“Now what?” She whispered into the dark. Jong Kook thought for a moment, staring at the sky.

“I don’t know,” he started slowly. “But everything will turn out okay.”

Beside him, he heard her release a breath of air and tighten her arms around his waist. The pair lay on the platform without exchanging any words, taking in the tranquility of the night. Like the peace before the storm, Jong Kook thought. He could imagine Gap Jin’s half-angry, half-blank stare, the Running Man PDs’ panicked voices when they hear about the news and his cast mates’ looks of shock.

And the media.

Jong Kook knew that news that two of Korea’s hottest stars were dating would cause uproar. Especially when one was in a popular love line and the other was the King of variety show love lines; especially when both were in a show together and there was an unspoken rule that variety show cast mates should never fall in love.

But then there they were: Ji Hyo’s arms wrapped tightly around Jong Kook’s waist and his arm curled around her shoulder, pulling her towards his muscled body. The silence lasted for long. It wasn’t deafening, just peaceful. He could hear Ji Hyo’s breathing slowly becoming softer and slower, a telltale sign that she was falling asleep. That was when Jong Kook decided to break the silence.

“I should send you home,” he said, a hint of reluctance in his voice. He began to sit up but Ji Hyo shook her head adamantly.

“No,” she said softly. “I like this place. Let’s just spend the night here.

Jong Kook said nothing and lay back down, placing a gentle kiss her on her forehead. Honestly, he had been hoping she would say that.

The sound of birds chirping woke her up. She frowned and moaned a little, covering her eyes from the blinding morning sun. She gazed at her surroundings before remembering where she was and who she was with. With a flicker of a smile, she turned towards her left and stared at a certain sleeping man. Her eyes travel over his whole face, taking in that strong nose and thin lips, sweeping over his ever-attractive jawline and then to the soft brown hair that glowed golden.

“Take a picture,” he murmured sleepily. “It’ll last longer.”

Ji Hyo look of shock was replaced with an annoyed scowl. She punched his arm, earning an overreacted yelp of pain. “What was that for?” Jong Kook asked with a pout, rubbing his arm sulkily.

“Were you awake this whole time?” Ji Hyo demanded.

Jong Kook grinned up at her cheekily. “I was.”

“You’re mean.” Ji Hyo tried to sound angry but couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped her lips.

“Says the one,” he teased back. They play around for a while, tickling and laughing, before flopping back onto the wooden platform of the treehouse, short of breath with radiant smiles on their faces. As Jong Kook looks at Ji Hyo who is red-cheeked but laughing, he feels that this was the most fun he had had in weeks.

It wasn’t till almost noon that the couple decided to head home-partly because calls from their managers and friends were blowing their phones up. They left all of the calls unanswered, of course, too caught up in cuddling and kissing. Jong Kook, being the gentleman he always was, helped Ji Hyo down the ladder. He felt a small, smooth hand slide into his and smiled. Interlocking their fingers, he led her to his car.

“Monday,” Ji Hyo said with a nervous but happy smile on her face.

“Monday,” he replied but with a reassuring smile instead.

“We’ll tell them about us. We’ll get through everything. Together.”

Ji Hyo nodded squeezed Jong Kook’s hand.