୨୧ : 𝚎𝚐𝚐𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚜 :┊ yeongyu

ଘ 8 | A Chord-less Encounter * ੈ✩‧₊˚

✩

An entire week had passed since the event at the lake, and even despite Yeonjun's prolonged absence from the cabin, Beomgyu still found it discomforting to be alone there. It was rare to find him anywhere near the cabin during the day, usually tracking down one of his friends or spending the afternoon by himself. Including today when he had decided to be on his own, as being the third wheel to Soobin and Huening Kai's constant flirting wasn't something he was particularly thrilled about. If he were being honest, he was a bit jealous of their idyllic requited crushes on one another. He felt it was unfair that his friends got to have a fairytale-esque summer romance, while all Beomgyu got was insufferably obnoxious reminders from his past.

To help clear his mind, he found his usual peaceful spot on the outskirts of the camp woods. There would rarely ever be anyone else around considering the location, which is why Beomgyu often found himself there tranquilly strumming his guitar. He was perched on an old bench, humming an indiscriminate tune while shielded from the sun under the comforting shade of the pine trees. It was times like these that he found the most comforting-finally able to settle his nerves, no longer having to worry about his flirtatious rival, convoluted plans, or essentially anything else that had made his nightmarish summer unbearable so far. Finally it could be just him and his music, which was something he hardly got to indulge in considering his endless list of distractions lately.

After experimenting with a variety of different sounds, he mindlessly scribbled down melodies and chords into a notebook to make note of them for later. Beomgyu had always found comfort in making songs on his guitar, and he was so absorbed with his music that he failed to notice the distinct sound of bushes rustling behind him. He paid no mind to the sound, looking over his notes once more as he replayed the tune. He mumbled a few lyrics offhand, in the midst of coming up with a rhyme before his guitar was stripped out of his hands. He was taken completely by surprise, although his immediate reaction wasn't panic as he assumed that Soobin was just messing with him again. In complete disappointment, he looked up to instead see Lee Munhee and his equally unpleasant entourage of 'friends' behind him.

In any normal situation, Beomgyu would have been frozen with fear. After all, it had been a few weeks since he had even caught glimpse of Munhee, and their last encounter wasn't exactly favorable. Unfortunately, it was as if this camp was unable to give him a moment's peace to himself; at least that is what his first thought was. After all, it had been proven multiple times that it was a difficult task to be able to fend off his childhood bully, especially considering it was often one versus however many people Munhee had convinced to accompany him that day. Yet despite that, all Beomgyu felt was frustration as he saw Munhee's irritatingly devious smirk, purposefully provoking the latter as he tauntingly shook the guitar in his hands.

The gesture ignited something within Beomgyu, and his usual fear was replaced with an indescribable bout of frustration, "what the hell are you doing!?" The twisted memories from his past and present came flooding back, regrettably correlating Yeonjun into his frustration as well.

"Woah there, we've got a feisty one," Munhee laughed, taking a step back in response to Beomgyu reaching forward in an attempt to get his stolen guitar back, "what's with the attitude? Upset that your boyfriend was a no-show last time?"

Beomgyu's fight with Yeonjun replayed in his mind, evident by the resentment expressed all over his face, "just shut the hell up," his uncharacteristic tone made Munhee's smirk fade for a moment, but it was quick to return as Beomgyu continued, "why are you even doing this to me? Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Well, with the way you treated me last time," Munhee shoved the guitar into one of his henchmen's hands behind him, the unexpected movement almost making said accomplice drop the guitar. With Munhee's hands now free, he slowly leaned forward in an attempt to intimidate Beomgyu, "I think the least I could do is return the favor, don't you?"