Ji Hyo stayed back when he heard the name. She stood there hiding behind the white wall. She didn’t dare to take any step further. I’m 100% sure he means ‘my’ Jong Kook oppa. If the name he called earlier wasn’t Jong Kook’s Ji Hyo must have been worried more about the “marry” thing. But now, she could only think about that name. Than name that she loved the most. Her head felt like it was going to explode from excitement. She was excited about everything, but most of all about that thing. Jong Kook’s appa loved her and wanted her to be Jong Kook’s wife, and she was aware of those two things. Oppa, we don’t have to break up! Oppaaaa can you hear me?!

“Seong Im-ah, what are you doing hiding there?” A motherly voice called up to her. The harabuji’s wife, who was Jong Kook’s eomma, called her name. That “Seong Im” sound was the third most beautiful voice she had ever heard after his mother’s and Jong Kook’s.

“The lady’s name is Seong Im??” Ji Hyo heard a very small male voice; it was almost like a whisper. She knew that voice very much. Hearing her real name being called by the owner of the voice made her heart skipped a bit. She couldn’t hold that strange feeling anymore. The unicorns and the rainbow filled her head with fairy dust.

“Jong Kook oppa?” She slowly walked and revealed herself to the man. And there he was, standing up from his seat looking a bit confused. She could see the man from head to toe.  At the moment she saw the perfect figure in front of her, she stopped walking. She tried to clear her mind first, trying to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

For a moment she forgot everything. She forgot about the harabuji and his wife—who were confusedly looking at her. She forgot about the tears she almost shed a half hour ago. She forgot about her first kiss with Jong Kook. She forgot about almost everything and it felt like it was the first time she met Jong Kook. It felt like love at first sight. The perfect looking man standing in front of her never looked better than this before.

She hardly controlled himself from hugging her beloved. Politely she bowed to the old woman beside him.

“Good morning Halmoni, I’m Seong Im, nice to meet you.”

Kim Jong Kook was standing there paralyzed. He couldn’t believe what he saw. From the first time his father said the name “Seong Im” he had suspected something. He knew well that Seong Im is Ji Hyo’s real name but how can? How did his father meet Ji Hyo? Questions burst into his mind, creating some kind of illusion in front of him. No, this can’t be. No, she isn’t Ji Hyo. He repeated those words in his head when he saw the pretty woman in front of him. But he knew. He knew for real that it was really Ji Hyo and somehow he felt excited.

He watched her every movement as she bowed animatedly to his eomma. She controls herself really well. She’s really polite. But suddenly Jong Kook frowned when he heard her greeting. Halmoni?? She called my mother halmoni???

“Yah Cheon Seong Im, you call my mother ‘halmoni’???” He scolded her, just like in Running Man.

Her face turned blank when she heard Jong Kook’s word. She didn’t expect him to say something like that, especially in this occasion. But somehow she knew he was right. Maybe she should call Jong Kook’s appa ahjumoni instead. But before she could say any word, the harabuji walked toward Jong Kook.

“Yah Jong Kook-ah, let her call us anyway she wants to.” He chuckled as he rested his palm on Jong Kook’s shoulder. This man really likes to chuckle, she thought.

“But appa, eomma is not that old!! Yah this Mong Ji….” He said casually, not even aware that his parents didn’t know that he and Ji Hyo knew each other.

“Ah-deul, you’re talking non sense. And why do you two speak like you know each other?” The old man finally asked about something which he had been wondering about since Ji Hyo called his son’s name. And that question also represented what his wife wanted to ask. They both were bewildered by Jong Kook’s and Ji Hyo’s behavior.

“Appa, she’s the girl whom I was talking about the other day.” He reluctantly answered.

“What girl?” Ji Hyo’s face was maybe blank, but Jong Kook’s appa’s facial expression was even blanker than hers.

“Appa…. my girlfriend.” He grumbled and quickly clutched Ji Hyo’s small hand in his. He pulled her to his side and introduced her formally to his father. “Appa, this is Cheon Seong Im a.k.a. Song Ji Hyo, my girlfriend.”

He stood still watching the two standing so close to each other. For awhile he tried to absorb all the things that his son just said to him. His mind was taking a hard work on trying to work out those things, and actually he still couldn’t figure out what was really happening. So this woman, Seong Im-ah, is actually Song Ji Hyo and she dated Jong Kook? Why does she have two names? And that second name seems familiar to me.  Aigoo my brain is damaged. How can my son find such a nice lady like her? I must be dreaming.

 Jong Kook noticed that his appa was really really confused at the moment. He looked back, trying to see his mother expression, but she seemed fine. Before his appa went home, he had a talk with his mother about Ji Hyo—although he didn’t mention anything about Ji Hyo’s real name so no wonder she didn’t get it at first. She was a better observer and thinker so she figured it out really fast. Jong Kook didn’t worry about his eomma, but he was a little bit worried about the old man. Slowly he told him to breath and asked him to sit on the couch.

The son took his time and explained everything to his father. The old man began to understand and nodded at every single sentence that Jong Kook said to him. From the story, Jong Kook’s appa assumed that his son was really in love. He felt guilty for matchmaking him with another woman that he himself didn’t even know good. After Jong Kook finished his last word, the appa took a really deep breath and stood up from his seat.

“I’ll go and give my friend from the A company a call.”

