Jong Kook felt his breath hitch a little when Kwangsoo knocked into him. The man was deceptively strong and, while Jong Kook didn’t have to take a step back, his shoulder ached as it was wrenched back in a slightly awkward position. Jong Kook let a small puff of air escape his lips and he rotated his arm a couple times to loosen up the stressed joint. His cameraman looked at him in concern but said nothing, trained to never speak unless absolutely necessary. Jong Kook just shrugged back, not too worried.

Kwangsoo was only twenty-nine after all and the industry was rather harsh on people. Not that life was forgiving to the rest of the world, but celebrities rarely had the chance to be angry or frustrated. They were expected to put on a goddamn smile and fake it. The Running Man Family had worked together for so long that the cast members were allowed their rare moments of distress without anyone tattling to the media.

Putting it behind him, Jong Kook headed off to the tigers before he too searched for the reindeer exhibit. He himself wasn’t as authoritarian as the show portrayed him but tigers were his spirit animal anyway and he didn’t mind making that joke again. He ran into an incredibly excitable Yunho who had met up with his teammates Gary and Haha to search for the winter animal together. Since Jong Kook was also on their team for the day, he joined them in their hunt and it wasn’t long until they discovered the reindeer and won the first mission, earning them an advantage in the final mission.

“A~sa!” Yunho screamed as he jumped into the air. Haha and Gary laughed at his antics and Jong Kook shook his head fondly. It amazed him that Yunho was older than Kwangsoo. Some people are just perfect, Jong Kook thought, as he followed the cast to the lunch area. There wouldn’t be a game for food today as the crew was well acquainted with Changmin’s love for food.

“Minnie!” Yunho cried as his bandmate came into sight and he ran over to the younger man. Once again, Jong Kook could only shake his head as the pair raced each other to the buffet. He couldn’t remember being that energetic when he was their age. Getting to the huge table last, Jong Kook felt Kwangsoo plop himself down into the spot next to him. The Commander looked over at his younger friend and tried to think of ways that he could cheer Kwangsoo up a little bit. He didn’t want to say anything out loud for fear of embarrassing the actor but something had to be done. Grinning to himself slightly as he thought of a plan, Jong Kook started transferring bits of Kwangoo’s favorite foods from his plate to Kwangsoo’s.

The “Giraffe” looked up in surprise and tried to stop Jong Kook. “Hyung, you don’t have to, it’s okay.”

“No worries, all the sweet bread is already out and I know it’s your favorite. I don’t need the calories anyway.” Jong Kook gave Kwangsoo a significant look, daring the other to defy him. Kwangsoo smiled back a little, a true smile, and began to eat the sweet bread with a little more vigor than Jong Kook had seen from him since the morning. Jong Kook smirked around his mouthful of chicken and turned back to the main conversation, having accomplished his mission.

Authors Note

The show biz is harsh. Any guesses on whose next?