~

누가 너 땜에 더 힘들대

너 없음 웃지도 못하는데

곁에 없단 생각만 해도

당장 죽을 것 같은데

Who says it’s harder because of you?

I can’t smile without you being there

Just the thought of not having you next to me

makes feel like dying right away

~

 

 

“Rise and shine, Somi!” Sungyeol popped his head into his younger sister’s tent.

 

 

No response. Somi’s tent was empty.

 

 

“Somi?!” Sungyeol asked again, as if she would suddenly appear in the tent. “Myunggie! Somi isn’t in the tent!”

 

 

“What?” Myungsoo walked over to Somi’s tent, and peered inside. “Where did she go?”

 

 

Sungyeol and Myungsoo quickly went over to Woohyun and Howon’s tent to ask them where Somi was. When they looked inside, Myungsoo sighed in relief.

 

 

Somi was sleeping with her sleeping bag against the right wall of the tent. She was sleeping soundly with a smile on her face. Woohyun was sleeping with his bag against the left side of the tent, and Howon was sleeping in the middle of the two.

 

 

“YAH!” Sungyeol shrieked, waking up Somi, Howon, and Woohyun.

 

 

“Hey oppa,” Somi said, yawning.

 

 

“YAH! WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING IN HERE? WITH TWO BOYS?” Sungyeol yelled at his little sister.

 

 

“Relax, Yeol. She’s in her sleeping bag, they’re in theirs. Plus, Howon and Woohyun wouldn’t do a thing to harm Somi. You know that,” Myungsoo reassured his friend.

 

 

Sungyeol sent a glare to Woohyun, who was looking at him with a smirk on his face. 

 

 

“Yeah, hyung. No need to be like that,” Woohyun said.

 

 

“You know Somi is a scaredy-cat. How could you expect her to sleep in a tent all by herself, anyways?” Howon asked Sungyeol with a crooked grin on his face.

 

 

“Yeah! If I came to your tent, then you would’ve kicked me out,” Somi said to her brother.

 

 

“Well.. that’s true,” Sungyeol considered. “Fine. Sungjong and Dongwoo are making breakfast right now, so everyone get out and eat! Afterwards, we will go swimming!”

 

 

Somi quickly thanked Howon and Woohyun for letting her stay in their tent, and explained that she was scared and had came in when they were both “asleep”. She didn’t know that they had woken up when she had came into their tent. They both told her that it wasn’t a problem.

 

 

“I’m gonna go to eat breakfast now! The bacon smells really good,” Somi grinned and exited the tent.

 

 

Howon was still troubled. He kept remembering how Somi had talked in her sleep about a guy named Sunggyu.

 

 

“Hey, Howon! Something bothering you? Your expression doesn’t look that great,” Woohyun asked Howon.

 

 

“No. I’m fine,” Howon curtly said, before exiting the tent to go join the others for breakfast.

 

