Jong kook took Jihyo’s hands and pulled her softly and slowly towards the middle of the open deck. Once at the centre, Jong kook turned to face Jihyo, his hands still holding onto hers.

“You… Still look so beautiful.” Jong Kook started off softly.

Jihyo just stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

“Hmm. Urmm… First thing first, I am really sorry that I had forgotten about you. It wasn’t on purpose, I did not mean it. I don’t know why… It just slipped…”

“But that just shows…” Jihyo interrupted feeling frustrated.

“THAT JUST SHOWS HOW STUPID I WAS!” Jong kook pulled Jihyo towards him, and held on to her tight. He had his arms around her and Jihyo, under Jongkook’s strength, laid her head on his chest. She could smell him, the smell she missed so very bad. She could feel him. She could feel him shaking while trying to hold her and she could hear his breath.

“I was stupid….. Stupid….. Stupid.” He kept repeating.

Jihyo kept telling herself that she was not going to cry. She kept on blinking and bit her lips, holding her breath for as long as could. It was all to no avail. Jong kook kept on blaming himself and it hurt her as well. Tears finally managed to escape her eyes and she held onto him bringing her hands to his back and rubbing it to coax him. 

“I’m sorry…. Jihyo yah, love… can you forgive me?”

Jihyo pulled back from his embrace and looked at Jong kook straight into his eyes. She raised her hands and wiped his tears using her thumbs. Once done, she cupped his face and gave him a small smile.

“Of course I can.” Jihyo released a chuckle between her sobs. “I must be crazy.”

“What? What did you say? You forgive me?” Jong Kook asked, wide eyed.

Jihyo nodded and hugged him once more. Jong kook was definitely shocked. He had expected her to reject him or put up a fight. But as he felt Jihyo’s arms around his body, he could not help it. He felt warmth enveloping him and surrendered to the hug.

“Love… Come and sit. Let’s talk.”

They sat in the middle of the open deck. The wind was strong that night so Jong kook pulled Jihyo closer to him and placed his hoodie on her while making her lean on him so that he could hug her and give her warmth from his body.  They stayed in that position for a while, the wind giving off soft whispers. Jihyo rested her face on Jong kook’s chest and nuzzled in before she talked to him softly.

“What happened to us Oppa?”

Jong kook placed his chin on Jihyo’s head. He took a while before answering her with a question.

“Love, do you believe in prayers? Or… or wishes?”

“Why do you ask?”   

“Because… after filming that day, I went to talk to Jaesuk Hyung about us. And I kind of wished that the world would… erm… would somehow show me how much you love me, or how much I love you.”

Jihyo pulled back and looked at Jong kook arching her eyebrows in confusion.

“Yea… I don’t know. After I slept, I just… I just could not remember you. Maybe I had other priorities. Maybe it was the world fulfilling my wishes.  I don’t know. But throughout the day, I felt like there was something missing. Somehow I was searching for something or someone.” Jong kook took his fingers and rubbed them against her forehead to remove the wrinkles. When Jihyo relaxed, he kissed her forehead and then whispered. “I was searching for you.”

“Next time, don’t say such things…. You’d never know what could happen.”

“I know. But love, don’t get me wrong. I’m not pushing my mistake to fate. It was definitely me. And you are right. I’m always wavering, always indecisive…”

“You said you were not like that before. Why now?” Jihyo now leaned on his shoulder and her hand was his back cooing him.

“Because of my last relationship with Eunhye. Long story short, I used to make all the decision. She liked how firm I was but we fought a lot towards the end of our relationship. And she just left…. Which made me confused…”

“Do you still love her?” Jihyo asked carefully. “Is that why we…”

“NO! You are the one for me…… Hey… You are the moon that my stars surround. You are the sun that lights up my day. You are the wind that sings my favourite songs. And you are the rain that is able to melt me.”

Seeing Jihyo smile a bit made Jong kook happier but he felt he needed to clear the air more, sensing that Jihyo was still doubtful. “I have long forgotten her love. You caught my attention. The day I first saw you, you just surprised me more and more. With your tomboyish act and then your stiff dance. HAHAHAHA!”

Jihyo pinched Jong kook’s arm and hit him. Hearing Jong kook laughing loudly about her stiff dance made her so frustrated that she stood up, wanting to go back to her room. Jong kook grabbed her and hugged her, pulling her back into his embrace.

“Awww. Are you angry? Come on, it’s cute. Love… Let’s be serious. Can we start again? You and me. No more childish thoughts and promise that we will put each other first.”

“You mean you? Aren’t you the childish one? Aren’t you the one who forgot about me?”

