The rest of the day was peaceful. Nickel taught Silver, Yin, Yang, and Balloon how to fish. Although nobody actually caught anything, it was still fun to bond. Balloon and Nickel stayed close the entire day, casually flirting with each other, sharing quick glances and sweet compliments.

As for Silver, Yin, and Yang, they were bonding in a dynamic almost like father and son, or perhaps like an older arrogant brother and his younger, annoying sibling. Nevertheless, they were bonding. Candle would be happy to see this. Yin and Yang realised that maybe Silver wasn't as bad as they thought. Sure, he was still posh, arrogant, and sometimes mean, but he had some kind qualities too. His love and care for Candle were evident; he clearly cared about her deeply and had no intention of hurting her. Both Yin and Yang were beginning to see that now. While they didn't fully like the idea of Candle focusing more on Silver Spoon than on them, at least they didn't hate Silver as much anymore.

As the sun began to set, it was time to pack up and head back to camp to meet up with the other group. Lifering, who hadn't left his spot the entire fishing session, stood up and approached the group. He had been too oblivious and engrossed in fishing to notice any earlier arguments.

"It's getting late! The other group should be returning by now. Let's pack up these rods and head back to camp!" Lifering called out to the group.

They started to pack up their fishing rods and fake fish bait, storing everything back in the shed by the docks. Knife had kept his distance from Balloon and Nickel since their last encounter, which made Nickel and Balloon feel more at ease. Even while packing up, Knife stayed away, barely looking at them or acknowledging their existence. Finally, they could relax.

While walking back, Silver, Yin, and Yang were chatting, with Balloon and Nickel hanging back behind them, hand in hand, smiling as they watched. They were glad that Yin and Yang were able to overcome their hatred for Silver. Even Balloon and Nickel hated Silver a little less after today; he had shown that he wasn't a terrible person after all.

"Water is better than Dr. Fizz! It is more healthy!"

"Dr. Fizz is superior! You are just a wuss, Yin!"

"Water!"

"Dr. Fizz!"

"Water!"

"Dr. Fizz!"

"Let's ask Silver Spoon, he will tell us which one is better!"

Yin and Yang look up at Silver curious to see his answer.

It flattered Silver that Yin and Yang cared about his opinion, he never thought they would ever listen or want to listen to his opinion, it made him feel proud...?

"Well, personally I prefer an oat milk latte..." Silver chuckled, poshly. As he does.

"Oh! I know how to make those!" Nickel randomly chimed up from behind them.

"Nickel, is there anything you can't do?" Balloon chuckled softly.

. . .

Soon enough, they were back at the camp, reuniting with the other campers and gathering around for Lifering and Goo to give the next instructions.

As soon as the group entered camp, Candle immediately noticed Silver getting along with both Yin and Yang. She smiled widely at the sight and made her way over. She had always believed they would come around and get along eventually; they just needed more than her efforts alone.

"Candle!" Silver chirped with a bright grin as she approached.

"Hello, Silver. Hi, Yin, Yang, how are you both?" Candle smiled at the pair. They seemed happier, which made her happy too.

"Good! Today was fun!" Yin exclaimed. "We got along with Silver Spoon! Just like you wanted!"

"He wasn't as mean as I thought he was, I admit." Yang added.

"That is pleasant to hear." Candle couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she glanced up at Silver, who was contentedly smiling at the boys.

Silver's cheeks flushed as he looked up and saw Candle staring at him. She always made him feel happy; something about her calmed him, making him feel fuzzy and relaxed. "I must say, I enjoyed my time too." He placed his hands on top of Yin and Yang's heads. "I misunderstood them; they are quite fun to be around," he added.

Candle felt like a proud mom. She couldn't stop smiling as she looked at her dear boys in front of her. She loved them all so much and was overjoyed to see them getting along.

"Come here, you guys," Candle said, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around all three of them, squeezing them tight. Yang grunted momentarily, hating physical contact, while Yin happily leaned into the hug. Silver froze, feeling the warmth of genuine affection and respect for once.

