“I believe you…”

The skies were dark even if it was still early in the morning. The wind was blowing in mighty howls, creating a disturbance greater from previous ones the land has witnessed. A big storm was coming and everyone sought refuge to avoid nature’s wrath. All save for a few workers in the Choi’s mansion… and two children lost in the forest.

“Umm, hey.” The little girl in a pink frilly dress whispered, her eyes barely open from the wind swirling around them as if intent on blowing them away.

The older kid looked back and smiled at the young girl who was trying her best not to frown. He held out his hand and she took it without hesitation.

Her hands were small, tinier than he expected but it was so warm, and trembling. She was looking everywhere but at him. Even in his tender years, he recognized fear and felt his first sense of responsibility.

“Princess…”he whispered in a soft tone, wishing it would give her strength.

She looked up to him and for a while, he could only stare back. It was as if looking at him and holding his hand, were comforting her. His young mind understood a part of it but he could not name it. Still, he knew vaguely what to do.

“Princess, do you believe me?”

She nodded, again without hesitation. Jong kook felt himself stop breathing for a while. He clenched her little hand in his tighter. “Don’t be scared… believe in me, neh?”

“I believe you, oppa… prince oppa.” she said without her usual broken baby talk. He smiled warmly and for the first time, he actually believed in himself too.

Jong kook stared ahead, never looking at her. He was afraid. The situation felt too familiar like an old memory from many years ago but now, he understands it already. Still, he couldn’t, no, he was scared to name it or admit it. For doing so would only make it more real.

“I believe you… you didn’t deserve that Mr. Kim.” Ji hyo continued despite the suffocating silence.

Jong kook couldn’t speak or do anything. He knew he’d see it again. The trust from years ago, the innocent belief that he didn’t deserve, he doesn’t want it, afraid of what it could do to him.

Maybe he was not to be blamed for what happened in the past, but he wasn’t really an untainted person. He’s not perfect, no one is but he’s just not the average person who does wrong from time to time. Someday she’d hate him. He wanted to think it’s because he doesn’t want to ruin her childhood and not because he doesn’t want her to be mad at him.

“Still, even if you say that, you don’t really know me. Aren’t you scared Ms. Song?”

What if no one caught us, princess?

“Aigoo, this person.” Ji hyo exclaimed, looking away. “Is it really so hard to say thank you?”

He didn’t reply and she didn’t expect any. They reached the gates of school in relative silence.

Ji hyo was still a little mad at him for not telling her whom he was, for spying on her in behalf of her dad and for not telling her why he left. And that promise, he was there… but it was as if he didn’t really intend to fulfill it. As if his reason to be in Running Man was just because he has nowhere to go.

Maybe she was even angry but he was also the only one she had before. She knew her oppa has many secrets and that he was honest enough to tell her not to ask. Ji hyo hoped he was still that prince oppa, her prince who, no matter how many lies he blatantly says, still really cared about her.

Like her mom, she believes lies have its truths and they are always the most honest kind. All she needs was to see it. “You haven’t really changed you know and I still hate how you can’t ever be honest for a moment.”

“Princess you know how it works.”

“Yeah I know too well.”

