Seungwan, dress in a soft linen peasant blouse of deep brown and long black skirt, rocked back and forth on the top step, her apartment building looming up behind her. She patted her knees with hands impatiently as she hummed a melody, a knew one that had recently sprung into her mind and she couldn't shake. Glancing up and down the street, she sighed. A large blue duffle bag sat at her feet, packed for the overnight trip, her guitar bag slung across her back.

“I suppose Sooyoung is right,” she said quietly to herself as a soft breeze washed over her, the scent of fresh cut grass carried upon it. “This is the perfect weather for going camping. I never really imagined her as a camper, thought.” She had always thought of her friend as someone metropolitan, a soul that thrived inside the bounds of a large and bustling city.

A white sedan, both familiar and surprising, pulled up in front of the building with the squeal of brakes as it rolled to a stop. She furrowed her brows and thought, “That’s not Sooyoung.” The driver side door opened, Joohyun’s pretty head appearing from over the roof of the car. Blinking in confusion, Seungwan hesitantly stood, lips pursed as she smoothed her skirt about her legs.

“Sooyoung asked me to drive you,” Joohyun said with a grin as she placed her hands on the roof of the car, moving to stand on tip to to get a better look at Seungwan. The girl could feel eyes raking her length and suddenly felt embarrassed. “Is that Okay?”

Seungwan nodded slowly, the butterflies coming alive in her stomach once more. Forcing a smile to her lips, she bend down and grabbed her duffle bag before carefully making her way down the steps, watching her feet as she did. As she reached the bottom of the steps, she looked up to see Joohyun come around the back of the car, dressed in white linen shorts and loose tank top and the same white sneakers the first day they met in the park, still stained with sprinkles of green from the grass.

Clearing , she tried to force herself to keep from staring at Joohyun’s legs, soft flesh as pale as milk. Joohyun popped the trunk as Seungwan neared the car, “You can put your stuff in here. I have a big cooler in the backseat that’s taking up all the space there.” Joohyun offered a wan smile. “Are you surprised to see me,” she asked as Seungwan gently put her bags in the trunk.

“Honestly, yes,” Seungwan said in a soft voice, afraid to look at Joohyun knowing just how dangerous the woman’s honeyed eyes were to her. “Then again, Sooyoung didn’t say she was going to be the one picking me up. She only said that I should be outside and ready at 9am so I just assumed. You’re 10 minutes late, by the way.”

Joohyun blinked before giving a loud laugh, swatting Seungwan playfully on the shoulder. “Sorry, I had to stop and get ice for the cooler and it took a bit longer than I expected.” Joohyun stepped around Seungwan, the woman’s hand falling to graze along the narrow width of the girl’s back, before slipping away. Seungwan felt tingles rush through her and mentally cursed her treacherous body. “I’ll get the door for you,” Joohyun said happily as she opened the passenger side door.

With a gracious smile, Seungwan slid into the car seat, staring at the dash as she buckled her belt and Joohyun closed the door. The scent of lavender filled her senses, finding it both wonderful and disconcerting. She had found herself picking up the flannel shirt from the night she had spent at Joohyun’s, balling it up at her nose to catch the remaining scent of the woman. It was her creepy little addiction that she couldn’t seem to shake. 

A moment later, Joohyun was in the driver's seat and shifting the car into gear. “Sooyoung actually was going to drive you,” Joohyun said as she checked her mirrors before pulling out into the street, “but Yeri really wanted to ride with her. Yeri says that Sooyoung is her new partner in crime and of course, where Yeri goes so does Seulgi.”

“Ah, that makes sense,” Seungwan said with a laugh as she looked out the window, watching the world slowly roll by as the car moved down the street. Familiar builds she had walked past every day, suddenly looking different when viewed from behind the window of a car. “She has a small car and it would have been super cramped with me in there.”

“And I would have had to drive all alone,” Joohyun said with a pout. “So Sooyoung offered to take them if I would drive you.” She glanced over at Seungwan, the girl’s face almost plastered to the window, a frown visible in the girl’s reflection. “Are you sure you don’t mind? You seem a bit on edge.”

