“I think you guys got married while I was away and you didn’t invite me! It’s not like I will stop the wedding, you know.” Kyung soo states in fake anger while he inhales the cake Jong kook and Ji hyo made for him. It was a little sloppy with uneven icing all over but Kyung soo claimed it tasted really good. Ji hyo’s cookies were also best sellers during dinner, the kids leaving no crumbs. It was almost as popular as Kyung soo who was literally mobbed when he showed up in the mess hall. Even the chef was amused at watching the reunion.

The two teachers almost choked in icing when they heard the ridiculous statement. Ji hyo and Jong kook were sitting across each other and their gazes met. With similar grins on their face, they reached for the big glob of icing and before Kyung soo could register what’s happening -- Ji hyo and Jong kook has already smeared the white, sticky cream on his face.

Kyung soo squeaked indignantly, falling off his chair while the teachers laughed. “I hate you guys!” he shrieks to the amusement of his friends. After a while, he also joined the two who were already shaking and raised his hands waiting for a pull. “I lied, I missed you guys and I love both of you…” He said with a soft smile.

“We know and no there wasn’t any wedding!” The female teacher says with fond exasperation while Jong kook had an interesting dash of red on his cheeks. Then they both moved in sync to Kyung soo’s surprise. It was like they could read each other’s movement and the cook kind of wished he saw how it happened.

“It wasn’t the same without you. I don’t have my little bro to talk girl stuff with.” Ji hyo mumbles making Kyung soo scrunch his nose adorably. “And the food Kyung, I love chef but I just miss our little omma. You just have no idea.”

“Please don’t leave me again with this woman. You don’t know how much trouble she collects and I have to fix all of them. And those evil menaces.”

“Yah! Kim Jong kook!”

“Look, she’s threatening me again Kyung soo, just like every day.”

“Mr. Muscles.” Ji hyo grumbled back and kyung soo definitely saw that little smile the older man tried to hide unsuccessfully. The cook grinned and reached up for the offered hands, “yup, definitely married.” he whispers earning himself another twin set of icing in the face that he quickly wiped off and smeared on the nearest skin he can reach.

Ji hyo cursed like a drunken man in a seedy downtown bar, stunning the boys and giving her an opening to slap chocolate syrup to their gaping faces. Jong kook tried to run away but tripped on Kyung soo’s legs after the boy fell on the floor again. Kyung soo grabs the chance and hugs his hyung tight, rubbing his sticky face, like a cat, into the older man’s shirt. With the boys busy snuggling and sharing icing on the floor, Ji hyo swipes the whip cream and cackles like a witch. A long spray of foam echoed in the middle of the night followed by agonized and definitely not manly screams.

 Thus the story of whipped cream and icing was born. Wherein the three beloved guardians of Running Man High second year students had their first ever battle. They will probably regret the childish act during clean-up, but that time it never crossed their mind as they gave up the adult in them and basked in their inner childishness.

Their friend is okay. Kyung soo haven’t talked yet but he looked fine and he is here with them. The boy still nurses a little crush but was genuinely happy just to have his hyung and noona, even loving the way Ji hyo and Jong kook is getting along together. Jong kook is happy -- for a while he forgot all his insecurities and only felt love. Ji hyo was full of mirth, her resolve that going into this school, despite all the pleadings her father did, was the right choice.

They found a home and a second family that loves them.

Ji hyo opened her eyes tentatively but it was so warm and comfortable. She noted absently that it was already dawn and she isn’t in her room. But it doesn’t seem like a big deal. A place that felt so snug and so right can’t be anything bad, right? So Ji hyo settled down once more, her eyes closing contently as she snuggled closer into warmth and safety. Arms tighten around her, holding her as if never letting go.

Another warm body slides closer to the pair, pulling blankets around his makeshift family. Like Ji hyo he sleepily takes in the scene and decides that he belongs there. He too snuggles closer until he’s included in the warm circle and those strong arms accept him. His lips curl into a grin then he drifts into the deepest sleep he’d had in weeks.

Home…

--/:::::/--

“I think I have diabetes Papa.” Ji hyo groans pitifully during lunch date with her father. The old man looks at her coffee macchiato with a double dose of sugar. “So much icing Pa, it’s one cake but there was enough icing to paint the whole headquarters white.” she continues whining while sipping the thing that has more chances of giving her diabetes than the icing she’s talking about.

