The next day after the hike, the boys who actually went decided they were all much too tired for more physical activity. So, they made their decision to spend one of the last days at camp at the art shack.

After breakfast and a quick change into more hot weather clothes, the boys of cabin E1 skipped down the pathway to the shack with all of the bracelets, pottery, and tie dye materials.

Donghyuck ran to catch up with Mark and gripped his hand, Mark turning to Donghyuck with brief surprise. Mark gave him a grin and Donghyuck smiled back, squeezing Mark’s hand. Donghyuck loved Mark’s hands; even though they got clammy really easily he loved that they were still slightly squishy, the last remnants of Mark’s baby fat, comforting and sweet all at once.

“We should make bracelets for other people,” Mark said as Donghyuck rested his head on Mark’s shoulder.

“Why?” Donghyuck whined in his loud voice. The art shack building was now in plain sight, and Chenle and Jisung ran to go inside.

Instead of answering, Mark simply held up his wrist, decorated with seven different bracelets in a variety of colors. Donghyuck looked down at his own wrist, which also had many bracelets. The wrists occupied by each other’s hands also had many too.

“Maybe you’re right,” Donghyuck spoke with a sigh.

“We should make them for our friends.”

“Don’t they have a bazillion too? Everyone’s been way too into couple bracelets this year.”

“Kun and Renjun then,” Mark answered as they finally reached the tables, sitting down at one of the picnic benches. Jeno and Jaemin, who had been following right behind, sat down across from them.

“Maybe we could do something else?” Donghyuck suggested.

Mark sighed. “It would be fun to tie dye, but I don’t wanna mess up my shirt.” He tugged at the tie dye shirt Donghyuck had made for him last year. Donghyuck held back a sentimental grin, it always made him feel fuzzy and warm to see how Mark cherished all the things Donghyuck gave him.

“What are you guys talking about?” Jaemin asked as Jeno rested his head on his shoulder.

“What to do here,” Donghyuck answered.

“Bracelets?” Jeno suggested.

“That seems like our best bet, even though we all have a million. We’ll give it to the single people,” Mark said.

“Kun, Renjun, Chenle, and Jisung,” Jeno mumbled.

“Not Chenle and Jisung,” Donghyuck interrupted. “They’re practically dating, plus they’ve got Taeyong and Ten too.”

“True, true,” Jaemin muttered.

“Jeno, can you go get the string?” Donghyuck whined. Jeno groaned but stood up, looking at Mark. Mark was about to stand up when Donghyuck wrapped his hands around Mark’s waist, pulling him onto his lap. Mark grinned sheepishly and shook his head. Jeno groaned and rolled his eyes, going into the shack. Moments later, he returned with multi colored string for the four boys to use.

They each started to work, Jeno and Jaemin making for Renjun and Mark and Donghyuck making for Kun. After a few minutes, Jaemin looked up at Mark and Donghyuck.

“You know, we never thanked you guys for helping us get together. So, um, thank you, now.”

“It’s about time,” Donghyuck answered. “I’d been scheming since last year.”

“How did you guys know what we were doing?” Mark cried in surprise.

“On the hike we figured out how much you guys had to do with us getting together,” Jaemin answered.

“I never would’ve said anything without all the encouragement. I’m kind of a wimp, to be honest. I just thought Jaemin was too good for me.”

“I thought you were too good for me!” Jaemin replied.

“No Minnie you’re an angel. You’re perfect. I’m way out of your league,” Jeno whined. Mark and Donghyuck shared a look and rolled their eyes, and Donghyuck passive aggressively rolled his eyes.

“Hey!” Jeno whined after noticing the other couple’s judgmental gaze. “And I was just saying how much better you were this year, Hyuck.”

“No way, I’m still an ,” Donghyuck answered with a chuckle as Mark snuggled on his lap, continuing to make the bracelets.

“No, really, you are better,” Jaemin responded.

“I think Chenle’s worse than you now,” Jeno added.

“I don’t know about that,” Donghyuck said. In the distance, Chenle let out a loud scream.

Jeno looked up at Donghyuck. “My point stands.”

“Aw,” Donghyuck started, resting his head on Mark’s shoulder. “You guys are sweet...ish.”

“Same to you, my friend,” Jaemin responded, and they all shared a giggle.

After that they fell silent, snuggling into their boyfriends on the bench and weaving these bracelets together. Under the hot sun they created a sizable pile, and finally they decided they were finished.

Jeno stood up slowly with a groan; stretching out his limbs. The benches weren’t exactly the most comfortable place at camp.

“Let’s go give it to them,” he said in a groggy voice. The other boys hummed and follow him, grabbing their pile.

Kun and Renjun were talking on the grass when the four boys approached them.

“Um...” Jeno started awkwardly.

“We made these for you guys,” Donghyuck interrupted, and Mark handed them the bracelets. Kun and Renjun had a few, but not nearly as many as the rest of them.

“Really?” Kun asked with surprise.

“Yup,” Donghyuck answered.

“Ah... mmh... thank you,” Renjun responded, clearly not used to such sweet gestures.

“Thank you guys,” Kun said, and they all shared hugs before helping the two put on the bracelets.

“What are you guys doing?” Jeno asked.

Renjun shrugged. “Just talking.”

“Anything interesting?” Jaemin asked with a grin.

“We are not gossiping,” Kun deadpanned.

“Come on, why not?” Jaemin whined.

“What is there to gossip about? Everyone who likes someone is dating them already,” Renjun explained.

“I mean, Chenle and Jisung?” Mark suggested.

“They’re babies, it’s different,” Kun responded.

“What about who’s,” Jaemin started, his voice dropping to a whisper, “having ?”

“Ew! God, Jaemin, you’re so gross,” Renjun yelled back.

