The Awakening
Mission: Make Her A Woman
Ji Suk Jin had to stifle his derisive laugh because his son was playing in the same room. Here she goes again, the older man thought; when will Ji Hyo start liking someone naturally without fangirling on them first? First there was Jong Kookie whom she had been secretly crazy about, something which still amazes him because even though he knows that Jong Kook is an excellent dongseng, he is still scary and annoying as hell. Then came the last few months of 2010 when she finally got time to catch this drama that was all the rage at that time (even his wife religiously sat through it, which was a feat as Su Jeong ah has no patience when it comes to dramas) and suddenly it was Hyun Bin whenever they were around Ji Hyo. He conceded that the Bin guy would pretty much give their own Tiger a run for his money when it comes to girls, and so Suk Jin was the only one out of the members who wouldn't groan at her fresh obsession as this new man at least would get her head off the former, which otherwise would have created a scandal for Running Man. Let's be honest, Ji Hyo did not do subtle; for an actor she is terrible at hiding her feelings and for that matter she was at her subtle-st with Jong Kookie, which isn't saying much. He is just thankful that no one ever caught on to her crush other than him.
Now the Bin guy was going to get replaced. Well, just his bad luck. Ji Hyo has got a new one to teenage-crush on, and he, Ji Suk Jin, is going to make sure that she at least makes it to a confession this time than just worship this Lee Dong Wook in some fan-temple at home.
"Oppa! You are laughing, aren't you?" He heard her accuse over the phone. This was followed by murmuring of her regrets on telling him about the Lee Dong Wook.
"Aani, Mong Ji ya. He sounds impressive; much more so than... ehm!... our own." He said softly into the phone so that his son does not overhear. Kids these days were way smarter than what they were in his time.
"Aani, Jong Kook oppa is much more daebak!" Ji Hyo spoke like a true loyal dongseng, at which Suk Jin chuckled, "But Dong Wook-ssi is just so... bright." After a momentary silence she added, "And why are we even bringing Jong Kook hyung in? Oppa, how many years is it going to take me to get this out of your head? It's already been two."
He couldn't control his laughter this time, but thankfully Hyung Woo was too busy with his train set to give his father a moment's attention, "Be in my shoes and see how funny it is. The poor guy loses to younger and "brighter" guys all the time."
"That would hardly matter to Jong Kook oppa because he is much above that." She said haughtily, sounding not dissimilar to when his wife boasted of her son to the neighbours.
Suk Jin sighed. He really wished he had been there when she told his muscular dongseng about her past feelings. It is unbelievable that the impulsive singer hadn't short-circuited his brain over it. Though Suk Jin knew Ji Hyo well enough to know that she had too much pride to tell Kim Jong Kook the actual extent of the love she once had for him; but still, Jong Kook just isn't someone cool. He is the kind to hang on to something like a hound and not let go till the end. Suk Jin could bet his entire fortune that Ji Hyo's belated confession must be keeping his dictator dongseng up at night - thinking and overthinking "how, when and why"; because Kim Jong Kook can never bear to know half the story.
However one thing Suk Jin didn't know was that Jong Kook had already locked this one item in the deepest darkest corner of his mind, lest he be tempted by the knowledge. If the writer could be present in this story, she would have surely taken him up on that bet for his entire wealth, won it and then vacationed in Hawaii.
"Yeah, that Tiger Oppa of yours is great, happy?" Suk Jin said drily,"Gwang Soo doesn't seem to like Lee Dong Wook much, though"
"Gwang Soo? He called you to , right? Why that---" Big Nose Hyung distanced the phone from his ear as she used some 'colourful' language to describe the maknae. He brought the phone back as he the epithets ended, just in time to hear her say - "He is just jealous!"
"WHAT?" He yelled into the phone which finally made his son look up in alarm. Assuring the child that Appa was fine, he said cautiously into the phone, "Jealous? What do you mean by that?"
"Like I would know half the things that go in his head." She muttered which made Suk Jin sigh in relief that the girl was just as oblivious as he had thought. "Gwang Soo had hopes that he might get Joong Ki's role since we were unable to find anyone initially, and so he blames Dong Wook-ssi for the lost opportunity now. Oppa, can't we just send him to military again?"
"Let it be, he is young and passionate, and you know he has been spoiled rotten between his mother and us."