“Oh,” Seungwan said as she gave her head a quick shake, “I’m not really on edge, just worn out. I’ve been spending a lot of time in the recording studio. From the outside it looks like it would be easy but the long hours are really, really tiring.”

“I think I understand,” Joohyun said in a sympathetic voice. “At the end of the month I have to do all of the accounting numbers for my business. I’ll spend a full 8 hours just going through the program, double checking that I have all the numbers right. I’m always left utterly exhausting afterwards and I feel like I could sleep for a full day afterwards.” Joohyun casually dropped a hand to rest on Seungwan’s leg as she spoke, fingers gliding down the grasp and rest at the inside of the girl’s knee.

Seungwan’s gaze slide from the outside world, her breath suddenly shallow at that simple touch, eyes falling to look at the woman’s small hand, soft and slender, resting on her leg. Swallowing, she felt herself fighting an internal struggle. Her mind telling her to pull the woman’s hand away but her body was screaming for more. “It’s the same with recording,” Seungwan began, her voice almost a croak. “I’m a perfectionist so sometimes I’ll sing the same line over a hundred times until I get it just right. It makes for some very long recording sessions.”

“Well, you’re an amazing artist,” Joohyun said as she glanced sidelong at Seungwan. Her voice turned serious as she asked, “But how are you doing with the recording? I hope you’re not upset by this, but Sooyoung told me you were doing… that song.”

Seungwan tore her gaze for the woman’s hand, head swinging up to look at the woman’s face, voice full of surprise as she asked, “Just how much have you and Sooyoung been talking about?” She felt a tinge of jealousy rising in her stomach, unhappy at the idea of them hanging out together without her. She just wasn’t sure if she was jealous of Joohyun or Sooyoung.

“We ran into each other during breakfast a few days ago,” Joohyun said quickly as way of explanation, her voice soft and soothing. “Do you know where Bae Cleaners is?”

“Yeah,” Seungwan said, her brows furrowing deep, confused by the sudden question. “It’s the only dry cleaner in our neighborhood. I usually have my stage outfits cleaned there.”

Joohyun’s pink lips curved into a smile at the look of bewilderment that was overtaking Seungwan’s features. “You should tell me next time you bring something there to be cleaned,” she said as she gave the girl’s knee a soft squeeze, “I can get you an amazing discount.”

“So you work there? I’ve never seen you behind the counter there and trust me, I’d have knowing if I’d seen you there,” Seungwan said as the look of confusion on her face only grew deeper. She bit her lip and cocked her head as she watched Joohyun intently.

“Actually,” Joohyun said, “I’m the CEO of Bae Cleaners.” She watched through the corner of her eye as Seungwan’s lips slowly slipped from between her teeth, eyes looking up and rolling side to side in thought as the revelation settled in.

“Aren't there Bae Cleaners all over Seoul?”

“We have 37 locations,” Joohyun said with a wide smile, her voice suddenly filled with a deep pride. “It’s actually my grandparents business. They started it back in the 70’s but after I graduated from University they decided to retire and make me the CEO.”

“Wow,” Seungwan said, genuine admiration in her voice, “Well done, Joohyun.” With a grin, Seungwan brought her hands together and clapped, her eyes echoing the admiration that was held in her tone.

Blushing, Joohyun gave a demure smile. “It’s been a lot of work to be honest. I didn’t want to just run it as it was but grow it. There were a lot of long hours getting to where I am now but when I see the profit numbers roll in, I have to admit, it gives me a thrill.” She gave a soft chuckle of happiness, her hand slowly upwards along the inside of Seungwan’s slender leg as she spoke.

“That’s great,” Seungwan said, her voice rising an octave as she glance down to watch the woman’s hand glide against her skirt, a trail of heat left in its wake. She felt as though Joohyun’s touch could set her on fire any moment. Clearing , she consciously lowered her voice and asked, “Are you sure you don’t need both of your hands to drive?”

