After leaving the hotel, Seo Jun and the couple followed the pumpkins called Jack O'Lanterns to the square.
Jack O'Lanterns were lined up along the road like street lamps. People were taking photos with the Jack O'Lanterns here and there.
"Should we take a photo too?"
"Yeah!"
Seo Jun and the couple also took photos one after another.
The end of the Jack O'Lantern path was the square of Orce City. Even though the festival hadn't started yet, the square was bustling with activity. The booths were brightly lit, and children and adults were laughing joyfully.
"Are you not hungry?"
"Yeah! It's okay. I'll eat a bit later."
Seo Eun-hye, who had been watching children carrying sausages, asked Seo Jun. Seo Jun shook his head. Lee Min-joon, who had looked at his watch, spoke.
"It seems to be starting now."
Bang! Bang!
The start of the Halloween festival was marked by colorful smoke rising into the sky, and everyone shouted "Trick or Treat" together.
The voice of "Trick or Treat" echoed from the speakers set up in the square.
After the Halloween festival began, Seo Jun and the couple first went to the organizers' tent to submit their contest application. An employee handed them a piece of paper and said,
"You can choose several effects from here. However, if you choose too many, the timing might not match, so it's better to choose one or two. Look at this guide and write down which effects you want to use and when on stage. The lights are also numbered, so you can choose based on the stage. If it's too difficult, you can turn off all the lights and just use a spotlight, or turn on all the lights."
There were various colored lights, fog effects, and soap bubble effects.
"Please match the timing with the music you have prepared. If you don't have music, you can choose from here and use it."
"We have music!"
"Then, choose your effects and come to the back of the stage an hour before to receive the schedule. We'll draw lots, so you must come on time."
Seo Jun nodded repeatedly.
"It's more serious than I thought..."
"Right? I thought they would just choose who fits the best. Do you know, Seo Jun?"
"Yeah! I saw it on YouTube. I also practiced at my uncle's company's practice room."
No wonder, I thought they were going out often even without filming. Seo Jun and the couple put the guide in their bag and left the organizers' tent.
Outside the tent, the square was already filled with monsters. People who had attended the Halloween festival several times began to skillfully mimic monsters.
People who were initially awkward soon became familiar and immersed themselves in their roles.
"Roar!"
"Ha ha ha!"
A person dressed as a werewolf growled, and the children laughed and ran away. Mummies wrapped in bandages and blood-covered zombies silently looked at each other, and little witches and wizards showed off their brooms and wands.
The festival burned hot without a script or anyone's direction.
"Really well done."
"Right?"
"Can I play over there?"
Seo Jun pointed to a place where werewolves were gathered. Just like the drawing Seo Jun had made, there were adults dressed as fairy tale wolves and children wearing simple wolf ear headbands. They were praising each other's costumes and chatting happily.
"Hey, another one of us has come."
"Cute wolf."
"Hello!"
Everyone welcomed Seo Jun warmly. Children dressed as werewolves approached Seo Jun.
"You look amazing. Where did you get your costume?"
"My uncle made it for me!"
"Your hands are cute. They look like Max!"
"Max?"
"Our dog. He's huge."
Some children could speak English, while others couldn't, but they all seemed to be having a great time, laughing and talking.
"Look, a vampire and a werewolf are fighting!"
"What?! Where?"
At someone's shout, the adults jumped up. Seo Jun, who couldn't speak French, tilted his head, and a child who could speak English translated for him.
"They say a vampire and a werewolf are fighting."
"Huh?"
Although vampires and werewolves were natural enemies, did they really fight at the festival?
A child led the dazed Seo Jun. Other children were already running to the place where the fight was happening.
"Let's go quickly!"
"Wait! I'll tell my parents first!"
Seo Jun quickly ran to his parents, who were talking to an American couple.
"Mom, Dad! They say someone is fighting over there."
"What? A fight?"
"Should we report it?"
Unlike the surprised Seo Eun-hye and Lee Min-joon, people attending the festival for the second time laughed and said,
"It's not a fight but a competition."
"A competition?"
"Last year, it was a beer-drinking contest. What will it be this year?"
"Werewolves and vampires have been rivals since the festival started, so it's a big deal. The monster competition is one of the highlights of this Halloween festival."
No wonder. That's why the children ran to watch. Turning his head, he saw the child who had translated for him waving and tapping his foot impatiently.
