Hou Yi looked at his outfit. The outfit Val and Pap picked out for him. Of course he could have gone in his fanciest clothing, but due to Pap using that as her scratching post. He had no other choice but to wear the outfit. The outfit was more modern than he would have preferred.  He looked at the mirror.

Gods he hated it more and more as he readjusted the blue tie around his neck. Why did he agree to let Pap and Val drag him to the ball? They were just going to leave him alone there.

He was sure Pap was going to hang at with the child called Raea and Lucky. Val was going to talk to Jess, Devi, and possibly Cryus.

So what was the point? Ball's just brought all bad memories to him. He looked at the flower pin that stuck out. He readjusted it, dear gods. Sometimes he couldn't help but to remember all the times 'they' spent out in the gardens during one of these.

No, that was in the past. He couldn't help to feel a pain in his chest though. He was only drawn out of his mind when he heard a knock on his door.

"Bro! Ready to go?" He heard Pap tell through the door.

He gave himself one more glance, he was crying... no. He wiped away the tears before opening the door. He saw Pap and Val dress in their best. The best being the clothes that 'he' bought them with his own money. He could see their bright faces turn sour.

"What's wrong Yi?" Pap asked, concerned as she could see the puffiness in his eyes. "Why are you crying?"

Yi lightly chuckled as he looked away. "Nothing's wrong-"

"Don't lie to us," Pap said as she and Val barged in. "Tell us what's wrong? Is it Yama?"

Hou Yo tried his best to lie. "No, just that- I miss my mother..." he said. Not being a complete lie.

He remembers his mother bringing him to fancy party and dances like this when he was younger. His mother urging him to talk towards others and dance with kids his age. He misses his mother nagging him and him nagging her. So it wasn't completely a lie after all.

"Yi... don't worry, I bet your mom misses you!"

"Yeah, I know... I guess it's pretty sad. I never came alone to a ball before. So it's just different."

"You won't be alone! Val and I will be there for you!"

What a cheerful child he thought. He couldn't dare ruin this night for the twins. The twins who took him in. He couldn't and wouldn't ruin their fun with his sad moments.

"Yeah, I know... let's go to the ball now."

"Are you sure!? Don't you want to stay here?" Pap asked. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to be selfish. He desperately didn't want to go.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Dang it, he thought as he said yes. His chest only got tighter.

_________

At the ball, Hou Yi stood near the far wall, away from everyone. As he predicted Val and Pap left him alone. Not like he wanted to be alone. He encouraged the younger twins to go have fun. But a part of him, wished he didn't say anything.

He could see Pap hanging out with Raea. Pap looked more of a child as they talked to the smaller person. Pap was trying to get them to try and dance to tik tok songs. He really wishes that pap didn't learn a thing about tik tok.

He looked over to Val. They had their writing pad out. They looked like they were drawing others as they enjoyed the conversation around them. Especially the conversation with Devi, and Jess.

Then there were the counselors, who were overlooking everything (mostly keeping an eye on Pap and Astra) as they drank the punch, which he was sure was spiked with tomb juice from Astra and Pap.

There was Earnest having a talk with the hunter AJ and Peri. Near the front of the dance floor. Then the others, he could see everyone else having fun. Being in their own groups having fun. It pained him to be an outcast.

But there was someone missing? He couldn't remember who, but there was one less camper there.

He took his eyes and mind off the party as he started to say rhymes to take his mind off of thing. But he couldn't, he could hear the commotion from everyone to get a little too unbearable. Then the laughter, he felt like everyone was laughing at him. For a reason he was unaware of, even though they were not. The pain in his chest just, hurting.

He needed air.

Hou Yi rushed towards the door and there he left. He could feel himself a bit better once he was outside. But not completely. He needed to get far away from the ball. Maybe the camp's garden.

___________

He closed his eyes. There he was. Back home... in his mother's garden. He could hear the the music and chatter in the background die away as he walk forwards. Hand in hand with 'them', Yama.

He could see them staring at him again.

"What? Is there food on my face?" Yi asked.

"No, just.... I have a question in my mind..."

"Oh? Question?"

"Yeah..." Yama said as they stopped in front of Hou Yi. They were far away to not be distributed. "I've been meaning to ask this for a while now..."

He could see Yama blush as they gave Yi a goofy smile.

"So what is it?" Yi asked, they had a bad feeling in his heart as he asked.

"I-I, wow, straight towards aren't we? I guess I have no choice but to pop the big question." They said as they dig into their pocket

No, this can't be happening...why now?!They can't be serious right?!

"Yama, I-"

"Hou Yi ,would you please marry me?" . Yama had asked, they were kneed on the ground like the modern tradition.

Hou felt his mind panic, he wanted to cry. He could do this to Yama. "N-"

Then everything came rushing at him. He felt the pain in his chest grow and grow. It was like a strike in the heart by an arrow.

He could only scream in pain as everything around him changed. He fell to his knees as he clutched his chest even harder.

He couldn't breathe... he looked up, he was in the Camp's gardens. He could feel the eyes of the garden caries stare at him in fear.

He couldn't do anything until he regained control of his own body. He sat on his and he felt the tears flow down his face. He hated putting this facade for others. He hated how he acted so happy for others. He hated how he himself couldn't be true to anyone. So there he sat as he sobbed his heart out in the middle of the night. Where no one would know. No one needed to know.

But, due to his luck. Of course someone had to witness his emotional breakdown.