☦︎︎ 𝙉𝘾𝙏 𝙊𝙉𝙀𝙎𝙃𝙊𝙏𝙎 ☦︎︎

NOMIN - SUMMER CAMP

The summer camp was alive with the crackling of the campfire, casting a warm glow over the faces of the campers gathered around. Jaemin sat on a log, absently poking at the flames with a stick, his thoughts elsewhere. Jeno, the athletic boy from the neighbouring cabin, settled down beside him.

"Mind if I join you?" Jeno asked, his grin as bright as the firelight.

Jaemin shrugged, offering a half-smile. "Sure."

As the night settled in, the campers took turns sharing stories. Some were spooky, some were funny, and some were just plain embarrassing. Jaemin and Jeno found themselves wrapped up in the tales, laughing along with the others.

When it was Jeno's turn, he hesitated, glancing at Jaemin. "Okay, so, this one time, I tried to impress a girl by climbing the tallest tree near the lake."

The group erupted in laughter, but Jaemin caught the slight blush on Jeno's cheeks. He couldn't help but be captivated by the way Jeno's eyes sparkled in the firelight.

"Didn't go as planned, I take it?" Jaemin teased, nudging Jeno playfully.

Jeno chuckled, "Not at all. I got stuck halfway up and had to be rescued by the camp counsellors. It was embarrassing, to say the least."

The two boys giggled, their eyes meeting for a moment that felt longer than usual. Jaemin felt a flutter in his stomach, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through him.

"Your turn," Jeno said, nudging Jaemin back.

Jaemin hesitated, glancing into the dancing flames. "Well, there's this one thing... I, uh, I've never really been good at this sharing stuff."

Jeno leaned in, his voice encouraging. "Hey, no pressure. We're all friends here."

Encouraged by Jeno's sincerity, Jaemin took a deep breath. "Okay, here goes. I've never been to a summer camp before. This is all new to me."

Jeno raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "Really? I thought you were a camp pro with all the survival skills you've got."

Jaemin chuckled nervously, "Surviving camp is one thing, but surviving a game of Capture the Flag with you running like the wind? That's a whole different story."

Jeno grinned, a playful glint in his eyes. "Maybe you just need a partner who can keep up."

Jaemin's heart skipped a beat. Was it just the flickering campfire playing tricks on him, or did Jeno's words carry a deeper meaning? He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to their interactions than just friendly banter.

As the night wore on, the campfire dwindled, leaving behind glowing embers. The campers dispersed, heading back to their cabins. Jaemin and Jeno found themselves lingering, the air filled with an unspoken tension.

"I had fun tonight," Jeno said, his eyes locked on Jaemin's.

"Me too," Jaemin replied, the sincerity in his voice echoing the newfound connection between them. "Are you doing the water sports tomorrow?"

Jeno nodded, "sure am. Bet you're a brilliant swimmer, huh?"

"Well," Jaemin started, his eyes darting around, "embarrassingly, it's the exact opposite."

The two stopped outside their cabins, facing each other under the soft glow of the moonlight. Jaemin couldn't help to notice the features on Jeno's face that he hadn't before. The light crinkles next to his eyes as he smiles, his eyebrows moving up and down gently. He had never been this close to Jeno before and, as he locked eyes with him, that warm fuzzy feeling returned to his stomach.

"You no good at swimming then?" Jeno smirked, leaning towards him playfully.

"No, I'm not! And don't tease me about it too!" Jaemin flung his arms up dramatically to his head, covering his face entirely. Jeno chuckled, trying to peek through Jaemin's hands to see his clearly reddened face.

"You're cute."

"Huh?" Jaemin lifted his head, his wide-eyed expression slowly revealing itself from behind his palms. "What did you say?"

"I said you're cute," Jeno responded confidently. "And, I'm gonna teach you to swim tomorrow. I'll be your own personal lifeguard."

Jaemin couldn't fathom what he had heard. He had a million thoughts rushing through his brain but not one could fall out of his mouth to respond to Jeno. 

"Well, it's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow morning," Jeno starts towards the cabin. As he opens the door, he says some parting words, "Sleep well, it gets too cold in the cabins. And, oh yeah, bring your trunks." He winks and departs.

Jaemin, stuck in one place, is starstruck. He feels his face become hotter and hotter and his stomach become warm and fuzzy again.  Did Jeno just actually flirt with him?