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“Growl!”
“Hahaha!”
When a person dressed up as a werewolf growled, the children laughed and ran away. The bandaged mummy and bloodied zombies looked at each other silently. The little witches and wizards boasted each other’s brooms and sticks.
Without a script or without anyone’s instructions, the festival has already started for the little children.
“You’re really doing it right.”
“Yes!”
“Can I play over there?”
The place Seojun pointed at was where werewolves gathered. From an adult wearing a wolf-like costume from a fairy tale to a child wearing only a wolf’s ear headband. There were all talking happily to each other and praising each other’s makeups.
“You have to play there only. Don’t go too far. Mom and dad will stay here.”
“Yes!”
Seojun waved at his mom and dad and headed to the werewolves pack.
“Oh, another fellow werewolf is here.”
“You’re such a cute werewolf.”
“Hello!”
Everyone welcomed Seojun.
The children dressed up as werewolves gathered around Seojun.
“You’re costume is so cool. Where did you buy them?”
“My uncle made it for me!”
“Your paws are cute. You look like Max!”
“Max?”
“It’s my dog. He is very huge.”
There were children who could speak English and some who could not, but everyone laughed and talked about what they found funny.
“Vampire and werewolf are in a Battle!”
“What? Where?”
Adults jumped up at someone’s shout. When Seojun, who can’t speak French, was confused, a child who can speak English translated it for him.
“Vampires and werewolves are in a battle.”
“Huh?”
Vampires and werewolves are natural enemies, but they were even fighting in this festival?
The child led Seojun, who was still quite absent-minded. The other children were running to the place where the battle was currently occuring.
“Let’s hurry up and watch!”
“Wait! I’ll just get permission from my mom and dad!”
Seojun quickly ran towards his mom and dad talking to a couple from the United States.
“Mom and dad! Someone is fighting over there.”
“What? A fight?”
“Do we have to report it?”
Unlike the surprised Seo Eun-Hye and Lee Min-joon, those who already attended the festival for the second time laughed and explained.
“It’s not a fight, it’s a battle.”
“Like a competition?”
“Last time, it was drinking beer. What will it be this time?”
“Werewolves and vampires are rivals since the start of this festival, so they are going with their own battles. The showdown between the two monsters is one of the best events in this Halloween festival.”
No wonder.
That’s why the children ran to watch it. When Seojun turned his head, the child, who had translated it and delivered it to Seojun, was stamping his feet, beckoning, “Let’s go quickly.”
“Mom and dad, can I go?”
“Let’s go together. I’m curious about their battle.”
“Yes!”
They said their goodbyes to the couple and headed to the place where the werewolves and vampires were competing. The child who waited for Seojun was also with them.
The blonde boy was only wearing a headband with wolf ears. He didn’t even have a wolf tail.
“I am Charlie!”
“I’m Jun!”
“Jun name is similar to my dad’s! Are you going to participate in the contest later?”
“Yes! To win first place!”
At Seojun’s words, Charlie smiled and shook his head.
“Monster Contest should be very good at acting as well as special effects. Last year’s first placer was a vampire, but when he appeared, the smoke rose thick. It was very amazing. He acted very well as a vampire, but it actually turned out that he was really an actor for the theater stages.”
Charlie talked without any hesitation.
“Do you live here? You know it very well.” Seojun asked with his eyes wide open.
“Yes! It’s already my 10th time participating in this festival!”
“How old are you?”
“10 years old! I participated since I was a 1-year-old baby. At that time, I dressed up as Jack O’ lantern, but now a werewolf like my dad.”
“Amazing. Cool!”
“Ahem!”
Seo Eun-Hye and Lee Min-Joon burst into laughter in the children’s chatters.
While talking like that, they headed to the place where vampires and werewolves were competing. It was a booth selling sausages.
“
I can’t eat anymore.”
“Good. A shift!”
In a two sitter table, a vampire with a black cape and a werewolf naked on the top were sitting face to face.
In front of them there was a mountain of sausages piled up. The vampire with a bulging belly stood up from his seat and another vampire sat there and began to eat sausages.
