Jong Kook was up with the first rays of the sun and the beginning notes of the melody of his alarm. He liked to have a soothing alarm to rouse him from his sleep, gradually increasing in volume as he fumbled around for his phone to shut off the noise as fast as possible. As much he loved the morning, even he had to admit it was hard to be up, so he might as well make it as pleasant as possible. Ji Hyo groaned beside him, turning away from the foreign noise, muttering (probably cursing) under her breath.

He had almost forgotten about that— it wasn’t like he had a flourishing social life that kept him waking up at strange beds at any given hour. He supposed his mother wished he would though one of these days if that’s what would get him married,  Jong Kook chuckled, though she probably hadn’t expected well… this. Though, feeling the ebbing warmth of his companion under their shared blankets, he could imagine that very well.

Jong Kook liked to think he was a simple man. He got up at six-thirty, had breakfast, went to work or to work out, lunch, continue work— actually that was beyond simple, hell, he had a pretty boring life when he put it in terms like that.  

Boring life or no, this was first time in a while that he had no schedule to follow, and Jong Kook was a man that followed routine. It had perhaps something to do with his father being a military man, even though he had been out of their lives longer now longer than he had been in it, and his mother would never enforce that sort of discipline on him— Either way, his current schedule was simple, spend time with Ji Hyo here in Pohang. Now, that activity as well as the woman in question was a mystery he was trying to figure out. The easier of the two to figure out would be what should be he doing right now, whisked away from all of his usual things? Not much on his plate in this early hour of the morning. Jong Kook supposed he could go for a run, the seaside view in the morning must be beautiful. He could vaguely hear the gull’s cry under the drone of the few cars that were on the road...

The question was then, when did the Song family have breakfast? He didn’t want to be rude and end up unintentionally missing the no doubt carefully prepared meal. Besides, suppose this was a good time to step out, a small neighborhood like this was easy to get lost in with its twists and turns. God, he did not want to wake Ji Hyo of all people with his cries for help in the worst case scenario.

Or there was the second, he could write a note that he’d be eating out— no no, what kind of man would he be to turn down their potential hospitality like that? He supposed he could search up a breakfast place just in case and make it work somehow. Ah, he looked at his phone— he’d have to ask Ji Hyo for the wifi password later.

He languidly got off the bed and put on a light jacket before heading to the bathroom. The morning air was crisp, and the wooden floor was smooth and cold under his feet, the tile even colder still.

Jong Kook splashed his face with water and twisted the handle to turn the water off absentmindedly. A half-second later, he recalled he had made the same mistake as last night— turning the handle the wrong way following muscle memory of his own home. The water gushed forth furiously for a second before Jong Kook quickly twisted it the other way.

Jong Kook headed back to the room, contenting himself with doing some stretches for now, at least until Ji Hyo woke up or Lady Song called them for breakfast, whichever came first.

Ji Hyo’s apartment back in the city was built with windows that faced south, thus letting light enter closer to midday. Which worked out fairly well especially on the weekends when she would awake to her bedroom lit warmly by a full sun. On the other hand, that same sun in the middle of a work week meant Ji Hyo was aboely, preposterously late and that she should get her to the office. It happened very rarely since well money was a fairly good motivator, but alas not always foolproof. So this time confronted with that kind of brightness she woke up bleary eyed, wondering if she had missed her alarm again, probably her mother hadn’t bothered waking her up citing that she must have been very tired from the drive, but really because she didn’t want to interrupt her since Jong Kook was in this very room.

The window of her childhood room faced east, allowing for a good view of the sun when she had been awake to see it. She hadn’t appreciated it as much when she was a student of course, scrunching her nose at the light hammering at her too heavy eyelids.

She didn’t know how or why he would be up that early first of all. Ah, see, that’s why she thought she was dreaming.  He simply continued to stretch (that’s what it looked like he was doing anyways, the logical side of her brain supplied), unaware of the gorgeous (the not so logical part of the brain was quick to add) picture he made just then. Jong Kook shone pale gold, backlit by the morning sun. He was lost in thought, relaxed but every movement incredibly purposeful, fluid, like a tiger from a calligraphy painting. At last, he gave one final stretch, bending his back until his grey shirt rode up revealing a little bit of of skin just above the waistline of his pants.

Ji Hyo shook her head, slapping her cheeks to return to reality. The sound of it made Jong Kook stop and turn around.

“Oh— morning. I didn’t know you were up.”

“I’m not.” Ji Hyo groaned, rubbing her eyes. She did manage a small smile as Jong Kook forgoed his stretches to sit on her bed.

“Not such an early bird, are you?”

“Don’t make me say it.”

“Aw, usually you’re all spitfire, like a little rooster at a cockfight.”

“Just you wait, this rooster’s just getting started.”

She was rather thankful that her mother called them for breakfast, instead of having to turn some gears in her head thinking of something witty to say. Her gears needed some coffee lubricant for one thing.

