𝙴𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 4 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 | HAOBIN AU

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 10 (𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 1.)

The afternoon sun filtered through the tall trees as the group of students settled into their campsite after a long day of activities. Tents were pitched, and the scent of grilled meat filled the air as a few students helped the teachers with dinner preparations. Hanbin, however, had decided to take a nap in his tent after the morning’s hike.

Hao, on the other hand, had been itching for a little more adventure. The structured activities of the camp had been fun, but he wanted to explore the mountains on his own terms. His best friend, Taerae, had the same adventurous spirit, and his cousin Ricky, who had tagged along for the trip, was more than happy to join them.

“Come on,” Hao urged, nudging Taerae as they watched Hanbin doze off. “Let’s go explore before it gets dark. We can get back in time for dinner.”

Taerae glanced at the sleeping Hanbin and then back at Hao, raising an eyebrow. “Are you sure you don’t want to wake your boyfriend up? He might want to come with us, by us I meant you.”

"He's not my boyfriend, shut up" Hao slaps Taerae's arm. "Besides we'll be fine"

Ricky, already bouncing with excitement, grinned and held up the folded map they’d been given at the start of the trip. “I’ve got the map.  Let’s get this done”

With a sense of adventure and confidence, the three boys set off into the forest, following the narrow trails that led deeper into the mountains. The towering trees created a canopy above them, casting cool shadows on the ground as they trekked further from the campsite. The crisp mountain air was refreshing, and the sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the breeze filled their ears.

They chatted and laughed as they walked, talking about everything from school to their favorite shows, the peaceful isolation of the forest making them feel like they were in their own little world. Ricky was in charge of the map, occasionally glancing at it to make sure they were still on track.

“This place is amazing,” Taerae said, his eyes wide as they reached a small clearing that offered a stunning view of the distant peaks. “I can’t believe we almost missed out on this.”

“I know,” Hao agreed, stepping forward to get a better look at the view. “It’s like something out of a painting.”

Ricky, always the joker, grinned. “Good thing you have me as your guide. Otherwise, you guys would’ve gotten lost ages ago.”

“I don’t need to have been here before to know what I’m doing,” Ricky said with mock confidence. “Besides, this map is foolproof.”

After a few more minutes of admiring the view and taking pictures, they decided to continue exploring, following a smaller, more overgrown trail. The ground was uneven, and roots stuck out in places, but it only made the adventure more thrilling.

As they walked, none of them noticed the sound of the map slipping out of Ricky’s back pocket and fluttering to the forest floor. It landed softly among the leaves, completely unnoticed by the three boys who were now too absorbed in their conversation to pay attention to their surroundings.

ᯓ★

About an hour later, the sky began to shift, the light of the afternoon sun growing softer as it inched toward evening. The dense trees around them made it difficult to tell how much time had passed. Hao was the first to notice the change in atmosphere, glancing up at the canopy.

“Hey, maybe we should start heading back,” he suggested, a hint of concern creeping into his voice. “We don’t want to be out here when it gets dark.”

“Yeah, good idea,” Taerae agreed, already turning to head back the way they came. “Ricky, where’s the map?”

Ricky patted his back pocket with a grin, only for his face to freeze when his fingers met nothing but fabric. He patted himself down again, his movements growing more frantic. “Uh… the map’s gone.”