The Unanswered Text

It Began With a Gray Sky

Chapter Nineteen: The Unanswered Text

It was seven in the morning on a Sunday, and Ji Hyo was already in front of the cameras, wearing her “airport fashion” of a gray cotton shift with black leggings and finishing her breakfast-to-go of ginger crackers. Her manager had been left in charge of her suitcase, while Ji Hyo filmed the opening segment of the show. Ji Hyo had slept almost all day Saturday in preparation for the early flight to Thailand, and now she was wide-awake and buzzing with excitement.

So far, three members besides Ji Hyo had arrived at the airport, wearing their best “airport fashion”, as the PDs had requested. Jae Suk dressed in jeans and a plain shirt, Gary in shorts with a straw fedora, and Haha in all black. Gary kept checking his phone for messages, while Jae Suk kept grumbling about having to go overseas to film. Only Haha seemed as excited as Ji Hyo to be going to Thailand.

“Larb Mote Daeng,” said Ji Hyo, her tongue stumbling over the foreign words.

“What is that?” asked Haha. “Is it good?”

Ji Hyo nodded. “It’s made of red ants and their eggs—supposedly one of the more delicious dishes in Thailand.”

“I thought you were afraid of insects,” said Haha.

“But these are dead.” Ji Hyo was willing to fight her fear of insects if it meant good food.

“You want to eat ants?” Gary looked like he wanted to puke.

“I’ve never eaten ants before,” said Haha with a shrug. “It’s worth a try. My friend told me I should try snakehead fish—” He was cut short by the ring of his cellphone. “Kwang Soo’s calling. He’s probably lost. Again.” Haha answered the phone and walked away from the cameras, leaving Ji Hyo to look up what a snakehead fish was on her own.

“Why are you into such weird foods?” asked Gary when she showed him a picture of the rather frightening-looking spotted fish.

“It’s about having new experiences,” said Ji Hyo “You never know, you might end up liking snakehead fish or ant eggs.”

Jae Suk pointed at Gary’ disgusted face and said, “This is why the two of you can never date.”

There were plenty of reasons why Ji Hyo and Gary could never date, but Ji Hyo didn’t feel like listing them off for the cameras. Instead, she glanced down at her phone where a text message from her friend, Ye Seo, had remained unanswered for almost twenty-four hours now. When they’d had lunch on Friday, Ji Hyo had mentioned how hard it was to date in the entertainment industry, causing Ye Seo to offer to set Ji Hyo up on a date with a lawyer friend of hers. He was handsome and successful, he doted on his parents, he loved to travel and try new things—on paper, he sounded like someone Ji Hyo would get along well with. There was no good reason why she shouldn’t go out on a date with him. But, of course, two things were stopping her. Or rather, two people. Kim Jong Kook and Kang Gary.

Kim Jong Kook because she definitely wasn’t over her crush on him. Was it fair to date someone when her thoughts were occupied with someone else? But maybe going out on dates with other people would help her move on. Maybe she would meet someone she liked and who actually liked her back.

                                                

But then there was the additional issue of Kang Gary to consider. If she was dating someone else, could Monday Couple survive? Or would she and Gary stop their act, and would Gary have to find a new character? What would the Monday Couple fans think if they found out that she was dating someone other than Gary? Would they be disappointed? Upset? Betrayed? Ji Hyo loved her fans; she didn’t want to hurt them. And what if she managed to date in secret while continuing to be the Monday Girlfriend? Would she be able to explain to her boyfriend that the love line was just an act? Or would it hurt him to watch every Sunday as his girlfriend and Kang Gary pretended to be a couple?

When she had first agreed to do Monday Couple, none of these things had occurred to her. She had only thought about doing the show well. She’d never thought that it would affect her dating life and that she would one day have to ask these kinds of questions.

Ji Hyo slid her phone into the side pocket of her patterned backpack. She could wait to respond to Ye Seo’s text about the date. She was busy filming in Thailand and hadn’t had time to check her messages. It was the perfect excuse, and it gave Ji Hyo time to think.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of VJ Ki Jin carrying a handheld camera on his shoulder. She looked past him and saw a familiar broad-shouldered figure.

“Oh, Jong Kook-oppa’s here,” said Ji Hyo. “Jong Kook-oppa.”

“Is that airport fashion?” asked Jae Suk. “That’s gym fashion.”

Jong Kook’s airport fashion consisted of a white t-shirt, jean shorts, and a straw fedora. He placed his black gym bag on the floor as he came to stand at the end of the line next to Jae Suk. Ji Hyo greeted him with “hyungnim” which, of course, caused him to scowl at her.

“Why is everyone wearing fedoras?” Ji Hyo pointed to Jong Kook, Gary, and Haha.

“Did you three plan this?” asked Jae Suk.

“I wore it first,” said Jong Kook. “And then the Two Kids copied me.”

“I was here first, so technically you two copied me,” said Haha. “I’m the trendsetter.”

“It can’t be,” cried out Gary. He wasn’t listening to Haha and Jong Kook but looking at the escalator where a man in a blue and white plaid shirt, bright green pants, and a newsboy cap was smiling at VJ Yoo Suk and the camera.

“Suk Jin-hyung,” called out Jae Suk, chuckling a little even as he said the name, “What are you wearing?”

“You like it?” asked Suk Jin as he joined the rest of the cast in front of the cameras. “Very fashionable.” He was laughing at himself even as he spoke.

“You’re lucky this is a variety show, hyung,” said Jong Kook.

