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"When was the last time we went on any camping trips?"
"I think it was when we were in high school."
"Let's go somewhere this weekend!"
"Alright. Is everyone in? It's settled! "
The landscape was changing unhurriedly as the four of them sat in the jeep, driving towards the mountains. Lan Jingyi along with Jin Ling were arguing about something while sitting in the back seats of the car.
Lan Sizhui was driving, smiling almost constantly under his breath as his friends shouted at each other, insulting each other, only to tease each other again. On the seat next to him, half lying down, sat Ouyang Zizhen.
He was the only one who had brought an instrument with him - a small ukulele which remembered the beginning of their acquaintance, on which everyone had signed, and which was the most precious treasure for the boy, as absolutely everyone knew.
More pleasant, cheerful sounds escaped from Ouyang Zizhen's fingers as he quietly hummed old songs, as well as new ones whose sound on the ukulele was decidedly different from the radio. Finally, they slowly arrived at the venue.
They parked the car near the trail entrance, put on their backpacks and set off ahead, never stopping laughing. It had been a few years since they had spent time together like this, and they felt like kids again.
"We used to be kids in the backseat wastin' time"
Remarked Lan Sizhui quietly as they made their way along another section of the trail, every now and then grabbing onto tree trunks to help themselves pull themselves up higher, stand more securely.
Lan Jingyi laughed out loud, reaching out towards Jin Ling to help him when he saw his friend was stuck.
"Talkin' 'bout hugh hopes and day dreams..."
He commented on his friend's words, rolling his eyes when Jin Ling refused his help.
Each of them momentarily thought back to the old days when they believed they could follow in the footsteps of their idols. Eventually, Jin Ling became the president of the family business after his uncle died.
Lan Jingyi taught martial arts, Lan Sizhui took up teaching young people, and Ouyang Zizhen wrote novels. He was probably the only one doing something he wanted to do from the beginning. He was also the glue that bound their group together.
They remembered many bitter words that were said between them. There were moments that almost broke their friendship completely. It was not pleasant to think back to them, but they were the ones that showed them the true strength of the bond between them.
Even now, although two of them behaved as if they wanted to throw each other off the nearest cliff, while the others didn't pay any attention to them at all, they knew that they were connected to each other more strongly than they had ever suspected.
Slowly they reached a place where there was a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains and forests, and where they could set up a small camp. Fortunately for them, no one else had come up with a similar idea, so they had the whole area to themselves.
The tents were set up fairly quickly near the ready-made fire pit, and the four friends sat down near the cliff, opening bottles of drinks, enjoying the view and the peace and quiet that everyone sometimes lacked.
"Jin Ling! To tell you the truth, I was surprised when you agreed to sleep in the tents without whining. Have you grown up over the years?"
"Shut up, Jingyi. It's obvious that you've stopped at the kindergarten stage. Idiot."
"A Ling, A-Yi..."
A gentle rebuke flowed towards them from Lan Sizhui, who seemed to never lose the pose of a professor who must chastise wayward students.
Ouyang Zizhen looked at them with a gentle smile, and when asked why he was looking at them like that only laughed quietly.
"I see you are wearing them after all..."
Responding he pointed to the wrists of the other three with a movement of his head.
Each of them had a leather bracelet on and each of them showed signs of use, so there was no question of being dressed specifically for this expedition. There was also one word on each of them - brothers.
"And why shouldn't I wear it?"
Lan Sizhui asked softly, running his fingertips over his own bracelet.
"I just didn't want to take it off."
Burked Jin Lin, who was immediately punched in the arm by Lan Jingyi.
"For so many years? Don't pretend.
Warm laughter rolled around the area, scaring the birds from nearby trees, but the four friends didn't care.
"I remember Zizhen brought us some made of string. I had a grant one, Sizhui a blue one so we could distinguish between them. Zizhen had green and Rulan had yellow."
"I told you not to call me that! I didn't want to wear it because it reminded the colour of sunflowers, and it couldn't be any more girly when your name is Rulan"
Shaking his head, Jin Ling lifted up his hand with the bracelet, looking at its inscription made with yellow threads.
Although they had seemingly the same ornaments, they each kept the colour that Ouyang Zizhen had originally chosen for them - navy blue, green, blue and yellow. Appropriate threads were used to embroider the inscription on the leather strap.
"I feel it's the perfect time for a toast, as long as it's pathetic."
Laughed Lan Jingyi, raising his bottle in the air. The other four looked at him surprised, but without a word they also lifted their bottles, clashing their necks together.
The setting sun reflected in the glass as all four stared at the bracelets so clearly visible side by side at the moment.
"For friendship?"
"For brotherhood!"
They repeated the toast, looking ahead with slight smiles on their faces.
Ouyang Zizhen looked at the other four still, intending to add another sentence to the toast.
"You never know what you got till it's gone. Guess I never know cause I know you're my only ones"
Although many years had passed since the last camp, although each of them was now a grown, mature man, at the moment they were back in their teenage years again, fooling around until they collapsed from exhaustion, and although they had pitched four tents, they slept in one anyway.