The cool morning air was a gentle shock to Taehyung's system as he slowly blinked his eyes open. For a disorienting moment, the hard, uneven ground beneath him and the thin fabric of the tent ceiling were unfamiliar. Then it all came back—the camp, the forest, the distant rustle of leaves.

Turning his head, he saw Mira still fast asleep beside him, her breathing soft and steady in the pale light filtering through the tent. Not wanting to disturb her, he quietly slipped out, the zipper sounding deafeningly loud in the pre-dawn hush.

Outside, the world was bathed in a dim, bluish-gray light. The sun had yet to rise, and a tranquil quiet blanketed the forest, broken only by the distant chirping of early birds. Taehyung took a deep breath, savoring the crisp air and the feeling of having the whole world to himself.

But the serenity soon gave way to restlessness. With no plants to tend to and no books to read—his mother had insisted he leave them behind to socialize with his classmates—he found himself with nothing to do. A short stroll, he decided, would occupy the time.

His feet carried him aimlessly through the campsite until his gaze landed on Jungkook's tent. A memory flashed—Jungkook's habit of clinging to something in his sleep. A strange, unwelcome curiosity twisted in his stomach. What if he had spent the night wrapped around Dao Li? The thought bothered him, a persistent itch he couldn't ignore.

Before he fully realized what he was doing, he found himself standing before the tent, his hand hovering over the zipper. His heart hammered against his ribs.

'What are you even trying to do?' He scolded himself silently. 'This isn't like you. You're being a creep. So what if he's hugging her? It's none of your business...'

Yet, the urge to know was overpowering. Maybe just a small glance. It wouldn't hurt.

He took a shaky breath, his fingers trembling as they finally touched the cold metal of the zipper.

"What are you doing?"

Taehyung's heart nearly leaped out of his chest. He whipped around to find Jungkook standing right behind him, his arms cradling a bunch of shiny red apples. The boy's eyes sparkled with amused suspicion, a playful smirk playing on his lips.

Taehyung's mind scrambled, trying to process Jungkook's sudden appearance. Why would he be awake so early in the morning?

"Nothing," he stated, his voice surprisingly calm.

Jungkook's grin widened. He stepped closer, tilting his head. "Hm... You seem awfully nervous for someone doing nothing. Were you looking for me?"

"No," Taehyung denied, quickly regaining his composure. He forced himself to meet Jungkook's gaze. "I thought this was Ms. Aera's tent. I needed her help with something." The lie felt flimsy even to him.

Jungkook seemed to consider this, then shrugged, apparently deciding Taehyung had no reason to lie. "What did you need help with? Don't bother Ms. Aera, she needs her beauty sleep. I can help you!" he boasted, puffing out his chest.

Taehyung shook his head. "On second thought, I don't need help anymore."

"Oh." Jungkook nodded. "Well, how about an apple then?" He held one out. "I got these from a group of monkeys earlier! They were pretty fierce, but I'm not scared of them!" He looked immensely proud of himself, clearly expecting praise.

Taehyung sighed, shaking his head in disapproval. "Stealing is wrong."

Jungkook rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Come on, I stole from monkeys, not people. The police won't catch me for that. Besides, they have tons of fruit on the trees! Taking a few won't starve them."

Taehyung didn't know how to argue with such twisted logic. The idea of eating stolen fruit, even from monkeys, didn't sit right with him, so he politely declined. Jungkook just shrugged, wiped the apple on his shirt, and took a loud, crunchy bite.

Seeking escape from the situation, Taehyung turned and walked toward the river. Jungkook, of course, fell into step beside him without being invited, his footsteps light and carefree. Taehyung found he didn't actually mind the company if it's him.

At the riverbank, Taehyung settled onto a smooth rock, gazing at the gentle flow of the water. The surface rippled softly, reflecting the fading stars. The sound was soothing.

Jungkook, unable to sit still for long, kicked off his sandals and plunged his feet into the water with a small yelp. "Wow! The water's freezing!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement. "You should put your feet in too! It wakes you up instantly!"

"I'm already awake," Taehyung replied, his gaze still on the river. Then he added quietly, "Be quiet; Mira is sleeping."

Jungkook glanced back toward the tents, a small pout forming on his lips at the mention of Mira. The image of her and Taehyung sharing a tent still didn't sit well with him, though he couldn't explain why. He wondered if Taehyung had enjoyed her company more than his.

"Alright..." he muttered, his cheerfulness dimming. He wiggled his toes in the cold water, trying to distract himself.

Taehyung noticed the change in Jungkook's mood. The boy's usual energy had been replaced by a quiet sulk. Before he could ponder it, Jungkook's mischievous smile returned, and he nudged Taehyung's arm.

"So, how did you sleep? Does sleeping with the cutest girl in class make your dreams sweeter?" he teased, eyes gleaming.

Taehyung sighed, a wave of tiredness washing over him. Jungkook's inability to stay serious for long was exhausting. "I didn't dream, so I wouldn't know," he replied flatly.

Jungkook took another bite of his apple, amused by the earnest response to his question. He had only been asking out of jealousy.

As he swirled his feet, he accidentally splashed a few droplets onto Taehyung. He froze, expecting a scolding, but Taehyung merely wiped the water from his face without a hint of irritation. Jungkook breathed a silent sigh of relief.

After a moment of comfortable silence, Taehyung spoke again, his voice calm. "Did you sleep well?" He turned to look at Jungkook.

