Kitchen Beat

The Last Summer of the Boys

It was a normal morning where Yangyang, Hendery, Renjun, and Kun were all busy preparing the morning breakfast. As... strange as Hendery and Yangyang were, they were definitely a big help in the kitchen. No longer were Renjun and Kun running around, sweating and stressing over breakfast. Now they were running around, sweating and stressing over making sure Hendery and Yangyang did their job correctly. But there was a lot less of the bad stuff. Honestly, nothing about his job was all that bad. 

"Hey guys, we have a delivery coming this morning," Renjun announced, the rest of Kun's kitchen coworkers giving him a smirk. Wait. There was one part of Kun's job that was all that bad. 

"Dude, how are you blushing already?" Yangyang teased, and Kun did not hesitate to wack him with a dishrag. "You know, you can't forget that dare Yukhei gave you last time we played." 

Kun couldn't hold back his loud groan of defeat as Yangyang, Hendery, and Renjun all giggled around him. Five days ago Yukhei had dared Kun to tell Xiaojun he thought his eyebrows were y. Which was definitely true, they were the iest goddamn eyebrows Kun had ever seen in his entire life, but he really didn't want to admit that to Xiaojun. But clearly, he was going to have to. Xiaojun hadn't been over to camp since that dare, and since it had been a few days Kun was hoping they would forget. But of course they wouldn't. Of course. 

At that moment the cursed guy walked in through the doors of the kitchen, heaving slightly and setting down a box full of lettuce. "Hey boys," he said, smiling at all of them. "It's been a while." 

Immediately, Kun made a beeline for the other side of the kitchen, getting to work on breakfast. He absolutely did not want to tell the cutest, iest, funniest, most interesting guy he had ever seen in his life that his eyebrows were y. No no no. 

"Where's Kun?" he overheard Xiaojun ask. 

Suddenly, Renjun walked over and kicked him in the shins. "If you don't do your dare we'll do it for you," he whispered in his ear. A cold shiver went down Kun's spine; he did not want to know how they would 'do his dare for him'. Plus Renjun was terrifying. 

Kun edged ever so slightly closer to Xiaojun but still on the other side of the room from him and Xiaojun set down another box, Yangyang going to help him. When he came back, Yangyang was not carrying a box but he and Xiaojun were chatting. 

"He's avoiding you because..." Yangyang started saying until Kun shot a death glare at him. Then Yangyang started giggling. "Nothing." 

"Nothing?" Xiaojun asked. 

"Yangyang come help me!" Kun yelled and Yangyang trodded over. Before Yangyang could say anything Kun set him to work on setting out the maple syrup so he could listen in to what was going on. 

"I'll help you with the boxes!" Hendery volunteered. 

"What's his problem?" Xiaojun heard Hendery whisper, turning slightly so he could see Xiaojun was pointing to Yangyang and not himself. "He couldn't even lift one of the boxes." 

"He's really rich," Hendery answered, as if that explained anything. But Xiaojun accepted that answer, the two going back and forth to the truck. 

Kun just stayed in the corner frying up the waffles, only growing more and more anxious as time went on. He wasn't sure what any of this meant anyways. Was this a game for Xiaojun? Was he actually flirting? Honestly, Kun had no clue. 

"Finally, all done," Kun heard Hendery sigh as he and Xiaojun put down the last of the boxes. But he couldn't hear Xiaojun making any move to leave. 

"What's wrong?" Xiaojun's voice suddenly spoke, right next to him. Kun jumped back in shock; Yangyang was standing right where Xiaojun was just a second ago. Kun looked around to see Renjun, Hendery, and Yangyang giggling and staring at the two of them, and Kun gave them a deadpan look before turning back to Xiaojun. "Cat got your tongue?" the delivery boy asked.

He was somehow even more attractive than he'd been the last time he saw him less than a week ago. Waiting for Kun's response, he gave him a little eyebrow wiggle. Kun thought he was going to pass out. Honestly he kind of wanted to pass out. But was punishment from Renjun worse than just going through with the dare?

Yes, yes it was. So Kun cleared his throat. 

"Kun, your knees are literally shaking-" 

Kun coughed loudly so Renjun would shut the up and turned to Xiaojun. "Um...um...um...your eyebrows are y!" Kun cried. 

"Wh-what?" Xiaojun answered, looking ninety percent confused and ten percent amused. 

"They're...they're y," Kun mumbled before promptly dashing out of the kitchen's back door. 

Everyone was frozen in the kitchen for a moment, just as Doyoung and Jaehyun walked down the stairs from their office into the kitchen. 

"Guys, what the hell is going on down here?" Doyoung cried. "We heard a loud commotion and lots of giggling and now everyone looks so..." 

"Also, where is Kun?" Jaehyun added. 

"He just told me that my eyebrows were y and then ran off," Xiaojun explained. Immediately everyone else including Doyoung and Jaehyun started laughing, and hard. "Did you guys put him up to that?" Xiaojun asked. 

"Kind of?" Yangyang explained through his laughter. "We were playing truth or dare and he got dared to tell you that." 