Yang knew he wasn't getting out of this hug, so he softly huffed and smiled contentedly, which thrilled Yin. Without any notice, the pair started to glow between Silver and Candle, and before they knew it, they were fused back into one.

Candle and Silver stepped back, smiling brightly at YinYang, glad to have them back as one. While it had been fun to see them thrive as two individuals, they were truly themselves when whole, and they loved who they were.

"I'm glad you're back, YinYang," Candle said softly.

YinYang smiled widely at Candle. They were glad to be back together; being apart for so long had felt strange. This was where they belonged, and they wanted to keep it that way.

"Does this mean you both forgive me for not telling you about Silver and I?" Candle asked with a sweet smile.

"I suppose..."

"Yes!"

Candle was glad to hear it, and so was Silver, who couldn't stop smiling. As YinYang appreciated themselves and embraced being whole again, Silver shifted beside Candle and took her hand.

. . .

Back with the other campers, Balloon and Nickel reunited with the bright lights and discussed how their day went. Nickel was mostly ranting about how much he hated Knife and how Knife had tried to hit on Balloon again. He was clearly still upset about it and very jealous of Knife. Balloon didn't mind; he found it adorable how worked up Nickel got. Nickel's protectiveness made Balloon feel appreciated and cared for.

The bright lights listened to Nickel's rants about how much he hated Knife, finding it amusing how worked up Nickel could get over protecting Balloon. It seemed like only a matter of time before those two would be in an actual relationship. The others could clearly see how close they were becoming, and they noticed a change in Balloon too. He seemed more at ease with the idea of being with Nickel. Not only that, but the way Balloon looked at him spoke volumes; he gazed at Nickel with pure adoration, as if he truly loved him. It was only a matter of time.

Speaking of time, it was time for Lifering to explain what was happening next. He whistled loudly to grab everyone's attention. All campers turned around to face Lifering and Goo up front.

"Alright, campers! It has been an amazing day! Nature walks and fishing! Woo! All outdoorsy fun! I bet you're all hungry! Tonight we will be cooking beef stir fry! There will be instructions on each bench. Today, instead of cooking individually or in pairs, everyone will share the load. So, one group will focus on cooking the meat, another on cutting the vegetables, and the last group will mix it all together and add the spices! You need to divide yourselves into three groups. Goo and I will be supervising everything," Lifering explained. "So, form your groups and let's head over to the kitchen!"

"Oh, what about announcing who will be staying in the luxury cabin?" Paintbrush called out.

Lifering turned to address the question. He felt a bit awkward about it, but it had to be said. "Oh, right. Every second night, the luxury cabin will be closed for cleaning sheets and blankets for the next group. It will be back open tomorrow!" Lifering smiled.

The campers groaned, disappointed that they couldn't stay in the luxury cabin, but they understood the need for cleanliness.

While Lifering was addressing any remaining questions, Balloon tugged on Nickel's sleeve and whispered something in his ear. Nickel looked a bit confused, but he nodded in agreement. The two of them sneakily walked off without a trace, unnoticed by anyone.

"Any more questions? ... No? Okay! Form your groups! They don't have to be perfectly even, just evenly spread out!"

All the bright lights exchanged glances, clearly intending to stick together. However, their attention was abruptly drawn to the absence of Balloon and Nickel.

"Where did Balloon and Nickel go?" Lightbulb inquired.

Test Tube scanned the area. "I don't see them anywhere. Did they slip away while we weren't paying attention?"

"Should we tell Lifering that they're missing?" Test Tube proposed.

"Considering how hectic their day seemed, maybe they just needed some alone time. Let's not say anything," Fan suggested.

"But won't Lifering notice the uneven groups?" Test Tube expressed concern.

"Come on Testy! It'll be fine, we will pretend we didn't notice... and even if the groups had to be us four... then like a group of two and three, it would still work!" Lightbulb chimed in.

