Seo Jun and the couple arrived in Orcesi. Even though the Halloween festival hadn't started yet, there were people everywhere with children. Everyone was lightly dressed up, not hiding their excitement for the Halloween festival.
Seo Jun and the couple checked into their accommodation and went outside. They had already had lunch in Paris.
Lee Min-joon, checking the time, spoke up. It was almost time for the appointment.
"I'll go to the square first. Seo Jun, do you want to go sightseeing with your mom?"
"Can't I go with you?"
"Hmm. It might be busy right now. They're moving things, which could be dangerous. Let's go later."
"Okay!"
"I'll be at the wine museum. I'm not sure where we'll go next, but I'll contact you when I'm done."
"Got it. Be careful, both of you."
After parting ways with Seo Jun and Seo Eun-hye, Lee Min-joon headed towards the square where the Halloween festival would take place.
The square in Orcesi was bustling with festival preparations. The square and roads were separated by barriers, and security guards were controlling people's entry and exit.
Inside the square, large tents and booths for participating stores were being set up.
Seeing the scattered paper boxes, chairs, and tables, Lee Min-joon rubbed the back of his neck, realizing he was here to work.
"Kim Hee-sang, we'll see."
People were moving luggage around, and at the entrance, security guards were checking IDs. Without an ID, Lee Min-joon took out his phone and called the team leader.
The phone rang.
"You're here!"
The team leader's name appeared on the screen. Although he had been told Lee Min-joon would arrive around 2 PM, the team leader had been waiting by his phone since 1 PM and jumped up immediately.
Other employees looked at the team leader, who was running to the square entrance, with sympathetic eyes.
"Our company is good, and our representatives are good people, but..."
"To be honest, all bosses are difficult."
"Team leader, hang in there."
Everyone cheered for the team leader.
There was one person who found it hard because the boss was here and another who came to work during his vacation.
The team leader and Lee Min-joon awkwardly smiled and greeted each other. The team leader handed Lee Min-joon the ID badge he had prepared.
Wearing the ID badge around his neck, Lee Min-joon stepped into the square.
"This way."
"Sure."
The team leader gave Lee Min-joon a pamphlet with the event schedule provided by the organizers and guided him around the square.
A large stage was being set up in the center, where performances would take place. Food and souvenirs would be sold at booths set up in rows around the square.
Lee Min-joon also greeted the city hall staff and visited the lost children's area and the first aid station.
'I need to remember this.'
It would be hard to find such a large place when it was crowded.
"This is the food truck zone."
"There are a lot of stores."
"Yes. The popularity has increased with each event. At first, only half the square was used, but now it's all being used."
Lee Min-joon nodded.
"Shall we go to our booth?"
"Sure."
The team leader led the way and said,
"In the pamphlet, the food stores are marked by color. Blue for drinks, green for food."
"I see."
"And the souvenir stores are scattered around, but the larger or foreign companies are grouped together. Our booth is also in that area."
On the map in the pamphlet, Lee Min-joon saw logos of toy and doll companies he had considered buying from overseas for Seo Jun. The Monster Inc. logo caught his eye.
"Here it is."
The Monster Inc. booth was busy displaying dolls, stationery, and metal badges.
An employee carrying a box of dolls and another arranging them neatly stopped to look at Lee Min-joon and the team leader.
"Please continue, don't mind me."
Lee Min-joon waved his hand. The employees bowed and resumed their work. Standing a bit away, Lee Min-joon looked around the booth and asked,
"Do you need anything?"
"The city hall has been very helpful, and other companies are also supporting each other. It feels more like a fun festival for all the participating companies, not just a competition to sell more products."
The team leader smiled, knowing that Lee Min-joon and Kim Hee-sang were good people, but the title of 'representative' was just burdensome.
"Still, if you have any difficulties or need me, please contact me immediately."
"Sure, I will."
"Then I'll leave now."
"Already...?"
The team leader said this without realizing it. It hadn't even been 30 minutes, the employees thought, who had been listening to their conversation while working. No, already? You shouldn't say that!
Lee Min-joon laughed and said,
"I just stopped by during my vacation. Everyone seems to be doing well. I'll leave it in your hands. Everyone, keep up the good work. Here, this is an encouragement fund. Enjoy something delicious and expensive after you're done."
"Thank you..."
The team leader received the envelope from Lee Min-joon, who disappeared like a storm. It was over so quickly that the team leader let out a sigh of relief and sat down on a nearby chair.
An employee who had gone to the warehouse to get luggage and returned to the booth looked around for Lee Min-joon, whom the team leader was still looking for. Choi Ye-seul, noticing this, said,
"The representative has left."
"Already? Really?"
"Yes. By the way, team leader, did you hear earlier?"
"?"
Choi Ye-seul awkwardly smiled and said,
"The representative is on vacation right now."
"Come to think of it, the news said he was on a family trip..."
"I thought it was a business trip combined with a family trip, but he took a vacation."
Working during a vacation, that's unfortunate.
It made sense why he left so quickly.
* * *
While Lee Min-joon was at the square, Seo Jun and Seo Eun-hye visited the wine museum in Orcesi. A large map of France on one wall showed vineyards outside of Orcesi.
"There are a lot of vineyards."
"Exactly. That's why French wine is famous."
