Chapter Text
Welcome to Sweet Dream Summer Camp!
Speed Limit is 5 mph.
If you are a visitor, check in at the office!
ALL campers must register in the Boxcar!
Enjoy your stay!
The familiar sign is welcoming to Jaemin’s tired eyes as he drives across the bridge, his windows down and a bright smile already threatening to stretch across his face. Up here, the air is clean and fresh, and the creek is flowing steadily under the bridge, gurgling happily, the sound music to Jaemin’s ears. The summer is about to begin, and Renjun is already standing in his way, waving a plastic lightsaber like an air traffic controller, directing him towards the parking lot.
Jaemin leans out the window as much as he dares. “I think I’ve been here enough to know the way to the parking lot!”
Renjun rolls his eyes and continues to wave Jaemin in the right direction, but before he can hold it back, a smile begins to creep across his face. Jaemin, already pulling away, gasps. “Is that a smile, Huang Renjun? You did miss me!”
Renjun just laughs. The parking lot is practically empty, but that’s fairly par for the course. Jaemin enjoys the feeling of greeting everyone as they come back, but no matter how hard he tries, he’s never able to beat Renjun. Jaemin has pouted about it plenty in the past, and he maintains that it’s only because Renjun has the advantage. After all, he lives only twenty minutes away, and Jaemin has to drive a whole three hours.
At this, Renjun had scoffed. “No, it’s because you can’t help posting when you’re leaving for camp. All I have to do is watch your snapchat and I know exactly when to leave to get here before you.” Jaemin had, in typical Jaemin fashion, gaped at Renjun, scandalized, before dropping the act with a beaming smile.
The same smile adorns his face now as Jaemin hops out of the car, a spring in his step. His shoes crunch across the gravel as it gives way to concrete, and before long he’s giving Renjun a proper hug, the mesh of his orange vest scratching against Jaemin’s bare arms.
Renjun endures it, partially because Renjun will pretty much endure anything for Jaemin, and partially because they both know well enough that they have to get all of their hugs out of the way before the campers arrive next week.
“Renjun, you are a sight for sore eyes,” Jaemin says, grinning even wider if such a thing were possible. He winks, and Renjun pretends to gag.
“Na Jaemin. You disgust me.” It would have almost been convincing, too, had the words not been dripping with barely concealed fondness. Renjun smirks, tilting his head to one side. “Welcome to Camp!” it’s accompanied by the jazz hands (typical for camp) and a lot of sarcasm (not so typical).
Jaemin laughs aloud. “Welcome to Camp!” he says, doing the jazz hands back with 100% sincerity. “Let’s make it a great one!”
»»——⍟——««
0 Week, the training week, is, as per usual, the most relaxed week of the summer. It’s not Jaemin’s favorite week for no reason. The staff has all arrived, and the first day is filled with elated hugs and bubbling chatter as they catch up, swapping stories of their past year at work and school, and they acquaint themselves with the newbies.
Jaemin’s pulling his bag into his staff cabin when he comes face to face with a surprised Yangyang, a t-shirt in his arms as he pulls clothes from his bag to lay them on his bunk.
“Jaemin!” Yangyang beams, dropping the t-shirt in favor of throwing himself into Jaemin’s waiting arms. “My god, how are you? You were literally so busy last year, it was like total radio silence dude!”
Jaemin sighs, sinking into the hug. “Yangyang, you have no idea how relieved I am that it’s summer.”
Yangyang pulls back and snickers. “That makes two of us. God, if I had to look at even one more math problem this year, I’d seriously commit murder.”
“Your fault for being a math minor,” Jaemin says, smiling as he pulls his bag over to the other empty bunk.
“Says you, mister Medical Student,” Yangyang scoffs, sitting down on his own bunk, crushing his clothes, his unpacking completely forgotten in favor of the conversation.
“You got me there.” Jaemin kicks his bag under the bunk and sits down across from Yangyang. “Hey, is the whole squad back? Like, I saw Renjun when I came in, Koeun was doing check-in, Yiyang was early so I saw her when she came in, and Hyuck grabbed me before dinner, but I haven’t seen Jeno —”
“He’s coming, he’ll just be a few days late. We texted a bit last week.” Yangyang relaxes, putting a hand down on the bunk behind him. “Good to know that you’re the same old Jaemin, obsession with Jeno and all.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jaemin mutters, a frown crossing his features. He looks down, away from Yangyang, and begins fiddling with the bracelets circling his wrist — years of knotted friendship bracelets, one for each summer at camp. Yangyang’s smile drops, replaced by something a little more concerned.
