"I hated you so much..." 

There was a dead silence when Gary said that. Ji Hyo look vacantly at Gary with her eyes wide open. 

"I'm...sorry..I-I..didn't knew.." the sudden upsetting sentence shocked her, and now she finally understood why Gary treated her so coldly and differently.

"You must've been really shocked. I kept it really well huh?" he replied her with a laugh, acting like it is just a small matter.

"Speak it out tonight,so that I can understand? Our relationship is getting more and more complicated because of me..and I really don't want it to continue" she sighed, realizing how much pain she brought, and how much Gary seems to hate her.

"Where should I begin with?You should know I wasn't that wild back then, not such a night clubber, not a smoker, not a person that plays around.." he paused, and she nods."..and that was before..before 'that thing' happened. You must've forgotten, but the memory is still clear in my mind, the day that..you tell me we had to stop Monday Couple, and you found your..'true love'...." he sighed, and Ji Hyo's eyes got bigger. "You must be thinking, why do I need to act this way? Aren't you just a working partner of mine, and friend of mine, like a little sister. If you were to think deeper of my every little actions, do you think that is what a friend, brother, and colleague will do? Just at that moment, when you tell me..you love someone else, my heart literally crashes and until now, I couldn't heal the pain.." he continues, and Ji Hyo begin to realize the meaning of his words. "Going to night club, to distract myself from remembering the pain. Drinking alcohol, to make myself forget every single thing, just for a little while. Smoking, because they said, it can 'relax' my heart. Being playful towards every girl I see, to replace whom? You. I was stupid, to have an idea of getting different girls around me, to make you jealous. Ji Hyo, do you know when that happened, I lost myself completely and now I'm like this. Believe it or not, I felt like a useless guy that cries over a girl that will never realize. I cry and let those tears dry by their own because I know that I will still be, alone. I hate you, I really do. I hate you so much, I even hate myself more, for falling in love with you.." he stare at her,  and for the first time, he was brave enough to finally let her know. But his eyes turned watery, remembering how much he suffered. He spoke, releasing every of his pain in the heart, and finally releases the tense that he kept through the years. 

"I-I...Oppa, I...just..." she couldn't digest what Gary just told her.

"I'm not telling you this to make you love me in return. At least after this, we won't have an unknown gap in between of us. Now that I've tell you everything, it feels better. Don't feel bad either, because I know that love isn't a thing that can be forced on. I'm going, so sleep well..." he stood up, and gave her the peaceful smile she haven't seen for years. He really seems like he let go of every little conflicts in him. Gary gulp down the coffee and place it back on the table, preparing to leave while Ji Hyo look at him, very quietly. He walk to the door, turning the lock without the owner of the house sending him.

"Oppa..." all of a sudden, Ji Hyo had an uncontrollable urge to hug him from the back, and she did. Gary stood still, and felt her head lying flatly from the back. He slowly draw his hand away from the door, as he was wanting to leave earlier. "just...thank you, and sorry is the two words that I really need to tell you now.." she finishes her sentence, and hug him even tighter around his waist. Gary did not accept her hug, nor did he reject it. Ji Hyo begin to loosen her hands, and finally let go of him. She slowly turn his body, front facing her. "It's hard for me to accept this right now,but I'm glad that you share it with me. It's my turn to reflect how much pain I caused now...but Oppa, I'm still thankful, always , to have you by my side...and.." guilt fills her, but at least the way Gary look at her is different now, like a knot is untied. She move closer to him, and this time hugging him from the front,wrapping her hands around his neck bone. "You can never know how sorry am I...mianhae,Kang Gary" she continue, speaking softly to his ears. Although she couldn't see, but Gary secretly smiled. This time round, he responded to her hug, too. He wraps his hand around her petite body. 

"My heart is at ease now.." Gary place his hand on his heart, smiling really widely when their hug is broken and he is about to leave. "Back to square one?" Ji Hyo reach out her hands, wanting do to a handshake. "Of course!" Gary reach out his hands too, and they shook their hands, symbolizing that this is a new beginning, for both of them. Both feels like a different person, as the conflict between them somehow ended,in a really good way. Gary went home,leaving Ji Hyo alone to think about what should she act next. Even if they had no conflict now, she still need to reply Gary, and at least let him know what she really feels. "I really didn't expect this...ughhh..." she rolled around her bed and she felt one of her pillow dropped on the floor, immediately she crawl to another corner of her bed to pick it up. She paused, looking at the huge sized bulldog stuffed toy that fell on the floor.

#Flashback#

"Ji Hyo yah, I don't know what you really like, so, this bulldog plushie...for you" Gary handed out the giant plushie, almost as big as Ji Hyo. It was just a month after the new variety show, Running Man begin and the cast decided to celebrate Jae Suk, Haha, and Ji Hyo's birthday as all of them are born in the month of August. Since, they barely knew each other yet, Gary bought what he think girls will like it. "Your taste is special, Oppa. Instead of those pretty teddy bears, you choose this sleepy looking bulldog plushie..but do you know, I LOVE BULLDOGS! Thank you!" she laughed and hug the comfy bulldog in her hands, jumping like a kid. "Make sure when you see this Gae(Dog), you remember Gary.." he joke around with her, trying to match his name with the korean word. "Do I look like a bulldog?" he continue joking around. "Why would you want to look like it so much? Ha!" she laughed out loud, liking how funny is her new working partner's attitude. "Because you love bulldogs!" he replied loudly. "What? You're funny!" taking it as a joke, she laughed, again at him.

