Chapter Thirteen: The Americanos

A biting wind swept over the river. Jong Kook’s skin prickled and his face stung from the cold, the tips of his ears red. He held two cups of coffee against his chest, the fabric of his tan jacket folded over them. At this rate, the Americanos would be cold by the time Ji Hyo reached him.

Jong Kook had been frustrated at first when Myuk PD told him that today’s theme was Ji Hyo’s Choice. She could decide who she wanted on her team and allow the chosen members onto her boat. The rejects would be picked up by a second water taxi and form a team that would undoubtedly include Suk Jin.

The month of February had been a strange on for Jong Kook and Ji Hyo. At first, the PDs had given the Running Man cast One Chance Missions, which had required the whole cast to work together to avoid punishment. Jong Kook had enjoyed the One Chance Missions since they were pretty much just team building activities (something Jong Kook thought was important for any coworkers whether they were in the entertainment or cooperate worlds). But the One Chance Missions had also put Jong Kook and Ji Hyo’s argument on hold; after all, it was had to dispute teams when there was only one.

However, in episode 32, the PDs had decided to abandon the One Chance Missions and instead had given Jong Kook and Jae Suk the responsibility of choosing their teammates. So, of course, Ji Hyo had ended up on Jae Suk’s team. She’d gotten her revenge on Jong Kook for writing down Kwang Soo, Haha, and Gary’s names instead of hers, however. They’d played a game of office basketball and she’d used every dirty trick in the book to cover him. In that one innocent game of basketball, Jong Kook had had his hair pulled, his skin pinched, his stomach punched, his shin kicked, and his chest d. That last one had been an accident, and both he and Ji Hyo had been embarrassed about it afterward. She’d apologized repeatedly with a reddened face off camera, and they’d avoided each other at the restaurant when the cast went out to dinner after filming. However, she’d also made one thing clear: it was much better to have her on his team than the other.

She had been right, in a way. At that point, the two of them had a flawless winning record. That argument alone might have been enough to win him over in time, but then, in episode 34, the PDs had put them on the Foreign Team together and they’d lost. A blindfolded Ji Hyo had completely missed the glass she’d been aiming for and instead poured water all over Jong Kook’s face. A part of him had been disappointed to see the end of their winning streak, but another part of him had been relieved. She’d only wanted him on her team because they’d worked well together. They were no longer unbeatable, so she had no need for him. But, after a conversation that had quickly dissolved into an argument, Jong Kook had realized she didn’t see it his way.

And now, it was Ji Hyo’s turn to choose the teams. There was no escaping today. Not to mention, Cho PD had said that he wanted the members to fight for a spot on Ji Hyo’s team (with a look specifically in Jong Kook’s direction). So, in the end, Jong Kook decided to give in; he might as well give Running Man some good footage as he attempted to join Ji Hyo’s team. He’d bought two Americanos—one for him and one for Ji Hyo—before positioning himself on the dock and mentally preparing himself to do whatever Ji Hyo asked.

“How do you plan to win Ji Hyo over?” asked Ki Jin, pointing the camera at him.

Another wind crossed the river, causing Jong Kook to shiver and wish that his stylist had given him a thicker jacket. He hugged the Americanos closer to his chest and said, “Whatever’s necessary.”

“So you’re going to serenade her with old Turbo songs?” asked Ki Jin eagerly.

Jong Kook scowled. He was too cold for Ki Jin’s jokes. “How far away is she?”

“I don’t know,” said Ki Jin. “We’re the second stop, though.”

Jong Kook glanced at the camera. He’d been mostly silent for the past quarter of an hour, contemplating his own misfortunes (the cold, his search for a new management company, the cold, his argument with Ji Hyo, the cold, his friends all getting married, the cold). Silence didn’t give the staff much to work with, so Jong Kook smiled at the camera, his lips stiff from the chilly air, and asked, “Who do you think Ji Hyo will pick?” He smirked. “Gary, obviously.”

Since the filming at COEX Aquarium, Ji Hyo had begun participating in Monday Couple more often, even feeding Gary cake on Valentine’s Day. Jong Kook had been proud of her—even as they argued last week, Jong Kook had thanked and complimented her for overcoming her uncertainties. He knew it was difficult. He had been shy on camera once too, back in the X-Man and even the early Family Outing days. He was glad to see Ji Hyo grow stronger, the whole Running Man cast was. Jae Suk, Suk Jin, and Haha praised her often as well.

“She’s coming,” said Ki Jin.

Jong Kook looked down the river to see a water taxi under the concrete bridge. “The white boat is Ji Hyo, right?”

“Looks like it,” said Ki Jin.

They watched as the water taxi made its way across the gray water, leaving waves of white foam in its wake. As the boat drew near the dock, a red loudspeaker and small head with wavy brown hair appeared out the window.

Ji Hyo cried, “Yo! Kim Jong Kook!”

With as much enthusiasm and aegyo as he could muster, Jong Kook shouted, “Ji Hyo!”

Any concern Jong Kook had possessed about seeing her again after their argument vanished at the sight of her. There was a broad grin on her face and she was leaning out the water taxi window to get a good look at him. Silently, Jong Kook thought that she was getting drunk on power. However, Cho PD wanted him to compete to be on her team, and so Jong Kook was going to try his hardest.

“Ji Hyo,” he called out. “I was afraid that you might be tired in the morning so I bought coffee.” He held up the two cups for her to see.

“Really? What kind?”

“Americano,” said Jong Kook. He’d heard her telling Joong Ki that was her favorite kind a few months ago.

“Oppa.” Ji Hyo leaned against the window frame. “Come aboard quick.”

Jong Kook blinked. He knew Ji Hyo liked being on his team, but this had been easier than he’d thought. She should at least make it interesting—make him jump through hoops to please her—for the sake of the show. Then again, he was being saved from performing embarrassing stunts and therefore shouldn’t complain.

He took a step towards the edge of the dock before Ji Hyo said, smiling, “Is that what you thought I’d say?”

Jong Kook swallowed back a grin. “Yah,” he said, feigning irritation. “I’ve been hugging this coffee all morning.”

“Really?”

He nodded, trying to look sincere. “I treasure it so much. I’ve been hugging it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

The water taxi drifted next to the dock. Ji Hyo’s face was only a couple meters from his as she propped arms on the windowsill and stared across the water at him. Her big brown eyes were wide and mischievous, and she wore a beige coat with a fur collar that framed her small, flushed face.