Dressed in striped shorts with a black sweater tied around his shoulders, Kwang Soo showed up (with the help of Haha’s directions) not long after Suk Jin. The teasing remarks began almost instantly.

“Do you think you’re in Europe?” asked Gary.

 “Kwang Soo, aren’t those boxers, you’re wearing?” asked Jae Suk.

“He borrowed them from Joong Ki,” added Haha.

“Do I really have to live like this?” complained Kwang Soo. “I can’t even go to Thailand without hearing harsh words.”

Cho PD handed out their plane tickets, explaining that their mission would start after they reached Bangkok and that the staff had permission to use a few handheld cameras in certain parts of the airport and at certain times on the plane so they could have images for the episode. When she heard this, Ji Hyo glanced over at her VJ Sung Gyu who was preparing his camera for airport filming while talking with VJ Ki Jin. She wondered if she should buy the VJs some snacks as a thank you for working so hard even when they had a flight to catch.

As the Running Man staff packed up the stationary cameras, Oh Hyun Sook PT and Kim Do Yun FD led the way through the airport towards their terminal. Haha and Gary took the lead, talking about their upcoming albums. Ji Hyo followed them with Jae Suk, Jong Kook, and Kwang Soo not far behind her and Suk Jin bringing up the rear, talking on the phone to his wife.

Ji Hyo glanced at the camera on Sung Gyu’s shoulder and smiled. “We’re going to Thailand.”

“I’m surprised to see you’re awake.” Jong Kook had sped up so that he now walked beside her, leaving Jae Suk and Kwang Soo to talk amongst themselves.

“I slept for sixteen hours yesterday,” said Ji Hyo proudly. She caught sight of his frown and asked, “Are you jealous?”

“A little,” he admitted. “I had a performance yesterday evening.”

“Is that why you’re wearing sunglasses indoors?” asked Ji Hyo. “To cover up the shadows under your eyes.”

From behind the camera, Ki Jin snickered at her comment.

“I saw that,” said Jong Kook, pointing at his VJ. He turned back to Ji Hyo and said, “It’s an old habit from my Turbo days.”

“To hide his small eyes,” said Ki Jin, apparently unable to resist making a jab at Jong Kook.

“Yah!” cried Jong Kook. “Aren’t you supposed to be silent when filming?”

“They’re only going to use maybe four shots of the airport if we’re lucky,” complained Ki Jin as Sung Gyu nodded in agreement. They reached the security checkpoint, and Ki Jin and Sung Gyu had to pause to switch off their cameras. Ji Hyo and Jong Kook followed Haha and Gary into the checkpoint, waiting in line behind other Running Man staff members.

“What does Turbo have to do with your sunglasses?” asked Ji Hyo.

“Huh?” Jong Kook adjusted his hat and shrugged. “Oh, when I first joined Turbo, the management company thought my small eyes were ugly and told me to wear sunglasses.”

“But I like your small eyes.” Ji Hyo frowned, trying to recall Turbo’s music videos and what Jong Kook had been wearing in each one. She glanced up to ask Jong Kook what songs he’d worn sunglasses in, but she stopped when she realized he was watching her. It took her a second to realize why, and when she did, she felt her face start to turn red.

“I like them too,” said Jong Kook finally. “Or at least I wouldn’t change them. My older brother’s a plastic surgeon, and he talks all the time about giving me new eyelids.”

“You’d better not,” said Ji Hyo with more force than she’d intended.

Jong Kook laughed. “I won’t. And I’ll tell Jong Myung-hyung that if he ever tries to fix my eyes, he’ll have Bad Ji Hyo after him.”

“Is that what I am now?” asked Ji Hyo. “The protector of Kim Jong Kook’s eyes?”

Jong Kook smiled, but before he could respond, his manager Gap Jin joined them in line, having something work-related to show Jong Kook. Ji Hyo stepped back and let them talk, pulling out her phone so she wouldn’t be tempted to eavesdrop. Once again, she found herself staring at the unanswered text from Ye Seo.

What to do?

Silently, Ji Hyo watched as Jong Kook took off his straw fedora and handed it to his manager. His black hair was slightly ruffled from the hat, and Jong Kook used his fingers to tame the stray strands. Gap Jin said something about football that caused Jong Kook to laugh, his shoulders shaking a little. Ji Hyo decided she liked him in white, the t-shirt emphasizing the hard lines of the muscles in his arms and torso. It wasn’t that she was a fan of muscular builds or small eyes or black hair but rather she was a fan of those things on Jong Kook. He somehow— No. Nope. Ji Hyo was supposed to be done with this. She was supposed to be trying to move on, decide if she wanted to go out on the date with Ye Seo’s lawyer friend or not.

Ji Hyo was about to respond to Ye Seo’s text but stopped herself. Yes, she should agree to the date in order to move on from Jong Kook. But what about her love line? What would it be like to date during her love line? There were so many questions, so many doubts. She thought about calling Joong Ki to hear his thoughts on the matter—but would Joong Ki know what to do? His experiences with love lines were just as limited as hers. She definitely couldn’t discuss this with Gary; they were nowhere near close enough. She could talk to Jae Suk, who was always willing to give advice. But would Jae Suk be able to understand her fears? He understood variety, yes, but he had never been in a love line himself.