“Okay. Okay. I promise to have no more childish thoughts and I promise…. I promise that you will come first.” Jong kook kissed her lips softly at first, barely a touch since he didn’t know what Jihyo felt. As if addicted, he went for another kiss. This time as he went down for the kiss Jihyo responded to it. She opened and she could taste Jong kook’s lips. The kiss went deeper and Jihyo let her hand roam into Jong kook’s hair, making it messy. She only pulled back when she was out of breath.

“Jagiya… I promise too. I promise…. to put in more effort in us.”

They were about to lean in for another kiss before Jaesuk walked in on them.

“Yah! Yah! We have filming tomorrow! Aigoo. Look at this lovebirds. If I didn’t come to tell them the time, they’d probably sleep here till morning.”

“Ehhh hyung. It’s been so long since I’ve held her or even talked to her. I miss her voice, her face, her hugs, her kiss…“ Jong kook quickly pecked her cheeks which cause Jihyo to blush.

“Aish… My tummy suddenly doesn’t feel so well. Urgh… Arghhh… My eyes are going to go blind soon also!” Jaesuk added when Jong kook hugged Jihyo and showed a cute face towards him. “You need your sleep Jihyo yah. What if you can’t wake up tomorrow? And Myuk PD told me to pass this message. He thinks we should sit down to talk about both of you.”

“Allright.” Jong kook said and stood up together with Jihyo. “Hyung. Come with us when we meet Myuk PD. Please, we need your help too.”

“Of course I will help you Jong kook ah. You’re my dongsaeng. Come let’s go to bed. I need to go back too before Sukjin hyung nags and starts looking for me.”

Jaesuk left to walk to his room while Jong kook accompanied Jihyo to hers. He kissed her at the front of the door and whispered to her.

“I’ll dream of you, love. Thank you for giving me another chance. Go and rest. I’m sure your team needs you to fight against me tomorrow.”

Jihyo chuckled and whispered back. “Of course. They all know that your weakness is girls….”

“hmm. You’re my weakness, Jihyo yah. The other girls, of course I’m afraid to hurt them. But you…”

“Stop it, Jagiya. Hahaha. Or else we won’t sleep and continue talking. I can’t wait to talk to you again! I’ll see you tomorrow okay? I’ll miss you.” With a quick kiss to his lips and a quick hug, Jihyo entered her room softly, afraid to wake Lizzy up.

After washing up, Jihyo slid under the blanket quietly, afraid to wake the already sleeping Lizzy. She turned her body to look at her. It was fun to have a girl guest one in a while and Lizzy had come a few times, making her almost part of the running man family. Jihyo was about to sleep when her new phone at the side table vibrated. She smiled looking at the message.

Jong kook: Are you asleep yet? I’m too happy to sleep. Gary and Haha are asleep and also snoring. Ahhhh! So loud. I wish that you’re the one by my side today.

Jihyo: kekeke ^^ Owhhh my poor namjachingu. I’m about to sleep Jagiya. Lizzy looks so peaceful sleeping. I wonder if I ever look like that. I’ve been feeling tired when I wake up lately.

Jong kook: Don’t make me worry love. Drink a glass of water before you sleep and when you wake up. It could because you are dehydrated. YA! Take a picture of you drinking now!

Jihyo: Pabo! Why would I do that. Good night jagiya~!

Jong kook: YAAAAAA! Don’t make me call you.

At that moment Jong kook received a message. It was a picture of Jihyo holding a glass of water and she was pouting in the picture. Jong kook laughed out loud and Haha stirred from his sleep. Haha lifted his head up and looked at Jong kook who had suddenly pretended to sleep. At this time Jong kook’s phone chose to vibrate non-stop.

“Ah… Hyung! Your phone keeps on vibrating.”

Jong kook pretended to wake up slowly and looked at his phone, squinting at the bright light coming from his phone.  Haha was still looking at Jong kook and he noticed Jong kook was a bit weird.

 “Hyung… I know you since your Turbo days. I know when you are acting weirdly. I wonder who is that unlucky girl who is able to keep you awake at night.”

Jong kook kicked him and Haha chuckled before going back to sleep.  Jong kook looked at the 3 messages Jihyo sent.

Jihyo: Oppa, why didn’t you reply after I sent the picture? YAH! Are you asleep?

Jihyo: Wahhhh. Jinjja! You really fell asleep without saying goodnight to me.

Jihyo: Araseo… I’m also going to sleep.

Jong kook: Mian. Haha woke up and I had to pretend I was asleep. Awww. Is my princess angry? Don’t be. I won’t sleep before you, allright? Goodnight love. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Jihyo was startled when her phone vibrated. She looked at it and smiled, knowing that she would have a good sleep that day.