Though hesitant, Test Tube trusted her friends. She shrugged and agreed, joining the others as they headed towards the kitchen.

. . .

Meanwhile, Balloon and Nickel walked hand in hand down to the lake, their steps quiet as the sun began to set. When they reached the riverbank, Balloon released Nickel's hand and sat down on the grass, gazing at the river where the sunset's reflection danced on the shimmering water. Nickel sat beside him, looking up at the slowly descending sun. He was the first to break the silence.

"This isn't like you to sneak off..." Nickel remarked with a small smile. "Have I been a bad influence on you?" he teased.

"Maybe you have. Who knows?" Balloon snickered softly, inching closer to Nickel and taking his hand again.

"Why did you want to come out here, anyway?" Nickel asked in a gentle hum.

Balloon shrugged, turning his gaze back to the sunset. "I guess I wanted some more alone time with you," he murmured shyly.

Nickel couldn't help but smile like a dork, his cheeks turning pink as he admired Balloon in the sunset's glow. The light made Balloon's complexion radiant, his eyes sparkled, and his lips appeared more plump and pink. Nickel was overcome with the desire to kiss him. He couldn't take his eyes off Balloon; he was utterly captivated by him. He wished he could find the right words to express how he felt about this boy. Balloon occupied his thoughts constantly; he wanted him, longed to be with him. Perhaps he truly was obsessed with Balloon.

Balloon hadn't noticed Nickel staring at him, his eyes fixed on the sun as it slowly set against the river. The view was gorgeous. It was rare for him to take the time to watch a sunset, and this one was particularly beautiful. It made him feel grateful to be alive and to exist in such a wonderful world. Life wasn't perfect, but moments like this made it all worthwhile. He sighed softly, feeling at peace and content in this moment. Away from the hustle and bustle of the real world, there was no social media, no bad news—just isolation and freedom, the perfect way to clear his mind.

It was even better that it was just the two of them right now, just him and Nickel. Reflecting on the past few days, he realised how grateful he was for their fight three days ago. If it hadn't happened, they wouldn't have been sent to this camp, and they wouldn't have had the chance to heal their friendship. He wouldn't be here with Nickel right now, holding his hand. Some things really do happen for a reason, and he wouldn't change a thing.

Nickel gently moved his free hand up to Balloon's hair, brushing a curl back around his ear. Balloon turned to face Nickel, his cheeks a rosy pink as he gazed helplessly into his eyes. They sat in silence for a moment, staring deeply into each other's eyes with adoration as the sun fully set, disappearing behind the river. Neither could look away, each studying the other's features and marvelling at their beauty. They truly did adore each other. Their feelings for each other were unmistakable, evident in the way they looked at one another, as if they had found their soulmate. Neither Balloon nor Nickel could have imagined this moment, where they would be sitting here, gazing deeply into each other's eyes. Yet here they were, utterly and helplessly captivated by one another.

Balloon knew it was still early to feel this way, but his emotions were stronger than he ever imagined they could become in just three days. A part of him realised that deep down, he might have always harboured feelings for Nickel. Despite their fight in middle school, they hadn't gone their separate ways. They remained a constant presence in each other's lives, watching one another grow and learn, becoming the people they are today. Although they hadn't always been on good terms, they were always there, together, getting by. It wasn't all bad; they had shared laughs and moments of closeness despite everything that had happened.

Now, they were free to leave the past behind and start anew, reclaiming their old bond and building something even more meaningful. They no longer had to hide their feelings or worry about how they wanted to feel. They could like each other—the real versions of each other—without the drama or the worry. With their walls broken down and their minds free of shame, it was time to begin again, and they both wanted this new chapter to include each other.

"Remember the first night we came here? You stormed off from the campfire ice breaker, and I came to check on you. I remember you were vaping, and I asked if I could try," Balloon chuckled softly.

