The group started discussing a name.
"So, does anyone have a good name for our group?" Alex asked.
"How about 'losers'?" Hyeon-U said with a smirk.
"We are not losers," Alex said angrily.
"We are losers. That's why we're here," Hyeon-U replied, laughing.
"We are not losers," Lor said firmly, glaring at Hyeon-U.
"Really? Aren't you here because you did some vandalism just because you were bored, Alex? And Lor, you're here because you kept stealing exam papers to get the highest marks in class, right?" Hyeon-U said.

Devon looked confused. He wondered why Hyeon-U was suddenly talking like this when they were supposed to be suggesting a name for the group.

"We heard that you manipulate other people to bully others. Looks like you're the real loser because you have to use others to get what you want," Lor said to Hyeon-U, and his face changed.

"I thought of a name," Devon said suddenly. He was afraid they wouldn't be able to decide on a name before the time was up. The other team members looked at Devon.

"Okay, time's up. Write your group names on the cards and hang them on the board above your group members' names," Jess said after a few minutes.

Devon was happy that the others agreed with the name he suggested. They decided Devon should be the group leader since he was the second in the last challenge. Devon felt nervous about being the leader. He had never thought of himself as someone suitable to lead or be important in any way.

His whole life, Devon had thought of himself as a useless piece of nothing, and now, suddenly, these kids wanted him to be the group leader. Devon felt like someone had just voted him to be the president of the country.

"But I think Lor would be better," Devon said, and Hyeon-U laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Alex asked angrily.

"He's a chicken. That's why," Hyeon-U said, pointing at Devon.

"He's not a chicken. He can be a good leader," Lor said firmly.

Every leader of the groups hung their group names on the board.

Group 1; Scarred Souls

Group 2; The Forgotten Tribe

Group 3; Iron Fangs

Group 4; Rebel Ghosts

"Our group name is the stupidest name among all the groups—Iron Fangs. That's so cringy," Hyeon-U said when Devon returned to the group after hanging the name on the board. Devon felt embarrassed. He had thought it was a good name, but now Hyeon-U was saying it wasn't. Devon's confidence dropped back to zero.

"Then why the hell didn't you come up with a better name, you idiot?" Alex snapped angrily. "I'm so done with this guy. If we lose, I'm pretty sure it'll be because of this loser," Alex said, clearly frustrated.

Meanwhile, Sarah, Jake, Mark, and Jess began demonstrating how to make a fire without matches and build a shelter. They already had the materials ready.

Jake held up a thick branch. "Step one: Find some sturdy branches like this one to build the frame of your shelter. It's like the skeleton—it holds everything together." He placed it against a tree at an angle.

Jess added, "And step two: Use smaller branches to create the walls. You want them close enough together so nothing can sneak in—especially the rain!" She carefully leaned several branches along the frame, forming a simple lean-to structure.

"Next," Mark said, crouching by a pile of leaves and moss, "we use these for insulation. Think of them as your roof tiles. Pile them on thick to keep the rain out and the heat in." He demonstrated by layering the materials over the structure.

Sarah added, "If you can, place some rocks or logs around the bottom to keep your shelter steady. And try to build it near something sturdy, like this tree, to block the wind."

"So, you'll have to find the materials you need from the jungle. If you face any difficulties, one of us can supervise you. Now, you can start building your shelters. First, choose a location and get to work," Mark said, finishing the demonstration.

The teams began making their shelters. They were allowed to take breaks and have lunch while working, but the winners would be the ones who finished their shelter first.

"We need to find sturdy branches first," Alex said, looking at the others.

"I think we should divide the tasks," Lor suggested, and Devon thought Lor was smart to come up with such a quick idea. "Devon and I will find sturdy branches and smaller branches. You two can collect leaves and moss," Lor said.

Alex looked at Lor as if he understood why she wanted to go with Devon. "Alright then," he said. Alex didn't want to go with Hyeon-U at all.

"Looks like someone wants some alone time with Devon," Hyeon-U said sarcastically.

No one responded. They pretended not to hear it. Devon felt shy and wondered if Lor really wanted to go with him. At his old school, no girl had even wanted to look at him. He had been bullied by everyone and treated like a joke. He always felt worthless, like no one would ever want to date him.

So, he was genuinely surprised that someone as beautiful as Lor might like him. At the same time, fear crept into his mind. He remembered the first day Reuben and Livia met him at the foster care. They had acted like they loved him in front of the staff, but as soon as they got home, they changed completely.

They made his life no different from the others who had been adopted. In fact, Reuben and Livia were the worst foster parents of them all.

"Come on, Devon, let's go," Lor said, holding Devon's hand. Devon felt shy.

—--

Devon and Lor walked into the woods. They could hear the distant voices of other kids, who were also in the woods searching for branches and other materials.

"Come here. Let's look on this side," Lor said, intentionally leading Devon away from the others. Devon followed her slowly, not realizing what she was doing.

