Lights flashed everywhere making Jong Kook unable to see properly. He covered his eyes with his left hand while the guards block the paparazzi.

"Kim Jong Kook-ssi is it true that you went to see her?"

"Why did you go there?"

"Are you guys dating?"

Questions came one after another and cameras took photos of him until he finally got in his car. Gap Jin drove the car and they both remained silent. Jong kook knows that his manager is really pissed right now that's why he didn't dare talk to him. He's not in the mood to talk either.

After a while of eerie silence, Gap Jin finally broke the ice.

"Hyung, did you go there?"

Jong kook just smirked, he's frustrated.

"Hyung, I'm asking you." Gap Jin's voice was serious.

"Yes."

"What? You went to see her?"

"Of course not. You know I wouldn't do that."

"Then why did you go there, hyung? Of all places, why there? You know that everyone thinks you're dating."

"I went to see my friend Gap Jin-ah. That's it. Can't I do that? I know I shouldn't have went there but-" His voice was rising and realized that his manager doesn't care about his explanation. Gap Jin doesn't need it. If it's just him he'll understand. He calmed himself down. "I was really careful and what's the big deal? Those people don't have lives, I'm telling you."

Gap Jin wanted to say something but he didn't bother. He's exhausted. He knows Jong Kook wouldn't listen anyway.

"Where are we going?" Jong Kook asked when the road they're taking isn't leading to his home.

"You have a new job."

"What job?"

"A show. A variety show."

Jin Hyuk's face couldn't hide the happiness he's feeling after seeing the woman whom he missed for a long time. He adjusted his bike and smiles.

"How have you been?"

"Fine, oppa. Missed me?"

Jin Hyuk just laughed. The trees of London swayed with the cheerful melody the two are creating.

"You must be tired. Want to go home?"

"Hmm, no. I'll love to see the city again. Mind to come with me?"

"Nope. It's my pleasure."

They walked side by side and breathed the relaxing air of the city.

"So how's New York City?"

"It's nice. The photo shoots exhausted me but I'm still alive."

"You didn't get to go sightseeing?"

"I'm too busy for that."

Jin Hyuk stopped walking so Ji hyo copied him.

"I told you, you should've let me come with you."

"You know I don't like that."

"Why?"

Ji hyo sighed. She knows where the conversation is heading to. "I'm tired, let's just go home." Ji hyo was about to walk away when Jin Hyuk held her wrist.

"W-what happened this time?"

"I'm tired." Ji hyo said coldly and shook off Jin Hyuk's hand away.

"Wait." He shook his head and sighed.  "I'm sorry okay? Want some ice cream?" 

Ji Hyo hesitated but her face brightened. She looked up to Jin Hyuk and nodded. Jin Hyuk grinned.

"Oppa, those ducks they've multiplied."

"Multiplied? Really Ji hyo?"

"Well it's true. They were just 3 before I left now they're five." She defended while eating her ice cream.

"Is that how multiplication works?" Jin Hyuk asked her mockingly.

"Ya! I know how to multiply. I'm not stupid." She pushed him slightly and hit his arm.

Jin Hyuk winced but he smiled. He wanted to see the normal her. The side of her who always laugh but gets pissed off easily. Her without the pain.

"Hmm by the way did my manager tell you?" Ji hyo said while biting the last part of the cone.

"Tell me what?"

"I'll be going to Korea for a variety show. They invited me."

"You accepted?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

"N-Nothing. But variety shows last for years. You're moving?"

"I'll act as a guest but the PDs are requesting if I could be a permanent cast, I said I'll think about it."

"And?"

"I'm considering it. You know I've been away from Korea for a really long time. I asked Mrs. Choi already if I can go back, she said yes. Lizzy's there already and she's younger, I know I can handle myself."

Jin Hyuk felt nervous. The last time she went to Korea and the first time she became Song Ji Hyo is something Jin Hyuk wished to never happen again. He just can't see her hurting anymore. Besides, when she came back, she changed.

"A-are you sure Ji hyo?"

"Oppa."

"Will you promise me one thing?"

Ji hyo just looked at him. She knows very well why he's acting that way. She's sorry, really sorry. She can feel the pain from his words making her feel worse.

"Will you promise me, t-that you'll take care of yourself?"

Ji hyo smiled. He had always looked after her when her world felt like collapsing. She's so happy that he's there for her. She didn't want him to hurt but she knows that she's the one who causes his pain. That's why she didn't want him to come with her anymore, she didn't want to disappoint him.

"Ji hyo I talked to the stylist the company recommended she didn't sign the contract yet so here's the person who'll-"

"They hate me." Ji hyo looked away her face didn't show emotions.

