Side Story 4. One heart field day (7)

"The moment I fell for your deep blue eyes... What? W-wait a moment! Ack! Ack!"

Ziiing–

Flash–

As soon as the song started, rails installed on the floor moved, transporting the hunter to the center of the huge stage. Then, colorful lights shone down on his head. It was a sight worthy of being called today's superstar.

It didn't stop there; five staff members hiding nearby with action cameras rushed out around the stage. Then they started circling around dizzily as if filming an idol on a music broadcast.

Unable to overcome his embarrassment, he turned his head, causing him to miss several bars of the song and fail the mission.

In that gap, the rest of the group also arrived on stage, facing an unexpected debut.

Meanwhile, the hunters watching the screen gaped at the creative trap.

"Who was it! Which team suggested this obstacle?"

"It's a violation of human rights! The rights of introverts are being oppressed!"

"Wow... Ha... Our Narim, who doesn't even speak ten words a day in our team..."

"It must be Team 3. Team 3 is always uploading Shorts and Reels, aren't they?"

"No, why are you making our team out to be attention seekers!"

"So Team 3 didn't come up with this obstacle?"

"That part is true!"

Amidst the commotion, some whose close colleagues were out there were already rolling on the floor holding their stomachs. If you weren't the one involved, such a crisis without threat to life was honestly a hilariously funny sight.

"Oh... Manager Narim is reserving heavy metal?"

"Ahahahaha, ah, I think the deputy chief is going to cry, what do we do, ahahahaha!"

"Can't you send us the footage captured by those handheld cameras? We want to play it on a huge screen in our team office."

"Look, they're dancing with their eyes closed!"

Meanwhile, the Team 3 hunter in question tried a pop song often used in Reels along with choreography, but failed because they didn't know the second verse.

Other hunters, with bright red faces, began to surrender themselves to the music with the determination that you have to be crazy to survive in this harsh world. Protests flooded in from beyond the screen, saying they should give a bottle of alcohol before giving such a mission.

"Huh? Is that difficult? What's the problem? You just have to sing enthusiastically and go, right?"

That question came from Soram, next to Tae-un. Tae-un looked at him intently and said:

"Soram-ah. I have something to say."

"What?"

"If by any chance such a situation comes, forfeit."

"? Why?"

"Because I want to be the only one to hear your singing, I don't want to let anyone else hear it."

"...?"

"You must never sing in front of other people."

It sounded like an affectionate statement... but for some reason, it made one's fist clench tightly.

Meanwhile, Aila at the scene had at least figured out that the atmosphere was excitedly bustling. She also realized that each person was shouting hard, and that sound was amplified by the machine.

Aila was guided to the front of the karaoke machine and put down the baton she had been holding in her mouth. Considering Aila's physical circumstances(?), a nearby staff member selected the song for her, and a standing microphone was set up in front.

Soon, the instrumental intro began to play.

"Woof! Woof woof woof woof!"

Aila started belting out even before the lyrics part began. Even at timing when the judge would have turned off the song saying "Wrong!" for other participants, they applauded and listened attentively.

The more the filming staff approached and circled around, and the more enthusiastically the lights shone on her, Aila wagged her body and barked more excitedly.

"Woof woof woof, woof! Woof woof, keum, woof!"

"Oh my, Aila is doing so well."

"You could stop catching mutants and become a singer!"

"Woof! Woof!"

Aila scored an impressive 40 points on the karaoke machine, but everyone agreed with the logic that 40 points is considered a perfect score in the dog world, so she passed in one go. Thus, following the hunter who broke the ice first and two hidden guardians of heavy metal, she passed the obstacle. The dog, preciously holding the baton in her mouth, kicked off the ground again with her black paw pads.

The path that followed was a course that ran along a stream after exiting through the back door. Her front paws bravely pounded the ground and her hind legs rose and fell without rest.

As Aila ran hard following the hunter who had gone ahead, she caught a whiff of a familiar scent carried on the wind. From that moment, she raised the corners of her mouth wide and moved her feet even faster. She thought she was already going at top speed, but she found she could run even harder, getting more out of breath.