Ji Hyo snorted at this, "You are the one who spoils him the most. Anyway, Oppa, Joong Ki's agency is picking him up from the airport so you don't need to go. I might get busy here to call him, but please text me after you've checked up on him."
"Ha Ha and I are going to his house tomorrow afternoon, I'll give you a call then. Just concentrate on the MV, Ji Hyo ah, Jae Suk told me that Jong Kook is barely keeping sane there."
"But I swear Oppa, Kim Jong Kook is actually loosening up! He doesn't even get angry at me that often now." She said with wonder in her tone. Suk Jin smiled to himself at how diligently Jong Kook was working towards their collective mission. "Its almost as if this past month, he isn't himself. Do you know he drank a whole can of beer yesterday?"
"I saw the video."
"Video??"
"Never mind. If Gwang Soo gets out of hands, just tell him to knock it off, Ji Hyo ah; don't beat him in public, okay?"
"Waah! You make it sound like I am a violent woman. Waah, sincha, I am totally the angel here, Oppa!"
Suk Jin laughed aloud for the second time at her tone. "Angel?"
"Is it---"
God interrupted the Angel before she could utter the name. "My child, if you are ready to finally give me an answer only then proceed. I can't help you guess and eliminate candidates one by one."
"Now you are being plain mean, my Lord." The Angel pouted at Him. "The skinship he had with her weeks ago is proof! He keeps mumbling about it in his sleep."
God was impressed at her deduction and slightly perturbed about having his "hard" puzzle getting so easily solved. "Then, are you sure it is him? Do you wish to give me a final answer?"
The Angel smirked, seeing God get uneasy and impatient for the first time in the millenniums that she has been around him. "I will not allow myself to be wrong, Our Father. I will take a half a day more and come back to you 100% sure."
Ji Hyo watched the actor smile as he listened carefully to Gary Oppa; his head was slightly inclined and his dimples only faintly emerging. The man was absolutely charming! She wasn't dumb and had detected an interest in his tone when he had addressed her earlier. He had smiled sunnily and had assured her that he wouldn't tell anyone that she won't be marrying Jong Kook Oppa, at which she had blushed so hard, she could feel her skin emitting heat. Since then, she couldn't help but watch his tall frame making its way around, hear that breezy tone in which he asked questions and see how he laughed easily around them. He even took Gwang Soo's impertinent (and sometimes rude) comments and Jong Kook Oppa's reserved nature in a stride, which was enough proof for Ji Hyo that Lee Dong Wook had the patience of a saint.
"So I will be the bastard who breaks Ji Hyo-ssi's heart?" Dong Wook asked Kang Gary, his eyes skimming the script quickly. "Its unfortunate that Song Joong Ki-ssi is unwell, it would have been a nice continuation otherwise as Man #2 is exactly the same character from the last MV; am I right?"
Gary was impressed at his observation, as that was what exactly Kim PD wanted to show. The 3-minute long MV is a simple concept at first glance. The Girl and Man #2 fall in love and have a beautiful relationship. Man #1 (Gary) is someone who watches from afar, pained that Girl, being his best friend for years, never saw his love; their friendship is now reduced to small notes that they pass through the Barista (Gwang Soo) of the local coffee shop that they both frequent, and the same Barista also lends a shoulder to Girl whenever she has some issues. Soon Man #2 grows out of the relationship, just like Joong Ki did in the "Men are like that" MV, and Girl is left broken. After months of thought, she seeks out her best friend, Man #1, through notes to the Barista and finally manages to meet him by waiting in the coffee shop day and night.
The twist in the classic tale comes here. She tells Man #1 that she realized her feelings for him, only to hear back that he waited for so long that he is empty of feelings for her. The theme then emerges that men will wait for the right girl, but they won't wait forever. Man #1 also leaves, and the MV ends with Kim Jong Kook's voice reiterating that "Men are, after all, like that".
"Exactly! You are the new... bastard," Gary answered sheepishly, "The second half the tale has deliberately been kept shorter and more jarring so the focus will be on the traditional romance for a bit, just to show the opposite in a sharp contrast in the end."
"Ah." Dong Wook realized, the PD was really good at his stuff, he thought. "Which means Ji Hyo-ssi and I will be shooting for a while?" He asked, giving the woman in question a small smile.
