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Hyungwon decides, on their next camping trip, that he doesn't like Father's new game very much at all. It feels weird, and it's a little bit scary.

Don't be scared, Father tells him, I'm right here.

Hyungwon doesn't know how to tell Father that it's Father's game that is scaring him. He tries to tell Father that he doesn't like this game, that he doesn't want to play anymore, but Father says that this is a special game – a secret game that they can't tell anyone else about - and they have to play. Throughout the game, Father tells Hyungwon what a good boy he is and how special he is, and Hyungwon tries to focus on these comments until the game is over. He thinks he cried once, but he can't remember much after it's done.

Father lets him play on his handheld game after they finish playing their own game.  Hyungwon only plays for a few minutes. Usually, he likes playing the handheld game, but he feels strange and achy tonight. He puts the game aside and lays down.

He can't sleep, and after a few minutes, he sits up and grabs his pillow.

"Where are you going?" Father asks.

"I'm going to move over there," Hyungwon says, pointing to the other side of the tent. "It's too hot sleeping next to you."

"Stay here," Father says, putting a hand on Hyungwon's pillow to smooth it out. "The night air is cold. You'll cool down soon enough. Or you can sleep without your blanket."

Hyungwon doesn't want to sleep without his blanket because then he'll be naked and he'll feel embarrassed. So he just lays back down, feeling sticky and uncomfortably hot, and he tries to forget about the game they played.

--

Monday comes, and when he goes to school, Hyungwon gives his handheld game to one of the other boys in his class. He doesn't know why, but he doesn't want it anymore.

     


--updated 07/14/20, part 2/3--

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