I've had enough of Connor's hate army going after me. I look at Janie who is waiting for me to talk to her. 

"I am trying very hard not to fight people. You promise that you will handle any problem. There's three kids on the camp in black t-shirts they must know Connor because they were confirming that he is calling me a wimp. They attacked me and covered me in mud, then told me I don't-"

My anger snuck up on me I had to pause to take a breath.

"They told me I don't deserve a father."

Here comes the angry tears, right on schedule. I wipe them away before Janie could see them. 

"Ji Yong.. I'm so sorry they did that to you."

I shake my head.

"I'm sorry too Janie. I'm sorry I ever came here. I should have chosen to go to the detention center."

She immediately shakes her head.

"No Ji Yong, that's not what I meant. We are all super happy to have you here. Look at the better person you've become. We all love you here. I know what the kids you described are and I will take care of it."

She hands me a tissue then leads me outside to go back to the pavilions. She pats my shoulders.

"We're all better now let him go get changed and cleaned then go canoeing."

Janie follows us as we all lead the way to the cabin. While I got cleaned and changed, the others wait outside the cabin patiently for me. 

We go to the dock where there is a couple canoes waiting for us. Gabe splits us up into groups of three, of course he paired Hong Ki, Seung Hyun, and I together as the so called: "Dynamic Trio". He pick up the paddle of the canoe, Gabe tells us to step in the middle of the canoes and choose among ourselves who goes where.  

After fastening life vests I let Hong Ki steer while Seung Hyun paddles the power. Every thing went smoothly, we were in the middle of the river, the starting point is far in the distance. The sun is shining bright. Life is great... until a hornet decided that it was a swell idea to make a u-turn and fly full speed past my head. I let out this feminine high pitch scream that made birds scatter from the tree tops. I stood up freaking the hell out. 

"BEE! GET IT AWAY FROM ME!"

Seung Hyun and Hong Ki hold onto the side of the canoe for dear life, their eyes are bulging out of their skulls.

"Ji Yong... sit down!"
 

I was too busy freaking out and waving my arms around frantically to hear their commands, and soon enough I fell back off the canoe, luckily not knocking the entire canoe over. I pop up from the water and see Hong KI and Seung Hyun trying to help me back in the canoe. I see Gabe in a canoe with Daesung. He steers toward our canoe looking down at me bobbing in the water.

"Ji Yong... buddy... you got to stop thinking you're a fish. We swim tomorrow Nemo."

He laughs as he pulls me up by his arms and set me down in his canoe. He instructs Hong Ki and Seung Hyun to head toward the dock. He follows behind leading me out. Seung Hyun and Hong Ki wait for me to get onto the dock.

"Go to the cabin so he can change then wait for us by the hiking trail."

We walk up the trail that leads to our cabin. On the way Hong Ki and Seung Hyun make fish jokes and puns. I look at both of them grasping their shirts shutting them into silence.

"How about you two gooners shut your mouths or you'll be on the bottom of the river yourselves?"

They move away a bit.

"Sorry Ji..." mutters Hong Ki

"We were just joking." adds Seung Hyun. 

In the distance of the trail we see a chubby brown blob running the trail towards us.

"Hi Mack."

We kneel to pet him and he zoomed off back up the trail. We decided to follow him. He stops abruptly and barks. Bella is sitting by a tree with her face in her knees and holding the top of her head. She's shaking and crying loudly. 

"Bella? What's wrong?"

She didn't look up at me at first but gives Mack a few pets as he tries to console her. I get closer bending on one knee.

"Bella?"

She finally look up hiding her teary eyes from my view. I pat her shoulder.

"It's okay. Just tell me what's going on?"

She calms down after a moment. She gives me a hug but quickly pulls away.

"Oh my God Ji you're soaked."

I look down at my over saturated linen and nod.

"Yeah... long story involving a canoe and a beefy hornet from hell. What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

She shakes her head hiding her face in shame. After a moment of comforting her and assuring that I'm not going to think of her any different because she's crying she takes a breath.

"I kinda went into an random panic attack, it's all part of my PTSD unfortunately. The trigger of it is absolutely absurd but I was walking Mack and a slightly thick pine tree branch came down and clunked me on the back of the head... I know that is silly but to me that felt like I was being hit again as a kid. I kinda freaked out."

I shake my head.

"It's not your fault and it's not silly. I understand it's PTSD and anxiety. The smallest things will trigger an attack. Don't ever feel ashamed to talk to me. Ever."

