[1:00pm Jyoti Restaurant Nogosan-dong]

JongKook

JongKook drummed his fingertips on the table as he waited for JiHyo. He let her know earlier that he wanted to check out this new Indian restaurant that just opened up here in the Nogosan-dong district. He was really excited about it because it had a lot of vegetarian options and he recently had been restricting meat in his diet. She texted him about ten minutes ago that she was around the corner, which probably meant she was about fifteen min away. JongKook laughed to himself at the excuse she gave for them to have lunch together; she wanted to change her eating habits. JiHyo acted as if her Oppas didn’t know her well after three years of working together. If there was someone in Running Man with the worst diet, it would be Song JiHyo.  He did wonder what she wanted though. In the past whenever she made time to seek out her Oppa, she would always be after something; information, alliance, advice…but this time he wasn’t sure what it was but he had the feeling it was something big. He could feel something in the air; the dynamic of Running Man was changing again. He could see it in the way that JiHyo was behaving with her Running Man family; lately she was joining them for food and drink again after work, coming to get togethers in their homes; it felt like the old dynamic they had before she started officially dating Baek Chang Ju Hyung. It felt good, for those earlier months it didn’t feel like a family unit like it once did, they felt they were being kept at a little distance; he couldn’t blame her, it was a new relationship so they were bound to be in the couple bubble for a little while but it felt good to have JiHyo back. Even more extraordinary was how Gary and JiHyo’s relationship was blossoming again, JongKook thought that that old relationship had withered and died but it seems the bud was just hidden and after a long winter was beginning to blossom again.

JongKook happened to look up and see JiHyo near the front entrance looking for him. He stood up and waived to her, calling her name loud enough for her to hear but not interrupt other people in the restaurant.

“JiHyo. JiHyo, over here”

“Oh okay” said JiHyo once she spotted him after hearing her name.

She rushed over and gave him a quick hug before, putting her purse down and having a seat. “Oppa, you haven’t been waiting too long, right?”

 “No it hasn’t been too long. Traffic was bad?”

“You know it, Oppa. I think there was a small accident because the highway was backed up a bit more than usual. Oh! Oppa did you order drinks already?” She asked while browsing the menu.

“Yeah, just some hot tea. Why? You want soju?” He asked with a laugh.

“Ayy Oppa I’m not that bad anymore” JiHyo laughed.

“I’m just making sure. You know I’ve heard stories.”

“Don’t remind me Oppa. Some are true and most aren’t.”

“Ok, JiHyo you can be open with Oppa. I know you and when we get together like this it means you want information or advice. Which is it today?”

“Oppa, I wouldn’t use you like that” answered JiHyo in her sweetest voice possible.

“Yea right. This is me, JiHyo. Don’t think I don’t enjoy us spending some time together, but I have come to know and love you for exactly who you are. And you are not the kind of person to discuss better eating habits with me.”

“Maybe I’m changing for the better Oppa? Have you thought of that?”

Kim Jongkook narrowed his already small eyes. “Please JiHyo. I already know what you’re about to order off the menu: the lamb curry, with jasmine rice and a side of spinach paneer and naan. Am I right?”

JiHyo took in a surprised breath “Woah Daebak Oppa!! Can you read my mind or something?”

“No, I can’t, but I did read your lips as you sounded out the words when you were reading the menu” laughed Jongkook.

“Yah Oppa.”

Jongkook ducked as JiHyo threw a packet of sugar at him. These were the times he enjoyed hanging with his female dongsaeng the most. On the show he appeared so shy around women but it wasn’t that he was shy; it was more like he didn’t know how to act around them. He was an intense guy by nature both physically and mentally and didn’t know how to act naturally around most of the dainty and timid female guests on the show, without coming off a bit overbearing. That’s probably why he felt so comfortable around Song JiHyo; she wasn’t dainty or timid but very strong, almost the female version of him. They got along well together, which is why he didn’t show her mercy on the show either; it was a way to keep her strong.

After they placed their order, she turned at stared hard at him for a second.

“Jongkook Oppa, I can trust you right? I know you can keep a secret better than Jaesuk Oppa and you won’t gossip like Ha DongHoon.”

“Of course. Tell me, what is it?”

“It’s about Gary Oppa…” JiHyo said. Jongkook could tell she was still a little hesitant about asking exactly what was on her mind. “Well, uhm, Gary mentioned this woman from his past. He won’t say much about her but I can tell he cares deeply for her, maybe even loves her. Just in the couple words he has said in passing you can see how much she meant to him.”

Jongkook nodded his head as he listened to her. “So you would like to know who she is, JiHyo?”

“Oppa I can’t lie and say that I’m not curious. I felt that he and I were so close in the past and the fact that I don’t know she is or have ever heard him speak about her bothers me a tiny bit. Do you think I’m being selfish? I kept my relationship with Chang Ju a secret for a while, but I can’t help the way I feel about wanting to know about Gary.”

Jongkook had a good idea who this special woman was in Gary’s life. You couldn’t expect Mong Ji to recognize it. These two really were a match made in heaven; one can’t hide the obvious and the other can’t recognize it. He couldn’t blame Gary; he wasn’t the only one to notice Song JiHyo when she joined the cast. He noticed her unconventional beauty early as well when she started to become more comfortable with the cast. She would laugh without shyness, curse like a sailor at times, eat without holding back and play every game to her best ability. If at first you noticed her beauty, the thing that won you over was her passion for the game. In your face competitiveness and passion; you couldn’t help but try to match her level; it pulled you in. That’s why when they were on teams, he felt his level of play increase twicefold; it’s why he tried not to team up with her too often, wouldn’t be fair for other players.