Joohyun’s hand suddenly stopped, the woman’s voice tinged with worry as she asked, “Sorry, is my touch bothering you that much?” Joohyun turned her head a moment to regards Seungwan, her eyes filled with hope as she blinked at the girl a moment.

“I’m just not used to having touch friends,” Seungwan said. She opened to ask Joohyun to remove her hand but there was something about the woman’s eyes. They were pleading with her. She felt her resolve melt and shook her head, “It’s okay, though. I suppose after the night I spent at your place, this is pretty tame in comparison.” She felt her own cheeks heat, a matching blush creeping onto Joohyun’s pale face.

“I won’t push too fast with the touching,” Joohyun said as she slowly drew her hand away to place it back on the steering wheel. Seungwan could swear she still felt those fingers, the woman’s touch lingering like a spirit to haunt her. “I’m very physical with people I like,” Joohyun began, “I hit. I hug. I like to climb into laps. Because I do those things you can be sure I really like you.”

“Be sure I really like you,” Seungwan thought, echoing those words in her mind. She felt like those words had caressed her, every inch of flesh, every nerve now tingling and alive. “But what kind of like? I can’t be hurt again,” she thought as she watched Joohyuns face, eyes and face filled with concentration as they were merging onto the highway.

“How long is the drive to the campground,” Seungwan asked, looking to redirect the conversation. She wasn’t sure if she could survive a long drive with Joohyun. 

“Only about 30 minutes. That campground is not all that far,” Joohyun said softly as she focused on the road, glancing in the mirrors every few seconds. Seungwan could appreciate how careful the woman was. “Do you like camping?”

“I’ve never been camping here,” Seungwan said as she began to look around, watching the other cars on the road. “I went on a couple of camping trips in Canada, if you could call what we did camping. My dad would rent a big RV and we’d rent a spot at a luxury campground. The place had a pool, an arcade and even a mini golf course.”

“All that at a campground?” Joohyun gave a low whistle of appreciation. “We have some fancy campsites here but nothing quite like that. I wouldn’t mind visiting Canada some day and seeing what that is like. You could be my guide,” Joohyun suggested happily as she flashed a quick grin at Seungwan.

Seungwan merely nodded, not sure how to answer with the conflicting emotions playing inside of her. An image of them walking together beneath a line of maple and oak trees, hand in hand, passed through her mind. She shook her head, forcing it away, summoning up the mental picture of Jennie and Joohyun to remind herself that she wasn’t a part of the woman’s destiny.

“Ah! I almost forgot to tell you,” Joohyun exclaimed causing Seungwan to startle in her seat. “So you’re not surprised when we get there, a couple of our other friends are coming along as well. Do you remember the owner of Black Velvet and her girlfriend?”

Seungwan gave a quick nod. “Rose and Lisa, right?”

“That’s them. They are going to come camping with us,” Joohyun said as she grinned. “They’re a lot of fun so it’ll help to make sure you have a good time. Sooyoung told me I should tell you this, but the main reason we’re having this trip is just to cheer you up.”

Seungwan heaved a sigh and shook her head, voice wry as she spoke, “Sounds like something Sooyoung would do. She’s always tricking me into things she thinks I should be doing.”

“She said you don’t like to impose and would have refused if you knew this was all planned for you.”

“She’s not wrong,” Seungwan said with a pout as she crossed her arms across her stomach, head jutting forward slightly. She caught Joohyun glancing at her sidelong, the woman's lips curling into an amused smile. “I’m honestly a loner but she’s always making me do stuff.”

“She’s a good friend to you,” Joohyun said, a mysterious tone in her voice as she spoke, “who wants to make you happy. You deserve to be happy.”

Seungwan narrowed her eyes, her pout only seeming to deepen as she watched Joohyun. She wondered exactly what subtext were laced in those words, the tone and expression on the woman’s face telling her there was something deeper being said. “You’re not trying to trick me too, are you?”

“Trick you?” Joohyun gave a soft laugh as she took a moment to glance over at the girl, her dark eyes seeming to glisten as she winked, “I promise to be completely up front with you. But later. Right now I have to drive and I don’t want to ruin the plan.”

