Beomgyu playfully bowed as the kids clapped while laughing as if it was a show, and he jumped off the chair he was standing on.
He gave Jun one last glance as he grabbed his water bottle and walked out of the lunchroom.
******
"I knew it! I knew it! I! Knew! It!" Lisa celebrated as she jumped around the room.
Lei filed her nails as she waited for her to be done jumping.
"When did it happen? How did it happen?" Lisa asked quickly as she got on Lei's bed with her legs crossed.
Lei looked up from her nails as she blinked.
"A day ago. I'm not telling you how." Lei quietly answered as she looked back at her nails.
"How are you not excited?! You're dating Choi Beomgyu. The hottest counselor in the entire camp! And the coolest!"
Lei chuckled in amusement as she shook her head.
"Oh Hawaii~" Someone sang out from outside of the cabin making Lisa smile excitedly.
"Your boyfriend is here." Lisa smirked as she stood up and opened the cabin door.
Lei's eyes met Beomgyu's through the window and she glared at him, which he playfully returned.
She stood up with a sigh as she stood next to Lisa at the door.
"Come into my arms dear Juliet! Our love needs no concealment any longer!"
The kids that walked past him giggled as they watched him say those words confidently.
Lei watched him in amusement as he opened his arms wide.
"You're annoying."
"Oh, those are the words of my dear Juliet." He shook his head proudly as he watched her come down the steps with a scowl.
He tightly wrapped his arms around her waist as she tried not to smile.
"There's kids everywhere Beomgyu."
"I'm only giving you a hug. Theo gives hugs to Sara all the time." He said as he pulled away from her with a big smile.
"He does?" Lisa smirked as she found someone new to tease. "Oh Sara~~" She skipped as she went to search for Sara.
"I knew the secret wouldn't last long."
"I had to take desperate measures." He shook his head dramatically making her smile slightly.
Beomgyu looked around to see if anyone was looking, before he placed his hands on her cheeks.
"I wanted to show you something today."
"What is it?" She asked almost shyly as he grinned at her.
"It wouldn't be as interesting if I told you."
"Is it another camp thing that you like that I probably won't?"
"I have a feeling you will, Ms. Hawaii." He whispered as he caressed her cheek.
He pulled away from her with a small smirk.
"Meet me out here at 12."
"At night?"
"No, in the morning." He said sarcastically making her roll her eyes. "Don't be late or you'll miss it."
Lei watched him walk away as she shook her head in amusement.
*****
Lei nervously looked around at the dark trail, only lit by one light as she furrowed her eyebrows.
"He tells me not to be late and then he-"
She almost screamed as she suddenly felt a hand around hers.
"Why are you doing that?" She whispered loudly as she looked at a smiling Beomgyu.
Beomgyu intertwined their fingers as he pulled her with him.
"Why did you tell me to not bring a flashlight? It's dark Beomgyu." She asked wearily as she looked around.
They were getting further and further away from the cabins, and the little light they had was disappearing.
"Do you want to get caught?" He whispered as he smiled at her.
"If we get lost in the forest, I swear I will find you in heaven or hell. Just to kill you." She whispered harshly making Beomgyu chuckle as he continued to pull her along.
She tightly held onto his hand and arm as they walked together.
"We don't have to go that far to see them."
"See what?"
"They're starting to come out now."
"What are you talking about-"
Her gaze fell on a tiny light floating in the air.
She raised her eyebrows in shock as she spotted another one.
"Fireflies?" She asked quietly as Beomgyu smiled softly.
"They only come out during this time, at the ends of June. They're in hibernation after that." Beomgyu informed quietly as they all started coming out slightly.
Lei watched them in awe as a handful of them started flashing their lights in the forest.
"This is why I said a flashlight wasn't a very good idea." He chuckled making her look at him for a second.
The moonlight was enough to see his features.
"How do you know all of these spots?"
"I've been coming here since I was seven. I didn't have many friends so I found ways to entertain myself."
"You? No friends? That's hard to believe." She chuckled as she placed her arms around his waist.
"I wasn't always this handsome and cool." He smirked making her shake her head.
"When did it start changing?" She asked curiously as he narrowed his eyes in thought.
"I was maybe around 9 or 10. I started approaching people and eventually started making more friends."
"Are you like that at home too?"
"Not when I was a kid. It was like... this place was magic. I was living an entirely different life here. I saw pretty things here, made friends, I was playing every day, and it was constant sleepovers. This place was heaven to me." He whispered softly as he looked around.