Jongkook can’t say in another life if he might not have approached her. He had been a bachelor for a number of years now but his heart and mind were still wrapped up in another woman; though Song JiHyo did make him notice her. Even now he still wasn’t sure what he was going to do about Yoon Eun Hye. He couldn’t go on like this; he was going to have to make a move or let it go. He couldn’t keep acting like this was some kind of school boy crush. Neither could he believe how similar she and JiHyo were in their core charecteristics; beautiful, skilled and strong willed. They just differed in their approach. If he had to describe how Eun Hye affected him, it would be like a constant wind at his back; strong enough to make sure he didn’t forget its presence. Song JiHyo was like a fire; in your face, headstrong and noticeable. Truthfully speaking it could only take a woman like that to make him forget Eun Hye but he was too far gone at this point. That wind had been at his back for the last seven years, it felt like a part of him now. Though it still didn’t stop him from thinking about how things could be with Song Ji Hyo.

As for now, well he knew Gary was still head over heels for this woman right now and the fact that she was bothered about Gary’s so called “mystery woman” meant that Song JiHyo didn’t have a strictly platonic view of Gary either. Jongkook wasn’t sure exactly how she felt, which means he couldn’t be too honest or blunt with her. He would just sit and watch this unfold slowly.

The waitress arrived with their food and they began to eat. After a few bites JiHyo mentioned that Jongkook hadn’t answered her question yet, about if she was being selfish or not.

“Well it is a little bit selfish but this is a natural feeling, not to be faulted. It seems you and Gary have struck up your friendship again now that you and Chang Ju are in a public and committed relationship. It’s a little bit like having your cake and eating it to.”

“That might be true in some aspects Oppa, we really did start to become great friends again but I wonder if Gary will be happier if he gets another chance to meet her. You can tell there is some deep hurt and longing there, even if he just waves it off as the past.

“JiHyo, let me ask you a question. If you finally find out who this woman is and Gary meets her again in the future. It could mean a major change in the dynamic of you guys friendship. Look at Byul and HaHa or even at Chang Ju and yourself. Are you ready for that?”

Jongkook watched as JiHyo contemplated the question. He could see her eyebrows tightening and she was pouting a bit, which meant she was thinking hard. Just as JiHyo was about to speak, his phone rang. He could see it was his manager. “JiHyo can you wait for just a second while I take this call”

“Sure. No problem Oppa.” Jongkook stepped outside to take his phone call and left her to eat.

Jongkook: “Ye Hyung”

Manager Go: “Jongkook, that producer we were meeting with today has to move the schedule up. Something came up and he would like to meet in the next 40 min. I need you to come now.”

Jongkook: “Hyung, I’m at lunch right now. How can he do things so last minute.”

Manager Go: “It seems he forgot about an interview scheduled previously. He’s sorry for inconveniencing you but could you forgive it this time. We’ve been trying to work with him for a while now and he has some great ideas for that new song.”

Jongkook: “Ye Hyung. I’ll be there in a minute, but I don’t want this to happen again. Ariso?”

Manager Go: “Of course. See you in a bit.”

Jongkook hung up the phone and sighed. He and Song JiHyo hadn’t hung out for a long time; he felt bad having to cut their lunch short. He would make it up to her later. When he got back to the table, he let her know that he had to cut their lunch short.

“Wae Oppa?” she asked.

“Just a last minute change in meeting time at the studio. But we will do this again real soon and finish our talk then. I gotta leave now though.”

JiHyo nodded her head in agreement and wished him good luck in the studio. Jongkook payed the bill for both of them and headed out to his car.

JiHyo

JiHyo finished off the last of her curry. Trying her hardest to get the last bit left on the plate, for some reason it was always the tastiest. Thinking back she was kind of saved by the bell when that phone call came in for Jongkook. Sharp as ever that question he asked her about if she was ready for Gary to meet that woman again kind of shook her. She hadn’t really thought about it from that point of view. With the thought of Gary meeting this woman again sounding more and more like a possible reality; thoughts of what occurred at the wedding reception were fading from memory. If those two met again and something happened things would definitely change and they’d just now gotten back to how they used to be. She was feeling a bit possessive at him. But she couldn’t be selfish about this; everyone deserved happiness, it wouldn’t be Monday Couple forever. On the bright side talking with Jongkook Oppa made her miss her “Gaelly”; they hadn’t hung out for a couple weeks. She took out her phone and texted him.

2:05pm JiHyo: Gaelly Gaelly

2:08 Gary: Mong Ji Mong Ji. HaHa. What’s up?

2:10 JiHyo: Oppa, are you free later? Let’s have drinks and tteokbokki tonight at that food stall by your studio. Do you remember which one?

2:14 Gary: Yea, I do. I might finish kind of late tonight. Is 10:30 ok?

2:17 JiHyo: Works for me. I’ve got a photo shoot in a couple hours on that side of town. So 10:30 is perfect. See you.

2:18 Gary: Later.

JiHyo couldn’t help but smile to herself. She couldn’t remember the last time they had late night tteokbokki and soju at that food stall. After this photo shoot, she would definitely be in the mood to drink a little and Gary was her favorite drinking partner; they both had a high tolerance.

JiHyo thanked the waitress and headed home to catch a nap before the photo shoot; tonight would be a long night.