Seo Jun and Seo Eun-hye slowly toured the wine museum. Small figurines were working in the order of wine production, showing the types of wine and the origin of their names.
Enjoying the tour with his mother, they soon reached the end.
"Would you like to try some wine? We have a children's version too."
Seo Jun and Seo Eun-hye nodded at the employee. The wine, a specialty of Orcesi, had a strong grape aroma.
It was sweeter and more flavorful than the grape juice they had in Korea. Seo Eun-hye also looked satisfied.
"Should we buy some wine for dad?"
"Sure!"
Following the employee's recommendation, they bought some wine and grape juice for Seo Jun.
Leaving the wine museum with their hands full, they saw Lee Min-joon standing at the entrance.
Seeing his father's wide smile, Seo Jun and Seo Eun-hye's eyes widened, and they couldn't help but smile brightly.
"Dad! You came so quickly?"
"Everyone is doing well. They have a plan from start to finish, and I might mess things up if I interfere."
"That's true. I heard there's a concert nearby. Let's go."
"Sure. Is this wine?"
Lee Min-joon naturally took the paper bag of wine from Seo Eun-hye.
"Dad, this is really delicious. There's also a children's version of wine."
"Children's wine?"
"It's grape juice."
Lee Min-joon burst out laughing. Seo Jun and Seo Eun-hye also laughed as they headed to the small theater where the concert was being held.
Many people were heading to the small theater for the concert. Tourists and local residents of Orcesi were mixed together.
The entrance fee was low, and seating was on a first-come, first-served basis. Seo Jun and the couple found a good spot and sat down.
"Seo Jun, can you see?"
"Sure!"
Despite the small theater, the tiered seating allowed everyone to see well. As they waited, the side door of the stage opened, and two people entered. They were a pianist and a violinist.
The audience clapped as the two bowed. Seo Jun and the couple also clapped. The pianist sat at the piano and warmed up, while the violinist took position with the violin.
The two performed famous classical pieces. Solo piano, solo violin, and a duet. The performance was beautiful. Though not famous musicians, it was a good performance.
After the performance, the audience applauded. Normally, the performance would have continued, but the Halloween festival in Orcesi was about to start.
The violinist picked up the microphone.
"Thank you for visiting Orcesi. Enjoy the Halloween festival and have a happy time."
* * *
After the concert, as they stepped outside, the people on the streets looked completely different from a few hours earlier.
Children were wearing black capes and holding witch brooms or wrapped in bandages to look like mummies.
Adults had light costumes like devil horns or angel wings, or more elaborate costumes with doll masks.
Seo Jun and the couple's eyes widened.
Monsters had taken over the streets of Orcesi.
Seeing this for the first time, Seo Jun, with an excited face, held his parents' hands.
"Mom, Dad! Let's go quickly!"
"Seo Jun's costume is at the hotel. We need to go quickly."
Seo Jun and the couple's pace quickened. Even the hotel staff, the lobby, and the hotel decorations, which were beautifully decorated for Halloween, were different from what they had seen during the day.
"It feels like we're in a different world."
"Maybe the theater door leads to a different world."
"Amazing! It's really Halloween!"
Children were shouting "Trick or Treat" everywhere, and adults were giving out candies from their pockets.
"Let's go quickly!"
"Sure."
Back in their room, Seo Jun opened his suitcase. The costume made by Kim Hee-sang was neatly folded. Seo Eun-hye, who had put down the wine, asked,
"Can you put it on by yourself?"
"Sure! What will Mom and Dad do?"
"Put on the headband made by Hee-sang."
"Hehehe."
Seo Jun took out the blue jacket. The wolf head was cuter and rounder than in the pictures. The wolf ears were perky, the fangs were small, and the eyes were round.
Uncle Hee-sang had said he made it too heavy because he was so enthusiastic. It was heavy enough to make an adult's neck sore, so he made it simpler for Seo Jun.
"Well, it can't be helped."
Seo Jun carefully put on the blue jacket, the black pants with a tail, and the gloves with claws at the ends of the sleeves.
With both hands in the gloves, they looked like fluffy wolf paws. The back of the hands was soft, but the palms were hard.
"Wow, Jelly!"
The soft, round feet were so cute that Seo Jun made a jelly fist. The claws on the gloves were small and soft.
Seo Jun put on the wolf head cap last. Moving his head around, it felt like wearing two caps.
"Light! I can see well too."
Looking in the mirror, the wolf snout covered his forehead. The wolf head in the mirror looked like a baby wolf.
Well, I wanted to be a cooler werewolf, but it's because of the weight. Can't be helped!
"Seo Jun, are you done?"
"Sure! Ta-da!"
"Wow, so cute!"
"Really! So cute! There's even jelly on the gloves."
"Kim Hee-sang, amazing. Are there shoes? I thought he would make wolf feet too."
"Use regular sneakers. He said decorations might make you trip."
"That makes sense. Ah, make sure to bring this bag."
Lee Min-joon put a small bag on Seo Jun's shoulder. It was a wolf-shaped bag for candy and snacks, and it also contained emergency money.
"Shall we go down now?"
"Sure!"
Seo Jun, with a wide smile, held his parents' hands, who were wearing wolf ear headbands. The wolf family was complete.