This is so unbelievable! I'm still confused. I never expected to get so many subscriptions and comments even before publishing the firth chapter. I’m really thankful, though I feel more pressure now. I don’t want to disappoint anyone :’3

Anyway, now that I don’t have exams for a little while, I have time to write. I hope you will enjoy it. ^^

The street lamps rushed past them causing their lights to merge into a straight line. Ji Hyo never noticed how fast their car drove on the road, she just glanced at the slowly darkening sky wishing to see the stars, though there was none. In the city she never saw them. Sometimes she missed her hometown because of that.

Another tiring day, the time flew fast. She was slowly dozing off while sitting in the back seat and at the moment she wasn't aware what time or day was it. Not Monday, perhaps. Usually mondays were the only days she could differentiate from the others. Somehow her subconscious reminded her body that it was Running Man filming again, so she usually woke up on those days a bit more easily. She felt less tired due to the excitement.

But now… she didn't know. Was is Wednesday? Saturday? Will she have schedule tomorrow? There could be even a day off? Possibly not. She is sitting the car, maybe they were heading home? That would be nice, she was tired. She wanted to sleep. And to eat something.

"Ji Hyo-ssi… Ji Hyo-ssi, are you awake?"

A male voice woke her up from her half-asleep state. Probably her manager who sat in the passenger seat. He did that sometimes, when Ji Hyo seemed tired. Normally he sat next to her,  but this way she would have enough place to lie down if she wanted to.

"Sorry, did you say something?" Ji Hyo asked a little bit groggily. She rubbed her eyes suppressing a yawn.

"Ah, great. We arrived. Though, maybe it would be better for you to just go home and rest. Should I call Yoo Jae Suk-ssi?"

What the hell was he talking about…

She glanced at the world behind the car window and tried to recognize where were they. For a moment she couldn't see anything. She blinked several times to get the sleep out of her eyes and then looked at the tall building they were parked next to. Her lips parted slightly. As the lights turned green, the car set off again to the direction of the building and soon they were in the underground parking garage.

 "Ji Hyo-ssi?" Asked the manager again with a slight concern in his voice.

„You don’t have to call anyone, thank you” she said and grabbed her coat and handbag ready to leave the warmth of the car. When she stood up, chills went down her spine. Even in march, the evenings were still a bit cold.

How could she forget it?

It was the first time in years she wasn’t aware of the upcoming Running man filming. Normally she was way too excited to not notice it. She loved the show and the team. It felt weird. She felt weird.

"Ji Hyo-ssi" asked the manager again. She just nodded and get her coat on heading off to the elevators.

The SBS building was a bit emptier than usual, most of the staff went home already. That was the main reason why they filmed so late their earlier episodes. This way every place they wanted to use were empty for a good race. She was curious what game they will be playing that night. Nowadays they filmed when the sun was up, so it felt nostalgic to enter the building this late. If the filming took place this late that means the producers found the dark more suitable. It meant their games will be really interesting.

"Ah, Mong Ji is here. You are early!" someone shouted.

She turned her head at the direction of the voice and found some of the members and filming staff sitting at the café tables. Probably they were discussing today’s filming.

"It’s already evening, how could she possibly be early." said someone else jokingly. Ji Hyo couldn’t really found who was talking to whom. She was too far anyway.

With her manager on her heels she headed towards the gathering and greeted the others with a smile

"Ji Hyo-yah, you are coming directly from your drama filming again?" She looked at Jae Suk and found a weird, worried expression on his face.

"Well uh. Yes. How did you know, oppa?"

"Noona, you seem to be really tired. Are you okay?" asked Kwang Soo. He was sitting with Haha and Jae Suk by the small café table, but when Ji Hyo was near enough, he got up and told her to took his place. Their ever so gentle giant.

"It’s unnecessary, really” Shook her head Ji Hyo, but eventually sat down between Haha and Jae Suk while their maknae went to fetch another chair to sit.

