouldn’t open just by looking at it.“Oh? Are you here to see Professor Roh Yunhyeon, student?”At that moment, someone who came by called out to him.Though he didn’t know which professor’s assistant it was, they were addressing him.“Yes.”“The professor must have just gone into class. He just went in, so it’ll take some time.”“…”As the student stood there blankly, Assistant Professor Kang thought for a while and continued.“The professor is teaching in room 207, so why don’t you wait on the second floor? If you’re interested in the class, I’m sure the professor won’t mind if you wait in the lecture hall.”“Ah, thank you.”As Halo bowed his head, the assistant bowed back.And as they passed by him, they slowly tilted their head.Though it was hard to see clearly because of the mask, he looked oddly familiar.If he’s an undergraduate, they might have seen him around, but still.Professor Roh Yunhyeon’s assistant slowly looked back.Blond hair was sticking out pointedly from under the cap.If there was someone with bleached blond hair in the College of Natural Sciences, it wouldn’t be an easily forgettable impression. Moreover, as mentioned before, the eyes visible through the mask looked familiar somehow.As if they had seen them every day.That can’t be.Assistant Professor Kang stopped abruptly as they walked forward again.The family photo in Professor Roh Yunhyeon’s office flashed through their mind.Could it be… that person in the photo frame…!When they turned back and rushed out, he was nowhere to be seen.The elevator hadn’t moved either, as if he had disappeared like a mirage.Assistant Professor Kang thought.Right, that can’t be.If Roh Haeil had come to school, would it be this quiet?And coming back,Halo came down the stairs and found room 207.About twenty people could be glimpsed through the back door.A dark classroom.While everyone was focused on the beam projector, Halo slowly opened the door.The students sitting in the back rows turned to look at the sound of the door opening, but soon lost interest and focused on the class.English-only class.Moreover, Professor Roh Yunhyeon spoke quickly, so if they missed anything, it would be their loss.Halo thus entered amidst the indifference and sat in the very back row.And he tried to cool off by fanning himself with his hand.Fortunately, the air conditioning was working well, so it would soon be cool.An astronomy class conducted in fluent English.It was fascinating to see a university class for the first time, and an astronomy class he had never thought about in his life. Even more so because it wasn’t just any astronomy class, but his father’s class. It was even being conducted in English.“So, that’s why-“Of course, understanding the words was natural.But understanding the words and comprehending the content were different matters.At some point, Halo found himself staring blankly at the beam projector.The cool, dark, and even cozy back row.And his father’s consistently low voice andOne star appearing on the screen…Two……Three.The neck of the student leaning back in his chair with arms crossed droops down. The student sitting two seats away knew that Professor Roh Yunhyeon disliked students sleeping during class, but didn’t bother to wake up a stranger two seats away.Time passed like that.The class conducted with the beam projector progressed steadily, and eventually Professor Roh Yunhyeon turned on the lights in the classroom.With that, several students stretched and took out eye drops from their pencil cases to moisturize their eyes.His eyes moved slowly behind them.And to the very back row.He noticed a student with a cap sleeping with arms crossed.“…”Are there still guys like this?As Professor Roh Yunhyeon silently glared at the back row, other students slowly turned their heads too.And they, too, discovered a student sleeping in ‘the’ Professor Roh Yunhyeon’s class.WowSleeping in Professor No’s class?If you’re going to doze off, you might as well go out and sleep.It was natural for the enrolled students to whisper.The Department of Physics and Astronomy was known for having many geniuses, but Professor Roh Yunhyeon was especially famous for his good memory among them.He not only remembered the names of all the students in the department, but also remembered for a long time the names of students from other departments who took his classes.To the extent that he asked a senior who he ran into at the student cafeteria after returning from military service if he wasn’t the guy who slept in his class three years ago.As the whispering grew louder, a student sitting in the back row tapped the sleeping student on the back.“Excuse me, please wake up…”Having slept so soundly, the person woke up with a start and stretched. His face was clearly visible as his mask had slipped down while sleeping.Blond hair.And a pale white face.“!”Professor Roh Yunhyeon’s eyes grew wider and wider.Why is he here?Of all people…“Why are you…”As the classroom fell into silence with people gradually recognizing him, Halo made eye contact with his father, not realizing his mask had slipped down.“Hello, professor.”He greeted with a brazen face.After confirming that all eyes were on him, he added one more comment.“I wasn’t sleeping.”“…Wipe your drool before you speak.”Halo slowly raised his hand to wipe his mouth.Hi everyone, I've fully translated this series. If you love the series and wanted to binge read until the end, you can go to my Patreon "Shop" page. Instead of buying the advanced chapters one by one, you can buy them in one bulk (with discounted price too)!