It's Been a While
Undeniable ChemistryJong Kook stared blankly at the mirror in front of him as he let the makeup stylist cover his face with load of foundation. Today's a big day - probably a day that he never saw coming. After long discussions and meetings for two weeks, Turbo has finally made their comeback. It wasn't an easy decision to make considering all their broken joints and age but it was something that they want to do for all the fans that has never given up on them. As he closes his eyes for the stylist to do her final touch up, sudden thoughts rush through his mind. It's been exactly one month since the last time he has spoken to Ji Hyo. There are a ton of emotions running thorough his body as he thinks about her. That kiss on the balcony was no mistake - he felt it, he knew that it was the right thing to do. But was it the right timing?
"Jong Kook-ah," he looks up to see Jae Suk walking into the waiting room. "It's been a while." Jae Suk gave him a tight hug before taking a seat next to Jong Kook. Due to some of the constant headlines that Ji Hyo and Jong Kook has been making, the production crew decided to take a haitus for a month. They say it's to better their value and element to the show but everyone knew it was for the netizens not to hate seeing their faces too much. Let the headline die down and come back as if nothing has happened. That's how entertainment works. Besides Haha and Kwang Soo, Jong Kook hasn't seen the others weekly like he used to. It's really calming to know that he's going to be able to see their faces again next week - really nice to finally see Ji Hyo's face soon. "Congratulations on the comeback."
"Thanks." Jong Kook bid his thanks to his stylist and turned his full attention to Jae Suk. "Did Myuk PD say anything else about the filming next week?
Jae Suk grabbed an apple from the fruit basket. "The media doesn't seem to be paying attention to anything else besides the Olympics. We can proceed with the filming on Monday." He gives him a reassuring smile. "It'll be nice to go back on our old Monday and Tuesday schedules. From what I read online, a lot people are anticipating our comeback to their Sunday night. Don't worry about anything. Just be your old Sparta Kook self."
"It's not that I'm worried about what they're saying or thinking." Jong Kook paused to gather his thoughts. "What I'm saying is that I'm..."
"Look," Jong Kook stopped and looked up at his hyung. "I know there's been a lot of tension between you and Ji Hyo. I hate that I can't do or help you about it. At the end of the day, it's something that you both of have to deal with on your own." Jae Suk took another bite of his apple. "Haha told me everything." He confessed after Jong Kook's long confusing stares.
"Ha Dong Hoon." Jong Kook muttered under his breath. He knew he couldn't trust his dongsaeng especially one that works with the Nation's MC twice a week. "Did I do something bad?" He had to ask that question, the question that has been lingering around since it happened.
Jae Suk gave Jong Kook one of his gentle hard smiles, something that he knows too well of. "At the moment...maybe it felt right. Maybe it even felt like it had to be done because you like her. But have you thought of what she would've felt like during that moment? Jong Kook-ah, she just went through a whole roller coaster of headlines about her family on television. She had to come out and admit that she had a hidden kid all along. Not to mention that she had to work with the one person that hurt her the most." Jae Suk got up from his seat as soon as he recieved a text to come back filming one of his shows. Placing a hand on Jong Kook's shoulder, he gives him another smile. "It felt right to you that night on the balcony but have you thought if it was the right moment for Ji Hyo?"
As he watched his hyung walk out of the waiting room, Jong Kook turned back and stared at himself in the mirror. Jae Suk was right. All he did was think of himself and how he felt during that moment on the balcony. Maybe it was after watching Dong Wook proposed to Da Hae or maybe it was just seeing how happy Ji Hyo was finally being - the emotions rush were high and he couldn't control what he was going to do next.
. . .
Ji Hyo closed the last episode script book onto the table, she gave it a long stare. The filming for the drama has finally finished and going to air the final episodes next week. It's been a tough three months with this drama but she managed to pull it off. To put a smile on her face and beam with positive energy to people who spent most of their time talking behind her back, she's glad that it going to be all over. As she got up from her seat and taking the script book with her as a sovenior, she kept bowing and bidding goodbye to every single person in the production crew. "Thank you for everything, director."