They all eyed her a bit worried so she raised her arms and waved with her hands forcing a smile onto her face. These situations were always awkward. Not that she was the only busy person among the members. Jae Suk hosted five shows nowadays - to mention just the National MC -, but all of them had other jobs beside filming for Running Man. Well, maybe Suk Jin didn't, but he was old enough to had this priority. Ji Hyo was still young and full of energy. Being a woman isn't an excuse to receive worried glares from her team every time she was lack a bit of a sleep.

"Will you be okay, Ji Hyo?" asked Haha in a serious tone.

Ji Hyo sometimes wondered how can Ha Dong Hoon be so different from Haroro their viewer saw. All of them played characters on the show, but none of them became so different person like Dong Hoon. He was the most calm among themselves off-camera. That is one of the reasons why Ji Hyo adored him so much.

"Of course, oppa" she said with a reassuring smile, but couldn't hide the dark circles under her lifeless eyes. "As always."

"I can call Taek PD for you, if you want" said Jae Suk. "He wouldn't mind."

"Why? Did something happen?"

They all turned their heads toward the source of the voice. A very clueless Kim Jong Kook was approaching wearing nothing but a T-shirt that tightened around his well built upper body and it highlighted his biceps too.

"No. Everything is fine" told him Ji Hyo and stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom." She left the small group quickly and though she could heard that they were discussing something, she never caught a word.

She just needed a moment. Being there felt like interrogation and she didn't need that. What she needed was to be with the members and having fun.

Ji Hyo closed the bathroom door and stepped in front of the mirror.

Well, she indeed looked a bit off.

Okay, let’s just say it, she looked like . Dull and pale skin, dark circles - almost black-eyes -, disheveled hair and eyes slightly red. Just like someone who didn't have proper sleep for three days straight. Which was the reality for herself.

But it wasn't an excuse, she had a job to be done. More importantly, Running Man wasn't just a job for her. She loved it so much. And they didn't have filming in the last two weeks, because a week before they had a two-days long filming from Monday morning to Tuesday evening, thus the PDs gave them a week off. She was really excited to came this week.

"Pull yourself together, Seong Im" she whispered to the tired woman at the other side of the mirror, then opened the tap and splashed some cold water to her face.

Well, she looked the same when she glanced at her reflection again, but it felt good regardless.

After a few minutes she was ready to leave so she reached for the doorknob. A small shriek left right away when she found a dark figure standing next to the door.

"Oppa!" she managed to say after having her heart stopped for a while. "What are you doing here? You scared me to death."

The muscular man just chuckled at that and pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning onto before. Jong Kook didn't seem to pity her like the others, but he had a weird glint in his eyes as well.

"Sorry about that. Oppa didn't mean to scare you."

She couldn't stop her heart from throbbing a bit quicker and her palm from become sticky. Nowadays she felt a little bit nervous when they were alone like this, without even cameras around.

His smile fell after a while. A slow sigh left his mouth and his lips parted as if he wanted to say something.

"I’m fine" the woman said quickly before Jong Kook could ever ask the question.

"Are you angry, Ji Hyo-yah?"

She hesitated for a moment. Was she angry at the others for being worried about her? No. Was she angry about the situation? A little bit.

"It’s not your fault." told her Jong Kook and sent her a small smile. "It’s okay to be tired sometimes."

She felt like the only one who understood the situation was him. Jong Kook somehow always did.

"No, it’s not" she said slowly shaking her head.

The muscular man frowned and crossed his arms. "Why?"

"Have you ever heard Jae Suk oppa saying that he was tired?"

"Once in a blue moon" admitted Jong Kook. "But Jae Suk is Jae Suk and you are you."

Jihyo didn't want to assume anything wrong and get angry, she was already angry anyway, so she just sent a questioning look to the man.

"I mean, you shouldn't compare yourself to anyone. If you are tired, then you are tired. Your jobs are completely different, so are their demands."

She just sighed and closed her eyes. Now she was getting a migraine. Why were they so stubborn? Just get down to the business and film already. Why was everything so complicated suddenly?

She felt a warm and big hand on her shoulder so she opened her eyelids right away. She almost melted away under Jong Kook’s gentle stare. It made her mind dizzy.

