♦Chapter One: Part One♦

 Lee Kyumi, known most commonly as Kimchi, stared at her mother in shock. “I’m being sent where?” Kimchi’s eyes were wide as she asked the question, fingertips tapping against each other in nervousness.

“You’re being sent to Camp Diamond,” Park Eunhee, born Park Naomi, said to her daughter. “It’s a camp in South Korea, located on Jeju Island. Young people who are having difficulties in their lives get sent there in the hopes that they will live better and more fulfilling lives.”

Kimchi continued to stare blankly before standing up and beginning to pace. “Oh my goodness, but why? I didn’t think there was anything wrong with me.”

Naomi sighed softly, reaching for Kimchi and sitting her down next to her on her bed. Kimchi went willingly, grabbing her teddy bear named Cuddles and hugging it close. “There isn’t anything wrong with you, don’t think like that,” Naomi said, patting her daughter on the head in reassurance. “Your school heard about this camp and chose you, along with another student, to be sent there to get help. They’re just worried about you being unsociable and want Camp Diamond to help you make more friends and open up more.”

Finding no fault in her mother’s words, Kimchi nodded in understanding. A smile soon lit up on her face as she began to bounce in her seat in excitement. “I’m going to camp! I hope everyone will be nice there, and they have lots of fun activities!”

Laughing, Naomi nodded her head. “I looked the camp up online, and they do have a lot of things you can do. There are the usual outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking, but they also have creative courses like art and dancing.” Naomi paused, giving her daughter a sneaky smile. “They even have photography.”

At the mention of her favorite hobby, Kimchi stood up once more, but this time in happiness. “They have photography? I’m so happy then! I may even find people I could dance with.” Stopping her excited motions, Kimchi looked to her mother in slight confusion. “But who’s the other person coming with me?”

Naomi shrugged slightly. “I do not know, they didn’t tell me. I’m sure you will find out when you leave for the camp next month.”

Kimchi nodded at the answer, unconcerned with it for now. She then began to chatter in excitement, looking forward to camp. However there was one thought in the back of her mind causing Kimchi to be afraid. That is, what if no one liked her and she was destined to go through six months with no friends? Sure she was used to it at school, but Kimchi desperately hoped that things would be different.

It was anything but quiet in the home of Son Minjung, who preferred to go by her English name of Cassiopeia or Cas for short. The sound of gunshots echoed throughout the fully-furnished basement of her house. Of course, the gunshots weren’t real. They were merely caused by the television Cas was sitting in front of as she played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 at close to full volume.

“You bastards, stop knifing me! This is the third time! I am seriously going to murder you. I’m not kidding, I will find you.” Cas was rewarded with laughter through her headset due to her complaint, which only further irritated her. Usually she wasn’t so easy to anger over video games, but knifing was just a cheap move in the COD world. Obviously she wasn’t the only one annoyed as she heard the rest of her teammates cursing over the headset at their opponents.

Once her character revived, Cas went straight back to shooting up the opponents, searching in particular for the one who kept knifing her. She was momentarily distracted from her search by footsteps coming down the stairs, but refused to look away from the screen. “Can you keep it down? You’re so loud and annoying.” Cas cringed at the voice, recognizing it as her twin sister’s, Son Minji, Cassandra being her English name.  

“Stop talking about yourself in second-person, Cassa. It’s not cute and kind of makes me want to vomit,” Cas said mockingly, tempted to turn up the volume of the television just to spite the other girl.

Cassandra huffed at the jab, walking closer to Cas who was still seated on the floor in front of the television. “I doubt you even know what cute means, so who are you to say I’m not?”

Cas only grew more irritated as Cassandra’s approached, neither liking the other’s presence. “I can say it because I do know what cute means. I’m not as stupid as you are. Obviously I was the one that got the brains between the two of us.”

Narrowing her eyes, Cassandra moved closer to her twin menacingly. She was about to lash out verbally when another person entered the room. Son Deahwan, English name Cepheus, speed walked over to his sisters, roughly shoving Cassandra away from Cas and glaring at her. “Leave her alone, Minji. Just go back upstairs,” he said, glare not leaving his face.

Glaring back, Cassandra relented and went back up the stairs, eventually making her way to her room. Cas grinned at her brother in relief when she left, Cepheus returning it. “Thanks for that. I thought she was going to try and beat me up. I was so vulnerable right there,” Cas said dramatically, standing up from the floor with her back cracking at her movements. She went and turned the game and television off, not in the mood for playing anymore because of her annoying opponents.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t know how you deal with her at Camp Diamond, though. You must go crazy.” Cepheus moved to go up the stairs, Cas following behind and into the living room where they both sat down on a couch.

Cas laughed at her brother’s words. “You have no idea,” she said, waving her hands more than necessary. “She’s going to put me into a mental hospital one day. At least you get to be rid of her for those six months. I bet you can’t wait for us to leave for there in three weeks.”

“Correction,” Cepheus said, holding up a finger and smiling slyly. “I can’t wait for Minji to leave. You, I’d rather have around.”

