Chapter Text
Morning at the main office usually meant total quiet, but today it smelled faintly of stale coffee and damp paper.
Haewon sat behind her desk, staring at a stack of waterlogged attendance forms from yesterday’s water fight. Beside her, sitting cross-legged on an office chair, was Lily. She held a blue ballpoint pen between her nose and upper lip, balancing it precariously while stamping registration sheets.
THWACK.
The rubber stamp hit the paper upside down. Lily winced, quickly pulling the pen from her face. “…Is it fixable?”
Haewon didn’t look up from her laptop. “Lily, you stamped ‘APPROVED’ across the allergy section.”
“Technically, they are approved to have allergies.”
Haewon closed her eyes, letting out a long, slow breath. “That’s not how medical forms work.”
“I’m sorry!” Lily immediately reached for a bottle of white-out, her hands moving so fast she nearly knocked over Haewon’s pencil holder. “I’ll fix it! See? Total concentration.”
Haewon watched her for a moment. Lily’s brows were knit together in intense focus, her tongue poking out slightly as she painted over the ink mistake. Despite the minor chaos, there was something undeniably endearing about how hard she was trying—especially considering she didn’t have to be up this early at all. A soft smile slipped past Haewon’s defenses. She reached out, gently taking the white-out bottle from Lily’s fingers. “Stop before you paint over the entire desk,” Haewon said softly. “Just hand me the blue folder. You can handle the alphabetizing.”
Lily’s eyes lit up. “Alphabetizing? That’s my specialty.”
“Please tell me you actually know the alphabet.”
“Yah! You’re so mean. I know most of it!” Lily beamed, handing over the folder. Their fingers brushed briefly over the plastic tab, and for a fraction of a second, Lily paused, looking up.
Haewon cleared her throat, quickly pulling the folder away. “Great. Start with ‘B’.”
Lily saluted dramatically. “On it, Boss.” Haewon turned back to her laptop.
Less than a minute later—
“…Question.”
Haewon sighed.“Yes?”
“What comes first? ‘Camp Budget’ or ‘Camp Budget Revised’?”
“The original.”
“…Okay.”
Another pause.
“…What about ‘Camp Budget FINAL’?”
Haewon looked up. “How many versions are you holding?”
“…Five.”
Haewon pinched the bridge of her nose before a quiet laugh escaped her. Lily grinned triumphantly.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The smile.”
Haewon blinked.
“…Keep alphabetizing.”
By mid-morning, the rest of Camp NMIXX was in full swing, with each counselor deep in their element.
Down at the sports field, Jiwoo’s whistle blew so loudly it startled a flock of birds out of the pine trees. “REF! THAT WAS A HANDBALL!” she shouted, sprinting along the sideline with her arms raised.
An eight-year-old camper stopped mid-dribble, looking confused. “Miss Jiwoo… I’m the goalie.”
“Oh.” Jiwoo paused, scratching the back of her neck. “Right. Carry on! But I’m watching you, Cabin Four! High knees! Let’s go!” She turned to see Bae leaning against the fence, sipping an ice pop.
“Jiwoo, they’re seven,” Bae noted. “You’re giving tactical breakdowns like it’s the World Cup finals.”
“They need to build mental fortitude, Bae!” Jiwoo yelled back, before whirling around to high-five a camper who had accidentally kicked the ball out of bounds. “GREAT POWER, HYUN! WE’LL WORK ON DIRECTION LATER!”
In the Arts & Crafts cabin, the atmosphere was meant to be serene. Classical music played softly from a desktop speaker as Sullyoon moved gracefully between tables, guiding campers through clay pottery.
Then, disaster struck Table Three.
A sudden, forceful sneeze from a young boy sent an open jar of iridescent pink glitter straight into the air—right into the path of an oscillating fan.
WOOSH.