He said that one sentence casually and walked away to another room. Ji Hyo slowly turned her head to face her oppa. She smiled for awhile and gave him a victory smile. Jong Kook and Ji Hyo knew really well what that single sentence meant. The appa gave up, they won the battle! The two of them kept on repeating the same sentence inside their own heads, “WE WON THE BATTLE!!!!”

From behind, Jong Kook’s eomma could only smile at the two, reminiscing her own battle when she was young. She also had a hard time convincing her parents before she could marry Jong Kook’s father. Now her son was doing the same. How cruel time can be. Yesterday he was my baby and now…. Jong Kook-ah, you have to protect Seong Im well. She said to herself, hoping her son could hear it too.

“Oppa!! Jong Kook oppa!!!!”

Jong Kook, who was walking to his car at the parking lot, stopped and turned his head to see where the sound was coming from. But before he could even look at the source of the sound, someone grabbed his arms so tight and dragging him away from where he was standing. He laughed and sped up his step, trying to catch up with that person.

“Yah Ji Hyo-yah, are you seriously holding my hands? You’re not good at keeping secrets!” He scolded her jokingly.

“Oppa, nevermind. Let the whole world know that I love you. I don’t mind!!” She looked back at him and laughed.

Jong Kook loved that laughter. That beautiful laughter that she only showed him when she said she loved him. He blushed everytime she told her she loved him. The muscular but shy man could only replied those beautiful words with a fluffy confession.

“Ji Hyo-ah, oppa loves those words very much. Say it again.” He slowed down his steps. The woman beside him softened her grip and stopped walking. She looked directly into his eyes.

“Oppa, you say it first and then I’ll say it to you.”

Ji Hyo grinned cunningly. She knew her oppa was a really shy man and rarely said those kinds of things. She didn’t mind not getting to hear the confession oftenly since she knew her boyfriend’s personality. But still, a woman needed beautiful words sometimes.

“Ji Hyo-ah, the crews are still here. What if they hear me?” He looked around the running man set, seeing the VJs and PDs everywhere. From afar he could even see Jae Suk and Suk Jin having a serious conversation. Haha, Gary, and Gwang So were not there though, but still he was too worried that someone might hear them.

“Oppa, I don’t care about them. They knew about us, you’re just too naïve to notice that.” She stated casually, not caring that Jong Kook was really sensitive about that.

“Huh? They knew about us?” There was a sudden change in his expression. “Yah, Ji Hyo-ah. That’s why I told you not to be too close to me!” He grumbled and tried to look another way. Deep inside he was kinda disappointed that the secret couldn’t last as a secret. But somehow he felt relieved that the Running Man crews, his family, finally figured it out. He let out a small smile, knowing that soon he had to tell the public about their relationship also. I’m no longer alone. I have her. She will complete my life. She will complete me. Well, she is completing me.

I remember the weird feelings I felt when I was with her. I could’ve just ignore them and continue my life casually. I could’ve just let time goes and wipe all the feelings away. But this thing, this relationship…. It’s really worth a try.

Ji Hyo-ah, I don’t love you because you’re beautiful. I love you because you’re you. I wouldn’t mind if you grow old and get wrinkles on your face. I wouldn’t even mind if you don’t love me anymore. I’ll be a stubborn oppa. I’ll keep on loving you even if you don’t give a damn about that.

 He stared at her without making a sound.

“Yah, stop looking at me with that blank expression! You look like Soya’s puppy.” Jong Kook burst in laughter after he observed Ji Hyo’s pretty face. The emotional atmosphere suddenly changed. Somehow Ji Hyo thought he was going to kiss her or at least said a few romantic words. Her excited looking face suddenly turned into disappointment.  

But Jong Kook loved that expression. That particular expression which she always showed when she wanted him to say he loves her. He loved those eyes. He loved that black hair that fell perfectly on her shoulder. He loved her crazy behavior. He loved her perfectly good heart. He loved her smile. He loved calling her name. He loved her.

“Saranghae Ji Hyo-ah.”

the end....

but also the beginning....

A/N: Before you think it's a joke because it ended so suddenly, let me explain first.

For you guys who ask yourself "Is this it? This is really the end? It's over???" as you read the last sentence of the chapter, here's my answer: technically, yes it is over. But basically, it's not. I actually have been thinking about it since I first wrote this story. I want to split this story into two fanfictions. In another way, make this into a sequel. By doing this, I create two choices for you.

The first: if you don't really like the story (but you're too curious about the ending, so you choose to read it until now), you don't have to read the next story.

The second: If you like the story (and you think this is not enough), I suggest you read the next story. (but you don't have to, though, it's up to you)

decisions oh decisions....

But before you get trapped in my world, let me tell you about the next story. It's going to be more complicating, heartbreaking, but somehow interesting too. I also want to add 2 table spoons of Song Joong Ki to the dough. Remember, I don't promise you that it's going to be a good cake, but however I do promise you I'll try to do my best to make a really good cake.

Anyway, thank you so much for those of you ho have been spending some of your time reading this story. i hope it doesn't disappoint you. But I sincerely apologize to you if you do get disappointed (Sorry sorry sorry if you think you're wasting your time reading this). Thanks for reading the story with me :)

Here's the link to the second story: http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/407860 it's titled 'About Us'