“Ji Hyo?”

The girl turned around a confused look on her face, and eyebrows knitted with a questionable frown, “Ji Hyo? Ah! You’re that creepy erted ahjussi!!!” She yelled pointing at the elder, “It’s about time you had pants on~” She snickered but still overall confused of the name Ji Hyo.

“H-hey! We don’t need to repeat my pant ‘incident’ over and over again!” Blushing bright red Jong Kook just let out a frustrated sigh. How the hell was he supposed to get back to his time at this rate? Ji Hyo didn’t even know who he was…or in this case the young Ji Hyo. “Look. I need help-” “And you’re asking me for help? ME?” She questioned quizzically an eyebrow raised. He just simply nodded his head, “Yes. Because I’m so damn desperate! Would you help me?” She stood blankly. Oh just typical. Blank Ji Hyo is here. “Hello~?” He said trying to snap the young girl out of her trance. She shook her head in realization and asked, “Why did you call me Ji Hyo?”

He gritted his teeth from saying the curses in his head aloud to the younger, “At least answer my question before blanking out on me!” He forcibly said with a strained smile. She shrugged, “Hey you either answer MY question first or I won’t help~” She sung teasingly he bit the bottom of his lip whispering incoherent words followed by repeating the same word, “Stubborn.” She just smiled in response. “Glad to know you care, now. Back to business-”

“We’re not doing any business here little girl,” Jong Kook replied deadpanned she glared at him coldly making him flinch. “Ahem! As I was saying, why did you call me Ji Hyo? I’ve never heard that name before? Is this a girl you’re trying to kill?! AND NOW YOU’RE AFTER ME?!” She yelled obviously paranoid Jong Kook rolled his eyes, “Yah! First of all, this she is more like a he-” Seong Im cut him off quickly, “Are you trying to call me a he? Don’t think I’m afraid to kick your ahjusshi! I can always call the cops and tell them you’re harassing a 16 year old girl!” Jong Kook felt the urge to hit the young Ji Hyo’s head, “You don’t need to go that far to the extent to call the cops! Anyways, as I was saying. I’m not trying to kill this girl, heck! You don’t even know who she is as you just said so yourself,” Seong Im pouted cutely before muttering, “Well if you’re going to talk about other women ahjusshi I don’t wanna hear it. I have better things to do!” Jong Kook looked at her and smirked, “Oh yeah? Like what?” He challenged.

She just stuttered, pink blush evident on her face.

“T-that’s none of y-your business!”  He sensed something about the young Ji Hyo. Not like that ‘Bad Ji Hyo’ type of way but more like she has done something good and wants to hide it. After all, this is the young Ji Hyo we’re talking about. “Tell me what is it?” She just shook her head still the pout on her face, “No thanks ert ahjusshi! I’d rather drown than tell you anything!”

“Too bad there’s no water…I’d like to see that,” Still smirking he laughed mentally inside his head. It was really cute teasing the young Ji Hyo. Crossing her arms she uttered, “Just continue with what you were going to say about this Ji Hyo girl?” He remembered, “Oh right…well. I’m not after you, I’m not gonna go after some snarky, hard-headed girl like you! I just keep calling you Ji Hyo because…” Trailing off he didn’t know what to say next. Should he tell her?

That this girl Seong Im, became a famous actress named Song Ji Hyo? A very pretty actress indeed. Not that he would say that out loud. To Ji Hyo specifically, that girl loved hearing compliments about herself if not that. Bad Ji Hyo was always a second option.