"Mom, Dad, can I go?"
"Let's go together. We're curious too."
"Okay!"
They said goodbye to the couple and headed to where the werewolves and vampires were competing. The child who had waited for Seo Jun also joined them.
A blonde boy was only wearing a wolf ear headband. He didn't even have a wolf tail.
"Charlie!"
"I'm Jun!"
"Jun looks like my dad! You look great! Are you going to participate in the contest later?"
"Yeah! I want to win first place!"
Seo Jun's words made Charlie chuckle and shake his head.
"The monster contest isn't just about the costume; you need to act well too. Last year's winner was a vampire. When he appeared, smoke billowed up, and it was amazing. He also acted like a vampire very well, and it turned out he was an actor who performed on stage."
Charlie spoke without hesitation. Seo Jun, wide-eyed, asked,
"Do you live here? You know a lot."
"Yeah! This is my 10th time attending the festival!"
"How old are you?"
"10! I've been attending since I was a baby. Back then, I was a Jack O'Lantern, but now I follow my dad and dress as a werewolf."
"Amazing. Cool!"
"Ahem!"
Seo Eun-hye and Lee Min-joon chuckled at the children's conversation. As they talked, they headed to where the werewolves and vampires were competing. It was a booth selling sausages.
"...I can't eat any more."
"Okay. Let's switch!"
Two simple seats were set up, with a vampire in a black cloak and a werewolf without a shirt sitting in front of a pile of well-cooked sausages. A fat vampire got up, and another vampire took his place and started eating sausages.
Charlie shrugged and said,
"Today it's sausages."
"Today? Is it different other times?"
"The fight between vampires and werewolves is randomly decided. Two years ago, it was steak, and last year, it was a beer-drinking contest. So, the start time and the place of the fight are different each time."
"I see."
This time, the werewolf got up. Another werewolf standing next to him sat down and started eating sausages.
"Do you need to reserve to participate?"
"No. Any vampire or werewolf can participate. Once someone, or rather, a monster, has participated, they can't do it again. Only new monsters can compete. The competition continues until only one monster is left."
"But why do they call it a fight?"
That's why I thought there was a big accident earlier. Seo Jun's question made Charlie grin and answer,
"Since we're dressed as monsters, a competition or a bet seems too weak. It has to be a fight or a battle between vampires and werewolves!"
"...You really take the setting seriously."
"That's what makes it fun."
Seo Jun also grinned at Charlie's words. Yeah, that's what makes it fun!
"Can I fight too?"
"Wow, you adapt quickly. Sure. Dad! This kid wants to fight too!"
Charlie raised his arm and waved. A werewolf who was lining up the participants on the werewolf side turned his head.
"Wow."
Seo Jun and the couple couldn't help but exclaim. A man wearing a wolf mask walked over.
He looked like the Egyptian god Anubis, but with a wolf's head instead of a dog's. His head was completely a wolf's, and his neck was covered in wolf fur.
'Can he see? Where are his eyes?'
Seo Jun blinked. Still, it was incredibly cool.
"Little wolf. Do you want to participate?"
"Hello! I'm Jun! I really want to participate!"
"Sure. Participation from a fellow is welcome. Charlie, what about you?"
"I want to too!"
Charlie and Seo Jun held hands and headed to the waiting line. The real werewolf looked at Seo Eun-hye and Lee Min-joon.
Hmm. For some reason, the two felt embarrassed about their wolf ear headbands.
"Don't worry. I'll let them eat a little and then send them down."
Charlie's dad spoke. His rough voice from earlier had softened. The couple smiled at the change.
"Okay, thank you."
"Our son loves monsters. Please take care of him."
"It seems so. It's your first time at this festival, but you're playing well with Charlie."
In the waiting line, young wolves were playing and joking. Their bright faces made the parents smile.
"Here, sit down."
The werewolf in front of Seo Jun raised a white flag. Seo Jun sat down, and his parents took photos. A new sausage was placed in front of Seo Jun.
It was a smaller size, suitable for children, compared to the adult sausages.
"You can add sauce and eat slowly. Eat three and come down. There are other delicious snacks to buy too."
"Okay!"
Charlie's dad went down, and Charlie, who had been waiting, gave a thumbs up. Seo Jun picked up a fork and stabbed a sausage. The three sausages disappeared in no time.
"But how long does this competition last?"
Charlie also ate three sausages and came down. They were