Breakfast was rice and side dishes, a steaming bowl of bean sprout soup. A nothing like home cooking though, waking up to a fully prepared meal all ready. The smell of it was enough to wake her up, at least long enough to get some caffeine in her system.

“Thank you for setting the table, Jong Kook,” Lady Song said, undoubtedly pleased. He had been nothing but polite at the dinner last night obviously, but to step in so easily to offer help even for breakfast like this (which was too plain she now thought, at least she should have made the pickled perilla leaves but alas) was the kind of manners that really showed a person through and through.

“It was nothing, eomeonim.”

“Do you two have any plans for today?” Ji Hyo’s father asked.

“Not anything in particular, why?”

“Maybe you should take Jong Kook around town or something, show him the sights, you know.”

“Maybe…” Ji Hyo said, more concentrated in her bowl of soup than anything.

Her mother interrupted, “Well if you’re going to stay at home and just watch TV, I’m sure the storage room can use a clean out—”

“—Jong Kook, how about I show you around town after breakfast?”

Ji Hyo waited outside the gates for Jong Kook. The cold nipped at her cheeks, the promise of spring somewhere behind its bite. She breathed out multiple times, trying to get it to fog up but after the third time she had to accept that it was too warm now even though her hands, tucked deep into her jean pockets thought otherwise.

Jong Kook had changed into another sweater, and loose sweats that still, surprise, looked good on him. 

“You don’t have to show me around, if you don’t want to. We’re outside now, so it’s not like your parents are going to know.”

“It is not a very big neighborhood. Trust me, my mom probably started calling all of her friends from the local Recycling Brigade or her Homeowners club or what other committee she is doing right now as soon as we left the house. She has a pretty active social life, as you can see.”

Jong Kook walked with Ji Hyo down who knew where except Ji Hyo. She kept rubbing her fingers together.

“It’s cold, give me your hand.”

Ji Hyo slipped her hand into his much larger ones, letting out a surprised but pleased hum. Jong Kook’s hands were incredibly warm, and the way their fingers fit just so was pleasant. They were quite like Jong Kook, a steady presence that made her feel protected.

“Do you like your town?”

“I like it here. I… But this area is small, everyone knows basically everyone here. They saw me grow up. Like the corner store owner over there,” Ji Hyo nodded to a small old store further down the road with a sign that was comically big for its size. The letters were bleached by sun but from its clean windows it was obvious the building was still well kept. “She's pretty old now, and her son helps around the store but she always used to hand out free candy to students around test days or if it was rainy. Said something sweet helps keep the stress and gloom away.”

There were many things she could say as well. How she liked the salty taste that carried on the wind, and the unchanging, ever-changing, sea.

Ji Hyo continued not quite looking at him, “It’s just.. I don't think it could be particularly interesting to someone who doesn’t live here.”

“But that's what's interesting about it, don’t you think?”

“What do you mean?” She blinked owlishly.

“Of course not a lot of people would come here to tour and see the sights but, everything that is old and familiar to you is a new for me. Isn't it fascinating that we're in the same place and have two wildly different experiences in our heads?”

Jong Kook’s eyes shone as he took in neighborhood. “So let me into your head for a bit. I don't know, show me whatever you like.”

There he was again, trying to set her at ease, in her own hometown no less. Ah, Ji Hyo, get a hold of yourself, you’re the one that brought him here. Just be a good host and show him around.

Ji Hyo shrugged, her lips curling into a grin. “I guess we can start with the corner store? Grab something before we officially begin our tour.”

“Sure thing, captain. I'm feeling an ice cream or something.” Jong Kook opened the door.

“Kim Jong Kook, eating ice cream? I never thought I'd live to see the day—”

“Shh, must you try questioning every single one of my choices? I try to live my own healthy lifestyle and you complain that I should stop eating chicken s and live a little, and when I'm finally following your advice and getting ice cream you still feel the need to criticize my life choices. I'm hurt, really—”

“I don't do that!” Nonetheless Ji Hyo picked up some snacks for later, one never came into a convenience store for just one thing when every moment two other bright eyed packaging caught her eye. And she chose a blue soda flavored ice cream.

“Ji Hyo, is that you? Ji Hyo, right?” The old lady with streaks of silver in her hair greeted her enthusiastically she approached the counter. Young Ji Hyo had frequented this place since it was so close and had always bought so much food that it was amazing she could fit it in her small body then. Not to mention her mother mentioned her in their Recycling Brigade meetings, exchanging stories about their own children.

“Yes, how have you been?”

Ever so polite this girl. “Same old same old, business is a bit slow these days but I'll manage. I thought it was you when I saw you come in, ah but with my vision I couldn't be sure.”

“I just came down to visit for the holidays. I was expecting Sung Hoon here too since I heard he was helping out more.”

“Oh, he's got a side job now but he does still come by. He works in the night mostly.” She rang up her assorted snacks with nimble hands. “Now will that be all or did you want me to get your boyfriend's as w