“What the heck? What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?” Jaemin’s eyes flicker back up to meet Yangyang’s, his fingers still playing with the friendship bracelets.
“I mean —” Yangyang trails off, and he dithers for a moment, his hands moving jerkily backwards, his brow furrowed in thought. “That’s not really a normal Jaemin response. Typically your Jeno denial comes in the form of a forced smile and insistence that you’re just ‘best friends’.” Yangyang punctuates the statement with finger quotes, and Jaemin resists the urge to roll his eyes. “Something’s up, man. I know you well enough to know that for sure.”
“Nothing’s up,” Jaemin says, and the tone is a little rougher, harsher than usual. “Jeno and I are just friends. Maybe my patience just ran out for the constant implication that it’s more than that.”
“But it is more than that,” Yangyang starts to say, leaning towards Jaemin with desperate intention. “I literally cannot fathom how you fail to see that, especially after all these years —”
Jaemin cuts him off with a glare. “There’s nothing with me and Jeno, okay?”
And Yangyang backs off, because Jaemin’s voice is brittle, and he’s already retreating backwards, away from Yangyang, a wobbly smile forced onto his face. He takes a deep breath and the smile becomes steadier. “Seriously, Yangyang. We’re just friends, nothing more or less.”
Yangyang frowns, but because he’s the best, he doesn’t push. He just shrugs and says, “Well, okay, if you say so,” and the conversation turns to other things.
»»——⍟——««
When Wednesday rolls around, Jeno finally makes his grand entrance.
It would be a lie to say that they haven’t all been waiting for him: on Tuesday night the gang met up in Donghyuck, Renjun, and soon-to-be-Jeno’s staff cabin to play some Monopoly, bemoaning the fact that their rulebook wasn’t there.
Jeno had, upon playing monopoly with them for the first time during their first Bridge Week in junior year, lamented over their shared hatred of Monopoly. “No one plays that game right,” He had complained, crossing his arms and sinking back into the couch. “When played correctly, Monopoly takes two hours maximum."
“Oh yeah?” Donghyuck had challenged, Mark rolling his eyes next to him on the sofa. “Bet.” So they’d played together the first time, and to their collective surprise, by using the correct rules, they finished barely under the one hour mark.
So they’d played Monopoly in his honor, despite not really knowing the rules as well as he did, and taking a lot longer than the supposed two hours max.
“Five players is the optimal number for Monopoly, especially when one of them’s Jeno,” Yangyang had said, looking positively contrite as he sprawled across Renjun’s bed, his arms and head hanging off so he could participate in the game, “You can’t change my mind.”
“I wouldn’t even try,” Donghyuck laments. “I don’t think I’ve collected $200 for passing GO in almost three rounds. Regrettably, it appears I actually need Jeno’s obnoxious reminders.”
Needless to say, it had been a pathetic game.
By the time Jeno arrives on Wednesday morning, the staff is already at breakfast, and his entrance into the dining hall is met with cheers, applause and an almost deafening “WELCOME TO CAMP,” lead by Taeyong himself. Jeno just grins and waves, eye smile as bright as always before he grabs some food, walks over, and sinks into the empty seat between Renjun and Yangyang. The two of them immediately pull him into a hug. Yangyang is grinning from ear to ear and Renjun is struggling not to look as pleased as he is. Jaemin himself is growing giddy with the shared excitement and anticipation. With Jeno here, it feels like summer’s about to really get started.
“Hey guys!” Jeno is smiling brightly around their table. They've been joined by Mark, a member of their junior year bridge family, Chenle, a member of their senior year bridge family, and Jisung, a member of Chenle’s senior year bridge family who Jaemin is now practically co-parenting with Renjun’s reluctant help.
Bridge, one of the most magical camps at camp, is open to only juniors and seniors and is designed to teach kids how to counsel and give them the opportunity to do so. By the time they’d all graduated, they were ready to apply for staff, feeling both comfortable and excited knowing that they had friends already waiting for them. Jaemin loved all the members of his two bridge families, but there’s no denying that he felt the bond more strongly with the people he’d done it with twice.
But hey, they’re all equal on staff, and Jaemin loves them all so much, even Jisung. They never had bridge with each other, but they’ve been on staff together twice now, and Jisung is practically Jaemin’s son at this point.
Jeno seems thrilled to see them all again, his eye smile never abating as he scans their table and the rest of the room, clearly happy to see so many familiar faces.
“I swear, the minute that we’re done with breakfast I’m giving you all the biggest hugs ever. I missed you all so much,” Jeno’s practically whining, tugging on Renjun’s sleeve. Renjun rolls his eyes.
