What if ?
What if ? [One shot]It was another rough day for the Running Man cast and the crew. It was one hot summer day, despite being in an amusement park, they had been running all day long. The PD tried to find a solution and film the final mission later that day in order to let the cast rest a bit but it was a last minute decision and the director of the park refused, claiming they had to further adjust some securities.
They had a break around 3PM, right after finishing the second mission. They were all exhausted, while Jaesuk and Haha were chatting about their schedule for Infinity Challenge, Gary just laid down on the floor and closed his eyes. Kwangsoo drenched himself in water enjoying the cold freshness it bought. A little further was Jongkook talking on the phone, as if he was trying to keep a secret, he was whispering while watching around him, being careful no ones was around. Jihyo noticed him, how he acted, there were sadness in her eyes. She carefully made her way to the commander and he literally jumped when she crawled behind him. He was slightly annoyed and glared at her, she didn't bothered at all. She was just standing there eyeing him while smiling. He was confused for a moment and tried to hide, very clumsily, his hand phone. She laughed at his not so spy-like skill.
"I see..." She said while walking around him like a tiger waiting for her prey to make a move.
Jongkook was flustered, and the Commander we all knew seemed to have become a very docile lamb.
"What is it ? What ?" She enjoyed seeing him like this, amongst the cast she was the only one who was able to make him behave like this.
"Nothing, why ? You have something to hide ?" She raised an eyebrow waiting for his reaction.
He sighed, after all Jihyo was not called the Ace for nothing. He thought for a second about lying to her but he knew she would not believe him. After years of working together, they have become like an open book to each other, it was quite easy to figure out the truth.
Jihyo was being impatient and sighed.
"Yah, Jongkook, you really are clumsy with women. I can tell it's about a woman just seeing the way you behave." Indeed, an Ace. He didn't said a word yet, but she had almost all figured out. The key word was almost.
He sighed heavily and laughed shyly.
"We hang out together way too much..." He muttered under his breath, when Jihyo asked what was he saying, he shook his head before he continued.
"Please, don't tell anyone."
She nodded while seating on a bench which was a few steps away. He followed behind her and sighed.
He looked at the girl beside him and stole glances, she didn't saw him as she was enjoying the sun and hot weather. He was lost in thoughts, wondering why she could sometimes, or most of the times, be so quick minded despite her blank face but yet not see how his eyes were full of love. Not for another lady, but for her.
He was known for being very shy with women, whenever there was a female guest, he would try to avoid skinship as much as he could. It was worse when it was about love. His previous relationships had left him deeply wounded, so much that he feared to fall in love. That was so until he met Jihyo. They were very awkward with each other at first, sure they had met in another show few years ago but that was it. As each Monday they met, they became co workers, friends and then like family. Though he came to dislike that Jihyo thought of him as family and not a man.
He turned away and looked at the sky, it was bright blue and there were no clouds in sight. The sun was burning, many people were walking in the park and some couldn't believe their eyes when they recognized the two people. It was mainly high school students, Jongkook waved at them and the students screamed, few took their hand phones and took photos from afar. When the kids left, he woke Jihyo up by gently nudging her shoulder. She opened her eyes and yawned loudly.
"I don't know why but sun tanning makes me want to sleep."
He laughed at her silliness and joked that she just loved to sleep, it had nothing to do with sun. She pretended to be mad but quickly laughed along with him.
"Shall we go back ?" She turned to him, waiting for his response.
"It's almost time, and we are already late." He replied as he took a glance at his watch. They hurried to the filming site, not wanting to make the cast or staff wait any longer.
Few minutes later, the cameras started rolling again. The PD explained the final game, and it was an individual race. They had to find three hidden keys in the park. Each key unlocked a special power which would allow only of one of them to escape. From the clues they had gathered in the earlier games, it was now up to them to escape.
It became an habit that Commamder and Ace would join force to be the quickest, that's the alliance the other cast feared the most, especially the Easy brothers.
They had now been searching for over an hour and three of them were out; Haha, Sukjin and Gary. Only Jaesuk, Gwangsoo, Jihyo and Jongkook were left. At the end, after an intense battle, Jaesuk turned to be the winner. They wrapped filming after such a long day, they were all eager to go home and sleep.
