It was one of those days at Camp Purple when the sun was just unbearable. Camp was always pretty warm in the daytime, perfect at twilight, and freezing cold at night. But around the middle of camp, it always got so hot that even arts and crafts became imposssible. It was just too sticky. 

So that's how the eighteen boys found themselves at the pool. Luckily, most of the other counselors had brought their kids to the beach, so the pool was empty except for the lifeguards (who were currently both in the process of falling asleep). Maybe their safety was compromised, but now they were free to do whatever the hell they wanted. 

Johnny and Taeil were talking in quiet voices, sharing one lounge chair. Everyone knew that they, too, would be asleep soon. Taeyong, Ten, Renjun, Chenle, and Jisung were playing some game in the shallow end, Yuta and Kun were swimming around Sicheng almost predatorially, and Yukhei and Jungwoo were talking close together in the water (Yukhei occasionally initiating a splash fight with his boyfriend). 

The only person (other than maybe Yuta and Kun) not enjoying the refreshing water of the pool was Jaehyun. He was hanging off the ledge towards the deep end, staring at his boyfriend who was deeply nestled into his book in a lounge chair. 

"Come on!" Jaehyun whined loudly. 

"You know I hate physically activity!" Doyoung whined back. "I'm not getting in." 

"We don't have to play sports!" Jaehyun whined, again. "Anyways, aren't you over heating?" 

Doyoung rolled his eyes and put his book on his chair, walking over to Jaehyun but not dipping his limbs into the pool. Jaehyun splashed Doyoung's foot, and Doyoung pouted at him. 

"Bunny...." Jaehyun groaned, and Doyoung just shook his head. "You might make me do something you'll regret," Jaehyun threatened, but Doyoung just laughed at him. 

Suddenly, Jaehyun tugged on Doyoung's leg. With a loud scream Doyoung toppled into the water, bobbing up for air a few moments later. 

At first he just looked surprised, his black hair dripping and hanging down in strings. Jaehyun grinned guiltily at him, giggling, until Doyoung's expression changed. His face became stony, giving Jaehyun his most terrifying death glare. Jaehyun's smile left his face, his eyes growing wide at Doyoung's scary eyes. 

"If you weren't my boyfriend, I might kill you right now," Doyoung threatened. Jaehyun still stayed frozen in place. Suddenly, Doyoung gave Jaehyun his hardest splash, burying him in water. 

"My face!" Jaehyun cried, his hair getting wet for the first time that day. He splashed Doyoung back, Doyoung returned it, until it was an all out war. 

"See, I told you it's fun!" Jaehyun yelled over the din of the water. 