A harsh wind moved a strand of hair into Jong Kook’s eyes, but he couldn’t brush it away because he was holding a cup of lukewarm coffee in each hand.

“Today, oppa,” asked Ji Hyo, “do you have any confidence in winning the games?”

“Don’t I always give my best?” Jong Kook was almost offended.

“If that’s the case, if we lose today then oppa will take responsibility.”

Jong Kook laughed. He would have loved to tell her that she could take her water taxi and move on to the next dock, but he couldn’t ignore Cho PD’s instructions. “Ah, Ji Hyo… Okay, I’ll take it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” said Jong Kook, trying to sound earnest. “Don’t you trust me?”

Ji Hyo raised her eyebrows. “You really want to be on my team?”

Jong Kook nodded emphatically. “Of course. We make a great team.”

“I don’t believe you,” said Ji Hyo with a knowing smile.

“You shouldn’t,” muttered Jong Kook before quickly correcting himself and saying, “But we make a great team.”

She undoubtedly knew why Jong Kook was determined to be on her team today, but she played along anyway. She put away the loudspeaker and, with a quick glance at the camera, said, “Say that again, oppa.”

Jong Kook grinned. It had worked last time, during the race to gather team members, so he said, “We make a great team, beautiful Ji Hyo.”

She nodded with approval. “Good. And also say ‘Song Ji Hyo, manse’ three times.”

“‘Song Ji Hyo, manse’?” Jong Kook tried not to grimace.

“Yes.”

“Three times?”

“Yes.”

Jong Kook in a breath of air. He really wanted to tell her to leave, that he’d be on Suk Jin’s team today. However, he did as told and started to turn away from Ji Hyo so he could shout “manse” to the street.

“You glared at me!” cried Ji Hyo abruptly. “You glared at me!”

“No, I didn’t,” said Jong Kook. He was genuinely confused. He’d been annoyed, yes, but he definitely hadn’t glared at her. “I didn’t, I swear.”

“Ahjussi,” said Ji Hyo, turning to the driver of the water taxi. “Did you see that? He glared at me! Let’s go!”

“Ji Hyo, what’s wrong with you?” Jong Kook held up the cups of coffee for Ji Hyo to see. “Don’t leave without these! Tell me what happened.”

Ji Hyo closed the window partway and scowled out at him through the crack. “You glared at me.”

“I didn’t,” said Jong Kook honestly. “It’s a misunderstanding. I have small eyes so it sometimes looks like I’m glaring at you. It was because I was looking at you sideways that it seemed like I was glaring.”

Ji Hyo opened the window a little more and pretended to think this over. Jong Kook watched as the water taxi drifted further and further away. Ji Hyo said something to the driver and he moved the boat closer.

“Say ‘manse’ three more times and do the Cringing Jong Kook.”

Jong Kook fought back a smile. At the restaurant last week, before his argument with Ji Hyo, the Running Man cast had held an aegyo competition amongst themselves. Jong Kook had done a sad aegyo that had made Ji Hyo laugh until she cried.

However, he refused to let Ji Hyo get her way so easily. This time, when he turned to look at Ji Hyo, he actually did shoot her a scowl and, as he’d intended, she cried, “You did it again! You glared at me!”

“No, Ji Hyo,” he said, feigning innocence. “Ji Hyo, I wasn’t glaring at you. I was afraid you’d leave so I turned to you, but it looks like I’m glaring from the side.”

“I won’t leave,” said Ji Hyo. She sounded just as entertained as he did.

She smiled at him sweetly, and Jong Kook found himself smiling back. Quickly, he turned away and lifted the two coffee cups into the air. “Song Ji Hyo, manse, manse, manse!” Then, he faced her and, trying to look as though he was about to cutely cry, said, “Ji Hyo, it’s too cold.”

She doubled over with laughter. “That’s too funny.”

Jong Kook started to smile, but then he realized that the water taxi had started to drift away from the dock again. “Where are you going?” he asked, throwing in a hint of the Cringing Jong Kook voice for good measure. “Are you leaving?”

But the boat was too far away and Ji Hyo had disappeared from the window. Maybe Jong Kook had performed the cutesy act for nothing. He frowned at the camera and then said, “She has to pick me. How could she not pick me?”

“Someone’s sounding vain,” said Ki Jin.

“She always picks me,” murmured Jong Kook. He was genuinely confused. He counted on Ji Hyo as a constant—she would always want him as a teammate and he would always avoid being her teammate. Even their arguments about it were a sort of norm to him now. Exaggerating for the camera, Jong Kook paced the end of the dock, saying, “You’re not leaving, right? No way. You’re picking me up, right?”

Suddenly, the water taxi kicked into gear, approaching the dock and turning up small white waves. Ji Hyo and her red loudspeaker appeared out the window again. “Jong Kook-hyung, we must win today.”

That wasn’t confirmation that he would be on her team, so Jong Kook asked, “What did you say?”

“We must win today.”

Still not confirmation. “What did you say?”

“And don’t think you’re safe just because you’re on the boat,” added Ji Hyo. “I might drop you off at another harbor. Hurry up and come aboard.”

Jong Kook bit back a grin as he turned to Ki Jin and said, “I told you.”

Ki Jin rolled his eyes.

“All right,” said Jong Kook stepping toward the edge of the dock and preparing to unlock the gate. However, he had a cup of coffee in each hand. When Ji Hyo opened the door of the water taxi, he handed her both of them, saying, “Here, I prepared it for you.”

“They’re both cold, oppa,” said Ji Hyo.

“No, they’re still warm.” Jong Kook would be annoyed—at the PDs, PTs, writers, boat driver, and Ji Hyo—if he’d hugged cold coffee for an hour.

With a cheeky grin, Ji Hyo held the two coffees and said to the driver, “Okay, let’s go.”

“Yah!” Jong Kook shot her a glare as he worked on the latch of the gate. “What’s with you today, Ji Hyo?”

She laughed. “I’m having fun, oppa.”

“Have fun with the other members, not me,” said Jong Kook as he finally opened the gate.

Ji Hyo stepped back and Jong Kook hopped down from the dock through the door of the water taxi. The boat was heated on the inside, and Jong Kook sighed with relief. He shut the door behind him and headed into the back of the boat. Two stationary cameras had been set up in front of a cushioned bench. Ji Hyo’s VJ, Sung Gyu, was already there with his handheld camera, and Ki Jin followed Jong Kook onto the boat. Jong Kook sat down and Ji Hyo took the spot next to him, the two of them facing the black lenses of the cameras.