Director Shin turned around and nodded his head as he hugged Ji Hyo. "Thank you for your hard work too. It's been a tough few months for you, hasn't it? You did awesome, I hope we work together again soon."
She knew he was lying. He was one of those people that kept talking down about her when she wasn't in the room. "Of course." she agreed back with a smile of her own. What would the entertainment industry be without lies spewing out of people's mouth, right? "I hope a possible collaboration can happen soon." As soon as she finally said her last few words, she started walking away from the filming set and toward her van. Thankfully, her manager got everything prepared and ready for her to leave immediately. "I love you."
Her manager chuckled as he look at her from the rearview mirror. "Come on, noona. Let's leave this place."
Ji Hyo looked over the newspapers all over the van's floor. For the past month, she has been collecting headline papers that has been talking about her family. Even when the support from her close friends or colleagues that she has worked with before, she was the target of people's attack. Not only did some reporters find details on Do Hyun's school life but they even got the run down on her parents. What hurts her the most is the fact that her parents were being targeted as much as she is. She took a deep breath and looked out the window - watching as the cast and crew of the drama team getting ready for a group picture. Her eyes adverted back over to the newspaper and couldn't help but snicker a bit. How is it possible that these reporters managed to get all these details about her own family but no one has seem to notice or find out that Joo Ji Hoon is Do Hyun's father? That is the most laughable thing out everything that has been happening.
. . .
"Ahjussi!" Do Hyun screamed while watching Dong Wook and Da Hae kiss continously on the couch. "I'm going to complain to omma if you keep doing that!" Taking his red crayon from his drawing table, he drew an invisible X in the air toward them. "You're supposed to be babysitting me."
Lee Da Hae cleared from embrassment while tying her hair up into a ponytail. "I'm sorry, Do Hyun. We'll stop."
Do Hyun continued drawing on his paper. "That's what you said five minutes ago."
Dong Wook got up from the couch and tousled Do Hyun's hair while getting a drink of water. "Wow, you're a fiesty nine year old." He looked over at his fiancee and gave her a smile from across the room. The feeling that they've been engaged for one month could be the most happiest moment of his life. It makes him wonder what will happen when they finally get married. "Do Hyun, I'm going to go tuxedo shopping next week. Do you want to come with?"
"For your wedding? Is it still a secret?"
"Yes." Dong Wook answered while chuckling. Sadly, the moment can't be shared with the media just yet. Both Dae Hae and he has decided to keep everything private - just so they can settle everything down before the whole world knows about it. "It'll be our little secret mission that week. Like a game."
Do Hyun's eyes lit up. "What will I win?"
A small laughter came out of Da Hae's mouth as she watched these two engaged together in this conversation. "What do you want? Noona will buy it for you."
"Ahjumma." Do Hyun corrected her.
Dong Wook burst out laughing at how stern and serious Do Hyun corrected her. "Ahjussi and Ahjumma will buy whatever you want. Tell us."
The red crayon in his hand fall on the table as he look over at Dong Wook. "Can I get something that you don't need to buy?"
"Of course! It's even better! Have to save up some money for the wedding anyway." Dong Wook start to walk back over to the living room. "Tell me, what is it that you want?"
"Appa....." Do Hyun's eyes look up with pleading eyes. "I want to see my dad." Both Dong Wook and Da Hae paused to stare at each other in shock before looking over at Do Hyun. He has never said a word about his dad. Not even the moment when he saw Joo Ji Hoon for the first time that night at hi grandparent's house. To hear something like this from Do Hyun was not only surprising but also a bit alarming for Dong Wook.
. . .
"I saw your broadcast, hyung! It's really cool to see Turbo back again!" Kwang Soo expressed while taking a sip of his beer. "I knew making a cameo in your music video would make it extra cool."
Jong Kook chuckled and shook his head. "I think Tae Hyun made the muic video better. Not you."
Kwang Soo drowned more beer down his body while rolling his body. "Whatever makes you feel better." Putting down the beer can onto the coffee table, he groaned while closing his eyes. "I'm excited to go back to work again. I miss seeing Myuk PD and everyone."