"But you know he meant it," Renjun added. 

Xiaojun sighed softly. "I do know. I do. God it was nice to hear him say it out loud." 

"Anyways..." Doyoung trailed off with a last laugh and a quick cough. "Anything we can help you with?" 

"Nope! Everything's good. I guess I'll be taking my leave then. Tell Kun I said goodbye and that I waggled by eyebrows." 

Everyone laughed. "Will do," Renjun answered. 

"I'm not sure if he could handle that," Hendery mumbled, and Xiaojun headed out of the kitchen. When they heard the sound of his truck leaving the camp parking lot, they all turned back to each other. 

"Will you guys make Kun come back? Breakfast still isn't ready and we kinda need his help," Renjun said. 

Jaehyun hummed. "I think we should give him a moment. That was probably quite humiliating. Plus, you all know him. He's way too retentive not to work when he should be." 

"I'm with Jaehyun; give him a minute," Doyoung added. The other kitchen staff hummed in agreement. 

"Alright guys, I have to head out," Jaehyun said. Just then the other boys noticed him wearing his swim trunks. 

"Where are you going?" Hendery asked in confusion. 

Jaehyun sighed. "To the pool. Jeno and Jaemin still won't work together." Renjun, Hendery, and Yangyang gasped. 

"They told me they were fighting but wouldn't explain why. I had no idea it was this bad..." Renjun mumbled. 

"It's Jaehyun and Jaemin's turn today. We switch off," Doyoung explained. 

"That's not good. How long has this been going on?" Yangyang asked. 

"Four days," Doyoung answered with a grimace. They all gasped again. 

"You know, I could tell. Their vibes were off. They're not on the same wavelength anymore," Hendery said. 

"Do you know any hippie dippy that could fix their problem?" Yangyang asked. 

"My friends stole my crystals when we tripped," Hendery grumbled, and everyone else tried hard not to left. "I think they'll just have to talk this one out." 

Jaehyun sighed. "Well, I should get going." 

"Why don't I walk you over to the pool?" Doyoung suggested. At that Jaehyun smiled and grabbed his hand. 

"I'd love that." 

"Good luck boys. Be gentle with Kun now," Doyoung said. 

"Will do," Hendery answered. 

"Will try," Renjun and Yangyang added simoultaneously. 

Doyoung and Jaehyun chuckled and headed out of the kitchen, walking down the path in the early morning light down to the pool. 

"I can't believe Jeno and Jaemin didn't even tell Renjun what's wrong," Jaehyun whispered, so none of the campers or counselors would overhear. 

"I know," Doyoung whispered back. "Renjun's both of their best friend." 

They both squeezed each other's hands, trying to appreciate the fresh morning breeze and the time alone together, something they didn't often have. But in the back of their minds was always this worry for their much younger friends; nobody wanted them to ruin something they had spent so much time and love on. 

But when they were close to the pool Jaehyun spun Doyoung around in his arms, facing towards him so they could share a quick kiss. The giggled into each other's mouths before turning around to see Jaemin, watching them share a loving kiss with so much heartbreak in his eyes that it almost hurt. 

"Good morning!" Jaehyun said, giving Doyoung another kiss on the cheek before going over to the pool. 

"Morning," Jaemin answered, managing to muster a fake smile on his face. 

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WhiteWolf16
#1
Can you do a summer au on when NCT's kids go to Camp Purple? Just a small one?
kpop_04jk
#2
Chapter 30: The whole series is amazing and did not disappoint. Though I am sad that it is over, I know I will always come back to read them again. Thank you for such an amazing story.
WhiteWolf16
#3
Chapter 30: Hey, um, could write like another one of these summer camp au with like another amazing band? These fanfics were awesome! I read the whole summer camp series. EXO and NCT. And it just really stuck with me. For the first time, I'm feeling so sad finishing a fanfic. Maybe you can write one where NCT sends their kids to Camp Purple. That would be awesome. Anyways, I love your work.
kpop_04jk
#4
Chapter 29: Such a wholesome chapter. I almost started crying too
DubufulKoala #5
Chapter 26: Lmao they are all wilding out
atinystarteez
#6
Chapter 26: Omg, why is it that despite all the different types of drunks in their friendship, they're all hilarious?
Also, Xiaojun and Kun — making out? Living for it! Altho, I hope Kun remembers it :(( I would live for a scene where Kun remembers everything and gets embarrassed when Xiaojun delivers something again, lol.
Donghyuck and Mark are hilarious, lmao and Jungwoo and Yukhei BETTER PAY FOR THAT CUTLERY — Jk, haha.
I loved this: I love this whole fic overall — you're an amazing writer!
Softymoonjun
#7
Chapter 25: Your such a good writer! I’m sad this gonna end soon tho but, LOVE IT! ITS SO CUTE
DubufulKoala #8
Chapter 25: This story is so cute i am sad it will end but i can always re-read
kpop_04jk
#9
Chapter 24: I’m so sad this is going to end soon cuz I love it soooo much but this chapter was amazing, as always.