Jihyo was the last one to leave, when she joined the parking, she saw Jongkook waiting beside her car.
"What is it ?" She asked surprised. His hands were sweaty, finally after some months of thinking, he decided to make a move. He thought that maybe, eventually, she would come to him after having breaking up with her boyfriend but she was oblivious to his feelings. The last thing he wanted was to see her leave with someone else, while he has been next to her. He cleared his voice and reassured himself that if she didn't wanted, he'd just pretend he wanted to hang out with her since its been a while.
"I was wondering if you are... Free ?" His voice was very timid, if it wasn't already dark, Jihyo would have seen him blush madly.
"Right now you mean ?"
"If you don't have other plan, I wanted to have a meal with you ." He answered awkwardly, he felt immense pressure just asking her this question. She bites her lips and furrowed her eyebrows.
"I am sorry, Jongkook, but I am really tired." Jongkook only muttered a "Oh". When she saw the sparkle and anticipation in his eyes suddenly die, she couldn't help but feel guilty.
"But I was planning on ordering something like jajjangmyun. You are more than welcome ?" She nudged his arm and smiled brightly, his heart skipped a bit, after all that idea wasn't all that bad.
"Yah, you shouldn't eat greasy food like this, especially for dinner!" He yelled at her pretending to coach her though, it looked to her that he wasn't really acting.
"You are an health freak ! I am not." She answered, it wasn't the first time Jongkook behaved like this. It has became an habit by now to hear him nag about food and sport. Kwangsoo was the first to fell for his doctrine, one thing for sure is she didn't wanted to follow them. She loved eating way too much. As she headed to her car, she wondered if he would take his car or they'll go together.
"You follow me ?" She asked pointing finger at his car. He looked behind him and figured out what she meant. He mentally slapped himself and tried to find an excuse to have a ride with her.
"Ah, hmmm... My manager told me my car had a problem." He said, hoping she wouldn't detect his lie.
"Ah really ? What is it ?"
He looked around the car, flustered. Trying to think as fast as possible.
"Something about.... the ... wheel. Yeah, right the wheel !" He explained, flashing a smile. She nodded, not thinking much about it.
"I guess we'll ride together then." She winked at him and got in. The ride was smooth, Jihyo was living half an hour away from Seoul but it felt like 5mn passed by. They talked about a lot of things; from Running Man to their favorite dish. Jihyo didn't usually invited her fellow members to her house, the first time she did was after 2 years, for a summer BBQ. Until now, she maybe invited them 5 times at most. Though Kwangsoo came often for advice, especially how to date women. When they arrived, Jongkook felt nervous. He knew nothing was going to happen and to be honest, he didn't wanted to ask her out. Jihyo threw her stuff in her bedroom and joined Jongkook who was comfortably seated in the salon. After arguing for at least 15mn, their choice were chicken and pizza. Some times later, their order arrived. Jongkook opened the door and took their order, while Jihyo was arguing that she should pay. He didn't left her much choice.
"Jongkook ! I don't know why you are being so stubborn!" She asked, quite annoyed. Even if he was her friend, he remained a guest. Jongkook, him, enjoyed the situation. She was fuming over a silly issue, he just laughed at her. Which made her even more mad.
"Calm down, it's nothing. Beside, I was the one who proposed to go eat." He said as he was opening the chicken, and started to eat. As she smelled the sweet smell, she quickly followed behind. They were eating silently when Jongkook decided to start his quest.
"So, Jihyo, do you have anyone in your life now ?" He asked out of the blue, wondering if the question wasn't too straight forward. She looked up at him with big eyes.
"What ?" She gulped and took a sip of her beer.
"No, you know I don't have anyone." She casually answered. Then a thought hit her, she opened her eyes wide and putted down the slice of pizza in her hands.
"Don't tell me you want to set me on a blind date ? Like Sukjin ?!" She didn't let him time to answer that she was already whining.