Charlie shrugged and said.
“Today is sausage.”
“Today? There was also a battle previously?”
“The duel theme between vampires and werewolves is decided randomly. Two years ago was steak and last year was beer. The starting time is different and the place of the fight will be different every time.”
“I see.”
This time, the werewolf stood up from his seat. Another werewolf standing next to him sat in the chair and began to eat sausages.
“Do I have to make a reservation for participation?”
“No. Any vampire or werewolf can do it. Those who came down once, they can’t do it again and only new monsters can participate in the competition. As they continue like this, the monster that remains till the end wins.”
“Why do you call it a battle?”
He initially think that there was a big accident earlier. Charlie smiled and replied to Seojun’s question.
“They dressed up as a monster, and calling it competitions or bets seem too weak. It should be a battle between two monsters races the vampires and a werewolf!”
“
The festival really value setting.”
“That’s how it’s really fun.”
Seojun smiled at Charlie’s words. Yeah. That’s how it’s really fun!
“Then can I participate too?”
“Oh, you adapt quickly. Okay. Dad! This kid wants to participate too!
Charlie raised his arm and waved. The werewolf, who lined up behind the participants from the werewolf side, turned his head towards where his son came from.
“Wow.”
Seojun exclaimed without realizing it. The man in a wolf mask walked up.
He looked like Anubis, the god of dogs in Egypt, but he used the wolf’s head, not the dog. His head was completely a wolf, and his neck was covered with wolf’s fur.
‘Where are his eyes?’ Seojun pondered.
“Little wolf. You want to participate?”
“Hello! I’m Jun! I really want to participate!”
“Okay. The participation from the same race is always welcome. Charlie, what about you?”
“I want to go too!”
Charlie and Seojun held each other hands and headed together toward the waiting line. The adult werewolves looked at Seo Eun-Hye and Lee Min-joon.
Somehow the two became ashamed of their wolf-ear headbands.
“Don’t worry. They’ll just feed him a little and switch immediately.”
Charlie’s dad opened his mouth. His rough voice just now softened. The couple smiled at his concern.
“Yes, thank you.”
The man followed the two children lining up.
“It’s probably your first time at this festival, but you are already playing with Charlie.”
Young wolves were seen playing pranks and playing with each other in the waiting line. Their bright faces made their parents smile.
“Okay, sit here.”
A werewolf in front of Seojun lifted a white flag. When Seojun sat down, his mother and father took a picture and a new plate of sausages arrived in front of Seojun.
They were small compared to adult sausages. This are specifically made for children whose liver were not well developed yet.
“You can sprinkle sauce or eat slowly. Eat only three and ask for a switch. We are going to buy other delicious snacks later.”
“Yes!”
Charlie, who was waiting next to him, raised his thumb. Seojun picked up a fork and stabbed the sausage. Three sausages was eaten in an instant.
After the two children were switch out after eating 3 sauges each, they watch from the side the participants eating the sausages.
“How long will that match last?”
“There was steak two years ago, but it ended because they ran out of steak, and last year, it was drinking beer, but it ended because there was a limit for one person, no, per monster, and there was no more participant. This year will be over if there are no more sausages or participants.”
“I see.”
Not long after, they got bored and went to walk around.
Charlie, a native of Orsay, knew many people. As they walked around, the people working in their booth and the people who were passing by called Charlie. Snacks piled up every time they called his name. They also gave Seojun a lot of snacks, because he was Charlie’s friend.
Seojun and Charlie walked with their bags full of snacks.
“I didn’t even say trick or treat, but I got this much snacks.”
“Everything is good. Shall we sit over there and eat?”
The place Charlie pointed to was full of children. There were rides such as slides and swings, toys and dolls. The children’s parents were sitting not from there and they were resting.
“Where are we?”
“This is a playground, where children play. Only children can come in. They usually make a separate space because the festival would be very crowded and easy for the parents to lose their children.”
“I see.”
“Let’s go!”
At Charlie’s words, Seojun looked back. Seo Eun-Hye and Lee Min-joon waved their hands.
“Mom and dad will be right here.”