“Thank you for coming,” Jae whispered to a drowsy Dae. She nodded, her head resting on Jae’s shoulder. As a sort of break and reward, SM had allowed EXO to go on a small camping trip. They had of course asked if Jae could tag along, which in many ways was a long shot. It was expected for anyone to get the wrong idea if one woman went on an overnight trip with nine men. However, it was allowed under one condition. “You too oppa, I really do appreciate it.” She patted her manager’s shoulder as he drove. She was allowed, if she took her own group.

            “It’s no big deal. I’m glad you invited me, this is my vacation too.” He laughed. “It’s just a shame Nae couldn’t come.” She shook her head, well aware that even he couldn’t stand her most of the time. Nae had considered coming, the idea of becoming closer to EXO had appealed to her, yet the aspect of nature had not.

            “Don’t joke like that,” Baek added. None of the young men had to hear any negative comments from Jae, they’d heard enough from everyone else. Baek didn’t take his eyes off his phone as he sat in the passenger seat. “She’s scary. Imagine having to spend two days with her. The bloodshed.” He shivered in exaggeration.

            “We live with her Sunbae,” Dae responded dejectedly.

            “And we will forever pity you for that,” Chan teased in the seat behind them. Baekhyun, Suho, Chen  and Xiumin chuckled. The other half of EXO was in the black van following behind them. They all piled out as soon as they arrived, the men stretching their long legs and the women rubbing each other’s shoulders, tired from the four-hour drive.  

            Jae’s eyes narrowed as she looked at all of the greenery, soaking in the eerie silence. “So now what?” She bit her bottom lip and looked at EXO and the two managers.

            Junmyeon pursed his lips, with a shrug. “I’m not sure.” He looked over at the rest of the guys who all seemed to shrug.

            Jae chuckled, knowing full well that things could only go disastrously with the lot she was hanging with. “I went camping once, like eight years ago,” she put out there. She bared her teeth as she considered her skills. “I can light a fire and tell good wood apart from bad. That’s it.”

            Chanyeol sighed and smiled. “Looks like I might be in charge.” He nodded slowly, as the only one who had gone camping for a few reality shows. “First thing to do is find a good camping ground, then find firewood, light a fire and eat. All before dusk.” It was all easier said than done.

            The group struggled to put up five tents. Chanyeol the expert tripped on the very tent he’d been pitching, Jongdae’s and Jongin’s tent fell down after a few seconds and Yixing spent most of the time building it inside out. Jae shook her head watching the disaster unfold. They’d insisted that the girls should relax and let the men do the work. “Should I tell them my family and I are avid campers?” Dae watched in slight discomfort as the men did their best.

            Jae shook her head, a devilish grin on her lips, “Hold on for just a bit longer.” They watched them begin to argue, shoves and tears near the surface. “Okay now you can help them.” Dae laughed and approached the chaos.

            “I’m going to get firewood,” she announced before turning around.

            “Wait,” Chan called. “I’ll go with you.” Jae smiled at the goof, however Kyungsoo swiftly took a handful of his shirt and pulled him back.

            “You said you were the leader. Are you not going lead? The team needs you here.” He lightly smirked. “I’ll go with Jae-ah.”

            Chanyeol hesitantly nodded. “Okay.” He waved at Jae. “Be careful.”

            She giggled. “You too oppa, don’t trip on anything!” The two walked silently until the thick brush of trees surrounded them. “You were a bit mean, don’t you think?”

            “Me?”

            “Yes you.” She eyed Kyungsoo as he played innocent and searched for some firewood. When Jae was invested in a person, she was all in. Still, she did not do possessiveness. Her lips pursed together. She was her own person, her own commandment, her own verdict. She didn’t need anyone telling her what to do. Never what to do.

            He shook his head. “I always talk to him like that.” The dark haired young man picked up wood from the moist ground. Getting Jae hadn’t been easy, yet he’d done it. Now, it was his responsibility to keep from going adrift. With another third of the group after her, imposing her attention solely to him became inevitable. He handed her a large piece. “The group needs him. You’ve seen them try to cook without a commander.”

            Despite her suspicion she softly chuckled. She tossed the wood away. “That’s no good.” She stepped closer to him showing him a piece she’d picked up. “You want this.” He leaned in closer, placing his head against hers. “You want it a dark grey not green and you want it to be brittle not wet.”

            He met her gaze, making her head spin with his intense eyes, “Ah, really?” His full lips turned into a gentle smile. “You’re so talented,” he whispered, his breath tickling her cheeks. He leaned forward, taking her by her waist and tugging her to him. She immediately dropped the fire wood she’d collected and wrapped her arms around his neck, hungrily covering his mouth with hers.

            Kyungsoo pressed her back against a tree, his heart racing. Despite the cold, despite the strangeness of their settings, there was only one thing he had in mind. His hands gracefully reached for her jean button. His cold fingers against her flesh, broke her from the trance. “Here,” she questioned out of breath.

            A cocky grin, she’d never seen, appeared. “Why not?”

             was slightly agape, quick breaths escaping her. Jae’s right eyebrow rose challengingly. “Oh really?” Her own cold hands trailed to his belt. “Right against this tree?” Kyungsoo swallowed with some difficulty and nodded. Her petite hands lifted his shirt slightly going into the waistband of his jeans. He let out a strangled breath. She leaned in, her lips against his ears. “I’m not that easy,” she murmured. Jae slipped out from beneath him and retrieved her firewood. “Come on, the guys will freeze to death if we don't hurry.”

