Kim Jong kook was never late.

If there’s one thing that’s really admirable about the man, it’s his punctuality. Thunderstorms, heavy snow, even if Gap Jin is not around or his car breaks down, he is never late. He’s so rarely missing that some people used to joke that Jong kook will make it on time unless he’s chained and bound. Others said, he will be once he gets a girlfriend or when he marries someday.

Jong kook knew the jokes and brushed them away with a laugh every time, “I will still find a way… and it will never, I swear, ever happen.” He used to say.

Gwang soo witnessed this oath and he always kept an eye on the commander, sometimes even deliberately doings things. Stupid excuses that he hopes will make the tiger late.

There was one time when Gwang soo asked his hyung for a ride, making excuses about his car breaking down in the middle of an obscure location and his manager not picking up. Jong kook scolded him and said, “You are the most unlucky person I have ever met.” The giraffe made a sound, complaining about his phone reception and then the line went dead conveniently.

The giraffe has on a smug smile, he’s sure the tiger will finally be late because his hyung will never leave him in the lurch. Gwang soo parked his car at the gas station and went to a nearby café to wait for the tiger. He messaged his manager to pick up the car and meet him after filming.

Gwang soo hadn’t even drunk half of his cappuccino when he heard a familiar voice. “Yah! Lee Gwang soo!” Jong kook’s car stopped just right in front of the alfresco café. It was not even an hour since he texted his hyung. Anyang is so far away from Namyangju… then he realized he was actually just an hour away from Seoul, but still!

“Hyung!” he smiled and bowed politely, pretending the coffee hadn’t just burned his mouth. “I’ll just have this wrapped for take-out… want me to get you any snack –”

“Just get in!”

“But I’ll spill…” but just then, a crew member went to Gwang soo and swiftly packed his food. The giraffe sighed and ran to the car.

They were right on time for the filming. Even the usually packed roads were clear. Lee Gwang soo thought he was really unlucky.

Since then, once in awhile, Gwang soo would make strange requests from Jong kook. He would talk his hyung into meeting up first before filming. Ask his hyung to have a meal first. Deliberately stay at Jong kook’s place and stay up all night. Drink in his hyung’s place. Do over time in the gym. When drunk and desperate, watch horror movies and create a mess. But it never worked.

One day in the airport for theirMacau special, Jong kook was nowhere to be seen. “Noona, what time do we need to gather?” he asked Jihyo who was busy being mong. She shrugged but judging by the fact that everyone was already there, Gwang soo knew something was wrong.

“Where’s Jong kook hyung? Hyung?” Jo Pd only told him to check-in but no one said a word about the tiger. When he looked like he’s about to burst into tears, Suk Jin slapped his back and laughed. “Yah, I’m sure he’s fine. Maybe the Pd has him on a mission.” Gwang soo sniffed. He wished to see Jong kook late even once, but he never knew he’d regret it so much.

Jong kook arrived towards the end of their day in Macau and Gwang soo had never felt so happy, to the point where he rushed to the tiger and covered him with his lanky form and kisses. Then he noticed the cast on the commander’s leg and he wanted to cry again but Jong kook hit him, lightly, he didn’t care. He was just happy.

Since then, Gwang soo has never ever wished for his hyung to be late ever again.

And he wished that would be the case. But the unlucky giraffe was wrong.

The second time, he remembered clearly, his hyung was saying something about his injury. He wasn’t supposed to hear it. He was just passing by the dressing rooms. He felt guilty that the tiger was hurt and still had to work so hard so thought he should invite his hyung for a massage or something relaxing.

He was about to open the door when he heard a woman’s voice inside… no, it’s not just a woman’s voice because he knew it well. It was his Ji hyo noona. The door opened and he discovered the two on the sofa sitting beside each other. She was kneading Jong kook’s thighs asking ‘oppa’ in a singsong voice where it hurts.

Gwang soo blushed, he doesn’t know why but he felt his whole face burn. “Oy, Gwang soo-yah, have they finished setting up?” Ji hyo asked him.

He swallowed hard and averted his gaze. The two didn’t do anything at all nor did they act like what they were doing was strange. “Ah, umm, not yet noona.” Then he closed the door and ran.

“Where is Song Ji hyo and Kim Jong kook?” the Pd asked. That day, although it was not really tardiness since they were already around earlier, but when the Pd roll called, for the first time Jong kook was not there to answer, and so was Ji hyo.

Gwang soo also noticed that his hyung and noona kept on stealing glances and grins the whole day. His noona even hugged Jong kook once and when they thought no one was looking, Jong kook squeezed her arm.

Giraffe couldn’t believe his eyes or his thoughts but he kept it to himself.

The third time was unexpected.

“Hyung! Yah, noona!” he screamed a very loud ‘andwaeyo!’ but the commander and ace didn’t budge.

“Mianhe Gwang soo-yah…” Ji hyo said but she was smiling, and so was Jong kook. They were ganging up on him, he knew it.

The Pd asked again. “Okay, yellow team… because you came in last you have to leave one member to be a hostage.”

Gwang soo noisily pleaded. His eyes b with tears. He promised never to betray his team. The Pd chuckled, commander and ace looked happy together and in unison the two shouted, “Lee Gwang Soo!”

Then they left just like that. Dong wan took him away off to the final location where they placed him on a dark empty room, tied in a chair.

