Every morning it’s a daily routine that Mr. Sawatomi opens the school at 7:00 in the morning. Then he’ll usually stroll through the empty hallways, maybe even dance a little because he was special like that and giddily make his way towards his office. Next he would read his daily mail, emails announcements, other school announcements while sipping on his cup of coffee that would always have two pumps of milk and two packets of sugar. 

He always loved the mornings before school started because it just felt at peace. On top of making his morning perfect, he plays his morning playlist and has a delicious plate of breakfast that makes the room smell like a bakery. Yep everything was just perfect, nothing could ever come and ruin it.

*knock*

*knock*

“Goodmorning Headmaster. I’m not interrupting anything am I?”
 

She asks this because she had walked in on him dancing around his office with a croissant sandwich halfway in his mouth. To strangers who don’t know the headmaster fairly well, they assume he was mental or crazy. However, Headmaster Sawatomi didn’t care what others' first impressions of him were and he never got embarrassed when he did something silly like this for example.

“No no come in. I’m just going off to a great start of my day. Is there something I can do for you?”

“Well I came by to give you your daily mail and school announcements this week.”
 

“Of course! I always look forward to those! Is there anything else for me?”
 

“Oh! Yeah I almost forgot. This just came in the mail this morning. I think you should read this right away sir.”
 

His eyes immediately squinted before they widened in surprise. This definitely made his morning a whole lot interesting. What on earth was their rival school’s emblem printed on top of the package? Why did they send this without the headmaster informing him? He places the package on top of his desk and eyed it very suspiciously.
 

Then he finally takes a seat and opens it, not having a good feeling about what’s inside. “What on earth are you planning?” 

When he opened it, his eyes widened before he slowly chuckled like a maniac. He honestly looked crazy but this is how he usually acts when something amused him. What was inside may have surprised him but it got him burning with determination.
 

“So it begins….”
 

(Back at the camp)
 

“Oh no! I’m hit!! Go on without me! I’ll only just drag you down!! Tell my brothers…..that they can balls *bleh*”
 

“Um Chen sshi?” Nari awkwardly calls out his name. She didn’t know what to do when Chen started playing dead but someone else that was with them, had a better idea.
 

“Will you stop messing around and get up you idiot?”

Minseok was so done with being around this idiot. So he stomps over to kick Chen right in the . He immediately retracts in pain and starts groaning like a cat. It was probably also from the paintball that got him in the stomach but Xiumin shoving his foot up his was another but different pain. 

“Geez ok ok I’m getting up alright? You know if we were in actual combat, I wouldn’t want to be in the same team as you. I think you might kill me first before the enemy.” Chen starts grumbling bitterly but Xiumin doesn't care and keeps walking forward with cautious steps.
 

Suddenly the three start ducking when a couple of paintballs aimed at them. In case you were wondering what they were doing, the boys and Nari were playing paintball with a mix of capture the flag. So the team was then split into 6 vs. 7.

Chen, Minseok and Nari were on offense for the red team and were trying to shoot down the blue team’s defense but it was too difficult when they were constantly being shot at. 

“Ugh how are they able to spot us and be able to almost get us?!” Minseok was the most frustrated out of all of them as his gun was fully loaded but there was no opening for him to start shooting.
 

“Yo Chen! Have you given up yet?! Cause I’m thinking of aiming a bit lower this time. Maybe I’ll hit a bullseye and get one of your balls.” Chen’s hands immediately cover his groin area just imagining Luhan would actually be able to aim one of those colorful balls of pain at each of his delicacies. Yes, Chen called them his delicacies. 

“Minseok sshi, can you see where they’re attacking from?”

“If I knew where they were shooting from, I would’ve shot them all but so far we’re the only ones being shot at hundreds of times by Rambo over there. I don’t even know who else is with him.” 

“Maybe Sehun sshi?” Nari guessed.

“Yeah no duh stupid. Those two hippied specifically paired us up with our partners; sadly.” 

“Yah!” Chen immediately exclaimed. “I’ll have you know that I’m a good asset to this game. I’ve played a lot of Call of Duty and laser tag to know what I’m doing more than you do.” 

“God, is there an off switch on you?” Xiumin exclaimed clearly annoyed that Chen was still talking.
 

“Nope and that’s the beauty of it my friend.”

They get distracted again when Luhan starts firing nonstop again in their direction. “Ok all that matters now is we need to draw Luhan out of his hiding spot and then the rest will follow his lead.”

“But how are we going to-” Nari’s sentence was cut off when she almost got shot by a paintball. So she ducks down for cover.

“Give up boys! I’m going to take you all down and then after I take Chibi!”

“Yah Luhan! Don’t you dare hit one of those things at Nari! They hurt a lot.” 

