Author's Note: Hi guys! I'm still alive! Yes, I know it has taken me a lifetime to update something, finally haha. Thank you all for continuing to support my stories even, if I'm behind updating all of them. I can assure I haven't forgotten about my Spartace unfinished work. School and life has gotten in the way, but hey, I know, it's no excuse. So... I came up with this one-shot that I decided to cut down into two parts. I got to say this is my longest piece of work I have ever done. The second part will contain a scene between Spartace. I will be posting the second part in a week or so once finals are over. Bare with my guys. Thank you all once again for your encouragement and your subscriptions. Your comments make my day, and to be honest, they are always the highlight of an author's life. Ok, I sound cheesey, but it's true! So let's all keep supporting Spartace forevery everyone!

Homecoming - Part 1

Sighing tiredly, Kim Jong Kook, allowed a somewhat small quirk of a smile to grace his chiseled handsome face. He was finally home. After two week of nothing seeing his little minx of wife, he was more than ready to devour the little vixen whole. However; business was business and companies didn’t operate themselves single-mindedly, or else, he wouldn’t have left his wife after all. As the CEO of his family company, he knew it was his duty to do as he was told and what was best for his family’s company JK Enterprises.

Having the upper hand in the world of business was imperative for survival and stocks. Now days companies did everything in their power to take on anyone they could when an opportunity was given to them straightforwardly to bring anyone down to climb on the social latter. Which was the case with Jong Kook. He was swimming in an ocean full of sharks. If any mistakes were made, others would take that as weakness to attack.

It took him two weeks to straighten a contract in Singapore regarding the new line of hotels JK Enterprises was launching at the beginning of December for tourists. His vice president Yoo Jae Suk, one of his best friends, had delegated the matter till he gave up and contacted his superior due to the stubbornness of the contractor in charge of the new hotels. A new contractor had been found in the end.

Jong Kook was no one to play around with. Not to mention the disgruntle man had done the mistake in prolonging the upperclassman from seeing his wife and child. Vanishing business matters from his foggy mind for the time being, Jong Kook thought of his wife, Song Ji Hyo. If anyone would have told him that he, Kim Jong Kook, would be married in three years, he would have clawed them into oblivion. Sputtered their bones to the eeriness of hell. He wasn’t known to be the ruthless Sparta in the business industry for nothing.

Stepping out of the black limousine, Jong Kook handed his briefcase to his butler, Gun Jae Hoon. A bald old man with the appearance of a toad. He was unsightly to look at, or so his friends have commented, but his work was the best. He entered the grand interior entrance of the mansion, where the old housekeeper, Mrs. Chung Cha, was holding the big door open for them to enter.

“It’s great to have you back Kim Jong Kook-sshi. The mistress will be happy,” she said with a small smile on her face, before bowing to her master, who was already prowling towards the stairs of the big mansion impatiently from the looks of his brisk walking. Mrs. Chung Cha stifled a giggle behind her wrinkly hand. There was no denying how much the master of the house loved his wife. How the great have fallen.

What had started as an arranged marriage between two families to bring together great pedigree and social status, had turned into the undoing of the Great Commander. Who had promised himself he wouldn’t fall for anyone in a moment of weakness. He’d done the unthinkable and fell for his father’s best friend’s daughter in the end much to his amusement. He’d been against anything regarding arranged marriages. More so when it involved a troublesome tomboy by the name of Song Ji Hyo. His childhood tormentor as he would like to remember her by.

Jong Kook didn’t like to do what he was told. He was a man of his own caliber. He didn’t need anyone to tell him what was good for him. The surprise his parents had shown the day he’d agreed to marry Ji Hyo had been to his advantage. After all, it wasn’t just any day he’d say yes to them without words rising between them in a dispute that would last for days till one gave in. Indeed it seemed like stubbornness ran in the Kim household. He was his father’s son after all.

Something about the wildcat that had been his soon-to-be bride then, and now his wife, had erupted something in him that he had thought long ago had withered with his past relationships. Song Ji Hyo had been an enigma he had wanted to explore. And to this day – thanks to their parents meddling, not that he’d ever admit that to them personally, he’s being exploring what an enigma she’s been ever since.

A devilish smirk appeared on his shapely lips. What an enigma she was indeed…

Ji Hyo’s charismatic personality had attracted his attention like no other woman has ever had. Not even Eun Hye – who Jong Kook had loved dearly before everything went down the drain as her career as an actress took off. Jong Kook could be many things, but never selfish to those he loved. He let her go without remorse. He knew if he’d let her stay with him, it would be out of obligation on her part.

They had been in love growing up as high school sweethearts, but as time passed and he started spending more time learning the ropes as a chaebol heir, the distance between them grew into a chasm of what ‘ifs’ between the two. The day Eun Hye left without looking back after having called him to meet at a nearby coffee place, Jong Kook promised himself to never fall into a love-trap again as he would call it. The feeling had left a bittersweet taste in his mouth that he hadn’t wished to familiarize himself with such a tear-jerking experience that left him feeling like a tiger caged up in a cage.

