The family made their way back to the entrance. To their surprise, they were actually the second. They thought they would be the last few because of the quarrel at the last mission, but the other kids were not as comfortable with animals as Ji-ohn and Jiyoung were, so they took a longer time.

The first, as usual, was Suk Jin’s family.

“How does it feel like to always come in first now, hyung?”  Gary laughed. Back in their running man days, he was always the last because of his age and weaker physique.

Suk Jin laughed and patted his son’s head. “It feels surreal… Hahaha,” he replied. “I’m lucky to have a son your age, Hyun Woo ah.”

They laughed and talked a little about their mission, before HaHa’s family came in. Following right after them was Jae Suk’s family, and lastly, it was Jong Kook.

“Tonight, you will be staying over here at this camping site” the PD announced, showing them photos. “The first group can choose their camping van first followed by the second group and so on…”

“Whoa… hyung! You’re so lucky!” HaHa commented, glancing over at the pictures. The best van had the best facilities and the largest area, and the last one, was a mere tent.

“You will choose when we get there tonight. Now, you can explore the zoo. Please meet here again at 4pm,” the PD continued.

“Whoa, jjinja?!” “Omo, gomawo!” the casts started to thank the production team.

The PDs smiled, all kids would love to spend more time at the zoo, of course they couldn’t come here just for the mission.

“Which animal should we go and see?” Jihyo asked her kids.

“Kokkili!” Jiyoung answered enthusiastically.

“Kokkili ajusshi-neun koga soni lae,” he sang, making a trunk with his hands.

“Gwajareul jumyeon eun koro badji yo*,” Ji-ohn sang along, giggling and turning towards her mother for the cookie.

She laughed and passed the cookie to their ‘trunks’, which they gladly ate up.

Soon, they reached the elephant’s enclosure and their trumpeting sounds filled the air.

“Whoa, bwa bwa, kokkili ya!” Jihyo told them. Gary carried Jiyoung up and sat him on his shoulders so he could see clearer.

“Oppa, jushimae,” Jihyo cautioned, gently supporting Jiyoung’s back. Gary held his legs so it was more stable. Jiyoung held onto Gary’s shoulder tightly with his left hand and gestured wildy with his right, both nervous and excited to be this high up.

“Neomu keo-wo,” Jiyoung said, amazed at how huge the elephants looked.

“Can we give Mr elephant the cookie?” Ji-ohn asked Jihyo.

She laughed. “Andwaeyo, they don’t eat cookies. We’ll give him bananas, ok?”

“Waeyo? The song said so,” she asked, surprised. Jihyo just laughed and requested for a bunch of bananas from the trainer there. She plucked a few off and gave it to Jiyoung, who started to peel the banana.

“You don’t have to peel it, they can eat it with the skin on,” the trainer informed him. Jiyoung nodded and passed the banana to the elephant nearby.

The elephant’s nose stretched out and curled it around the banana, before shoving it into its mouth. Jiyoung watched in awe.

Ji-ohn also tried feeding the banana to the elephant. Jihyo guided her hand to its nose. She withdrew her hand at the touch, giggling at the unfamiliarity. But at the second time, she caressed the nose.

“It’s so long,” she commented, also in awe. “Why are elephant’s nose so long?”

Jihyo shrugged, she never really thought of why. Seeing that her mom isn’t answering, Ji-ohn decided to answer herself. “Because it’s the elephant’s hand, right?”

“Eung, keulae, because it’s his hands too,” she replied, not sure if she found it funny because Ji-ohn answered her own question, or because her answer itself was funny.

“Oppa, should we let them ride the elephants too?” she asked.

“Ne!” Jiyoung replied instead.

“Are we allowed to ride the elephants?” Gary asked the trainer.

“Eo, but you’ll need to pay.”

It was rather expensive, but money was not a concern for him, as long as they were happy. Gary nodded.

Gary sat with Jiyoung and Jihyo with Ji-ohn.

The elephant trotted along slowly, but steadily.

Jihyo ran Ji-ohn’s fingers along the elephant’s ears.

