Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: The Desert Adventure Premiere
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In addition to the studio shoot, the two outdoor shoots were all wrapped up.
Director Jeong appeared triumphantly after finishing all the video editing.
"Alright, let's start the premiere screening!"
As Director Jeong shouted confidently, the video began to play, drawing the expectant gazes of over a dozen pairs of eyes.
Gray, wearing a cute brown safari hat on his head and a small, snug backpack on his back, stared off into the distance from atop a rock.
All that was visible was endless sand.
Not a single blade of grass in sight.
[Nothing in sight nyang!]
Shadow, wearing a straw hat beside him, sniffed around.
[No scents yet.]
[We need to go farther nyang.]
[Let's go.]
Leap!
The cats jumped straight down from the high rock.
Thud,
Splat.
Their legs sank deep into the sand, but the cats didn't care and charged forward.
Leap, leap.
Whoosh, whoosh.
The cats raced across the sand dunes as if sprinting over flat plains.
Thud thud thud thud thud.
In their wind-like speed, their paws didn't sink into the sand at all.
"That footage isn't sped up, is it?"
Manager Gong, watching the video, whispered quietly to Director Jeong sitting beside him.
"Of course not. You should've seen how cool they ran, Manager Gong... Oh, right, you couldn't make it."
"Yeah..."
Manager Gong replied in a deflated voice.
The location had been Namgung Hyun's villa in Gangneung.
Manager Gong had wanted to go along but had been swamped with work and couldn't spare the time.
"Then you need to steel yourself and watch."
"What do you mean...? Oh, okay."
Manager Gong clamped his mouth shut at Director Jeong's meaningful words, focusing intently on the screen instead of asking what he meant.
Behind the sprinting cats, the sun blazed fiercely.
How long had they run?
A red sunset draped over the far side of the desert.
[Let's rest nyang.]
[Yeah.]
Without a word of who went first, the cats climbed onto a nearby rock.
A rock several times their height.
But the cats hopped up effortlessly, as if climbing onto a chair.
Grrrrowl.
A loud rumble came from Shadow's belly.
[I'm hungry.]
[Let's eat this and recharge nyang.]
Gray pulled a treat out of his backpack.
A blue treat.
Shadow pulled one out of his backpack too.
Shadow's was yellow.
Gray nodded at Shadow's treat, then lowered his head toward his own.
But then, he pushed his forward.
[Let's swap.]
Gray's face lit up for a moment, but he soon shook his head vigorously.
[No nyang. You eat that one nyang. I'll have this nyang.]
Drool,
Gray's mouth watered as he refused Shadow's kind offer.
[No. You eat it and get your strength up. I'll eat yours.]
[No nyang. You eat the tasty one nyang.]
After several rounds of back-and-forth, the cats compromised.
[Then let's split them half and half nyang.]
[Yeah, let's do that.]
The cats sat side by side and crunched: crackle, munch.
They each ate exactly half, then swapped treats.
Then, munch, crackle again.
The sound of the cats chewing the treats spread through the quiet desert.
The cats looked at each other and grinned widely.
They had finally discovered the charm of sharing halves.
[Energy surging nyang.]
[Feeling stronger.]
Reinvigorated after the treats, the cats shook off their fatigue.
Reset and ready, they ran again.
Thud thud thud thud.
[Not here either nyang.]
[No scents.]
Disappointed but shrugging it off, the cats hit the road once more.
Night had fallen on the desert before they knew it, and they raced onward with the moon as their streetlight.
After running for a while, the cats grew tired.
[Let's find a place to sleep nyang.]
The cats scouted the surroundings.
They could endure while running, but as their movement slowed while searching, shivers set in.
Desert nights were brutally cold.
The cats trembled as they looked around.
[A cave nyang!]
[Let's rest there.]
A narrow cave barely big enough for two.
The cats squeezed in, pressing their bodies tightly together to fend off the cold.
[Warm nyang.]
Delighted, Gray buried his face in Shadow's fur. Shadow buried his face in Gray's fur too.
[I feel the warmth.]
Sharing body heat, the cats endured the freezing desert night.
The next morning.
Gray and Shadow each pulled out treats from their backpacks.
The last two treats remaining.
A yellow one and the red one they both hated.
