“I think the lioness had been sleeping just now”, Gary blurted out suddenly, referring to the lioness who was a little bit dazed with a somewhat unkept hair.

The whole cast laughed including the said lioness, except the lion beside her. The tiger turned lion just grin sheepishly while giving the lioness a quick knowing look. The lioness in return gave him a glance, still laughing silently and unconsciously leaned on his shoulder, as if trying to find some sort of protection from him.

Did they found out, thought Jong Kook. Or was it just another innocent comment from Gary? The question lingered in his head as he tried hard to pretend to not know anything by looking somewhere else other than Ji Hyo who was dangerously too close to him now. She gave him a light hit on his back using her elbow for she too had the similar thought as him.

They won’t know, right? She thought, there’s no way they know what happened, what I did, what both of us did not long ago.  The staffs won’t say anything too, right? Ji Hyo fidgeting anxiously, hoping for Jong Kook to hear her thought and assures her right there and then. Oh, how she wishes telepathy really does exist!

Feeling the anxiousness emitted from the seems-to-be coward lioness, Jong Kook secretly sneaked his hand behind Ji Hyo’s back and gave it a light pat, hoping that will ease her. He felt her tensed body to relax a bit, and his did too. Soon, to their relief, Jae Suk changed the topic to Dorothy and her oppa, Dorodo. Both of them let out a big relieved sigh. They don’t know, both Jong Kook and Ji Hyo thought. Both of them looked at each other at the same time, their eyes met, they smiled, knowingly. She leaned on him again, this time she’s more relaxed. Resting her body on the budging arm, her smile became broader, sticking out her chubby cheeks even more. She can’t help but thought about what happened earlier.

They don’t know, she thought,

What us, the cowardly lions, the couple lion…

Have been doing…

One hour before meeting Dorothy and her friends.

“When will they come?” Jong Kook fumed at the PD in charge, “We already chopped, how many are they, Ji Hyo-yah? Two... Four… fifteen logs! And there’s no more brick to be smashed!” He stared at PD Jay intensely. He had been waiting for more than one hour and it took a toll on him. He rarely complains during the whole 3 years they’ve been filming Running Man but today he felt really tired. Yesterday’s filming was pretty tiring since they haven’t had name-tag ripping game for quite a long time, not to mention he did not have a good rest last night. He missed her, his lioness, so badly he can’t sleep and tempted to sneak into her room that night but her room was quite far from his and the resort they stayed in was unusually packed with people. He can see people passing by through the peephole even at three in the morning!

Aside from the tiredness, there’s another thing that boiled him. The coldness. Even though the sun had rose hours ago the temperature still hit the low mark. It’s autumn! And they were outside, surrounded by trees and bushes with mountain painted at the background. Cold breeze mercilessly bit their exposed skin. The stupid thin lion costumes didn’t help to warm their bodies either. Jong Kook looked at Ji hyo. She shivered, visible even under that baggy lion costume. They should give her a thicker one, he thought while eyeing her up and down, or a y one. He smacked himself in his head, stopping the thought from going somewhere inappropriate.

“They’ll arrive soon. Please wait a little bit more,” said PD Jay. Jong Kook turned his head, facing the PD once more. He looked at him, and the rest of the staffs. They’re cold too but they didn’t say anything. He sighed and gave a slight nod.

“Then, can I rest for awhile?” Ji Hyo suddenly spoke. She was arranging the cut logs nicely and then sat on top of them. “Oppa, come and have a sit too,” she said as she arranged yet another set of logs beside her and lightly patted them. Jong Kook went to sit beside her and asked, “Aren’t you cold?” Ji Hyo just smiled and replied “Just a little bit.”

Jong Kook extended his arm and wrapped it around Ji Hyo’s shoulder and pulled her a bit closer. Ji Hyo appreciated the extra warm he’s giving and rested her head on his chest. From the side of her eyes she can see the cameras slowly diverting their focus toward something else, the trees or mountain perhaps. She looked up and watched his face. He already put on his sunglasses and pasted an I’m-doing-nothing-wrong-smirk on his face. She chuckled. They stayed like that for another good 30 minutes.

Ji Hyo let out a yawn, a long one. She blinked a few times before shutting her eyes completely. “Still not here yet?” Jong Kook directed his question to PD Jay again. “They kinda got lost along the way,” the producer answered apologetically. Jong Kook let out his tenth sigh of the day. He looked at the lioness snuggling on him peacefully. He resisted himself from falling asleep too but his eyelids gotten heavier and heavier. Before he succumbed into a slumber however, a freezing wind passed by out of nowhere. He startled, waking up the sleeping lioness in the process. Feeling bad for waking her up, Jong Kook asked a nearby staff if there’s anywhere they can rest more comfortably, preferably somewhere where the cold temperature won’t be able to torture them. The staff went to the PD who was discussing something with a couple of FDs. He came back after awhile.

