There was silence between the two people sitting at the now empty restaurant. Only the sounds of the rain and occasional rumblings can be heard. Jong kook realized it was almost midnight and that he wanted to go. Chang Joo silently observed them from the counter. Jong kook looked at the man and he was greeted with a sad smile. Jong kook decided to leave Ji hyo for a while and went to Chang Joo.

 

“Hey, I…” It was more than awkward. What do you say to the man whom you thought was your wife’s ex who hurt her but it turns out he wasn’t? “I understand Jong kook-ssi. This was what you’ve been led to believe. I am really sorry for this and thank you. Ji hyo is like my sister, but she doesn’t know that.” The man an umbrella into his hand and he took it gratefully. “Thanks Chang Joo-ssi.” Just that one word spoke volumes. That was enough and he hurried back to her.

 

He arrived at their table only to find it empty. Panic claimed his whole being. She was distraught, scared and alone. Rain poured harder as lightning and rumbling filled the dark sky. His mind jumped into conclusions. What if she thought that he couldn’t accept her lie, that he doubted her? What if she thought she didn’t deserve a second chance, when in fact it was he who didn’t deserve her? “Damn it! Ji hyo-yah…” He angrily slammed his fist on the table before running outside shouting her name. He didn’t notice that Chang Joo was saying something. All he knows is that he should find her, now. 

 

Ji hyo, Jihyo where are you? I said it was fine. It wasn’t your fault. I told you I am not mad. You are an amazing woman, why do you think so little of yourself? You deserve a better man than me.  He tried to think but only dreadful thoughts raced on his mind. He looked around the empty street. His voice echoed painfully through the darkness. “Ji hyo-yah! Song Ji hyo!” He ran around the building. To the parking lot then to the car, but she isn’t there. He can feel his lungs hurting as he inhaled the cold air. He felt scared, mad at her, mad at himself. He just couldn’t bear losing anyone again. He turned around and she was there... smiling?

 

Ji hyo came out from the bathroom after Chang Joo’s frantic knocks. “Ji hyo! Yah, come out! Your husband!” Ji hyo felt like she was dumped with cold water. Thoughts of Jong kook leaving her and taking Hyo Jong away flashed in her mind. It was possible and she had no rights to stop him but it would be her death. She opened the door, tears streaming down her face only to find Chang Joo chuckling. “Yah! Why haven’t you told your idiotic husband that you were just going to the bathroom?”

“Why? What happened? Did he leave me?”

“He ran outside like a mad husband whose wife had run away! Go after him now before he loses his mind, palli! Hah, seriously, are you people shooting a drama or something? ”

“Who ran away, me? Oh my Jong kook…” Ji hyo smiled despite the cold and Chang Joo’s screams that she bring an umbrella. She just ran as fast as she could. The heavy rain greeted her but she didn’t care, even if the rumblings made her flinch. She was a fool to think that he would leave her and he was a fool too for thinking she can leave him. After all these years, how could she? She found him standing beside the car, drenched and screaming her name in desperation. She couldn’t help but smile at the drama of her one man.

 

Jong kook turned around and saw Ji hyo smiling at him. He really thought she had left him or that something bad had happened. After the gangster stuff, it was as if anything could happen now. In quick strides, he reached her and hugged her so tight it almost hurt. Relief flooded him as he felt her in his arms. He wanted to scold her for scaring him but he couldn’t. All that mattered was that she was there.  

 

Ji hyo felt like the air was being squeezed out of her as thick arms enveloped her. He buried his face in the crook of her neck as he whispered her name making her toes curl up and her heart warm. “Ji hyo-yah… don’t ever do that again. I really thought you’re gone. Do you know how worried I was?”

“I was just in the bathroom. I am not going anywhere you know.”

“Are you okay?”

“I am and it’s too cold so let’s go home.”

“Neh, it is home… Let’s go home.”

 

--------------------

 

It was almost two in the morning when they got home. Jong kook can only walk beside Ji hyo as they went up to their respective rooms. They reached Ji hyo’s first and for a while they just stopped. He wanted to say something. He wanted to ask her if she would be fine. To tell her that if she needs anything she can call him. He noticed that she was also uneasy. She fiddled with her fingers and when she noticed his eyes looking at them, she immediately placed them behind her. She bit her lower lip and Jong kook felt that the silence had been too long already. “I… G-good night. Err good morning, I mean, you… go inside and take a bath. Umm, I’m going. Make sure the water is warm and don’t catch a cold.” He commanded his feet to walk away, but he just stood there scratching his head. “Jong kook-ah… you too, take a hot bath and have a good sleep,” she answered weakly, her voice almost inaudible, as if she didn’t want him to go. He heard the hesitance, but he knew what could happen if he stayed. It took all his efforts to finally step away and go to his own room. I am just worried for her. I am just scared that she will have those nightmares again. I just…I care.