“Sappy idiot.” He pauses. “But same.” They all laugh, and Jaemin joins in, his heart light. Jeno’s here, and all is right with the world.
“So what’d I miss?” Jeno’s already attacking his eggs like a man starved, and Donghyuck does everyone the favor of commenting on it first.
“Jesus, Jeno, that’s disgusting. I think that’s a new record for how fast you’ve turned me off.” Donghyuck grimaces and Chenle lets out a high-pitched giggle, hiding behind his hand. “But to answer your question, we’ve been through the characteristics of different age groups, free time rules, emergency protocols and procedures, challenge course etiquette, secondary jobs, and general health.”
“Oh, like hygiene and homesickness and stuff?” Jeno is really not relenting on those eggs. Jaemin rolls his eyes and slides him a napkin. Jeno thanks him with a smile.
“Yeah,” Donghyuck responds, sharing an exasperated look with Renjun and Yangyang, his eyes flickering between Jeno and Jaemin. He refocuses and says seriously, “I think today’s the hard day.”
The table falls silent, and Jeno grimaces, putting down his fork. Jaemin can feel a lump rising in his throat and his tablemates avoid eye contact.
The hard day is rough. The protocol for what to do if you encounter abuse, how to protect yourself from child molestation accusations, how to avoid triggering subjects during meals and cabin talks, how to maintain 100% confidentiality, how to discuss serious mental health concerns and help the child feel safe and get help, how to fill out and file an incident report… Some things that Taeyong has had to file reports for turn his stomach. The idea of anyone harming a child is a hard reality to comprehend.
“The hard day sucks,” Jisung says, pouting down at his own eggs, and it’s so candid that it breaks the tension. There are some halfhearted chuckles, and Jeno begins to eat his eggs again, even if he’s going a lot slower than before.
“You’re right,” Mark says. “But better to be safe than sorry.” And boy, doesn’t that ring true. They all nod, resolute. They care about their campers. More than anything, Jaemin just wants his campers to experience the same sense of fun and security that he experienced coming to camp, and the only way to ensure that is the hard day. And on that note, they returned to their breakfasts and catching up with Jeno.
»»——⍟——««
Unfortunately, Hyuck was right about it being the hard day, and by the time the day’s training is over, the staff is buzzing with desire to let loose and have some fun after so much serious talk. So of course, it’s Watermelon Ball time.
To play Watermelon Ball, one must first have a watermelon, a pool, and a group of willing people. The watermelon is wrapped in foil so if it cracks, it doesn’t get in the water and cause a huge headache for that year’s lifeguard (this year, it’s Yangyang). Basically, the idea is to throw the watermelon around and score by placing (“Not throwing, Yuta!”) the watermelon on the other team’s side of the pool deck. You can pass underwater, you can dribble it like a basketball, you can throw it violently through the air. Whatever it takes to score is fair game.
Watermelon Ball used to be played as a camp game, but with campers, Watermelon Ball was just too dangerous. Too many bloody noses and not enough explanations to pacify the parents. So naturally, the staff now plays it alone.
Needless to say, it’s not a game without risks, but they still play it every year without fail, once at the start of the summer with some degree of caution since no one wants to be injured and go home, and then again at the end of the summer with reckless abandon. Some of the most aggressive bruises Jaemin’s had in his life have come from the end of summer Watermelon Ball game. It’s always been interesting to have to explain to his classmates that yes, he got this gnarly yellow and purple bruise by having a watermelon chucked at him at a high velocity while he was swimming in a pool. That’s the kind of wild life he’s living.
Yeah, maybe it’s gotten him some weird looks. But Jaemin maintains that you haven’t lived until you’ve played a proper game of Watermelon Ball.
As per usual, the coordinators have abstained, and Jaehyun looks particularly put out that he can’t participate this year now that he’s in charge of Adventure Camp, the youngest group. But that’s what you get for advancing in the business world, Jaemin thinks. More responsibilities and a lot less fun.
But Jaehyun still seems eager to watch the match. Even Ten, Challenge Course coordinator and year-round teacher naturalist, has emerged from whatever shadows he usually slinks around in to join him on the pool deck for some cheap entertainment, coming in the form of college-aged kids chucking a slippery watermelon at one another in a desperate bid for glory.