“Plan? Okay, it really sounds like you guys are plotting something.”

“Plotted, not plotting. It’s already been worked out.”

“You just said you weren’t going to trick me!”

“I told you there was a plot, therefore it’s not a trick. I’m just omitting stuff,” Joohyun said playfully, her hand leaving the steering wheel again to give Seungwan’s soft thigh a firm squeeze. “So just be patient and we’ll see if you love the surprise we have in store for you.”

“Did Yeri and Sooyoung come up with the surprise?” There was a desperation in Seungwan’s voice, her entire body seeming to radiate apprehension that filled the car. 

Laughing, Joohyun shook her head and said, simply, “No. It’s all me.”

“I’m honestly not sure if that’s any better,” Seungwan said slowly. She leaned against the car door, pouting as she turned to look out the window once more, afraid to see that happy little smile on Joohyun’s face, wondering exactly what it meant for her. She fell into silence, her mind overthinking as the car sped down the highway.

The road into the campground was rocky and bumpy, rutted from the spring rains that had swept through the weeks before. Through verdant green trees, a low mountain rose up behind them. Squinching her eyes, she could see the bright jackets of hikers winding their way up it’s side. “Can I roll down the window,” Seungwan asked, her hand hovering over the electric window button.

“Sure,” Joohyun said, her lips pursed as she focused on the road, drifting the car left and right to avoid the larger bumps or holes.

Hitting the button, Seungwan smiled as she window rolled down, the cool air blowing in to brush against her face, dark hair flying about. She inhaled deeply, the scent of wet dirt and old wood reminding her of home. “This is wonderful,” she said with an excited voice. “I really miss the forest.”

“Sounds like we picked the perfect thing,” Joohyun said in a pleased tone. The woman tore her gaze away from the road just long enough to catch of glimpse of Seungwan, head almost out of the car window, soaking in the breeze. The look of pure delight on the girl’s face, the way her eyes sparkled, melted Joohyun’s heart. “You’re beautiful,” she said without thinking.

“It really is beautiful here,” Seungwan said softly as she shook her head back and forth, letting the wind take her hair and laughing, obviously having misheard the woman’s words. A minute later they pulled into the campground, plots of tents strewn throughout the trees. She could see people milling about the different campsites. 

“Sooyoung said she reserved plot 18 for us,” Joohyun said as the car rolled to a stop, a large wooden sign with arrows pointing towards different branches in the road. Squinting her eyes, leaning forward past the steering wheel she gave it a quick read. “To the right,” she muttered and stepped on the gas, turning down the right fork.

“I don’t think Sooyoung owns a tent,” Seungwan said, the thought suddenly popping into her head. “Do you guys have a couple?”

“Nope,” Joohyun said as she slowly drove through the woods, watching for people walking along the side of the road, “you can rent tents here. I pitched in a bit extra to pay for them to also set them up for us. That way we can just show up and relax.”

“Huh,” Seungwan said thoughtfully, “back in Canada I don’t think we had that kind of luxury. You rented the spot and it was all you from that point on. This is definitely much nicer. “15… 18 should just be right up ahead,” Seungwan said as she pointed out the window at wood sign staked in front of a campsite.

A moment later, around a curve and a copse of trees, they caught sight of Sooyoung standing at the side of the road, dressed in nothing but shorts and a halter top, hands on her hips as the girl inhaled deeply. As they drew near, Seungwan leaned out the window and yelled, “Hot body! Hot body!”

With a laugh, Sooyoung waved at them and pointed at a campsite behind her, three orange tents pitched around a large, stone fire pit. “We’re right here,” She said as the car pulled up beside her and stopped. The girl scampered over to Seungwan’s side and leaned in, giving her friend a hug through the window. “We only got here about a half hour ago. Team Rocket already took off into the woods to explore.”

“Team Rocket? You mean Yeri and Seulgi?”

Sooyoung grinned and nodded as she stepped back. “I was just about to go see about ordering firewood. I don’t know if we’re allowed to scavenge from the ground here.” She pointed towards a small path worn into the forest floor, “it’s just a short walk so why don’t you guys unpack and I’ll be back shortly.”