[I'll eat this nyang.]
Gray grabbed the red treat in his mouth.
[No. I'll eat it. You have the tasty one.]
[No nyang. You hated this one more than I did nyang. I can handle it nyang.]
[I'll eat it. You have the tasty one.]
A fierce battle of wills, each wanting the friend to have the good one.
Finally, Gray let out a short sigh.
[Then let's split them too nyang.]
[Yeah.]
That's when it happened. A big-eared, snow-white animal staggered over and collapsed with a flop.
Spotting it, Gray bolted over.
[What's wrong nyang! You okay nyang!]
[Don't die.]
Shadow shouted as he rushed up too.
[Stomach... so hungry...]
[Take this and eat so you don't die nyang.]
Gray dashed back to where he'd left the treats, grabbed one, and returned.
Shadow did the same.
The cats exchanged glances.
Then nodded and placed the yellow treat in front of the big-eared animal.
[Eat this nyang.]
[...What's this?]
The near-death big-eared animal sprang up.
[You know it nyang?]
[...Yesh. But that'sh from way up high—how'd you get it? You guysh are amashing.]
They'd finally found it.
Gray and Shadow locked eyes. They wanted to ask where it was right then.
But as cats who knew better than anyone the agony and misery of starvation, they said in unison.
[Eat first nyang.]
[Big-ears, eat.]
[But can I eat it all?]
His belly growled fiercely, but Gray nodded.
[Yes nyang.]
[Eat it all.]
[Yesh. Thanksh for the meal.]
The big-eared animal greeted them in a feeble voice and took the red treat in his mouth.
[No, drop that and eat this nyang.]
[Why?]
[...It's not tasty nyang. Can't give something bad to someone we just met nyang.]
[Eat the tasty one.]
It was Mongi the Maltese, acting in a desert fox ears hat, but the cats treated him like a total stranger.
[No, that'sh tasty.]
At those words, Gray and Shadow's eyes went wide.
[Why? Why's that tasty nyang?]
[You think that's tasty?]
The thing they wouldn't even sniff was tasty? The cats were stunned.
Curiosity sparked too.
[Yesh.]
Mongi nodded and bit into the treat.
Nom!
Crunch.
The mouthwatering sound made Gray and Shadow's eyes bulge.
[Th-that sounds tasty nyang.]
[The tastiest sound ever.]
Nom nom nom.
Mongi devoured the red treat so deliciously that he sprang to his feet.
Boing!
[Whoa! Sho shtrong now!]
Bounce bounce bounce.
Mongi hopped in place.
[Even like thith, I'm good. Hehe.]
[Good nyang.]
[He survived!]
Thrilled that Mongi had revived, the cats split the remaining treat in half.
Gray was the type who always let his subordinates eat their fill before filling his own belly.
Gray eyed his now-slim backpack, then looked at Mongi.
He'd eaten one treat, but he was still scrawny and weak.
Gray sighed softly and said to Mongi.
[Big-ears, eat more of this and get strong nyang.]
[Eat and get strong enough to get home safe.]
Shadow offered Mongi his last half treat too.
[No way. Sharing ish what maketh uth shtrong. You guysh eat thish.]
After kindly splitting and eating the yellow treat, the cats asked Mongi where the treat tree was.
[Across the water, over the mountain, on top of a cliff?]
[Yesh. That'sh why we can't eat much.]
[Thanks nyang. We'll get it nyang.]
[Nooo. If you go, take it. Lots of big-ear foxeshes go. Grandma goesh too.]
Mongi blocked them sadly.
[It's fine nyang. We can go nyang.]
[Yeah. Nothing scares us!]
[But shtill...]
Gray fluffball and white fluffball climbed onto Mongi's back as he moped.
[See you later nyang.]
[Wait here. We'll bring tasty stuff.]
After bidding Mongi farewell, the cats dashed off.
Thud thud thud.
Watching the cats vanish in an instant, Mongi gaped.
[They flew away!]
Mongi really thought the cats had flown off like birds.
Thud thud thud thud thud.
The cats raced in the direction Mongi had indicated.
After half a day of running, a massive puddle appeared.
[That's a huge stretch of water nyang.]
[Y-yeah?]
Far wider than expected, the cats panicked.