Nickel smiled, reminiscing about that night and realising how much had changed in just three days. "Yeah... and I remember you made a lame excuse to hide the fact that you wanted to spend time with me. It's funny, when I asked you today why you wanted to sneak off, you told me the truth. It's amazing how things change," Nickel chuckled softly.

"Hey, it's true! I wanted to get out of cooking dinner! But... I guess I also wanted to spend time with you—mainly spend time with you, both then and now," Balloon hummed happily.

"About the vape... you don't mind if I...?" Nickel asked.

"Not at all," Balloon answered.

Nickel huffed and smiled as he reached into his pocket and took out his vape. He had been using it discreetly whenever he had a moment alone, but he hadn't had a chance to really relax and enjoy it like he usually would. He raised the vape to his lips, took a small hit, inhaled, and exhaled. Balloon watched, curious about why Nickel vaped but never having asked before.

"Hey... why do you vape? I'm not criticising or anything, just curious," Balloon asked gently.

Nickel huffed, chuckling bitterly. "It's a fair question. I know it's not healthy for me. But it helps me detox after a bad day, and I have a lot of bad days. My life isn't great—no parents, living in a shithole, barely making ends meet with my job... I don't have many people to support me. I need something to relieve the stress, to clear my mind from all the bullshit," Nickel answered truthfully.

Balloon didn't expect that response, and to be honest, he wasn't sure what he had expected. Maybe he thought Nickel did it to be cool or because everyone else was doing it. But then he remembered that Nickel never did things just to fit in. He was content being himself, prioritising the people he cared about without worrying about what others thought. That was one of the qualities Balloon had always admired in him—Nickel's ability to be himself without needing to fit in or seek approval. Unlike Balloon, who often felt the need to be liked in order to be happy.

"Well... I support you," Balloon said with a faint smile, scooting closer.

"Yeah?" Nickel returned the faint smile. "I guess you do. Losing you was one of the worst days of my life, but getting you back? That has to be the best. Who knows, maybe I will quit as time goes on... Having you back definitely makes life better. It's already looking up." He turned to face Balloon, a smile playing on his lips.

"Well, from now on, you'll have me in your life. I promise I'm not going anywhere again. I'm not making the same mistake. I swear it to you. I can't stand seeing you hurt; it crushes me when you're down," Balloon sighed. "I care about you so much," he added, moving a little closer.

"I care about you too..." Nickel spoke softly, noticing how close they were. It made his heart skip a beat. He tried to stay calm and not show how much it excited him to have Balloon sitting so near. Shakily, he raised the vape back to his lips, taking another hit. He made sure to blow the smoke in the opposite direction, using this as an excuse to look away as he grew increasingly flustered.

"You know... there are other ways to relieve stress?" Balloon suggested.

Nickel turned his head, chuckling. "Like Candle's weird hippy meditation classes?" He laughed at his own joke, not prepared for what Balloon was actually going to suggest. Nickel casually took another hit of his vape.

"I... I was thinking more like kissing," Balloon smiled softly.

Nickel choked, coughing on his vape as his face turned bright red. "k-kissing!?" he squeaked, his throat burning a little.

Balloon nervously bit his lip, smiling at Nickel's reaction. "Well... personally, I don't know since I've only ever kissed one person... which was, uh, you—but I assume it would? I heard somewhere that it releases calming brain chemicals that reduce stress levels and soothe the mind," Balloon shrugged. "But it could be fake... I'll have to test that hypothesis sometime, won't I?"

"Please—" Nickel practically begged, his desperation evident in his voice.

Balloon smirked slightly, feeling a sense of pride at how desperately Nickel seemed to want to kiss him. Carefully, the salmon-haired boy shifted his body closer to Nickel's, practically hovering over him. He gently placed his hand on Nickel's cheek, tilting his face upward. Nickel trembled as he stared helplessly into Balloon's eyes, occasionally glancing down at his lips and then back up again. Was it happening? Was Balloon actually going to kiss him? Or was he just teasing him? Nickel couldn't tell, but he was eager and ready.

