The Car Crash Club • Monsta X

xxv.

They're camping again. Hyungwon is a little less excited this time because he knows now that camping means a lot of walking and bugs and not being able to sleep. He still jams his game in the bottom of his backpack.

Father sets up the tent like usual, and Hyungwon draws shapes in the dirt with a stick until dusk sets in. He knows he isn't supposed to sit by the edge by himself, but the stars are just starting to come out, and he's decided that that's his favorite part about camping.

Only Father doesn't want to look at the stars tonight. He tells Hyungwon to come into the tent, and Hyungwon's scared that Father will be mad at him for sitting by the edge.

But Father says he isn't mad, he just wants to spend some time alone with just them boys. Hyungwon doesn't understand why they can't spend time alone looking at the stars, but he isn't about to argue with Father.

Father says he has a new game for them to play. Hyungwon loves games – he gets picked first for recess almost every day. Father says he knows and that he's proud of Hyungwon. He says this new game is a find-it game. The rules to the game are that Father will name something, and Hyungwon has to find it and show Father to win. Father asks if Hyungwon understands the game, and Hyungwon says he does.

Father tells Hyungwon that he has to find a birthmark, and Hyungwon is so excited – he knows that he has one on his chest a little below his collarbone. Father says that he doesn't believe him, and Hyungwon lifts his shirt up, pointing at a small birthmark shaped sort of like a teacup without the handle. Father squints and leans in, tracing his finger up Hyungwon's chest and stopping on the birthmark.

He smiles at Hyungwon, and Hyungwon asks if he gets a point. Father says he does, just one point because that one was easy.

By the end of the night, Hyungwon has lots of points, too many for him to keep count. Usually he likes winning games, but he feels sort of weird tonight. He thinks that, even if he won the game, maybe he doesn't like it that much. He tells Father that the game isn't very fun and maybe they shouldn't play it again.

Father says okay, that he'll find a different game for them to play next time.

He even says that Hyungwon can play on his game – he knows Hyungwon packed it – for a while before they sleep.

Hyungwon is excited. He gets out his game and plays for a while, even beating two levels. Father doesn't make him stop this time; instead, he closes up the game on his own and puts it just out of reach. He doesn't have to hide it this time because Father said it was okay.

The game isn't under the pillow this time, but he still can't get any sleep.

--updated 07/07/20, part 2/3--