I did it to protect you, little girl.

~~~

Kyung soo eyed Jihyo as the female teacher removed her shoes. She smiled despite his scowl. “Yah, Kyung soo-yah, aren’t you happy to see me?”

The younger one shook his head vigorously, and said, “It’s not that noona but I heard you went on a date. They said you and hyung were really together that’s why you came here to be with him and then you two fought because you wouldn’t admit he is your man and you went home sulking but he followed you and you two went on a date. I thought you two will just have a discussion at the mall but I guess I was deceived.” Kyung soo said panting after saying so much in such a short span of time. “I thought we’re friends.” he added.

“Yah, where did you hear that ridiculous rumor?”

“It’s all over the school. Everyone’s talking about it and some student said they saw the two of you acting lovey-dovey in the mall!” he accused, and just in time Jong kook entered the rooftop quarters. Kyung soo swallowed hard as he met the muscled man’s glare.

“Noona, ahahaha-ahahaha” he laughed, and then choked awkwardly. “I hope you had fun today, and sleep well!” The young lad said before magically disappearing into somewhere.

Jihyo and Jong kook’s gazes met, and there was something there. They both looked away abruptly. They awkwardly tried to enter their rooms, both clumsily turning the doorknobs. They didn’t dare speak, exchanging no words but tension hung heavily in the air.

Ji hyo was the kind to sleep as soon as her head hits the pillows after a long day but that night, she could only stare at the boring ceiling waiting for slumber to come.

She should have been mad at him for leaving without a word and for breaking his promise. Still, like so many years ago… she couldn’t.

Why do I trust him so much?

Why do you trust me so much after all the lies, princess? Kim Jong kook thought, groaning as he rolled to his side. He didn’t even deserve to appear again in front of her. From the very beginning, he had only played with her.

He knows he was trouble. He didn’t want to become the successor of his family. He didn’t like to study or to go with his dad and learn about business. He hated being followed by servants, being alone and not having any friends.

Jong kook wanted something else but he didn’t know what it was.

Then he met Seung Im. To a ten-year-old boy like him she was funny and a curiosity. A typical princess, but the little girl proved she wasn’t just that, she was… something else and Jong kook found himself pretending to be someone he wasn’t with her. He acted cool, like a prince and lived in a different world for a bit everytime they were together.

With her, he was great, not the troubled child his parents resented. With her, he was someone… with the little girl he had someone who believes in him.

All he regrets were the lies. He wished he were really a prince who could protect her… and someone she could look up to without embarrassment.  

Why?

Why he broke the promise? Why he left… because he was powerless. Leaving he couldn’t help but suddenly without telling her… why did he do that?

Jong kook closed his eyes. In a corner, in the darkest part of his mind a little boy was cowering. His head hung low but he slowly raised it as Jong kook approached.

“Why?” he asked the little boy he knew too well.

The lad was just ten years old. His lower lip was busted. His clothes were ripped and around him papers were scattered all bearing the large red F. The boy smiled. “You were afraid to show her this.” His voice was cold, disappointed.

He too, he’s disappointed with himself too.

“But, you know…” the little boy stood up. Jong kook stepped back. “I didn’t need to tell you Kim Jong kook.”

“Stop it.” he didn’t want to hear it. For years, he has to endure it alone, listen to it. Still, it doesn’t change a thing. He was still nothing. Even if he tried to become better, things still don’t go well as he hoped.

“You know it too ajusshi.” He was walking closer to Jong kook, his footsteps echoing eerily in the darkness. “That girl… you know, she won’t really be that disappointed like you do to your own self...”

I believe in you…

~~~

“Noona, what am I supposed to do it you’re being like this?”

A moan echoed in the darkened common room then a sound similar to someone getting hit followed. “Shhh, what a girly thing you are. Just let me, just this once.”

“But noona you shouldn’t… this won’t look good if someone –”

“That’s why you keep quiet!” she hissed back.

“Noona, you shouldn’t.”

“Eyy, if you want, let’s do it in my room then. Let’s go Kyung soo-yah.”

“But, I…”

“Yah, is this your first time?”

The boy blushed bright red, shaking his head vigorously. “Okay noona, since we haven’t held a welcoming party… just this once.”

Ji hyo high-fived Kyung soo and drank a shot of soju. It was a fine weekend and after sleeping around, chatting with Inguk, avoiding Jong kook and pestering Kyung soo, Ji hyo found herself staring at the ceiling again so she thought of having a little bit of a drink.

Halfway their second bottle in Ji hyo’s room, so Jong kook wouldn’t catch them, Ji hyo had finally told Kyung soo about the culprit about the false rumors. She told him everything except the thing with Jong kook, and the weird feelings she couldn’t even dare name.

“Don’t you believe me?” she said incredulously after seeing Kyung soo’s expression.

“I do, but noona… you think I didn’t know?” he mumbled, clearly not able to hold his alcohol well. “That hyung, I know him well!” he even snickered as if he knew a petty secret of the older guy. Kyung soo drank and finished half a bottle of soju and laughed hard.

“That hyungie, he still can’t get over the price.”

“Yah, Kyung soo… is he so stingy that he couldn’t get over the price? It’s not like he’s poor.”

“No, the price!”

“Araso, this kid… I’m not even feeling hot yet.” she mumbled, drinking long gulps directly from the bottle as Kyung soo argued about the price. He got frustrated knowing his weakest link had always been the English language.

Ji hyo would have never guessed, it was not price he meant but the boy had already felt it’s not worth to argue anymore with someone like her.

“Ah, I don’t know anymore… it’s the price, prizes, pinches… English names are so weird” with that, he fell on Ji hyo’s bed, intent to sleep soundly.

Ji hyo ignored the younger one and drank alone wondering why she couldn’t sleep again. She kept on thinking about him instead of what to do with Myung soo, but it couldn’t be because she liked him. She hated the man, no… maybe it’s not hate but he was just an oppa she knew from before.

“Maybe… maybe like before, that oppa. Even if he acts so cool and all. That oppa seemed really sad… like he really needed a princess.

It was fun to see him smile you know… I also, I also knew I could trust him. He was not really a bad oppa, right Kyung soo-yah?”

Ji hyo chuckled and turned her head to the door after hearing it open. “Right? I was right… I know I am.” she asked the familiar figure and stood up, stumbling a little. On the floor bottles rolled around and she giggled while she played with them with her foot.