"What? Of course not."

"They do oppa. I know they do. They talk behind my back, they mock me. I know everything." Ji hyo's voice stayed the same. As if what she's saying is a normal thing.

When Jin Hyuk didn't reply, Ji hyo looked at him. He was just staring at her but she knows what he's thinking.

"Oppa! What? Do you think I care? It doesn't matter. A lot of other people deserves to work with me. I don't have to force anyone to like me." She answered while trying her best to sound normal.

Ji hyo went to her room. She knows how everyone treat her differently. She's popular that's why they work for her but she's aware of them saying bad things about her. She can't blame them for somehow they're right.

Jin Hyuk watched Ji hyo's back as she climbed the stairs. He sat on the sofa and rested his head. He doesn't know what to do.

Ji hyo studied in London. She pursued her dream to become an actress by attending theatre classes and training in London's acting school. When she graduated, a lot of modeling companies, mostly small but emerging enterprises, hired her as their model. After a year of debuting in London, different agencies from different countries hired her one after another. She enjoyed doing her job and Jin Hyuk supported him. He is a COO of a company in London but he would always check on Ji hyo's work. He was shocked to receive an offer from Korea asking Ji hyo to act in a drama entitled 'Goong'. He didn't want her to go. When they left Korea, she looked after him, but he knows her heart is somewhere else. He could sense her feeling miserable.

 ♦ ♦ ♦

It has been 2 years. He doesn't know if she's forgotten already but he didn't want to take any chances to see her get hurt again. On the other hand, he also knows how she loves to act. She'll be happy to hear the news so even though he hesitated, he let her go.

It was the biggest mistake he had done. She came back to him even more broken than before. He felt like dying seeing her cry herself to sleep. He didn't know what to do.

"It hurts oppa. It hurts so much."

When he heard her say those words, he felt his world falling apart.

The next week after, she suddenly woke up earlier than usual and cooked breakfast.

"Oh oppa good morning!"

He was shocked but he didn't ask her anything. He's happy that she's smiling and she looks fine.

"I missed cooking. Mr. and Mrs. Choi loved my food you know? I miss them so much. Why did they have to go to Japan anyway and leave us here?"

"Well the company's emerging and we have our jobs here. Let's just be happy for them." Jin Hyuk tried to go along with her mood.

"Of course I'm happy for them. Let's eat." She arranged the table and sat in front of him. "Ohh by the way, I'll be going to California." She said before eating a spoonful of omelette.

"What? When?" Jin Hyuk almost spit out the water from his mouth.

"A photo shoot is going to be held there."

"Why do I not know this?"

"I just received the message this morning. It's fine oppa, I already said yes."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Why is there a problem?"

"N-no it's fine. It's okay. I-I'll go with you."

"What? Why? You have work here. You shouldn't bother."

"I'll go."

"Hmm." Ji hyo looked down for a moment and then she looked at him, her eyes cheerful like normal. "Okay." Ji hyo ate her meal happily while Jin Hyuk just stared at her.

Everyone in the set was busy after the long day. Ji hyo's photo shoot in California just ended and the staff is packing up. She changed her clothes inside the dressing room while Jin Hyuk wait for her by the door. Suddenly, his phone buzzed and he went to a wider space to answer the call.

"Sir. Oh-sorry."

"Just a moment." Jin Hyuk mouthed to Ji hyo's manager. "Yes...yes. Okay I'll get to that as soon as I arrive in London...Mm...Yeah...Okay." He put his phone back in his pocket and faced the woman in front of him. "Why, what's the problem?"

"Do you know where Ji Hyo is?"

"Ji Hyo? Isn't she inside the dressing room?"

"She was. I knocked a while ago, the door was open. When I looked inside, she isn't there."

"What? Did you ask the staff here?" Jin Hyuk's voice raised. It's so impossible for a woman, who's the star for today's pictorial, to walk the area unnoticed.

"Yeah. They haven't seen her."

"Have you tried calling her? She can't go alone this city, she isn't familiar with this place." What the hell? If she gets lost-damn it. Where are you Ji hyo?

The manager alerted every crew that passed by her and after a few minutes, everyone started looking for her. They all stopped when a guard reported to them.

"We saw her leave the building 15 minutes ago."

"What?" Jin Hyuk exclaimed. How could she slip my eyes? He calmed down and instructed everyone. "Sorry for the trouble but let us handle this ourselves. Thank you all for your great work." He looked at his crew and nodded to them. "She couldn't have gone too far. Don't ask the citizens around if they saw her. We wouldn't want this to reach the media. Just ask shop owners or the police. Call me immediately if you find her."

