Chapter 5: Aquariums and Pasta

“Noona!” Gwang soo waved happily at Ji hyo who had just arrived. As soon as she passed the ticketing officer, the tall maknae rushed to her and handed her a large cup of coffee and sweet red bean fish bread. “Mong Ji noona, I’m so glad you didn’t make me wait for hours! I bought you snacks and drinks,” Gwang soo beamed and turned a little to show her his giraffe backpack bulging with boxes and satchels. “I even made sure I’m properly disguised.” Gwang soo said proudly and Ji hyo couldn’t help but laugh, forgiving the girin’s jab at her punctuality.

“Couldn’t you be a little bit quieter? People are looking at us.” Ji hyo pulled her dongsaeng’s cap low with a grin, giggling when she saw Jae suk’s signature on the cap. “Aigoo, yeah properly disguised, my . How many tall and girin looking people do you think exists in Seoul? And not shaving for a day hardly makes any difference.”

“Should I go wear…” the tall man gazed around looking for a shop selling caps or glasses, or even a mask but found none. He scratched his head and his eyes caught sight of a man behind her wearing a dolphin suit. “Should I wear a mascot then?”

“You big idiot, this is fine. I’m just telling you to take off that awkward cap.”

“But our cover?”

“I don’t really care and the aquariums are never full this early on a weekday.”

“But…”

“If they ask let’s just say we are filming, a candid one. Now Gwang soo not a word, you promised to accompany me today.”

Gwang soo grinned and nodded enthusiastically. He straightened his back and with a mock salute he said, “Ma’am yes ma’am!”

“Let’s go!”

Ji hyo dragged the tall man holding his backpack to pull him towards the aquariums. Soon they were both running around like little kids calling and trying to outdo each other with their discoveries while snapping pictures and making weird faces.

Gwang soo looked at his noona and smiled in relief. He was really glad that even for a while her laughter sounded real and relaxed. He knows that sound well. He never hears it unless she was with that hyung or he did something so funny that often involves him and something really unfortunate.

“Noona!”

“Wae?”

“Could we rest a bit?” Ji hyo nodded but dragged him again somewhere until they found themselves in a restaurant.

“Noona, are you hungry again? You’ve eaten half my stash!”

“Yah! Snacks and lunch are different. Are you saying I eat too much?”

“No, of course not… not at all, I swear. I’m so hungry actually.” Gwang soo looked so serious when he said those words that Ji hyo ended up laughing until she’s clutching her stomach. She had tears in her eyes and was a shade darker when her laughter subsided. “Seriously, you’re too funny it’s not fair! What if I choke and die?”

“No one dies from laughing noona.”

“I’ll be the first case then.”

Gwang soo scowled watching Ji hyo mutter the names in the menu. He couldn’t believe she’s still chuckling and muttering about him, but the maknae didn’t complain. A laughing noona is better than a grumpy one.

“What the heck were they thinking when they invented these words?” The Ace exclaimed, putting down the menu. Gwang soo went to her side and peaked. Ji hyo was looking at the Italian dishes.

“Noona, what do you want to order?”

“I just want to eat pasta but these names are too hard to pronounce!” she said, pointing at a dish.

Gwang soo called the waiter’s attention and placed their orders, pronouncing the Italian words perfectly. Ji hyo gaped at him. “Noona, I waited before on an Italian restaurant when I was in high school.”

“Oh… I didn’t know that,” Gwang soo smiled kindly. “That’s great then. If I want to eat Italian I’ll just get you to come with me.” Gwang soo frowned. “You don’t want to Gwang soo-yah?”

“Nah, of course I will. You just reminded me so much of hyung. Jong kook hyung too likes to drag me around and --” Gwang soo stopped realizing that he had touched a sensitive topic. “Noona?”

Gwang soo tried to lighten the mood, cursing himself for saying things carelessly. “Why did you drag me here by the way noona? Didn’t you hate fishes?”

“Not because I hate them they aren’t delicious anymore.” The giraffe gasped, genuinely taken aback.

“You mean, noona, all this time those cute, colorful things were entertaining us you just wanted to eat them?”

“What? I mean, I hate to touch them especially the ugly looking ones but it doesn’t mean I will run away from the sight of them safely caged on tanks.”

“Oh…that makes sense…” Ji hyo burst into laughter again and soon Gwang soo had suddenly become responsible for her tummy and sanity.

Soon Ji hyo was talking about other things. Gwang soo discovered that Ji hyo had once went on a vacation with her aunt who has a fish-breeding farm. One day, her cousins had accidentally pushed her to the pond while playing around. From then on Ji hyo had developed fear of fishes unless they are already cooked and or inside aquariums. She also talked about her home and her siblings when they were younger.

Gwang soo realized that even if they had been close in the three years they were doing Running Man, this was the first time they had talked. Just them away from the company of others, and it’s fun.

“I know you want to ask.” Ji hyo said pushing away her plate.

“Do you want to talk about it noona?”

“Let’s talk a walk outside.”

The two found themselves walking along a nearby park. A few couple some dim lamps and old brick path made the ambiance romantic but for the two it was just relaxing and something normal but rare.

Ji hyo hopped on a ledge, balancing herself in an invisible beam like a gymnast. She smiled, her hands raised high on her sides. She savored the cool wind against her skin and she wished life would always be simple like that.

Gwang soo silently watched her noona, amazed at how different it felt. He walked beside her slowly, carefully watching in case she falls.

 “You know… with you like this it’s okay. I don’t have to think.”

“Am I too stupid for you not to use any intelligence?” Ji hyo looked at him incredulously. “I know noona, I’m just joking.”

“But it’s not a joke Gwang soo,”

“Eyy, I’m actually quite hurt noona!”

She looked away with a content sigh then she stopped moving. “Gwang soo had you ever fallen in love with someone unexpectedly?”

“Are you in love with him noona?” Gwang soo blurted out.

“No.”

Not yet

Thanks for reading :D

I just love this two, maybe even more than songsong (mianhe) I also didn't expect their interaction will suddenly punch in the feels one day lol