The water taxi sprung into motion and started heading towards the next dock. Jong Kook glanced out the window, examining the view of the city; however, he had to provide footage for the editors, so he turned to Ji Hyo and asked, “I’m the first?”

“Oppa, you’re the first to board,” said Ji Hyo.

“You came from somewhere else,” said Jong Kook, remembering what Ki Jin had told him about being the second stop. So Ji Hyo had rejected someone already. “Who was it?”

Ji Hyo took a sip of her cold coffee and said, “One of oppa’s two dongsaengs.”

It couldn’t be Gary, thought Jong Kook, since he was the Monday Boyfriend. Jong Kook tried to sound as sad as possible when he asked, “Could it be ‘nae dongsaeng’?”

Ji Hyo nodded ever so slightly. Then she gestured to herself and then Jong Kook. It took him a moment to realize that she meant, “Right now, I’m your dongsaeng.” The idea of Ji Hyo—with her soft face, teasing attitude, and stubborn streak—replacing Haha was enough to make Jong Kook laugh. He couldn’t think of her as “nae dongsaeng”. It didn’t fit. However, he knew the Running Man staff were watching him, expecting him to play along. He buried his face in his hands and, laughing at the pure insanity of it, said, “Ah, I’m going crazy. So embarrassing.” However, he took a deep breath. “I can do this.”

Smiling, Ji Hyo positioned herself so that she faced him directly.

Jong Kook laughed even harder. “Ji Hyo, I don’t think this dongsaeng thing is right.”

“You can do it, oppa,” said Ji Hyo. “I believe in you.” She still had that smug grin on her face.

Bracing himself against the embarrassment, Jong Kook poked her lightly on the left shoulder and said, “Nae dongsaeng.”

Her whole face brightened, and she poked him back. “Nae oppa.”

“Nae dongsaeng.” Poke.

“Nae oppa.” Poke.

Jong Kook’s own smile widened as he poked her again. “We’ll do well today.”

She laughed, curling her hands around the coffee cup, and Jong Kook remembered that she was pretty. Well, of course, she was pretty—Ji Hyo was an actress—but after working with her on Running Man for eight months, Jong Kook had forgotten that fact.

Ji Hyo leaned back in her seat, craning her neck to see out the right hand side window. “I think we’re approaching the next dock.”

Jong Kook scooted closer so he could see the dock as well. There was a crowd of people standing on the road above the river despite the cold weather. “It must be Jae Suk-hyung.”

“It looks like it,” said Ji Hyo, squinting. She sat back in her seat and turned to Jong Kook with another broad grin. “Shall we mess with him a bit?”

“Of course.”

Laughing, Ji Hyo grabbed her red loudspeaker and opened the window. Jong Kook was entertained; he’d overheard Jae Suk and Suk Jin talking about it last week; Song Ji Hyo had come a long way from the shy girl in the third episode.

“State your full name!” Ji Hyo said into her loudspeaker. “Your full name!”

“It’s definitely Yoo Jae Suk,” said Jong Kook. He stayed out of view of the open window, planning to surprise Jae Suk.

“Ji Hyo!” shouted Jae Suk. He stood on the platform, cupping his hands around his mouth to be heard. “Song Ji Hyo!” He turned to the crowd standing behind him and started to conduct them like an orchestra. The people took up a chant of “Song Ji Hyo! Song Ji Hyo! Song Ji Hyo!”

“He’s really going all out,” observed Jong Kook.

Ji Hyo glanced over her shoulder and asked, “Would you do that for me, nae oppa?”

“Of course,” said Jong Kook immediately. “Anything for nae dongsaeng.”

Ji Hyo grinned before turning back to Jae Suk and saying, “Oppa! Oppa, can you win today’s game?”

“Of course,” cried Jae Suk.

“Really?”

“Just leave it to me.” He added in some over the top hand gestures to prove his point. “Just leave it to me! If you choose me, I’ll make sure you won’t regret!” He turned back to the crowd behind him and started conducting again.

“He’s so dramatic,” said Jong Kook. He leaned casually back against his seat and listened as the crowd chanted “Song Ji Hyo” and then switched to “Take him! Take him!”

“I’m not sure how I feel about the crowd chanting my name,” said Ji Hyo, glancing out the window. “What should we make him do, oppa?”

Jong Kook thought about this for a second. “Here, scoot over.”

Ji Hyo shifted on the seat, making room so that Jong Kook could stick his head out the window as well. After he finished conducting the crowd, Jae Suk turned back to the water taxi. He blinked with surprise at the sight of Jong Kook and tried to smile. When that failed, he only said, “Jong Kook, what are you doing here?”

Suddenly, the crowd behind Jae Suk took up a new chant: “Kim Jong Kook! Kim Jong Kook!”

At Jae Suk’s mortified expression, Jong Kook and Ji Hyo started laughing. Body trembling with giggles, Ji Hyo placed a hand on Jong Kook’s shoulder to support herself. Jong Kook waved to the crowd, calling out, “Hello and thank you!”

“Yah, Ji Hyo,” cried a flustered Jae Suk. “How can you take in Kim Jong Kook? And you,” he pointed roughly at Jong Kook, “what are you doing here? Ji Hyo, why did you let Kim Jong Kook on board? Are you out of your mind?”

“Hyung,” said Jong Kook, trying to sound as condescending as possible. “You can come aboard too. Just let Ji Hyo see your determination.”

Immediately, Jae Suk leapt into action. He threw his arms wide and shouted, “Ji Hyo!”

“Oppa,” said Ji Hyo innocently, “are you able to get in the water on such a cold day?”

Jong Kook choked on a laugh. At first, he’d thought that having to call out ‘Song Ji Hyo, manse” had been annoying, but now he saw that she’d gone easy on him.

Jae Suk was equally as surprised. “What did you say?”

“Jump in the water,” said Ji Hyo simply.

Jae Suk gave a little hysterical laugh. “Ji Hyo…”

“Jump in the water!” Getting impatient, Ji Hyo started to pull her head back into the boat.

“Ji Hyo, of course!” cried Jae Suk. “If you want me to jump, then I’ll jump.”

“At this moment,” said Ji Hyo through the loudspeaker. “Right now.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” said Jae Suk, getting excited again. “I’m preparing all kinds of elegant performances for you.” Ji Hyo looked over her shoulder at Jong Kook and rolled her eyes, which made him laugh even harder. Oblivious, Jae Suk continued to talk, “Through the heart and mind—”

“Through the heart and mind, jump in the water!” snapped Ji Hyo.

