The night felt much wider and more open the moment they stepped out of the tent.
Behind them, the tent flap closed with a soft rustle, and the dim light from inside was swallowed almost instantly by the thick darkness.
Around them, the camp stretched out in uneven patches — some tents still glowing with faint, sleepy lights, while others had already fallen completely quiet.
The forest stood just beyond the edge of the camp.
Still.
Silent.
Watching.
Kai turned first, lowering his voice as if the night itself might be listening.
"Alright," he said quietly but firmly. "Everyone goes alone. No teaming up."
"No pairs at all," Chen added immediately, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"We need a time limit," Dev said, glancing cautiously around at the scattered tents. "We can't stay out here too long or someone will notice."
Rui nodded slowly, thinking for a moment. "…How about ten minutes?"
"Five," Chen said without hesitation.
Kai let out a loud groan of protest. "That's nothing! Five minutes is way too short."
"That's more than enough time to get caught," Chen replied sharply, his voice low but serious.
A short pause hung between them.
Then Kai finally gave in with a sigh.
"…Fine. Five minutes it is."
Kai looked around at all of them, a small, mischievous grin slowly forming on his face once again.
"Five minutes," he repeated, making sure everyone understood. "You bring back whatever you can find. Anything counts."
"And what if someone comes back with nothing?" Rui asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kai simply shrugged, as if it didn't matter much to him.
"Then they lose. Simple as that."
The wind moved gently through the trees again, making the leaves rustle softly.
Dry leaves shifted and crunched under their feet as they stood there.
No one said anything more after that.
There was really nothing else left to say.
One by one, they began to move into the night.
Kai went first, moving fast and confidently.
He was already disappearing between the tents as if he didn't care at all if anyone saw him.
Rui followed in a completely different direction, trying to be quieter — but he still wasn't careful enough to stay completely invisible.
Dev walked much slower than the others, carefully choosing his path as if every step truly mattered.
Chen stayed closer to the edges of the camp, his eyes constantly scanning the area, his steps controlled and precise.
Wei didn't move right away.
For a long second, he simply stood there in the cold night air.
Jian glanced at him quietly.
Then looked away without saying a word.
No words passed between them.
Then Wei turned around slowly —
and started walking.
Not toward the nearest or easiest tents.
Not toward the safe ones.
He went further, deeper into the darker part of the camp.
Jian watched him go for a second longer than necessary.
Then, without a sound, he turned and headed in the completely opposite direction.
The forest and the night swallowed each of them separately.
Time passed differently once they were out there alone.
Every small sound felt much louder than it should have.
A zipper opening somewhere in the distance.
Fabric brushing softly against itself.
Footsteps that suddenly stopped.
A quiet laugh that was quickly cut off.
Then silence returned, heavier than before.
The five minutes stretched on.
It wasn't very long.
But it felt like enough.
One by one, they began to return to the meeting point near their tent.
Kai came back first, slightly out of breath but grinning widely like he had already won the game.
Rui followed shortly after, holding something small in his hands, looking satisfied anyway.
Dev returned next, moving quietly, but clearly not empty-handed.
Chen arrived a little later, his expression calm and unreadable, though he carried something tucked securely under his arm.
They gathered together near the entrance of their tent.
Still waiting.
"…Who's left?" Rui asked in a low voice, looking around the group.
Kai counted quickly in his head. "…Only one."
Wei.
A few seconds ticked by in silence.
Then a few more.
"Time's almost up," Dev said quietly, starting to sound a little worried.
Chen glanced toward the darker side of the camp.
He didn't speak.
He just kept watching.
Then — soft footsteps approached.
Measured.
Calm.
Wei appeared from the shadows without any rush.
Not hurried.
Not panicked.
Exactly on time.
Kai let out a relieved breath. "I thought you got caught for sure."
Wei didn't answer him.
He simply stood there.
"Everyone's here now," Chen said quietly, keeping his voice low. "Let's go back inside."
One by one, they slipped back into the tent, careful not to make too much noise.
The lantern was still burning inside.
Dim.
Patient.
Waiting for them.
The space immediately felt smaller again once they were all back.
Warmer too.
They sat down in a loose circle on the tent floor.
Jackets still zipped up against the cold.
Their breathing slightly uneven from the chilly night air.
Kai leaned forward immediately, unable to hide his excitement any longer.
"Alright," he said with a grin. "Show what you brought back."
Rui dropped his items first — a small handful of snacks, slightly crushed from being stuffed into his pockets.
Dev followed quietly — his haul was simple, but decent enough.
Chen placed his next — minimal, but still enough to count.
Kai grinned proudly as he revealed his own collection — clearly more than what the others had managed.
"Winner," he declared confidently.
Then —
they all turned and looked at Wei.
Wei didn't rush at all.
He didn't seem bothered by their sudden attention.
He simply reached into his jacket with calm hands.
And placed the items down gently in the centre of the circle.
Two glass bottles.
The lantern light caught their smooth surfaces.
Clear glass.
Filled with a darker liquid.
For a second, no one spoke a word.
The entire atmosphere inside the tent changed instantly.
"…No way," Kai's voice dropped to almost a whisper, eyes wide with disbelief.
Rui blinked several times, staring hard. "…Where did you even get those from—"
Dev stared at the bottles in complete shock. "That's definitely not from any of the student tents."
Chen's expression grew completely still.
He was fully awake now, all traces of tiredness gone.
Wei adjusted the two bottles slightly with his fingers.
Calm and composed as ever.
"…Teacher's tent," he said simply, his voice quiet but clear.
Silence fell over the group.
This time it felt much deeper.
Heavier.
Almost electric.
Silence.
Deeper this time.
Jian exhaled quietly.
Not surprised.
Just… looking at him differently now.