Starry Night

six

"You have everything?" Eomma asks, testing the weight of my backpack. It's almost ten in the morning, and Seolhyun's supposed to pick me up in the few minutes. I stopped by the clinic to tell my parents goodbye. "My goodness, this is heavy."

"That's my portable telescope and camera." Who knew ten pounds could be so heavy? It take sup a lot of space in the pack, so I've got one of the tents Seolhyun bought stuffed in the bottom, a compressed sleeping bag, clothes neatly rolled to save space, a couple of energy bars, peanut butter cups, and some chocolate - you know, all the major food groups.

I also may have brought a grid-line journal. Just a small one. And a few gel pens.

"You have the emergency cash I gave you?"

 I pat the the pocket of my overall. I paired them with my high tops Converse. I put my hair up in a messy bun; I'm killing it. Someone should pay me to look this sharp. One modeling contract, pronto.

"Portable cell phone charger?"

"In my pack," I lie. It's an older model that weighs a ton, and in the battle of heavy versus heavy, my telescope and camera won. Besides, they'll have electricity at the glamping compound. I can just plug my phone in.

Eomma inspects my arms. "Hive cream?"

"Yes, I've got the stinky homeopathic cream. Where's Dad? I need to leave soon."

"Daniel!" she calls out to the back rooms, cupping her hands around her mouth. Then she turns back to me. "He's rushing to head out to the bank. I tried to get an increase on the clinic's credit card, and they said our credit score is too low because we're over extended. Which is crazy, because that's our only credit account, and paid off your father's car loan last year. There must be some mistake. He'll get it sorted out. Oh, there you are," she says as he jogs into the reception area, keys in hand.

And toward the front door.

"I'll be back," he says, keys in hand.

"Daniel. Suzy's leaving for her camping trip," Eomma says, sounding exasperated as I feel.

He turns around and blinks at me, and apparently is just now noticing my backpack. "Of course," he says, smoothly covering up his faux pas with a charming smile. "Excited to spend time with the Kim daughter?"

"Seolhyun," I say.

"Seolhyun," he repeats. More smiling. He turns to eomma and says, "Everything checked out at the campsite, right? The girls will be safe there?"

"They have security and everything," Eomma says. "I told you, remember? Mrs. Kim talked to the owner, and they're going to pay special treatment to their group."

"Right, right," Dad murmurs, nodding. Then he smiles at me, starts to extend his arms as if he might hug me - which is weird, because we don't normally do that anymore - and then changes his mind and pats me on the head. "Have a great time, kiddo. Stay in touch with Younghee and take your pepper spray in case there are any boys with roaming hands."