"Yeah, that's more than half of the entire MV." Gwang Soo commented from the corner he was occupying. Gary and Jong Kook shot him a glare for the heavy loathing that was obvious in his tone. Ji Hyo, tuned as she was to the member's moods, could feel the atmosphere turn tense and so immediately clapped her hands, as if to call attention to herself.
She looked at each one in the eye as they gave her a questioning look, her palms sweating as she put on a overbright smile, "Erm, great! So shall we start?"
"She is mesmerizing." Dong Wook observed as he watched the girl playing around in the sand in front of the camera. It was a solo shot right now so he had moved to the back of the shooting area and stood with Jong Kook who was keeping vigil on the ongoings.
Jong Kook's lip curled in a tiny smile, both of affection and pride, as his eyes followed her form and her tinkling laughter reached them. "That she is", he replied absent-mindedly.
Gwang Soo shot the man another annoyed look as he passed them with several water bottles in his hands. He really couldn't bear the sight of the new guy; This sunbae was even tall! There was absolutely nothing to hate in the fellow and that angered Gwang Soo even more. This was supposed to be just their MV, dammit! And why the hell is this guy so cheery all the time? Always smiling sunnily, making everyone think he is such a nice easy-going chap, whom one is just 'supposed' to like. Gwang Soo hated him. "She is way out of your league." Gwang Soo muttered as he passed him.
The 'guy' in question looked up with surprise at the maknae's words but Gwang Soo was already on his way to deliver the water, and Jong Kook hadn't heard a thing. He was amused at the Giraffe's antics and knew that his presence was the reason he was behaving like that. It was kind of adorable, and now Dong Wook was intrigued to know WHY Gwang Soo was so hostile against him.
Ji Hyo huffed and puffed back to her folding chair after Kim PD had finally Okey-ed the part where she is supposed to "frolic around in the sand like a free bird". Seriously, how do you frolic around in the sand like a free bird? Do birds even frolic? She could really use a cola right now but the next scene is in a bathing suit, and even though the suit covers her stomach, her long experience tells her that even that one can of liquid would show. *sigh* The downs of being in the entertainment industry.
"Hyung! I am so tired." She muttered to Jong Kook who was leisurely sipping coconut water in the chair next to her. He silently passed his coconut to her, making her manager give him a disapproving look. "Sun Mi unnie is glaring at you now." Ji Hyo giggled to him.
"Two-three sips would hardly show, or we can simply scrap the scene. I'd rather have you looking chubby than send another one of my cast to the hospital" Jong Kook replied smilingly, as he stretched his arms over his head. His expression darkened a bit as he saw Dong Wook making his way towards them. Ji Hyo was busy hungrily sipping on his straw to notice, but Jong Kook could feel his body tense in a kind of primal instinct, as if his nametag was going to be attacked.
Ji Hyo looked up in surprise and lit up when the tall man asked if he could take the seat next to her. He had brought her a towel, joking about how her hair was almost white with all the sand in it. Jong Kook noted how Ji Hyo's cheeks were flushed and that these two could very well pass for a highschool couple, and something told him its not right. What wasn't right, he could not explain, because for one, Lee Dong Wook was a decent chap and two, Ji Hyo seemed to think so too. But something inside him snarled at this, growled at the thought of her dating and roared at the idea of her being touched by anyone. While Jong Kook could take the easier route and say that this was his instinct of a protective Oppa, he knew better and he didn't like that one bit. First it was all the physical tension with her, now this protectiveness - What is this girl doing to him?
He trailed his fingers lightly on the heated skin of her cheek, the tips of them leaving a trail of tantalizing sensations as they moved. She was not the kind of girl who couldn't meet a man's eyes but something in his eyes made her shy, made her wish to look at anything but his twinkling eyes, yet she held his gaze. There was something in them, something that willed her to try and explore more within their depths. His hand now cupped her face and the other hand found hers. His breath fanned her face as their fingers knitted together. The cool sand beneath their feet gave a contrast to the the heated moment between the two, and she felt her legs go weak as he quietly whispered the word, "Sahranghe"
The huskiness of his voice and the feeling that there were only two of them on this beach did something to her mental state that she didn't think before throwing herself against him, almost making both of them topple over if he had not found his footing. Her burning face pressed against his heart, she took in a breath and the musky scent as his chest shook with laughter at her actions. She loved this man, and was overwhelmed by his confession to string the words together. She needed him to know that she loved him. She needed him.