I smile at her then help her back up. She smiles a bit.

"Thanks for listening to me Ji I appreciate it. I feel a lot better now."

She picks up Mack's leach.

"Tomorrow is Movie night, meet me at the dock at 8pm."

I nod she smiles again leaving with Mack. Seung Hyun and Hong Ki nudge my shoulders because Bella told me to meet her tomorrow. I feel my heart race a bit. Bella actually asked me to meet her. I am so excited. We finish walking to the cabin. I change my clothes then we go back to the trail to meet the others. 

I just so happen to see the two kids that caused me trouble earlier head toward the main office with their suitcases, Janie following behind. I smile proudly. Janie did keep her promise. I can now enjoy the rest of my summer.

We hear Gabe and the others head our direction. Gabe is oddly more pumped than usual. He's singing "Material Girl" as loud as he can and has his shirt tied like a Daisy Duke top.

Just when I thought he couldn't be more weirder...

People did stare though we were laughing hard as we can at his weirdness. He decided last minute to skip the nature hike and go straight to the Main Hall where there are 7 yoga mats and a TV playing the intro to a Yoga DVD.

I guess we're doing yoga...

"Remember guys don't stretch anything beyond it's limits. Kendra don't have ice bags for all of us."

We start the yoga DVD and did the warm up stretches. We started off with Mindful Breath then Mountain Pose. Easy enough... then downward dog and the balancing pose. I fell over and Seung Hyun stuck his in my face after he lost his balance. Side Plank and Warrior pose was worse... we were losing our balance left and right toppling over like we were Jenga blocks or something of that sort. We look over and see Gabe perfecting the poses like it's no issue. 

"Come on fellas put your back bone into it and flaunt your booty. No shame."

Hong Ki collapses in exhaustion.

"Well Gabe, unfortunately, we all aren't as flexible as you."

I finally give up my sore arms buckle underneath me making me fall on my back. I take a deep breath.

"Besides none of us want to flaunt our butts. Personally I am not the flaunting type."

We struggled a lot but we finally made it through the nearly 40 minute DVD. Our bodies ached. Gabe is sitting criss cross on the mat breathing deeply.

"Namaste..."

I look at Seung Hyun.

"You and Hong Ki blindfold and tie him up. I'll open the dumper. You down?"

He nods. After a minute Gabe gets up full of energy.

"Come of gents up and at em. You did fantastic. Don't you feel relaxed? Exfoliated?"

We shake our heads as we painfully stand up to our feet. 

"More like sore and falling apart..."

Of course I think he didn't care that we felt sore as heck, he tells us it's lunch time and to make things worse, he takes the steepest hill to the cafeteria. We just about killed our arms might as well go for the legs while we were at it. No limb can be pain free. At least there's tacos involved.

When we grab our lunches we sit at our table to eat. 

"Okay gents it's Staff Night Out tonight. I'm going to get Mr. Bin to watch you guys for a couple hours. Please try to be on your best behavior. I beg of you. Especially you Mr. Kwon Ji Yong."

I look at Gabe with a shocked expression and let out a offended huff.

"Gabe. I'm offended that you would assume I would that. I never did such a thing in my life. I am always an angel. I wouldn't do a thing to Dirt Pants."

I start laughing at my own lie.

"Ahh... who am I kidding? Yes I would. I promise Gabe I will behave."

Gabe nods and eats his taco. 

"Oh campers. This is the last two weeks of your camp time. Next Saturday is the last day. You'll be leaving at 7PM that Saturday. Next Monday during sign ups we will have a drawing on the last day for the Winter snow camp that is 5 days long in January or so. If you are picked we will send you an application in the mail around November."

Inside I felt a bit sad, I cannot believe that the camp time went by me so fast. I am definitely going to miss it here. I had the most fun I've had in years. Yes, I hated it at first, this camp had changed me, when I thought they couldn't. 

We finished eating our food and after clean up we go to the cabin for quiet time. We all get in our bunks for quiet time. I write in my journal about how sad I am about leaving so soon. I know I definitely need to get everyone's cellphone number so that way we can still stay in touch after summer is over and school begins. This is actually my Senior Year in school, I doubt they will let me back here for another year. Gabe's phone rings he goes outside to take his call. I see Seung Hyun's eyes peeking over the bunk guard.

"Hey Buddy." I whisper as to not disturb the others. 

