Hunters and Foxes

best friend's brother

"No, write it here."

"Like this?" Jihyo nodded as she flashed a smile to Kyungsoo, the eight-year-old boy she's been tutoring for a while now. "Did I get it right, ssaem?"

"Ne. You're doing great," she replied, earning another smile from Kyungsoo. Then, after checking his papers she said, "Well, since you've been a great student, why don't we take a break first?" Jihyo suggested and saw Kyungsoo's face light up a little more. She already noticed how unfocused he was earlier as his enthusiasm for studying was slowly fading away. So, she thought that a quick break won't be that bad. "Do you want to eat something first? A drink?"

Kyungsoo shook his head. "It's okay, ssaem."

"Arasseo. I'll just go outside."

Jihyo went out of Kyungsoo's study room to have a glass of water. They've been in his room for more than two hours, studying for his exams in mathematics.

While walking through the hallway, Jihyo checked her phone for messages. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything to look at, which is quite odd knowing that her mother would probably be scolding her right now if she was not yet home by this hour.

She sighed and checked the time instead. "I should just wait for Hanee to come home to say goodbye," She said to herself, then puts her phone back in her pocket. They already finished reviewing his lessons after all.

"Shit." That was Jihyo heard the moment she stood near the kitchen. It made her flinch, she didn't know that someone else was in the house besides her, Kyungsoo, and the house helpers.

On a daily basis, it was just her and Kyungsoo inside the Jo household. Kyungsoo's parents are always on business trips, while Hanee has a company to run on her own and just be available at night, making Kyungsoo spend most of his afternoon time alone. That's why she found it quite surprising to see a tall man cooking a pack of ramen inside their kitchen.

Jihyo quickly ran to a corner to hide from the man that she saw. He was oddly familiar and seemed like she saw him personally.

For a moment, she just watched him cook and stare at his back in awe. Jihyo never imagined herself to be attracted to someone who's peacefully cutting vegetables for his dish. After a while, she saw him leave the kitchen and there she seized the chance to go in, just to fill her tumbler with lots of water.

Jihyo took a peek around to check if he was around as if she was doing a heist inside the kitchen. She's already a family in this home, considering that she's the best friend of Kyungsoo's mom and Hanee, Kyungsoo's aunt. But taking a small snack from their fridge still makes her guilty even though they already permitted her to do so.

"Hey."

"Omo."

"Did you just wait for me to leave?"

"I—" She stammered as the man started to question her. Jihyo slowly turned her head around to see him standing right behind her. "I thought you didn't want someone to distract you?" She replied with an interrogative tone, then shrugged her shoulders in a cute manner. It made him chuckle.

"So you're my nephew's tutor." He said after a while, "I'm Insung," he paused to reach his hand to her, "Kyungsoo's uncle."

"Oh," Jihyo held his hand, opposite to hers. "I'm Song Jihyo," she smiled at him. "Hanee told me a lot about you." She finished.

His lips instantly rose up as he heard her last statement, "Really? Like what?"

Jihyo immediately pursed her lips, then let out a sigh, "She told me that you're a great guy." She said, trying to sound natural. However, that wasn't the real thing that Hanee said.