Taeyong, Activities Director and All-Around Best Person Ever, grins as he counts them off, dividing them into teams, the watermelon in his other hand, tucked safely under his arm. Jaemin finds himself on the same team as Hyuck, facing off against Renjun, Jeno, and Yangyang, who look poised to kill. However, after looking around more at his own team, Jaemin is gratified to see that he has Sicheng on his team, and Sicheng could squash Yangyang like a bug if he felt so inclined.
Taeyong stands by the edge of the pool deck, right in between the two teams, holding the watermelon and briefly explaining the rules. “The coordinators, that is to say, myself, Jaehyun, Doyoung, Johnny, Kun, and Ten, will act as referees. I trust,” Taeyong says, his eyes flashing as he pulls the watermelon back like he’s not already holding it out of their reach, “That you will exercise a healthy dose of caution as you play.” He shoots a pointed glare at Dejun.
“Taeyong, that was one time!” Dejun groans and slaps the water in Taeyong’s general direction. “And it’s not like I was trying to break my nose, I’m pretty sure Guanheng was the one who threw the watermelon directly at my face without warning.” Guanheng, who had been floating beside him, gasps in mock offense.
“Well, I never,” he says, fanning his face with an overdone scandalized expression before the pool explodes into laughter. Taeyong just sighs, seemingly aware that this is a battle he lost long ago.
“Well, everyone keep your hand on the pool deck — yes, I can see that hand drifting off Nakamoto Yuta, put that back on the ledge or so help me god —” Yuta pouts and puts his hand back on the pool deck, Dejun snickering at him from beside him. “Alright! On your marks, get set…”
Taeyong squats a little bit, hoists his arms back up and throws the watermelon up into the air. For a glorious moment it sails through the sky, but it makes contact with the water with a splash. Taeyong yells, “Go!” and the game is on.
All of the staff swims out to the watermelon, and in moments they’re a mess of limbs and disembodied voices, all grasping for the ball. It seems almost like Hyuck has it for a moment, but then Jaemin blinks and it’s been wrested from his hands by Chenle, who dives under the water and sends it shooting under the water straight to Jungwoo, passing through several people’s legs.
Yeah, maybe Chenle isn’t on his team, but Jaemin can’t help but feel proud. That was a top-notch pass. Jungwoo neatly pulls the watermelon out of the water and places it on the pool deck with a plop. As Taeyong awards them a point, the opposing team cheers while Jaemin’s own sinks under the water, groaning. Chenle lets out a characteristic dolphin shriek and throws his arms around Jungwoo in victory.
Hyuck is clearly upset at their loss, and in typical Hyuck fashion, his groans are the loudest of all. In fact, in the chaos after the point score as they’re all resetting, Hyuck swims up beside him and mutters, “Yo, next round you take Jeno. Mark’s on Yangyang and Sicheng’s taking Yuta and Renjun to leave me open to get the ball.”
Jaemin’s smile creeps across his face as he appraises the opposing team members directly across from them. He grins and meets Hyuck’s eyes. Wet strands of hair are falling in his face, but Donghyuck is determined, his skin glowing in the afternoon sun. Jaemin meets his gaze with equal determination.
He’s pretty sure Donghyuck just likes to win so he can have the pleasure of holding it over everyone’s heads later, crowing and teasing them for days or even weeks on end. After all, Donghyuck himself has said that his speciality is being annoying. Jaemin, on the other hand, likes the adrenaline rush that comes with a fair and square victory. But regardless of their reasons, if there’s one thing he and Hyuck have in common it’s an insatiable desire to win, and win by a lot. It's what makes them such a good team.
The minute the watermelon hits the water, Jaemin is off, swimming off towards Jeno like a shot and blocking him with his whole body.
“Oof —” Jeno’s knocked a bit back on impact, and Jaemin braces his shoulders with his palms on instinct, keeping him from completely toppling. Before long, Jeno’s pushing back, and it takes all of his strength to even try to stop Jeno from rejoining the fray. The water here only comes up to their collarbones, and the struggle between them is whipping it up into a frenzy, beginning to spray their necks and chins.
On land, Jaemin would have long since lost, so he silently thanks the water for it’s buoyant properties as he and Jeno tussle back and forth. Jeno’s hair is black now, the strands dripping in dark contrast to Jaemin’s own pink. His eyes grow only more resolute the longer Jaemin resists.
“Alright,” Jeno finally grits out. “That’s enough.” Suddenly, without warning, he drops and football tackles Jaemin around the waist, hoisting him out of the water. Jaemin, completely unprepared, shrieks and nearly topples all the way over into some kind of fireman’s lift before he catches his balance.