"Go home, Ji Hyo-yah, and rest." It wasn't and order, nor and advice. His quiet voice sounded caring.

"What if I won’t?" dared the woman with a cute, pouting face.

"That would make oppa worried." When Ji Hyo raised her eyebrows, he continued. "What would we do if we lost our ace? We need you and your quick brain relaxed and strong." If his kind words aren't enough, Jong Kook added more to it. "It’s hard on you, isn’t it? Filming your drama every day and coming here every Monday must be exhausting. But you are doing well. We are proud of you. But you should go home and sleep now, Ji Hyo-yah."

As she didn't reply, Jong Kook just reached toward her with his arm and embraced her shoulders leading her back to the others.

Do I seem really that different this week? – she asked herself. This is the first time they asked her to leave. Though it is true that she didn't have as tight schedule as she had now ever since… since Gyebaek? Though it’s not that hard like at that time. That was truely really… draining.

When they get back and Jong Kook told the boys their decision in her place, the others expressed their understanding through gentle words or quick hugs. Jae Suk promised that he would discuss it with the PDs right away, but Ji Hyo wanted to do it herself, so she called her manager and then went to speak with them. It went well, they understood it, but she could heard that they started discussing their plans as soon as she left the room. She felt guilty. Really guilty. Now she screwed up everything for the filming. That is one thing she didn’t want to.

"So, home then?" asked her manager glancing at her over his shoulders now back in their car.

She just nodded. She was short for words. The members’ kindness, especially Jong Kook’s really touched her. He even asked her to send her a text message when she got home, so he will new she 'wouldn't cheat'.

Ji Hyo did so, as soon as she stepped into her apartment. She took a photo of her feet without her shoes at the front door, then without as much as making food or getting a shower, she just changed into her pajamas and lied down in her bed. She was indeed very tired. Too tired to do anything else actually. Would she have enough power to run around all night? Now, in the bed, she doubted it. But back in there on her feet she thought she had more power in herself than this.

She thought about Jong Kook. She thought about how much her heart throbbed when he touched her. When he lead her back as if he wanted to protect her… No. She was being delusional again. That’s why exactly a month ago, after Suk Jin’s birthday party she made the decision to give up on her feelings for the man and stop this madness.

Jong Kook loved Yoon Eun Hye. Everyone knew that. Not only their friends, but the filming crew, their whole country and even the international fans across the world as well. But it was hard. She admitted to herself that she loved the man romantically just a while ago, but it felt like her feelings were always there, starting from several years now.

Eight years ago, when she was just a guest during Family Outing, she playfully shouted across the village to the man and to the viewers, that she loved him. It wasn’t meaningful at all – or not that much -, just for the show.

Now, when they are alone, like today, and her feelings are surfacing, that very sentence is echoing in her mind over and over and over again, so loudly she almost wants to scream it again, but this time directly to his face, even if he would find her weird, or he rejects her, that would make it so much easier. Carrying this secret alone for year straight is such a heavy burden. So she gave up on him, she thought for real. And then here comes Jong Kook again, being nice to her – as a friend.

A faint noise awakened her from her gloomy thoughts. Her phone at the same time lit up so she reached for it.

It was a message. From Jong Kook.

She didn't expect him to answer, but he did.

She hesitantly opened up their conversation and stared at the screen for several minutes, reading his words multiple times.

Above was her silly photo and greeting: I’m home. Have a good time filming. Take care.

He sent a photo as well. It was him showing a cute, wide smile and a V-sign with his left hand, wearing a read pullover. „Already in tracksuit again. It’s not the same without you, but we will do our best. Rest well and come back next week. Jong Kook oppa.”

She didn't send a reply, just squeezed the phone with her hands and pulled her arms against her chest.

Again. How could she stop feeling anything when he is being this caring.

Her heart wasn't pounding hard this time. It felt really rather heavy. It was hard to fall asleep. She wished this week flew quickly so she can go filming Running Man… and maybe she can see him again.

This is it. My very first chapter is finally up. Many more to come. Hope you liked it. :)