He climbs up into my bunk.

"You look sad Ji Yong. Are you okay?"

I let out a shrug.

"Eh.. I'm okay. I'm just a little sad that next week is the last week. Not that going home is great but I have had the time of my life here."

Seung Hyun pats my shoulder. 

"Hey don't worry we'll make sure we stay in touch. What school are you attending?"

"Shinhwan High School." 

He gives me an expression that he's impressed and nods.

"Ooooh fancy."

Gabe comes back inside Seung Hyun gets off my bunk and back into his. I lay down letting out a deep sigh. I still feel kinda sad I made so many friends here. I wish I can stuff them in my bag and bring them home with me. I'm sure Mom and Auntie won't mind. We got plenty of Pop Tarts and Hawaiian Punch to give to them. 

For the hour we didn't do much and soon enough it was time to go to the main hall for craft time where we made picture frames out of Popsicle sticks. I made a triangle shape with blue and red sparkles for my mom, then a regular rectangle with pink sparkles for my sister. I'm happy our craft didn't involve any tooth picks to avoid accidental injuries. For dinner we had Chicken Nuggets and Fries. 

On our way back to the cabin, Janie had called me to meet her really quick at her cabin. Gabe escorts me humming the Dragnet theme song as if I committed the crime of the century. It is at that moment I had second thoughts about coming back. 

I go inside her cabin she is waiting for me on the couch she is lounged in her Pink Panther PJ pants and Five Nights at Freddy's tee and watching Chief Kim. 

"Hi Ji Yong!" She greets happily seating me next her and offering me a cold water bottle from her mini fridge. She smiles big standing and going through her roll top desk looking through an Eiffel tower height of papers.

"Ah here it is. I want you to know that you are very much pre-approved to come back for Winter Camp and next year's Summer Camp. No fee at all. If you want to talk to your Mom later about that'll be awesome."

My eyes widened a bit in shock. I actually get to come back...

"This is awesome Janie I'd love too but I really don't want Seung Hyun and Hong Ki to be left-"

"Say no more." 

She gets two more applications. 

"They're coming too no charge."

I smile big. I have never met someone who is so nice to me like she is. I hope my Mom would let me go if she can get Auntie to come help her with the baby. I thanked her and went to the cafeteria for dessert. Strangely, I did not see Phyllis anywhere. No sign of her hubby either. We go back to the cabin where Gabe gets a medium decent size flame going in the fire pit. 

Gabe claps.

"How's that for a flame guys?"

We take turns throwing pine needles and small sticks in the fire. Seung Hyun throws twings. I smile big.

"BURN BABY BURN!"

Seung Hyun yelps and hides behind me when the flame got taller. Gabe bought something similar to pop rocks and dropped a handful in our hands. He counted to three and we threw them in the flame at once. The flame changed colors simultaneously while the rocks popped loudly. Seung Hyun remained behind me through the process. Gabe managed to shrink the fire enough to cook s'mores. 

 We ate the chocolate marshmallow goodness as Gabe plays a campfire song on his guitar. He smiles at us.

"I'm super proud of you guys. Well behaved today."

I raise my hand. Gabe points to me.

"Yes Ji Yong?"

"What is your birthday wish?"

He looks at us with a small grin.

"Well boys to be honest my birthday wish came true today. I got to see you guys have fun and not once fight or argue about anything. It was a good day. Thank you all again."

He stands stretching his arms. 

"Well gents it's time for you six to hit the hay. I'm spending my free time to go on a date. Get ready and I'll leave when Mr. Bin arrives."

We all obey after putting the fire out with water and sand we go inside immediately getting into our pajamas. Mr. Bin comes in as we got into our bunks.

"Goodnight Campers. I'll see you soon!" Gabe greets zipping up his hoodie and grabbing his backpack. 

Mr. Bin sits on the folding chair outside on the patio. We all whisper to each other until we grow tired and doze off. 

As I was trying to doze off I got to thinking about my dad and how he tried to pull his act the other day. He doesn't deserve anything but hell. I believe strongly in karma and I know Mom will find the right partner. I don't regret coming here and I certainly don't regret my baby sister. I look at the picture of Mary Kate that Mom sent a while back.

"Don't worry Sissy..." I whisper.

"Your big brother is here for you no matter what. He is not going to hurt you."

I slide the picture under my pillow and lay down eventually dozing off into a light sleep.