Jihyo was discharged from the hospital after being hospitalised for two days. Her temperature had returned to normal. The only problem that remained was her sprained ankle. It wasn’t a severe sprain, but she won’t be able to walk normally for about a week.

Chang Joo got her a wheelchair, which she refused to use it. In the end, they settled for a pair of crutches, with Chang Joo insisting that she shouldn’t leave her house until she can walk normally.

Reluctantly, Jihyo agreed…

The news of Jihyo’s hospitalisation was kept a secret. She didn’t like people probing into her private life. She also didn’t let her parents know about it because she didn’t want them to worry. Hence only the running man members and PDs knew about it. They even rescheduled the next two filming sessions for her.

For a week, Chang Joo visited her every morning before he went to work, bringing her food and daily necessities. Unbeknownst to him, Gary also visited Jihyo almost every day, bringing her snacks and once, her favourite soju. Most of the times, Gary would just drop up and check that she was okay, talk for a while and leave. Except the time he brought the soju. That time, he stayed and drank with her until wee hours. They talked about everything under the sun but somehow they managed to link every topic they talked about back to running man.

He had contemplated about visiting her. Not that he didn’t want to visit her, but he was afraid that she, or her boyfriend got the wrong idea. But at last, he let his heart take control and he found himself at her doorstep every night. It wasn’t his idea to avoid Chang Joo though; it just so happens that they visited her at different times of the day. Neither did Jihyo intended to keep it a secret from her boyfriend; she just didn’t felt that it was necessary.

Subconsciously, she found herself looking forward to Gary’s visits more than her boyfriend’s. Even though Gary’s visits were short, she didn’t know why she just enjoyed it. Maybe she just liked his presence...

***

About a week has passed, and Jihyo’s ankle had fully recovered.

Chang Joo was at Jihyo’s house for dinner. As Jihyo called it, it was a ‘celebratory dinner’ to commemorate the recovery of her ankle.

“I’ve been cooking my meals by myself for the past week, and I’m proud to announce that my cooking skills have improved,” she declared cheekily. “So, I’ll be cooking dinner today. Please, sit back, relax and wait patiently for your meal.”

“If I’m not wrong, your daily meals were just instant noodles?” Chang Joo asked sarcastically. “Just don’t burn down your house,” he chuckled.

And so, he left Jihyo to cook on her own as he wandered around her house. He looked at her photos she pasted on her walls. It was mostly photographs of nature and places she wanted to visit.

He stumbled upon a soju bottle cap in the living room. It was lying near the television set. It probably rolled over there during drinking sessions with Gary. And it wasn’t unlike Jihyo to only clean her house once…… a month, so it was left unnoticed.

Chang Joo frowned. I didn’t get any soju for her, and I’m quite sure she didn’t have any left at home, he thought.

The first person that came to his mind was Gary. It had already surprised him when Gary risked his life to search for her in the dark and rain. It had even surprised him more when Gary managed to find her without knowing exactly which mountain she was at. He was never pleased with them being an onscreen couple, and he always felt that the feelings weren’t all fake. But he knew it was best not to interfere with the filming of running man, and he didn’t want to openly declare their relationship because he once told Jihyo not to. Hence, he purposely arranged reporters to capture him sending Jihyo home, so that Monday couple would stop.

Despicable, but it worked.

And now, Gary was back again, trying to steal his woman. He could feel his anger rising, but he suppressed it.

“Oppa, dinner’s ready,” Jihyo called out.

He turned to look at Jihyo. Despite her hair being in a mess, despite not wearing any make up, despite being sweaty after all the cooking, she was beautiful.

She was his. He wanted her. Nobody could take her away from him.

Smirking, he walked up to her and pinned her against the wall, kissing her lips aggressively.

Jihyo pulled back in shock. They have been dating for about five months now, but usually he only gave her a light peck on the lips because he knew she was uncomfortable with passionate making out sessions. But now, he was so aggressive, so forceful, and it didn’t feel right.

He pulled her back, with one hand around her neck and the other around her waist. “You are mine,” he whispered into her ears. He kissed her along her cheeks, to her chin and finally her neck. With one hand still around her waist, he used his other hand to take of his shirt, revealing a black tattoo on his collar bone, making him look even scarier.

“Oppa hajima!” Jihyo tried to push him away. But he was strong. Left with no choice, Jihyo pulled his hair, forcing him to stop for a moment. Enraged and undeterred, he pinned her arms against the wall with his left arm and tried to remove her clothes with his right hand….

***

Meanwhile, Gary found himself along the road to Jihyo’s house. He was supposed to buy dinner but he somehow took the wrong turn and ending up driving towards Jihyo house; maybe it had become a habit, or maybe he just wanted to see her. He knew he shouldn’t do so and was about to make a U-turn, but sensed that she was in distress. Her energy was in a mess, overwhelmed with anger and fear. He didn’t know if he had interpreted it correctly, because she was still out of his usual range, and the lines was still weak. But ever since the trekking incident, he realised that his powers had strengthened, and he was especially sensitive towards her.