“Pft Who do you take me for Tao? I know what I’m doing. I’ve been only targeting Chen and that Minseok guy. When I get those two ers out, I’ll snatch chibi away from them and then we’ll win!”
 

Another person joins them in the bush but didn’t look as enthusiastic about this game because Sehun thinks this is all stupid. “Why can’t we just run and shoot them till they give in?”

“You crazy Sehun? We do that and we give away our position.” 

“Well excuse me but I’m just suggesting an easier way to end this game so that I can get out of this forest.”
 

“Gee Sehun you really hate the forest don’t you?” Tao’s question was just an innocent question but Sehun answered him with a stoic face.

“Yes. I’ll dance happily when I see this forest burn.” 

“I don’t think that's good for the environment.” Tao mutters a little scared of what goes through Sehun’s thoughts.

“Aw what happened Sehunnie? I thought you loved it here ever since yesterday when we bonded in that cabin?” 

Sehun rolled his eyes at Luhan before watching him shoot another round of paintballs wherever Chen, Minseok, and Nari moved. His eyes widen when he sees Nari’s head pop up from the bushes with Chen hiding behind her. He realizes Luhan’s finger is about to pull the trigger and his body acts before his brain does by pushing the gun down to stop him. 

“Yah! Watch it! Are you blind? You were going to hit piggy!”

“I can see her too you know?!” Luhan quickly looks at him annoyed at the sudden misfire. He clicks his tongue in annoyance. Not at Sehun but at Chen for pulling such a dirty trick.
 

“Did she get hit?!” Tao exclaimed pushing the two away to see. He sighs with relief that she was just fine before being pushed to the side by Luhan who was very ticked off.
 

“Yah you’re such a coward Chen! I can’t believe you used Chibi as your human shield. That’s low even for you!”

“It’s the only way I was going to make you stop shooting at us!” Chen shouts back before gently pushing Nari back to their hiding spot so that she wouldn’t get shot.
 

“Well it worked.” 

“Shutup Sehun you were the one who tried to stop me as well.” Suddenly Luhan’s eyebrows quirked up in interest. “Wait a minute. Why did you get so frantic that I could’ve hit Chibi?”
 

“Why are you so curious?” Sehun coldly retorts back while Luhan looks highly amused. 

“Just wanted to know.”
 

“I’m so confused right now.” Tao jumped into the conversation before it suddenly started raining paintballs. The three of them immediately take cover as Chen and Xiumin continue shooting. 

“Nari! Now’s your chance to go and get the flag from their side. Just go we’ll distract them.”
 

“Are you sure?”

“GO! For goodness sakes!” Xiumin’s demonic tone and the way he looked at her was all it took for Nari to start running and leave the two of them behind to fend for themselves.
 

She ventures further down the forest and it got noticeably more quiet to the point where she could even hear her own heart beating. It was a beautiful forest. Perfect for a nice walk. While she kept walking she noticed a couple cute and peculiar animals that minded their own business as she walked past.

After a while of walking through the forest she could see up ahead the bright orange flag from the other team. She grabs it and starts heading back to win the game until she feels somebody holding onto the back of her vest that stops her from moving. She turns around and her eyes widen.

“Kyungsoo sshi! What are you doing here?”
 

He looked at her like that was the dumbest question in the world, “Isn’t the whole point of this game to guard the stupid flag?”
 

She flushed red for forgetting the whole point of this game. “Ah r-right hehe. I just thought you were with Luhan, Sehun, and Tao back there.”

“I could’ve been but it was either thinking of shooting myself with paintballs while being stuck with those three or stay here and guard the flag in total silence.”
 

“So are you going to shoot me out of the game?”
 

“Actually if I let you win, the game would be over much quicker correct?”
 

“Um sure?” 

He suddenly lets go of her and starts walking back to where the others were. Nari was confused at first with Kyungsoo’s choice but walked beside him in total silence.
 

However, she does keep a bit of distance between them in case he might snap at her for being too close. She had to admit that out of all the boys she’s talked to, Kyungsoo was the least bit talkative and never wanted to join into a conversation.
 

She kind of wondered what goes through his mind and when she looked closer she noticed him being tense and tired. It wasn’t like Junmyeon tense but this more of having a huge burden on your back kind of tense. 

“What are you staring at? Is there something interesting on my face?”

Nari was taken aback for being caught looking at him but to be honest she made it obvious. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to, it's just that you look more tired than usual.”

“When have you ever been this attentive about me?”
 

“No no! What I meant was that you look so tired and exhausted and seem like something is bothering you…”

She wasn’ t entirely wrong. Kyungsoo was going through a lot of things back home and he just felt the burden getting heavier and heavier on his back but he didn’t think the lack of sleep and stress showed. “Kyungsoo sshi?”
 

