Jeonghan watched as Seungcheol entered the tent and took a seat beside him. "I'll call you back," he said to Mrs. Choi before disconnecting the call. Seungcheol handed him a cup of soda, and Jeonghan accepted it with gratitude.
"Who was that guy?" Jeonghan asked, taking a sip.
Seungcheol rolled his eyes. "He's just a pervert who has been after me for a long time. He couldn't believe that I had a boyfriend."
Jeonghan nodded, recalling the earlier incident. "I see... That was why you pointed at me."
Seungcheol confirmed with a nod. "This camp is important to me if I want a promotion at work."
Jeonghan widened his eyes in surprise. "Really?"
Seungcheol nodded. "If I do well with all the activities here, it increases my chances of a promotion. I really need it for the sake of my kids and me. It means fewer working hours and more pay, so you don't have to worry about us anymore and can continue your own life."
Jeonghan fell silent, feeling the sting of Seungcheol's words. "I don't mind working in your house. I enjoy taking care of you and the kids," he confessed.
There was an uncomfortable silence as their eyes met. Seungcheol seemed to hesitate, then quickly stood up and announced, "Let me get some fresh air," before leaving the room.
Jeonghan sighed softly, feeling the weight of his emotions. He knew he was falling for Seungcheol, especially after discovering that he was his first love. But he also knew that even if Seungcheol fell in love with him, he would never admit it because he didn't want anyone to take the place of his beloved Jihoon.
Later that evening, the staff and their partners gathered inside a huge tent for dinner. Seungcheol and Jeonghan sat together while Mingyu and Wonwoo sat opposite them, displaying their affection for each other. As Jeonghan envied them, he also felt sick of their lovey-dovey attitude.
Suddenly, Jeonghan felt a hard shove in the back of his chair. When he turned, he saw the pervert from that morning giving him a scornful look, with two men standing behind him. Seungcheol looked at the man with a deep frown.
"What the hell do you want, Ren?" Seungcheol barked.
Ren laughed and raised his hand dramatically. "Does anybody in this room believe that these two are actually dating? If you do, please raise your hand."
Surprisingly, no one raised their hand. Seungcheol and Jeonghan stood up together.
"What is your business if we are dating or not?" Seungcheol challenged.
Ren smirked and taunted, "I feel like he's just using you, and you are complying to his wishes because of your unrequited love for him."
Jeonghan quieted, knowing there was some truth to Ren's words. Suddenly, he felt Seungcheol grab his hand tightly and retort, "You're wrong!" Then Ren challenged Seungcheol to kiss Jeonghan to prove their relationship, and to Jeonghan's surprise, Seungcheol did – a short yet deep and passionate kiss that exposed Seungcheol's pain and longing for love.
After Ren and his friends left, some people came to congratulate them. Seungcheol, embarrassed, avoided looking at Jeonghan. When they were alone, Mingyu and Wonwoo clapped. "Wow, I didn't know you two were so brazen, kissing like that. I had no idea your relationship had progressed to that level," Mingyu said with a mischievous grin.
Seungcheol waved it aside. "I only did that to put a stop to that asshole Ren."
Jeonghan sighed heavily and took a large gulp of his water, wishing it was alcohol.
"So, Jeonghan, how did you feel when Seungcheol unexpectedly kissed you?" Wonwoo said, and tension filled the air at the table.
Jeonghan ignored Seungcheol. "It was nothing," he whispered and focused on his food.
Not much was said after that. Once they finished eating, they both headed back to their tent. They slept together, but with considerable space between them and their backs turned to each other. They were both thinking about the kiss and knew they wouldn't be able to get much sleep that night.
Sure enough, they didn't get much sleep because at six o'clock sharp, a large bell woke everyone up.
"What the hell is that noise?" Jeonghan whispered, rubbing his eyes. Seungcheol sat up too, looking clueless.
A loud voice boomed over the loudspeaker.
"Staff and partners should dress in their hiking attire and be at the foot of the mountain in five minutes. Any couple who is late will not be able to participate in the next competition and miss the chance to eat lunch."
As soon as they heard the announcement, Jeonghan and Seungcheol hurriedly shed their clothes. They both caught sight of their bodies while dressing, but since there was no time to dwell on it, they rushed their dressing and ran out of the tent.
Jeonghan had never been a runner. In fact, he despised all forms of physical exercise. Seungcheol, who was running ahead, stopped when he noticed Jeonghan was still behind him. He turned round and saw him panting. He walked back to him.
"Really, don't you exercise at all?"
Jeonghan shook his head with an adorable smile on his lips. "No, the only thing I love doing is eating and sleeping."
Seungcheol suddenly smiled. "Jeonghan, you really are something."
He held out his hand to him, and Jeonghan looked at him, surprised at his action. He hesitated.
"Come on, there's no time," he said.
With that, Jeonghan grabbed his hand, and they hurried off together. They reached the mountain on time, but Mingyu and Wonwoo weren't so fortunate. They arrived late and weren't allowed to go on the mission.
The vice president waited for the others who arrived on time. When they all gathered at the foot of the mountain, she began to speak.
"The top ten couples to make it to the mountain will receive a surprise treat, so try your best to ensure that you are not left behind."
Seungcheol instinctively grabbed Jeonghan's hand again, leaving the blonde confused. The vice president continued.
"Alright then, ready... go!"
They all set off quickly. Seungcheol and Jeonghan ran with their hands clasped together. Soon, Jeonghan grew tired.
"Are you tired?" He asked.
Jeonghan sat on the ground, looking famished. "What the hell are we doing? We haven't even eaten since morning."
Seungcheol rolled his eyes. "Hey, well when we get there, we'll definitely eat."
Jeonghan groaned. "I told you, I never exercise!"
Seungcheol groaned and bent down. "Get on!"
"What are you doing?" Jeonghan blurted, but Seungcheol remained silent, still with his back to him. Slowly, Jeonghan wrapped his arms around him before he put his body on top of Seungcheol's back.
Seungcheol grabbed his legs and stood up, holding Jeonghan firmly against his body. No one said anything. Jeonghan couldn't believe this was happening. He closed his eyes for a moment, believing it was only a dream, but when he opened them, he was right there with him. This was crazy. Jeonghan tightened his hold around Seungcheol's body as he inhaled his musky scent. They continued walking like this for twenty minutes before they stopped and continued the journey on foot. Thirst and extreme tiredness entered their bodies, but they were almost at the top of the mountain. They were the last of the ten couples to arrive and nearly collapsed. The rest were sent back to the camp, while the winning couples were given food and water to drink. The food was out of this world and looked simply delicious.
Jeonghan ate and ate while Seungcheol watched. Soon, the staff and their members were separated. Seungcheol was given a massage, but he didn't know what was happening with Jeonghan until night came. There was a bonfire, and the winning staff gathered around it. Seungcheol kept wondering what was going on until Jeonghan appeared, dressed in all white with his hair brushed down. Seungcheol couldn't believe his beauty, but what he couldn't believe was the fast beating of his heart. Could it be that he was now in love with Jeonghan? He tried to understand what was going on, but he couldn't, and for the first time, he couldn't understand why he couldn't see Jihoon. Why couldn't he see him...
Thank you so much for reading