Side Story 2. Perfect Weather (8)

Min-ki took out two crisp pieces of paper from his inside pocket.

"The kids say they don't feel like going to a class president election. They're so dumbfounded they won't even connect via video call. I've been delegated their votes, so I have ten votes."

"No, why! Why didn't they come!"

"Be quiet! Hey, you should have led with the fact that you have ten votes! We didn't even know such an esteemed person had come to this humble place!"

Ga-eul took a posture like a butler standing next to a red carpet, saying she would escort him to his seat immediately instead of standing. Soram also belatedly jumped up and followed suit.

"What, what's this... Why are you both acting like this..."

"Come on, let's go down and sit to talk first."

"Think about how many memories we've shared over the past 9 years. Remember?"

Just as Min-ki was about to go down to the seats below the stage, escorted by the two bowing people, the other two, excluding Min-ki, were swiftly pulled back to their original seats. The chief who had been standing like a guard on one side of the stage raised the corner of his mouth.

"Our candidates. You should remain seated. On such an important day like today."

Min-ki came down below the platform, leaving the two flailing their legs and shouting, "Seo Min-ki, vote well!" and "Choose properly!" He then pulled out a chair next to someone.

"What's this, did they actually want to be director? Were they really competing?"

The big man of the same age who had been sitting there from the start turned his head.

Ga-eul, Min-ki, and Tae-un, who were the same age, had met after the 4th Great Rift ended and agreed to drop formal speech with each other. Strictly speaking, it was more Ga-eul's strong insistence than an agreement.

'No, it's weird that you speak completely casually with Jin Soram but use polite speech with us, it breaks the flow of conversation and messes up the family tree. Just drop it!'

To Tae-un, who refused saying it was fine due to rank differences, she also said that it would become meaningless in a few years anyway, so why drop it belatedly then. As no one seemed to mind, Tae-un eventually accepted.

"Those two aren't competing to become director."

"Hm?"

"...They're trying not to do it."

"Ah. Aah... Yeah, that makes more sense and is a situation that's really... so like them..."

Though they had dropped formal speech, an awkward silence flowed between the two who weren't that close. Of the four same-age friends, the two talkative ones were sitting on that stage with deadpan faces, and the remaining two here were relatively unsociable.

Among them, Min-ki, who couldn't bear the awkwardness a bit more, spoke up.

"Who are you planning to vote for...?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"I thought you'd obviously take Jin Soram's side."

"It doesn't seem like a problem to decide that way. You?"

"If they both wanted to do it, I'd have to think about it, but if they both don't want to, there's nothing to consider. I'll just cast five votes each."

"Ah."

It was a good privilege of having an even number of votes.

"But keep this a secret from them... Let me watch for a few days."

Seo Min-ki smiled with his gentle face. Now that an interesting opportunity had come, how could he miss it? Business is business, and personal is personal.

Shortly after, Ayoung, who arrived a bit late, sat at the same table as the two. Soon, a host came up to the platform.

–We will now begin the public campaign for the 2nd Field Operations Bureau Director election of the headquarters. We ask all distinguished guests to be seated in their designated seats.

Even in this ridiculous situation, Secretary Min Yu-ra was calm. Indeed, she was a talent worthy of the position to assist the soon-to-be agency director.

The lights below the platform went out, and only the stage was brightly lit.

–We ask the two candidates to please come forward.

Soram and Ga-eul walked out as if being dragged and stood at the front of the stage. Despite their hidden circumstances, they exuded enough presence befitting the next pillars of the headquarters.

Tae-un recalled the scene of the press conference he had attended not long after coming to the headquarters in this life. Back then, Soram and Ga-eul had also been called out together and stood side by side in front. The emotions he had felt looking up at the stage were admiration and a sense of distance. Like looking at a far-off star.

But that distance had been welcome to him at the time. Jin Soram, who had long been the object of his admiration, was standing in such a high position. Just the fact that he was seeing it with his own eyes was overwhelming.

After spending two years here since then, he began to see various things compared to when he had sat nervously as a new recruit. The gazes of other headquarters chiefs looking at the two, the atmosphere of this place, and so on. Yet he was still focusing on every moment of Soram all the same. His pouting lips saying he hated this, his gestures of bickering with Ga-eul.

The first order was a short speech by Park Jae-seon, who was now stepping down from the director position. He first expressed his gratitude for following him despite his inadequacies during his tenure.

"...Now I intend to entrust the future of the headquarters to these hunters who can see a more distant future."

