Today was the day. Ji Hyo was all dressed down and ready to tackle the freezing weather. A huge winter coat shielded her from the siberian air, sunglasses covered her eyes from the possible recognization she might get, a large knitted scarf hung around her neck like a boa constrictor; to cut a long story short, she was equipped for the famous date all korean celebrities go on, otherwise known as the car date. 

For obvious reasons, the Capable couple have not been able to go out in public. Their alone time reduced to the bare minimum with both of them busy with their numerous activities. Of course, the only time they were together at the same place and at the same time was during Running Man recordings but they were never in the same teams. Ah, how the PDs must've sensed something was going on between them...Despite that, the couple always found a way of hanging around each other and touching each other discreetly. So discreetly, in fact, that no one noticed, not even Gary or Haha who were awfully suspicious about their relationship and incessantly exchanging information when they saw unlikely things. To the eyes of the two older decades-long entertainers, Jong Kook and Ji Hyo were acting like their usual self. During the recording breaks, no one brought up the CEO news, everyone, mostly the Suk Brothers, felt awkward discussing their sole female member's love escapades as if it was the talk parents go through. 

But today, for once, Jong Kook and Ji Hyo had no prior engagements. Finally, after essentially communicating with each other via text message, phone calls and facetime, they could see each other in person. Even if their first date in a while was to take place in Jong Kook's company car. Parked near the cold Han River.

Better that than nothing.

Jong Kook the heating, setting up a toasty temperature as he waited for his girlfriend to make an appearance. 

The past few days have been quiet.  When the news broke out, the singer expected Gary to knock down his door, accuse him of not taking care of her and beat the hell out of him for pushing her towards unworthy men. But nothing happened. Gary didn't even stop by to curse at him. And that, he was very good at doing. But then again, Ji Hyo and Jong Kook never made it clear to him that they were together. The rapper was only aware that they had feelings for each other, he wasn't in the loop unlike Kwang soo.

Jong Kook wondered if Ji Hyo made the right call. Lying to everyone because it was for their own good. He could see that her intentions were good but she didn't seem too pleased about her decision. He hasn't seen her smile genuinely ever since she declined going public with him. She looked especially tired on the day they recorded the first episode since the news broke out. How he wished he could make everything okay...

As he pondered on ways to lift up his beloved's spirits, she knocked on his window, lips quivering due to the nordic cold. He unlocked the door, a gust of freezing wind slapping him in the face. 

"Ah! It's so freaking cold!" Ji Hyo exclaimed, her teeth chattering uncontrollably. Jong Kook the heating higher and tightly wrapped a blanket around her trembling shoulders, the warmth of his large calloused hands lingering on her frail shoulders. 

There it was. That small and seemingly meaningless gesture that made her melt.

Just like her 190 cm tall dongsaeng, the shy man was always silently hovering over her. Unlike him though, Jong Kook was not waiting on the sidelines tending to her every need because it was his job as the youngest of the bunch... Or so everyone thought. Instead, the ballad singer held her elbow when she had trouble keeping her balance, he pulled her close when the other members put their arms around one another and forgot her, he saw to it that she didn't fall too hard into the water when such games were involved, and so much more. He was there. Constantly looking after her, making sure she didn't feel left out. Letting her know that, although it was often ambiguous, despite what they all say, to him, she was still a woman. He treated her as a worthy opponent on the show but he still made sure he was respectful and that meant that he kept his hands to himself, never trespassing without authorization. And even when Ji Hyo granted him permission during games, he still considered it inappropriate to invade her personal space. She admired his caring cautiousness at first but as she became aware of her feelings, it gradually irritated her.

Now, don't get her wrong. Ji Hyo thought it was really sweet how his upbringing taught him to respect women, something that seems to be a very hard concept for people to grasp these days. However, he was so mindful of it that it occasionally drove her mad. Once, she was so frustrated he clenched his fist next to her waist instead of directly holding it that she wanted to lift his fingers one by one and put them in the right position. "You can touch me, you fool! I'm not a priceless work of art, for god's sake!" she refrained from saying countless times. 

And he eventually did, after he was told about the way she felt. From under his prude exterior emerged the manlier Jong Kook who sometimes surprised himself by how naturally and unknowingly he would come to intertwine his fingers with hers or bring her head to his strong shoulders. 

That pretty much did it for Ji Hyo. 

"Oppa, what do you want to do?" she asked, trying to create some body heat by rubbing her frigid hands together. Jong Kook saw the attempt and laced his fingers with hers, contributing to the process of giving her a bit of warmth. 

"I love you, Ji Hyo-ah," he said out of nowhere as he gazed deeply into her eyes. "I just wanted to get out loud and clear before we did anything."

 Ji Hyo gave him her trademark blank look before averting her eyes out of bashfulness. "I love you too, Kim Jong Kook." 

Words could not describe how much she was enjoying this spontaneous side of her usually tough Commander. Considering the fact that their first "I love you" was exchanged over the phone in extremely unromantic circumstances while she was surrounded by a loud party of two, that is Jae Suk's kid and Kwang Soo, Ji Hyo had hoped that those precious three words they just shared had as much impact on Jong Kook as they did on her. 

The actress shook her head at how lame they were, confessing to each other like love-struck teenagers in american movies. Sappy cheesy moments in dramas she could withstand but toe-curling lovey-doveyness involving her was a line she swore she would never cross. But there she was, a goner for Mr. Kim Jong Kook.

Not quite understanding the sudden mockery-filled stare his significant other was shooting him, Jong Kook furrowed his eyebrows, an uneasy grimace displaying on his lips. "Why are you looking at me weirdly?" He asked, just then realizing that his confession might have been misinterpreted for a subtle invitation to take a step towards...furthering their physical relationship. 

"What are you talking about?" Ji Hyo asked confused about the singer's sudden retreating posture. "I was just disgusted because we're both thirty-something year old adults that have been in plenty of relationships before and yet we're so shy about saying telling each other I love you!" She explained animatedly, feeling wronged for being called out because of her supposedly strange facial expression.

"What did you think I was thinking?" She squinted her eyes and nodded slowly, as she figured out why her lover had such an abnormal low-key animalistic look in his eyes. "Ah...So that's what you were thinking about."

Feeling like a deer caught in the headlights, Jong Kook scratched the side of his nostril, goosebumps raising on his neck and heat steadily reaching his ears. "She's onto me! She knows I was having dirty thoughts!" He panicked as her eyes bore into his soul.

''Don't worry, it's going to happen,'' she said, his hand in an overexagerated manner like an antagonist their evil cat, ''it might even happen sooner than later. You-" 

Ji Hyo was interrupted by a series of sneezes, her seductress moment turning into a "who-can-make-the-largest-snot-bubble'' moment. Embarrassed, she blew her nose into a tissue and resumed the almighty singer's hand.

A chuckled escaped Jong Kook's lips; he couldn't take her seriously with snot dripping from the tip of her red nose, "Okay, whatever you say, Rudolph.''