Within seconds, the cabin—and Sullyoon—was coated in a fine pink haze. Sullyoon stood completely still, a delicate dusting of sparkle covering her apron, dark hair, and eyelashes. The young boy looked up, wide-eyed with fear. Sullyoon slowly blinked, glitter fluttering from her eyelids. She looked down at her shimmering arms, then at the child, before letting out a soft laugh. “Well,” she said, kneeling down with a reassuring smile. “I think pink suits us, don’t you? Let’s make glitter monsters today instead.”
The room erupted into relieved cheers.
Over by the lower cabins, Kyujin was single-handedly managing the camp’s most unpredictable demographic: the six-year-olds.
While other staff struggled with morning routines, Kyujin had her group standing in a crisp, single-file line. She wore a whistle around her neck and carried a small wooden clipboard that mirrored Haewon’s.
“Okay, team,” Kyujin instructed, adjusting her cap. “Operation Sunscreen is complete. Operation Shoelace Check begins now. Check your left foot.”
Nine children looked down at their left shoes in unison.
“Good. Now, who remembers the rule about the duck pond?”
“DON’T KISS THE DUCKS!” the kids recited together.
“Exact—” Kyujin started, but paused when she caught sight of a little girl quietly sniffling at the back of the line.
Dropping her strict posture, Kyujin crouched down, reaching into her pocket for a tiny star sticker. She gently pressed it onto the girl’s wrist. “Hey… missing home a little?”
The girl nodded silently.
“Tell you what,” Kyujin whispered, offering her pinky finger. “You can be my Assistant Commander today. That means you get to carry the emergency juice boxes. Deal?”
The little girl’s eyes brightened as she hooked her pinky around Kyujin’s. “…Deal.”
---------
By late morning, Haewon stepped out of the main office, clipboard resting against her hip. She walked down the central gravel path, narrowing her eyes at the unusual quiet.
“…Where is everyone?”
A passing staff volunteer shrugged. “They were all awake ten minutes ago.”
At Camp NMIXX, silence was rarely peaceful—it was usually a sign of impending chaos. Haewon quickened her pace toward the main dining hall.
“Lily?” Silence. “Jiwoo?” Nothing. “Bae?” Haewon took a deep breath. “I have a bad feeling about this…”
She reached for the dining hall doors. Before her hand could touch the brass handle—
“THREE! TWO! ONE!”
“SURPRISE!”
The doors swung open. Dozens of campers popped up from behind tables, benches, and a massive blanket fort constructed near the entrance. Streamers burst into the air.
“GOOD MORNING, MISS HAEWON!”
Haewon froze on the threshold, blinking through the shower of blue and yellow streamers. Standing among the children were the counselors, all grinning broad, conspiratorial grins.
“Got you,” Jiwoo laughed.
Bae leaned against a pillar, chuckling. “I was convinced you’d spot the blanket fort from the path.”
Sullyoon offered a gentle smile. “The campers wanted to officially kick off Color War Week.”
Jiwoo grinned, folding her arms. "Well... that, and because the next few days are going to be absolute chaos."
Haewon raised an eyebrow. "...Chaos?"
"The fun kind," Bae said with a shrug. "Color War starts in three days. Which means our fearless Head Counselor is about to become the busiest person at camp."
Kyujin nodded earnestly. "You'll be checking scores, settling disputes, making schedules, inspecting every event, answering every radio call..."
"...And probably forgetting to eat again," Sullyoon added gently.
Haewon opened her mouth to protest. "I do not—"
"You do," all five counselors replied in unison.
The campers burst into laughter. Lily stepped forward, smiling as she rubbed the back of her neck. "So... we figured today should be about celebrating you before you're running around the entire camp making sure everyone else has a good time."
A little camper nodded enthusiastically. "Miss Lily said even the Head Counselor deserves to have fun!"
Another piped up, "She said heroes need breaks too!"
Lily laughed, clearly embarrassed. "I might've said something like that."
For a moment, Haewon simply looked at all of them.
At the campers.
At her counselors.
At Lily.
The warmth in her chest caught her completely off guard. "...Thank you," she said softly.