Jungkook was momentarily stunned. Not only had Taehyung not gotten angry, but he'd asked him a question. A surge of happiness warmed him, and a wide grin spread across his face. Instead of answering, he couldn't resist teasing, "Are you finally interested to know more about me?"

Taehyung looked away, a faint hint of amusement touching his features at Jungkook's shamelessness. "You don't have to answer if you don't want."

"Wait! I want to answer!" Jungkook laughed heartily as he leaned back, his shoulder bumping against Taehyung's with the motion. "I slept really well!" He was thrilled that Taehyung had taken the initiative to ask about him, though he completely missed that Taehyung was probing for details about his night with Dao Li.

After a brief pause, Taehyung asked again, his tone more serious. "How well did you sleep?"

Jungkook blinked, confused by the repetition. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Taehyung hesitated, then clarified. "Did you sleep better in the tent or in my room?"

"Your room, of course!" Jungkook answered without a moment's hesitation, as if it were the most obvious choice in the world. "The ground in the tent was so hard it made my back hurt! Didn't yours hurt too?"

Taehyung paused, his thoughts racing. Jungkook's quick, literal answer made him wonder if the boy had even understood the subtext of his question. Trying to sound casual, he pressed on. "Did you leave some space between you and Dao Li when you fell asleep last night?" The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them.

Jungkook furrowed his brows, genuinely trying to recall the previous night. "I don't know," he finally admitted with a shrug. "The tent felt pretty cramped after a while. It would've been better if we had our own sleeping bags. Then we could breathe the fresh air and turn any way we like."

Taehyung let out a slow, exhausted sigh. Despite his pointed questions, he was no closer to the answer he actually wanted: whether Jungkook had clung to Dao Li in his sleep.

"Why are you asking so many questions today?" Jungkook asked with a curious smile, his eyes twinkling as he took another bite of his apple. "And why do they all revolve around sleeping? Did you feel uncomfortable last night?"

"No," Taehyung replied shortly, his tone a masterclass in neutrality.

Eager to change the subject to something more exciting, Jungkook's eyes gleamed. "I wonder what we'll be doing today? Yesterday was so boring, just setting up tents."

Before Taehyung could respond, the soft sound of a zipper interrupted them. The tent behind them rustled, and Mira poked her head out, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she adjusted to the morning light. Her hair was slightly tousled, giving her a cute, disheveled look.

"Oh... you're both up so early?" she asked, her voice still heavy with sleep.

Taehyung turned his head slightly to look at her. "Good morning."

Mira blinked slowly and replied with a small smile. "Good morning... I hope I didn't disturb your sleep last night."

"You didn't," Taehyung replied, his tone softening just a touch.

Jungkook watched the exchange from the corner of his eye. He had always known Taehyung to be distant, almost cold, but seeing him speak so gently to Mira sparked a new thought. He wondered if Taehyung would ever show him that same kind of gentleness.

As Mira shivered slightly from the morning chill, Taehyung stood up and walked back to the tent. Without a word, he reached into his bag, pulled out a jacket, and draped it over her shoulders. The simple gesture carried a warmth that surprised her, and she blushed, now fully awake.

Jungkook watched the scene unfold, feeling a twinge of something he couldn't quite name—jealousy, envy, he wasn't sure. He knew he wanted that kind of attention from Taehyung too.

In a bid to draw some of that care toward himself, Jungkook exaggerated a loud sneeze. "Achoo! It's so cold!"

Taehyung turned to face him, his brows furrowing. "Don't spread your germs here. Step aside if you have to sneeze."

Jungkook's mouth dropped open in shock. That was not the reaction he had been hoping for. "But I'm cold! I want a jacket too!"

"I only brought one," Taehyung sighed, his patience wearing thin.

Mira, feeling awkward, quickly offered, "If Jungkook needs it, he can have it—"

"No need," Taehyung interrupted firmly. "You wear it."

The truth was, Taehyung knew Jungkook was putting on an act. Before Mira had woken up, Jungkook had been perfectly fine—dipping his legs in the freezing river, full of energy, even boasting about stealing apples from monkeys.

On the other hand, Mira was genuinely shivering. If she were to get sick from the cold, he would be the one sharing a confined tent with her for the next two days. The practical need to avoid that scenario far outweighed indulging Jungkook's performance to garner sympathy.

Jungkook pouted, feeling both annoyed and defeated. He couldn't shake the feeling of being left out and pushed aside. Just a moment ago, Taehyung had been so thoughtful toward Mira, yet now he was being downright dismissive to him. It wasn't fair!

Grumbling to himself, Jungkook pulled his legs out of the river with a huff, not even bothering to dry his dripping feet before slipping his sandals back on. The apples were still clutched tightly in his arms, his grip tightening with frustration. "How can you be so uncaring toward me?" he muttered, glaring at Taehyung. "You're colder than the weather! Fine, then! I'll curse you so you can only sleep after 10 pm tonight! Bye!"

With that, he stomped back to his tent, his pout deepening as he retreated into a sulky silence for the rest of the morning.

About two hours later, Ms. Aera's cheerful voice cut through the quiet as she began waking everyone up. She instructed the students to freshen up and gather in a circle near the campfire.

Once everyone was assembled and chatting, she clapped her hands to get their attention. "I hope everyone had a good night's sleep!" she said brightly, her enthusiasm contagious.

"Yes!" the group replied in unison, their voices filled with energy.

"That's great!" Ms. Aera beamed. "We have some exciting activities planned for today! After breakfast, we're going fishing and berry picking!"