Taehyung entered the tent, his hair still slightly damp, with droplets of water trailing down his neck and disappearing beneath his collar. His face was so dark with frustration that anyone could sense his sour mood from a mile away.

"Oh, you're back!" Jungkook greeted cheerfully, the very cause of Taehyung's troubles. He scooted to the side, making space for Taehyung to settle. Jungkook had his bandages freshly wrapped, though the stern scolding from Mr. Kim still lingered in his ears. "What took you so long? Did you end up needing my help after all?"

Taehyung didn’t respond. He simply frowned and ignored Jungkook, meticulously placing his shower supplies next to his bag with deliberate care, as if trying to ground himself in the mundane task. Without another word, he moved to the empty side of the tent, lying down in silence, his back turned to Jungkook.

Jungkook watched him with mild curiosity before inching closer, refusing to let the night end in such a mundane way. "You're going to sleep already?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "It's just after eight! It’s not even nine yet!"

"I'm tired," Taehyung replied tersely, his voice flat. He pulled his blanket up and turned further away, facing the wall of the tent. "Goodnight."

Jungkook wasn’t one to be dismissed so easily. With a playful grin, he tossed aside the stuffed Shadow he’d been holding and tugged on Taehyung's shoulder, determined to engage him. "No goodnight!" he insisted, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "It’s such a waste to sleep so early! We’re at a camp, in the middle of the forest! Let's go out and explore! Maybe we can encounter some ghosts or dragons—"

"Ghosts doesn't exist!" Taehyung snapped, his voice unintentionally rising. His frustration was evident, and he immediately regretted his outburst. The tips of his ears flushed red with embarrassment as he quickly looked away. "I mean... it's late. Time to sleep."

Jungkook's eyes widened in realization as a sly smile spread across his face. Taehyung was afraid of ghosts. He bit back a laugh, leaning in closer, his voice dropping to a low, eerie whisper. "Ghosts... that’s right, there are definitely ghosts in this forest," he murmured, his tone dark and mysterious. "Who knows how many people have died out here? Maybe a ghost is already inside someone’s tent, watching them as they sleep..."

Taehyung’s heart pounded in his chest, the fatigue from the day rapidly evaporating as his anxiety took hold. He tried to convince himself that Jungkook was just teasing, but the image of a ghostly figure lurking in the shadows was too vivid to ignore. Jungkook, sensing Taehyung's growing unease, struggled to keep a straight face as he got up and casually limped toward the tent’s entrance.

"Where are you going?" Taehyung's voice trembled slightly, betraying the fear he tried to hide.

Jungkook could no longer contain his amusement. A playful smile broke across his face as he glanced back at Taehyung. "I’m going to look at the stars. You can sleep in peace now," he teased, his tone light and carefree.

But Taehyung was having none of it. He scrambled to his feet, quickly following Jungkook out of the tent. "I’m suddenly not sleepy anymore..." he mumbled, clearly rattled.

Jungkook burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the quiet campsite. He wiped away a tear as he doubled over, his sides aching from the sheer joy of Taehyung’s reaction. "Taehyung, I didn’t expect you to be so afraid of ghosts!"

Taehyung frowned, trying to maintain his composure despite the embarrassment flaming in his cheeks. "I'm not afraid of ghosts. They’re not real," he said, though his voice lacked conviction.

Jungkook grinned, leaning in closer to Taehyung. "So, you’re afraid of something that’s not real? That's even more funny!" he teased, earning a glare from Taehyung. "No need to be scared of ghosts. I’ll protect you from them!"

Something in Jungkook's playful promise made Taehyung's irritation melt away. The sincerity in Jungkook's words, coupled with the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, had a calming effect, despite the teasing.

"Let’s go near the river," Jungkook suggested, tugging on Taehyung’s hand without a second thought. "The moon is shining so brightly tonight. It’s really pretty."

Taehyung hesitated for a moment but this time, he didn’t pull away. He allowed himself to be led by Jungkook, finding assurance in his company despite the lingering embarrassment.

