Chapter Three

The incessant pounding at her head forces her to wake up.

She lazily stretches her hands to the dark sheets.

"Hmm, these sheets are warm..." she smiled as she sniffs at her pillow, "I wish these sheets are also in my room. It smells nice"

She stopped caressing the blanket when her consciousness kicks in, "These are not my sheets. This is not my room!"

She got up and noticed that she's wearing nothing.

"What the hell? What happened last night? What happened to me?"

Her eyes scanned the room looking for clues to whose room did she slept in.

Black sheets

Dumbells on the corner

and the familiar song being sung by someone in the shower

"Oh my gosh!" she placed her hands on , "why am I in Oppa's room?"

Song Ji Hyo forced herself to entertain her questions later. She quickly looks for her clothes but it is nowhere to be found.

To her panic, she rushes through the cabinet and grabs the biggest jacket she can find.

She dashes through the door and as her fingers wrap at the knob, a very Jong-Kook came out from the shower.

"Ji-Hyo"

She stopped but did not dare look at him.

"Don't move. I'm going to put clothes first"

Jong Kook lazily wore a shirt and a boxer. He slowly came at her then tap on her back.

"Turn around. Look at me."

She violently shook his head, "No Oppa. I can't. This is crazy. What happened last night?"

Her heart pounded like crazy.

Her hands were shaking.

She hopes that the ground would magically open and swallow her up.

Kim Jong Kook yanks her shoulder, forcing her to face him.

"You didn't know what happened last night?"

His brown eyes burned into hers.

"Be honest with me, you really did not know?"

For the second time, Ji Hyo felt it again.

The emotion she can't recognize from his intense gaze.

"Oppa, I really don't know. All I know is that you left for that girl then Haha and I continued drinking. I swear that's all I know."

Jong Kook looks at her again then let out a sigh.

He walks straight to the cabinet and pulls out a box of cigarette.

He stretches his hands towards her, "Want some?"

"No, thank you" Ji Hyo couldn't believe it with her own eyes. "Oppa, you rarely smoke. The last time I saw you smoking was..."

"The day my grandmother died" he cuts her off, "Yeah I smoke when I'm in a place where I don't know what to do"

She clenches her fists as she gathers the courage to ask the question, "Did we do it last night?"

"Ji Hyo, since you don't know, It's better that we don't talk about it."

His voice sends shivers down her spine. It was detached and cold.

"But if we do that..." she bit her lip, "I mean If we don't talk about it. Will you treat me differently Oppa?"

The commander puffs a smoke before he spoke again,

"It doesn't matter. What's done can never be undone. Go back to your room. This conversation is over"

She felt as if someone punched her stomach.

"No" her voice finally breaks, "I won't go back to my room. It's not fair."

She forced herself to control her tears but as if it has its own life, it freely flowed at her eyes.

"If you're going to treat me differently. I might as well know what happened."

"Fine" Jong Kook glares at her, "But this is the first and last conversation about this. Do you understand?"

One thing the Ace learned from the exhausting but fun games of Running Man is somehow you have an idea of the outcome.  

You can get it by strategizing a plan,  forming an allegiance or simply using your force against your opponents.  Whatever the way is, she can prepare herself for the outcome. 

But now,  there's no chance in hell she can figure out what's going on.  

Jong Kook had been sitting by her side for half an hour yet he remained quiet.  

"Jong Kook Oppa? Tell me, please. This is driving me crazy. What happened last night? " 

Ji Hyo placed her hand on his shoulder shaking it softly.  

"Ji Hyo" Jong Kook gazes at her intently,  "what do you think of me? " 

Taken aback by the question she raised her eyebrow,  "What do you mean Oppa? " 

"Last Night. When we were at the party.  When I announced my news, you suddenly get very angry and you walk out.  I chased you and then... " 

She places her hands at ,  "and then what?  What did I do Oppa?!" 

The commander removed his gaze from her.  Now he is looking at the clock.  Sighing he stood up. 

"Come on we need to meet up with the team. We don't need to discuss this." 

"No! Tell me! " Ji Hyo grabbed his arm forcing him to turn around and face her.