Once again, Ji Hyo found her gaze going to Jong Kook. If there was a person who understood what it was like to be in a love line, it was him. But were they close enough for her to ask about this? But hadn’t he told her at the beginning of Monday Couple that she would always talk to him about love lines? Going on a date with the lawyer wasn’t exactly related to her love line, but it was affected by it. Surely, Jong Kook could give her some advice on that. And, thought Ji Hyo slyly, talking to Jong Kook would allow her to gauge his reaction to the idea of her dating other people. She’d be able to see his reaction first hand, see if he had any interest in her or not.

But finding the right opportunity to talk to Jong Kook was not easy. He was constantly surrounded by people. Once he had passed through security, he stood with Gap Jin, discussing his schedule after he returned from Thailand. Ji Hyo didn’t want to interrupt, so she stood to the side, only half-paying attention as her coordinator Kim Ju Eun talked about a new drama she was watching.

Once all the cast had passed through the security check point, they were led to a private lounge where they would wait with some of the Running Man staff until it was time to board the plane. Gap Jin went to buy some food, and Ji Hyo sat down next to Jong Kook, hoping to get a few minutes of private conversation, but before she could get a word out, Suk Jin took the seat opposite them and started talking to Jong Kook about the football betting scandal. Ji Hyo knew next to nothing about football, so she moved seats and ended up sharing the snacks she’d brought with the VJs.

The Running Man cast and their personal staff were given seats in a front section of the place, while the crew and equipment were in the economy class. Jong Kook and Suk Jin feel asleep almost as soon as they reached their seats, while Jae Suk had brought a book that he’d apparently been wanting to read for the last month but had never had time. The four younger cast members, however, were happy to talk amongst themselves for most of the six-hour flight.

Gary attempted to teach Ji Hyo and Kwang Soo how to rap—and apparently, Ji Hyo had some talent while Kwang Soo was miserable. Then a few of the VJs came into the private section of the plane with cameras to get a few shots of the cast during the flight. Gary ended up teaching VJs Jung Hwa and Sung Gyu how to rap as well, and Kwang Soo’s VJ Yoon Sang admitted he was a big reggae fan, which resulted in Haha giving a mini-performance of his new song “Rosa” until Jae Suk warned them that it would wake up the sleeping old men (AKA Jong Kook and Suk Jin).

It turned out that Gary was a fan of fortunetelling, and after the VJs left, the four of them ended up spending half an hour analyzing all the casts compatibilities based on their zodiac signs. In the end, they decided that Ox Kwang Soo was good paired with Rat Jae Suk, and Rooster Ji Hyo was best partnered with Dragon Jong Kook, while Goat Haha went well with both Horses Suk Jin and Gary.

“Maybe Jong Kook-hyung and Ji Hyo-noona really should have been Running Man’s love line,” said Kwang Soo with a laugh.

Ji Hyo twisted in her seat to glare across the aisle at Kwang Soo. Not becoming a love line with Jong Kook was a good thing. She was fairly certain that, to this day, they would still be awkward around each other if they had been love line partners.

“Monday Couple jjang,” said Gary who was sitting in the row behind Ji Hyo.

“Are there still fans who like Jong Kook-oppa and me together?” asked Ji Hyo.

“Why?” asked Haha from beside Gary. “Do you really want a love line with Jong Kook-hyung?”

“But Monday Couple…” Gary tried to sound heartbroken.

“No, no,” said Ji Hyo quickly. “Monday Couple jjang and all that.”

Haha laughed. “You sound so enthusiastic.”

“I’m just curious as to who the fans like together,” said Ji Hyo.

“There’s always fans of you and Jong Kook-hyung,” said Kwang Soo. “And fans of you and Dong Hoon-hyung, but Monday Couple is the overwhelming favorite.” At this, Gary pumped his fist in the air in celebration, while Kwang Soo shook his head and added, “There are even a few people starting to ask if you two are really dating.”

“Really?” asked Gary. “Is our act that convincing?”

“No.” Kwang Soo and Haha spoke almost simultaneously.

“We have really good editors,” said Haha.

Ji Hyo frowned. She knew Monday Couple was popular, but did people really think she was dating Gary? Didn’t they know it was just for the show? Couldn’t they see how uncomfortable it made her at times? It was a love line. It would never be anything more than a love line. Maybe she should agree to the date with the lawyer just put some distance between her and the love line. But how would fans react if she was discovered dating someone else? But what if she found a man she liked and he heard these theories that she and Gary were dating?

Not yet. Ji Hyo couldn’t make a decision yet. She was going to talk to Jong Kook first.

 

 

“Only Jong Kook looks like a celebrity,” observed Suk Jin.

Ji Hyo glanced back at Jong Kook, who had put his sunglasses back on only minutes after the plane had landed in Bangkok. The cameras had been switched on immediately so they could film the seven cast members as they exited the plane together. At the end of the walkway, Myuk and Taek PDs were waiting for the cast, and Ji Hyo had a feeling the race was going to start sooner than expected.

“We have to go through immigration first,” complained Jae Suk.

Jong Kook nodded. “Don’t tell me the race is starting here. We’re going to look suspicious if we have to run through immigration.”

The cast members crowded around the PDs, waiting apprehensively to hear what the instructions. Ji Hyo found herself pushed to the front of the group, and Kwang Soo almost knocked the hat off her head. She glared at him as she fixed it.

“We will start the race to decide the teams now,” said Taek PD.

A race to start the teams? That meant the staff hadn’t decided on the teams for that day yet. Which meant there may be a chance that she could pick her teammates.

“Without knowing anything?” asked Jae Suk. “Just go?”

Picking her own teammates meant Ji Hyo might get a day of being on the same team as Jong Kook. Which meant that not only would she get to have a competent teammate, but she might also manage to find some time to talk to him about love lines and dating.