He asked for the help of the guard who saw her to guide him with the area. They searched for all the possible places she might go to. His heart beated really fast. He was scared. He knows that she isn't okay. She might have acted fine but he knows her better than that. The thought sent shivers down his spine. He hoped that no one took advantage of her wandering around with a broken heart. Ji hyo, what are you doing?

Ji hyo took another shot of martini. She snook out of her manager and Jin Hyuk's sights to go to California's busy streets and entered a bar.

Loud music filled the place. Cigarette smoke mixed with the bar's limited air. The lights were flashing colors that makes people dizzy and unrecognizable. People danced unconsciously after indulging themselves in the bar's bestseller alcohols. The place heated up for Ji hyo after drinking another glass. Her vision blurred. She lost control of herself which was ideal for her. At least she would forget how to feel. It was perfect. She isn't feeling anything, including the pain her heart is carrying. She loved that moment of forgetting everything.

She was drunk, really drunk. She was too dizzy that her arm that was supporting her chin fell on the table and her head went down along with it. Suddenly, she felt a tickling air beside her ears and warm hands wrapping around her stomach.

"Let's dance sweetheart." A Californian accent whispered in her ears.

The alcohol took over her thoughts. Despite her body feeling heavy, she twirled her seat to face the man. She wrapped her arms around the man's neck and went down her seat removing the gap between them. A handsome face grinned from her actions. He slowly moved his body away from her by sliding his hands through her arms then he took her hand and brought her to the dance floor. But even before they reach the stage, another hand took her wrist and pulled her away. The Californian guy was about to punch the man who took her away but two men, who wore black suit as uniforms, stopped him making him back off.

Ji hyo who was in a daze got ahold of what's happening when they walked out of the door. She freed herself from the man's grip.

"What's your problem?" she pointed at him, still tipsy and dizzy.

"Let's go back Ji hyo."

"No! I won't go back. I can't go back there. Not anymore. C-Can't you just let me enjoy myself? Even once? I'm tired, tired of crying every night, tired of struggling to live when I feel so lifeless, I'm tired of pretending to be okay when I'm not. Because I'm not okay, I'm not. I just, I just want this pain to stop. I want to forget b-but I can't. I want to, but I can't. Do you know what I felt in there? Nothing! I felt nothing. And I'm glad, I'm so glad to feel nothing."

Pain could be felt through her words. Jin Hyuk doesn't like her to be hurt anymore. He just wished that he could take away all the pain and protect her from ever feeling them again, but she won't let him.

"This, this isn't enjoying Ji hyo-ya. But Ji hyo, you, you don't have to pretend. Please, stop pretending. You can stop pretending in front of me." Ji hyo just cried. Jin Hyuk took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. He hugged her, her face against his chest. Her sobs hurt him but he stayed strong. He has to, for her.

♦ ♦ ♦

Jin Hyuk shifted from his seat. He knows what she did when she went away for her work. She begged him to stop going with him when she leaves. Her manager can't stop her. She always finds a way to escape. They'll find her in bars drunk and wasted, sometimes with guys around. She became like that for years. Jin Hyuk wanted to stop her but she isn't for him to control. He would do everything to protect her but she would always refuse, she'll reason out that she's not his responsibility. He had no choice, he wanted her safe but he also wants her to be happy. Please oppa, this makes me happy. Her voice echoed in his head.

He shook his thoughts away. She stopped. She's better now. It has been years, calm down. He tried to calm himself, it was difficult though.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Oppa, stop treating me like a kid."

"I'm just worried."

"I'll be okay. I promised right? Less alcohol." She giggled.

"What? I said no alcohol, not less. I-It's been years, please don't let it-" 

Ji hyo pinched his hand. "Ya! It's okay."

"I trust you. Say hi to Lizzy for me."

"Okay." She smiled. "But...but don't trust me." Jin hyuk looked at him. "Just kidding." She looked down, then back up. She smiled again and then started walking. She didn't look back. I'm sorry for not being okay.

The phone rang. For the fourth time today, Jong kook tried to call her. He's just worried. Maybe the media is bugging her too because of him. Though he can't remember the last time they talked, he's hoping that she'll answer. He held the phone tighter. Few more rings, someone finally picked up.

"Hey." There's no voice coming from the other line. He waited for a while, until she finally talked.

"Hey."

"How are you?"

"I-I'm fine oppa."

"Sorry for calling you, I was just worried with all the press and-...it's my fault."

"It's okay oppa. I can handle them. It's not the first time."

"But...it's just that-"

"Oppa, I'm fine." She sounded nervous.