 

--------------------

 

Ji hyo stirred from her slumber. The sun was up already and although she tried to stretch her arms she couldn’t. It was as if she was tied and she couldn’t move her body. It was too warm but somehow it was familiar. She realized it was not ropes binding her but a pair of arms. She smiled and turned around. Jong kook was there hugging her from behind. She snuggled closer to him, inhaling his scent and enjoying the fact that he was there with her. She placed her hands on his chest and planted small kisses there.

 

Jong kook groaned and slowly opened his eyes. His face automatically reddened at the sight of Ji hyo smiling at him knowingly. He returned a shy smile at her. He thought it was the best morning he had in a while. He can get used to this and it wasn't too bad waking up with her. A face you'd want to look every time you wake up... Jong kook can only smile at his thoughts. He just can't help it. It made him giddy but it was so confusing at the same time. She just looks so beautiful, despite the bedhead. He slowly ran his fingers through those strands and it felt good. She was so strong, that you won't ever guess what she had been through.

 

After the confession last night, he had been so worried about her and he just couldn’t sleep. Then he found himself in her room and without thinking anymore he just slept there. He liked looking at her sleeping form. It was the only time that he could see all of her pains. No hiding, no strong facade... When she sleeps, she is herself and he thought it was so attractive. “What are you doing here mister?” His face now resembles a tomato as he struggled for an answer. With a sigh, he only smiled at her. “Sleepwalking?”

“Is that all you can manage Kim Jong kook?”

“I-I… I guess it’s becoming a habit of mine.”

“We don’t have to sleep on separate rooms if you want to, yeobo.” A moan escaped his lips as Ji hyo’s hand traveled lower from his chest. “Ji hyo… it is the weekends, Hyo Jong…” he panted and then, as if on cue, the little angel burst through the door. Her eyes widened and the adults quickly made themselves presentable. Both of them felt like they’ve been caught on the act even if Hyo Jong couldn’t possibly know what they were doing.

 

“Omma! Appa! Both of you are here… You had a sleepover without me?” she sulked and Jong kook immediately seized the golden opportunity. If he is to share a room with Ji hyo, Hyo Jong will be the perfect shield. “Hey baby, I’m so sorry… don’t worry. You can sleep with us tonight, okay?” He picked her up and tossed her in the air making her scream in delight. As he caught her again on his arms, he peppered her with kisses, tickling him with his stubble. “Appa, no more! Omma, stop him! Kekeke!” Ji hyo only laughed at her family. It was heartwarming to see a rare moment like that. Somehow, it felt like this would be a regular occurrence but something at the back of her mind told her it could be over one day.

 

--------------------

 

“Whoah! Gwang soo samchon!” Hyo Jong excitedly ran towards ‘Gwang soo’. Jong kook thought the name was very familiar. Ji hyo laughed merrily as they reached their daughter who held on the bars while she looked up to the sky. He finally realized it was not the sky she was looking at but a giraffe. Then he remembered the tall maknae of Running Man and laughed, the similarities were just too perfect. He took a picture of his wife and daughter before they hurried up to the next animal.

 

The zoo was filled with people and Jong kook enjoyed being free. In his time, this wasn't possible. He couldn’t walk around that much without gathering a mob. Before when Turbo disbanded, he had thought it was the end. Now he thought being a normal person wasn't too bad. “Oh! Suk Jin haraboji is over here!” she excitedly pointed to the impala. “She still calls him haraboji… Suk Jin oppa can never convince her to call him samchon.” Jong kook hadn’t seen a present picture of Suk Jin but he knew him well like Jae suk and he laughed when he realized that they must be quite old already by this time. “Ji hyo-yah, is it okay that she calls the animals like that?”