“You think it’ll be something like go right or left of the flag?” asked Suk Jin. “They usually use—”

Ji Hyo didn’t wait to speculate. She just went.

As she jogged through the hallway, she could hear the rest of her cast mates grumbling, “Chun Sung Im, seriously.” But it wasn’t until she reached the main part of the airport that Ji Hyo heard footsteps behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Jong Kook had caught up to her.

Ji Hyo found herself saying, “You’d better not beat me.”

“We have to form the teams well today,” said Jong Kook with a quick grin.

Despite his words, he didn’t run past but jogged beside her

As they stepped onto one of the moving walkways, Ji Hyo said, “If we get a choice on teams. You, me, and Haha-oppa.”

“What about the guests?” asked Jong Kook.

“I suppose we have to secure airtime. You, me, and the male guest.”

Jong Kook laughed. “And we’ll abandon Haha?”

“Commander and Ace jjang,” said Ji Hyo.

It sounded like a plan, but as they stepped off the walkway, Kwang Soo and Suk Jin came sprinting past them with Gary and Haha hot on their heels. Jae Suk was lagging behind, ranting about something to the camera. The other six members scrambled to get on the next moving walkway first, but Suk Jin and Kwang Soo blocked the path so they were all forced to walk.

“If we all walk together,” complained Jae Suk, finally catching up with the rest. “We can all walk, but if one person runs then we all have to run.”

“But this is Running Man,” said Ji Hyo.

“The sleepy people ran so quickly,” said Gary, pointing at Jong Kook and Ji Hyo.

“Yah,” said Ji Hyo. “I only slept on the plane for half an hour. Jong Kook-hyung slept for most of the flight.”

“You slept sixteen hours yesterday and you still needed a nap?” asked Jong Kook.

Since they were approaching customs, the cast did stop running, and the cameras had to be switched off once again. As they waited in line, the cast began to speculate how the teams would be decided. Ji Hyo was still hoping that the first person to reach the finish would get to pick her teammates for the day, but the rest of the cast thought that was too simple.

Going through customs had drained the cast of their competitive edge, and they started looking for the Running Man crew together. It was Haha who found the green and yellow flag. The PDs and crew had already set up some cameras so that they were filming the area past the flag where the ground was marked with several black lines. The Running Man flag was placed at the end of one of these lines so that it resembled a finish of sorts. The cast stopped in front of the line suddenly hesitant to cross.

“Do we have to go over this?” asked Jae Suk.

The cast remained motionless. Ji Hyo eyed the black line suspiciously; she didn’t trust the writers. At first, she thought it’d been a race to decide the teams, but now she was having doubts. Was it a reward or punishment to cross first?

“You have to cross over the line and stand on this side,” said Cho PD. “We can’t start until you do.”

It was Suk Jin who moved first, followed by Kwang Soo, but they both stopped before the line. Suk Jin looked over his shoulder, waiting for the rest of the cast to join him.

“Do we just go over?” asked Ji Hyo, finally stepping forward. She figured she should just go for it—they were all going to have to cross the line sooner or later. Maybe her initial hunch would be right and the first to cross could pick the teams.

But just as Ji Hyo started forward, Haha pushed Suk Jin over the line.

Suk Jin stumbled forward before rounding on Haha with irritation. “Why did you push me?”

Ji Hyo, the second to cross thanks to Haha, glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Jae Suk shove Kwang Soo forward. Jong Kook crossed, followed by a tentative Jae Suk. And after some nagging from Suk Jin, Gary and then Haha came over. Finally, after all that complaining and speculating from the cast, Cho PD explained how the teams would be formed—the order in which they crossed the line was how the guest had chosen his or her teammates for the day. Suk Jin who had crossed first was number one and Haha who had crossed last was number seven.

“After all that, it was really simple” said Kwang Soo.

“Are we going to finally meet the guests?” asked Haha. “Is there one or two?”

“There must be two,” said Suk Jin. “I thought we were having three teams today.”

Jae Suk shushed them, and the cast called for their first guest to come out. They were genuinely curious as to who it could be. They had been speculating about who would come with Running Man on a trip to Thailand for almost three weeks now, and despite constant questions, the PDs had remained resolutely silent.

From behind a pillar stepped a dark-haired woman dressed in a white, sleeveless shirt and pink, three-quarter length pants. It took Ji Hyo less than a second to recognize the actress, and she cried, “Min Jung!”

“Kim Min Jung,” gasped Haha. “It’s Kim Min Jung.”

“Isn’t that Min Jung-sshi?” asked Jae Suk.

Still shocked and excited by the guest, Ji Hyo barely heard her male colleagues’ praises. She smiled and waved at her dongsaeng (though technically her sunbae in the acting industry), while Jae Suk stepped forward to greet her politely. But once the formal greetings were done, Ji Hyo threw her arms around Min Jung and the two of them hugged tightly.

“Both of you are close?” asked Kwang Soo.

“We were previously from the same agency,” explained Ji Hyo.

Min Jung nodded. “Previously, previously.” She glanced at Ji Hyo with a teasing smile. “Before she left us.”

“I never thought Min Jung-sshi would come.” Jae Suk sounded as if he was still in shock. “I really didn’t expect it.”