#End of flashback#

"Sul-ma(impossible)...He had feelings for me since...that long ago?!" she picked up the bulldog, and stare at it. Now to think about that clearly, Gary is already confessing, since the beginning when they barely know each other well. Ji Hyo started remembering many incidents, when Gary was actually hinting her that he likes her. The more she thinks about it, the more came out. She scratches her head with both of her hands, for being such an idiot for not realizing the obvious. 

#Flashback#

"You have me, isn't that enough?"

"I like blur girls, like Mong Ji.."

" I prefer to be in a relationship with people I work with...like...Mong Ji?"

"If I really like somebody, it would be someone I'm very close with.."

"I only joke about marriage with the person I like.."

#End Of Flashback#

"Oh no! It's really true!" she scream as she remembered more of what Gary hinted her throughout the years they were together. Everything make sense now, and the ideal girl, does seems like her. "But..." she sighed.

Ji Hyo's POV

It is all about my answer now...Does my concern towards him, is just for a friend or is it like what Chang Joo Oppa said? Did I really fell for him, secretly?

**

The following Friday, the Running Man's cast and staffs were asked to gather at their main office for a discussion. They rarely had any discussion unless when their show's rating dropped rapidly, they would gather and planned for a better episode or they will sometimes, get the spy mission normally if the producer call them before the actual day of the filming.They were all getting their jitters, feeling really unsteady in their heart. Kwang Soo on the other hand, was anxious, and hoping that he will become the spy for the following episode. He realize it wasn't about the spy mission when he saw everyone,reaching one after another into the meeting room.On time, they all reached and sat at their respective places around the long meeting table. "Don't worry..this time, it is not a serious brainstorming or bad news.." Jo PD chuckle, upon seeing how sweaty their face is. The sigh in relieved after hearing what he said and gave their attentions back to him. " Firstly, I just wanted to say that Running Man has been a good memory throughout these year, and all of you worked really hard for the show. In return, we want our show to go further, to face better challenges, and to bring joy to another country. Therefore, we will be going to Australia for the coming episodes..ALL OF YOU, are going there!" he end his sentence with loud clap, and everyone paused for a second, look to their left and right. They jump out of their skin in shock about the extremely good news.

" Hyung! Jinjja?!" Kwang Soo shouts, and clapped as loudly as he can. "Did you say Australia?! SAY IT AGAIN!" Haha scream in joy as well. "Yes, we are all going to Australia soon, for a Running Man filming.." Jo PD repeats himself again, and the cheer of all Running Man's cast can be heard. "Finally! After all these years of suffering mission!" Gary raised his hands to the air, like he won a lottery. Meanwhile, Jae Suk teases the staffs, that he is suspicious about why are they being so nice to them. "No! I'm serious..." Jo PD again, repeats himself and they clapped again, like their life completes. "Kun-dae..I will have to go a day after..I got my drama schedule.." Ji Hyo suddenly voice out, and the crowd went silent. ''We'll do what we can. Don't worry about it..We would never like to stress all of you.." Jo PD replied again, especially nice to Ji Hyo probably because he is excited to travel too. The news came out all over the net not long after when one of the staff posted on his twitter. They did not plan to hide it either, since they're going there to film publicly too. "No one is Australia will recognize us!" Suk Jin said in confidence. 

"It's my first time going there!" Kwang Soo kept cheering when the discussion ended. A few of them nod in agreement, saying that they haven't been there before too. "At least now we can love Running Man more.." Jae Suk joked and they all guffaw in unison. "Hope you guys like the plan.." Jo PD passes by the group and patted on Gary's back then walk away. "It will be a really good experience.." Jong Kook mumbled, still in bewilderment. "But you really can't cancel your drama schedule and come on the same day with us?" Suk Jin asked, looking at Ji Hyo's direction. "I can't,Oppa. It will influence the whole team if I cancel it so suddenly.." she gave all of them a guilty smile. "Ah jinjja...then we'll wait for you there." Jae Suk sounded a little disappointed. "Whatever it is, just don't overwork yourself.." Gary told her in concern, worried that she might get too exhausted. "I won't, thank you Oppa.." she smiled, an awkward smile. Gary looks brighter after telling her the whole story behind. He talk and act in a different way, as if he is really back to the old Gary that has no worries. But, Ji Hyo do not want to ignore Gary's feeling anymore like what she did every single time in the past. She is somehow, troubled, by that unknown feeling towards him. Is it friendship, or it is her falling in love with him already?

"Oppa...I really think about it a lot yesterday..and I felt so dumb for not realizing. You've been hinting so many times, too much that I can remember a thousand if I want to.." she sighed as both of them walk to the car-park to pick up their cars. "It's alright Ji Hyo-yah..I'm fine now. At least I don't need to hide my feelings anymore.." he smiled and gave her an encouraging pat on the back. "But..Oppa..honestly, I don't know what is the special feelings I had for you..I had this battle in my mind, if I should...love you, or to try loving you" she pulled his hand to let him know how serious is she. "I understand, you must be really confused now. I don't mind if you don't have any feelings for me but..Song Ji Hyo, should I make you love me from now?" he moved his face extremely close to her, with a kind of creepy but sincere smile.

**