“Just let her… She watched too much Running Man.” He only chuckled in response as he thought of who else in Running Man he will meet today. Soon, Hyo Jong was screaming Pororo at the top of her lungs. He wondered what kind of animal it was but it was actually a person dressed in a penguin costume. “Oh it’s Dong Hoon oppa selling some souvenirs.” Dong hoon? Ha Dong hoon as a mascot for kids? That erted dongsaeng – a penguin? Ji hyo went over to Hyo Jong and bought tiger caps for them. He wanted to ask why she chose the tiger when there were other cuter caps. He even liked the elephant ones, but he was dragged away by an eager angel.

 

They went to the tiger safari and Hyo Jong wasn’t scared at all despite the fierce looking tigers. She even wanted to touch the little cubs. They ended up buying tickets to go inside the safari. Jong kook was feeling pretty nervous as he checked the windows of the vehicle, making sure the tigers couldn’t get inside. Hyo Jong insisted for a window seat but Jong kook won’t let her. She pouted and crossed her arms, a trick Jong kook couldn’t say no to. They finally let her but she was to sit on Jong kook’s lap for safety.

 

The ride started and they went in. Jong kook held the handles tight. In his time, you could only look at tigers far away but now they were literally entering the den. Something hit the vehicle. He can feel it on the roof and Jong kook yelped as the tail dangled in front of their window. The girls just laughed but he didn’t know if the laughter was directed at him or they were just enjoying the ride. “Sparta! Tiger appa!” He remembered the episode of the commander and the ace and he chuckled when he remembered the other members referring to him as the tiger. Ah so the cap was because of that. He imitated the tigers. He roared and pretended to claw Hyo Jong who enjoyed it immensely. For a while, he forgot his surroundings. “Aaah!” he screamed and almost jumped to Ji hyo. A tiger had suddenly leapt to their window making him scream. The others, not just his family, were now laughing at him and he embarrassingly lowered himself into his seat.

 

“Appa, are you scared of tigers?”

“No, I was just surprised baby.” Ji hyo cocked her brows and Jong kook laughed at her expression. “It’s true! Yah, Song Ji hyo, I am really not scared. Yah, stop laughing!” She only looked at him, her eyes twinkling as she bit her lower lip. He was nervous but not scared. He turned to look down at Hyo Jong to convince her. “Hey baby, it’s true. Appa was just surprised. Don’t you believe me?” The little girl smiled at him and wrapped her little arms around his legs. “I really, really believe you. You are my appa.” Jong kook picked her up and placed her on his neck. For a while, he was speechless. What do you say to the innocent honesty of a three year old? No matter how much he tried to forget, even for a while, he couldn’t help but go back to the question that haunted him ever since he first arrived in the future. What went wrong? It may not be the most important thing right now because all he knows is that he wants to replace all the wrongs with happy memories. He knows one day he has to discover the reason and maybe unearth more mysteries and hurts but at the moment, their smiles… That was what mattered. He reached for Ji hyo’s hand. Slowly, he intertwined her fingers with his. It did not escape his attention that her hand fit perfectly in his, as if they were made for him to hold.

 

--------------------

 

Jong kook wiped the ketchup on Ji hyo’s face, making her flush. He then turned to Hyo Jong and sighed. He gave up cleaning up her face, which was now smeared with mayo and ketchup as she gobbled up her corndog. “Why are you not eating yeobo?”

“Don’t you know how unhealthy – I mean just eat up, I’ll go buy something else.”

“Okay, don’t take too long and buy some more water.”

“Neh, I got it.” He wandered past the corndog vendors and asked around for a canteen or a restaurant. He was pointed to the cafeteria and he found it immediately. He ordered a salad and waited. There was a television near the counter and something on the news caught his attention.

 

Hello! We are… RecCo! We would like to thank our CEO, manager, staff, stylists and makeup artists. Of course, to the fans who came today and Kim Jong kook-ssi, thank you so much. Please support rookie group RecCo everyone!

 

One of the three girls look very familiar. Even the name seemed to mock him. RecCo, Recommendations, that woman… she was the woman from the hotel… A hand waved in front of him and he woke up from the trance. He faced the person beside him and found Jade staring at him.

---

Thanks for reading and I am so sorry for the very late update. I got a job on construction as part of our on-the-job-training (the school requires it) plus I plan to take some extra class so it's quite busy even though it is summer vacation already. Don't worry though I will try my best to update. I hope this fluff is enough to make up for the previous chap ^_^

Oh and I made a tumblr account... I don't know what to do with it though haha maybe I will just rant about Spartace moments there XD

And thanks to the person from tumblr who reviewed this. :)