Cold Stares and Warm Flames

Da Reum’s gaze was so deep and intense that it made me freeze for a moment, until the sound of approaching footsteps broke the silence.

Hana cleared her throat softly, making both of us snap out of it and pretend to be busy with something else.

“What are you two doing?” Do Hwan’s cold voice rang out, making me instinctively take a step back, realizing I was standing too close to Da Reum.

Hana appeared with a pile of dry twigs in her hands, glancing between us with a teasing smile. “Whoa, whoa... What’s with this atmosphere? What were you two doing?”

Da Reum just smiled casually. “Nothing. Just helping Narin get the hair out of her face.”

Hana stepped closer, putting down the firewood, while Do Hwan remained silent, his cold gaze fixed on Da Reum. I could feel the tension between them, and it made me a little uneasy.

“Why is your face red, Narin?” Hana teased, pinching my cheek.

“N-no! It’s nothing!” I quickly replied, trying to avoid her gaze.

Da Reum chuckled softly. “I guess she’s embarrassed from getting too much attention.”

Do Hwan scoffed lightly. “Embarrassed or uncomfortable because you were too close?” he said, placing the pile of wood near the tent.

Da Reum’s smile grew wider, as if deliberately provoking him. “Why? Are you jealous?”

Do Hwan’s face immediately hardened, but he held back from responding. Hana just laughed, amused by their interaction.

“Alright, stop arguing. Let’s prepare the eating utensils. I’m starving,” Hana said, trying to lighten the mood. But her eyes accidentally caught the shrimp skewer in my hand. “Narin, how could you! Tasting it first without waiting for me?”

“Oh?! Ah... sorry. I was just tasting it. Don’t worry, I’ve made plenty of barbecue for you.”

“Really?” she asked cheerfully.

“Of course. Come on over!”

After handing the utensils to Hana, the atmosphere began to ease. But on the other side, I could still feel the icy tension between Do Hwan and Da Reum. Do Hwan’s stare remained sharp, while Da Reum seemed more relaxed, even a bit provocative by deliberately staying close to me without any clear reason.

Do Hwan, who had been busy arranging the wood, finally approached and pulled me to his side under the pretense of helping with the food.

“I can do it myself,” I said, confused.

“But I want to help,” he replied firmly without looking at me.

I glanced at him, puzzled but too afraid to argue. On the other side, Da Reum just gave a faint smile, seemingly unbothered by Do Hwan’s possessive attitude. He even sat a bit closer, pretending to chat lightly with Hana while occasionally glancing at me.

What was supposed to be a fun outing now felt weird and full of tension. I could only sigh softly, trying to focus on preparing the food without thinking too much about the strange rivalry between them.

---

The campfire crackled peacefully, its light dancing among the shadows stretching across the ground. The burning wood crackled softly, slightly warding off the cold of the night. After dinner, the sky had completely darkened. The cold air wrapped around the campsite, and the faint sounds of nocturnal animals could be heard in the distance.

“Hey! How about we play something? To kill the boredom,” Hana suggested enthusiastically.

“What should we play?” I asked while rubbing my hands to warm them.

Do Hwan scoffed lightly without much interest, while Da Reum immediately responded. “Truth or dare? Or maybe charades?”

Hana thought for a moment, then grinned mischievously. “How about word guessing with gestures? Losers get punished!”

Da Reum nodded in agreement. “Sounds fun. How do we form the teams?”

After a brief discussion, the teams were decided: Hana and I against Do Hwan and Da Reum. The game started with lots of laughter and excitement. Hana and I managed to guess almost every gesture correctly, while Do Hwan and Da Reum failed a few times and had to face the penalty.

When it was Do Hwan’s turn to give gestures to Da Reum, trouble arose. He stood up and began moving his body from side to side, raising his hands up.

“Uh... what is that? A tree person?” Da Reum furrowed his brows in confusion.

Do Hwan stopped moving and glared in annoyance. “A tree person? Seriously? Where’s your brain?”

Da Reum laughed awkwardly. “Well, that’s what it looked like! Besides, who could guess from that weird move?”

Do Hwan let out a heavy sigh. “Alright, focus. I’ll do it again.”

However, Da Reum just stared at him even more confused. “A primitive tribe dance?” Da Reum guessed randomly.

Finally, Do Hwan lost his patience, his voice rising without restraint. “Are you serious? Is your brain really not working or are you just pretending to be dumb?”

The cheerful atmosphere instantly turned awkward. Hana tried to mediate. “Hey, stop it. No need to get mad over a game.”

Do Hwan glanced at me bitterly. “You’re defending him too? Why is it always Da Reum? You know, I’m tired of how you always take his side.”

I was stunned, confused and hurt by his words. “I... I just didn’t want anyone to feel guilty.”

“But you made me feel like a fool,” he replied before walking away from the campfire without saying anything else.

I stared at his back with a chaotic feeling, not understanding why what should have been a fun outing turned into this tense situation.

Da Reum sighed softly. “It’s my fault. Sorry for ruining the mood.”

Hana tried to reassure him. “No, it’s not your fault. Do Hwan’s just not in the mood. Maybe something’s bothering him.”

I remained silent, trying to calm the chaotic feelings within me. What exactly made Do Hwan so sensitive today?

***