Ji Hyo shook her head and laughed at her coworkers. They were like this whenever a female guest came on Running Man, rambling about how beautiful the guest was and acting as though they had crushes on her. The early days when they had treated Ji Hyo like that had become nothing more than a distant memory—something which Ji Hyo was glad for. She wasn’t even offended when Haha said, “She’s so pretty. Ji Hyo can’t even compare to her.” Ji Hyo would much rather be treated as a member of the family; it would be so uncomfortable for the men to praise her constantly when they met each other every week. However, Ji Hyo had a role to play, so she pointed at Haha and said, angrily, “Be careful, you.”

“Ji Hyo-unnie is very pretty,” said Min Jung.

“Thank you,” said Ji Hyo, giving her dongsaeng another hug. “I can’t believe you’re here. When did you get in?”

“I flew in from Gimpo,” explained Min Jung. “So I got in an hour ago.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be on Running Man?” asked Ji Hyo.

“We have to determine the teams,” said Jae Suk, bringing the conversation back to focus. Min Jung and Ji Hyo’s chatter came to an end with Ji Hyo feeling a little embarrassed for forgetting about the cameras.

“What numbers did you choose, Min Jung-sshi?” asked Jae Suk.

With a small smile, Min Jung held up four fingers.

At first, Ji Hyo couldn’t remember who number four was, but then she saw Jong Kook covering his open mouth as if he’d received the greatest shock in the world. Ji Hyo felt her stomach sinking, but she tried to hide her disappointment.

“I’m number five,” said Jae Suk.

“I wanted to be number four,” whined Gary.

Jae Suk groaned and clutched his head. “This is like winning the lotto, Jong Kook.”

Ji Hyo could only watch as Jong Kook shook Min Jung’s hand, a wide smile on his face. Min Jung seemed happy too. Ji Hyo remembered her excitement when she’d gotten off the plane and thought that she could be in a team with Jong Kook today. They would have explored Thailand together, laughing and having a good time, she would have been able to ask him about love lines, and they would have had a good chance at winning.

“You’re really not suited for her.” Jae Suk was still complaining.

“How are we not suited?” asked Jong Kook, who had moved to stand beside Min Jung. “How are we not suited?”

“You’re not suited,” said Ji Hyo without thinking.

“Even Ji Hyo agrees with me,” said Jae Suk. “And she’s Min Jung-sshi’s friend so her opinion matters.”

“Why?” asked Jong Kook, rounding on Ji Hyo. “Why aren’t we suited?”

“You said ‘let’s form the teams well today’!” snapped Ji Hyo.

“I think the teams are formed very well today,” said Jong Kook. He had his hands half raised in a defensive posture as if he expected Ji Hyo to try to pull his hair or kick him at any second. He knew her well.

“What do you mean ‘the teams are formed well’?” asked Jae Suk. “We haven’t even finished forming Ming Jung-sshi’s team.”

Jong Kook stuck his tongue out at Ji Hyo and mouthed something that looked like “Too bad”. Ji Hyo couldn’t help but smile at that. It’d come down to the drawing of numbers and luck hadn’t been on her side. 

“You still have one more teammate, Min Jung-sshi,” said Jae Suk.

“Chose me!” shouted Haha.

“What number are you?” asked Min Jung, leaning forward.

“Number seven.”

Min Jung’s smile widened, and she waved her hand. “No, no.”

Ji Hyo laughed as Jae Suk pushed Haha to the side and Haha screamed, “I love you, you fool! I love you! You’ll love me too after a while!”

“You’re the real fool,” said Jae Suk before turning back to Min Jung. “The first one’s number four. And after that?”

Ji Hyo knew she didn’t have a chance of being chosen—there was no way the staff would put two females on the same team. So she listened with mild curiosity as Min Jung made a drumroll sound and announced, “Number five!”

Jae Suk’s reaction was instantaneous, pumping his fists and crying out in joy. Jong Kook was shocked. Min Jung was smiling from ear to ear. The rest of the cast were full of complaints.

“Why is it like this?” asked Suk Jin.

“It doesn’t make sense!” cried Ji Hyo. She pointed to both Jae Suk and Jong Kook. “What to do when both of you are chosen? PDs!”

Jong Kook and Jae Suk hugged, both of them still trying to figure out how this team could have happened.

“Ah, this is my first time having this team,” said Jong Kook, while Jae Suk asked, “No, Jong Kook and I, really?”

“It doesn’t make sense.” Ji Hyo stood next to them, giving the Cho PD protesting glares. Maybe if she tried hard enough, the PDs would separate Jae Suk and Jong Kook, and Ji Hyo could get her dream team after all. 

“They were both so annoyed about coming to Thailand,” said Haha. “Jong Kook was tired and Jae Suk wanted to stay at home. Now look at them.”

Jae Suk raised his fists in victory. “I take it back. Everything I said I take it back.”

“The teams are decided,” said Cho PD.

Even though Jae Suk sent Ji Hyo to stand with the rest of the cast, her complaining didn’t stop. Never mind Ji Hyo’s dream team… What were the rest of them supposed to do when Running Man’s two pillars were on the same team as a guest? How were they supposed to get any screen time?

“Min Jung-sshi’s team is decided,” repeated Cho PD. “Now we’ll give the rest of you something to cheer about. It’s Song Ji Hyo-sshi’s turn to choose her team.”

Ji Hyo almost laughed at the situation. The one person she really wanted on her team was already taken. She glanced over at him and saw Jong Kook’s teasing smile—no doubt he knew was she was thinking. Turning back to the PDs, Ji Hyo asked, “I can just choose two people?”