“Iggeo mwoya?” she asked.

"Gwi,” she replied.

“Whoaaa, why is it so huge?!”

“Eo, because the elephant is huge,” Jihyo said, not sure if it’s really the truth. But Ji-ohn seems to be satisfied and didn’t probe further.

On the other elephant, Gary asked Jiyoung, “Do you like to sit on the elephant?”

“Ne!” he replied.

Gary ruffled his hair. “So do you like to sit on the elephant more or sit on appa’s shoulders more?”

Jiyoung seemed to ponder for a while, but in the end he just shrugged as a response. Gary chuckled and pinched his cheeks gently, and he turned around to pinch him back.

“Appa, why don’t elephants have hands?”

“Eum, because they use their nose as hands!” he replied.

“But why?”

“Because most animals don’t have hands?” Gary trailed off, feeling less confident of his answer. “Like Daeyang, he doesn’t have hands too!” he added.

Jiyoung nodded. Gary assumed that he would stop questioning, but he asked again. “But why don’t Daeyang have a long nose?”

Gary sighed and scratched his head. “I don’t know…” he confessed. “Why do you ask so many questions?”

Jiyoung shrugged and giggled a little.

Soon, the elephants finished walking around the enclosure and it was the end of their ride.

They got down with the help of the trainers and thanked them, before heading out again.

“So where next?” Jihyo asked the kids.

And most of the day went by, with the children dictating where to go and the parents followed.

They went to visit the giraffes, the dolphins, and tigers before finally heading for lunch.

It was a simple meal. They shared a plate of fried rice and a bowl of ramen, and a plate of dumplings. After their lunch, they children asked for strawberry.

“Ah, I left it in the car,” Jihyo said, wanting to go back and take it.

“Ani, don’t go back now, they can eat later,” Gary advised.

Jiyoung was cool about it but tears welled in Ji-ohn’s eyes. “Ttalgi…” she insisted.

“I’ll get it, otherwise she’s going to cry,” Jihyo said, getting worried.

Gary sighed. “I’ll go get it,” he relented. He turned to Ji-ohn. “If you want the strawberries, then you must come along ok?”

She nodded, raising her hands to be carried. Gary did, but as soon as he was out of Jihyo’s sight, he put her down.

“Appa…” she murmured.

“Walk on your own,” he said firmly, holding her hands. Stubborn, she shook her head and started to cry.

Gary bent down to her height. We’ve spoilt you too much, haven’t we? He thought, sighing.

He gently wiper her tears away and said gently, “You need to work hard for what you want, Ji-ohn ah. We can’t give in to you every time, understand?”

She continued to sob for a little and Gary finally relented. “Arrasseo, I’ll carry you there, but you must walk back on your own, ok?”

She made a small nod.

“Good girl,” he praised, kissing her cheeks. She rested her head on his shoulders.

They arrived at the car and got the strawberries, and she cheered up immediately. As promised, she walked all the way back to the restaurant.

Did you scold her? Jihyo thought to Gary.

No.

Oppa... I know she cried.

Gary just ignored her statement and pretended to check on Jiyoung. Jihyo sighed.

After lunch, they went to visit a few more animals before the kids started to get sleepy. They each carried a child and they soon fell asleep in their arms.

“Should we go back to the car?” Gary asked. “Or do you want to walk around?”

“Car.”

“Okay.”

The PD was not surprised that they came back early. HaHa and Jong Kook were already back since their children fell asleep too.

At 4pm, the casts were all ready to set off to the other location. Jihyo and the kids were still sleeping, but Gary was already awake to drive the car.

Jihyo woke up a while after he started driving. Instinctively, both parents glanced behind to check on their kids.

“We are setting of already?” she asked.

Gary nodded, passing her the location card. She read and nodded to acknowledge.

“Go back to sleep,” he said.

“Ani, I’m not tired,” she lied. She felt bad if Gary was the only one awake. At least she could give him some mental support if she stayed awake too. But before long, she fell in defeat to her sleepiness. Gary smiled. He knew she was tired. She woke up earlier than all of them to pack up and prepare their breakfast.

