“Oppa! I’ll go to the shoot on my own later. I’m having lunch with Jong Kook Oppa. We’re heading in the same way. See you when shoot is done!”

Jong Kook stirred awake when he heard a voice near him.

“Owh… Jihyo yah….” He said sleepily yet a small smile crawled up his face. “Who was that?”

“Chang Joo oppa. But Oppa…” Jihyo said.

“Orh… what is it?” Jong kook replied, still half asleep and half amazed that Jihyo is beside him.

“I don’t have change of clothes for today. I didn’t plan to sleep at your place so… I need to go back home first.”

Jong kook got out of bed and head to his wardrobe. Jihyo wondered what he could be doing and just then he came back, bringing a box. He pushed it to her. Jihyo just stared at Jong Kook, clearly not expecting any gifts.

“What is this?”

“First, don’t get me wrong. I… I don’t want you to go. It feels as if that if you were to go, I will somehow lose you.” Jihyo made to speak but Jong Kook pushed ahead. “These are the clothes from my ex-girlfriend. I was supposed to return it to her but we ended up not talking instead. I think it’s fine for shoot later until the crew ask us to change. Just don’t go. Stay, please.”

Jong Kook spoke with such sincerity that Jihyo agreed easily but her face fell, and her lips started to pout as she looked down, facing the clothes.

“Owh. Jihyo yah. Please don’t take it the wrong way. If you don’t like it, we’ll get you clothes from your place. Just don’t be upset.”

“Oppa, no… It’s just that…” Jihyo made her disappointed face even clearer. “I’m hungry! When are we going to eat breakfast?”

Jong Kook fell back to his pillow with a thud and laugh. He grabbed Jihyo’s wrist and pulled her along, making her shriek. He placed his hand over and made a shushing gesture. Wrapping his hand around her tightly, he looked at Jihyo straight in the eye. Jihyo started to feel embarrassed and tried to push away from him. She squirmed and pushed and even used her legs to kick herself away from him but he was too strong.

“You know,” Jong Kook got close to her ears and whispered. “You doing that just… owhhhh.” Jong Kook playfully moaned softly in her ears.

Jihyo shut her eyes shut and brought her head down to Jong Kook’s chest, burying it away from his eyes. Slowly, Jong Kook let her go and wrapped both hands around her, this time as if protecting her, holding her close. He her hair slowly, softly; he consoled her.

“Hey, I’ll be the last person to hurt you in any way. I won’t do anything you wouldn’t want till you’re ready.”

Jihyo looked up, seeing Jong Kook’s kind eyes looking directly at her. She pouts and then…

“ARGHHHHHH! YAH! Song Jihyo!”

Jihyo had pinched him just below his armpits. He released her and Jihyo moved to her side of the bed, using the pillow to protect her. “That’s your punishment for scaring me and not getting breakfast. Suffer!”

Jong Kook laughed and then they both laughed together. When they finally settled down Jong Kook faced her. “Go and shower. I’ll go buy breakfast.”

“Okay! Call! Oppa!” Jihyo sat up, alert. “I want… Pancakes! And Bread and coffee…”

“Yah! Yah! Yah! Fatty! Who’s going to pay for all that?”

“What???? What did you call me?” But Jong Kook ran out and left before he could feel Jihyo’s wrath.

Jihyo was fussing around the kitchen cutting fruits for Jong Kook who loves a healthy breakfast. It was at that moment when Gap Jin chooses to enter the kitchen. He looks at Jihyo and they both exchanged greetings. Jihyo who had prepared a pot of coffee offered some to him and he took it, offering his thanks. Never once did he stop looking at Jihyo.

After a while Jihyo felt a bit uncomfortable. They have exchanged greetings and have small talks but something felt amiss. She knew that Gap Jin was holding something back and if she were to ask about it, she would definitely get a mouthful. But what could it be?