Jong Kook’s abdomen was hurting from all the laughter. He was enjoying this commanding Ji Hyo—especially when she was torturing someone other than himself.

Jae Suk grabbed the handrail of the dock and leaned over the water. “Are you thinking I won’t have the guts to jump?”

“Right now,” demanded Ji Hyo. “At this moment.”

“He won’t jump,” said Jong Kook.

Sure enough, Jae Suk glanced down at the chilly, gray water and then said, “I only brought this one attire.”

“Disappointing,” muttered Ji Hyo so only Jong Kook could hear.

Jong Kook grinned. “Tell him to put his feet in the water.”

Holding the loudspeaker up, Ji Hyo said, “Then take off your shoes.”

Jae Suk quickly took off one of his red tennis shoes and the white sock beneath. “Ji Hyo, do you see?”

Ji Hyo and Jong Kook exchanged judging glances. Then, Ji Hyo turned back to Jae Suk and asked, “Only one foot?”

Laughing, Jae Suk leaned down and removed the other shoe and sock. “Now, Ji Hyo, do you see?” He danced on the cold wood of the dock. “I’m barefoot now.”

Ji Hyo peered out the window while Jong Kook watched from behind. Jae Suk’s feet were white from exposure to the biting air. What else should they do to him? Jong Kook grinned. “Ji Hyo, tell him to kick the water.”

She sent Jong Kook an approving smile before turning back to Jae Suk and saying, “All right, oppa, kick the water.”

 Jae Suk blinked. “You want me to kick the water?”

“Is there a problem, oppa?” asked Ji Hyo. “Jong Kook-hyung says he would have jumped in the water for me. Do you care about me less than Jong Kook-hyung?”

“No, no!” Jae Suk quickly sat down on the edge of the dock. “Ji Hyo, this is nothing.” Then he splashed the water about with his bare feet. “Ow! That hurts!” He quickly removed his feet from the water and shouted, “Ji Hyo, do you really think this method tests a person’s—” He stuck his feet back in the water. “Ow, it’s cold! Feelings?” The feet went back in the water. “Ow!”

Jong Kook was laughing again. He’d always admired Jae Suk’s ability to play off anyone. Idols, actors, comedians, athletes—Jae Suk could interact with them all and make each one of them seem funny and charming in a different way. That was what variety shows were all about. The cast members playing off one another and the guests for entertainment, and that was something at which Jae Suk was excelled.

“Here,” said Jong Kook, moving towards the door of the water taxi.

Ji Hyo saw what Jong Kook was doing and grinned. “Oppa,” she called out to Jae Suk. “Get aboard.”

As Jae Suk grabbed his shoes and socks, Jong Kook got a firm grasp on the handle of the door and held it shut. He watched as Jae Suk made his way across the platform, smiling excitedly. Then, Jae Suk tried to use the handle. The door didn’t budge.

Jong Kook grinned at his hyung through the window of the door.

“Yah, Kim Jong Kook!” Jae Suk knocked on the glass. “What are you doing?”

Ji Hyo was giggling as Jae Suk attempted to open the door.

“Yah, Song Ji Hyo,” cried Jae Suk, giving up on the door and rounding on her instead. “You hurry up and open this door.”

A look of half-heartedly feigned surprise appeared on Ji Hyo’s face as she listened to Jae Suk. Then, her eyes met Jong Kook’s and they both started laughing. They were partners in crime, thought Jong Kook. And then he stiffened. Partners in crime? He had Ji Hyo weren’t partners in anything—that was what their ongoing argument had been about. But as they teased Jae Suk from the water taxi, Jong Kook had completely forgotten about love lines and friendships; he’d only been having fun with Ji Hyo.

“Open the door,” Jae Suk was pleading.

“Wipe your feet,” said Ji Hyo through the loudspeaker. “Put your socks and shoes back on. Then I’ll see you on the other side. I already know your feelings.”

“Yah!” cried Jae Suk, gripping the dock’s handrail. “What do you mean you already know my feelings? What feelings?”

Jong Kook traced the backward character for “idiot” on the door window. He breathed over the glass, so that the character was visible to Jae Suk.

“Oppa, I’m sorry,” said Ji Hyo. She didn’t sound very sorry at all.

 “You two!” Jae Suk pointed at Ji Hyo and Jong Kook. “I’ll remember this! Yah, Ji Hyo, how could you leave me for Kim Jong Kook again?”

Jong Kook gritted his teeth at Jae Suk’s words. A part of him was rearing with pride at the knowledge that Ji Hyo always picked him over the other Running Man members, but another part of him wanted to run from those words, to open the door of the water taxi and insist that Jae Suk switch places with him. For the past few months, the second part of him had won out this internal struggle. But for today, thought Jong Kook, just for today he’d listen to the first part, the part that wanted to ignore what was best for Running Man and do what he thought was fun.

Ji Hyo waved to the crowd of people. “Goodbye, everybody! Thank you for coming!”

Jong Kook shook away his moment of panic; he couldn’t ignore the fans just because he was distracted. He moved to sit behind Ji Hyo and stuck his head out the window as well. “Bye! Thank you!”

The crowd cheered and waved goodbye, even going as far as chanting Ji Hyo’s name.

“Stop, stop!” cried Jae Suk, waving at the crowd. “They’re not taking me. Don’t cheer! Stop!”

“Oppa,” said Ji Hyo. “Put your shoes and socks on. I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

At that expression of concern, Jae Suk exploded with rage. “Just you wait, Song Ji Hyo. I’ll get you later. Leave, leave quickly! I don’t want to see your face!”

“Oppa,” said Ji Hyo. “You know, originally I was going to let you board my boat.”

“What?” Jae Suk froze.

“Do you want me to leave?” asked Ji Hyo.

Jae Suk immediately fell to his knees. “Ji Hyo, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. Ji Hyo! Ji Hyo! Song Ji Hyo!”

Ignoring Jae Suk’s pleas, Ji Hyo signaled to the driver to depart. As the water taxi left the dock, Ji Hyo and Jong Kook watched the angry Jae Suk get smaller and smaller. He shouted some other things at them, but over the boat’s engine and the churning water, they couldn’t hear his voice.

“Were you really planning to let him on?” asked Jong Kook, leaning back in his seat.

“No,” said Ji Hyo with a smile. “But his reaction was funny.”