“Sounds good,” Joohyun said, Seungwan nodding in agreement. Stepping back, Sooyoung flashed a smile and wink before walking around the back of the car, thumping on the trunk to let them know she was clear and crossing the street. 

Pulling into the campsite, Joohyun parked beside Sooyoung's small, red hatchback and turned off the engine. Before she could say anything, Seungwan had flung the door open and leapt out, the girl flinging her arms wide as she looked up at the tree canopy and twirled happily.

Joohyun could only sit there and watch, the way the girl was lost in happiness, white teeth bared in joy, reminded her of the first moment they had met. She could see Seungwan crouched on top of the bench, hands grasping the high back and going on wildly about magic numbers. Seungwan skidded to a stop, black skirt swirling about her legs as she flashed Joohyun a wide grin, eyes squinched shut.

“See, you’re already enjoying yourself,” Joohyun said with a grin as she popped the trunk of the car open, pulling out Seungwan’s duffle and a backpack of her own. “You just keep having fun and I’m going to unload the car.”

With a quick nod, Seungwan skipped to the firepit and leaned down, hands on the rough stone as she looked at the tents spread out in a semi circle around it. Bright orange and made of heavy nylon, she quickly counted them out. “Four tents should do,” Seungwan said brightly. She watched Joohyun pass in front of her, the woman’s skin seeming to just glow in the shade of the tree’s, drawing her eyes.

Seungwan’s brows furrowed as she watched the woman place her duffle inside a tent along with her own duffle bag. “Do you know which tent is Sooyoung’s? I should probably put my bag in her tent.”

“She didn’t tell you?” Joohyun said in an even voice as she started back towards her car, “Sungjae is coming up later and is going to stay the night so she is sharing her tent with him. We’re going to let all the couples have their own tent for,” Joohyun cleared as her ears seemed to turn read, “so they can have privacy.”

“Wait, so that means,” Seungwan said, her words trailing off into an unfinished sentence, working out the math in her head. She could see her duffel bag nestled beside Joohyun’s backpack, touching, like an omen of the night to come.

“That means that Yeri and Seulgi get their own tent, so will Rosie and Lisa.” With a slight huff and groan, Joohyun dragged a large blue cooler out from her backseat, grunting as she slowly lowered it to the ground, “I swear it wasn’t this heavy when I put it in.”

“I’ll help,” Seungwan said quickly as she rushed over, grabbing one handle of the cooler, helping Joohyun lift it up. Shuffling and moving in unison, they carried it to the first tent, dropping it on the ground unceremoniously. “You actually got that up in the car by yourself?” Seungwan looked at Joohyun, her face dubious.

“I really did,” Joohyun said quickly, pointing at the cooler. “I swear. Maybe it was just all the energy of excitement or something.”

“Must be,” Seungwan said, still not quite sure she believed the woman. They stood their for a moment, their bodies close, as the sound of bird calls echoed out from the trees, letting the cool breeze wash over them. She felt a hand slip into hers, fingers twining with her own. She glanced down at Joohyun’s small hand, almost unhappy at how comfortable it felt.

“Do you mind if we sleep in the same tent?” She could hear the concern in the woman’s voice, echoed in her features when Seungwan glanced up. The way Joohyun’s soft, pink lips quivered and the way her eyes seemed to droop sent shivers down the length of her back. She felt she shouldn’t to say it wasn’t okay. She should say they could just rent another tent but she knew it wouldn’t happen.

Seungwan knew, that deep down, she wanted to. She wanted to spend time with Joohyun. She wanted to hold the woman in her arms and kiss her. “I just don't want be hurt again,” she thought to herself as she summoned up a wan smile, her eyes glassy as she felt like she could cry. She nodded and said, “I won’t mind at all.”

Authors Notes: Usually I reference lyrics in a chapter to match the title. I didn't this time but if you look at the lyrics of the song, it makes a lot of sense in context. I'm calling this the Camping Arch of the story and as you can see, Joyrene's plan has been set in motion...