"I thought you were the only one sane amongst them. Why do you all insist !" Jongkook could only stare at her, he didn't knew Sukjin was actively trying to find her a man and he didn't expect it. He felt kind of disappointed, he was after all, known for being a bachelor and the Running Man cast would always , saying how awesome would it be if he would find his soulmate thanks to the variety show. It's true that at his age, he started to worry. Many if not all of his friends already got married. Some already have children, from time to time, he would feel jealous. When they would gather, the discussion often drifted to things he didn't knew yet, like fatherhood, he was being left out, not intentionally, of course, but it would still pinch his heart. Deep inside, he knew that if he had a family, he would do whatever it took to only hear laugh in his house, a house filled with love and joy. He sighed. Jihyo looked at him, he felt her eyes and lifted his face meeting hers. He felt the urge to say everything he had on his heart holding tight his fist, he took a deep breath.
"Jihyo, I need to tell you something. Just know, that whatever you feel, I will understand."
Jihyo's ears were wide open, she gulped at his words but remained silent. Not hearing anything, Jongkook continued.
"I know it might seems like it's random but, Jihyo..." He said as he held her hand, she looked down and started blushing.
"I think I... I love you." He didn't knew if it was because of the silence or because he was nervous but he could literally hear his own heart beats like crazy. She opened but before she could mutter a word, he stopped her.
"Before you say anything, you must know that I have felt this way for many months. Heck, it might even been a year, if not more. At first, I thought it was just natural feelings between friends but I soon figured out that it was more than that." He looked away, he felt way too shy to look at her. He thought he was courageous enough to make his confession while looking in her eyes, but Jihyo's face was, as usual, blank. He couldn't tell if she hated it or if she was simply shocked.
"I guess it's the way you laugh when Jaesuk make a joke, the way you smile so brightly when you greet me. I just love how natural you are, both inside and outside but you still remain so beautiful. You... You are stunning, and your hot temper make even you more pretty. I know it's some wishful thought that you be mine, and that maybe we could be one. But whatever I just wanted you to know that... I love you." He closed his eyes shut and felt the hands he was holding slipping out. His heart started shattering in million tiny pieces, he already expected to hear the usual "I love you but not in that way" speech. Instead he felt her warm hands cupping his face, she was smiling, her cheeks were bright pink. Jihyo wasn't one to be sentimental but the last thing she expected was to hear a confession from Jongkook. Tears were threatening to fall, their eyes met. He tried to wipe her tears but she shook her head.
"You fool." She said as she furrowed her eyes.
"Why did you wait this long !" She pouted cutely before getting closer to him.
"I've always thought my feelings for you were one sided."
He was taken aback, what ? She felt the same ?
"You always seemed to love it when you were in a team with young and pretty women ! You never smiled at me this way." She said as she squeezed his face.
"Yah ! Why would you think I would always try to team up with you if I didn't liked you." He replied taken aback by her accusations. How has his confession turned to this, he had no idea.
"Wasn't it because... you wanted to... win ?" She asked puzzled, she never thought about it this way.
"Of course I wanted to win... but to be honest it was just also and mostly because I wanted to spend time with you. Even if it was just finding who the spy is or gathering clues." He explained as he would recall the last game earlier today.
"Besides, those women are nothing next to you." She softened at his words. It felt so nice to hear this, she dreamt over thousand times about this but no matter what, it was way better in real.
"But, I have a question." Jongkook continued, he couldn't be happier seeing how she seemed to feel the same toward him.
"How, why... ?"
"Don't ask me, I don't know. I just woke up one morning and realized that I liked your presence next to me. You never treated me like I was a princess, you saw me for who I am. Yet you have always been gentle. And nice, despite all the hair pulling I have done, you just always laughed and smiled. I know that the image people have of you is not who you are. I guess you are one huge teddy bear. Huge and strong but so adorable and dependable." She laughed shyly, not knowing what to do. His heart was beating much more faster, he did his usual eye smile at her and she got up of her seat, he came to her. Their eyes were sparkling, it was indeed a beautiful night. She let her hands hold his neck while he held her waist. Their faces grew closer until their lips touched and it turned into a hot French kiss.
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