“You two were diabolical,” said Sung Gyu over the top of his camera.

Jong Kook grinned and glanced at the VJs. It certainly had made for good entertainment. He glanced at Ji Hyo who was checking her cellphone for any new messages. He knew he should talk to her for the cameras, but somehow he couldn’t bring himself to find the words. 

“You’ve been usually quiet,” said Ji Hyo. She glanced to her right where Jong Kook was staring out the window of the water taxi. He hadn’t said much since they left Jae Suk at the dock. Ji Hyo wondered if he was angry with her for choosing him. But he’d said he wanted to be on her team, and he’d had fun taunting Jae Suk with her. She knew he’d been having fun—she’d seen it, he couldn’t fake those expressions.

“Sorry,” he said turning away from the window. “I guess teasing Jae Suk-hyung was tiring.”

Ji Hyo smiled but that quickly turned into a frown. “I hope he wasn’t really mad at me.”

“He wasn’t,” said Jong Kook firmly. “He was just playing along.”

This time, Ji Hyo’s smile was genuine. She doubted Jong Kook knew how comforting his words were to her. On Running Man, she constantly worried that she took things too far, that she disrespected her sunbaes, or that she had hurt someone’s feelings. But Jong Kook spoke with such confidence that she couldn’t not believe him.

Her relationship with Jong Kook from the beginning of Running Man to present had been strange. Strange, that was the only thing she could think to call it. They’d fought, they’d talked, they’d joked, and then they’d fought again. But their fights were separate from their conversations—Jong Kook could tell her that he wanted to avoid being her teammate at all costs and then in the next sentence make a joke about how she sleeps too much—and sometimes, Ji Hyo couldn’t tell when they were friends or when they were fighting.

Last Monday after filming, they’d had another argument. She’d thought that they had agreed not to agree on the issue of teaming up on Running Man, but looking back on it, she supposed they’d only tried to put pause on the issue rather than resolve it. Inevitably, the issue would resurface, and it had done so last week.

The argument had been, in Ji Hyo’s opinion, Kwang Soo’s fault. Haha and Jae Suk had been joking about setting up Jong Kook on a blind date when Kwang Soo had decided to bring up the stupid fan forums again. The Jong Kook-Ji Hyo fans were still present but few in number; Monday Couple was the overwhelmingly popular pairing. Jong Kook had laughed at the idea of Gary being a romance icon, and then Kwang Soo had asked if Monday Couple’s popularity meant Ji Hyo and Jong Kook could be on the same team without fear of becoming a love line. And, of course, Jong Kook had stubbornly rejected the idea. He’d tried to convince Ji Hyo of his point of view, and she’d refused to listen to him, and before anyone else had realized what was going on, Ji Hyo was furious and Jong Kook was ignoring her.

Today, when she’d gotten on the water taxi, Ji Hyo had anticipated Jong Kook trying to avoid her (she’d planned all sorts of tasks to make him suffer), but he’d bought her an Americano and he’d done everything she’d asked, so she’d let him onboard with relative ease. Ji Hyo glanced sidelong at Jong Kook—but, of course, now he was avoiding her again.

Maybe he hadn’t forgiven her. Maybe they were still fighting. Jae Suk had said that Jong Kook was very good at compartmentalizing things. Work life and personal life were separate. If Jong Kook hated someone, it was impossible to tell in front of a camera. Did that meant that Jong Kook had separated his argument with Ji Hyo and his work with Ji Hyo? It was embarrassing, in a way, because Ji Hyo had so much trouble keeping the two apart.

“We’re approaching the dock,” said Jong Kook, peering out the left side windows.

“Who’s there?” Ji Hyo got to her feet and craned her neck trying to see who was standing on the platform.

“It’s Gary,” said Jong Kook.

Sure enough, the figure had a broad face and dark hair. “It’s Gary-oppa.”

“Gary, Gary.” Jong Kook was grinning, and Ji Hyo felt a stab of envy for her Monday Boyfriend. It was so easy for him to get along with Jong Kook.

After grabbing her red loudspeaker, Ji Hyo sat down on the left hand side of the boat and pried open the window. As she stuck her head out to see Gary properly, Jong Kook sat back, out of Gary’s view.

“Ji Hyo, do you see this?” asked Gary, holding up a dark cloth bag. “This is my heart, my heart.”

Ji Hyo ducked her head back into the boat and laughed. “What is he talking about?”

Jong Kook was making a face of disgust. “Heart? I had better lines than that during X-Man, right?”

“Of course,” said Ki Jin with a cheeky grin.

“Gary’s heart is like a black bag,” muttered Ji Hyo. She stuck her head back out the window and plastered on her best Monday Girlfriend smile.

“Ji Hyo,” cried Gary, waving his arms about as the water taxi drew near the dock. “Can you see this black bag? Oppa got it for you.”

It had taken Ji Hyo awhile, but she had learned how to play the role of the Monday Girlfriend. She had struggled with separating Ji Hyo the Variety Character from the real Ji Hyo, and since the real Ji Hyo wasn’t attracted to Gary in the slightest, it was hard to be a part of a love line. So in her head, she’d created the character of the Monday Girlfriend: a strong, proud actress who had a weakness for cute, simple rappers with cheesy pick-up lines. Whenever she was around Gary, Ji Hyo slipped into her Monday Girlfriend character—not the real Ji Hyo or the variety Ji Hyo but someone else entirely.

The Monday Girlfriend smiled kindly at Gary and asked, “How long has oppa waited for?”

“One and a half hours,” said Gary. He paused and then, catching sight of something behind Ji Hyo, cried, “Oh, hyung!”

Ji Hyo scowled over her shoulder at Jong Kook, who had leaned back so that Gary could see him through the open window. Jong Kook laughed at Gary’s surprised expression.

“What’s going on, hyung?” asked Gary. “Why are you sitting inside? Are you making a move on Ji Hyo?”

“Hyung is serving Captain Blank here,” said Jong Kook. His voice was blunt even as he grinned and waved at Gary.

After shooting Jong Kook another glare, Ji Hyo turned back to Gary. Even if he were the Monday Boyfriend, she wouldn’t let him on her boat too easily. She smiled at Gary and said, “Is it cold?”

Gary wrapped his arms around his shoulders and nodded. “Yes.”

“I will come back after circling around,” said Ji Hyo as the water taxi drifted away from the dock.