"Eun hye-ssi."

Her shooting for the CF ended and she's finally home. People had been asking her about her and Jong Kook, she just smiled. She missed him. She checked her phone and was shocked to see missed calls from Jong Kook. She was going to call him but the phone rang once again.

"Eun hye-ssi." Her thoughts stopped. She was shocked. Why, why is he calling me-? She gathered herself together and acted unaffected.

"Ne."

"Please don't let them bother you. I didn't mean to disturb you. Take care." The phone call ended.

Eun hye threw her phone on the sofa. She massaged her temple and tried to breathe calmly. She then pinched the tip of her nose. How could he do that? As if I don't mean a thing. He's the one who called after all.

Jong Kook jogged. He did that every morning in Seoul Forest's park since few people pass by there during that time. He passed by the coffee shop and suddenly stopped. He tried to look more closely. His heart beated fast. S-seong Im? He was going to walk to the store but fans noticed him and took photos with him. When he finally arrived inside the coffee shop, everyone inside looked at him and he just bowed and greeted them. She isn't inside. Was she there? Impossible. You must be crazy Jong Kook. Maybe I need an eye check.

Jong Kook arrived at the meeting place for the 2nd day of running man. He had fun last week and never thought variety shows could be that exciting. He was surprised to see his old friends since they weren't informed about the casting. They were asked to find their way to the mission location, which was Yeonmudae, but they didn't know since the word is written in Hanja. Even so, he excitedly walked while talking nonstop. No one knew that he is a chatterbox, not even himself.

They all arrived at the location and Lee Chun Hee arrived making them fuss. He talked to Haha and Chun Hee and wasn't paying attention to Jae Suk who was talking.

"Oh!" Jae suk suddenly exclaimed. "Ji hyo-da, Ji hyo."

"Annyeonghaseyo." a sweet woman's voiced said in the background.

"Me and Ji hyo are close." Jae suk approached the woman and guided her to everyone.

Hearing that someone's coming, he stopped and looked at the direction of the stairs. From his view, he can't really see the person,since Jae suk is blocking her and kept on boasting that he knows her well. Slowly the face of the guest could be seen. He didn't know why he felt his heart beat faster. Might be the walking a while ago. Finally, the woman's face could be seen. A face that he was very surprised to see. Her face, still as angelic as he first saw her. Her hairstyle changed and her outfit too but for him, she didn't look any different. No, she is different. What's, what's with her smile? And Song Ji Hyo?

Ji Hyo cursed. She's wearing her black high heels that she bought from London. This is designer's shoes and I'm walking it on muddy paths. Aish. Deep inside, she chanted every curse word she know. On the other hand, she smiled at the camera and walked like she loves what she's doing. I can't believe I agreed to this. Finally, she can see the cameras filming inside the temple. She smiled and cheered but it faded when she realized, stairs.

She smiled at everyone and greeted them. Jae Suk, whom she knew because of Lizzy greeted her warmly and she was glad. At least I won't get left out. I don't know these people. She stopped. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. She spoke to soon. She knew one of them. Their eyes met. Her heart beated fast then it became heavy. She shook her head and looked at a different direction. She then faced the camera and smiled.

Ji hyo shrugged inside the car. She's glad that they're not from the same team but it doesn't make her feel any better. Why is he here? I'm not yet ready. She tried to clear her thoughts. You're an actress Ji hyo. Focus.

While the cameras were away, Jong Kook looked at the mirror inside the bathroom. He was caught off guard. A while ago, he couldn't help himself to get close to her. During the camera mission, where they have to block each other's faces and compress to fit inside the camera, he can't remove his gaze from her and he didn't play the game well. She's the only one he blocks and holds but of course he pushes others too but just to get closer to her. He didn't know why but he was too surprised, that he wasn't able to think.

"Jong Kook-ah are you okay?" Ji Suk Jin suddenly appears waking him up from his thoughts.

"Y-yeah." he answered half-heartedly.

"Well we're filming in a while, you should go back."

He nodded. "I'll be right there."

Suk Jin left. He washed his face and shook his head. You're working Jong Kook. Focus.

He then walked out of the men's bathroom, which was directly in front of the women's, and when he looked up, a woman with long hair and bright face came out of the restroom and her eyes met his. He stopped, so did she. They were frozen until he finally talked.

"S-Seong Im-ah."

A/N: Update! Yeah! I hope you weren't confused. Blue font color stands for flashback (from now on, or not! ^^) and also the diamonds.
P.S. Some parts at the end came from Episode 2 of Running Man
That's all! Thanks for reading! Fighting!