However, things didn't go nearly as smoothly as Suneo had imagined.
Unlike the insects in the back mountain, this little orange whirlwind was a being with its own will.
Though it looked innocent and not particularly intelligent, its agility was second to none.
Suneo was quick-eyed and nimble-handed, swinging his net down hard from above in a clean swoop—
—but the orange whirlwind dodged easily, slipping out of reach in an instant.
Worse still, it seemed to take the act as some sort of game. Thinking Suneo was playing with it, it began joyfully engaging him in a lively back-and-forth.
"Damn it… damn it… damn it!"
"Stop running! Stay still, you little—!"
Muttering furiously, Suneo swung his net wildly through the air, chasing the orange whirlwind that hovered just out of reach.
No matter how fast or fierce his swings became, the little thing darted effortlessly between the gaps, always just beyond capture.
By the end of it, Suneo was utterly exhausted, drenched in sweat, and still hadn't so much as touched a single strand of the whirlwind's "hair."
The whole scene looked absurdly like SpongeBob and Patrick in Jellyfish Fields—frantically waving nets and catching nothing.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
When Suneo finally stopped, gasping for breath, the little orange whirlwind drifted closer curiously.
Because it had taken everything Suneo did as play, it never once considered that this was all part of his plan.
Sure enough, seeing it float toward him again, Suneo's lips curved into a sly grin. His scheme was about to succeed.
In a flash—
With a few tiny adjustments from what he'd learned before, Suneo moved faster than lightning, swinging the net down toward the curious whirlwind.
This time, the orange whirlwind was caught off guard and trapped beneath the mesh, pinned to the ground.
"Heh-heh! Let's see you run now!"
Suneo lunged forward, pressing his whole body against the rim of the net to hold it down, determined not to let his prey escape.
Unfortunately, he had underestimated his opponent.
After all, this little thing was the child of a typhoon—the power of wind it could unleash was far beyond anything Suneo could imagine.
Perhaps restrained by the net and unable to move freely, the orange whirlwind gathered its strength instead, channeling it upward.
Then—
"Wh-what?! What's happening?!"
"H-help! Somebody help me!"
"Moooom!"
Still clutching the net, Suneo shot straight up into the sky with the whirlwind. Within moments, they had risen to a terrifying height—so high it felt as if they were soaring through the heavens themselves.
From there, Suneo could see the entire town below him, a dizzying sight that sent chills down his spine.
If he fell from that height, he'd be nothing but a smear on the ground.
So he didn't dare move a muscle, gripping the net as tightly as he could, screaming for his mother and praying desperately to every god he could think of.
Whether his prayers were heard, or whether the orange whirlwind had never intended to harm him, no one could say.
They remained in the sky only a short while—long enough to give Suneo a truly heart-stopping experience—before descending again, returning neatly to the courtyard of his home.
Of course, the way down was no less thrilling than the way up.
It was like getting a free ride on a vertical drop tower—only far scarier.
"Suneo, it's snack time! Today we have chocolate cupcakes and milk tea!"
By pure coincidence, Suneo's mother stepped out of the house just then, carrying a small tray of treats—only to witness her son plummeting straight down from the sky.
"Huh? Mom…"
Suneo opened his mouth, about to explain everything—but before he could say a word, the orange whirlwind slipped out from under the net.
His mother, noticing the strange little thing, was just about to ask what on earth was going on—
When the orange whirlwind suddenly rushed toward her.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
In a blur of wind, it whipped up the tray in her hands—sending the chocolate cupcakes and milk tea flying—splattering all over her face.
After pulling its prank, the orange whirlwind darted off like a mischievous child who'd just gotten away with something, spinning gleefully out through the courtyard gate.
"What on earth is going on, Suneo?!"
Covered in chocolate and tea, his mother shouted furiously, both embarrassed and angry.
"Um, Mom… I'll explain later!"
"Stop right there, you little brat—don't you run off again!"
But Suneo wasn't listening. His attention was fixed entirely on the fleeing orange whirlwind.
Tossing out a hasty excuse to his mother, he grabbed the net once more and dashed after the spinning blur as it floated out into the street beyond the courtyard.
Yet chasing the wind is no easy task.
A fifth-grader like Suneo simply couldn't keep up with such speed; becoming a "boy who runs with the wind" was easier said than done. He could only trail behind, panting and determined.
Meanwhile, the orange whirlwind drifted down the street, wide-eyed and curious, peeking this way and that like a child seeing the world for the first time.
Soon, it encountered its first passerby—
A fashionable young woman strolling under a parasol, walking her small pet dog.
The moment it spotted her, the orange whirlwind surged forward, sweeping the woman and her dog up in a playful mini-tornado—parasol and all.
Seeing this, Suneo came running with his net once more.