Breaking apart from the embrace to look at his grinning face, she swiftly captured his face between her small hands and brought it down to hers, capturing his lips in a quick but intense kiss. He looked dumbfounded at first and his eyes cleared for a moment, which made her self-conscious to a point that she wished to run from there, but then his arms encircled her once again and pulled her to his chest, one gentle hand caressing her arm.
"CUT!" A flustered Kim PD called out and Ji Hyo immediately broke character. She jumped out of her co-star's embrace as if burnt and her eyes scanned the crew for its reactions. She was an idiot to get carried away! Why did she have to go beyond the script and kiss him? Granted the writer should know that creating such a charged moment, a kiss is exactly what is needed to counter the tensions built up; but, hell, why does she always have to in and give her creative input? Her manager was right, she IS too much trouble.
She consciously ignored the nervous chuckle that came from beside her (Lee Dong Wook-ssi was a problem she decided she had to deal with later) because a niggling feeling kept her eyes searching the mass of production crew in front of her. It was this feeling of being hunted, as she watched the many smiling faces and a few awed ones. Her eyes stopped at one particular figure who seemed frozen on spot. It was Gwang Soo - he looked like he had seen a ghost and must have dropped the bag he was carrying because one lay at his feet. He had an inscrutable expression on his face, but his attention wasn't on her, but on her co-star who was currently shuffling beside her and calling "You've worked hard!" to the people around them.
Yet the feeling was coming from another presence that called out to her and that's when she saw why she felt like a predator was closing in on her. Jong Kook Oppa looked like Death himself had come to visit her; his eyes so dark and his expression so fearsome in its blankness that Ji Hyo would have prayed for her life had she been a stranger to the man. He, unlike the Giraffe, was staring straight at her and not even paying attention to Kang Gary who was currently saying something to him. Oddly, it was nothing like his usual fury; the man didn't look angry at all. He just looked dangerous, which was new to her because he had never posed as a danger to her self. It absolutely terrified her because of its unknown nature and held her there as their eyes locked together - his sharp and devoid of anything, hers searching for her Kim Jong Kook oppa in them.
"I wish I could hear their thoughts" The Angel sighed as she came to deliver another wish-memo to God, who was oddly looking a little out-of-sorts as he watched his own Earth-Viewer.
"That would hardly be fair for the challenge." God simply replied to which the Angel sighed. He carefully opened the memo and read it aloud, as had become a custom. "God, how could you do that to me? Are you even real?"
"His faith is shaking." Angel gravely commented, knowing how God always got sad when one of His humans gave up on Him.
The Lord of the Heavens just sighed defeatedly, "It was to be expected. I don't think he would be wishing anymore; do you still want to continue with the challenge?"
"I still have 4 more hours left out of the 12."
"Hyung, don't kill her. I beg of you, don't go crazy over this" Gary was saying repeatedly to the unyeilding man next to him, his words falling on deaf ears. The poor guy wasn't aware of the internal battle raging in his hyung's mind.
Jong Kook was struggling to keep his animalistic side in, and the memories of his brutal exploitation in his Turbo days were resurfacing. He had gone mad like a bull after one particular beating in those days and had torn the studio apart like a beast, only realizing what he had done after he was restrained by ten security men. That was the side of him that he had repressed all his life, and that side that was roaring inside his chest right now, calling to be let out. He knew what had caused it. He knew exactly what had caused it and this time he couldn't just let the knowledge go unheeded. His very soul had claimed the woman who right now held his gaze, and like never before, he felt such possessiveness that it was tearing apart his rationality.
Song Ji Hyo was no longer dongseng, she was just his - the beast rasped in his head, it's tail coiling over his self. While Jong Kook had always loved her in these past years, he had never considered her a romantic interest simply because she was a man-child to him. Now that he could not keep convincing himself that she was more of a dongseng than a woman, the floodgates had opened. He already loved her, and now he was insanely attracted to her. Which was why the beast now was clawing its way out in a bid to claim her.
