Summer Camp |Choi Beomgyu|

34

"Do you see what he's doing?!" Lei exasperatedly said as she pointed at the TV before grabbing the glass of wine from the coffee table in front of her.

She looked over to her side, seeing Beomgyu already laying his head against the pillow, in deep sleep.

Lei sighed softly as she reached for the remote to turn off the TV.

She sat up on the bed as she looked over at him.

"Gyu. Hey." She whispered softly as she tapped his shoulder. "Baby, you forgot to wash up. You told me to wake you if you did."

Beomgyu hummed as he shifted, but he didn't open his eyes.

"Beomgyu." She called softly as she gently moved his hair off of his eyes.

He opened his eyes slightly and met her eyes, to which she gave him a small smile.

Beomgyu watched her for a few seconds before lifting up the covers, inviting her to lay closer to him.

Lei chuckled quietly before laying down next to him, with her back turned to him.

He softly wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against him and tangling their legs together, before letting out a sigh.

"You know, this is pretty disgusting."

"Mhm." He hummed making her smile in amusement as she felt him shift behind her and place his hand under her shirt.

"What are you doing?"

"My hands are cold." He let out a small laugh making her giggle with him.

"Pervert." She under her breath as she felt his lips run along her neck ever so slightly.

"They really are cold." He whispered as his hand traveled higher, making her get goosebumps on her skin. "You can't feel them?"

Lei moved to lay on her back and met his eyes.

Her shirt slowly traveled up with his hand as he softly pressed his lips against hers.

The feeling of his hand nearing the space under her breast made her breath hitch.

Beomgyu noticed her hesitance, slowly pulling away from her.

Their eyes met again, and Lei couldn't help but tear up as his fingers slowly caressed the scar under her breast.

"I'm sorry."

"No, Hawaii, what are you saying sorry for?" He comforted as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I don't know." She said under her breath as she closed her eyes.

Beomgyu watched her in pity as he placed his hand on her cheek, softly running his thumb against the soft skin.

"I hate being reminded of it, even if it's something I've gotten over, at least a bit. But I- I don't know why it comes back. It's been years but it still-" The words got caught in her throat as she tried to contain your sobs.

"You lost your sister to this Lei, even if it's been years, it's not something that is easy to forget. Every time that you look in the mirror, and you see that scar, you'll be reminded of that, but that doesn't mean you're fighting it alone. Okay?"

Lei nodded her head as she looked at Beomgyu through her tears.

"Now where were we?" She asked as she sniffled making him let out a laugh of disbelief.

Lei wiped her tears as she grinned before pulling at the string of his sweats.

"I don't know where were we? I'm a little confused." He chuckled as she scooted closer to him.

"The part where I take these off."

**Ten Years Later ***

Ji Ah stared at the ceiling as she kept her arms crossed over her chest.

"Can you explain to me what you feel when I mention the word 'solitude'?"

She didn't look at the therapist as she rolled her eyes.

"Nothing. I don't feel anything when you say that word."

The therapist scribbled onto her notebook before looking at Ji Ah again.

"What do you remember about your experiences at the camp?"

"Why are you asking me this again?" Ji Ah questioned as she sat up on the couch, glaring at the woman. "Are you going to say I'm crazy? Like everyone else has been saying for the past ten years? Is that what you will do?"

The therapist let out a small sigh as she placed down her notebook.

"I will not call you crazy, Ji Ah. But the only thing I can tell you, is that your mind was young then, maybe-"

"No! I'm tired of you doctors treating me this way! There were others there too! They saw the exact same things I did, why are you scrutinizing me?!"

"Ji Ah, whatever your experiences were, they have been affecting your development, this is why we need to get to the root of the problem. We can't get there if you continue to lie-"

"I am not lying!" Ji Ah cried desperately as a nurse walked into the room with a tray in her hand. "I'm not lying, stop saying that I am. Why does no one believe me?"

Ji Ah thought back to all the people she had confided in and how they turned their backs on her.

Her parents didn't believe her, her older siblings didn't either, so they started taking her to therapists when she reached the second grade after she kept saying the same story.

There was no comfort she was receiving and there was no one she could relate to, as she is one of the campers that lived too far away.

Now Ji Ah was sixteen years old, still going to different therapists and being placed in mental health center after mental health center.

"I'll prove it to you all! I will." She sobbed as she was grabbed by her arm by the nurse, who pulled her out of the room.

She promised it, but she didn't know how.

*****

Rico tightly hugged his father before looking around at the scenery.

"Make sure you don't go anywhere near the water and that you maintain close contact with your counselors, do you understand?"

"Yes, mom. I know. I'm not stupid." Rico smiled at his mother as he placed his bags around his shoulders.

"There's sunscreen and moisturizer-"

Before Rico's mother had finished her rant, Rico had already started running to join the other kids.

As he ran, he felt his new phone drop out of his pocket and onto the ground.

He kneeled to pick it up and then looked up to continue running, but saw someone standing in front of him.

"Hi."

"Hi." Rico greeted excitedly as he saw that she was a staff member.

"What's your name?"

"Rico."

"That's a nice name. How old are you?"

"12."

"That's great. That's the best age." She smiled as the little boy smiled right back at her.

"Rico!" His mother called out to him as she jogged to catch up with him. "Why would you run like that?"

"I'm guessing you're the parents."

"Yes. Hello." Rico's father said nicely as he extended his hand for her to shake. "And you are..."

"Ms. Sally. It's a pleasure to meet you." She smiled menacingly as she shook his hand.