Growing Up in Ferngrave [A Seventeen Fanfiction]

Chapter 11: The Summer Before Sixth Grade and Summer Camp

The summer I turned 11, I was sent to a summer camp by my mother and father.

Why?

I'm not entirely sure. But I feel as if it had to do with their upcoming wedding anniversary. That year marked 15 years since they were married in Korea, and they had planned to travel back in celebration. The trip was only three days, but I'd be at camp for three weeks. So, it wasn't like they sent me away just to have their own alone time.

Despite that, I believed that they were abandoning me for their own benefit.

My mother especially. She went on and on about how that camp was a perfect opportunity to branch out and make new friends. Practice some independence, she had said. To her credit, yes, camp actually did teach me some things and it ended up being a life-changing experience. However, that never did cancel out the bitterness I felt towards both my parents for leaving the country without me.

As an adult now, I understand completely the value of alone time. I wouldn't be opposed to doing the same to my own children. Especially since my experiences at camp proved to be a core pinnacle towards the person that I am today.

•

"I can't believe you're going away after we practically spent the whole school year separated." Seungkwan pouted as he laid amidst the flowers in Ferngrave's meadow. "Do your parents not like us or something?"

"More like they don't like me." You muttered bitterly, harshly blowing into a nearby stalk of dandelions. The specks from the dandelions flew into Seokmin's nose, causing him to sneeze loudly. "Sorry, Seok."

Seokmin sneezed again. "I—It's oka—a-choo!"

"It'th already patht thpring. How can you thtill have allergieth?" Mingyu's voice changed in volume as he spoke. He was riding his bike continuously around the tree that the rest of you sat under.

"I—I don—choo!—know—choo!"

Wonwoo grimaced when Seokmin sneezed a little too closely to his book. Pushing his glasses up his nose, Wonwoo rifled through his bag to find some spare tissue that his mom packed for emergencies. "Geez, Seokmin, you should start taking tissues around or something. It's like you're always sick."

"That's not—," Seokmin sneezed again, thankfully into a tissue this time, "—true!"

"It is." The rest of you insisted simultaneously (well, in Mingyu's case, 'is' came out as 'ith').

"I can't believe my own parents are going to abandon me." You sighed and laid back next to Seungkwan, your hair falling out in waves. "I really don't want to go by myself. I'm not good at making friends."

"You made friendth with uth." Mingyu said as he emerged from the side of his tree on his bike. He waited until he was biking in sight of you before continuing. "That hath to count for thomething."

"Yeah, but it wasn't really like I tried or anything." You murmured. "I've never initiated a conversation on my own before. Seungkwan's always been there to do it for me."

Seungkwan scoffed. "You make me sound like a servant dog."

"You are."

"I will fight you."

"Maybe this'll be a good chance for you to practice your speaking skills." Wonwoo shrugged, flipping through another page of his book. Your face immediately fell into a glare, and you muttered your next few words.