Jong kook couldn’t count anymore how many bottles where there or rather, he forgot for a while how to count. He just stood there frozen as Ji hyo got tired of the bottles and approached him.

“Yah, prince oppa… you’re sad again. When you’re with your princess you should always smile, like before.” she said laughing, leaning in on Jong kook for support. She reached up for his face and he let her pinch and massage his cheeks. “Wow, this dream is daebak! You feel real…”

“Ji hyo-yah…” he started but she had her finger on his lips.

“It’s my dream… I do what I want Jong kook, you bastard.” She s her hand around his neck and drew him closer to her face. “You prince oppa, I should hit you for leaving me. You promised me... remember?”

OF course he haven’t forgotten even if he tried to deny the past.

The storm gave no mercy  as its fury whipped the land. Seung Im inched closer to Jong kook as she tried to pretend the loud rumblings don’t scare her.

Jong kook looked at her, amazed that someone could need him, that he’d be useful too. He draped his arms around her and pulled her closer. “Princess… it’s okay.”

She shook her head.

“But it’s really okay… to be scared, it’s okay.” he whispered more to himself than to her. Was it all right? To be scared, to fail… it was okay, it’s going to be okay.

An hour passed but they didn’t really know. It was getting dark and they were terribly cold.

Jong kook tried his all to make sure the young girl would be warm but all he could do was to whisper and tell her stories. He didn’t want her to sleep or to close her eyes. Somehow, it scared him too much. Those bright orbs had lost their light and it was scary.

“Princess, stay with me okay? Look at me, just… stay, I’ll protect you.”

She nodded. “Prince oppa, then do you promise? To stay with me too? I get lonely so, so much when you aren’t here.”

Maybe he was young but he was already beginning to understand something that made his heart warm. Seung Im held his hand and he felt relieved to feel they were warm. “Promise oppa?”

“Neh, I promise. Even if we part for a while…” what was he even saying? “It’s just that… because we can’t be together much… in middle school, or in high school, ah, no… even after all that, we’ll also be together someday. Maybe in work…”

“Meet every day?”

“Of course princess.”

“Running Man high… me and omma really liked that place. I saw her there, last.” Jong kook nodded, she was slowly closing her eyes.

“Princess, hey, princess Song Ji hyo… wake up… please stay.”

“I am here, but I’m really so sleepy oppa…”

He hugged her tight, rubbing her hand that was beginning to get cold. He was whispering her name over and over again, willing her to stay.

“Song Ji hyo… yah!”

She closed her eyes, and his hot tears raced down his cheeks. He hugged her tighter, crushing her against him. “Ji hyo-yah, chaebal…” he pressed his lips to her purplish ones, shivering on the coldness of them.

He couldn’t protect her… he was a fool for thinking he could.

The little boy cried and cried… for that’s all he could do.

 “I tried so hard to enter RM high, I begged appa so hard but he wouldn’t let me. I used to sneak in here dressed like a boy… hoping I could find you. I wanted to ask appa where you are, but he was mad at you I know. I wanted to ask someone to find you, but what will I tell them, hah, ‘find my prince please?’

I wasn’t even mad when you left because I know it wasn’t your fault. I came here to find you but I don’t know your face anymore… your name, you… all I knew was I need to come here

I thought you forgot our promise… I didn’t knew you were already here, prince oppa, so why didn’t you told me anything?”

She looked up to Jong kook who was only standing still. She chuckled again. “This really feels so real… I guess I wouldn’t ever have the courage to do this after I wake up… oppa. Prince oppa, Jong kook oppa.” she giggled as if that word did things to her.

“Oppa, prince oppa… I don’t like you, but I don’t like being alone. You hated it too right?” her face was inches away from his and he was already having trouble balancing them both. “A prince, there should be princess too… partner… we could do that. Until, just until we could be happy without needing each other anymore… I don’t like you… I really don’t, but why?”

She closed her eyes and let instinct take over. She felt herself lifted into air, crushed against a firm muscular wall of a body. She wanted to open her eyes and stay to see everything. She willed them to open but they stayed close. She felt so cold, but at least she wasn’t alone. The force tightened around her, and she felt something warm and soft pressed against somewhere. Somewhere she didn’t know and it made her feel frustrated, but…

That feeling, it was the same from years ago.

I am finally done with thesis defense (I passed with high grades but the last laugh is still with my adviser who is so biased and hates me... I'm so dead) so I am going to start updating my fics bits by bits. Honestly I still have finals next week but I never really study for that lol. I missed writing. Sorry for the long wait and I hope you enjoy this chapter ^^ And sorry for my grammar mistakes, can't do much about it >.< thanks again and I hope you would still read this story... it has jut started to get interesting ^^