 

~~~

 

 

“The eggs are really good,” Myungsoo gave a thumbs up to Sungjong, who smiled at him.

 

 

“Thanks, Myungsoo hyung. I guess Howon hyung’s bossiness paid off. He would always force me to make breakfast for him,” Sungjong glared at his brother, who put his hands up in defense.

 

 

“Hey, hey. That’s not true,” Howon said, and Dongwoo laughed and put an arm around Howon’s shoulder.

 

 

“My Howonnie isn’t that mean,” Dongwoo joked. “My Howonnie is the sweetest wittle thing in the whole world.”

 

 

“Ew, can you not? I’m trying to eat,” Myungsoo said, putting more bacon on his plate. Woohyun nodded his head in silent agreement and Sungyeol poked Myungsoo’s cheek.

 

 

“My Myunggie is so grumpy in the mornings,” Sungyeol said, stretching Myungsoo’s cheek.

 

 

“Gross,” Somi said, kicking her brother from under the table.

 

 

“You two couples should get your own rooms,” Woohyun said with amusement.

 

 

“I feel bad for you, cause you have to live with him,” Myungsoo said to Somi and gestured to Sungyeol, who looked at him with a sour expression.

 

 

“You basically live with us too!” Somi responded with a light smile on her face.

 

 

“I feel bad for both of you,” Woohyun concluded. “I can hear him cooing at his cat every night from my apartment!”

 

 

“Everyone is so mean, ganging up on poor Sungyeollie,” Sungyeol sniffed in self-pity.

 

 

Sungyeol was teased by everyone, until breakfast was over. Even Sungjong, the youngest, would joke around with Sungyeol and call him a choding.

 

 

Finally, all the eggs were gone and the bacon had disappeared into everyone’s stomachs. It was time for swimming.

 

 

Everyone went into their tents to change, and right after Somi finished putting on her swimsuit, someone started ping her tent.

 

 

“Don’t come in! I’m.. I just finished changing!” Somi called out, but Sungyeol came in anyways.

 

 

He looked at his sister and gasped dramatically. 

 

 

“You can’t wear this! Cover up!” he demanded, handing Somi one of his oversized shirts and a pair of shorts.

 

 

Somi was a little annoyed but she still grinned. Her brother was showing his protective side recently, and she liked this side of him.

 

 

“Thanks, oppa,” she said. She pulled the shirt and shorts over her swimsuit and stepped out of her tent.

 

 

“Let’s go!” Dongwoo and Sungjong screamed excitedly, and ran off towards the lake. Myungsoo and Sungyeol followed with enthusiasm. Somi also followed eagerly, and Howon trudged slowly behind, subtly looking at Woohyun.

 

 

“Hey, guys! I’m going to take this phone call,” Woohyun gestured to his phone, that was ringing. 

 

 

“Okay,” Sungyeol said, jumping in the water with a smile on his face. “Come on, Myunggie!” he splashed water into Myungsoo’s face.

 

 

Soon, everyone was in the water, except for Howon and Woohyun. Woohyun was still near the tents, talking on his phone, and Howon was standing around the base of the lake.

 

 

“Jump in, Howonnie! The water is warm and nice!” Somi said, as she playfully scooped water and threw it towards Howon.

 

 

“I need to.. use the restroom, wait,” Howon said, walking off.

 

 

Somi shrugged and jumped on Sungjong, who flipped her over into the water.

 

 

“Haha!” Sungjong laughed, and he shielded himself from being splashed by Somi.

 

 

~~~

 

 

“He’s been acting weird lately? In what way?” Woohyun asked Jinhee over the phone.

 

 

“Well, he’s always strolling around the places where Sunggyu oppa used to always hide his weapons. After Sunggyu oppa was.. taken, I took all of his weapons and hid them in our house,” Jinhee said back to him.

 

 

“That could be a coincidence,” Woohyun said.

 

 

“And he hangs out around our house too! And your apartment building! He sits there, like he’s waiting for something,” Jinhee added, with a worried tone.

 

 

“That.. that is strange,” Woohyun admitted.

 

 

“I know, right? So should I confront him? I don’t know what to do,” Jinhee was conflicted.

 

 

Howon had walked back to camp and was now spying on Woohyun. He usually didn’t get into other people’s business, but he could tell that Woohyun was in a very serious phone call with someone.

 

 

“Who are they talking about? Who is Woohyun talking to? Who has been acting weirdly?” Howon wondered, as he listened to Woohyun from behind a tree.

 

 

“Wait for me to come back, if you do confront him. Who knows how dangerous he can be? If he’s like Sunggyu then.. You know how he is..” Woohyun said into the phone.

 

 

“Who’s dangerous? Sunggyu? Who are they talking about?” Howon wondered.

 

 

“Okay then. Bye Woohyun. Stay safe out there too,” Jinhee said.

 

 

“Mhm! Bye,” Woohyun hung up. He sighed and put his phone back into his tent, and began to make his way over to the lake.

 

 

Howon seized his chance to confront Woohyun and jumped out from behind the tree that he was listening behind.

 

 

“Hey,” Howon looked at Woohyun, with a not-so-friendly expression.

 

 

“Howon.. What’s up? I was just on the phone with my mom. Had to ask her if she received the fruits I sent her,” Woohyun said, looking somewhat uneasy.

 

 

“Oh. Really?” Howon said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

 

 

“Yeah,” Woohyun said, and he turned to walk towards the lake.

 

 

“Not so fast,” Howon put his hand on Woohyun’s shoulder.

 

 

Woohyun shrugged Howon’s hand off of him.

 

 

“Why are you acting like this, Howon?” Woohyun asked, acting like he didn’t know anything.

 

 

“What do you mean? Why are YOU acting like this, Nam Woohyun?” Howon glared at him. “I’m sick of people hiding things from me! First my best friend, Somi, and now you? And who the heck is Sunggyu anyways?”