“So my dear, you’re telling me that you missed half the day because you painted the dorms with icing and had to clean it up?”

“Neh, Papa. Good thing chef is still around because the three of us overslept. Imagine teenaged kids roaming around the school with an empty stomach on a Monday…” she paused dramatically before shuddering. The older Cheon tried to think of it but was too horrified to continue, good thing Ji hyo was talking again before the imagery was complete.

“I overslept on the living room bundled like a burrito on the carpet. But at least everything was cleaned up before sunrise. Clean-up was a disaster… but it was so much fun Pa. No wonder they liked to do that a lot in movies. I think it’s not even because it’s a clichéd requirement in all rom-coms, but the actors and actresses just secretly like it.” She grins at the memory and sips the sweet concoction like she’s recalling the best day of her life.

Now the older Cheon is not a bad man, but he will move the Earth to make his only child happy so he needs to be sure and do some tests. He slides up his phone towards Ji hyo, his face stoic and unreadable. Ji hyo takes it without a thought and sprays her drink into the towel that his Papa readily threw into her face knowing already what will happen. Ji hyo’s jaw dropped open as she stared at the grainy but unmistakable photo of her wrapped around Jongkook with a lump behind them that was probably Kyung soo.

The photo itself, if not very scandalous, was beautiful and if Ji hyo could just get over the pounding in her ears, she would say it was breathtaking. But her mind couldn’t find the words to describe what she is seeing. Nor can her heart deal with it right now…

The older Cheon watched his daughter take in the photo. The last time Ji hyo slept that peacefully with a smile in her face looking so young and worry free was when her mother was still alive. He could still remember the little girl climbing into their bed, wiggling and demanding hugs and kisses. He could remember the mornings too when the most important people in his life would snuggle close to him and he would wrap them with his arms, how they would move closer. And he specially won’t forget the look they have on their faces as they sleep. At peace, home… safe and loved.

And if Jong kook was the man who can do the same for his little baby, he would never interfere, unless the man wrongs his dearest daughter.

“I… where did this come from?” Ji hyo asks softly, her voice tender and fond. At that moment, before Ji hyo even realizes her feelings, Cheon Sanggu discovers that his only daughter has found her first love. Or rather, found her lost love again. He coughs awkwardly, and wipes the moisture in his eyes inconspicuously while Ji hyo’s eyes were still pasted on the picture.

“All copies are with me. Good thing that the server of the private dorms are in my office. I didn’t want a repeat of that unfortunate event before.”

Ji hyo only nodded then returned the phone to her Pa. “I guess we all fell asleep without meaning to after cleaning up. I didn’t wake up with icing in my hair so I guess this was after we showered and remembered that we have to throw the trash and hide the mops too… I couldn’t really remember because we were so exhausted and alcohol wasn’t even involved” she chuckled, wincing at the memory of safety and peace that made her heart race. Schooling her expression, the female teacher took a sip of her sweet drink, hoping to hide the turmoil in her eyes.

Ji hyo might have fooled anyone that it was nothing but her father didn’t point it out. Leaving his only child to figure out things on her own. When his daughter is ready, she will tell him. when Ji hyo realizes her feelings, Sanggu will be there to encourage or to soothe… and when the world learns of it… he will do everything in his power to make his daughter and her chosen one happy and safe.

--/:::::/--

“Hey Kyungie, can I help?” Ji hyo exclaims, heaving at the door. She had just run all the way to the dorms after her last class to catch her friend before the cook finishes his tasks.

The younger man smiles sweetly at her before pointing at the counters. “Sure noona, grab a knife and help me chop the veggies. And maybe you can point out where some of my stuff ended up? I can’t find my favorite spatula.” Ji hyo fetches Kyung soo’s spatula then went to the chopping station.

She was reaching out for the knife when a memory hits her like a firework. A sharp sting, brown worried eyes and the smell of gym and leathers. Without realizing it she broke into a soft smile.

Kyung soo and Ji hyo worked well together but she couldn’t help notice how uncoordinated they are. She loved talking to the kid but that was odd because she never had to talk too much in the kitchens before.