“The small cabin,” he pointed at the small wooden structure nearby, “you can rest in it. There’s a bed in there if you want to take a small nap. The members will take quite some times to arrive. Oh, it’s warm in there too.” Jong Kook gave the staff a smile and a thank you. He slowly stood up, stretched a bit then pulled Ji Hyo’s up.  The sleepy lioness just followed behind the lion as he guided her toward the cabin. There's a glint in Jong Kook's eyes.

As soon as they’re inside the cabin, Jong Kook switched on the light and heater while Ji Hyo slowly made her way toward the empty bed at the end of the small cabin. Unknowing to her, as Jong Kook closed the door, he pushed the button on the doorknob, locking them in. As precaution he slided the door latch too. Inches from the bed, as she was ready to jump on the bed and continue her sleep, she felt a pair of arms engulfing her waist. She was taken by surprised and now fully awaken. She felt a hard muscled body pressed on her back.

“Off to bed so fast?” Jong Kook’s husky voice heard right beside her ear.

“What are you doing, oppa?” she asked with a lazy grin decorating her face. She's still sleepy. She playfully caressed the arms that were tightly around her.

“Nothing,” he replied, “just missing you.” He snuggled on Ji Hyo’s neck and kissed it lightly. She giggled. “You know, last night, I…” he paused as he kissed her again a few times going up to just below her ear, “planned to go to your room…” he stopped again and turned Ji Hyo around, facing him. He continued kissing her lightly from her jaw to her chin, purposely skipped her parted lips and finally placed a peck on her nose. He stared at her intensely till she opened her eyes.

“I know. I waited but you never come,” Ji Hyo whispered as she trailed her hands from his chest up to his shoulders and finally resting them around his neck. She tilted her head while staring at him back, asking for explanation.

 “Too many people around,” he replied short and quick.

“Really? But you can sneak around, right?” she said as her fingers played around his short hair, “Like you always do.” She tugged his hair a bit as she said the last bit.

“Nope, not last night,” he retorted as he took her hand and planted a kiss on it. “Which is why I’ll repay for last night…” he paused as he witnessed Ji Hyo’s eyes to widen, perhaps ten times wider than his. “Now,” he continued, stressing the word.

“Oppa!” she said, almost shouting .She’s in disbelieve. “Don’t joke around.”

“I’m not joking.”

“Are you crazy?” She gave him a slap on his chest before releasing herself from him. She immediately turned around and sat on the bed.

“I’m not crazy,” he replied as he slowly advancing toward her. She crossed both her arms and legs. He cupped her face with one hand and gave her a kiss which she instantly returned. “I just miss you,” he said in the middle of the kiss. “Me too,” she uttered as they again engaged in another long passionate kiss.

After they broke from the kiss, Jong Kook sat next to her, hugging her from the side. They stayed like that for a few minutes before he broke the silence. “We are the lions, right?” he asked.

“Cowardly lions,” she added.

“So, do you know how… ” Jong Kook paused midsentence. Ji Hyo looked at him and saw him blushing.

“Know what?” she asked, curious at what he wanted to asked, what made him embarrassed before even saying it.

“H-How,” he stuttered, “how lions…” he stopped again.

“What?” Ji hyo gotten impatient and hit his lap lightly.

“Mate.” He muttered, quickly. But that didn’t pass her ears. She heard it clearly and blushed.

“You really are crazy today!” she exclaimed and hit him again.

“I told you I’ll repay for last night. And since we’re lions today…” he stared at her grinned and continue, “shouldn’t we-“

“Oppa!” another hit from her landed on him. He looked at her furious face but he caught the blush on it instead. She wants it too but too shy, eh, he thought. Before she can say or do anything, he immediately pushed her down on the bed then quickly turned her around so that she was lying on her front. He laid on top of her to pin her down.

“Yah!” Ji hyo shouted, “What are you doing?” Her question was ignored.

“Answer me,” said Jong Kook, demanding answer from her, “do you know or not?” Ji hyo kept silence till she felt her tail, her lion costume tail, tugged by Jong Kook repeatedly. “Do you?” he repeated the question again, still tugging at the tail.

“No.” she muttered slowly, blushing.

“Then,” Jong Kook whispered on her ear, “should I teach you?” He looked at her and saw her mischievous look starting to form but her body still tensed. Trying to ease her he whispered again, “I promise I’ll be a gentle teacher.” She giggled and gave a nod. He smirked.

Outside the cabin, PD Jay was standing with his hand up, ready to knock on the window. He was to inform them that the members will arrive in an hour or so but when he found out the door was locked, he made his way toward the window at the end of the cabin. Before he can knock however, he heard a giggle, a girl’s giggle. Probably Ji Hyo’s. And the sound of a zip being unfasten. He retraced his steps back to where he was before. One hour is long, he told himself, long enough for them to erm, rest. The staffs who saw his face understood and made sure no one went near the cabin.