She had been on a team with Kwang Soo and Suk Jin last time, and it had ended with Kwang Soo in the pond and Ji Hyo shot in the back, so there was little debate into her mind as to who she wanted.

She, of course, had to pick her Monday Boyfriend first, so she held out her hand to Gary and said, “Gary-oppa, let’s go.”

“Ultimately, it’s you,” said Gary, taking her hand.

Hand-in-hand, they moved to stand beside Min Jung’s team. There was no enthusiasm to their movements. It was almost funny how resigned both Ji Hyo and Gary were to their fate as Monday Couple. Ji Hyo still couldn’t understand how people thought they were really dating.

“One more person,” Jae Suk reminded her.

Ji Hyo turned to look at the three remaining men. Suk Jin and Kwang Soo stood stiffly side by side while Haha hid behind Kwang Soo. Ji Hyo couldn’t help but laugh a little as she said, “Haha-oppa…”

And thus began another one of Haha’s mini-dramas. He threw his hat on the ground and cried, “It had to be me!”

“You should be happy,” said Jae Suk.

When she managed to get her laughter under control, Ji Hyo shouted, “Yah! You should thank me for choosing you!”

“Dong Hoon being on a team with those two…” said Jong Kook.

Ji Hyo shot a glare in Jong Kook’s direction that shut him up. If he said one thing about Haha being a third wheel on her date with Gary, then Bad Ji Hyo was going to come out.

“Sung Im chose you, Haha, so you should be grateful to her,” said Jae Suk.

“That’s right,” said Ji Hyo as Haha moved to stand next to her. “You should be grateful.”

He grinned at her and said, “Prepare yourself for Gary-hyung’s and my amazing language skills.”

“Does that mean the two of us are a team?” asked Kwang Soo suddenly. He and Suk Jin stood together, staring at the PDs in disbelief.

“Aren’t we too weak?” asked Suk Jin.

Kwang Soo leaned forward and asked, “Noona, aren’t you choosing me?”

Ji Hyo stared at him and said nothing. When it came to choosing teams, skills were more important than friendships.

“The two of you are a team,” said Cho PD. “But there’s another guest who will be joining you.”

“Who?” asked Jae Suk.

The second guest turned out to be 2PM’s Nichkhun. As she watched the young idol, approach, Ji Hyo fought back a sigh. So one team had Jong Kook who spoke decent English, the other team had Nichkhun who spoke Thai, and Ji Hyo had the Two Kids. Winning today’s race and having decent screen time were already fading dreams for Ji Hyo. Well, maybe if she was lucky, she would at least get to try some Larb Mote Daeng.

 

 

It was somewhere around eleven at night, and the cameras had finally been put away. While the staff was getting keys to each member’s hotel room, a buffet of food had been ordered up to the hotel pool for the cast, guests, and crew to enjoy. Jong Kook sat on the edge of the pool, a towel wrapped around his shoulders and his legs dipped in the water, watching as Haha, Kwang Soo, and VJ Yoon Sang started up yet another water fight.

It’d been a long day of running around Thailand, but at least Jong Kook’s team had come in first. Min Jung had taken responsibility for the money they’d won, saying she was the most trustworthy. Jong Kook didn’t care. He was too tired to think about anything except the shower and bed that were waiting for him. As soon as he got his hotel key, Jong Kook was abandoning the pool, the food, and the company for a long, deep sleep.

There was the sound of footsteps, and then Ji Hyo sat down beside him on the concrete, wrapped in a pink towel and holding a plate of sliced mango. “Congratulations on the win, hyungnim.”

“You sound so enthusiastic,” said Jong Kook as he stole a piece of mango.

“I guess you and Jae Suk-oppa make a good team.”

“Maybe,” said Jong Kook. “We have really different styles though.”

“You do,” agreed Ji Hyo. “Two very different styles of nagging.”

They sat in silence for a moment, watching as Haha and Yoon Sang dragged Kwon Ryul into the water fight.

“If you’d been allowed to choose the teams,” asked Ji Hyo, “would you have picked me and Haha?”

Jong Kook didn’t even have to think about the answer. “How long have you been on Running Man, Chun Sung Im? I’m not your Monday Boyfriend. I’m not allowed to pick you over the guests.”

“Right.”

Jong Kook stole another piece of mango.

“Yah.” Ji Hyo pulled the plate out of his reach. “Go get your own.”

“You should share with your oppa.”

Laughing, Ji Hyo leaned away and held her hands up to stop Jong Kook. He tried to reach behind her for another slice, but his gaze caught on her shirt. The fabric had turned a dark green from the water and now clung to the curve of her s. The two buttons of her collared shirt were undone, revealing a drenched white t-shirt beneath and the line of her collarbone, while a few strands of dark hair had escaped from her ponytail, water causing them to curl around her pale neck. Jong Kook dropped his hand and stared down at the surface of the pool. Sometimes it was easy to forget that Ji Hyo was a beautiful actress.

Jong Kook lifted his right foot and watched ripples move across the water. Next to him, Ji Hyo slipped her own feet into the pool.

“If there were no guests,” she asked, “would you pick me to be on your team?”

Jong Kook opened his mouth but found that there wasn’t any easy answer. To his surprise, he wanted to say ‘yes’. He enjoyed having her on his team, their teamwork was great, and they had a lot of fun together. But could he, in front of the cameras, choose her as his teammate above the other cast members? Jong Kook tore his gaze from the pool and turned to look at her. “I’m not your Monday Boyfriend.” It was simplest answer he could give.

