"Love, you might as well call that a violation of privacy."

"Don't be silly. Cute pictures for this year's album!"

At the click of a camera, I shoot straight up.

Startled, Jennifer takes a step back. "Ah, damnit. Just when I thought I finally caught something cute that boy does."

It takes a second for me to realize in what situation I am again. The restaurant, climbing, then falling asleep snuggled against Minho. Jennifer and Hiram clearly didn't bother waking us.

I don't mind either, though.

My head then turns to Minho. "He's still asleep. Can still take a picture." Because he does look absolutely adorable when he sleeps. Puffy cheeks, slight frown, soft expression, lips parted.

"You're right." Just as a grin comes along, her head tilts. "He always locks the door when he goes to bed. But it would also be crazy to sneak into his room at night only to take a picture anyway, so this was my only chance."

I look back at Minho. His arm is still spread on the place I lay before. Head to the side as if he's still resting it on mine.

The longer I watch, the more tempting it sounds to lie right back down in his arms. But Hiram speaks before I've got time to think that through.

"What do you usually like for breakfast, Lelia? We have pretty much everything and I won't mind going to the store."

"Oh— eh, anything is fine, really. I'm not sure how long we're even staying, as it's nine. Our activities start a bit later today, but I wouldn't want to risk being late. Janson's been strict lately."

I don't really feel like going back to the camp. At all. There is no way He followed me all the way here. I went to a restaurant, climbing park, then drove here with a taxi. The driver even took a longer route so Minho could point some things about his childhood out, like where he played and stuff. I haven't heard a single click other than Jennifer's either.

I'm slowly starting to realize I've gotten myself into worse problems than I thought. Even though I try to ignore it, a bad feeling stays lingering in the pit of my stomach.

A groan then leaves Minho's mouth, followed by his body shifting.

"I haven't seen him this cute in years," Jennifer peeps, obviously excited and close to squealing.

"There is a reason you haven't," his drowsily voice mutters.

"Except for when you smile. Did you know you're so sweet when you smile, honey?"

"Of course I know," he says, now a little steadier as he sits up. "I'm not a fool."

I palm my face in silence.

"And someone said breakfast?" He adds.

Hiram squints an eye at him. "Were you even asleep?"

"Until she moved." He points at me. "Damnit, so comfortable and warm and cozy—"

"Oh, shut up." I shake my head at Minho's grin. "What do you think? Risk a punishment or get at the camp on time?"

He gets off the couch, running a hand through his messy hair. It doesn't fix much. "Definitely the first option."

"No, you will not," Jennifer steps in. "Just so you know, I heard what happened between Thomas and Janson."

"So?" Minho groans. "I don't have a shitty past. No things he can threaten me with."

"So?" Jennifer mimics. "I don't trust that man with my son—"

"I'm stronger than him," Minho interrupts, but she doesn't listen.

"—and I don't want anything to happen to you. And not to Lelia, either. You're gonna behave a bit."

"I have been behaving very well," he says, offended.

Jennifer shoots me a look. "Is that true?"

"Oh— uhm." I shrug a bit. "I mean, sure. Nothing too bad."

"But still!" She peeps. "That Shack thing is pure horror. Imagine you end up there. Like. Every. Year! It's a crime we're still allowing you to go there."

"I've already been there this year," Minho points out dryly. Then he physically points to himself. "Wow, I'm still alive. It's not that bad, Mom."

"Not that bad? My love, you were sent in there for three days last summer. You know how long a human can last without water? Three days! Does Janson give you water in the Shack? No, he does not. No water for three days! You could die."

"It was one day this time. And I was with Lelia," he replies, still way too calm compared to Jennifer. As if they've had this argument multiple times already.

Damn, why doesn't he have a dog I can play with as they argue? Perhaps I should go help Hiram in the kitchen.

"How did y'all even end up there?"

"Janson thought we were making out in his office. Then Lelia accidentally ended up in the Shack for three days because of some miscommunication, but she—"

"You made her end up in there for three days?!"

Okay, she's starting to get a little more pissed.

"Mom, I was gonna start explaining more—"

Slowly, I start walking backwards, into the kitchen and to Hiram. "Hi. Can I help so I can avoid that argument?"

"Sure. Found some dough for croissants. You can shape them," he explains. "They're on about the camp again?"

"Mhm," I hum in confirmation. "Minho doesn't see the problem in misbehaving or going there in the first place. Jennifer clearly doesn't like that."

"Nothing new," he sighs. "My wife tends to get protective, 'specially over our son—as he's our first priority—and he... well, it's hard to explain. I guess our love can be too much for him, no matter how cheesy that sounds."

I indicate I understand with a nod.

Though I don't understand. Not really.

I don't know what it feels like when parents show their love too much. It's hard to imagine it can be annoying. I wish I knew.

"Also a hard part," he continues, "is that it sometimes upsets Jennifer he's unable to show love back, get what I mean?"

"I don't think he's unable to show it," I say. "You guys either don't understand his love languages, or he doesn't want to show his love. There's a difference between being unable to and not wanting to."

Who's that and where am I, and what poet just revealed itself?

"Oh, if it helps, his love language might just be annoying you," I add, attempting to chuckle along with it.

Luckily, he catches on and starts smiling. "Perhaps. There's so much more I could tell you, but he probably won't appreciate me telling the deepest things about him to his girlfriend."

A realer chuckle leaves my mouth. "For sure."

"Fuck you!" We then hear. It's so sudden, that I barely catch who even yelled it.

"Fuck you too," Jennifer bites out just as harshly. "You think you can go ahead and swear at me like that? I'm—"

Then Hiram has a whole coughing session that for sure is on purpose.

"Hey!" The woman rises her voice even more. "Do not go upstairs and lock—"

Hiram's sigh takes my attention. "There we go. I've figured his strategy out by now. Locks himself up, comes out after a few days. At that point, Jennifer and I are just happy he appeared again, and we won't speak of whatever made him lock himself up. Too afraid the cycle will repeat."

Hm. Smart. I should give it a try.

I think I have. I mean, I do lock myself up. But the second I reappear, the yelling does start. Or Lyndon convinces me to come out of my room the first day. It's just very hard to say no to him.

Still red from anger, Jennifer enters the kitchen. "Lelia, baby, I'm so sorry, but—"

"On it," I cut her off. Her next words would be something like 'I believe you're the only one who will be able to get him out of his room'.

I start making my way upstairs. Safely there, I knock on his door.

"What? Mom, I said—"

"It's me," I say fast. "Lelia."

"Oh," both surprise and relief is audible in his face. "I guess you can come in."

Something about the way he said 'you' makes my body tingle as I walk through the door he just unlocked.

"Sorry for that," he apologizes. "It happens often, always about the same thing. I don't want to leave the camp because it's the best time of my year, and Mom says I can meet up with our friends at other times too."

I give an understanding nod. "I know. I get it. From both sides."

He pulls a face.

"What? She does have a point. Janson indeed sucks. You can also book like a house or something for a whole summer, then spend it there with our friends."

He shrugs. "Maybe. But I feel like we'd end up parting ways, since we'd all want to do other things."

Hesitantly, I sit down next to him. "True."

Then we're both not sure what to say, I guess.

So I look around to make it less awkward. Nothing has changed since the last time I was here (my face heats up at the memory). My eyes fall on the clock.

His eyes must've been following mine, because he grimaces. "Seems like we'll be late after all."