Laughing even louder, Cas shoved Cepheus’s shoulder playfully. “So why’d you come down to the basement, anyway? I doubt it’s because you heard us fighting, you always have your music blasting so loud. My eardrums were bleeding the other day from how loud it was.”

Cepheus let Cas punch him, unfazed from that and her exaggeration of his music’s volume. “You’re right, I didn’t hear you guys. I was coming down to ask if you wanted to go to a club tonight. I’ll be performing.”

“Of course I’ll go,” Cas said, standing up from the couch and heading towards her room to grab a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. “I’ll be getting wasted tonight!” She watched as Cepheus went to his own room, yelling to her that they’ll be leaving for the club in two hours.

Cas made her way back downstairs and then out the door, sitting on a chair in her front porch. She flicked out a cigarette, lighting it and taking a long drag. It was her second cigarette of the day, and most likely would also be the last. She remembered in the past when she would smoke so much more often, along with over-drinking and being involved in the illegal drug scene. Luckily, Camp Diamond had helped to slowly curb her bad habits. Distantly, Cas wondered if this year would have a more dramatic change on her than ever before.

“Appa, don’t joke around about something so serious, okay?” Park Jinhee proceeded to turn back to the mirror in her room, fixing her hair. The thought that her father was joking around about sending her to some camp for troubled teens was funny, but not something she would like to dwell on.

Park Kyungjae stared at his daughter, irritated that she turned her back on him. Her flippant response only further made Kyugjae sure that he was making the right choice. “I’m not joking,” he said, voice hard and serious. “You’ll be leaving for Camp Diamond in two weeks.”

Turning around, Jinee stared at her father in shock and anger. “Are you being completely serious right now?” At her father’s nod, Jinhee proceeded to walk up to father, getting right in his face and glaring. “I’m not going.”

Completely unafraid, Kyungjae glared back. “It’s not an option. You are living under my roof and must do what I say. Plus, I will you cut off financially if you do not go.”

“That’s not fair!” Patience shot, Jinhee could no longer hold in her anger. “I don’t want to go somewhere with a bunch of losers who have nothing better to do than hang out a camp!” Fists clenched, Jinhee stormed over to her bed and jumped on it, lying on her back. “I’d rather die, dammit! And in just two weeks? You could have given me more of a warning!”

Kyungjae rolled his eyes while sighing, unfazed with his daughter’s antics. “Not everyone there is an idiot. Your cousin is going, too.”

At the mention of her cousin, Jinhee sat back up. She loved her younger cousin Choi Junhong, known mostly as Zelo, immensely. “Zelo is going?” Kyungjae nodded again. “He’s going to get in trouble at a place like that.”

“Then go and make sure he doesn’t if you’re that worried.” Jinhee glared at her father once he spoke again, knowing that he knew she couldn’t refuse to go if Zelo was going to be there, too.

Irritated, she reluctantly agreed. “Fine,” she said flipping her hair and turning towards the window, refusing to look at Kyungjae anymore. “But I’m only going for Zelo. There’s nothing they can help me with.” Kyungjae rolled his eyes and headed for the door of Jinhee’s bedroom, preparing to leave. “I’m still pissed at you. Prepare to hear more yelling from me the next two weeks,” Jinhee said, making Kyungjae pause at the doorway.

Turning his head, Kyungjae looked Jinhee straight in the eyes. “I’ll be expecting it.” With one last look, Kyungjae stepped out of the room to return to work.

When Jinhee could no longer hear her father’s footsteps, she let out a horrible scream, going off and throwing around things in anger. “I can’t believe him!” She flopped back onto the bed on her stomach, screaming into her pillow and flailing her arms and legs. After a few minutes she stopped, simply breathing harshly. Eventually she grew bored of this, rolling off of her bed.

Reaching for the phone on her nightstand, Jinhee proceeded to call the only number she has memorized. It didn’t take long for the receiver to answer, and Jinhee was immediately bombarded with a loud “Noona!” that sent her ears ringing.

Jinhee pulled the phone away from her ear momentarily to get over the shock before putting it back, a soft smile on her face. “Hey, Zelo. How have you been?”

“Noona, I’ve been great! I just finished eating dinner and it tasted really good, and my team won baseball in school today, and I got my Korean test back and I did really well on it.” Zelo spoke fast, Jinhee only being able to keep up from years of growing used to it.

Laughing at Zelo’s happy tone, Jinhee felt her mood lifting. However, she had something on her mind that was bothering her. “So I heard from my dad that you’re going to a camp this year.”

It was silent on the other side of the phone for a few seconds. Jinhee knew that Zelo was nodding, forgetting that she couldn’t see it. “Yeah, I am. I went last year, too. You don’t remember?”

Jinhee paused, suddenly remembering that yeah, Zelo did go to a camp last year. She just didn’t know the name of the camp. “Oh right. I’m going this year, you know.”