“Well?” Seong Im said impatiently a frown once again appearing on her face. “You know what- never mind. Forget about it.” opened in agape before throwing a outburst, “WHAT?! HELL NO! SOMETHING’S NOT RIGHT AND I’M GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF IT!!! EVEN IF I HAVE TO FIND YOU AGAIN, CREEPY AHJUSSHI. JUST TO GET THIS STRAIGHTNED OUT, NOTHING ELSE!” She panted face red once again he cocked to his head to the side chuckling amused, “Well then I’d say good luck, you’re not getting anything out of me~” “Hmph! Is that a challenge?” She asked he just nodded smirking things were going better than planned. Well not really planned he didn’t have anything planned out actually. Let’s just pretend so. For the sake of Kim Jong Kook the guy who doesn’t even drink coffee!

“Challenge accepted!”

 <…기회 to the 지난 ...>

 “I regret showing you this…” She sighed pink faced he just smiled in delight, “Why? This is a good thing!” She just made a ‘hmph’ noise before replying, “I have a status, if you know what that is ahjusshi~” He just scoffed rolling his eyes, “Obviously! I know what a status is, and what? Is that status being a hard-headed girl?” He chuckled seeing the girl turn red with anger and fists clenched, “You take that back ahjusshi!!!” He stuck out his tongue playfully singing in a teasing tone, “Make me~” She made another ‘hmph’ noise before eyeing the adorable creature in front of her, a soft smile glazing on her lips. Regarding the tantrum Seong Im threw earlier he smiled as well, chuckling mentally…Ji Hyo was really too adorable sometimes.

Seemed that the thing the young Ji Hyo was hiding was a small box – a temporary home for the stray kittens that she took care of for the time being, finding them outside on the street a few weeks ago, and luckily behind his apartment. So he could see her every day…great. Way to Kim Jong Kook now you sound like a creepy ahjusshi.

Nodding once more, “It’s a really good thing…uhm…” Jong Kook trailing off not wanting to call the girl Ji Hyo again she caught him not speaking and took a short glimpse at him quickly and then back at the small box. “Seong Im…call me Im. As of now creepy ahjusshi I still will figure out who this Ji Hyo is! But in return you can’t tell anyone I showed you this! Only my best friend knows!” A glare coming across her face he just gulped seeing the girl’s knuckles making crackling noises, “F-fine!” The two actually got along for a while, not noticing a dark and somewhat tall figure behind them smirking followed by a short evil laughter.

“Oh Cheon Seong Im you’re so screwed!”

   <…기회 to the 지난 ...>

The hectic day passed, Kim Jong Kook inside his apartment now wanting to actually clean the filled cups of ramen today. Who knows when he’d be back in his own time? On top of that he needed some clothes all his (past) clothes were all too small for him to fit in. The covered figure with brown thin plaid blanket over his body, shivering. “C-cold…” He mumbled wrapping the thin fabric tightly around the muscular body. Jong Kook started to mutter incoherent words while walking to the bathroom head feeling a little bit woozy but shook his head and coincidentally found some pills to take. He smiled, “Good! I feel better already!” He washed his face dressing up in the same clothing as yesterday and as a bonus, finding a sweater that fitted him perfectly. “Lucky!” He said happily while checking on some other sweaters that would fit him, that’ll just have to do for now. Not to mention that he was bankrupt for the being and had no money…at all! And seeing his parents at this age now would probably think he was a robber.

“Aish…I’m really an idiot!” He yelled smacking his forehead for the millionth time, “How am I supposed to eat if I don’t have anything…ugh great, the perfect time to actually search for a part time job.” Sighing he got the keys to his room apartment opening the door at ease and locking it, and he was off. Sneaking to the foyer without the landlady noticing him, or else by now he’d be paying his costly living. Succeeding, he let out a breath of relief.

He had heard shuffling in the bushes, he continued to eye the rustling leaves while jogging slowly towards it but before he could separate the clustered leaves a face popped out.

“AH!!! AISH!!! Ji Hy- Im! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” He screamed sacredly holding on his chest from the quick boldness. “Hehe~ Just a little trick ahjusshi~” She sung happily before continuing, “I’m not here to see you anyways…I’m gonna check on the kittens.” She shoved him off forcibly making him make a ‘tch’ noise rolling his eyes. “Still a hard headed girl,” He whispered annoyed she froze on the spot hearing the words coming out of the ahjusshi’s mouth.