Balloon wasn't entirely sure why, but he felt ready now. He actually wanted to kiss Nickel. In all honesty, he had kind of lured him out here in the hopes of kissing him. After everything that had been happening between them—the incident with Knife flirting with him, and both he and Nickel laying their feelings out on the table—Balloon realised how much he was truly falling for Nickel. Sure, he could put off kissing him for a little longer; it wouldn't hurt Nickel to wait a bit more. But Balloon actually wanted to do it.

As he looked at Nickel, he felt soft and fuzzy inside. He experienced feelings he had never felt around anyone before—something that made Nickel endearing to him. He wanted to kiss him. This wasn't about making Nickel like him more, nor was it about others pressuring them to do so. This was his choice, something he genuinely wanted to do.

Balloon took a shaky breath before allowing his eyes to flutter closed. Nickel followed suit, closing his own. Slowly, Balloon leaned in and bridged the space between them, gently pressing his lips against Nickel's. Nickel responded by purring into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Balloon's neck and pulling him closer. Balloon didn't resist; in fact, he found himself enjoying it more than he had expected. This kiss felt different from the first time he kissed Nickel. It felt right, perhaps because he was doing it for the right reasons. It felt magical.

His heart raced in his chest, and his stomach flipped in a good way. He felt helpless and flustered, his entire face flushed pink. He dropped his hand and placed it against Nickel's waist, tugging him closer as he leaned in further. For Nickel, it felt like heaven. He couldn't get enough of Balloon's lips, melting helplessly into them. They felt soft and perfect, and he had longed for this moment for so long. Now, here he was, kissing the lips he had yearned to kiss.

For once in both their lives, it felt like the world around them had ceased to exist, leaving only them against the backdrop of the universe. All their struggles and worries faded away into a distant haze; nothing else mattered but them. For once, Nickel felt true happiness, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time. This was where he wanted to be—with Balloon. All other thoughts vanished, leaving only Balloon occupying his mind. He loved him, truly and deeply, and he knew he would never forget this kiss. It might not have been their first kiss, but it was the first one that held profound meaning for both of them. Nickel was overwhelmed with joy to be here with Balloon, to share this intimate moment with him.

After a moment, they reluctantly pulled apart to catch their breath, their lips parting as they both gasped for air. Balloon leaned his head against Nickel's, a faint smile playing on his lips as he tried to process the whirlwind of emotions. His heart was pounding so loudly, he could practically hear it. He had never experienced anything like this before—it was truly incredible.

They gazed into each other's eyes, both wearing foolish grins. Nickel took shaky breaths as he played with Balloon's yellow string that held up his hair, his fingers tracing the curls of Balloon's hair. He longed to keep kissing Balloon; he could honestly kiss him for hours if given the chance.

"Heh... you're right... much better than vaping," Nickel finally broke the silence, his breath still shaky.

Balloon faintly smiled. "Told you," he whispered softly.

Nickel ran his hand through Balloon's hair, stroking the soft curls as he locked eyes with him, unable to wipe the smile off his face. "Did you... um, enjoy it this time...?" he asked hesitantly.

Balloon's smile brightened, and he let out a soft giggle before nodding. "I enjoyed it a lot, actually."

Nickel's heart skipped a beat at hearing that. He was thrilled to know that Balloon enjoyed the kiss—it meant good things for their relationship moving forward. Though they were running short on time and needed to return to the kitchen for dinner, Nickel couldn't help but want more, just a little bit, before they had to go.

"So... uh, could we kiss some more?" Nickel asked, his voice tinged with shyness.

"Of course, love," Balloon spoke softly as he leaned back in to press his lips against Nickel's once more. Nickel felt his heart leap at being called 'love'—it felt incredibly good. He wanted to melt into Balloon's embrace.

The two of them shared soft kisses as darkness began to envelop them, stars twinkling above and the moon's reflection shimmering on the water. It was a beautiful sight, one that filled them both with hope for their future together. Balloon and Nickel could feel it deep in their hearts.