At the next traffic light, he bend over to lower the seat for her, so it was more comfortable. She didn’t stir.

When they reached their destination, none of them was awake yet. Gary brushed away a loose lock of hair on Jihyo’s face and kissed her forehead.

“We’re here,” he said gently.

“Eo. Gomawo,” she said.

“I’ll wake the kids.”

At the camping location, the guys helped to set up the tents for the last two teams, while the girls cooked and the children played, well rested after their nap.

Then, everyone gathered around to eat together. It was noisy and full of endless chatter, but they all enjoyed themselves. After dinner, it was time to choose their van/tents. As expected, Suk Jin chose the best, and Gary chose the second best, then followed by HaHa, leaving Jae Suk and Jong Kook with the tents.

Jong Kook and Eun Hye sighed. It wouldn’t be a problem if it were just them, but they were afraid that Jun Suk would be uncomfortable.

Seeing how uncomfortable they looked, Jae Suk volunteered to give up his larger tent for Jong Kook.

“Ani, kwenchana, oppa,” Eun Hye politely declined. “We’ll make do with it.”

Each family went into their respective vans.

“I’ll go to hyung’s tent tonight,” Gary announced, after they all finished bathing. The kids were already sleeping.

“Why do you keep avoiding me?” Jihyo finally asked, sounding hurt. Gary kissed her lips.

“I’m not, baby,” he said softly. “I’m going over so Eun Hye and Jun Suk can sleep here; it’s too cold for them there.”

She started getting teary. Gary got flustered, and started to dry her tears.

“Uljima…” he said.

“We haven’t even been talking properly the entire day,” she said.

Gary’s heart ached, he didn’t know he hurt her so easily. Ever since they had Jiyoung and Ji-ohn, she cried more easily than before.

“Mianhae,” he said. “I thought you were the one angry about me being too harsh on the kids.”

“You are, oppa. They’re still young.”

“I know, but old habits die hard. We need to start teaching them from young… we shouldn’t spoil them just because they are still kids,” he explained.

“I know… but…” Jihyo protested.

“I know you can’t bear to scold them, so I’ll be the strict one and you can be the nice one…” he said. “Then, we’ll complete each other, like always,” he added, with a wink.

“Aish, oppa…” she giggled, eyes still glistening with tears.

“I’ll get going now,” he said, kissing her cheeks.

“Sleep well,” She kissed him back.

“You too. Dream of me,” he winked.

He walked over to Jong Kook’s tent.

“Hyung, can I come in?”

“Yea.”

Gary pushed open the curtains. Eun Hye was struggling to get Jun Suk to sleep, but he kept crying.

“Gary ah, what’s up?” Jong Kook asked.

“Eun Hye and Jun Suk can go to our van, I can sleep here tonight.”

“Do you want to?” Jong Kook asked Eun Hye.

“Is it too troublesome for you?” she asked Gary.

“Ani, it’s ok.”

“Gomawo,” she smiled and packed a few things before going over.

“Eonnie,” Eun Hye greeted Jihyo.

“Ah, watseo?”

“Gomawoyo.”

Jihyo just smiled back at her. “It’s nothing, really.”

She watched quietly as Eun Hye put Jun Suk to sleep.

“Ja?” she whispered, after Eun Hye stop rocking him.

She nodded, placing him gently on the bed.

Jihyo reached out to brush the boy’s face. “I can’t even remember the time the twins were this tiny,” she sighed.

“I can’t wait for him to grow up,” Eun Hye said.

“Kids grow up really fast; sometimes I wish they would slow down a bit,” Jihyo said nostalgically.

Me too, Gary thought. Go to sleep.

Jihyo smiled. Ya, are you eavesdropping on us?

I love you, he thought out of the blue, causing Jihyo to blush. Luckily it was dark and Eun Hye couldn’t see.

I love you more, she thought, smiling.

And they both fell asleep with smiles on their faces, thinking about each other even though they are apart.

*eng translation:

Mr elephant’s nose is like his hand. If you give him a cookie, he will take it with his nose.