She turned her head giving a cold stare at the elder, “What? I dare you to say that again!”

Challenging herself to Jong Kook, he just scoffed. “You didn’t hear me? I said…HARD HEADED GIRL!!!” And like that she launched herself at Jong Kook grabbing a fistful of his auburn hair into her small hands, but nonetheless tugging hard. All you could hear were Jong Kook’s pleading screams he felt his scalp being torn she just laughed manically, “Yeah! That’s what you get stupid ahjusshi!”  Seong Im tugged harder and harder on every word that came out of and more cries were heard…until they were rudely interrupted.

    <…기회 to the 지난 ...>

“Cheon Seong Im”

A voice was heard squeakily, almost sounding like a little girl. But it was a boy.

Both Seong Im’s and Jong Kook’s head turned toward the small voice eyeing the boy strangely. Seong Im abruptly let go of the hair making Jong Kook pray his hair was okay and probably no blood on it. “Yah,” Seong Im started off glaring at the young boy in front of her who was smugly smiling as if he had victory over her, “How many damn times do I have to tell you to use formalities with me? Huh? Oh wait, yeah, a friggin million times.” Obviously not amused she continued on sarcastically, “Shouldn’t you be playing with your cars or whatever, hm?” The boy replied in the same tone, “Yeah… and shouldn’t you stop swearing?”

“Hah! Your one to talk now beat it, I’ll call your mom again and tell her what you’re doing,” The boy simply laughed hinted with a threat in his voice, “I can always tell your father too…and knowing your father he would love to know what you’ve been doing these few day… coming home with new bad words. I think we’re on pretty equal terms, don’t you think?”

“Are you threatening me?” She spat inching closer to the boy her hand in his hair, “I dare you to tell him, I friggin dare you,” Her voice filled with venom as she was now eye to eye with the young boy. Jong Kook being a by-stander felt his spine shivering as well as goosebumps all over his body, the air was tense. The boy laughed louder, “Maybe I will,” With that it resulted with a loud, high pitched cry. The young Ji Hyo was tugging on a little boy’s hair. Jong Kook knowing the Ji Hyo in his time would never ever hurt a child, and this scared him. Maybe he hadn’t known about the Running Men members that well…like a lot of secrets were kept hidden.

Knowing what he had to do he spoke loudly in a stern voice, “Yah! Seong Im that’s enough! Stop hurting the poor boy!” He grabbed her waist while she struggled out of his built arms, red faced. “Let go of me ahjusshi!!! I’m gonna strangle that boy’s neck off!” Her hands forming shape of choking he just shook his head sighing while on the other hand the boy rubbed his head muttering, “Ow, stupid Seong Im! I’ll get you next time!” “FORMALITIES IDIOT BOY!!!” The boy stuck his tongue at her and took a quick glance at Jong Kook. Jong Kook stared back, awkwardly, until the boy also stuck his tongue at him, “Weird ahjusshi! You could’ve helped me earlier, but instead you just stood there like a statue!!! I’ll get you too!” And then ran away.

The young Ji Hyo calming down Jong Kook let of her and she stood glaring at the retreating boy and spat lowly to herself, “Stupid Lee Kwangsoo…BETRAYER!!!” She yelled loudly even though the boy was long gone. “Huh?! Betrayer?!” Jong Kook asked surprised she just nodded, “Yeah…that boy Lee Kwangsoo…in this whole neighbourhood he is considered that ‘Betrayer’ and his name is pretty sufficient to answer…ugh! I’m screwed if dad finds out…” Jong Kook eyed her warily wondering what was wrong her father but decided not to…it was her problem anyways…but in ways it made him curious to know. One day. One day he’ll find out.

He also looked back at the direction the boy ran from before airily whispering to himself…