FORTE → SOONGYUHOON

DAY ONE: boys will be bugs

Jihoon feared the day his parents would finally get rid of him for the summer, if only to have a little time for themselves. And the year has come— but he didn't expect them to spend so much money to make it happen.

The thing is: Jihoon likes music. A lot. Like, I haven't slept in 48 hours but I wrote this sweet song kind of a lot. His parents know this and in fact have encouraged it in him since he could hold an instrument.

He's taken piano lessons for as long as he can remember, but he thinks that's just his parents being his parents since he never asked for them. He picked up basic guitar and ukulele while he was at it, something he he truly did enjoy.

The chorus teachers have always loved him, too, and he started singing in primary school. They called him a prodigy, sometimes, said he could be a wonder if he worked at it.

By now, music is kind of his thing. He takes a music theory class and carries a notebook with him to write lyrics. That's how people know him: the music kid. He's okay with that since it has never been a problem and he gets to do what he loves.

Jihoon's parents have wanted to drop him off at a summer camp for years, and his constant pleading about his anxiety and wanting to stay was the only thing that kept him at home. But this year, with a camp like this and his unbudging parentals, there wasn't much of a choice.

The thing is: it's a music camp — but not just any music camp. It's the music camp. The one everyone wants to go to if they want to improve and gain recognition. Two and a half months of clinicians, showcases, and projects, all within a beautiful campground, limited to around one hundred older highschoolers chosen through submitted auditions. (Don't worry, it's only a couple of thousands of dollars.)

You could say it's kind of a big deal.

Jihoon literally screamed when he received his admission confirmation, loud enough for the neighbors to hear and come by to ask if they needed to call someone. He has no idea how two crappily recorded covers of Corduroy Dreams and Boys Will Be Bugs on his ukulele and a one-minute outtake of a Korean ballad he sings in the shower got him accepted, but— is he really going to complain?

The first thing he did was call Seungcheol, an aspiring rapper and his best friend of around eighteen years (also known as his entire life). He also applied, and also got in, and they screamed together before getting Junhui on the call too. Junhui, a dancer and Jihoon's second best friend of about six months, screamed with them both because he got in too.

About a month later, his parents dump him in front of the drop off spot with his suitcase, wishing him a happy summer and to call them if he needs anything and that they won't really miss him.

That brings him to now as he shakes from his nerves, rolling his suitcase and clutching his little pillow with anxious hands. His ukelele is slung over his shoulder, the painted case gaining more peoples' attention than he would like. A lot of the other students around him chat with each other, but no one approaches him, and he's honestly fine with that.

Seungcheol has yet to show himself, but knowing him, he's probably making friends without him. Junhui could be anywhere and appear at any second, which unnerves him the most about this situation. He does it without realizing and always scares jihoon with how elusive he is.

"'Hoonie!"

Speak of the Devil.

Jihoon instinctively cringes as a tall, heavy force collides into his side, crushing him in a hug and causing him to trip over his suitcase. Cursing obscenely, Jihoon yells at Junhui to mind the instrument and shoves him away.