"Yeah. It'll be nice to see everyone again...."
"You miss noona, don't you?" Kwang Soo asked. He didn't bother on specifically saying the name. For the past month, he has watched Jong Kook sulk every single time when Ji Hyo's face appear on the televsion. It's been a hectic month for both people that he cares about deeply. All of Ji Hyo's family history has been poured out for neitzen's enjoyment. The unending drama between Jong Kook and Yoon Eun Hye has only started to simmer down. He hates that these two are going through so much alone. Sometimes Kwang Soo feels as if he is a useless dongsaeng. "Have you at least tried to contact her? Since what happened?"
"No." Jong Kook briefly shrugged his shoulders. "I thought she just needed time to think about it."
"So you let it drag for one month? Hyung! This is why you can't keep a girlfriend for too long! You always think that you're givng them space but what you need to do is keep bothering them. You espcially have to do that to Ji Hyo Noona. We all know she's as stubborn as rock. She might be thinking that you need time alone instead of herself." Kwang Soo let out a sigh.
"Am I really going to take love advice from you?" Jong Kook questioned back. "Didn't you just cry last night over that one girl? The one that contacted Joong Ki to break up with you?"
Kwang Soo knit his eyebrows together while clenching his hand over his heart as if a dagger was pierced through it. "Hyung, that hurts."
Jong Kook let out a laugh while shoving Kwang Soo off the couch. It feels nice to be joking around with the people he loves like this. As he leans over to grab the remote, his body froze when the first face he saw on television was Yoon Eun Hye. Suddenly, the memory of that day came rushing back to his mind. The visit he made over to Eun Hye's house before he came to Dong Wook's birthday party.
(one month ago)
Just as he was about to leave, Eun Hye looked at him with tearful eyes. "I'm already one."
He halted his steps and slowly turned around to look at her. "What?"
"I'm already a mother," she looked down at her stomach, slowly caressing it as she spoke. "at least, I'm about to become one."
Jong Kook took a few steps back as he looked at Eun Hye up and down. "What are you talking about?" There was a long pause. "Are you seriously pregant again?"
"Yeah..." Eun Hye slowly started crying. "I'm scared, Oppa."
"Eun Hye...." He tried to gather whatever words he could possibly say. What is there to say? How is he supposed to react to this? Wait. Why would this be a matter to him? "I think it's best if you talk about this to the father."
She shook her head as she continues to caress her stomach in a slow motion. "It makes me think of what if I was really pregnant back then. What if we were really going to have a baby together? Do you think we would be happy?"
"Eun Hye-ah...." he said softly, silently begging her to stop. "I have somwhere to be....a birthday..." he suddenly stopped talking when Eun Hye wrapped her arms around his waist. He could feel her tears staining the back of his shirt. "Please..."
"Don't you love me anymore?" She questioned as she tightened her grip around his waist. "I miss you everyday. I tell the media that I don't mind Running Man talking about me as a joke all the time when you guys film but it all hurts. Because we could've been something. We could be having a family and enjoying holidays together." Eun Hye closed her eyes. "Don't you miss that? Don't you miss us?"
Jong Kook carefully pulled her arms away from his waist and took an extra step back. "Yoon Eun Hye. There has to be a limit to everything. I came here to know if you knew of what you did. Not only were you going around parading as if you have the right to tell people's business to media. But now you're going to use the same old trick to get me? Don't you know it hurts? To see you stand here and use the same trick that still gives me a painful feeling till this day?" He opens the door and take one last look at her. "I did miss us. I did miss the little things we used to do together. But do you know what else I miss? The old Yoon Eun Hye that I was in love with for two years. The one I met from X-Man and get surprised everyday from knowing her a bit each day." As he start to walk out the door, "Nowadays, I don't know who I am talking to anymore." He takes a deep breath. "When you find her, talk to me again."