The dining hall erupted into cheers as Kyujin stepped forward, presenting a paper crown decorated with hand-painted stars. A young camper tugged on Haewon’s sleeve. “We made it for you.”
Haewon looked down at the unevenly cut construction paper, glitter clinging to every corner. “…Thank you,” she said softly, placing the crown on her head.
Behind them, Lily whispered to Bae, “I told you she’d wear it.” Haewon heard her, but kept her eyes fixed on the campers, suppressing a smile.
After lunch, the camp gathered at the outdoor amphitheater, where a large banner hung across the wooden stage: COLOR WAR STARTS SOON!
Color War was the centerpiece of the summer—a week-long tournament spanning athletic events, creative arts, obstacle courses, and cabin trivia, culminating in the presentation of the Color Cup.
Jiwoo took center stage, gripping the microphone. “Campers! Who’s ready to crush the competition?”
A chorus of cheers echoed through the trees. Haewon stepped up, gently retrieving the mic from Jiwoo’s grip. “We are not crushing anyone.”
“A little crushing?” Jiwoo offered.
“No.”
“A tiny bit?”
“No,” Haewon repeated firm, as the campers giggled.
Campers bounced excitedly in their seats, whispering guesses about this year's team colors. Some insisted Blue would finally win. Others loudly declared Red as unbeatable.
Bae leaned toward Lily. "I'm betting Yellow again."
Lily laughed. "Of course you are. It's your favorite color.”
Bae scoffed dramatically. "Excuse me. I have a highly sophisticated strategy."
"Oh?"
"They just look lucky, okay?."
Lily stared at her for a beat. "There is absolutely no science behind that."
"I know."
Lily shook her head, smiling. "...Somehow, I'm still rooting for your strategy."
Unrolling a large facility map, Haewon outlined event responsibilities. “Sullyoon, arts competition. Jiwoo, sports and outdoor games. Kyujin, junior events.”
“Got it,” Kyujin affirmed.
“Bae…”
“Adventure course?” Bae guessed with a thumbs-up.
“As always,” Haewon nodded, before turning to the last counselor. “Lily.”
Lily perked up. “Yes?”
“I need you to direct the closing talent showcase.”
Lily’s face lit up instantly. “Really? Me?”
“You’re the most qualified for it.”
“I’d love to!”
Before Haewon could move to the next item, Bae raised a hand. “I can co-host.”
Haewon paused, pen hovering over her paper. “You will?”
“Sure,” Bae shrugged, flashing a casual smile. “The obstacle course setup won’t take all day.” She turned toward Lily with a wink. “Unless… you’d rather run it solo?”
Lily laughed, waving a hand. “Are you kidding? I’d love the backup!”
Haewon made a brief mark on her clipboard, maintaining a neutral, professional expression. Haewon's pen hovered over the clipboard a second longer than necessary. She quietly marked another note before looking back down at the schedule. No one noticed that she had stopped listening for just a moment.
Later that afternoon, a loud commotion broke out near the Music Cabin. Haewon and Jiwoo hurried across the lawn, pushing open the screen door to find Lily standing perfectly still in the center of the room.
“…Hi,” Lily said quietly.
“What happened?” Haewon asked, scanning the cabin.
Lily slowly pointed upward. A small wild bird was flying in tight loops near the exposed ceiling beams before landing gracefully on top of the upright piano. It tilted its head and let out a sharp chirp.
Jiwoo folded her arms. "...I think he's here to evaluate your teaching methods."
A ripple of giggles broke out among the campers. Lily gently grabbed a towel from a nearby chair. “Stay calm, everyone. No sudden movements…”
She took one careful step forward. The bird hopped from the piano onto the music stand instead, watching her curiously. Lily smiled. “It’s okay.” She slowly held out her hand. After a brief pause, the little bird fluttered down—not into her hand, but gently onto her left shoulder instead. The cabin gasped.
Lily froze. “…Oh.”
