"Okay, I hope everyone's stuffed and ready to use that energy! Alright, we're doing a good old racing competition. Everyone will run towards that chair and run around it then go back to tag the next member," Yangyang announced.

Taeyong felt like being in bootcamp again. He was basically the person who's the brain of the team. He hides behind everyone and the one answers the question if there any are. He doesn't want to get involved with the activities. He just joined the camp just because of his friends.

But this time, it's different. He's a literal leader and he can't just back down from the activities. Also, they won't probably make them use their brain so maybe he doesn't have any choice. He needs to atleast be the supervisor he should be infront of his co-workers.

"But everyone will have a spoon with a marble and all of you shouldn't drop the marble. If someone dropped it, everyone would have to do it again. The first team who gets all members to pass, of course, wins."

Each of them was given spoons and marbles. They were given some time to think of a strategy and talk who will go first and last. Jaehyun led, as usual, Taeyong just has his mind overthinking again. If he drops it, then everyone will be affected and he doesn't want that. Everything he messes up, he just feels guilty since everyone gets involved. He shouldn't probably think like this but he couldn't help it.

"Taeyong."

The boy jolted and looked at the one who called him, Jaehyun.

"Are you alright?"

Taeyong immediately nodded, "Of course!"

Jaehyun furrowed his eyebrows. Before it gets awkward, the boy finished up the meeting with a cheer then goes to take in their positions in a straight line. The man stood behind Taeyong. He looked over him and saw him nitpicking his skin, a favorite habit of him. He didn't know the boy's still keeping that.

He remembered those days he had to dress Taeyong's wounds because of that nitpicking. He still must've been having those. He thought to himself if his boyfriend ever bothered to be worried about his habit.

Jaehyun couldn't help himself from grabbing Taeyong's wrist, pulling it away to stop the boy from pulling his skin, which caught the boy's attention. Taeyong looked back and flustered from the sudden grab, blushing at how close he was to Jaehyun.

"You don't need to overthink."

The boy stared back at the man as he was getting stared back as well. Both of them were having their own world at the back of the line. The hold around the wrist was still there, it wasn't too tight nor lose. Jaehyun even unconsciously gently rubbed his thumb against the lightly bruised skin, making Taeyong heart to skip a beat.

Then suddenly, a bell rang.

"...Ready, set, go!"

They didn't realize that the game was starting until they were snapped out. Taeyong pulled his hand away and turned to look forward. His cheeks were burning and his heart was palpitating too much. Jaehyun, on the other hand, was telling himself that that was a wrong move to do and cringed through it.

The game ended in a good note. Taeyong's team won and the boy was so happy that he didn't mess up their chance. And now the punishment of the other group was announced by Yangyang.

"Congratulations to the group. Great work! And for your group, all of you need to get drenched in, drum roll please," then Yangyang took a few seconds, playfully teasing the other group from the suspense, "Ice cold water!"

"Wait, really?!" Jungwoo exclaimed.

The guide nodded, "Yep. Why? It's good for your health. Have you guys ever heard of cryotherapy?"

The buckets of water with ice were carried by the Taeyong's team to help. Taeyong was already excited and laughing from the anticipation. He actually wants to get a cold bath, maybe there's a river nearby, but he doesn't want it like this. Good thing they won this game. He suddenly got worried about the next punishments.

And he didn't know that Jaehyun was looking at him, enjoying the sight of the boy laughing. He just caught a glimpse of him and now he couldn't take his eyes off.

Maybe he was really just in denial. No matter how much hatred and anger he has for Taeyong, his feelings for the boy will still come back. Just like what he said. Even if he pushes him away, they would still probably cross paths. Thinking about the times he tried to bad things to him, he just wants to say sorry. But he doesn't know when and how.

At some point, he wants to say how much time he spent just thinking about him back in the States. How much ignored messages he sent. How much nights he prayed for him. How much determined he is to count the days down until he comes back in Seoul. How much hatred blocked his mind about what he heard about the boy.

"Jaehyun...?"

The said man snapped out when he heard his name being called. He saw Taeyong trying to get his attention. His cheeks were a light pink and seemed like he was a bit flustered. Well, the only reason was that the boy caught the man staring back at him. It's not a creepy stare, it was a very soft longing look and Taeyong was taken aback from it.

Jaehyun looked away as he sighed, rubbing his palm against his face, "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"We're about to go for dinner," the boy uttered.

The man looked around and saw that the other team was already soaked and whining about the ice cold water. Everyone's now preparing for dinner and the small campfire for a get-together. As much Jaehyun wants to join, he was too anxious to.

"I'll have to skip. I'm too tired...I'm sorry," Jaehyun softly uttered.

Taeyong smiled and nodded, "No worries. I'll just bring you food the--"

"No need to bother...Have fun," then Jaehyun just walks towards their shared cabin, presumably to lock himself inside his room.

Taeyong suddenly became worried about him. As much as he was told not to be nosy, he wanted to just check if he's okay. Although, he was suddenly called for help.

Maybe check up on him later.