“Really!?” The shout had Jinhee pulling the phone away again, laughing louder than before. She could still hear Zelo chattering though, and quickly brought the phone back to her ear. “-excited! My noona’s going to be there, too! We’ll have so much fun, I know it! They have hiking, and swimming, and dancing, and-”

Listening to Zelo talk so happily, Jinhee began to think that maybe going to this camp wouldn’t be so bad. Sure, she was still pretty pissed that she was going to be stuck with a bunch of mental people she didn’t care about, but at least her cousin would be there with her.

Choi Jinju sat in the living room of her good friend and neighbor, Ahn Buja. At the moment, the two were busy working together to knit a bright, comfy sweater. “Ahjumma, who is this sweater for anyway? I’m sure they’ll love it, though,” Jinju said, a bright smile on her face.

Buja chuckled lightly, stopping her knitting for a second to pat Jinju on the knee. “It’s for you, Cookie,” she said, eyes crinkling as she smiled. “I don’t want you to be cold at camp.”

“Really, it’s for me?” Jinju bounced in her seat, but stood up and grabbed the old woman in a large hug once she nodded. “Thank you!”

Once Jinju sat down again and returned to knitting, Buja spoke up. “Are you excited for camp this year? There’s only one more week until it starts.”

Jinju’s posture began to wilt, hands slowing in her knitting. “I guess I’m excited,” she began, noticeably less happy than before. “But I’m worried about what will happen to you while I’m gone.” Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought without Jinju noticing, but she wasn’t upset enough for them to start falling yet.

Buja sighed, reaching over and pulling the young girl close. Jinju followed, clinging tightly to her. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here when you come back just as I always have been.” She rubbed Jinju’s back in comfort, not wanting her to start crying. “My illness is not serious. It’s just from my heart aching from the loss of my husband.”

At the mention of Buja’s late husband, Woo Myungjoon, Jinju couldn’t hold her tears in any longer and started to sob, deeply and loudly with her whole body shaking. Buja let her cry, soothing with her voice until Jinju slowly stopped.

“You will have fun though,” Buja continued once Jinju had calmed down. “Your friends and boyfriend will be there with you.” Jinju began to smile at the thought of her loved ones and being with them for another year. Buja didn’t fail to notice, and smiled along with her. “Now, could you do me a favor?” Jijnu nodded enthusiastically, always willing to help. “Could you go to the supermarket and buy me some milk? I seemed to have run out.”

Jinju agreed to the request, and was out the door in minutes after receiving the money. She walked to the store, avoiding the masses of people as much as she could by walking close to the stores instead of the middle of the sidewalk. When she was just a few feet away, Jinju suddenly found herself on the ground, another person in the same position across from her.

“Yah, watch where you’re going!” The angry man picked himself off the ground, glaring down at Jinju. Jinju rushed to get up, falling over herself before standing upright. “Well,” the man started again, eyebrow raised. “Are you going to apologize?”

Jinju stood awkwardly, avoiding eye contact and fiddling with the locket around her neck. Instead of responding, Jinju decided to run away from the man, leaving him yelling obscenities behind her. She quickly reached the super market, panting from her sprint there. “Oh my, that was scary,” she said to herself quietly before looking around to find the milk. She did so quickly, wanting to leave and return to Buja’s house as fast as possible. Hopefully she wouldn’t see the scary man again, or she’d probably pass out in the middle of the sidewalk.

Five minutes later, and Jinju was back outside and walking to Buja’s. However, it wasn’t long before she heard a voice screaming behind her. Turning around, Jinju was faced with the man from earlier. She couldn’t help but think the man had a lot of persistence but was very vengeful. She froze as the man finally reached her, not moving in the slightest. He started to yell even more, becoming angered by Jinju’s lack of movement and speaking.

The man began to reach for her, but Jinju was too scared to move away. Suddenly, the man hand was slapped away, a small figure having placed themselves between her and the angry man. The newcomer smiled warmly at the angry man, effectively soothing him. She convinced him to leave Jinju alone, and eventually the man left. Turning around, the figure revealed herself to be a friend of hers. Jung Youngjoo, mostly known as Nicole, smiled and hugged Jinju in greeting.

Realizing she wasn’t being threatened anymore, Jinju relaxed and returned the hug. When Nicole pulled back, Jinju kept contact by grabbing the older girl’s hand, resuming her walk to Buja’s. “Thank you for helping me,” she said, grinning up at Nicole.

“It’s no big deal,” Nicole said, grinning back. “But just in case, I’ll walk with you to make sure that dude doesn’t come back.”

True to her word, Nicole walked with Jinju all the way back to Jinju’s house before setting off to her own after a hug goodbye. Jinju entered the house, greeting Buja and putting the milk in the fridge. Going back to the living room, Jinju thought about telling Buja what happened with the angry man but decided not to, wanting to keep the atmosphere happy like it was. She wished she wasn’t so awkward sometimes, and hoped that Camp Diamond would continue to help her become more sociable like it had in the past.

____kasper's korner

Congratulations to Mir-Chi, RhetoricalQuestions, Gingi_306, and jojobelle19!

Part two of Chapter One and the remaining cast are next!

❤ Kathy