It was early in the evening when they finished filming. Ji Hyo stretched her sore muscles and tried to stifle a yawn as she made her way to the parking lot, where her driver was waiting. She was looking forward to getting a nap in the car on the way to her next shooting location; it would take at least two and a half hours to get there even if there weren't any traffic. 

 

The short-haired woman was halfway to the parking lot when she heard a set of footsteps advancing at her from behind. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was, the corner of her eyes had spotted a red jacket and only one person wore that colour to set that day - the person she would love to avoid for the day. 

 

Ji Hyo quickened her steps in hope to reach her car before the man could catch up with her. She muttered a curse under her breath when the footsteps approached and soon she was side by side with a smiling Kim Jong Kook. 

 

"Good filming today," the muscular man started, nudging Ji Hyo with his elbow. 

 

"Good for some people," deadpaned Ji Hyo; lowering her head so that her hair functioned as a curtain on the sides of her face.

 

The stiff and rather cold reply made Jong Kook frown in confusion. "Ji Hyo-yah, are you okay?" he asked. 

 

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" Ji Hyo replied in the same flat tone. "Thank you for asking, though, Kim Jong Kook-sshi," she added as an afterthought. 

 

Kim Jong Kook-sshi? The formal and rather unfitting address made the man raise his eyebrows. Something was definitely wrong. "Hey," he began softly, "Ji Hyo-yah, are you still mad about earlier?"

 

The younger woman didn't reply; she fiddled with her phone instead, purposely ignoring her companion. 

 

"Yah, Mong Ji Hyo! You're really angry," Jong Kook exclaimed in disbelief; he lowered his head to take a look at the woman and saw how tightly wound Ji Hyo's jaw was. "Yah, come on now, don't be angry for keep, Miss Mong - you know it was just a game," he said in his good-natured way. Again, the man was met with silence. "Ji Hyo?"

 

Ji Hyo sighed in annoyance and stopped walking. She cocked her head to the side, meeting Jong Kook's questioning gaze challengingly. "You eliminated me," she stated coldly, "I was this close to winning and you eliminated me, Jong Kook Oppa."

 

If anything, it was the last thing Jong Kook thought would come out of the woman's mouth. What was she thinking? It was a game and everyone knew well enough that at some point they would betray one another when it came to winning - even Ji Hyo had had her share of betrayal herself on various occasions. He pointed out matter of factly, "It wasn't the first time we eliminated each other, was it?" 

 

"No," she agreed, " but I wanted to win today and I was so close to it."

 

The absurdity of Ji Hyo's reasoning sparked Jong Kook's anger. He was tired and his patience was already thinning without provocations. "We'll too bad for you then, Song Ji Hyo, because I wanted to win too. It was a game and the best deserved to win," he retaliated without missing a beat. Only after he saw a flash of hurt in Ji Hyo's eyes, which was gone as quickly as it was shown, did Jong Kook regret snapping. 

 

"I understand, Oppa," Ji Hyo's voice was cracking as she spoke. She bowed slightly at the older man then left him standing alone in the middle of the parking lot. 

 

Jong Kook remained rooted on his spot until somebody tapped him on the shoulder. Startled, he jumped visibly and turned around to see Yoo Jae Suk behind him. 

 

"Ah, Hyung, you scared me," he said. 

 

The national MC laughed heartily. "What are you doing blocking the way here, Kim Kook Jong?" His eyes caught Ji Hyo's entering her car on the far side of the parking lot and asked, "Is that Miss Mong? Off to film again, it seems. Ah, that woman works too hard for her own good."

 

Jong Kook mumbled incoherently, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the older Hyung but it seemed that Jae Suk didn't pay attention to him. 

 

He was indeed not paying any attention since he continued his musing as if talking to himself, "I suppose the recent event must have given her a real blow, don't you think?"

 

"What recent event?"

 

"What recent event?!" Jae Suk repeated Jong Kook's question in a surprised tone. He adjusted his glasses. "Yah, Kim Jong Kook, are you for real? Aigoo, this dongsaeng is hopeless! Ahh-.. honestly, do you really not know?"

 

"No, Hyung, what are you talking about?"

 

Jae Suk gazed at Jong Kook's face to find out if the younger man was only pulling his leg and was a little appalled that Jong Kook seemed to be truly oblivious to the news, despite all the rackets on television and the Internet for the past few days. 

 

"Song Ji Hyo just broke up with her boyfriend," he informed the dongsaeng, "It was all over the television. How come you didn't know?"

 

Jong Kook's jaw almost dropped at the news. Song Ji Hyo? Broke up? "It.. It wasn't a rumour then, Hyung?" He stuttered. 

 

"I'm afraid it isn't; her CEO made a conference about this, saying that the personal ordeal will not affect their professional relationship whatsoever. I consider this a disadvantage for Ji Hyo, if I can be honest." Jae Suk shook his head sadly. "Ah, anyway, it isn't nice to talk about Ji Hyo this way. Let's go home now, it's late."

 

Jong Kook felt as if he was in a daze when he walked to his car. He said his goodbye to his Hyung and waited until Jae Suk drove away before getting to the backseat of his own van. 

 

"Where to, Jong Kook Hyung?" asked the driver. 

 

"Home; it's a really tiring day," the ex-Turbo singer sighed. He ensured the driver that he was alright when the young man mentioned about him being a little pale. I am fine, he repeated in his head. This time he said it to convince himself.