 

 

Howon threw his hands up in the air and sighed. Woohyun looked at him with a surprised expression.

 

 

“You heard me talking on the phone?” Woohyun asked sheepishly.

 

 

“Yes. I did,” Howon said. “And I also heard Somi talking about some guy named Sunggyu last night when she was sleeping.. Who exactly is Sunggyu?”

 

 

Woohyun sighed, and walked over to the tables.

 

 

Woohyun sat down, and took a sip of water. Howon sat across from him and looked at him impatiently.

 

 

“Tell me.. Please?” Howon asked. “If it’s something that involves Somi, I think I deserve to know.”

 

 

Woohyun contemplated for a moment. He knew Howon could be trusted, but he didn’t want a lot of people to know about Sunggyu. He also didn’t want Howon to go telling things to other people.

 

 

“Can you keep a secret?” Woohyun asked, and Howon nodded. 

 

 

“You know I’m not the type to tell everyone everything.”

 

 

“Okay,” Woohyun sighed again, and told Howon everything about Somi and Sunggyu.

 

 

How they were young when they met, and how they fell in love with each other. He talked about how Sunggyu was taken away, and how he had given Somi a locket.

 

 

“So that’s where she got the locket from,” Howon mumbled. Woohyun nodded and continued.

 

 

Woohyun talked about how Sunggyu left him a letter and a box, and how he and Somi had opened the box and that it was empty. He told Howon that Jinhee was Sunggyu’s sister.

 

 

But, he didn’t tell Howon about the person that he was talking about to Jinhee on the phone. He decided to keep that between himself and Jinhee for now.

 

 

Howon could only nod his head quietly after Woohyun had finished talking. Howon didn’t know that Somi had a past with a guy, let alone a guy who disappeared to who knows where.

 

 

Howon was kind of angry at Sunggyu, even though the two had never met.

 

 

“How could a guy just leave Somi behind like that?”  Howon wondered.

 

 

“That’s basically what happened. I don’t even know if Gyu hyung is alive out there,” Woohyun said with a whisper. 

 

 

Woohyun was starting to feel sad again. He really missed Sunggyu.

 

 

“Do you think Somi has feelings for Sunggyu still?” Howon asked Woohyun. “I heard her say his name last night. Would Somi really still like that person after he just left like that?”

 

 

“I was awake too,” Woohyun admitted. “I heard her speak. And Sunggyu hyung wouldn’t leave her for no reason. He’s not that kind of person. He was taken away. I’m sure if he’s still alive out there, he still loves Somi and remembers her.”

 

 

“Taken away by who?” Howon asked.

 

 

“I don’t know!” Woohyun almost growled in frustration and angriness. He couldn’t help it. 

 

 

“Well, if you find out anything, please tell me. I’m Somi’s best friend, and I think I play a pretty big role in her life too.. I wish she would’ve told me. Who knows what else she has been keeping from me?” Howon said sadly.

 

 

Woohyun softened a bit.

 

 

“I think this is a really sensitive topic for her,” Woohyun sighed. “But, you should tell her that you know now, too. Maybe she’ll come to you and talk to you about it. You are her best friend, after all."

 

 

"I hope so," Howon said. "She can trust me."

 

 

"I can tell that she really cares about you, by the way she talks," Woohyun added.

 

 

The ends of Howon’s lips curled upward. “Really?”

 

 

“Really,” Woohyun said.

 

 

The two boys grinned at each other, and they both felt like they found a new person to trust.

 

 

“Thank you for letting me know about Somi’s past, Nam Woohyun.” Howon thought.

 

 

“How exactly do you feel about Somi, Lee Howon? Are you sure.. that your relationship with her is simply platonic?” Woohyun wondered.

 

 

“Yah! Nam Woohyun! Lee Howon!” Sungyeol bellowed. “ARE YOU GONNA SWIM OR WHAT?”

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

*Author’s Note: So Howon has finally found out about Sunggyu! O.O So far, the characters that know about Sunggyu are Woohyun, Jinhee, Myungsoo, Sungyeol, and Howon. Dongwoo and Sungjong are still clueless! :3 Also, Bad won six times! That’s amazing, considering that Infinite only promoted for two weeks (more like a week because comeback stages don’t really count)! 수고했어요, 우리 오빠들! 앞으로도 화이팅! 제가 끝까지 응원할게요!