The bird chirped softly, settling in. Standing by the door frame, Haewon’s lips curved into a quiet, helpless smile. Of course. Even the local wildlife was drawn to her.
After safely escorting the bird back outside, Lily headed down to the storage shed to organize equipment, while Haewon returned to the main office to review supply orders.
Sullyoon walked in a few minutes later, placing a glass of iced tea on Haewon’s desk. “You’ve crossed out and rewritten that requisition list three times.”
Haewon paused, adjusting her pen. “…Have I?”
“Mhm.” Sullyoon leaned against the edge of the desk. “Something on your mind?”
“Just administrative details.”
Sullyoon offered a quiet, knowing look. “You know… it’s okay to let other people help Lily.”
Haewon’s hand went still. “I know.”
“You don’t always have to be her sole support system.”
Haewon kept her eyes on the paper. “I wasn’t trying to be.”
“I didn’t say you were,” Sullyoon replied gently.
Realizing she had defended a motive Sullyoon hadn’t explicitly stated, Haewon let out a small sigh, leaning back. “…Am I that obvious?”
“Well, I think everyone knows. Well, except her.”
Outside the half-open window, Bae paused on the gravel path while carrying a crate of gear. She caught only a fragment of Sullyoon’s tone…
”…let other people help Lily”
And stood still for a second. Her brows furrowed slightly before she picked up her pace toward the field, the sentence lingering in her thoughts.
As evening fell over the lake, the camp gathered around the central fire pit. Banners fluttered in the light breeze, and fairy lights wrapped around the pine trunks illuminated the dirt paths.
After group charades led by Jiwoo and marshmallow roasting managed by Kyujin, a quiet settled over the crowd. A young camper near the front raised her hand. “Miss Haewon?”
“Yes?”
“When is Miss Lily going to play?”
A murmur of agreement ran through the circle. Lily blinked in surprise, holding her acoustic guitar. “Me? I only prepared one song.”
“One is plenty,” Sullyoon encouraged gently.
Bae gave Lily’s shoulder a light nudge. “Go on.”
Lily took her seat on a wooden stool near the fire, adjusting the strap over her shoulder. As her fingers found the first chord, the quiet chatter melted away completely.
The music rose softly into the night air—gentle, unhurried, and warm. It didn’t feel like a performance; it felt like an invitation. One by one, voices joined in around the ring, some loud and confident, others quiet and hesitant. Lily met every camper’s eyes with an encouraging nod, drawing them into the rhythm.
Sitting across the circle, Haewon stopped listening to the words. Her focus shifted entirely to Lily—the gentle tilt of her head, the way her eyes reflected the warm amber flames, and the effortless way she brought everyone together. For a few lingering seconds, the rest of the camp faded into the background.
Across the fire pit, Bae observed Haewon’s expression. She had seen Haewon look at Lily countless times, but never with this specific, quiet tenderness. The realization settled in naturally.
Oh, Bae thought, looking between them as her smile softened. I see.
“One last song!” Lily announced over the protests of the campers, striking the opening notes of a familiar warm melody.
The final chord faded into a chorus of applause. Campers rushed toward Lily all at once, thanking her before their counselors gently guided them toward their cabins. As the crowd slowly dispersed, Lily spotted Haewon lingering near the fire pit. She walked over with the guitar still slung across her shoulder.
“So…” Haewon looked up. “…Did I do okay?”
For a heartbeat, Haewon simply stared at her. The firelight danced across Lily’s face, warm and impossibly earnest. Then Haewon smiled. “You always do.”
Lily's shoulders relaxed. "That's a relief." She laughed quietly before hurrying off to help Jiwoo collect the blankets.
Haewon watched her disappear between the lantern-lit paths.As the music drifted toward the canopy of stars, Haewon let out a quiet breath. The realization she had kept buried all summer finally felt undeniable. She looked across the embers at Lily one last time, a tiny, rueful smile touching her lips.
“…I’m in so much trouble,” she whispered to the night.