This was the first time Devon had ever been in the woods. He felt nervous, and his mind filled with fearful thoughts. His anxiety made him imagine the worst—what if Reuben suddenly appeared from behind the trees?

"Are you okay? You look scared," Lor said, smiling softly as she looked at Devon's face.

Devon hadn't realized his emotions were so obvious.

"Mmm... I'm... I'm not," he stammered. He honestly didn't know what to say. There was no one here to give him instructions on what he should or shouldn't say. He worried that if he said the wrong thing, Reuben would somehow find out, get mad, and punish him.

"Is this the first time you're in the woods?" Lor asked.

This was another difficult question for Devon. "Mmm... yes," Devon said nervously, hoping he had given the right answer.

"Why do you think so much before you answer?" Lor asked.

"I... I'm... sorry about that," Devon said, looking down. He wondered if he had disappointed Lor, and whether she would stop liking him.

"Did you get abused at home or school? Sometimes you act like that. You know, everyone here has been abused in some way, at home or at school. That's why we end up doing bad things. But no one cares about what we go through. They're just mad at what we did because of it," Lor said, and Devon didn't answer, frozen in fear. He wondered what kind of abuse Lor had faced. He couldn't believe that anyone would want to hurt someone as beautiful as Lor.

Devon looked into Lor's eyes for the first time without fear. "Did someone hurt you too?" he asked.

"Well, this is what happened. My parents wanted me to be the best at everything since I was a kid. So, I worked hard to make them happy. I studied hard to be first in every subject. I was in the debate team, drama club, and swimming team. Even though I was really good at those things when I was younger, things got harder as we grew up. The other kids were also smart, so I had to work even harder. If I got second place or third place in exams, my parents got so upset and acted like it was the end of the world. At those times, they never cared about how many times I came first in class. They pressured me to take hard international exams. At the same time, they pressured me to be the best actor and audition for acting roles. They also wanted me to get a scholarship for swimming. I was so stressed that I stole exam papers. And they caught me," Lor explained.

"Oh," Devon said softly.

He had hoped to hear something horrible, something similar to what he had faced, but instead, he felt a sense of relief knowing that no one had hurt Lor.

"So, what's your story?" Lor asked.

Devon looked down again.

"It's not fair if you don't tell me yours, especially after I've already told you mine," Lor said, her voice tinged with frustration.

Devon looked at her. "I... I beat my foster sister," he said quietly.

Lor's eyes went wide in surprise. "You did something like that?"

"I... I..." For the first time in his life, Devon didn't want someone to think he was bad. "Actually, I can't tell you anything," he said, his voice breaking, and he started to walk away.

"At least tell me, did you hit a girl or not?" Lor asked, holding Devon's arm and turning him to face her.

Devon sighed and nodded his head to say no.

"Don't tell anyone, though," Devon whispered.

Lor just stared at him, shocked. She couldn't understand why Devon was acting like this. But having seen kids from different backgrounds, she thought Devon might have a good reason for not wanting to talk about his problems in detail.

They walked silently, looking for branches. The anxious thoughts still didn't leave Devon. He kept thinking, What if Lor tells Ruben that I said I didn't beat Clara? He knew there was no way she would tell him, but the thought kept nagging at him, stealing the peace from his mind.

"Devon," Lor called softly, breaking his spiral of thoughts. She stood a few feet away, holding up a branch. "What do you think? Sturdy enough?"

Devon glanced up, hesitant. "Uh, yeah. Looks good."

She tilted her head, studying him for a moment. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, quickly looking away.

Lor understood that something was not right with Devon. He looked upset and stressed.

"You don't have to be fine, you know," she said, stepping closer.

He froze, his fingers tightening around the branches he held. "I... I don't know what you mean."

"I mean," she said gently, "it's okay to not be okay." Her voice softened even more. "I see how hard you are on yourself. But you don't have to be scared of me. I'm on your side."

For a moment, he just stared at her, his breath shallow. No one had ever said that to him before. Not like this.

As the silence stretched, Lor took a shaky breath and stepped even closer, her heart pounding. She reached out and gently placed her hand on his arm. "I think you are amazing. But you don't know that."

His throat tightened, and he opened his mouth to protest. But before he could, she leaned in and kissed him.

It was soft, tentative, and warm—just enough to let him know she meant it, but not enough to overwhelm him.

Devon's eyes widened, and for a moment, he was too shocked to move. But then something inside him shifted. The doubts, the fear, the overwhelming belief that he didn't deserve anything good—all of it faded, if only for a second.

When Lor pulled back, her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes stayed on his, searching. "Sorry," she whispered. "I just... I needed you to know you're worth so much more than you think."

Devon blinked, his lips parting as if to say something, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, he gave a small, shaky nod, his cheeks burning red. "I... thank you," he managed, his voice barely audible.

Her smile returned, soft and reassuring. "Come on. Let's finish this shelter. Together."

As they continued gathering branches, Devon couldn't stop glancing at her, his heart beating faster than he thought possible. For the first time in what felt like forever, he didn't feel entirely alone.