Two hours had passed when he heard the first hostage to be freed. He expected to be the next one with the strongest pair in his team but they never came.

After almost another hour, the first person to be ousted was announced. Then after a while, another was out. He felt so lonely and forgotten. He wondered if his team was looking for him or if they had decided to leave him and do the mission with just the two of them.

With almost everyone out of the game, a person suddenly came into the room. “Noona? Hyung?” but it was just the guest who ousted him right away.

In the jail, he saw Suk Jin, Jaesuk, Haha and another guest.

“Where was noona and Jong kook hyung? I spent the whole day hidden away in a dark place, I only did the opening then the first game then that’s it!” he complained. They were all doubling over in laughter at his miserable state. Then his team dropped by in jail.

“Hyung! Noona! Where have you been?” he demanded. “Mianhe, Gwang soo-yah, we got lost for a bit.” They said something more but he wasn’t listening.

All Gwang soo could think of was Jong kook being late, again, with Ji hyo, again. He shook his head in disbelief.

Gwang soo’s team won that day but the giraffe didn’t feel victorious and sulked. Everyone just laughed.

While the team packed up, Gwang soo approached Ji hyo and Jong kook’s VJ to ask them what took them so long to arrive. The VJs told Gwang soo that they went to the final location separately since the car was already fitted with cameras. Next, he asked the Pds about what happened but they told him to just go home and forget about it.

Lee Gwang soo scratched his head, becoming more and more curious about what the Pds saw on tape.

On Sunday, while watching Running Man, Lee Gwang soo waited but was sorely disappointed to see that the yellow team had no scenes included during the car ride. All Gwang soo saw was a blurred and weird angle of commander and ace coming in, in the last ten minutes and eliminating the survivors. To his disbelief, he even got more screen time compared to them.

The fourth one was strange.

Kim Jong kook was late again. That’s according to rumors and Dong hoon wouldn’t really tell him anything.

It happened during the Singapore fan meet. He was at the airport waiting for the members to arrive. He knew he didn’t have to but he felt guilty for not being able to go to the event. He beamed when he saw Suk Jin coming out followed by Haha then his noona.

He waved and Haha grabbed him for a dramatic hug. Suk Jin and Ji hyo also hugged him but when he looked around, Jong kook wasn’t there. “Where’s Jong kook hyung?”

“Beats me…” Haha shrugged. Suk Jin laughed. “Well I’m not sure… you better ask Ji hyo. She arrived at the airport with him, I think.”

“You didn’t come in together?”

“We slept in… was late… the staff took an early flight. We had the second one… I remember rushing… I thought only Haha and I was left. We were already seated in the plane when Ji hyo came in looking disoriented. She just said that ‘oppa’ didn’t make it.” Suk Jin explained, he was about to ask his noona but she was on the phone looking annoyed. Gwang soo decided to keep the questions to himself.

The next day, he watched the videos of the fan meet and other fan cams. It didn’t escape him how close his hyung and noona were. They were practically glued together.

Then he saw the rumors in twitter about Ji hyo and Jong kook seen rushing to the airport together. Fan accounts also said something about Ji hyo getting drunk and that Jong kook took care of her. Some said something about Jong kook taking Ji hyo into the hotel… Lee Gwang soo sighed and stopped reading. He decided to turn off his phone and force himself to read the script at hand.

The latest and the last one was most shocking for the giraffe.

Gary was preparing for their Asian tour resulting in Leesang being extremely tired and drained. To help their family, the Running Man members decided to visit their studio and bring something for the staff.

On the day of their visit, Gwang soo received a call from his Jaesuk hyung asking him where he is. “Hyung, I said yesterday I’ll be late… I have shooting.”

“I know. Are you near Anyang?” Anyang only made him think of Jong kook and the call made him curious in a bad way. “Hyung, I’m not but it’s on my way to Gangnam, why?”

“Good, can you get Jong kook? He’s not answering his phone.”

“Okay hyung.” then a thought gnawed on his mind and he swallowed hard. It’s not likely, it’s really not he thought to himself. “Ah, chamkan… hyung, is noona already there?” Gwang soo expected a yes.

“No, not yet… her manager said she’s on her way though.”

The call ended. Gwang soo dreaded going to Anyang. Cold sweat drenched his back. He wished his gut feeling was wrong.

Lee Gwang soo sighed. He continued to stare at the door, as he did for the past ten minutes. He was about to ring the doorbell of Jong kook’s apartment when it opened.

The giraffe held his breath and stared. Jong kook stared at him. Ji hyo stared at him.

Then there was awkward silence.

“Jaesuk hyung s-said you weren’t answering and told me to get you I’m sorry!” he then noticed that Ji hyo was wearing something similar to Jong kook’s outfit, just like in Singapore.

“Ah, yeah… err… my phone.” Jong kook stuttered, turning bright red. Ji hyo chuckled as if something naughty crossed her mind. Jong kook looked away and so did Gwang soo.

“Let’s go oppa, Gwang soo-yah… we’re late…”

Ji hyo and Jong kook locked the house. They walked ahead of Gwang soo holding hands.

After that, Jong kook continued to be punctual with the occasional tardiness. Lee Gwang soo never bothered to count again.

thanks for helping me beta Reika XD this was a mix of KooksooAce, my favorite RM members ^^ I hope you enjoyed the fic ^^