They found a quiet spot away from the other tents and settled on a large, smooth rock by the riverbank. The gentle sound of the water lapping against the shore created a serene atmosphere. Jungkook picked up a small twig from the grass and placed it in his mouth, chewing on it absentmindedly, thinking it looked cool.

"That’s dirty," Taehyung commented, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Is it?" Jungkook replied with a shrug, not making any move to remove the twig. His eyes drifted upwards to the sky, searching for stars. "Why aren’t there any stars tonight? Only the moon is shining so brightly."

Taehyung followed Jungkook’s gaze, his own eyes scanning the dark, starless sky. The absence of stars didn’t diminish the beauty of the night, though. The moon, with its silvery glow, illuminated the landscape, casting a soft light over the forest. It was a peaceful sight, one that made Taehyung’s earlier fears seem distant.

"It’s still pretty," Taehyung mumbled, almost to himself.

"Yes, indeed pretty," Jungkook agreed, but his gaze wasn’t on the moon. He was looking at Taehyung, admiring the way the moonlight accentuated his features. There was something ethereal about Taehyung under the night sky, something that made Jungkook’s heart skip a beat.

Taehyung felt Jungkook's eyes on him and turned to find him staring. Flustered, he quickly looked away, his heart beating faster for reasons he couldn’t quite name. "I was talking about the moon... Why are you looking at me?" he asked, his voice a bit defensive.

Jungkook chuckled softly, leaning in a little closer. "Because you’re even prettier than the moon," he said with genuine admiration. "Just look at you—your face, your eyes. They’re beautiful." He edged closer, wanting to get a better look at Taehyung in the moonlight.

Surprised by the proximity, Taehyung instinctively moved back, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. He disliked being called beautiful or pretty—it felt too delicate, too fragile, words that didn’t fit with how he saw himself. He believed boys weren’t supposed to be those things.

Jungkook noticed Taehyung’s discomfort but couldn’t help teasing him a bit more. "If you were a girl, we’d definitely get married in the future!" he declared with a playful grin.

Taehyung’s expression hardened slightly, and he responded in a calm, measured tone. "I’m a boy. And even if I were a girl, we would never get married."

Jungkook finally spat out the twig he’d been chewing on after he had tasted the earthy taste of nature, the soil. He looked at Taehyung with a mix of seriousness and mischief. "Why not?! I think we fit each other perfectly!"

"We do not," Taehyung replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for debate.

Jungkook chuckled, his laughter light and carefree as he leaned back on his hands, looking up at the sky once more. Despite Taehyung's rejection, he couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his chest, a growing affection for the boy beside him. Even if they didn’t fit in the way he had joked about, there was something about their connection, something unspoken but undeniably strong, that made him believe they were meant to be close, in one way or another.

But as the silence stretched between them, Jungkook couldn’t shake the slight sting of Taehyung's words. He glanced at Taehyung, who was now lost in his own thoughts, and felt a small pang of frustration. It wasn’t that he needed Taehyung to agree, but the coldness of the response, the way Taehyung seemed to brush off the idea so easily, left Jungkook feeling a bit deflated.

Without thinking, he pouted, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "Fine! You're so not cute at all, and you're always so cold to others! No girls would ever like a boy as cold as you!"

The playful tone in his voice masked the slight hurt he felt, but deep down, Jungkook knew it wasn’t just about Taehyung rejecting his joke—it was about wanting to feel a bit closer to him.

Just then, the murmur of voices cut through the quiet of the night. "Where is Taehyung?" a girl’s voice called out.

"Has anyone seen Taehyung?" another girl added.

"Where did he go?" came a third voice, sounding frustrated.

"I wanted to have a chat with him..." another lamented, her tone tinged with disappointment.

The murmurs grew louder, and Taehyung, despite trying to ignore them, couldn’t help but glance at Jungkook. His eyes were stoic, but they held a flicker of defiance, a silent challenge to Jungkook’s earlier teasing.

Jungkook puffed out his cheeks in frustration, pulling a clump of grass from the ground and tossing it aside. "Fine, those girls like you because they’re out of their minds! You can’t be so arrogant! When we grow up, I’ll be stronger and more handsome than you! All the girls will like me more than you!"