“You guys are bor-ing!” Donghyuck complained. “Babe, wanna take a walk?”

“Hm, sure,” Mark answered. He and Donghyuck took each other’s hands and walked away from the art shack, heading into the forest behind.

At first they rested in comfortable silence. Even though it was really weird when Donghyuck was with him and not talking, Mark always felt comfortable. Donghyuck had been right when he said he and Mark were soulmates; no matter what they were doing together it always felt right.

Once the sounds of the loud campers had faded, replaced by the noise of the wind rustling through the forest trees, Donghyuck sheepishly turned to his boyfriend.

“I know we have way too many bracelets, and that we were supposed to make them only for Kun and Renjun.... but I made you one anyways,” Donghyuck said, pulling a pink and yellow bracelet out of his back pocket.

Mark grinned back at him. “I.... I also made you one.” He pulled a red and lilac bracelet out of his own back pocket.

“Great minds think alike,” Donghyuck spoke as they tied the bracelets on each other’s wrists. As soon as Donghyuck was done, Mark held up his wrist to look at it.

“It matches my shirt!”

“Exactly,” Donghyuck responded in a quieter voice, stepping in closer. Mark matched his movements, and Donghyuck wrapped his arm around Mark’s waist. Mark rested his head on Donghyuck’s shoulder and flushed softly, the wind blowing through his black hair.

“I feel like I’m in an anime,” Mark spoke with a silly giggle.

“Thanks for ruining the moment,” Donghyuck responded. Mark didn’t move but looked up at Donghyuck and pouted. “Anyways, there’s no cherry blossoms around.”

“Maybe you’re the one who ruined the moment,” Mark muttered. Donghyuck just chuckled at his boyfriend and tilted his chin up, leaning in for a kiss.

Mark hummed into it and rested his hand on Donghyuck’s shoulder, their lips pressing softly together. Even though kissing Donghyuck had always been great, it had been getting better and better as camp progressed. Now it felt amazing, especially after Donghyuck’s kissing lessons for him yesterday.

Donghyuck tilted his head and Mark followed, his free hand resting on Donghyuck’s waist. Even after all this time Mark could feel his heart pounding in his chest and butterflies in his stomach. Maybe he was fourteen and stupid and Mark knew it well, but maybe he also knew that this was what love felt like.

“Hmm, Mark,” Donghyuck mumbled lowly as he pulled away. Mark’s eyes fluttered open and he watched Donghyuck’s pretty eyelashes, button nose, supple lips. He couldn’t look away and Donghyuck stayed close, both arms wrapping around him and holding him there.

Donghyuck looked up into Mark’s chocolate brown eyes. “Can I tell you a secret?” He asked, his voice barely above a whisper, and Mark simply nodded back. “You’ve changed me, Mark. Because of you I want to be the best person I can possibly be. Because of you I know what I want to do with my life, and I know this all sounds so ridiculous because I’m just thirteen, but.... it’s really how I feel. I really love you, Mark. I’ve  loved you from the moment I saw you... I swear, but I feel like I’ve loved you my whole life, and even longer than that...”

“I-I Donghyuck, I.... I love you too. And I feel the same way, like.... we were meant to find each other.” Mark paused to chuckle. “Gosh, and we were complaining about Jeno and Jaemin earlier, but we’re even worse.”

“Yeah, aren’t we,” Donghyuck responded, giggling back. They rested their foreheads together, sharing smiles.

“But it’s true what we keep saying,” Mark spoke as Donghyuck caressed the side of his face. “That we’re soulmates.”

“I love you,” Donghyuck said with another giggle. “It feels so good to say it.”

“It does, really.”

“Then say it again.”

Mark flushed and grinned; he was never good at expressing his feelings. “I love you,” he repeated, falling into laughter again.

“Again!”

“I love you!” Mark shouted, and Donghyuck pulled him into a tight hug.

“I love you too,” Donghyuck mumbled into his skin, and Mark couldn’t imagine being happier. Secretly he’d been imagining this confession since he and Donghyuck were at school, and it had gone better than he’d even imagined. To think Donghyuck felt the same way as he did, made him feel like the happiest fourteen year old in the world.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Mark and Donghyuck have been gone a while,” Renjun suddenly commented.

“Mmh,” Kun mumbled in agreement. The four of them were still sitting in the grass and talking, Jeno’s head on Jaemin’s shoulder.

“Maybe they went back to the cabin or to get a snack or something,” Jeno suggested.

“Ooh, a snack sounds good,” Renjun spoke.

“It does,” Kun responded, standing up. “Wanna come?”

“Sure,” Renjun answered, standing up and looking at Jeno and Jaemin.

The couple shared a look. “I think we’re good here,” Jaemin answered.

“Suit yourself,” Renjun responded, and the two went to the dining hall. Jeno and Jaemin took their spots leaning on the wall of the art shack.

Suddenly, Jeno reached into his pocket and pulled out a bracelet.

“I saved this one for you,” he said, and Jaemin held out his wrist.

“Thanks Jeno,” He sweetly responded. “I made you one too.” Jeno giggled and Jaemin tied it on. Jeno watched their hands, tracing the patterns of Jaemin’s wrist and palm.

Jeno suddenly gripped Jaemin’s cheek and pulled him in for a quick kiss.

“What was that for?” Jaemin asked with a giggle.

“I dunno...” Jeno responded, still a bit shy with Jaemin even though he was his boyfriend and his best friend. “Can I tell you something?”

“Mmh-Hmm?”

“I think I love you.”

Jaemin grinned widely, sparkles in his eyes as he shyly looked between Jeno and the grass below them. “I love you too Jeno.”

“I’m nervous to go back home and start high school... but with your love and you by my side, I think I can do it,” Jeno said.

“Me too, Jeno. Me too.”