After minutes of driving and searching, Jae Suk and YoonA, along with Minho and Sulli arrived at the shopping mall. They got off the car and jogged towards the man holding the big blue placard. The man gave them the instructions for the second mission.

With the given money, buy five couple items around the mall and wear it.

Since they arrived first, they were given the largest amount of money, which is 150,000 Won.

“Here’s 75,000 Won for you two,” YoonA said as she gave the money to Sulli while walking towards the stalls. “Let’s go into separate ways. We’ll just inform you through the walkie talkie if we already arrived at the meeting place.”

“Ne,” Minho and Sulli said.

“In the meantime, Jae Suk oppa and I will buy our items. While you have your own time together,” YoonA said as she winked at Sulli. Sulli smiled as they got into separate ways.

The sun started setting as the lights of the exterior part of the mall and the stalls outside switched on. The cameraman was in front of Minho and Sulli as they started roaming around. People on the sides kept calling for Sulli as Sulli smiled and waved at them.

“Minho oppa, saranghae!” a girl on the side shouted. Minho laughed as he waved at her. The girl jumped for joy afterwards.

“So, what do you want to buy, first?” Minho asked as he smiled at Sulli. At that moment, he felt like they were a real couple.

“Hm,” Sulli looked around with her eyes squinted and her index finger on her chin. “There!” She pointed out one of the stalls. They both walked closer to the stall and Sulli grabbed the couple cellphone straps. It’s a prince and a princess type of strap.

Minho grabbed it and asked, “How much is these?”

“4000 Won,” the saleslady said. Minho nodded to Sulli as Sulli counted the money and gave the saleslady the exact amount. They left the stall and continued roaming around.

At the end of the mission, they bought a pink couple shirt, couple necklace where the boy and girl is kissing, two lollipop rings of the same purple color and two black notebooks which only the two of them can understand the meaning. It was already night when they met with Jae Suk and YoonA. It turned out that Minho and Sulli delayed their team because they really enjoyed buying the couple items.

“Minho and Sulli-yah, are you a real couple?” Jae Suk asked jokingly as he pointed out their hands that were unknowingly intertwined. Minho and Sulli looked at each other in shock as they let go of their hands quickly.

“Huh? Aniyo!” Minho and Sulli denied as they shook their head in exaggeration.

YoonA smiled at them mischievously and said, “Jae Suk oppa, I think they’re lying.” She laughed afterwards.

“No, we’re really not a couple!” Minho said.

“Geurae,” Jae Suk teasingly said.

They presented what they bought to the PD. Afterwards, they high fived each other as they succeeded on the mission. The PD gave them the location for the last mission.

            Go to Everland and the staff will give you the instructions for the last mission.

“Fighting!” YoonA and Sulli said cutely.

“Fighting!” Jae Suk and Minho followed in a manly manner.

They arrived at the Everland after a few minutes. They got off the car and were amazed on how amazing it is at night. The playful lights and the various rides welcomed them. It was reserved for them—no spectators, just the Running Man staff, cast and guests.

They walked towards the PD and discussed to them the instructions.

“You’ll now be separated as a team. This is going to be a couple hide-and-seek game. All you need to do is hide from the seeker,” the PD said.

“Who’s the seeker?” Jae Suk asked.

“That’s for you to know. You’re going to be handcuffed by paper handcuffs. If it gets destroyed by the seeker within an hour, you’re both out. Around the theme park, you can get either an advantage or a disadvantage by taking any of the rides. The game will start when you hear the loud siren,” the PD continued.

“Okay,” they all said. The staff started handcuffing them. Afterwards, they got into separate ways as they started searching for a place to hide. Minho and Sulli, along with their cameraman, ran towards one of the souvenir shops. They ducked behind one of the racks.

After three minutes, the loud siren rang. It made Sulli and Minho’s heart beat faster. They stayed still on their hiding place as well as the other couples. Minho continued peeking and glancing around, searching if any other couples are around their vicinity.

“Gwang Soo and Yuri, out!” the announcer said only just after ten minutes since the start of the game. It echoed all around the theme park, giving Minho and Sulli chills. Minho peeked once again and saw Jong Kook and HyunA from afar.

“Let’s get out of here,” Minho whispered. Sulli nodded. They stood and slowly exited the shop. They ran afterwards and quickly looked for any ride that they can take.

“T Express! T Express!” Sulli said as she ran towards it. T Express is South Korea’s highest, longest, and steepest roller coaster. It’s a wooden coaster, which is a first in the country.

“Are you sure?” Minho asked.

“Ne! This has a prize, I’m sure of it!” Sulli said. The Running Man crew was in front of the ride entrance. They opened it and let the two take the ride.