Jong Kook had watched the scene unfolding from the very beginning, hardly jealous because he knew she was not Ji Hyo, and instead was The Girl; but the kiss was never planned, was never in the script, and it had seared his mind when it happened. The beast growled at the painful reminder that this kiss might be something that had been an impulse, that Ji Hyo wanted to kiss Lee Dong Wook. His eyes flashed red for the last time before he shut the beast in its cage, assuring it that he won't be sitting still now. Ji Hyo had always been around, always been their's - the member's - and he had been lulled into the security that no matter how he feels, she'd still be around in whatever capacity. Now that this peace was threatened, he knew he had to act, he needed to act.
"---get's carried away all the time! She probably didn't even think while acting. Hyung, I am sure she wasn't going to cause trouble! Just let it go, pl---" Gary was spouting.
"Gary ah, shut up for a moment." Jong Kook mildly ordered, as he broke away from her gaze to look at his dongseng. "I am fine. It was a rather interesting scene, don't you think?" He smiled a bit as Gary just looked at him dumb-foundedly. Patting the younger man on the shoulder, Jong Kook made his way to the PD who was ready to pack up. The scene had obviously appealed the director and the extra seconds used by the "extension" ate into the duration of swimming scene, which the director thus cancelled.
He skirted around the equipment and smirked to himself as he could feel her gaze on him. For the first time in the past month he was glad of the knowledge that this little woman had liked him at some point in the past. Her confession, which had been a thorn buried in his heart for a while, now was suddenly the best thing that could have happened to him.
He spotted Gwang Soo who was rooted to his spot and looked like he wanted to kill something. For that matter, Gwang Soo looked like he wanted to kill something since morning. This boy was certainly odd, Jong Kook mused and shook his head when the maknae finally got over whatever mood that had taken over him and picked his fallen bag to go wherever he was going. Odd, definitely.
"It's been more than 28 hours since we got here." Gary stated as they all were quietly munching on the food that had just been delivered to the cottage. The night had set in and they felt Joong Ki's absence as the members again were left alone to their cottage and the beach. Lee Dong Wook was given one of the rooms that had been booked for them at the pension for the duration of their stay. Finally they were in their own space after all that had happened in this one day.
"So?" Gwang Soo muttered, as he almost inhaled his food like always; though his mood wasn't the usual cheeriness at anything food-related but gruff like a ruffled haraboji.
"So, it's been more than a day and we haven't even enjoyed the sea!" Gary replied, gesticulating wildly.
"I think you got enough of the sea yesterday night." Jong Kook commented drily to which Gary flushed and turned his head to glare at Gwang Soo.
Gwang Soo looked bewildered for a moment before he remembered yesterday and cried, "What? I didn't push you in intentionally! How many time will I have to apologize, hGary yung?"
"Ya! Is this the tone you take with your elders?" Ji Hyo elbowed him in the ribs.
Gwang Soo scoffed which only riled up the Ace more, "You are one to talk." She slammed her rice bowl on the table and turned her torse to him.
"Why the hell are you behaving like an ?" She fumed as the two hyungs watched the beginings of a fight from the sidelines.
"Gee, is that worse than kissing s?" Came the sarcastic reply.
"Lee Gwang S---" Gary started but Ji Hyo cut him off with a frustrated cry, "Why the do I have to be involved in the petty issues you have for someone?" She asked, her fingers clenching around the rice bowl.
"Petty? I am the childish one but who is the one making moony eyes at a man she met the same day?"
Ji Hyo clenched her teeth and gritted out, "Who I make moony eyes at is none of your business. Just because you dislike the person doesn't mean I have to as well."
"Aedira, break it up." Gary tried to intervene and looked at Jong Kook helplessly. The hyung, much like the two fighting dongsengs, didn't pay him any attention and just continued to look amusedly into his soup bowl.
"Does loyalty mean anything to you, Noona?"
"How the bloody hell did loyalty figure into this?" She shouted, "After all these years, YOU ING QUESTION MY LOYALTY?"
Her hand which had a firm hold on the bowl impulsively shot out, sub-consciously ready to fling the contents at the infuriating dongseng. A hand shot out and grabbed her arm, stilling the offensive move. "You dare throw food in the house, I will kill you!" Gary growled, his patience having run out.
Time stood still as a moment passed on the dinner table; no one spoke and could only hear the breaths of their fellow member. Jong Kook's chipper voice suddenly broke through the charged atmosphere."Let's have a small beach party tonight." The other three turned to look at him with identical WTF-faces, "You both", he gestured to Ji Hyo and Gwang Soo, "Let's have you dance together."
