SpartAce I: School Love Affair

💕

"W-w-what is going on here? " It was Dong Hoon who recovers from the shock first. His face is full of confusion as he stares at the couple in front of them.

Kim Jong Kook and Song Ji Hyo steps away hastily, their eyes suddenly focused on their shoes, like two kids getting caught by their parents in doing something bad.

Kwang Soo sighs in frustration and faces their direction. "I knew i don't have to do anything. You're so absorbed when you're together that you barely notice what's around you. I knew you'll eventually get caught. "

"What are you talking about, Lee Kwang Soo? ", Jae Seok asks, his brows furrowed, getting the idea but still having a hard time believing what is in front of them.

"Wait a minute, you knew about this? ", Seok Jin asks Kwang Soo.

Kwang Soo shakes his head. "I just found out, too. Yesterday. I caught them being mushy at the roof top---", he closes his mouth as he notices Ji Hyo's death glare.

"Y-you guys are dating? ", Joong Ki asks, his round eyes wide and brimming with innocence.

Seeing that, Song Ji Hyo immediately felt guilty. Though she could not understand why. But it seems like she has just strung Gary and Joong Ki, giving them false hopes, and the stares of their friends were like the stare of people being betrayed by someone they trusted.

"First Ha Dong Hoon, and now, the two of you? ", Seok Jin asks, his tone disappointed.

"What are you talking about? This is worse than what I did. We both know them and yet they didn't even bother telling us.", Dong Hoon argues.

"Guys, we were planning to tell you.", Jong Kook says calmly.

"When exactly?", Joong Ki asks.

"We were still trying to figure it out ourselves. ", Jong Kook explains.

"Waaah, this is insane. ", Jae Seok says in awe.

"Insane? ", the busted couple repeats in unison, insulted by the description.

"It's just that... ", Jae Seok's eyes stare from Jong Kook to Ji Hyo. "After all those bickering? "

Ji Hyo is already steamed with the others' glares that she just wants the road under her to open up and swallow her whole.

For the first time since she met the guys, she was at a loss of words. She was just so guilty that her smart brain couldn't even process a reasonable argument.

"Liger. ", Kwang Soo blurts out without sense.

"What? ", Jong Kook asks, his brows furrowing.

"You know, the offspring of a lion and a tiger.. ", he explains, waving a hand from Ji Hyo to Jong Kook. "..liger."

"Everyone would surely be cowering in fear in front of their child. ", Seok Jin agrees.

Suddenly, an abnormal heat rose up to Ji Hyo's cheeks. She glances up at Jong Kook and sees that he could not look at her directly and is just as uncomfortable with the topic as she is.

"Yah! Why are you talking about that? ", she complains with a hesitating tone and a pout.
"Whyyy?", Kwang Soo says defiantly. As long as he's behind his hyungs, he can say whatever he wants and still be safe from the clutches of those two. "If you don't want thw relationship to end, then it only has one way to go. It will lead up to that---! "

Jong Kook advances, his eyes threatening at Kwang Soo, his jaws clenched. "I ought to just.. "

Kwang Soo hides behind Jae Seok.

"That's enough.", Jae Seok says before anything could go wrong, especially for Kwang Soo. "Let's talk about this tomorrow.", he says and rubs his stomach. "I'm hungry."

"Me, too.", Seok Jin agrees. "Let's go." He leads the way to the direction of the store.

"No detours, you two.", Dong Hoon says as they walk away from the two. "Kim Jong Kook, we'll be waiting in the store."

"What did you say? ", Jong Kook yells.

"I mean Hyung! ", Dong hOon corrects in a childish voice. "I'll be waiting for you in the store, Hyung. "

They both sigh the moment the others are already out of earshot.

Ji Hyo holds her head with her hands, fighting the urge to pull her hair out as she grunts.

"Uuuurrgghh. Now they have something to tease us.", she says.

"Don't get affected by it.", Jong Kook says.

She looks up at him. He looks calm. "Why does it look like it isn't botgering you? "

"Because it isn't. ", he simply says.

"What? ", she asks, her brows furrowing.

He smiles and smoothens the crease in her forehead with a light touch of his thumb. "Why would I be bothered? I'm relieved. Now they know better than to hit on you. ", he says, sliding his thumb from her disappearing crease and down to her cheek, pinching it a bit.

"Yaaahhh.. ", she complains but her stomach is enjoying the sensation too much that she could not stop herself from smiling.

He chuckles at her cute reaction. Then he opens his arms. "Give oppa a hug. "

Her face turns blank. "Stop that.", she says despite of the emotions she's having inside.

But being Kim Jong Kook, he simply pulls her by the arm and wraps his strong arms around her, who comfortably leans into his warm chest.

"Considering our situation.. ", his voice low as he speaks, his mouth just inches over her left ear. "We'll be getting in more trouble, far more difficult than the ones we're having now.. ", he says and holds her at arm's length, his dark eyes staring directly at hers. "..so I need you to be as stubborn as you are and refuse to give up, okay? "

She knows he is right, and whatever is coming for them, she isn't exactly sure if she could handle them. But she has to try. For this boy right in front of her.

She forces a smile and nods.

He is contented with her response, perhaps he trusts her so much to do just that. His smile widend, his eyes getting smaller as his cheeks lift.

She feels her heart do a somersault as he leans closer, and somehow, at the back of her mind, she anticipates what is about to happen next.

..

..

"Ji Hyo-ah? "

Both of them jump backwards at the sound of her mother's voice coming from the house.

This is what Kwang Soo told them a while ago. They get so absorbed with each other's presence that they forget the world around them.

They both look up to see Ji Hyo's mother from one of the windows upstairs.

How long had she been up there, they'll never know.

"Eomma.. ", Ji Hyo could only say.

"I see Jong Kook walked you home. Come inside now, your aunt's gonna be here any minute. "

Ji Hyo glances at Jong Kook, a goodbye glance. She could see the unfamiliar red tinge in his face as he nods and walks away.

She could not help but smile in her way in.

There are just so many adorable things that she has been seeing from Kim Jong Kook, things that she never expected to see from him.