            He cleared his throat, adjusting himself before following her back. Kyungsoo reached down for the right firewood, always having been aware what was good and what was bad fire wood. "Let them," he retorted, making her laugh once more.

*     *     *

            Baekhyun rubbed his hands together. He eyed the crowd gathered around the fire. “It’s time,” he proclaimed. Jae gave him an inquisitive look. “The Truth Game!”

            “Oppa, seriously?” She roasted her marshmallow in the fire and shook her head. “Aren’t we a little too old for that?’

            “You’re never too old to challenge yourself and your friends.” Jae gave him a disappointed look. “Or are you afraid?”

            Jae shot Baek an ice cold stare. “Afraid? Please. I have nothing to hide,” she defied. The entire group oohed, including their managers. “Let’s do this.”

            The managers stood up. “We’re going to bed,” Taein declared. Jae smiled at him, relieved. It was smart to hit the hay and not listen to the secrets of the people they were responsible for. What they didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt them. Quite honestly, it was better not to know what the “kids” were up to when they weren’t around. Any negativities would only result in them not doing their job correctly. “Just keep it down.”

            “Yes,” they all responded in unison.

            “Now, you know the rules. The truth and nothing but the truth. Choose to not answer or caught in a lie, there will be a punishment.” Jae trembled as Chen iterated the words. “Lose and.. . . You have to go into the creek, in just your underwear.” A united gasps added tension. “Got it?” They all slowly nodded, aware of the embarrassment and cold.

            “Since this was your idea Baekhyun, you first,” Jae tested. His eyes locked onto Jae, she smiled, ready with a question. “Are you really dating Taeyeon?” Eyebrows shot up and Baek bit his bottom lip harshly. The few times the members had played the game, the questions had been comical, easy. Jae, had unwittingly entered unmarked territory.

            “In some ways, yes, but in most, no.” They all nodded, not fully understanding his answer, yet it sufficed for the game at hand. He smirked at her, a part of him dejected as he knew it’d take some time for the game to reach her, but that only gave him the opportunity to think of a really good one.

            It was difficult to ask Yixing a question as he was always quite honest. Excessively at times. Yet, Tao dared to ask if he wished to have a solo career in China, the lazy young man responded with him being content with where he was at the moment. He had a family and was doing what he loved.

            “Hyung, how much money does your family truly have?”

            Junmyeon sighed. “Um, millions,” he answered. “Enough to not covet.”

            The group nodded, their eyes zeroing on Chanyeol. He shifted uncomfortably. “Have you ever been in love,” Jongin teased a bit.

            Chanyeol looked at his hands, gulping. He hurried his heart to settle. For a second, he thought that was it. He was the one to jump into the freezing water. No, he had to answer. Chan did his best to keep his eyes from looking at her as he answered. If he did, he was sure they’d all know. “Yes.”

            Jae’s pulse fluttered. At the moment, she wished for nothing more than to know the girl who had stolen the wonderful Park Chanyeol’s heart. She had to exceptional. Jae wondered if she knew, if she cared, if she felt the same? “Kyungsoo,” Xiumin surprisingly boomed. His beautiful eyes analyzed the sullen young man. As someone who always remained quiet, no one was aware just how much he picked u[p, just how much he listened. The question swiftly processed through his mind. “Just how much do you lie?”

            Kyungsoo grinned, his eyes scanning the crowd, his eyes remaining a second longer on Jae. “Much too often,” he admitted. The group began to whisper, but came to a measured stop as it was Dae’s turn. The unavoidable inquiry of what she thought of Nae appeared, Dae did her best to remain respectful and authentic. The young woman admitted to not trusting her, yet didn’t despise her. They all nodded and Jae mentally prepared for her interrogation.

            Baekhyun smiled ear to ear as their eyes met, the question spilling from his lips as soon as it got quiet. “Jae-ah, which one of us do you like most? Not as a friend or a brother, but as a man.”

            A shiver ran up her spine as the answer bubbled up . Jae returned the cunning smirk, slowly standing up from her seat, all of them looking at her dumbfounded. She silently ped her jacket and let it drop to the ground. Junmyeon shot up. “Jae, no!” The men broke into chaos as she made her way to the creek, shedding pieces of clothing on her way there. Junmyeon took her arm as she worked to take her blouse off, the others looking away, but quickly taking a peek of their goddess. “Don’t do this. You don’t have to do this!” He too tried to avert his eyes from her perfect curves.

            The brunette beamed taking her shoes off next and unbuckling her jeans, at the edge of the creek. “Rules are rules oppa.” Mouths hung open as she shook her jeans off, they stared at the gorgeous being before them, the moonlight happily dancing on her bare skin. Dae covered her shocked screams with the clothes she’d gathered. She saluted Baekhyun before jumping in. The gasps echoed in the cold night air, after only a few seconds half charged into the water to pull her out, while the other half took their jacket and scarves off to cover her.

            “Amazing,” Baekhyun chuckled. “You’re crazy, but amazing!” They all surrounded her for warmth. “Now I’m dying to know,” Baek shouted in frustration, the rest of the members agreed and all Jae could do was shrug. She would never tell.

Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry this took a bit and it may be a bit shorter than usual, but I've got finals! Let me know what you think down in the comments. Perhaps a favorite moment/ character or some predictions, I'd really like to hear anything! Good luck with finals guys and see you in the next one <3