The Elemental Contestant (Running Man Animation Fanfiction) [Book 4]

Chapter 4: Missing Gloves

After the game, Charming Gold was seen inside his tower, watching the footage of the game as his robotic servants gave him a massage. As for the representative of the Bars Tribe himself, he was seen in his room, stitching his gloves. In the midst of stitching his gloves, he pricked his finger with the needle he was using, causing him to yelp and wince in pain. 

As he was sucking his thumb, a siren went off in his room, with a robotic voice repeating, "Medical assistance required. Medical assistance required." Kuga glared at the source of the alarm for a moment before going back to sucking his thumb, which lasted for a few seconds. A few robotic nurses appeared and started going overboard about their examination on him.

In other words, they checked his vital signs, used the defibrillator and heavily bandaged his hands. Apparently, the other contestants were notified of Kuga's condition as all of the others, except the females, approached his bedside. Everyone else was worried about him. Scratch that, Liu was the only one genuinely worried about Kuga; Gai and Pala stayed silent while Lonky and Popo were just annoying him.

Clearly furious, Kuga shut them out. While the other contestants were about to leave, Liu was stubborn enough to voice out that they couldn't leave him, just because he was hurt. Gritting his teeth in anger, Kuga shut them out again, with more exasperation in his tone. Finally, the other contestants exited his room, leaving him alone to look at his hands with discomfort evident in his eyes.

Meanwhile, the contestants were sitting in the lounge, eating as they were talking about Kuga's so-called 'attitude problem'. "Kuga has one serious attitude problem. He got mad at us for caring." Popo then responded, "For caring? You were smiling the entire time, Lonky." Lonky smirked at him, saying, "You saw that?" before he and Popo did a high-five. 

Sighing and shaking his head in disappointment, Liu reprimanded them, "Come on, you two. I know you're big fans of Kuga, but you just hit a new low." Lonky and Popo looked at him in outrage and shouted, " A NEW WHAT?!" Popo even added, "That's not true." Liu then continued, ignoring them, "We may be competitors but there are basic ethics and cults of honour-" 

However, he was interrupted by Lonky who placed a hand in his mouth while Popo continued, "You have to admit. Kuga's acting strange." Gai then shrugged and responded, "So what? What's wrong with wanting to be left alone?" Pala sighed, "Something sure does smell fishy around here." 

After Lonky let go of Liu's mouth, the latter retorted with a vexed, "Hey!" which Lonky simply ignored. Popo then continued his points, "And he seems so nervous when we're all in his room. I wonder what could be going on in there." Lonky smirked and answered, "Obviously, he has something to hide. Maybe... it's some kind of secret weapon to help him with the game."

A new voice then sighed and spoke her thoughts aloud, "Don't you think it's rude to assume things like that." All of the males in the lounge looked towards the door and found the source of the voice herself, Sabriye. They lit up when they noticed her presence and waved at her with a greeting of their own. 

Sabriye returned the gesture with a soft smile and a small wave before continuing, as she made her way to the table, "Like I said, it's rude to just jump to conclusions. Everyone has their secrets. Kuga's no exception. We could just let him be and let him reveal it to us when he's ready... Instead of us trying to force our way into his personal space."

Liu smiled as he found her having such mindset based on 'basic ethics and cults of honour,' as he liked to call it, while Lonky and Popo were pouting in response, as a way to convey the message, "You're no fun." Although she meant her words about privacy, she knew it was no use. Lonky and Popo would still try to barge into Kuga's room anyway. 

Popo was actually considering what Lonky said as Gai 'subtly' hiccupped. All eyes gazed at him as he hiccupped again, covering his mouth. Everyone else in the lounge, except for the only female in the room, flinched in surprise. Liu asked if he was okay but, before he could answer, he was called for something and left the lounge. 

That something was his interview with Miyo, Sabriye knew. Lonky and Popo already planned on barging into Kuga's room, much to Liu and Sabriye's annoyance. "I can't believe you guys actually thinking of breaking into Kuga's-" Liu cut himself off as he realised that everyone else, except Sabriye, had left the lounge. 

Sabriye knew what was coming next as she covered her ears, while Liu, with fury, shook and screamed, "UGH!! COME ON, GUYS!!!" Abruptly, Sabriye started giggling, much to Liu's confusion. "Oh, don't worry, Liu. Just let them have their death wish fulfilled." A statement like that said in such a nonchalant tone was enough to creep him out.

 Fast forward to the interrogation, Lonky and Popo did the supposed 'cheer up, Kuga' dance, which all the other contestants deadpanned at. All the other contestants, except Sabriye, who cringed and facepalmed.

When Liu told everyone that Pala did not steal Kuga's gloves but something else, Sabriye cringed again. However, this time, she groaned, catching everyone's attention. Noticing their confusion, she muttered, although it was loud enough for everyone to hear, "Kuga's fur." This confused them even more. "He stole Kuga's fur," Sabriye elaborated. 

Pala responded, "She's right," and revealed the fur ball he had in his hand, much to everyone else's shock. Pala explained nonchalantly, "It's okay. Bars' fur helps your immune system," before eating it in front everyone else, grossing them out and causing them to turn to Kuga, who was awkwardly covering himself with his huge hands.

After Liu kicked Pala out - literally - Liu again wondered who could be the thief. All of the contestants turned to the potential prime suspect - Sabriye. She glared at everyone else and bluntly said, "No. Absolutely not." Lonky extended his long neck towards her, invading her personal space, and accusingly demanded an answer, "Oh really? Then how did you know what Pala stole, huh?"

Sabriye glared at him and hissed out a response, "Did you forget that the competition and things that happen here are shown back in my universe as a TV show? Besides, I was waiting in my room, waiting for all of this to happen. That's right, I saw this all coming." Lonky clicked his tongue and muttered, "Liar." 

Apparently, Sabriye heard that and screeched, as a vein popped on her forehead, "EXCUSE ME?! SAYS THE GUY WHO KEEPS BETRAYING EVERYONE WHENEVER THE HECK HE PLEASES!!" That scared the living daylights out of not only Lonky, but even the other contestants in the room. However, her outburst wasn't what really frightened them, but rather the fiery red in her pupils as Fire controlled her emotions momentarily.

Breaking the ice, Liu stuttered, "O-Okay, m-moving on now." Sabriye eventually calmed down as Liu interrogation continued until Kuga kicked the other contestants out of his room once again, after Liu's declaration that none of them stole Kuga's gloves. They left one by one, the last one to leave being Sabriye. 

However, Kuga stopped her from leaving, much to her surprise and confusion. He wanted to ask her something, he said. Sabriye nodded, signaling to him to continue. His question surprised her once again, "You said that you saw all of this coming and you were waiting for it all to happen. What did you mean?"
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A/N: Hey, guys, took me awhile to finish this. I've started to update a draft of each chapter everyday now, so that I don't keep you guys waiting for long. Hope it's worth the wait. But, I'll still be busy with stuff, just so you know. Anyways, stay tuned for more updates and I'll see you in the next chapter. Bye. 👋🏼