"That's why I wanted to show you everything I could about this place."
Lei smiled as she looked around again.
"It might be working."
"Are you scared of the dark?" He suddenly asked teasingly as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her even closer to him.
"A little. I always have been."
"What were you like as a kid?"
"Just like I am now." She chuckled making him smile softly. "I was a little bitter, maybe."
"Why?"
Lei paused in thought as she looked at the fireflies.
"My dad had just gotten remarried. I didn't want a new mom."
"Are you still bitter about that?"
She shook her head softly as she pursed her lips.
"I got Naya, from their relationship. I didn't have any siblings. So... living with a new mom wasn't that bad. She cares for me more than my dad does."
"Do you not get along with him?"
"He's.... We get along. I know he loves me, it's just that sometimes the lines get blurry." She hesitated to answer as she gave him a small smile.
Beomgyu didn't have to ask her more to know that it was a sensitive topic for her.
She laid her head against his chest as she closed her eyes.
For some reason, when she was with him, it was almost like she was in another world.
Like she was somewhere warm and safe. Relaxing and happy.
The way Beomgyu had described the camp, was how she felt about him.
He softly caressed her hair as she wrapped her arms tighter around him, placing a soft kiss on his shoulder.
"You're very affectionate." He chuckled making her smile.
"I'm more physical than verbal. Did you not expect that?"
"Not really."
"If you don't like it I can stop."
"Never stop."
Lei lifted her head to look into his eyes.
"Are you going to let me be as clingy as I want? I won't let go of you, ever. You might regret your decision." She joked making him smile softly.
"If you hold me like this everyday, I won't ever regret it."
"Smooth words." She whispered as she softly placed a kiss on his lips.
He gently grasped her cheeks as he kissed her back.
Lei suddenly jumped as she heard a sound from behind her.
Beomgyu let out a laugh as he watched her look around in panic.
"It was just a bat Lei."
"A bat? I hate bats."
Beomgyu smiled in amusement as she moved closer to him in fear.
"They don't hurt you, they're here to eat the fireflies."
"What? That's horrifying." She said with furrowed eyebrows in sadness.
"I mean, they have to eat." Beomgyu chuckled as he stared at her.
"That's still pretty sad."
They went quiet for a few seconds as Lei looked around.
The fireflies were starting to disappear and the forest started getting darker and darker.
******
Lei yawned softly as she laid against Beomgyu's shoulder.
"Why do I always end up carrying someone out of the woods?"
"The difference now is that I'm awake." She chuckled as she placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
His walking was slow making Lei smile.
"Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Doing what on purpose?"
"You're walking really slow."
"I'm a slow walker."
"I thought you were a cheetah."
"Only when I'm running." He said as he narrowed his eyes playfully. "I'm walking slow to pace myself, if I go any faster, we might walk across the globe."
"That was so stupid." Lei giggled as she shook her head.
"I want to spend more time with you."
"I know." She said quietly as she looked ahead of her. "Me too."
She softly caressed his shoulder as she placed a soft kiss on his neck.
"Oh, I love this." He said as he shook her head making her smile in amusement. "Please be clingy all you want, Ms. Hawaii. I will never get tired of it. Come to my arms every day."
Lei chuckled as she placed a quick kiss on his jaw.
Beomgyu abruptly stopped walking, catching Lei by surprise as she furrowed her eyebrows.
"What the fuck is going on?" He whispered as he scrunched up his nose.
Lei looked at the spot he was looking at, almost gagging in disgust.
There was a line of dead animals. They were all collectively losing a leg and an arm, and their guts were spread everywhere.
They weren't there before.
It happened when they were inside the forest, in that short time.
The thought terrified Lei.
"Something weird is happening in this camp." Beomgyu said quietly as he avoided looking when he stepped over a bunny.
"What?"
"There's something weird going on, I can't pinpoint what it is but... I have a bad feeling. Maybe a bear? Or something like that?"
"A bear breaks random glass cups in the middle of the night? No." Lei said as she shook her head. "It's something else."
Beomgyu nervously tilted his head.
Lei's heart was skipping beats out of fear as she started thinking of all the different things that could be happening.
"Serial killer?" She wondered shakily and Beomgyu shook his head.
"No.... Maybe? I don't know. Why hasn't he killed anyone yet? Why just animals? It doesn't make sense for it to be a serial killer."
"Let's stop talking about it. Maybe it really is just a bear." Lei hurriedly tried to stop the conversation as she placed her head against his shoulder.
"Are you scared?"
"Shut up and walk faster, please."