But only for a moment. Spotting rocks jutting up in the middle, Gray grinned slyly.
Leap.
Gray soared into the air, landing precisely on a rock, then leaped again right away.
Like a flying squirrel gliding, Gray crossed safely.
Shadow followed, soaring too.
"Whoa! What did I just see?"
"Insane."
"Did those cats really jump like that?"
The quiet conference room erupted in chaos.
Even those who'd seen it live could hardly believe it—what about these folks?
Recalling his own shock on set, Director Jeong said,
"I knew you'd react like this, so I made a making-of video."
"Thanks. As expected from the thorough Director Jeong."
"It was a leap beyond reality."
Director Jeong smiled at Manager Gong and turned back to the screen.
Safely across, the cats shot forward like arrows.
After nonstop running, a towering cliff appeared.
[It's up there nyang!]
Gray shouted at the cliff top and flew upward.
Clack.
Using the protruding rocks like stairs, he climbed flawlessly.
The vertical cliff felt like a stroll on a path—as if by magic, Gray and Shadow leisurely ascended.
Atop the cliff, the cats yelled.
[Found it!]
[Found it nyang!]
A massive tree was laden with treats. The absolute best ones, which Gray and Shadow had raved as top-tier delicious.
Whoosh.
Gray scaled straight to the treetop in one go.
Boing.
Shadow too.
They both plucked treats and munched.
Crunch.
Snap.
A tear rolled from Gray's eye as he bit in.
[De-delicious nyang!]
Shadow was moved.
[Truly exquisite.]
Like birds pecking fruit, they feasted heartily atop the tree.
[Phew, now let's get some for the friends nyang.]
[Got it.]
As Gray hopped down, Shadow plucked and tossed treats.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
Gray caught every one perfectly, without a single bruise.
Much later, backpacks bulging, the cats cheered.
[Finally, we can give tasty stuff to our friends nyang.]
[Heh heh heh, they'll love this, right?]
Grinning triumphantly, the cats raced back the way they'd come.
As the final shot of Gray and Shadow smirking filled the screen, thunderous applause exploded in the conference room.
Clap clap clap clap clap.
"Whoa, this is no joke."
"Way too awesome."
"Wow, this is art. Real art."
"Great work, Director."
"Director Jeong, you're the best, the best."
Everyone showered Director Jeong with praise.
"Thank you. I'm at a loss with everyone loving it so much. But the ones who deserve the applause are Director Lee Jun and our stars."
With a bright smile, Director Jeong continued.
"I think Director Lee Jun brought out the true magic of this video. The subtitles... the subtitles are the crowning glory."
"Right. The subtitles were perfect."
"It felt like Gray and Shadow were really talking like that."
"Totally. That scene where they split the tiny treat—why was it so heartbreaking? I wanted to run to the warehouse and grab a whole box to give them."
"And their care for their friends! Director really captures the animals' hearts so well."
"Yeah. They said he bonds with them, and it's true."
Those praising the subtitles soon turned to praising Lee Jun.
"I just wrote down what they said."
When Lee Jun spoke honestly, everyone went "ooh" and laughed.
"It's cute, fun, thrilling... and moving too. I don't want to air just 15 or 30 seconds. It's too precious."
Manager Gong, a die-hard fan of Gray and Shadow, looked genuinely regretful.
*Editing this was torture. First time I couldn't find anything to cut.*
Every moment sparkled.
Director Jeong felt the same.
"This is tricky—which to make the main CF? You said the same, right, Director?"
"Yes. Every clip is gold."
"Hmm, then let's do this. Collect opinions first, then decide."
"How about this?"
Lee Jun, who'd been quietly seated, spoke up, and all eyes fixed on him.
"How?"
"Release all the CFs we've made in sequence, then ask people to vote for their favorite. Send treats as thank-you gifts to voters. And big prizes for some?"
"Brilliant idea. But what about non-pet owners?"
"Give them other options. Gray and Shadow merch—like plushies or photo stickers."
"That's a fantastic idea."
A week later, when the Holst Treat promo videos hit YouTube, the response was explosive.
Gray and Shadow's popularity had already skyrocketed from Kwak Su-ho's videos, and this poured fuel on the fire.
Before a full day had passed since upload, word had reached the U.S. headquarters.