"Tell me Oppa!  Tell me! I deserve to know "

"You kissed me!  Okay? " 

"What? "

Ji Hyo quickly released her hands at his arm.  

"And then you vomit. I kept asking you about your hotel key but you just kept babbling something.   I have no choice but to bring you back to my room. I let you in the comfort room so you can throw up.  I thought you were fine since I can hear you showering so I left to buy medicines.  By the time I came in you were waiting for me... " 

The commander stopped talking and let out a loud sigh.  

"I know that you're very drunk last night.  So whatever you did last night.  I'll blame it on the alcohol." 

She chocked out her words,  "What did I do next Oppa?" 

"You were waiting for me. .  You tried to kiss me again but I refused. And then you went to the sheets asking me to join you.  Before I can tell you that I do not see you that way,  you were sleeping" 

He refused, Song Ji Hyo thought.

The truth hit her like a crashing wave.  

One of the reasons why Ji Hyo loves the beach is because of the ocean.  It can be peaceful one moment then violent the next.  She got hit by a big wave once.  She was trying to surf but she didn't expect a huge one coming at her. It caused her board to smack her in the face. The damage was severe that she had to be hospitalized for days.  

But the pain she felt during the accident was nothing compares to this.  

Scratch that.  Whatever injuries she had,  nothing can ever hurt like the obvious rejection of her Oppa.  

"So you're telling me that I..." she tried to wipe her tears away but failed.  She clenches her fist channeling any strength that she had left.  

"I... I practically throw myself at you.  .  And you didn't try anything because you don't see me that way?" 

The rejection and the humiliation she felt is now running at her body.

The hot tears coming from her eyes were unstoppable. The pain in her chest is getting deeper and deeper.  

"Ji Hyo..." the commander tried to come closer,  "What I mean is I do not see you that way." 

"Why?!" she cuts her off, "Why didn't you make a move on me?  You know that I am a woman right?  Why can't you even see me that way? Do you really see me just a little sister?!  Open your eyes and look at me!  Do you think that I see you as an older brother?" 

With that, a loud bang echoed at the hall but Song Ji Hyo can only listen to the loudest sound,  -her heartbreaking.  

It was the last night of the Running Man's vacation.  Instead of a party,  the team decided to take this last night to have a personal time.  Some of them wanted to sleep early while others wanted to enjoy viewing the huge villa.  

For Haroro his last night is to comfort someone.  

"You know that you're an idiot Hyung" 

He shook his head angrily, "Ji Hyo is now crying because of you. Do you know that?" 

"I know Haroro.  I know that she is crying because of me" 

Jong Kook gulped down the soju then poured himself another drink. 

"Hey hyung.  I haven't question you ever since you told me you like her.  I thought you have a strategy on how to pursue her. But now it is obvious that you don't.  And what's worse is you're announcing that you're leaving the show and bringing a girl. What would you think the fans would feel?  More importantly,  what would Jo Hyo think about it? I bet she is jealous. I also bet she's having a pity party for herself. " 

"I clearly said why I was leaving the show.  And I introduce Hye Sung properly.  Whose fault do you think it is?  I wonder why Ji Hyo didn't understand it.  Oh, I know.  Because someone allowed her to drink excessively" 

"Oh no no! " Haroro point lift his finger at his Hyung's fave and wave it continuously.  

"You can not blame me. The minute you hugged Hye Sung happily she took shots like its water.  I keep telling you Hyung.  What's the problem here?  She likes you and you like her.  So why are you making this complicated?  Why are you making this complicated?  Just tell her already! " 

Jong Kook sadly looks at him. 

"You know I would confess if I could Haroro" 

Haroro gave him a weak smile.  Sometimes he wonders why on earth would fate give such bad luck to his Hyung. 

"Ah.  That's enough.  I'm going ng to cry if we'll talk more.  Raise your glass. Cheers! " 

Haroro took the shot then glances at Jong Kook.  He almost chokes when he saw his eyes were glassy.  

"Okay.  That's it.  I am stepping in. Time to give this two a little nudge," Haroro thought to herself.