The two were in the front seat. They buckled in and the seats started moving up slowly. It’s getting higher and higher. Minho and Sulli’s heart were beating fast that it’s about to explode. Sulli kept shouting and chuckling as they’re about to reach the peak, while Minho kept his feelings to him. When they reached the peak, they breathed heavily as it moved in a steady rail for a while. When it’s about to go way down, Minho couldn’t keep his fear as he roared at the top of his lungs. Sulli, on the other hand, kept shouting while laughing at Minho’s roar. They got way down, their seats tilted and moved from right to left, and moved up and down in a rapid speed. Minho shouted at the whole duration, while Sulli kept laughing at him while shouting.

They got back to the starting point and the ride ended. They got off their seats as Sulli was still laughing, while Minho was silent because he’s quite embarrassed on his reaction. They walked towards the staff and received their prize.

“Ah! Wow!” they both said as they received an extra paper handcuff. They gave it to their cameraman for him to hide.

They continued running and searched for a place to hide.

As they were walking, they heard a sound. A dangerous sound. The sound of the bell. Minho and Sulli looked at each other and they looked at their back.

It was Jong Kook and HyunA. Spartakooks and HyunA dashed towards them. Minho panicked, but she dragged Sulli as they ran away from them as soon as he saw them. Jong Kook and HyunA followed them as Minho and Sulli kept looking for a place to hide. After a while, Minho found a fence covered with wood near the small zoo and they hid there. Jong Kook and HyunA lost them and they gave up looking for them. They looked on the other couples instead.

Minho and Sulli were sweating and trembling as they heard the bells walking past them. “That was close,” Minho said to the camera as he chuckled.

Thirty minutes after, Minho and Sulli was roaming around the corners of the park. They’re the only couple left hiding. All of the other couples were eliminated by Jong Kook and HyunA. Minho and Sulli decided to start searching for the two seekers and end the game.

“This is it. Final round,” Minho said as he panted. He pushed his glasses up while his right hand was holding Sulli’s left hand. They were walking fast towards the center of the theme park. Minho felt that he was ready. That he was a fearless one. That he was an animal far greater than the tiger.

“Yah!” Jong Kook shouted. Minho looked back and he got surprised. He was wrong. He dragged Sulli again as he tried to escape from them.

They were all tired and sweating badly. Minho can’t run anymore, and so does Sulli. Jong Kook pulled Minho’s shirt from the back, while HyunA pulled Sulli’s, leaving them shocked and disappointed.

“Any last words?” Jong Kook joked as he panted lightly.

“I…” Minho said as he panted. “We’re going to win!”

Jong Kook laughed as he attempted to break Minho and Sulli’s handcuffs. But, Minho quickly held Sulli’s hand tighter and he hid it behind their backs. Jong Kook was strong like a machine. He kept separating them apart, as HyunA helped him. Only two minutes left, and Minho and Sulli could win the game.

Jong Kook finally broke the handcuffs of Minho and Sulli, leaving the two down. Jong Kook and HyunA rejoiced, thinking that they’ve won the game. What they don’t know is Minho and Sulli were getting away from them secretly as the cameraman gave them the extra handcuff.

With his sharp eyes, Jong Kook noticed Minho and Sulli wearing a new set of handcuffs. Fifty seconds was left before the game ends. Jong Kook ran quickly towards them, and Minho and Sulli noticed it. They wore it faster and they hid their hands from their back.

Three seconds. Two seconds. One second.

The eliminated couples were waiting in the jail. The two remaining couples arrived and they looked at them. Minho and Sulli’s gloomy faces suddenly turned to blissful ones as they raised their hands with the new handcuffs still connected. They all applauded at them and congratulated them.

They won. It was a glorious moment for them.

~

A day after the show aired on SBS, Minho still has the memories fresh on his mind. The couple items they bought are all inside a box that’s under his bed. Minho and Sulli’s relationship took another step, leaving them quite confused on what they really are.

Minho walked inside the recording studio, and he saw Sulli sitting on the couch, writing something on her black notebook.

“You’re now writing on the black notebook we got during Running Man?” he asked as he sat next to her. Sulli avoided his stare as she moved away from Minho.

“No. This is my notebook before,” she said flatly as she wrote random things. Minho felt that she was cold towards him.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked in concern. “Are you sick?” He placed his hand on Sulli’s forehead. Sulli tut and removed his hand forcefully. Minho was still confused. Just yesterday they were okay, and today he felt something’s different with Sulli. He tried to move closer and tried to make her happy by pinching her cheek.

“Ugh, Minho! Will you stop?” Sulli shouted. The recording room got silent. “We’re here to work, and if you can’t do that, you might as well leave.”

Minho was shocked on what Sulli said, leaving him speechless.

Mianhae, Minho. I needed to do this, Sulli thought.