"It's your fault."
"Bull, you started it" She growled as she swayed to the music coming from the portable stereo they had borrowed from the pension.
Turning her body and leading her to the left, Gwang Soo dipped his head to mutter, "How long do we have to continue dancing?"
"Till the Hitler over there is satisfied" She replied and jerked her head in the direction of the eldest Running Man on the beach, who was animatedly talking to Gary's manager, with yet another coconut in his hand and an artificial flower garland around his neck. The party was at its high, except for these two miserable souls who were forced to dance together without any breaks. They had all invited only their personal entourage as this was still an intimate affair and the big party with the entire crew would be held after the entire shoot. So the beach was dotted with several old-style paper lamps and had 15-or-so people milling about - some dancing, some chatting.
"There is sand in my shoes." Gwang Soo complained as he tried to shake one leg without missing the step.
"Who told you to wear shoes on a beach?"
"Because we were going to waltz." He replied as if its an obvious answer.
Ji Hyo sighed at the Giraffe's stupidity and didn't bother to comment that he was wearing shorts with the shoes, "At least we are no more the only ones dancing." Stifling a yawn, she stopped momentarily before resuming the dance, ", I am tired."
Gwang Soo released her waist to look at his watch, "Yeah, it's almost midnight". He gazed hungrily at the food that had arrived from the pension's kitchen and was being passed around - which they were not allowed to eat yet. "This isn't a party, it's torture."
Ji Hyo's gaze followed the beers that had been given out, "Yes, it is."
"We are even behaving now. Can't we just stop dancing? You can just do some aegyo if Hyung get's angry."
"Aegyo?? And why are you so tired? You didn't even have to film today!"
"Yeah, like you did so m--" Gwang Soo ate the rest of his words at her expression. Taking a fresh breath, "Noona, see, I am sorry for calling you disloyal."
"And I am sorry for calling you an " She replied back, mentally reminding herself that she should have acted more maturely, being the older one here. "Truce?"
Suddenly both of them felt two strong arms encircling them and a tight squeeze to their waists. Jong Kook smiled at the two widely as he held them to him and to each other. "Have you two been duly punished?" He asked cheerily.
"YEH!" The two chimed almost immediately which made him chuckle. He slung his arm around Ji Hyo's neck, feeling her soft hair on his skin. "I will borrow this lady here; you go eat before you die, maknae". Deftly steering the girl to the corner of their sandy dance space.
"Oppa! I am hungry as well!" Ji Hyo whined.
Jong Kook ignored her childish words and held her shoulders in his grip. "Let's talk for a moment, Ji Hyo ah"
"About what happened in the shoot today? Oppa, I am really sorry but can we not talk about it right now?"
"Bu--"
"Aandwe! Oppa, please!" She interrupted him and decided to follow Gwang Soo's advice and throw in some aegyo while she is at it. "What about dancing? Do you want to dance with this cute dongseng of yours?" She cooed, gagging internally at the disgustingly sweet tone she was using.
Jong Kook smirked at her machinations and knew that she was using this to escape since she knew that he didn't like to dance in public, especially the whole couple kind. His lip curled a little as a mischievous thought flittered into his mind.
"You only have 6 minutes left."
The Angel was startled from her seat in front of her EarthViewer as God hardly ever visited the Angels' part of the garden. "I am already decided on the man but I am just sad that it is going to end in a tragedy."
God only looked at her lovingly; how she had once found the wisher aggravating but now carried a particular affection for the same man. "The ways of love aren't always simple."
"And he is too slow." Angel commented, annoyed. She had begun to be invested in their story even though there was almost zero development between the two; yet it was the rooting for the underdog that had her interest. Now Song Ji Hyo is going to go to another man, one who was perfect for her, and their poor Wisher would be left out cold.
"I think he'd rather have her happy." God commented kindly.
"I'd rather he be happy" The Angel replied, disgruntled.
"This Oppa will try his best to fulfill his Ji Hyo's wishes." Jong Kook teased back in aegyo and took her hand to lead her back to the dancing area. She looked a little shocked and chagrined at having her plan failed, which amused him to no end.