The silence grew and little things became obvious. Jihyo had already memorize the things in the kitchen, such as the tissue roll that is placed oddly beside the fruit bowl and the wine bottle that is stashed secretly behind the rice cooker. It was actually a feat for her to memorize everything in her state of blankness and discomfort. Jihyo tried to excuse herself to wait in Jong Kook’s room.

“Song Jihyo shi.” The voice was grave and serious. Jihyo stopped in her tracks and looked up at Gap Jin. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m waiting for Jong Kook Oppa.”

“Exactly… Why? You already have a man by your side and yet you’re choosing another. I wonder how does it feel like to keep throwing your body around? But you might just know from the characters of your movies. I guess the roles you play in your movie do reflect yourself.”

Jihyo was aghast. The character that she played as a queen in The Frozen Flower was the one that struck hard when Gap Jin insulted her. If it was in another circumstance, she would have fought for herself, for her dignity. But today, she just stood there, badly hurt from someone who she was not close to but never expect to hurt her.

“I’m… I’m… I’m not that type of person.” Jihyo managed to stutter out her words.

“Then prove it to me. Either pick Jong Kook Hyung or Chang Joo Shi. You can start now… By leaving.” And Gap Jin left a very shocked Jihyo at the kitchen counter.

I’m a bad person. Gap Jin is right. Either way, I’ll hurt one of the guys. Jihyo was thinking of all the negative thoughts now. But she knew Gap Jin was right. She can’t stay here. Not when seeing Jong Kook means prolonging a relationship that may not work out in the place. Parents, fans, career- there was no way they could be together. And with that, Jihyo packed whatever few things she has and left.

“I don’t want you to go. It feels as if that if you were to go, I will somehow lose you.”

“Oppa. How could you say all the right things? I’m sorry, but I can’t stay.” And Jihyo cried silently at the back of a cab all the way home.

When Jong Kook came back, he noticed that there cut up fruits and drinks prepared at the kitchen. He couldn’t spot Jihyo anywhere so he assumed that she was showering but the shower was empty. The room was empty and he stood in the kitchen wondering, where she could have gone. Gap Jin came out of his room when he heard noises.

“Hey. Did you see Jihyo?”

“Jihyo? No. She’s not in your room?” Gap Jin answered carefully.

Jong Kook shook his head and took out his phone to call her. Gap Jin took another cup of coffee and headed back in to his room.

“Hyung! We need to drop by the studio first before we go to the location for running man. We should leave soon if we don’t want to be late.”

Jong Kook nodded absent mindedly while still holding on to the phone, waiting for it to pick up.

Jihyo did hear the phone call but she couldn’t bring herself to pick up the call. She cried more and more and harder than ever. When it was time for her to leave for shoot, her eyes were swollen, her face was also swollen and she had no energy to move. She didn’t know how to survive the shoot but she got up.

Everyone had arrived at the location for Running man and was waiting for Jihyo. They were shooting with the theme ‘Protect the boss’. When Jihyo reached, everyone started greeting her warmly and Kwang Soo as usual went up to give her a hug. Jong Kook slyly approached her too but Kwang Soo voice stopped him.

“Noona! Is everything all right? Your eyes are swollen and your face is pale.” Everyone started to look at her now. Jae Suk even looked at Jong Kook for answers but all Jong Kook had in reply was a face as shocked as everyone else. The attention wasn’t for long as they now received instructions and had to proceed with the shoot but Jong Kook followed her carefully and when the coast is clear, he took Jihyo by the arm and pulled her aside.

“Hey, are you all right? Where were you? Why did you leave?”

Jihyo smiled. “Oppa. We’ve got work to do. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” She nodded to reassure him and went to Gary who was patiently waiting for her with a smile. There was something amiss. Jong Kook knew but he doesn’t know exactly what.

“Everything all right?” Jae Suk asked him, suddenly appearing from behind.

“I… I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“Find it out later. I’m sure if she can still focus on work, it’s not as bad. Focus on your job today, ok. You’ll work this out soon enough, I know you will.” Jae Suk assured him too and everyone left to shoot for the show.