“Sometimes,” murmured Ji Hyo, “I hate my love line.”

“I know the feeling,” said Jong Kook. “There were times when my love line with Eun Hye made things easy—I’d always have a partner for couple selection—but there were also times where it would have been nice to partner with other people.”

There was a pause, and then Ji Hyo said, “There’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“Go ahead.”

“When Monday Couple first began,” she continued, “you said I could always ask you about love lines.”

Jong Kook waited.

“And I wanted to know.” She placed her hands on her knees and leaned back. “See, I have this friend and, ah, she has this friend—he’s a lawyer—and she wants to set me up on a date with him.”

Jong Kook had the sudden urge to jump in the pool and not resurface. If he had known that she was going to ask him for dating advice, he would never have let her ask a question. Was dating advice something a man talked about with his female dongsaengs? Jong Kook wasn’t sure, but it certainly wasn’t something he wanted to talk about with Ji Hyo. However, Jong Kook had told her to ask her question. It would be rude to jump into the pool before she even had a chance to finish. And she had listened to him talk about his fight with Suk Jin ad couple weeks ago. It was only fair that he sat still and listened to her now.

“I don’t know if it’s all right,” said Ji Hyo softly. “To go out on a date with this guy when I have a love line—”

“Don’t ever let a love line stop you from dating.” Jong Kook hadn’t meant to say anything, but the idea that Monday Couple could stop Ji Hyo from seeing anyone other than Gary was ridiculous. “Your love line is your work, dating is your personal life. Monday Couple isn’t a part of your personal life. You should date whoever you want to regardless of your love line.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jong Kook could see Ji Hyo staring at him. He didn’t turn to her though, but instead watched as Taek PD scolded Haha and Kwang Soo for pulling him into the water fight.

“Have you ever dated during your love lines?”

Now Jong Kook had to look at Ji Hyo. When their eyes met, she quickly glanced away and said, “Sorry. That was too much. I shouldn’t have asked.”

Telling her about his dating life was probably something Jong Kook shouldn’t do, but he still felt indebted to her for listening to his worries. She was concerned about dating during her love line and she had come to him for help. Jong Kook wanted to do this properly. He leaned back, using his arms to support him, and said, “It’s okay, and yes, I have. I dated a girl briefly during my second year of X-Man, and I had a fairly serious relationship during most of Family Outing.”

“Oh.”

Jong Kook tried to find the right words. “You should never let a love line stop you from dating someone you want to. But you should know that, ah, it’s complicated. Someone who’s not a celebrity might not understand what it means to be in a love line. It’s very easy to read celebrity gossip and to start believe it’s true…even if you try to explain to them that a love line is just work.” Jong Kook paused and leaned over to steal the final slice of mango from Ji Hyo’s plate. “But if you find someone you like and they trust you, then the love line won’t matter.”

A soft wind crossed the pool deck, and Jong Kook could feel it through his soaking wet shirt. 

Beside him, Ji Hyo slid her feet out of the water and pulled them to her chest. “What about the fans?”

“If you’re a popular love line, there will always be fans who think you’re real,” said Jong Kook. “Or who want you to be real. There’s no helping that. But most people understand that love lines are just love lines. It’s a variety show. What’s for the cameras is for the cameras. It’s only if you continue this behavior off-camera that it becomes unprofessional.”

He finally looked over at Ji Hyo. She was sitting her arms folded across her knees, her eyes fixed on the water in front of her. Even though she wore her usual blank expression, there was something almost sad in her gaze.

In an attempt to lighten up the atmosphere, Jong Kook said, “You know, Sung Im, I never thought your type would be a lawyer.”

She lifted her head and slowly turned to stare at him. “And how would you know what my type is?”

Jong Kook smiled. “I know you’re a Hyun Bin fan. What was his job in Secret Garden again? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that movie. Wasn’t he some type of CEO?”

Ji Hyo kicked the pool water at him.

“Yah!” cried Jong Kook, throwing up his hands as a shield. “You’ll get my towel wet.”

“I just said my friend wanted to set me up on a date with lawyer,” said Ji Hyo. “Not that lawyers were my type.” She suddenly smirked. “Besides, I know your type too, Kim Jong Kook. What was Yoon Eun Hye in Goong? A princess—that’s going to be very hard to find in this day and age.”

“Are we bringing love lines into this?” asked Jong Kook. “Does this mean your type is a Leessang rapper? There aren’t very many of those.”

Laughing, Jong Kook watched as Ji Hyo buried her face in her hands and shook her head. Then, she peaked at him through her fingers. Jong Kook scrunched up his face, causing her to drop her hands and smile.

Jong Kook glanced up to see the rest of the cast standing at the end of the pool, crowding around Ji Woong PT. “I see that the staff had returned with key cards.” Slowly rising from his seat on the concrete, Jong Kook said, “Guess it’s time to say goodnight. I know you need your sleep.”

Ji Hyo glanced over her shoulder at Ji Woong PT and nodded. “Finally.”

Jong Kook helped Ji Hyo get to her feet, and once she was upright, Jong Kook released her elbow. He took two steps towards Ji Woong PT but stopped and glanced back at Ji Hyo. “If you want to go on a date with the lawyer, you should. Don’t let Monday Couple stop you. It’s your choice. He’d be a lucky man.” Jong Kook rolled his shoulders back, releasing the tension in his back muscles. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He barely heard Ji Hyo’s response. “Tomorrow, oppa.”