Nari called his name since he hadn’t answered her for a while but he responded by flicking her forehead. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about someone else when you can’t even take care of yourself. Idiot.”

“But I can take care of myself.”

Kyungsoo scoffs, “Need I remind you that you were an idiot to even try and do the challenge while you were sick? You caused so much trouble and harm to yourself. Geez even Gowon could take care of herself and she’s only eight.”

“Gowon? Whose that?”

He realized his slip and hesitated. “We-Well Gowon is my little sister. The youngest to be specific.”

“You have a sister?”
 

“Sisters actually. They’re honestly a handful and sometimes I feel like I’m the oldest when I’m not but I guess being the only brother in the litter means you carry the responsibility. But at the end of the day we take good care of each other.”
 

Suddenly he feels embarrassed for going on about his family to someone he wasn’t even close to. Heck he barely even talks about his family to Ryeowook who is the closest friend he has. 

“That sounds really nice.” Nari suddenly comments.
 

“What does?”
 

Nari’s head was down and her eyes were focused on the ground as she answered him. “It’s nice that you can rely on each other and know you can be able to look out for and take care of each other. I know when you say that they’re a handful you start to smile because you love them.”
 

“Ye-yeah well of course because they’re my family. If I didn’t have them I....” his sentence lingered as he didn’t continue what he was going to say. Nari picked her head up and looked directly at him. She could see a bit of sadness, loneliness and bitterness. There was a small part of her that knew what he might say but another part of her sympathized. She knew exactly what he was feeling. However, the difference was, he had a place to go home to. 

“Ahh I’m so tired. After that whole paintball game I need to get something to eat.”  

It was almost dinner time and as the sun was setting, all the boys and Nari were heading back to the mess hall to grab something to eat after exhausting themselves from that game. 

“Yo Luhan why did you have to be so harsh in the game?”
 

Chen gets hit on the head by Luhan which causes him to groan even more in pain. “It’s because you used Chibi as a shield and I almost could’ve hit her so you needed to be punished.” 

“But it was Minseok’s idea too! So why didn’t you shoot him? How come I got most of your hits?!” 

“That’s because he’s a bit more intimidating and I don’t know him like I know you. So I can kick your without having to feel guilty that I did.”
 

Chen just looked blankly at Luhan. “Wow how did I get so lucky to be your best friend?” 

“Man I’m starving. I wonder what they got cooking for us tonight?”

“Chanyeol I don’t know how you can look forward to what they feed us? Last night their food looked so unappetizing that I was this close to going out and hunting for my own food.” Xiumin could still remember how he poked the entrees the caterers had provided for them and he could’ve sworn something was still moving in his mystery meat. 

At the back of the group, Nari was so distracted with writing in her lyric book. She hadn’t touched or opened it in quite awhile and needed to do some writing. Her eyes were glued to her book. She didn’t notice someone purposefully slowing down his steps so that he could walk next to her. 

She hasn't noticed that he was walking right next to her and so he does the next best thing to get her attention. He takes her book and her eyes immediately shift to the culprit. “Kris?”

He cheekily grinned as he took a look at her song book. There were a lot of melodies and some pages were filled with poetic words. “You sure do spend a lot of your time with this. How can you have plenty of pages left to write? I would’ve suspected that you would fill this up by now.” 

“Well ever since we decided all twelve of you would be in the band, I’ve been using scrap paper to write out inspiration and whenever I’m inspired I’ll write it in here.”

“Hm, are there any songs you’ve finished writing about?”
 

Nari sheepishly laughed, “uh not really. I’ve just been having trouble getting together a song that I feel everyone would want to listen to. But I’m getting there. Don’t worry.” 

Suddenly, Kris ruffled her hair and gave her back her book. “I always worry about a clumsy moron like you. So when you do have a song that you’re confident about, you should let me hear it sometime. I’m sure it’ll sound great.”

“Bu-but you’ve never heard any of my songs before. What if it sounds so bad?”
 

Kris didn’t quite have the answer himself and shrugged but warmly smiled down towards her. “If someone is so dedicated to something they love, it’s bound to turn into something wonderful. So I have no doubt that in that little ditzy brain of yours that there are some great songs just waiting to burst out. You just haven’t discovered it.”
 

“Haha I guess. Ok I’ll promise to show you one of my songs when I’m done.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” 

Unbeknownst to them, someone was carefully watching them and he didn’t like it one bit how his friend was being all chummy with someone like her. It angered him but it was that fool's decision to talk with whoever he wanted to. 

When everyone finally got to the dining hall, Chen kicked the doors looking co