Ji Hyo sighed and offered no resistance as he pulled her to the centre. Looking down to his slipper-clad feet in front of her barefooted self, she commented "Just don't step on my foot, Oppa." At which Jong Kook cheekily took off his flip-flops and threw them aside.
The melody and the waves somehow sounded in sync and Gap Jin whistled when he saw that his charge was going to dance in front of everyone. Gary was laughing at the awkward couple and went to increase the volume of the stereo before he pulled his coordi to the dance floor to join them. Soon a few other people coupled up (even man-man couples) to fill up the dance space in no time.
Drawing his partner a little closer, Jong Kook rested one hand lightly at the small of her back and his other caught her pale white hand. "What you and Giraffe were doing, do you call that waltz?" He teased, giving her a smile that reminded her of the boyish smiles that once used to make her heart stop.
"Gwang Soo has two left feet, you know?" She replied back primly.
"And you don't?" He smirked again, which made her lift her leg to kick him in the shin. However, he swiftly pulled her closer so that there isn't any room left for her to deliver that kick. It was also clear that waltz and Ji Hyo simply didn't go together; the woman was too clumsy and too passionate for that particular dance. Besides, he noted, waltz is not as intimate as films would have you believe. "Just move to the music," He said, looking down to catch her eye, but she avoided his gaze.
His hand, which had moved from her back to wrap around her waist, now led her through the beats of the songs, controlling her movements and her hips, and aligning them with his own movements. His chest brushed against hers as he lightly spun her around, but he was yet to notice the blush that was creeping up her cheeks. She would fumble every once in a while but he would catch her misstep and fill in with one of his own, easily carrying the tune of their dance. "Do you feel the vibrations of the rhythm, Ji Hyo-ssi?" He asked, unaware the huskiness that had entered his voice.
She only nodded weakly, wishing that the sand would gobble her up. It wasn't the rhythm of the song that she was hearing, but the beats of her own heart, and it wasn't the vibrations of the music that was building the tantalizing ache in the very core of her self but the vibrations of his body moving against hers. Even if she had not already gone through that phase of once being crazy after this man, she would still have this reaction to the dance they were locked in right now. There was no denying that he was a strong man and that tense strength now pulled her own body into fluid movements, she felt like clay in the hands of a moulder. His shoulder was firm under her fingers and his hand rough and warm. She could feel the distance between them reducing, each agonizing inch disappearing, as the song's tempo climbed. The spins became more frequent and she could feel the warmth of his breath on her forehead now as she stared at the play of muscles at the neck of his T-shirt.
The point that she was both dreading and anticipating came and she forgot that there were people around, dancing, laughing and talking. There was just Kim Jong Kook, with his strong heartbeat that she could feel against hers, as their bodies drew as close as they could get. The hand that held hers suddenly let go, which made her look up at him with a gasp. His lip curled into a smile, which had the merriment of his teasing side but also some of what had terrified her after the shoot - it was as if there was someone else behind those dark eyes, someone very different from the Oppa she always knew. Whatever it was, it drew her in, made her short of breath and hotter than she thought possible. Before she could read into the loss of the warmth of his hand any further, the very hand s down her length and rested on her waist so that now both his arms controlled her torso. With nothing to do with her hand, she gathered courage and curled it around his neck, holding his head just like he held her body.
What she hadn't counted upon was how much more closer it would bring her to him, how his wide chest would flush against her and her head would lean against his nape. "You are such a bad dancer" He breathed into her hair, the words sounding more like an animal's growl than a singer's voice. It sent shivers down her spine and made her instinctly jerk her head up to look at him. There it was again, that look. Ji Hyo's mind drained of all thought as she simply stared at the man she had known all these years but who was still somehow new to her. Her breath caught yet again as his gaze suddenly met hers. Something crackled, some electricity passed through her length and small shivers burst at the base of her spine.
His face was so close. Close enough.
Sorry sorry sorry! I am really sorry for updating so late. :S
I am sure there will be numerous grammatical errors but I have made this chapter really long so I hope you guys enjoy.
College is going to be the death of me one of these days but I'd make sure to rise out of my grave and update. ;)
Cheers!
KJK hovers around SJH in most of the 10-minute screen time he got. What does that say about the man? Yes, he lurrrrrves his girl! LOL, I am feeling mushy today.
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