When Minseok finally called it a night for them all, Sungmi really couldn’t have been any more relieved. They all began setting up their camp, all too tired to really engage in conversation. Sungmi hurried to join Sehun with their one, but it soon became apparent that she was more of a hindrance than anything else. So the pair silently agreed that Sehun would do the actual building and Sungmi would pass him the things as and when he needed them. Their tent was built first, rather surprisingly, so they were sent for firewood.

Sehun walked ahead with Sungmi hot on his heels. She used the path he created as her avenue for safe crossing through the dense forest floor that was full of potentially hazardous roots and bushes.

“Thanks for earlier,” she called to him, chewing her lip a little.

“You don’t look like the tent-building sort,” Sehun retorted over his shoulder before stooping to collect some wood.

Sungmi’s cheeks reddened as she too picked up some dry wood. “I meant for the bag thing.”

Sehun didn’t reply, so she went on with a little sigh. “It’s just that you said it was against the rules.”

Sehun sighed, seeming tired of the conversation. “Rules are there for a reason,” he said, his tone somewhat clipped. “Otherwise they wouldn’t be there.”

“Still,” Sungmi argued, biting her lip a little, “thank you.”

There was a long silence, then Sehun sighed again turning back to face her. “About last night, I–”

Sungmi offered him a little smile that left his brow puckering. “Don’t worry about it.”

When they returned to the camp, the sound of Baekhyun’s snoring could be heard from inside his tent which Chen was presumably already asleep in as well, given that there was no light in it and it was sealed at the front.

Captain Minseok and Kyungsoo were sitting in their tent, but with the flaps open and talking to one another but it was too quiet for Sungmi to hear what over the sound of Baekhyun’s snoring.

Sehun sighed, dropping his bundle of wood and beginning to make a fire without a word of complaint, though Sungmi could see his displeasure clearly from his face. He was good at making fires, it seemed, when he got it lit pretty quickly. At the sudden light, Minseok and Kyungsoo stuck their heads out of their tent – both alert. They relaxed when they saw it was just Sehun and Sungmi.

“You’re lucky I didn’t shoot,” Minseok snapped, waving a small gun at them. “Announce yourselves next time.”

Sehun stood to attention. “Yes, sir!” Whilst Sungmi was a little flabbergasted by the whole thing. She really needed her sleep right now.

“Hey, Sunghee,” Sehun murmured, nudging her a little. She shook her head, not realising that she had totally zoned out of whatever was going on. “Let’s go to bed,” he said sleepily, helping her to her feet before towing her along by the elbow to their tent, seemingly not realising he was doing because when he got inside and turned to her, his gaze fell onto his own hand around her and he flinched it back like he had been zapped by it. “Wow, sorry,” he muttered, shaking his head as he went to one of the beds and flopping into it straight away.

Sungmi didn’t say anything, but moved to her own bed and lay down. She was asleep in less than thirty seconds.

It felt like she had only closed her eyes for a moment when someone was shaking her awake again. Groggily and slightly reluctantly opening her eyes, she saw Baekhyun hovering above her, continually shaking her even after he eyes were open.

“What?” she groaned out, trying to roll over but he held her in place.

“Well, good morning to you too, grumpy!” he snorted, hauling her blanket off her. “Time to get up.”

Sungmi groaned again, causing him to chuckle. “But Sehun’s not up yet,” she protested.

“Yeah, he is,” Baekhyun chuckled. “He’s been up for ages. He’s helping Chen take down our tent since I’m not tall enough.”

Rolling over to face Baekhyun again, she shut her eyes, trying to work out what he had just said. “What are you even talking about?” she asked, frowning deeply.

Baekhyun laughed loudly, stealing her blanket completely. “Shake a leg, kiddo.”

Sungmi groaned and grumbled, slowly sitting up and looking around to see that Sehun had indeed already left the tent. She huffed a sigh, looking up to Baekhyun again. “I’m pretty sure I’m older than you, you know.”

Tittering slightly, Baekhyun shrugged as he left the tent. “It’s all a matter of opinion.”

That made Sungmi snort.

“Careful around Sehun,” Baekhyun quickly turned and muttered to her, almost as an afterthought.

Sungmi shot him a quizzical look.

“He asked me if your disease was why you had such a frail body. I don’t know what kind of rubbing and grinding you two have been doing, but he said he felt bandages all over your back.”

Sungmi paled.

“Relax,” Baekhyun snorted. “Just be careful. Watch him.”

The walk that day would take them to the third regiment – at least that was Sungmi’s understanding of the situation. Kyungsoo didn’t really seem to want to talk to Sungmi that morning, choosing to walk ahead with Minseok. Sungmi had internally scowled at this, but didn’t bother voicing a complaint since it was better for Kyungsoo that the captain liked him.

Sehun had been very insistent about taking some of her equipment in his own bag again today. Sungmi had argued and pleaded with him about it all the while but he still packed the stuff up, giving her the light stuff from the two of their packs and him taking all the heavy stuff.

“Stop it,” Sungmi insisted, trying to pull yet another of her items from his pack. He swatted her hand away like it was a pesky fly but remained silent. “I’m being serious, Sehun,” she snapped, getting annoyed with his silent treatment. Still, he ignored her. “Sehun!” she whined, now pulling the entire bag away from him. He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow but said nothing. Sungmi tutted on