“LEE JENO! You put me down right this instant!” Jaemin would sound threatening if he wasn’t struggling to speak through laughter, beaming while slapping Jeno halfheartedly on the back and trying to kick water into his face. Jeno only grins and adjusts his grip, pushing Jaemin further into the air.
“You really want me to let you down?” Jeno smirks and Jaemin knows what’s about to happen a moment before it does. “Okay then, Nana, your wish is my command!” Jeno throws Jaemin back down into the water despite Jaemin’s loud protests. When he surfaces, he sees Donghyuck putting the watermelon neatly on the opposing team’s side of the pool. He raises a fist in victory and cheers before turning to Jeno, who looks far too pleased with himself.
“Lee Jeno, you know that wasn’t what I meant!” Jaemin’s pouting, but all Jeno can seem to do is laugh. Meanie. Jaemin crosses his arms and tilts his head to the side.
“I know, I know, but it was a lot more fun, you have to admit,” Jeno says, placatingly, and then Taeyong’s ordering them back to their team’s sides to begin the next round.
(Spoiler alert: He and Donghyuck do win. By a lot.)
»»——⍟——««
“So what the fuck are we doing out at this hour?” Renjun sounds put out and looks miserable. The night is cold up on the overlook and it’s clear that he’s shivering, though he’s trying to hide it by scrunching down into his jacket. “Plus, where the hell are Jeno and Jaemin? I’d have thought they’d be included on a daring night hike to see the stars, it’s totally their speed.”
Donghyuck shakes his head, even his golden skin appearing pale in the shimmering moonlight. “No way, man. I gathered us here together,” he says, gesturing around to himself, a freezing Renjun, and a mostly just confused looking Yangyang, “to figure out what the hell we’re going to do about those two. Their pining has gone on way longer than is healthy.”
“I mean, I couldn’t argue with you if I tried, so I won’t bother,” Yangyang says, shrugging as he sits down on the rocks. The other two join him and they gaze out over the valley, the trees outlined against the starry night sky. Out here the sky is dark, free from light pollution. “But Jaemin seemed really touchy about it when I brought it up Saturday.”
“That’s not really anything new,” Renjun comments mildly, snuggling deeper into his coat until the tip of his nose is barely visible.
“Trust me, it was. He seemed a lot more upset. He didn’t really deny it… Well, he did but.” Yangyang stops and studies the stars, lost in thought. Donghyuck turns to him expectantly and Yangyang lets out a frosty sigh, looking back at the dirt. “It was different. A lot more fragile, like I’d really hit a sore spot.”
“I don’t see how it could be any sorer than last summer, or the summer before that one, or the summer before that,” Hyuck insists, his eyes flashing in the darkness. “Jaemin’s been pining after Jeno since he met him in Buccaneer as a gangly middle schooler. What’s different about this summer?” Hyuck’s voice is almost exasperated. Yangyang nods along, and Renjun hums affirmatively.
“Obviously I see where you’re coming from, man,” Yangyang says, shoving his hands in his pockets. “But there was definitely something weird. Jaemin was giving off some pretty bad vibes.”
Silence falls. The sound of crickets chirping echo up from the valley below.
Renjun shuffles and sighs. “They’re pathetic,” he finally says. “They need help.”
“Yes!” Donghyuck throws his arms around Renjun, who just rolls his eyes. “I knew you had sense Renjun! It’s not like we’ll hurt them, we’ll just try to, you know. Meddle a bit. Make sure they have as much bonding time as possible this summer.”
Yangyang was clearly still skeptical, still wary after how Jaemin had reacted on Monday. But he thinks of Jaemin’s eyes, shining with affection for Jeno when he passed him a napkin, of his joyful screams when Jeno picked him up in the pool, of them snuggling on the couch that same night and playing with one set of cards during their group’s halfhearted game of go-fish, of Jeno lending Jaemin his hoodie after campfire when Jaemin had only pouted and mentioned that he was feeling a bit chilly. Most of all he thinks of the literal years of longing gazes they’d exchanged and the constant assault of sappy not-quite-PDA he’d had to deal with last summer alone and okay. Maybe Renjun’s right, they need the help.
“I’m tentatively in,” Yangyang says.
“Whatever,” Hyuck says and his smile is shining bone-white in the moonlight, stretched all the way across his face. “As long as we’re all in. All or nothing.”
Renjun tips his water bottle to them. “For Jeno and Jaemin, that they finally realize that they’ve been stupid and they obviously have been in love with one another since middle school.”
They all put their hands together and Donghyuck says some kind of long and pretentious vow and just like that the deal’s sealed: This summer will be the summer of Jeno and Jaemin if their friends have anything to say about it.