 

 

Ji Hyo had spent the next hour in autopilot. She’d ran into Min Jung in the hallway and the two of them had spent a half hour catching up before Min Jung’s manager had found them and warned them that it was almost midnight. Ji Hyo had gotten two steps into her room when she got a phone call from her mother. They’d talked about filming in Thailand and new cooking recipes before Ji Hyo had begged her mother to let her wash the chlorine out of her hair. Ji Hyo had stood in the shower for almost twenty minutes, trying not to think about the text on her phone, still waiting for its answer. She’d never been so intimidated by a simple text before in her life.

It was almost one in the morning when Ji Hyo emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a robe. The hotel bedroom was nice with a television, a small sofa, a window that looked out over Bangkok, and most importantly a comfortable queen-sized bed. She settled on top of the duvet and placed her smartphone in front of her. With one hand, she typed in the passcode and opened Ye Seo’s message.

She tried to remember Jong Kook’s words at the pool, but it was hard to separate his words from the memory of him. He’d been wearing a soaking wet white shirt that showed off his build and made it had for Ji Hyo to form complete sentences. And he’d smiled at her, his small eyes disappearing. And he’d said that the man who dated her would be lucky. And he’d laughed as he . And he’d stolen her dessert. And…and he’d told her to date the lawyer.

In a way, he’d laid it all out so that even a five-year-old could understand. He’d said that Monday Couple shouldn’t stop her from dating, and he’d made it clear that he wasn’t interested. It should be easy, then, to tell Ye Seo to set up the date. The two things that had held Ji Hyo back were gone. She could date. She should date. And yet, Ji Hyo’s fingers wouldn’t move.

She tried to picture him, this lawyer friend. She imagined him as a handsome gentleman who could understand her job as a celebrity, who valued and respected his parents, and who liked long naps, historical dramas, and 90s pop music. Or maybe not 90s pop. Maybe it would be better if he didn’t like 90s pop or ballads from the 00s. Maybe it would be better if he liked traditional music and junk food and hated working out. It didn’t really matter. As long as he was better than Kim Jong Kook. Actually, he didn’t need to be better than Jong Kook. It was one date. One date didn’t mean commitment. She could have one date with the lawyer, decide it was going nowhere, and never see the man again. One date wasn’t a big deal. It meant possibility. It meant moving on from a stupid one-sided crush. And yet, Ji Hyo couldn’t bring herself to respond to Ye Seo’s text.

The truth was painfully simple. Monday Couple had mostly been an excuse, and there was still some shard of hope in her that wouldn’t allow her to let go of Jong Kook. At this point, it was almost pitiful, Ji Hyo knew that, but she couldn’t help it. His laugh and smile made her feel light and jittery in a way that no one had in a long time. Dating someone else wasn’t a step Ji Hyo was ready to take. Not now, not yet, not with some friend of a friend who she only knew as “the lawyer”. When Ji Hyo decided to move on, it would be for someone she thought was worth moving on for.

Ji Hyo took a deep breath, picked up her phone, and clicked “reply”.


A/N: On the word doc, I dubbed this "the chapter where KJK and SJH keep checking each other out". I didn't realize how many times they do until I was editing it. Oh well. It had to happen eventually. And, in case you're curious, Ji Hyo never got to eat ant eggs - in my opinion, that's the biggest tragedy of this whole chapter.

Thanks for all your comments last chapter, y'all are awesome!

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sleepyscoops
#1
Chapter 26: just wanted to send some love to this fic! thank u so much for writing this and sharing it w all of us :) i found it v immersive - how u managed to tie little private moments into each episode, and everyone was well written. kudos to u!!
sa_1109 #2
Chapter 26: Still waiting and hoping that you'll come back and update this story ...
Pangit_101 #3
Chapter 26: It's such a pity that this story was not continued... I love it. I love the slow burn. And I love reading both Ji Hyo and Jong Kook's point-of-view during epsiodes where they both have interactions. It seems so real. This story has been the most amazing Spartace fanfic I've ever read. I hope this won't be abandoned. ?
commanderandace #4
Chapter 26: I left the fandom for a few years but I came back and I’m so happy to see you’ve continued to write this! You’ve done a fantastic job, this fic is such a fun and engaging fic, and I’m looking forward to what happens next! Hopefully you see this and all the readers get a nice surprise :) i know it’s been months since you’ve updated, but i believe in you! you’re so talented, and this is so well written. it would be a pity not to see more <3
kellneriner_yo #5
Chapter 26: I need the HK chapter ??? this FF has been keeping me afloat throughout the SA drought. So well written and emotion inducing too!
kellneriner_yo #6
Chapter 8: I love how you wrote the VJs’ characters ?
Bqt2019 #7
Chapter 26: I ran into this when I was mindlessly searching for some spartace fanfic to read and totally got engrossed in this amazing story till 4 am. I love that you try to portray the members just as they are on screen and at the same time depict their emotions and thoughts that make sense to all readers. Thanks for your hard work and I hope you keep writing this fanfic. I am dying to see how our Spartace come to realize their feelings and confess to each other in the story.
windflower01
#8
Chapter 26: I love the update as always. This feeling of Ji Hyo, I hope she will feel better because she deserve better. Sorry for the late comment.
Jill1711 #9
Chapter 26: Oh my god.... I almost lost hope that u'd continue writing this masterpiece.... Can't thank you enough for the update!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!
Celine_9 #10
Chapter 26: Just found out this fanfic and I'm totally in love. This story should definitely be continued, totally in love with how natural you have made their interactions and behind the scenes like. Please update soon, actor-nim!