Even the hunters who had gathered playfully became solemn at his greeting. Even Ga-eul and Soram, who had been bickering, sat up straight and watched his back at this moment.

"There have been many diverse events during my not-short time as director, but I'm more proud and satisfied now than at any other moment. No matter who comes to lead the headquarters, I'm sure they will do better than me, so please give them a lot of support."

Park Jae-seon turned around.

"Now, are you both ready?"

"...Yes"

"Yes..."

The two, who answered with resignation, drew lots for the speech order. Soram squeezed his eyes shut, and Ga-eul clenched both fists tightly.

The result was.

"Just go quickly."

Soram, who had lost, stood up without hiding his sigh at all.

As he walked towards the microphone, he glanced sideways at Ga-eul. Still, Kim Ga-eul, you said you'd go all out saying you wouldn't do it, but now that you're approaching the stage, you're getting nervous for nothing.

It was rather fortunate that he was going first. Soram, who hadn't brought a single script, couldn't have been more lighthearted.

As he approached the podium like that, a hollow laugh suddenly escaped. All sorts of things happen when the world becomes peaceful. As Chief Shin had said, being recognized as a director candidate in one's 20s was something to be proud of in its own way, but it was also greatly bewildering.

Soram soon arrived at the spot where Park Jae-seon had just given his speech.

Now... what should he say? The feel of the podium and the shape of the microphone felt both familiar and unfamiliar.

"..."

Then his eyes met with Tae-un's, who was sitting in the front row. His eyelashes blinked slowly a couple of times.

Tae-un asked 'Why?' towards Soram, who had stopped moving. Still staring blankly at Tae-un... soon he smiled, spreading his lips. His eyes crinkled happily above the mischievous smile. The bright smile on his pretty face suited him very well, but some of those seated seemed to feel a chill, realizing the subject was Jin Soram. Including Han Tae-un.

The smile that had momentarily created tension was soon withdrawn. Then Soram buttoned up his jacket that he had left undone while sitting, and naturally adjusted the height of the microphone.

As he struck quite a pose, gazes gathered. In front of the interest, doubt, and attention, Soram looked around once more to focus all eyes, then bowed his head in greeting.

"Hello. I am Jin Soram, chief of Team 7 at the headquarters."

His voice flowed out calmly without trembling.

"I stand here in the honorable position of candidate for Field Operations Bureau Director of the headquarters, following the esteemed hunter Park Jae-seon. Through this radical decision that came from a place where many have watched over me for a long time, I was able to deeply feel the affection and sense of responsibility towards the headquarters."

Laughter was heard here and there. Ayoung next to Tae-un was even trembling with her face buried in the dog's back. And Tae-un continued to look up at Soram without any change in expression.

"In front of my beloved fellow hunters, I speak to you today with all my heart."

Soram leaned forward, gripping the podium. Even the filming team took their eyes off their equipment and waited for the next words. What's this, I thought it was a joke but it seems quite proper... Ayoung muttered.

"If I take the director's position, I will show you something incomparable to any incident I've caused so far."

Silence flowed through the audience. Clap, Soram applauded next to his dimpled cheeks that had risen in a smile.

"Thank you!"

Urgh.... The sound of the Reconnaissance Bureau Director grabbing the back of his head was heard. Soram bowed his head with decorum, then returned to his seat with very light steps.

Next was Ga-eul's turn.

In fact, Ga-eul had at least brought a script she had hurriedly written the night before, thinking they should at least match the format. Because she was more of an intellectual than Jin Soram, and to protect the honor of the headquarters as it was being broadcast to all branches...

And after hearing Soram's presentation, she crumpled up the script as she came to the podium.

"Like the previous candidate, I am Kim Ga-eul, chief of Team 1 at the headquarters."

Although she had just thrown it below the platform, she still remembered the opening she had written while racking her brains with Kim Dan-ah.

"First, I would like to express my gratitude to Director Park Jae-seon, who has supported the headquarters until now. It is a great honor for someone as inadequate as myself to stand here."

But the rest of the content was no longer needed.

"From the previous candidate's speech, I realized that my friend and colleague, Chief Jin Soram, is a person who will bring innovation to the Korean hunter community."

Ga-eul realized that the trembling in her hands from just moments ago had disappeared. Strength was also added to her flowing words.

"Therefore, if I become director, I will send Jin Soram on a business trip to each branch once a month."

It was a perfect counter.