Indeed, it was much more enjoyable to go towards someone waiting than just running. The scent of her loved one gradually drew closer.

"Aila!"

Aila leapt over the railing and rushed to her owner, the person who had shared all the world she remembered. Ayoung embraced her companion dog with both arms full.

"Well done! Now go rest where the oppas are! I'll be back soon too!"

"Woof!"

After proudly handing over the baton she had been holding in her mouth to Ayoung, Aila returned to her original small dog size. Ayoung, who had made her summon into the form that consumed the least energy, dashed forward like an arrow.

As Aila was sniffing the scent left behind where her owner had disappeared, another familiar scent approached from behind.

"Hey, you worked hard. Well done."

He was someone who protected Ayoung even more than himself if there was a fight Ayoung had to face. Therefore, he was classified as a 'good person' in Aila's mind.

After that, another person approached and lifted Aila up, supporting her belly with his large hands. At first it was unfamiliar, but after seeing him for about 2 years, she had become used to this person too. A person who held her comfortably to a suspicious degree, giving her a touch that made her feel like melting languidly. Even now, he made her body relax comfortably between his thick arms and chest.

"Han Tae-un, is she sleeping?"

"No. She's just lying down with her eyes closed. She'll wake up if you go get some treats."

Treats?

"See, her tail's standing up at the sound of treats."

"Huh, really. Sometimes I wonder if she's actually human."

Soram, who had been observing Aila this way and that, soon stroked the middle of her triangular ears with his finger.

"Then I'll be off too."

"Okay."

After Ayoung, Soram was Team 7's fourth runner.

Tae-un flew to Olympic Park while holding Aila. Gently placed on a soft cushion and given two pieces of treats, Aila fell asleep without resistance as a large hand stroked her back. It seemed like she would have a very good dream.

At that moment, Ayoung was smiling brightly as she cleared the obstacle that appeared before her, her expression as peaceful as Aila's.

"Oh my, really. What do you take the headquarters' last test-taker for!"

Mission 3. Korean Language Quiz

The mission submitted by an anonymous team was based on the great misconception that hunters would only be familiar with physical tasks. Of course, even among hunters, they were confident in this mission. That's because their team had a deputy chief who was a spelling villain, pointing out grammar every time someone said something in the group chat.

But they didn't know that studying for exams was even more severe than a spelling villain.

"It's fortunate Aila didn't get this. Phew!"

Ayoung quickly filled in the blanks of the crossword puzzle, instantly cleared the task of finding incorrect sentences, then threw down the pen and ran out.

Not long after, the signpost that appeared pointed to a main road running alongside the Han River. On the road, where traffic congestion information would normally be written, different letters alternately appeared today.

<Rift Management Agency Seoul Headquarters Hunters Public Training in Progress – Don't be surprised and drive safely ^0^/>

Ayoung passed the sign and ran along the shoulder of the main road where cars were zooming by.

Although a person appeared on the car-only road, there was no threat to citizens' driving. This was because the hunters' running speed was faster than the speed of cars on the highway.

Whenever a large vehicle appeared and encroached on the shoulder, she performed precarious acrobatics by running up onto the railing. There was no time to find balance, but for Ayoung, who was used to fighting by repeatedly jumping off Aila's shaking back, striking various terrains around, and landing back on Aila, it wasn't a difficult course.

"I'm going ahead!"

Ayoung recovered the ranking that had slipped one place during Aila's turn by accomplishing a sprint on top of the railing. Her hair tied up high fluttered excitedly.

As she ran along the main road, the cityscape gradually changed from Seoul's outskirts bedroom communities to small villages and then to fields. After passing Gimpo Airport and heading towards the sea, the sound of airplanes could be heard occasionally.

"Wow, I thought Gimpo would be all city, but there are places that look like Tae-un oppa's neighborhood too."

Ayoung muttered as she passed by lush fields. Later, when Soram confirmed this statement on screen, he told her, "Ayoung-ah, Han Tae-un's neighborhood doesn't even have paved roads."

The arrow continued straight, pointing to a field of unknown grass. But in front of the furrows sat an old lady wearing a sun cap.

"Hmm?"