After the shoot, Jihyo immediately packed up her stuff and walked quickly to Chang Joo’s side, wanting to avoid everyone. She did a good job pretending anyway. Her best acting job, she had to agree. Now, she just need to clear her head and focus on what’s right. Being the woman for Chang Joo so that both him and her parents would not be hurt.

Haha announced out loud that they were all going to eat dinner out. Chang Joo looked at Jihyo, wondering what she wanted to do but Jihyo said no with a smile towards him. She got on the car and sat quietly, locking the doors. Chang Joo relayed the message to the other Running Man members but Jong Kook was not satisfied. Why was she avoiding him?

“Give her time.” Jae Suk advised. “Maybe she needs time to be alone?”

But it wasn’t just that. Days passed and soon it became weeks. The weather was starting to get cooler and summer was slowly starting to disappear. Jihyo still hasn’t talked to him. But the weird thing was there were many pictures of her and Chang Joo circulating online. Them at her parents place, at the café, at a restaurant. Many of her fans are suggesting that they were dating, which infuriates Jong Kook more. So he decided to wait for her outside her house door.

“Owh…” Jihyo was surprised to see Jong Kook there. She had just finished her one of her packed schedule. The past few weeks had been tough on her, with forgetting about Jong Kook, dating Chang Joo and her jam packed drama that she did not want to talk to him. So, she didn’t even have to think. All she did was walk past Jong Kook to her door.

“So you’ve decided to dump me? Break our relationship? Isn’t the decent thing to is to at least tell the person.” Jong Kook started with an angered whisper as Jihyo keyed in her password to her house.

Jihyo remained silent.

“What happened to us staying together? Helping each other, trusting each other?” And when Jihyo made to enter the door and close it, Jong Kook used his strength to hold open the door and he pushed himself in. “I wouldn’t be mad if you have just told me what you felt, that you choose him instead of me. I just wanted to hear you say it. So now, I’m here. Tell me that you want to break up with me. Tell me, Jihyo yah!”

“There wasn’t a relationship to begin with. So technically I’m not ending it.” Jong Kook looked at Jihyo as if begging her to rethink her words. “I have a schedule tomorrow. Please leave. I need to rest.”

Jihyo’s words were leveled and cold. Jong Kook couldn’t believe what he heard. He refused to budge. Instead, he took a step closer to her. “Why don’t I believe you?”

Jihyo avoided his eyes and opened the door wide for him. But Jong Kook kept watching her, his forehead wrinkling. Her breathing was deep and it looked as if she was having hard time breathing. He grabbed her arm.

“Ok. I’ll leave. Not because I’ve got what I want. I’m leaving because you’re tired and you need to rest. Please eat and have enough sleep. Don’t overwork please.” Jihyo’s eyes widened, touched by the fact that Jong Kook still noticed all the small details. But as he left, Jihyo began to sob uncontrollably and since she was already tired, she fell asleep while crying.

“Jihyo shi. Let’s do the take one more time. This time round, more charisma for your shot. Come on now everyone! Last shot and we’re done for the day.” Jihyo answered with a satisfying yes.

She took a deep breath and acted and the directed ended the shoot. But as soon as everyone began to move, Jihyo began to feel weird. Spots of lights started to appear in her vision. Nothing was straight anymore. She clutched her heart for it began to hurt.

Hold her! She’s swaying! Jihyo could hear someone scream.

Everything is getting brighter.

She took a step and the world spins.

Jihyo! Are you all right? That voice reminds her to Jong Kook but who was she kidding. It was Chang Joo. He’s right in front of her now. But someone else is calling for her now. It’s telling her to go into the light. It looks so bright, so peaceful.

She fell in his arms. Bright light.

Peace. 

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A/N: So I'm hoping there are still people reading this and enjoying it at the same time. :D 

Thank you for the comments. I will respond to them asap!!! To all spartace fans~ Thank you! Thank You! Thank You! 
and I'm still getting new subscribers. WOW! 

I wanted to do a double post but I guess I couldn't. sorry for that. Thank you for the comments again! And do comment for anything yea! LOVE