“Yah!” Gary was wide-eyed with fear. “Ji Hyo, where are you going? I bought a hot bar so we could sit and eat together and think about the past. Ji Hyo…”

Jong Kook snorted. “He bought it for himself. He loves to eat that stuff.”

Ignoring Gary’s cries and forgetting the Monday Girlfriend for a second, Ji Hyo turned to Jong Kook with a wide grin. “Really?”

“He loves to eat that stuff,” said Jong Kook.

“You wouldn’t do that to me, though?” asked Ji Hyo. She knew the answer before he even said it, but she loved hearing it from him.

“Of course not,” said Jong Kook. “I bought two Americanos even though I don’t usually drink coffee. I got one for you and one in case yours spilled.”

Ji Hyo was smiling broadly as she turned back to Gary.

“Oppa used his heart to keep the hot bar warm,” said Gary.

“Go to the convenience store and buy hot water,” shouted Ji Hyo.

“You want to drink water?” Gary put the hot bar away in his pocket. “Okay, I understand.”

“Hurry!” cried Ji Hyo. “Right now!”

Gary walked to the top of the dock, closing the metal gate behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and called out, “You’re a really aggressive woman!”

As Gary reached the top of the stairs, Ji Hyo said, “He would definitely make a good errand boy.”

“Captain Blank,” said Jong Kook. “Can I say something here?”

Immediately, Ji Hyo took on a boss lady attitude and sat down on the boat’s bench, her arms sprawled out as if she owned the place. “Let me hear what you have to say.”

Sung Gyu laughed at her ridiculousness.

“I think letting Gary join our team is a good idea,” said Jong Kook.

Ji Hyo nodded.

“Today is Monday,” said Jong Kook with a pointed look. “Um, and we didn’t pick up Haha. It’d be best to have one of my dongsaengs with us. I think it’d be good for us to pick up Gary. What do you think?”

Ji Hyo had known whom she wanted on her team since she first got onto the water taxi. However, she pretended to ponder Jong Kook’s question before saying, “Since I need to pick up Gary-oppa… Oppa, can you get off the taxi?”

Jong Kook froze. Then, he smiled sweetly and said, “Then, let’s go. It’s not a bad idea to leave him.”

It would never get tiring to hear Jong Kook fight to be on her team. Whenever he declared he’d do anything for her or that he needed no one but her today, Ji Hyo felt a thrill run through her—a mixture of triumph and joy. Triumph because it felt like she’d finally changed his mind about teams, and joy because in some small secret part of her that she refused to acknowledge most of the time, she wanted Jong Kook to say he’d do anything for her.

Shaking her head to clear it, Ji Hyo said, “Okay, I’ve made up my mind.”

Kim Jong Kook and Song Ji Hyo were going grocery shopping. It hadn’t been Jong Kook’s choice. He’d volunteered himself for the task (not trusting Kwang Soo or Gary to do it right) and figured that the guest Yong Hwa would be the second person for screen time purposes. However, Ji Hyo had volunteered, and the rest of the team had jumped on that idea, saying that Ji Hyo was a woman who cooked so she’d know how to navigate the grocery store. Jong Kook agreed, but he dreaded the ride to and from the grocery store, trapped in a car with Ji Hyo, when he hadn’t yet figured out how he felt about his “partner in crime”.

So now, Jong Kook sat in the driver’s seat of a black car and in the passenger’s seat beside him, Ji Hyo was fixing the red scarf of her scout uniform. Neither of them spoke.

It had been odd day of being overly aware of Ji Hyo’s presence and not knowing how to act around her. On the water taxi, Jong Kook had played the role of the third wheel to the Monday Couple, thankfully only having to watch and complain as Ji Hyo and Gary flirted. Then, he’d played the role of her right hand, advising her to choose Kwang Soo instead of Joong Ki so they could keep the teams even. Then, after they’d arrived at the campground, Jong Kook had played the role of her champion, hunting down and catching CNBLUE’s Jung Yong Hwa as their final teammate. He would have caught Big Bang’s Daesung as well if Haha hadn’t interrupted.

The roles had made the day easier, but when Jong Kook left them behind, he didn’t know how to act around Ji Hyo. Should he talk to her? Should he avoid her? What would their argument do to the show? Should he try to mend things between them? He didn’t want to have a love line with her, but the more he thought about it the less reasonable that argument sounded.

The sound of loud voices outside the car broke Jong Kook from his thoughts. He looked up to see the remaining members of the two teams standing in the dark parking lot in front of the two cars. The staff more lights so that the lot was well illuminated for the cameras. Kwang Soo, Gary, and Yong Hwa were talking amongst themselves, all dressed in matching blue scout uniforms. To the right, Haha, Suk Jin, and Joong Ki stood in front of the car containing Jae Suk and Daesung.

“What’s going on?” asked Jong Kook.

Ji Hyo looked up from her red scarf. “I don’t know.”

They watched as two PTs handed the teams each a sketchpad and Cho PD explained the mission. Whatever he said caused Haha to complain and Joong Ki to celebrate.

“It must be drawing,” said Jong Kook.

“I can’t hear a thing,” complained Ji Hyo.

Cho PD gave a hand signal, and Kwang Soo, Gary, and Yong Hwa crowded around the sketchbook.

“Look, they’re drawing,” said Jong Kook. “Looks like they’re telling us what to buy.” He glanced over at the car on the right where Jae Suk and Daesung were talking. “We’ll be all right, Ji Hyo. Our competition is the Dumb and Dumber Brothers.”

Ji Hyo smiled as she finished pinning her scarf in place. She had been on Family Outing with the Dumb and Dumber Brothers before. “I remember they tried to fool me with Jae Suk-oppa’s fake bloody nose.”

Jong Kook grinned. “Daesung told me about that. What did you do to Jae Suk-hyung?”

“I said ‘You’re bleeding’ and wiped more red jelly on him.”

Laughing, Jong Kook said, “He tried to fool me too when I first joined the cast.”

“I saw the episode,” murmured Ji Hyo.

Jong Kook glanced at the rest of their teammates, who were still hunched over the sketchpad. “Aren’t you glad we didn’t pick up Joong Ki now?”

“Yes,” said Ji Hyo, nodding. “Imagine what a disaster this would be.”

There was a pause as Jong Kook and Ji Hyo both remembered Joong Ki’s attempt at drawing a toilet.

“We would have lost for sure,” said Ji Hyo.

