E I G H T E E N

Word of the Day – “Clarify”

“Hey, something wrong, chef?”

Kyungsoo stirred aware of the man driving beside him when he felt a tap on his arm. Everything. Was. Wrong. He adjusted himself on the seat and squeezed his arms together. “Nothing, just focus on driving. We need to get back soon; it’s starting to get dark. We don’t want to miss out on too much.” He replied indifferently while glancing at Minseok’s backseat loaded with more bags of ice and cases of cola.

Aside from being the cooperative head chef that he was, he just really wanted to get out of there for a while. When he found out Minseok was about to go to a nearby grocery store to get some stuff, he didn’t falter to come along.

It was a relief. For a short while, he was able to distract himself. He just had to get out of his head that hadn’t entirely registered the new information that he was madly in love with Ra Miyoung. The Ra Miyoung.

It was a chilling thought, to say the least.

For this woman, all that had happened between them was nothing but another level to beat in her one-player hating game.

And besides, he was never going to be good enough for her. It wouldn’t work out. There was too much history, too much tension between them in the last fifteen years that they had known each other. He was definitely going to hurt her, just like how he did to his ex-wife. He was emotionally detached from everything. He couldn’t even understand how he managed to fall in love in the first place.

That was one more thing that bothered him.

What if he was wrong? What if it wasn’t love after all? What if he was completely confusing it with something else again? It was a never-ending debate in his head and he wasn’t quite ready to deal with it yet. A little too soon. A little too late.  

“Ooh, some of them look quite ed up already.” Minseok’s words automatically made his gaze shift to the opened window of the car towards their cabins from a distance. “My god, is that music coming from our cabin? We’re going to be in trouble, God damn it. Who is it?” Kyungsoo immediately stepped out of the vehicle as soon as it stopped. He quickly grabbed a few bags from the backseat and left the remaining for Minseok to carry.

They arrived in front of the cabin and all the staff immediately stopped with whatever they were doing as soon as they spotted Kyungsoo’s laser eyes. “Guys, no loud music, we’re going to get kicked out of here. Have some decency, please.” He glared at Baekhyun’s truck that was parked right beside the cabin, all doors opened, music blasting from the vehicle. He approached the truck and peered in. Baekhyun had the driver’s seat adjusted all the way down, a glass of some kind of alcohol laid flat right on his abdomen as he held onto it.

“Hey, turn that off or we’re going to have a problem here. This isn’t Coachella.” He knocked on the truck loud enough to make the man sit up to turn the volume lower. “Oh, chef. You’re back, did you also get more snacks?” The man laughed, obviously quite intoxicated already.

“No. Just get out of there and help us. The things we got are all going to your icebox. Come on.” Kyungsoo motioned the tipsy man out of the truck.

He knew it. Baekhyun wasn’t the leader type. He was right after all when he said that it was going all haywire if he let Baekhyun be one of the team leaders. He hauled the wobbly man towards the tent and passed some of the grocery bags to him. “Go go go, put the ice in the box now. Wake up.” He tapped the man on the cheek, hard enough for him to earn a sneer. Ignoring the reaction, Kyungsoo proceeded to check on the people who were in-charged of food.

“Guys, you shouldn’t have let Baekhyun distribute alcohol before we even start dinner. What is this? Why’s everyone already drinking?” He nagged in disappointment.

“Chef, we tried to tell him but he keeps saying he’s just giving them light stuff just to start off.”

Naturally, his gaze travelled far away, towards Miyoung’s cabin. Had she gone out since he left? Had she eaten anything at all? Concern began swerving up in his chest as he tried to focus on setting everything straight and in place again after chaos aka Byun Baekhyun somewhat ruined it. “Okay, whatever. Where’s Soobin? I gave her the keys to the van; I need to get something in there, I brought additional folding chairs and I think we might need some.” He changed the topic.

“She was out here a few hours ago but she had a few drinks and I think she went in to take a nap, chef.”

Kyungsoo snatched one piece of cooked meat from the barbeque pan and ate it. “Hm, good seasoning.” He tapped one of them before rushing into one of the cabins. He immediately located Soobin passed out on the futon couch.

He flicked his tongue in aggravation before hesitantly ruffling the woman’s hair to wake her up. “Soobin, Baekhyun’s already basically down as and I need your help. It’s chaos outside right now. We need everything back in place, come on. I can’t do everything alone. Get up.” He spoke, lightly pinching her cheek which finally stirred her.

The woman groaned as she got up. “Chef, finally, you’re back. I thought Miyoung wasn’t going to find you in there anytime soon.”

“In there, where?” Kyungsoo deeply frowned at the mention of the name.

Soobin squeezed her eyes shut a few more times before looking up at him. “Uh, in the woods? Weren’t you getting some wood for the bonfire or going for a run or something? She was looking for you earlier and Baekhyun said you were in the woods and I think she went there.” She replied cluelessly.

What the ? Baekhyun knew that he left with Minseok. The moron was the one who asked for more ice. Immediately, a wave of anger rushed through his head. “I was there but that was a long time ago. I went to the store with Minseok and we just got back.” Kyungsoo glanced down at his watch. “What time was that?” He asked.

“Like, four o’clock, I think?” Soobin answered and gasped when she turned to the wall clock. “Oh my god, it’s already six—I was asleep that long? I’m so sorry, chef.”

Awareness hit Kyungsoo like a punch in the gut. “Are you kidding me—” He instantly hurried out of the cabin to check if Miyoung was in hers. He passed by the table where Baekhyun was making drinks and he almost lost it, he was ready to throw hands but he held it in. He was going to deal with the head later once he found Miyoung. With heavy and hassled footsteps, he made his way to her solo cabin. He mentally prayed that she was already back. She had to be in there or he was going to lose his .

Knock. Knock.

No answer.

He tried it again, still no answer.

He peered through the curtained window but there was no chance he could see anything inside. “Miyoung, are you there? Hello?” He called out as he took a step back until he was leaning by the porch railing. He tried calling her phone numerous times but she seemed to have turned it off. He had already knocked endlessly and even encircled the entire cabin from front to back. No Miyoung.

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