Jong Kook knew he hadn’t been ready to give her what she wanted, not when he was establishing himself as a man in the eyes of society; he had felt inadequate as a man. Having been born to a blue-blooded family didn’t exactly mean he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He had to earn that spoon in order to earn respect among all without looking like an incompetent man. Jong Kook realized as time passed, Eun Hye hadn’t been ready to take on the duties his name came with either. They both needed to grow up as adults. If they belonged to each other they’d come back to each other, nevertheless, that wasn’t the case. Eun Hye was happily married now to someone else just like he was.

No, he thought with a thoughtful expression on his face as he entered the hall that lead to his private quarters, he didn’t have any regrets in having let the past go. He was happy now.

Ji Hyo had charmed her way in his heart when he’d least expected. It had left him feeling and vulnerable for the first time, something he’d never felt before. Who would have thought that the little imp of a girl who’d sit on his father’s lap when she was little would have him so wrapped around her little finger to do to her bidding?

Being from the same circle of friends Jong Kook had watched the little girl, who’d trail behind him and his friends to play around with since no girls like to play and get dirty outside with dirt like they did, grow from an awkward little tomboy to a beautiful young woman. Being older than her by seven years Jong Kook hadn’t wanted a little girl with pigtails and glasses trailing behind him and his friends. His friends would constantly about his ‘little stalker’. Jong Kook hadn’t known that faithful day Ji Hyo had gained more than his protectiveness, but his heart as her protector.

Six year old Ji Hyo hurried as fast her short little legs could run to catch up with the older boys in front of her. Having longer legs than her was a problem as the distance seemed to grow wider no matter how fast she seemed to be running.

Puffing and gasping for air she tried to call them waving her chubby arms to catch their attention. She didn’t like playing with her mommy’s friends daughters. They were rude and snobbish. They didn’t like to wear pants like she did but frilly dresses. In front of their moms they were angels but once they were left behind closed doors, Ji Hyo felt like a lamb getting attacked by hungry wolves. No, she didn’t like playing with girls. She liked playing with her daddy’s best friend son’s and his friends. They let her stay with them. She knew sometimes her presence bothered by the way annoyance seemed to appear on their face along with a scowl that didn’t nothing to drive her away.  “Yah! Guys! Wait up.” She noticed for a minute they had stopped talking to look over their shoulder.

“Eyyy Jong Kook hyung, your little stalker is at it again,” said the tallest boy of them all. His awkward stance and long legs made him look like a giraffe.

The shortest boy with round glasses started laughing pointing his index finger to an annoyed looking broad shoulder kid who seemed to be glaring at the little girl in front of them. “Yah! Hyung, you have your own fan president already. Ha ha ha. Isn’t it cute awww.” The boy named Ha Ha stopped laughing once his friend Jong Kook slapped him on the back of his head with a growl. Making him rub his sore spot afterwards with a pout on his face.

“Yah! I’m just stating the obvious. You don’t have to take it out on me. Besides it’s cute that you have a little stalker who’s in love with you. All big eyed she stares at you.” He backed away only to fall on his once he saw his hyung take another step towards him with a stance that left no argument who would get the upper hand if strength and weight were involved. Huffing Ha Ha backed away for the time being till he puts his foot in his mouth all over again.

Ji Hyo stared at them innocently with her big round eyes and pink cheeks. A blank look on her face took over. She liked Jong kook? Stalker? What did Pororo mean? Ji Hyo thought Jong Kook’s friend looked like her favorite cartoon Pororo. From his round eyeglasses to his round face and wobbly walk.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Boys have germs and are yucky looking too,” she said as she blinked from one boy to another. Confused with their words, Ji Hyo waited for them to elaborate.

“Yah! Ji Hyo ah, why don’t you go play with little girls your age and stop bothering us?” said another boy with a bowtie and square glasses. He was the oldest of the bunch.

To his left a boy in a green shirt nodded his head in agreement. Ji Hyo thought he was obsessed with the color green. He always seemed to wear green the times she’s seen him. She’s heard the boys call him ‘Grasshopper’ at times. From what she could tell, he didn’t mind or he didn’t care because he didn’t seem to react to the name at all. The pouting of his mouth was the only indication he didn’t like his so-called nickname. Ji Hyo though boys were weird. Why would they have funny names when they had their own name? Giraffe was Kwang Soo. Pororo was Ha ha. Suk Jin was named impala. He was the race starter and the last to always finish when it comes to playing games. Jae Suk was Grasshopper. Ji Hyo thought Jong Kook’s name was funnier. He was Sparta. She knew he was strong, yet she couldn’t understand why all those nicknames. Then again, boys were weird. Her mom had told her they came from planet Mars when she asked her once where boys come from.

They are funny kids, she thought, wiping the dampness from her forehead. She preferred calling Jong Kook, Kookie. It was short and simple. Though he’s shown his repulsiveness of that nickname the first times she started calling him that, he never stopped her from using it. The one time Ha Ha had called him Kookie in a teas