(present day)
"Looks like Eun Hye-ssi won't be coming back to Korea soon." Kwang Soo as he grabbed onto the remote to change the channel. About three weeks ago, Eun Hye's agency announced that she will be over at China for promotional purposes and also a vacation that she needed. Since then, no one has heard a single word from neither her or the agency. A lot of people are assuming it's because of the "pain" that she recently went through with the media. And it' some sort of calming vacation thart she needed. On the other hand, Kwang Soo just thinks she is running away from the truth. Either way, he's glad that she's not around his hyung that much anymore.
"I'm going to China next week. After we film on Tuesday." Jong Kook said. "With Turbo and the crew."
Kwang Soo blinked his eyes. "Don't tell me..."
Jong Kook nodded his head as he took a sip of his water, trying to his best to dodge the glare that Kwang Soo was giving him. "She said she wants to meet up and talk. She has something important to show me."
"And you're just going to go? To talk to her?"
"To work and promote Turbo there too." he tried to defend his actions. "Don't worry. I'll update you."
"You have to." Kwang Soo said. "Or Joong Ki and I will be vastly disappointed in you." He stopped talking for a few seconds before continuing. "We both want you and Ji Hyo noona together..."
Jong Kook looks at the emtpy water glass in his hand. "We all want something....it just counts on if we're able to have it or not."
. . .
The day finally came. The day that all seven members have been waiting for. Shooting day after a month break. Every single crew member hugged each other, asking questions on what they've been doing and how was their break. No one exactly says it but everyone knows that no matter what happens to the cast or crew, everyone is as tight as a family. Myuk PD made his way over to the cast members that were already present, giving them each a hug. "It's going to be a long day," he warned them. "With us finally coming back, we're going to have to make the episodes tougher. Making it more interesting for the viewers. I hope you don't mind."
Gary shook his head. "That is why I brought extra underwear. I honestly miss being in the cold water and being tricked by Kwang Soo."
Kwang Soo smirked. "Don't take back those words, hyung."
"As long as you guys don't play too hard on me. Don't forget that I'm old now." Suk Jin complained as he let the audio director come over to connect him to a mic.
Jae Suk laughed. "You complain that we treat you your age but also complain when we don't. What do you want, ajusshi."
"I want to win!" Suk Jin laughed while high fiving with Kwang Soo and Haha, who also feels the pain of always losing at the end.
Laughter soon evaporated into thin air when they noticed Jong Kook's van and Ji Hyo's both arrived at the same time. Everyone silently watched the scene before them slowly unfold.
Ji Hyo hopped out of her van and slowly made her way toward the set when she spot Gap Jin from the corner of her eyes. She halted her steps and watched as Jong Kook get out of his van. With two phones in his hand, he nodded at something Gap Jin said. As soon as he turned his head around, the both of them made eye contact with each other. Immediately like a natural reaction, she bow down first to greet him. "Hello."
"Hi," Jong Kook slowly responded back as he made his way over to her. "It's been..." he stopped talking when he noticed almost everyone on the set had their eyes on them. "It's been a while."
"Yeah." Ji Hyo carefully cleared and looked at him. "It's nice seeing..." as Jong Kook listened to her talk, a small yet gentle smile spread across his face while looking at her. "It's really nice seeing you again, Hyung." And like a thousand bullets heading toward his way, he felt needles pricking in his heart. Hyung. There was that damn word again. Before he could respond, Ji Hyo walked away from him and toward the other cast members. Hyung. Hyung Hyung Hyung.
His eyes closed for a brief second before he opened them to see her happily jumping around, greeting the members. The obvious difference how she greeted him and them were being watched by everyone surrounding him. Jong Kook took a deep breath to control his emotions. As soon as he collected himself calmly, he made his way toward the center of the set.
A/N: WOW! I really didn't expect much people to greet me on being back! Thank you so much for the endless love for this story. Now I really truly hate myself for leaving for almost a year. Don't hate me! Thank you so much for the continuing to love and support this story! It really means alot! Well, here it is. The next chapter after the heartbreaking balcony part. It's short, yes. I do apologize for that! I hope you all like it though! Please make sure to commen, like, vote, and share! Thank you so much!
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