“I am leaving the show.” Gary dropped the bomb on his fellow running man. He had invited them to dinner at his restaurant and the silence was deafening.

Jong Kook and Ji Hyo looked at him in disbelieved, “Is it because of us?” Jong Kook asked, feeling Ji Hyo clenching his hand.

Gary looked at the couple, “Hyung, Ji Hyo, how could it be with you? I may in some time in the past fallen for her, but it was in the past. The show made me thought I love her but I didn’t. After seeing you too been so happy and so blissful together, I know. You two are a couple.”

“Then why?” Ji Hyo asked.

“My music, I had given a lot of thought, running man is hindering my music. While it had helped me grew, it is now a hinder.” Gary looked at the rest of the cast. “There is so much to learn about music and I wanted to know and learn all. Forgive me been selfish to give up on the show now. I know I had promised we would be together forever, but now at this stage of time, it the best for me.” The rest of them understood what Gary talked about. With a heavy heart, they finished the dinner and left, every one of them needed time to absorb the reality.

Jong Kook sent Ji Hyo back home, the journey was filled with a heavy atmosphere. They had not only developed a strong comradeship with Gary but a deep friendship as well. They understood it would not mean the end of their relationship but still it had made them sad.

She sat beside him, leaning on him for strength. “Oppa, somehow we had been his consideration too,” she said. His hand was gently soothing her hair.

“Maybe he pitied his hyung and wished for us to tie the knots soon.” Jong Kook guessed. She smiled, Gary would be such a good friend.

“Oppa, But I still felt bad about this.” her eyes darken. “It was sad when Joong Ki chose to leave us but we become a family in these 5 years, I … it felt like having to know your family member is leaving the house.”

“I understand, like when my brother left for the military and when I did, but we are family, and like Joong Ki, the family stayed together no matter how long time past. Gary is part of running man, and nothing or no one can change that fact.” Jong Kook promised.

Ji Hyo hugged her lover closer, that was why he was special. He was never the type that hid his feelings about his family, he loved all his friends but he loved her best of all. Jong Kook patted her to reassured her and himself, Gary was always their friend.

And yet, both of them consciously stayed away from each other in the next few recording. Somehow, they felt it would be better, easy for Gary and maybe he would stay in the show. The PDs had uncanny planned for 7012 for Gary escape episode. The episode right after Gary’s resignation. It was a move to make Gary’s stay, and the rest could see it had made him in dilemma. Gary was moved by everyone’s effort, but the rest of the cast felt his conflict in the next few weeks.

They arranged for another dinner, they had all decided, it the best for Gary. After ordering of the dishes, in between waiting for the food, Jae Suk spoke on behalf of all of them, “Gary, I know you are making difficult choices now and we .. we had too. We love you, Gary, as our brother, as one of us, so we had decided to set you free, to do the things you love. Whenever you missed us, looked for us for meals. If you really missed us badly, come back to the show as the guest, we will be waiting for you.”

Gary’s eyes turned red, his friends, no, his family was helping him made the most difficult choice he had in his life. He was always the one who cannot multitask, he was the one who was always slower and here his family was helping him out.

Suk Jin tapped gently on his arm, “We are always 7012. Even if there is a new person joining us in place of you, we will always be 7012 only with you.” He held out his hand characteristically, Gary smiled and placed his hand on Suk Jin’s, and the rest of the cast followed, then they all shouted 7012 and broke into a smile, the smile that eased all the tension since Gary’s big announcement.

“Thank you all, for you support.” Gary whole-heartedly thanked his family. “Jae Suk Hyung, I will try to come back regularly on the show, Suk Jin Hyung, thanks for all the guidance and support. Haha, this meaned you would be the ugliest person after I left.” Haha playfully glared at Gary. “Kwang Soo,  you can no longer outsmart me.”

“Ji Hyo, we have been Monday couple for so long,” Gary looked longingly at the woman, “I guessed, I would miss you most.” Then he coolly looked away, “But I guessed I would be able to get a new Monday couple, Tuesday couple, Wednesday couple, Thursday couple, Friday couple, Saturday couple and Sunday couple” he busied counting the number of possible girlfriends.

Ji Hyo felt her temper coming, “Yah, me too, ok?! And see I found one permanently.” she clung onto Jong Kook, Gary had to smile, this was the Ji Hyo he knew and loved.

“And Jong Kook hyung, thank you for been there in the earliest years and all the guidance you given me. Although I haven't forgiven you for stealing away Ji Hyo, I wished for both of your happiness.” Gary clasped his hand with Jong Kook.

“Gary yah, I know what you are going through. We are always your family.” Jong Kook smiled gently at his brother, then he hugged his girlfriend, “We will be blissful, don’t worry.” He gave an uncharacteristic kiss on Ji Hyo’s forehead. The rest hooted.

The family’s peace was once again restored. Gary looked around at his family, yes, he knew even after he depart from running man, the seven of them would forever be family. “7012 rock!” Gary shouted and all of them shouted after him.

I am sad to hear Gary departure from the show and somehow looking back in time, all of them must have known and they had made peace with it, even Jong Kook and Ji Hyo. I wish Gary success and he and Joong Ki can come back and visit as guest soon.

And this too marked the twentieth chapter for this series, running out of titles. Should be starting a new one-shot soon. Till then, bye ...