The sounds of laughter and music filled the air, while the aroma of the grill tantalized taste buds. Even though it was after dinner hours already, it was a busy night at Haha’s restaurant. For the purpose of privacy, Haha had converted a storage room into a makeshift private dining room solely for him and his guests. In this room, the members were gathered enjoying a nice supper and kicked back to a few drinks. Haha, Sukjin and Kwangsoo were laughing and jeering on their best prank as the betrayer team, Gary and Jongkook were at the corner of the table discussing their work together.

Jaesuk glanced at his team. Although Sukjin was the eldest, the burden of the father-figure of this family rested on his shoulders. Sukjin was wise yet wasn’t as close or approachable as Jaesuk was to the rest of the members. He had been feeling the void within the group as of late. It didn’t hit him at the start but slowly he could see the cracks in the surface. Though he had nothing but the best interest at heart for Jihyo and her pursuit of a blissful romance, he did feel a pang of worry that her continued absence could snowball into something greater. The loss of Jongki as a member of their family was hard enough but he was only with the members a fraction of the time the rest were.

Jaesuk feared the loss of any of his fellow friends whom he cherished so much. It’s ruthless, show business is. No matter how hard you try to make time for everyone, eventually once people have no real reason to see each other every week, they drift apart. Schedules, interviews and events took up most of everyone’s time. Any free time these stars had was spent with their families or to get a good rest. Having to film every week with the same group almost felt like being back at high school where there was one constant, you’re friends.

He walked to the end of the table where Gary and Jong Kook were talking. The looked up as he approached and politely nodded at him.

“Ne hyung, what’s up” Gary said, recognizing the fact that Jaesuk was about to ask them something.

“Gary-ah, what was the before?” Jaesuk asked quizzically.

“What was what hyung?” Gary responded, genuinely confused.

“What you said to Jihyo. I mean, yes we all miss her deeply but we are all also happy for her in our own way aren’t we? We about not coming out anymore but I never expected it to come from you. You also know she is as sensitive about her feelings as she is mong. Were you too direct maybe?” Jaesuk talked quietly to not alert the other members, his concern evident.

“Hyung, it is true we all miss her. But I don’t think Gary was out of line. Hyung, we both know how he feels about her, yet he hasn’t done anything to cross the boundaries. Gary also wishes for her happiness, don’t you Gary.” Jong Kook in.

Gary simply nodded, his face expressionless. He was looking straight out the window, staring at nothing, contemplating the words of his hyungs. “Her happiness.” He thought over it, and resigned that it really was what he wanted after all.

“Eyy, I know that but wasn’t that cutting it very close? You have never openly confessed to her that you have feelings for her. Most people think that you are just playing your role. You wouldn’t want her to take it the wrong way and think you were being sarcastic do you?” Jaesuk responded with a frown.

Jong Kook laughed almost a little too loud. Haha was also one of the few that Gary had opened up to truthfully about his feelings, and although Kwangsoo and Sukjin had their suspicions, Gary never openly admitted it to them. The last thing they wanted was another Q&A session for Gary.

“Hyung! It’s Jihyo we are talking about. She may be very keen and an ace during our games on the show, but lets face it, sometimes shes ‘s so mong about these kind of things that it puts a sloth to shame. If she was clueless about Gary’s true feelings this whole time, do you believe she can think that Gary was being sarcastic.”

The three of them couldn’t help but to chuckle. It was one trait that everyone adored about Jihyo. Not only did her mong look make her look as cute as a button, but it was the innocence and her genuineness that captivated people’s hearts. What you saw was what you got. Very little was fake about her, right down to her makeup, or lack thereof. She was a natural and pure hearted person.

“Haaaaa, I guess you are right. But it doesn’t make her absence here any better. Jihyo-ah, bogosipeo. Eunhye-ah, bogosipeo.” Jaesuk said with a sigh.

“YAH! Enough with that” Jong Kook snapped. Even Gary burst out laughing at this. Jaesuk continued to tease Jong Kook about Eunhye and soon they were laughing hard. Their laughs were interrupted by a familiar annoyed voice.

“YAH, Lee Kwangsoo, how dare you take a sip from that cup without offering some to your noona first.”

Haha, Kwangsoo and Sukjin exclaimed in excitement, welcoming a long lost Jihyo to their get-together. It was Gary, Jaesuk and Jong Kook’s turn to be the mong ones, sitting and staring at the silhouette in front of them slowly forming into their beloved Song Ji Hyo, their mouths agape in shock.

“Wae.. am I now no longer welcome here anymore. You three oppas are just sitting there not saying anything.” Jihyo said as she looked at them with her arms folded.

Almost like if it was synchronized, the three oppas got up and bowed. “Anneyong jihyo-ah” they said in tandem. As they realized they mimicked themselves, they turned and looked at each other sheepishly. Jihyo and the others were almost on the floor laughing from they awkward tandem actions.

“It’s like that English movie, Beetlejuice, if I’m not mistaken. We said her name too many times” Jaesuk whispered.