⤭ in which two camp counselors meet after 9 years, trying to forget about their embarrassing past encounter. between managing schedules, teaching classes and intense games of kickball, something between them ignites. and it seems to be even brighter...
with every passing day, melody grows more and more accustomed to camp sunny smiles, fitting right into the routine as well as enjoying her time with all of the kids. not only is she watching over and teaching them, but she was learning from them too.
it's midday and she's helping chaeryoung with her dance class for the older campers. the vibe in the room is buoyant and fresh as they wrap up the session with an improv circle. everybody is clapping along to the beat and hyping the others up, it feels like nothing could go wrong.
as daniel hops out of the center, everyone looks to niki expectantly. he's their resident main dancer and everyone knows he tears up any performance he gives. although he acts confident, melody knows that on the inside he's very shy at the moment. she gives him a little nudge and a thumbs up, persuading him to move to the center and freestyle.
and he does, jumping to the middle and wowing the crowd like he always does. that is, until he flips. he lands successfully, but stumbles out of it and feels his mind goes blank. his body has stopped moving and everyone's looking at him. he rushes out of the center and back to melody's side. she gestures to chae silently, and thankfully, the main dance instructor gets the message, strutting to the center of the circle and naturally moving to the rhythm.
the girl pats his head gently, murmuring comforting words to the regretful boy. "you were great, don't worry."
normally, she'd get a small nod or a smile, but this time, his downcast expression doesn't change at all. she's worried but doesn't want to bring any unwanted attention to the younger dancer.
the next 15 minutes pass in a blur as chaeryoung enthusiastically wraps up the class, encouraging the kids to stay hydrated in the summer heat.
as kids start filing out of the room, melody notices a familiar figure standing by the door. "what are you doing here, geonu?" her tone is sassy, but there's a smile on her face and a giggle threatening to spill from her lips as she notices him leaning against the wall.
"just stopping by to tell the kids that the music class is going to be outside today." as daniel and nina approach the door to exit, he calls out to them, "there are my singing superstars!" he holds his hands up for a high-five, to which the two kids respond with forceful smacks to his palms.
ni-ki stands slightly behind melody as he observes the entire encounter. as he sees them talking and laughing, something in him breaks and he rushes out the door.
"woah, is everything okay with him?" geonu asks, eyes tracing his rapid form worriedly.
"i'll go make sure he's alright." melody states, concern evident in her voice as she begins to run after the boy. she follows the color of his bright orange shirt until he sits down on the steps behind the dining hall. melody hesitates for a few minutes before she too heaves herself onto the cold concrete steps, protected from the harsh glare of the sun.
his hands are clasped together tightly and his head is facing the floor. she waits until he's ready to speak.
"i just want to keep improving myself and be the best i can be, but when i make these kinds of mistakes, it's hard to not get mad at myself." ni-ki sighs loudly, "not to mention i embarrassed myself in front of everyone. and nina."
"everyone makes mistakes, niki. it's part of life and how people learn. what matters is that you keep a positive mindset and keep striving, even when you have minor setbacks." melody strokes his hair gently and he starts to smile.
"you're right, i just have to focus and get better!" the change in mood of the boy is exponential, but melody is glad that he feels better.
people are so quick to judge the young male. everyone thinks that ni-ki is just an initially cold, but very talented boy. but what they don't know is how tough he is on himself and how hard he works and how sweet he really is on the inside. based on his reaction, she thinks that he hasn't heard those words in a long time, and she's glad she said the right thing. as they stand up and pat the dust and grime off of their shorts, ni-ki's eyes look brighter and livelier than they did before.
melody places a hand on the boy's shoulder, "and for the record, you're a superstar too. you're the best dancer and everyone knows it. believe in yourself."
with those genuine and sweet words, ni-ki is overwhelmed with emotion. he pulls melody in for a hug, repeating the words "thank you, thank you, thank you." though she's startled by the younger boy's actions, she melts into his embrace, showing her sisterly care through soft, rhythmic pats on his head. she now realizes, those were the exact words he needed to hear.
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