Doyoung giggled and splashed Jaehyun again. "I still hate you!" He cried, but he was unable to hide his joyous smile. "You're just lucky that my book didn't get wet. Then you really would've met your end." Jaehyun just giggled back at him

~~~~~~~~~~

Mark and Donghyuck were treading water in a corner of the deep end of the pool, scheming about Jeno and Jaemin, as per usual. 

"I'm getting tired," Mark whined. 

"But this is the only place where they won't hear us deciding on their love lives for them," Donghyuck replied. Mark tilted his head; Donghyuck was right. So he pushed himself out of the water, sitting on the edge of the pool with his legs dangling in the water. Donghyuck rested his arms and head on the lower part of Mark's very pale thighs, looking up at him. 

"I wonder why we're so invested in their love life," Mark said quietly. 

Donghyuck shrugged and smiled. "I dunno. Maybe we don't want be the youngest couple anymore." 

"That's true. If Jeno and Jaemin start dating, because I'm older we won't be the youngest any more." Donghyuck nodded, playing with the droplets of water on Mark's knee. 

"I don't want them to waste camp. Like we did last year," Mark said sadly. 

"That wasn't a waste," Donghyuck responded. 

"Maybe we did need the buildup a little bit," Mark answered, tugging at the corner of Donghyuck's ear. Donghyuck made a face but Mark smiled; Donghyuck was adorable no matter what. 

"And they had last year of buildup as well. So it's time they confessed," Donghyuck said. 

"I mean, if we told them that the other liked them they might confess sooner. And we know it is true," Mark responded. 

"So we could get them to confess whenever. Even today." 

"Omigosh! Honestly, yeah...we could."

Both of them slowly began to smile at each other. "We should," Donghyuck said firmly. 

"Should we?"

"Absolutely," Donghyuck answered firmly. Both of their smiles were fully formed now, and Mark slid back into the pool. 

"Okay. We gotta do it." 

"We have to. Now's the time," Mark whispered back to Donghyuck. 

"It's perfect." He and Mark shared a quick kiss before swimming out of the deep end of the pool and leaving out of opposite exits. 

Donghyuck shook Jaemin's shoulder, beckoning to leave his spot next to Jeno with his feet in the water of the pool and follow him. With a confused expression Jaemin walked behind him, not noticing Mark lead Jeno away right after. 

"What's up?" Jaemin asked. 

"I just want to tell you a little secret I found out," Donghyuck responded with a wink. "A little birdy told me that Jeno might like you back." 

Jaemin laughed out loud. "No way...you're just playing a prank on me." 

"Yes way, dude! I'm serious. I just...I really think you should confess. Like, camp is almost halfway over!" 

"I'd rather endure another year of pining than be rejected," Jaemin whined. 

"But you won't be!"

"It's like you want to see me humiliated."

"No, I don't!" Donghyuck cried. "I'm serious. I just want to see you happy with Jeno. Like me and Mark are. You're...you're one of my closest friends, you know?"

Jaemin sighed. Donghyuck was rarely serious, but when he was, he knew it was really important. Maybe Donghyuck really wasn't lying. 

Jaemin swallowed thickly and looked up at Donghyuck. "Look. I don't think you're right, but...maybe you are. I dunno...should I really do it?"

"Yes!"

"Fine," Jaemin groaned. "I'm gonna do it, but if he rejects me....I will ruin your life. I swear." 

"It's a deal," Donghyuck responded, and the two of them shook hands. 

Meanwhile, Jeno and Mark were talking a short distance away. 

"What's up?" Jeno asked. 

"I just want to tell you a little secret I found out," Mark responded with a sly smile. "A little birdy told me that Jeno might like you back." 

Jeno chuckled. "No way...did Donghyuck put you up to this?" 

Mark chuckled back. "Nope, I just wanted to tell you what I know."

"A-are you absolutely sure? Because if Jaemin rejects me I don't think I'd ever recover-"

"I'm one hundred percent sure," Mark interrupted with a firm nod. 

"Do you think I should confess then?" Jeno whispered. 

"Yes!" Mark squealed back. 

"A-alright...but if Jaemin rejects me...I'll have to take my revenge on you. And Donghyuck too." 

"But Donghyuck doesn't have anything to do with this!"

"I don't believe that for a second," Jeno answered with a nervous smile. "Alright, with me luck." 

"Good luck, dude," Mark responded with a smile as Jeno waved goodbye, going to look for Jaemin. As soon as Jeno and Jaemin were a distance away, they ran toward each other to watch what happened. 

"D-do you wanna go for a walk with me?" Jeno asked Jaemin very nervously, playing with his hands. 

Jaemin nodded and the two started on the path, heading towards the bridges. This was the perfect opportunity to confess; but as they walked further Jaemin didn't know whether or not he actually had the courage to go through with it. The decision to admit his crush had been a pretty brash one, and maybe he wasn't ready to do it just yet. Both he and Jeno were silent as they walked, weirdly so, but Jaemin figured it was all just in his head. 

Once they were quite a distance from the others, Jeno turned to Jaemin very shyly. 

"I actually have something to tell you," Jeno spoke, very quickly. 

"Me too," Jaemin replied. He cursed at himself; there was no way he was backing out now. 

"Let's just say it at the same time. Get it over with," Jeno said, looking anywhere but at Jaemin. But Jaemin didn't notice, as his eyes were cast elsewhere as well. 

"Alright then," Jaemin responded with an awkward chuckle. 

"1, 2, 3, I like you," Jaemin and Jeno spoke simoultaneously. Both of them looked at each other in complete surprise. 

"Wait, seriously?" Jaemin asked. 

"Yeah. I've liked you since last year," Jeno responded. 

"Really? Me too!"

"Really?" Jeno said, his voice so high pitched and excited that it was almost a squeal. The two of them stepped in closer to each other, holding onto each other's arms. 

"I can't believe you like me," Jaemin mumbled, taking another step in closer. Jeno hugged Jaemin with a smile, wrapping one arm around his waist and the other pushing his head into Jeno's chest. 

"I feel the same way," Jeno mumbled, the two of them just hugging in the middle of the pathway through camp. Since they were almost the exact same height, when Jaemin lifted his head their faces were planted right next to each other. 

They were so close that Jaemin could feel Jeno's breaths on his face and see up close how his cheeks began to turn pink. Jaemin smiled slowly; it was just too adorable. 

"I think we should kiss now," Jaemin mumbled against Jeno's lips; he didn't even know where the confidence came from. But Jeno didn't even respond to Jaemin's words, just pressed their lips together in a chaste yet loving kiss. 

Jaemin could feel his stomach doing backflips, his skin buzzing, his brain in a daze. This was only his second kiss, ever, and it felt good to have it with Jeno. It felt especially good that it was out of mutual attraction; it was so much more than just some stupid dare. 

They pulled away slowly, and Jaemin looked down at the ground; he was embarrassed by the heart eyes he was giving Jeno. Jeno just hugged him tightly again, and Jaemin slyly held Jeno's chin and kissed him once on each cheek. Jeno giggled loudly and Jaemin looked at him, he just felt so incredibly happy. Jeno was his best friend, the strongest crush he'd ever had in his short thirteen years of living, the kind of guy he'd always secretly dreamed of dating. He felt lucky, he felt blessed, and he could almost feel Jeno returning these feelings back to him. 

"So...this means your my boyfriend now, right?" Jeno asked. Jaemin nodded up at him, and Jeno squeezed Jaemin. 

"I'm just really excited!" Jeno said suddenly. 

"Me too!" Jaemin answered, and his face was beginning to hurt from smiling. 

"Told ya!" They suddenly heard Mark and Donghyuck shout. Turning their heads, they noticed all of their friends gawking at them. Immediately they blushed, abandoning their hug but still holding hands. Everyone cheered for them loudly, and even though they were both quite a bit embarrassed they had to admit their friends were sweet. 

"Why are you guys even here?" Jeno asked with a whine, resting his head on Jaemin's shoulder. He wanted a little more alone time with his new boyfriend. 

"The dinner bell rang," Taeil explained. Jeno and Jaemin shared a confused look. 

"Were you two too busy going at it to hear the bell?" Donghyuck teased. 

"We were not going at it!" Jeno whined, him and Jaemin grimacing and ducking to the back of the group. 

"We can go to our cabin while the others hang out at E2 tonight," Jaemin said. "We deserve some cuddle time." 

"Oh, absolutely," Jeno responded, and relished in how natural it felt for Jaemin to gently kiss him with his soft lips.