At Cho PD’s signal, the teams stopped drawing. Joong Ki pretended to celebrate, which didn’t bode well for Jae Suk and Daesung. In unison, the two teams flipped their sketchpads so that the drivers could see the pictures. Jong Kook and Ji Hyo squinted—the other team had drawn a mish-mash over vegetables and condiments, while their team had drawn what looked like a pot of food with some other ingredients on the side.

Jong Kook rolled down his window and called out, “What is it? Are those sausages?”

“Can’t you tell with one glance?” asked Ji Hyo. “Is that kimchi stew?”

“Doesn’t look like it,” said Jong Kook. His eyes narrowed as he tried to decipher the squiggly lines.

“Ah!” cried Ji Hyo just as Jong Kook realized what the drawing depicted. “It’s Army Stew.”

“Army Stew,” said Jong Kook, leaning back in the driver’s seat and feeling proud of his team. In the car next to them, Jae Suk and Daesung still looked puzzled.

A few seconds later, Cho PD gave the order for the cars to leave for the grocery store. Jong Kook put the car in gear, and Ji Hyo gave a thumbs up to their teammates as they drove by. Through the rearview mirror, Jong Kook could see the VJ who had been assigned to them sitting in back, holding a camera. Sung Gyu and Ki Jin would be riding in a van with the rest of the personal VJs and some PTs. Jong Kook glanced at the new VJ again, but didn’t recognize him. The VJ looked nervous, shifting in his seat as he kept the camera facing forward. Jong Kook found himself missing Ki Jin—who would undoubtedly make a comment about Jong Kook driving like an old man.

As Jong Kook to the highway, Ji Hyo pulled out a note pad and pen. “First,” she said all businesslike, “We should settle on ingredients.”

Jong Kook nodded. He appreciated her efficiency. “Yes, things like garlic. They drew garlic, right? And leeks. They also drew kimchi.” He paused as Ji Hyo wrote all this down. Her dark head was bent over the notepad, her wavy hair falling over either side of her face. Jong Kook made sure to keep his eyes on the road as he continued to list of ingredients.

“It think that’s everything,” said Ji Hyo finally. She hesitated and then said, “You know, our team works really good together.”

“It’s by comparison,” said Jong Kook. “The other two are idiots. Both of them…”

Ji Hyo laughed. “Trying to fool us with fake nosebleeds.”

Jong Kook’s smile was more of a grimace. He still couldn’t bring himself to admit he and Ji Hyo worked well together. He had convinced himself that being on her team—especially if they worked well together—would result in a love line. But Kwang Soo had said that Monday Couple had unrivaled popularity. Surely no one would want a love line between him and Ji Hyo if Monday Couple was so popular.

“What should our approach be?” asked Ji Hyo.

Jong Kook glanced at the nameless VJ in the back of the car and then said, “Jae Suk and Daesung are going to fool around most of the time, since they’re Dumb and Dumber.”

“Then should we be serious?” wondered Ji Hyo. “Go in the opposite direction.”

A grin crept up on Jong Kook’s face. “A serious and speedy shopping trip?”

“We’ll break world records,” said Ji Hyo with a laugh.

They reached the parking lot of the grocery store and Jong Kook found an empty space. The moment he exited the car, he was greeted by Ki Jin and a camera.

“Did you miss me?” asked Ki Jin.

“It was so peaceful without you,” said Jong Kook immediately. He watched as Ji Hyo got out of the car, and then they joined Jae Suk and Daesung heading across the parking lot to the grocery store. Jong Kook asked, “How did you get here ahead of us?”

“Because you’re an old man who insists on following the speed limit,” said Ki Jin. “Woong PD speeds.”

Jong Kook gave his VJ a quick grin before stepping between Jae Suk and Ji Hyo just as they were arguing over Ji Hyo’s miniscule handwriting.

“Do you know what you’re making?” asked Daesung.

“Do you?” asked Jong Kook.

“Of course,” said Daesung quickly and loudly (which meant he didn’t know).

“You don’t need to worry about us,” added Jae Suk (who clearly didn’t know either).

“How do you plan on buying ingredients if you don’t know what you’re making?” asked Ji Hyo.

“Song Ji Hyo,” said Jae Suk. “It’s not about just writing down ingredients—it’s about the feel.”

“The feel?” Ji Hyo sent a smirk in Jong Kook’s direction.

“Aigoo.” Jae Suk sighed dramatically as they entered the front doors of the grocery store. “If you’ve never cooked before, you won’t understand.”

“I think we understand just fine,” said Jong Kook.

They were given fifteen minutes for shopping and told where to meet the staff for checkout at the end of the fifteen minutes. Jae Suk and Daesung were speculating about the identity some bottle, and Jong Kook and Ji Hyo made a plan of attack while the staff set up VJs with handheld cameras throughout the store. The moment Woong PT gave the signal, Ji Hyo tore through the doors, heading for the first aisle. She paused just long enough to tap the handle of a cart and said, “Oppa!” Jong Kook grabbed the cart and followed her as best he could through the locals doing their own late night grocery shopping.

They went down the first aisle—trying to act intense and serious—but saw nothing on the list, so when they reached the end of the row, Jong Kook asked, “What should we get first.”

Ji Hyo checked her notepad and said, “First, garlic and leeks. Ah, Garlic and chili powder!”

“Okay,” said Jong Kook. “Hurry, let’s go.”

Ji Hyo nodded and opened , only to freeze. Jong Kook followed her line of sight and saw a vendor handing out free samples. Jong Kook laughed as Ji Hyo dragged the cart over to the free samples and helped herself.

“Yah!” Jong Kook tried to be irritated, but it was hard to be when she happily helped herself to free food. “We have to hurry, Ji Hyo.”

She took a free sample from the vendor and handed it to Jong Kook. “You’ll have more energy if you eat that.” She took a bite. “It’s really good!”

With a sigh, Jong Kook took a bite of his own sample. “Oh, that is good.”

“I told you,” said Ji Hyo.

Jong Kook started to push the cart, and Ji Hyo followed, checking the list as if they hadn’t just stopped and wasted part of the precious fifteen minutes on free samples. “Okay, so first garlic, chili powder…”

“Here,” said Jong Kook as they turned down the condiments aisle. Ji Hyo grabbed a packet of chili powder and tossed it into the cart. Then, she was off to find the garlic.