He wondered if it was because of her ankle. Despite knowing that she had already recovered, he still found himself wanting to go. I will just make sure she is really alright, this will be the last time I’m doing this, he tried to convince himself.

***

Jihyo was still struggling to fight off Chang Joo. While he was strong, she wasn’t weak. She wasn’t the type who would give up easily. No, not our ace Jihyo. As Chang Joo tilted his head to kiss her neck, she seized the change to bite his neck. She bit down hard, leaving a deep indent in his skin. He pulled away, yelling in pain.

“What the?!” he yelled, putting his hands against his neck instinctively. “What’s wrong with you?”

Jihyo realised how hard she had bitten when she saw the mark. “Sorry oppa, I…..”

“Am I not your boyfriend?! Why can’t I do it with you? What’s wrong with that?” he yelled.

“Oppa, I just…. I’m not ready yet…. Sorry…” she mumbled as she reached out to see his wound.

“Forget it,” he yelled as he hit her hand away. “You only have Kang Gary in your heart, don’t you? He came over to visit and you didn’t tell me. Are you planning  on two-timing me?” He glared at her, his cheeks flaring red with anger.

“Aniya.. aniya….” She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. She didn’t know what to say anymore. She was afraid of him, she was hurt that he thought of her that way, she was guilty that she fought him, she was confused with her own feelings…

“If not, then prove it,” he edged towards her. “Do it with me to show that you are mine.”

“No, oppa…. No…” she said as she retreated backwards.

Just at that moment, Gary arrived. “Jihyo! Are you okay?” he shouted as he knocked on the door.

Chang Joo gave her a glare. “Neh, oppa,” she lied, trying to hide her voice from shaking.

Gary knew she wasn’t. He allowed himself to feel the energy and realised that there was someone else inside. Someone angry. Someone dangerous.

“Jihyo, open up! I know you aren’t,” he ordered.

It was Chang Joo who opened up. “Must you insist on spoiling our couple time?” he snarled.

Seeing him shirtless and seeing Jihyo in shock, he inferred what just happened.

“You bastard!” Gary raised his hands to hit him.

He was surprised that he did that. Chang Joo was her boyfriend and there was nothing wrong with it. But before he could put down his arms, Chang Joo grabbed his hand, stopping him. “You are the bastard for stealing my girl,” he growled.

Gary frowned, not understanding what he just said.

Chang Joo turned to Jihyo. “I won’t let anyone two-time me, Jihyo. I’m the one breaking up with you.” He grabbed his shirt, wore it hastily and stormed out.

Gary rushed over to Jihyo. “Are you okay?”

She nodded but she herself knew it wasn’t true. She was already in tears. She didn’t even know why.  Everything happened too fast and she was in shock.

Seeing her tears, Gary instinctively wiped it off, caressing her cheeks. “Don’t cry,” he whispered. “I’m here.”

It made her cry more. “Go away,” she tried to yell, but it came out as a whimper. “It’s all because of you. I loved you once but you pushed me away. Now, I love another man, why must you break us up. Why must you be so nice to me? Why must you make me so confused? Your feelings for me, is more than sibling-love. Why did you push me away? Why oppa, why?”

“I’m sorry…” was all Gary could force out of his mouth.

“Just, leave me alone.”

Gary hung his head. He couldn’t leave her, not when she’s crying. Even though he knew he caused her to cry, he couldn’t bring himself to leave her. He just stood there and said nothing.

“If you are not leaving, I’ll leave,”Jihyo said as she ran out of her house. She didn’t even know why she did that. It was her house after all. But she just needed to get out, get away from Gary, before she blurts out other nonsense.

Gary chased after her. She ran across the carpark. A car was driving towards her. She didn’t see it and continued to run. Gary grabbed her shoulder, saving her. The car screeched to a halt, the headlights shining into their eyes.

“You could have died!” Gary yelled.

Jihyo was crying and didn’t look up. Only when the driver horned at them then she looked up. “Watch out for cars, idiot. Keep your couple fights at home!” the angsty driver yelled.

Then, Gary saw it in her eyes. A golden streak. It was only because of the illumination from the headlights of the car then he saw it.

Stars were almost indistinguishable from ordinary people based on their physical appearance, except for the single golden feature which each of them possessed. This is how they earned their name in the first place. Because they had a golden feature, like the stars in the sky.

Some features were more identifiable than the others. His was streaks on his back. Thus he had it covered with tattoos. Dylan had it in his hair, and he concealed it by dying his hair frequently.

Jihyo had hers in her eyes.

She was a Star too, just like him.

He could have cried tears of joy. They could be together now.

Alas, true love would always find its way.

(kekek nice quote credited to one of the commenters. tired and its 3am now, good night.)