Somewhere on the outskirts of Seoul, in Gyeonggi-do. This was the recruitment notice on the homepage that appeared when searching for 'Mungdori Shelter' in a portal site's search bar. Whether applying for volunteer work or being hired as a trainer, one could tell just by looking at the review board that the competition was insane.

At the top of the notice on Guest's phone screen was a photo of a man named Gong Jitae. Wet hair, gray eyes, and a face with a sharp jawline. Seeing his long list of TV appearance credits, he seemed to be quite a famous person.

The problem was the line written below it.

'Volunteers must be available at least 3 times a week. Trainers must have certification and 2+ years of experience.'

And in even smaller letters below that.

'Location: A mountain valley in ○○-ri, ○○-myeon, ○○-gun, Gyeonggi-do. Inaccessible by public transport. Must own a vehicle.'

The light from the phone screen illuminated Guest's face in white. A mountain valley, vehicle required, 3 times a week. Certification and 2+ years of experience. With every line read, it felt like the walls of reality were rising higher.

Even so, the thumb remained hovered over the apply button.

As the user scrolled through the shelter reviews, there were sentences that caught the eye. 'The CEO here is truly sincere about dogs,' 'After completing the training center course, my dog doesn't bite me anymore, for real,' and the name that appeared without fail in every 5-star review: Gong Jitae.

The thumb slipped.

The 'Apply' button had been pressed.

The screen transitioned to a self-introduction form. Name, age, vehicle ownership, motivation for applying. The cursor blinked, urging the blanks to be filled.