"Whatever," Taehyung sighed, his tone dismissive. The argument seemed trivial to him, and he found little value in continuing it.

Jungkook dropped the subject, and they fell into a quiet companionship. The night settled around them, and both boys sat in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. Taehyung felt the weight of exhaustion pulling at him, his eyelids growing heavier as the minutes ticked by. It was nearly 9 pm, and he was fighting to stay awake.

"Say..." Jungkook’s voice broke the silence, hesitant and filled with a sincerity that was rare for him. "I know we’ve talked about this before on the rooftop, and you got angry at me last time, but... I still wanna ask—did anything bad happen to your friends and you? I promise I won’t make fun of you or tell anyone. I-I just really hope we could solve it together and become friends—"

Before Jungkook could finish, Taehyung's head had drooped onto his shoulder. Jungkook's eyes widened in surprise. He quickly grabbed Taehyung by the arm, steadying him to prevent him from toppling into the river. Taehyung remained oblivious, deeply asleep.

Jungkook sighed, knowing it was 9 pm sharp without even looking at the time. It was as if Taehyung had an internal alarm clock set for this exact moment. The sight was both amusing and frustrating; Jungkook didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"Did he not hear any of them?" Jungkook muttered to himself, glancing at the reflection of the moon dancing on the river's surface. He looked back at Taehyung, who was snuggled against him, and his heart ached with a mix of frustration and tenderness.

Desperate to make Taehyung hear him, Jungkook shouted softly into the night, "I say I want to be your friend! Can you hear me?! Can you tell me what happened in the past? Can we be friends? Please, let’s just be friends!"

As if in response, Taehyung only stirred slightly in his sleep, mumbling something incoherent. Jungkook’s eyes glistened with a mix of frustration and sadness as he gazed at Taehyung’s peaceful face.

Realizing he needed to get Taehyung back to the tent, Jungkook struggled to lift him onto his back. The weight was too much, and his sprained ankle flared in pain. He dropped Taehyung onto the ground, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Taehyung didn’t even stir in his sleep.

Jungkook heaved out a sigh of relief and dragged Taehyung across the grass, the boy's body leaving a trail of dirt and petals. His own wounds stung with every movement, but he pushed through, determined to get Taehyung back to their tent.

"Gosh, you're so heavy!" Jungkook complained as he pulled Taehyung's arms.

When they finally arrived, a few curious girls witnessed the state Jungkook was in, scolding him for his rough treatment of Taehyung. Exhausted and in pain, Jungkook barely registered their words. He was too worn out to respond.

Inside the tent, Taehyung was a mess. His clothes were smeared with dirt, grass, and petals. His hair was tangled, looking as if he hadn’t showered. Jungkook was relieved to get him settled and zipped up the tent to keep the inquisitive girls out.

As he collapsed onto the ground beside Taehyung, panting and holding his aching ankle, Jungkook noticed Shadow lying between them. He gently moved the stuffed toy aside and inched closer to Taehyung, using the sleeping boy as a pillow. The warmth of Taehyung’s body next to him was oddly comforting.

Jungkook, though exhausted, took a moment to study Taehyung's features as he lay peacefully beside him. The moonlight filtering through the tent's thin fabric cast a soft glow on Taehyung's face, highlighting his delicate, childlike features. Jungkook noticed the way Taehyung’s long eyelashes rested against his cheeks, fluttering slightly with each breath. His nose, still small and slightly upturned, gave him a gentle, innocent look. Jungkook’s eyes traced the small, faint moles scattered across Taehyung’s face, each one adding to his unique charm.

With a soft sigh, Jungkook marveled at how Taehyung looked so serene in his sleep, completely unaware of the trouble he had caused or the effort Jungkook had put into bringing him back to the tent. He brushed a stray lock of hair from Taehyung’s forehead, his fingers lingering momentarily as he admired the peaceful expression on Taehyung's face.

"If you wake up tomorrow morning, you can’t get angry at me... I did all this just to get you back here," Jungkook murmured softly, his voice barely more than a whisper. He closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion finally overtake him as he fell asleep, a mixture of relief and lingering tenderness in his heart.