"Campus Hearts: The Beginning"

Chapter 4: The Freshy Camp

The atmosphere at Chulalongkorn University buzzed with excitement as the upcoming Freshy Camp approached. It was an annual tradition where the final-year students took on the role of facilitators, guiding the new batch of first-year students through a weekend filled with activities, bonding, and unforgettable memories. This year, Daou and Offroad had both been roped into leading the event, along with their respective groups of friends.

Daou, as usual, took the news in stride, flashing his usual confident grin. Offroad, on the other hand, was less than thrilled at the prospect of spending three days and one night in close proximity to Daou, especially after their recent encounters. But with Pentor, Diamond, and Poon enthusiastically diving into the preparations, Offroad had no choice but to follow along.

The night before the camp, the facilitators gathered at the university's auditorium for a final briefing. The room was filled with chatter and laughter as everyone discussed their roles and the activities they'd planned for the freshies.

Daou and his group-Joong, Est, and Tam-arrived fashionably late, making their entrance with their usual swagger. Joong immediately spotted Offroad and his friends huddled near the front of the room, poring over a schedule.

"Look who's here," Joong announced with a grin, nudging Daou.

Daou's eyes followed Joong's gaze, landing on Offroad. The tension between them was palpable, but Daou simply flashed a smile and led his group over.

"Fancy seeing you here, Offroad," Daou teased, leaning casually against the table where Offroad and his friends were gathered.

Offroad barely looked up from the schedule. "Try not to be late tomorrow," he said flatly, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

Joong chuckled, clapping Daou on the back. "Don't worry, Offroad. We'll make sure this guy gets up on time, even if we have to drag him out of bed."

"Oh, please," Tam added with a smirk. "It's more likely Daou will be the one dragging us out of bed."

Est, ever the peacekeeper, smiled warmly. "Let's just focus on making sure the freshies have a great time, yeah? After all, that's what this is all about."

Pentor, who had been quietly observing the interaction, suddenly spoke up. "Speaking of freshies, I heard there's going to be a talent show on the second night. You guys prepared anything special?"

Poon, always the joker, grinned. "Oh, you'll see. Let's just say we've got a surprise in store that'll blow everyone away."

Diamond rolled his eyes, but there was a playful smile on his lips. "Don't listen to him. He's probably going to pull some ridiculous prank and get us all in trouble."

"Prank? Who, me?" Poon feigned innocence, earning a round of laughter from the group.

As the conversation continued, the tension between Daou and Offroad seemed to ease, at least on the surface. There was still an undercurrent of something unspoken between them, but for now, it was buried beneath the camaraderie of their friends.

---

The next morning, the freshies gathered in front of the university's main building, buzzing with anticipation. The facilitators were already there, wearing matching camp T-shirts and welcoming the new students with wide smiles and enthusiastic cheers.

Daou and Offroad, each leading their respective groups, made sure everything ran smoothly as the freshies boarded the buses that would take them to the campgrounds. The ride was filled with excited chatter, ice-breaker games, and the occasional sing-along, with Joong and Pentor leading the charge on the latter.