Title: It’s Love, isn’t it? Author: k— Pairing: SpartAce Theme: #1 - look over here Disclaimer: This work is purely fictional and does not imply any actual relationship or events of any real life counterparts presented.

 

Jong Kook wasn’t quite sure what to make of their newest member.

Imagine his surprise when they were told the female guest he saw a couple weeks ago was suddenly supposed to be part of the cast. It wasn’t that he disliked the woman, but considering the premise the show was about to take he had doubted the producers would actually carry the talk out from back when they had discussed the possibility of a female member.

Jae Suk briefed them on the actress named Song Ji Hyo, discussing with the variety veterans among them in more detail on how to make her feel at home considering her late arrival and her rumored quiet personality. Hearing she was also the kind of person who took a while to get used to the other gender, Jong Kook worried silently. He too had some difficulty time establishing a good natural rapport with his female co-stars, as usually the thin line between friends and loveline partners was a difficult thing to manage in terms of friendship.

 

The actress with the pretty smile and large eyes didn’t seem quite cut out for variety, he thought. But she had made a nice first impression on him, after seeing her for two days on the set of Family Outing and parting on mutual terms after that. She was honest, almost to the point of being blunt despite her skill as an artiste who wielded emotions and sweet words for a living. Where there should be sharp edges she was round, and he would be lying if he said that didn’t puzzle him in the slightest.

 

Most of all though, he didn’t want things to be awkward. Even with the way variety shows worked, there had to be something genuine between them all if they were going to be working with each other once a week for who knows how long.

 

And he was nothing if not a professional— he might not be the best but he worked his damn hardest to try.

He watched her over the rim of the bottle of water he was drinking.

 

Acquaintances, that’s what they were.

 

They were nothing more and and nothing less as of now.

 

.

 

Jong Kook distinctly remembered that race across the Gwangmyeong station as the first time he truly considered her more than a colleague. There was something oddly intimate about looking down from a raised platform together, reveling in that they were only ones that held such a view of the expanse of the empty train station like that. It was theirs to hunt in, even though it was only a game.

The ridiculous security guard outfits fit Ji Hyo nicely, looking every bit the part with the way her brows were set in determination. He on the other hand felt the fabric constrict around his thick arms, but it was bearable.

 

“Look at that,” she said, more to herself than him. She pointed with one hand, the other arm draped across the railing. “I think they’re heading to the elevator.”

 

His eyes spotted another route to what he assumed was their general vincinity. “I’ll go get them then, maybe you can try to see if there’s anybody else around.”

 

They were a surprisingly good team. He was used to giving orders, butting heads if necessary but there was none of that with this blank faced woman. He felt nothing but the fullest trust in that instant when the light voice over the static pinpointed the exact whereabouts of their yellow clothed members, she would guide him to where he needed to go.

 

They won.

 

It was after filming, when they were done saying their thank yous and goodbyes and heading to their respective cars that Ji Hyo approached him.

 

“Did you need something, Ji Hyo-ssi?” Outside the protective bubble of the cameras, Jong Kook still referred to her with the honorific.

 

“You’ve worked really hard today.” She gave a light bow in greeting.

 

“You too, I think our teamwork was really good back at the train station.” He smiled at her politely.

 

There was a short pause.

 

“If it’s not too much to ask, can I have your phone number?” The actress looked at him with her large eyes, it was sheepish and nervous and serious all at once. “I just thought it would be good to have everyone’s numbers so we can discuss what direction the show and our characters can take…. And get to know each other better.”

 

He had gathered that all the other members had Ji Hyo’s contact number by now, and thought back to this person in front of him who called most of them hyung, instead of the more traditional oppa even four months after meeting each other.

Under the muted glow of the street lamps some distance away, the two phones carefully exchanged hands, and were quickly returned after inputting some numbers in.

 

 

When a later interview asked who he was the least close with among the other members he still had said, “Song Ji Hyo" because he felt more reserved around her than the others because she was a woman.

 

But something did shift after that.

 

Of course he didn’t hear of anything from the contact simply saved as [Song Ji Hyo] and neither did she from a certain man saved as [Kim Jong Kook-hyung] but he was less surprised and less nervous when she constantly talked to him, asked him things, and grabbed his leg and held on for dear life. And he returned the conversation, sometimes even poking fun at her to see how she would react.

They weren't close enough yet to do much more than small quips at each other, but he came to know her more. Under the fire in her eyes, the Ace was kind and tender hearted. She was easily excited yet also incredibly thoughtful and he turned over the walking oxymoron that was Song Ji Hyo in his mind.

 

 

Once he had slipped and called her Ji Hyo outside of filming when they were getting ready to leave. He was just about to apologize when she said she didn’t mind and responded quietly good night, Jong Kook-oppa. He hadn’t gone back to the honorifics after that.

 

She could stand up to him now, go toe to toe with him in her own way— retorting back to his teasing then with equal fervor and a matching grin. And while he loved to banter with her, Jong Kook knew he could trust her to watch his back and she his.

 

Perhaps that was why they worked together so well.

 

.

 

At the end of their second year-end party he drove Ji Hyo home because her manager couldn’t make it. Urgent family business apparently.

She was not entirely sober and Jong Kook got fed up listening to her her sing badly renditioned songs playing on the radio, but he didn't have the heart to shut it off when it looked like she was enjoying herself.

 

The things he put up for her, honestly. He clicked his tongue in wry amusement.

 

He watched her walk past the front gates and into the elevator, and briefly wondered if he should have seen her to her apartment floor seeing how she stumbled on that one step.