After Ji hyo finished the greenery, Kyung soo pulled her away and positioned her in the soup station. “I boiled the water and meat but I guess you can cook this noona? I heard that soup was your specialty.” Ji hyo only nodded and Kyung soo might not look it but he looked at his noona knowingly, understanding her silence and connecting it to the way she interacted with the PE teacher without words.

“So, how was it Kyungie?” Ji hyo asks after seasoning the pot and deemed it okay.

“Better than I expected… there was some shouting the first day. Crying on the second day… then I got honest by the third day.” The two returned to their task and Kyung soo finished the final dish before sitting closer to Ji hyo.

“My father thought I went away to prove myself worthy. He thought I would be happy to know that he chose me to be his heir… to follow his footsteps and continue the family recipes. I wanted that noona. I wanted the approval so much when I was younger.

I wasn’t like this before. I was competitive… I forgot to enjoy cooking.

Then this school happened and I became a mother.” he chuckled weakly and Ji hyo pats him encouragingly before going back into stirring the pot. “I learned to take care of others through my food. I realized I really liked seeing my kids healthy and strong. That I could help them with this. I learned to truly love cooking and bring joy to others too. And I know these kids will grow up, graduate from here and leave but I also know they will remember me, maybe even dis restaurants because my recipe is better.

And you know what noona? My father cried… and told me he was proud of me.”

“I guess that’s why they let you back. I’m glad though that we didn’t have to rescue you. But then how about the heir thing?”

Kyung soo looks at Ji hyo and smiles sadly. “I will have more time to do this. I no longer see my inheritance as a prison so it’s okay. I can still care through my food… my family’s recipe will live on, but Kyung soo’s motherly care will also be there. So one day I will have to go home, but my dreams won’t end up with that.” he finishes, a bit sadly, but with more hope and acceptance. Then he turns to Ji hyo and wonders if he will regret his question. “I’m just an heir of a really old restaurant in a small town… and I got siblings. I can still cook. But you noona, you’re an only child and the Cheon Empire is huge... this school is just a small part of that.”

Silence hung in the air and Ji hyo stills. Kyung soo turns off the stove before the soup overflows while Ji hyo leans on the wall to face her friend. “It’s a huge responsibility, I know that Kyung. And I can’t let it go to waste… just the thought of the employees losing their job -- one day I will do that too Kyung soo.

I guess I will just enjoy what time I have, doing what I love. Or maybe do this from time to time since we own this school, “Ji hyo tried but couldn’t, knowing that it will almost be impossible to get out of meetings and corporate stuff. She’s not like her Pa, a true business tycoon and a legendary multitasker. Ji hyo doesn't have that kind of talent so she will probably spend her life trying to measure up and hold everything together.

Ji hyo never really liked to think of the future. She couldn’t bear the fact that someday… there will be a world without her beloved Pa and that her degree in teaching is just another achievement beside her business degree. That someday… she’s not teacher Song anymore, but Chairman Cheon.

“I’m sorry I asked noona.”

“No it’s okay. I actually need to thank you for reminding me. Not like we could run away forever…”

“Well, if you want we can. I’ll run with you noona.” he even bows comically, offering his hand and Ji hyo snorts a laugh. Then slaps the hand playfully, “you can’t ask me to elope with you Kyungie!”

“Are you sure that’s what your Pa will think? I think the police will rule out that it’s kidnapping! I am an heir after all!”

Just outside the door, Kim Jong kook hurries out to his room. Knowing it will be painful didn’t prepare him at all. It just hurts so much to be slapped with the truth.

Ji hyo is not his princess and she’s literally a royalty with an empire to run. He used to be a prince too… he knew how that world worked. And how much he hated it. He could remember how much he didn’t belong there, how much he wanted to leave and run away from all of it. He also knew that a king will only marry his princess to another king…

Jong kook might have been a prince too -- a future king -- but now, that empire is nothing but bad memories from his past. Now he’s just a teacher with neither name nor fortune.

I hope you enjoyed the read and thank you for putting up with me. I apologize too if the icing scene was a bit rated... I realized that only after I wrote the thing lol.

And thank you for the comments :) I really appreciate it!