Somewhere between finding the strung-up sausages and the fermented kimchi, Jong Kook realized that he and Ji Hyo were even good at grocery shopping together. They had a system. He pushed the cart and she put the items in, and while she was retrieving the needed items from the shelves, he was searching for the location of their next item. They discussed each food item, debating if it was the best, cheapest, healthiest option, before putting it in the cart. There was even one moment where Ji Hyo was pushing the cart as she rushed to the next location, and realizing that it was Jong Kook’s job, she dramatically cried, “Kim Jong Kook,” and moved over so that he could take her place. It was the most efficient and most fun grocery shopping trip Jong Kook had ever been on.

He wanted to sit down on the tile floor and laugh. He had spent months avoiding being on the same team as Ji Hyo. She had said over and over again that they made a good team, but Jong Kook hadn’t truly believed her. Until now. Damn it, they were even good at grocery shopping together.

“This is hilarious,” said Ki Jin as Jong Kook stood at the end of an aisle and let Ji Hyo run to get the last of the spices. “Almost more exciting than nametag ripping.”

“We’re in a grocery store,” muttered Jong Kook. “How exciting can it be?”

“You have to see things from Sung Gyu’s and my perspectives,” said Ki Jin.

Jong Kook scowled at him, but before he could say anything, Ji Hyo returned.

“Are we ready to check out?” she asked.

“That was the last thing,” said Jong Kook, examining the contents of the cart.

“And we’re in time, right?” Ji Hyo looked at the VJs for confirmation.

“Definitely,” said Sung Gyu. “This has to be one of the fastest shopping trips I’ve ever seen.”

Ki Jin was snickering behind his camera again.

Oh PT paid for Jong Kook and Ji Hyo’s shopping first. Jong Kook and Ji Hyo stood by the doors of the grocery store, waiting for Oh PT to return their shopping. Jong Kook purposely avoided eye contact with Ki Jin; he had the feeling his VJ was laughing at him.

Finally, Oh PT handed over their shopping bags, and Jong Kook and Ji Hyo headed out to their car. Since all four personal VJs had ridden in a van together, Ki Jin and Sung Gyu had to wait for Jae Suk and Daesung to finish their shopping. So Jong Kook, Ji Hyo, and the new VJ whose name Jong Kook didn’t know got into their car and left ahead of everyone else.

Jong Kook was filled with nervous energy. He had to talk to Ji Hyo privately. He wanted to put an end to any unnecessary tensions now before it crept up on them again when they least expected it and they ended up arguing in front of Yong Hwa and Daesung. But Jong Kook wasn’t sure how to talk to her. If the new VJ hadn’t been in the car, Jong Kook would have just explained himself to Ji Hyo and then told Myuk PD to delete that footage. But the new VJ was here and Jong Kook had to find a way to get rid of him, because Jong Kook knew if he waited, he’d come up with a thousand reasons not to talk to Ji Hyo.

His solution came in the form of coffee. As he approached the highway, he saw a sign for a coffee house and decided he had a sudden craving for a late night Americano. He almost laughed at the irony of it all; the day had begun and ended with Americano coffee.

“I’m in the mood for some coffee,” said Jong Kook, trying to sound casual. “You?”

Ji Hyo lit up at that. “Americano, please.”

“And you?” Jong Kook asked the new VJ in the back.

The poor man was looking back and forth between Jong Kook and Ji Hyo. It was obvious that two celebrities couldn’t just walk into a coffee shop in the middle of the night together—even if they were coworkers, it would cause a scandal—which meant that the VJ would have to run in to buy the coffee.

“I’ll get myself something,” mumbled the VJ.

Jong Kook put on the car’s blinker and pulled into the parking lot of the coffee house. After parking in an empty spot, he dug some money out of his wallet and handed it to the VJ, saying, “My treat.”

The VJ thanked him and then slid out of the car, leaving Jong Kook and Ji Hyo alone.

Jong Kook took a deep breath and braced himself for what he was about to do. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Ji Hyo blinked. “I knew something was strange when you said you wanted coffee.”

“Too much coffee in one day isn’t healthy,” said Jong Kook automatically.

A faint smile crossed Ji Hyo’s face but then faded. “We’re not going to argue again, are we?”

Jong Kook was already regretting his decision to talk to her. But he couldn’t just leave things as they were. It wasn’t good for Running Man, and it wasn’t fair to Ji Hyo. Taking a deep breath, he said, “I think it’s okay for us to be on the same team from now on.”

Ji Hyo stiffened in her seat and then slowly turned to stare at him. “Really?”

“Monday Couple is popular now,” said Jong Kook quickly. “So there’s little risk of us developing a love line. Unless, of course, the writers wanted a love triangle, but Monday Couple is popular as a solid relationship, so I don’t think a love triangle is wanted. And, well, I didn’t want to admit it before now, but you and I do make a great team.” He paused and gave her a small smile. “The Commander and the Ace, right?”

Ji Hyo sat still, her body half turned toward him.

Jong Kook definitely regretted his decision now. He’d stopped to talk to her because having all the cast members get along was good for Running Man. But perhaps he hadn’t thought things through properly. Perhaps he should have waited. He didn’t know why he should wait though. She’d wanted to be on the same team as him for a while? Wouldn’t she be happy that he’d changed his mind? Why wasn’t she saying anything? Why wasn’t she happy? Jong Kook definitely didn’t understand women.

And then, Ji Hyo spoke. “You…” She trailed off, took a deep breath, and tried again, “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” Jong Kook frowned.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Jae Suk-oppa told me that you never change your mind.”

“I’ve changed my mind about this, haven’t I?” Jong Kook scowled. He was going to have to have a talk with his hyung. Jong Kook was stubborn, yes, but he wasn’t that narrow-minded. He opened his mouth to explain this to Ji Hyo but then stopped.

She smiled at him. A small, shy smile that reached even the corners of her eyes. “I’m glad.”

Jong Kook saw the door to the coffee house open and the VJ emerged carrying a tray of coffees. He turned to stare at the VJ and Ji Hyo followed his gaze.

“Poor Park VJ,” said Ji Hyo. “You sent him on an errand just to get rid of him.”

If nothing else, Jong Kook was relieved to finally know the VJs name. As Park VJ opened the car door and slid into the back seat, Jong Kook made sure to thank him.

Jong Kook wasn’t sure what he was going to do with the Americano. He never drank coffee at night. Except, Park VJ might find it suspicious. Gritting his teeth, Jong Kook took a sip of the coffee. His body would have to suffer for the sake of putting an end to his ongoing argument with Ji Hyo. He took another sip of the Americano. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ji Hyo silently laughing at him.