“Let’s go for dinner.” Jong Kook would message her.

“Ok, Hyung.” Sometimes she would call him that instead of Oppa, mostly when she felt he was treating her as one of his male dongseaong and forgetting she was a girl. They would then meet with a gang of his brothers and they would talked into the depth of the night. Initially, she was quite shy about interacting with the guys but now she was one of them. Come to think of it, she knew most if not all of his friends and colleagues.

Even though he would never ask her to appear in his selfie or wefie that he placed on his social media, she was almost in all his outing if her schedule fit. She could understand why and why should they incur that extra questioning and misunderstanding, she never asked to be included anyway, unless all of the them understood it was not meant to be shared. So she got her fair share but never on his instangram.

She took a sip on her daily dose of Americano, It had been 4 to 5 cups, and all thanks to his nagging, it had came down to one. She even took up drinking green tea, one of his many habits had become hers as well. He was slowly converting her, whether he knew it or not, she was becoming like him. It scared her, how much she wanted to be part of him.

She shook her head, time to get ready, he would come and pick her up, as usual. She wore a white top with jeans, simple and nice, the way he, both of them liked it. She really need to get away from him, his influence on her was getting way to big. On cue, her handphone rang, she saw his name and quickly picked up her bag and rushed down to wait for him. She knew he didn’t mind waiting for her but she did not like to be late for him. His car drove into the driveway, and she hopped in.

He was been uncharacteristically quiet. She kept her silent too, she knew something must be troubling him and if he did not want to talk, she would just accompany him by his side. It happened a few times before, and she knew he appreciated her gesture very much. Dinner was a simple affair, she caught him staring at her a few times, and when their gazes met, his eyes was both apologetic and grateful at the same time, she smiled at him, hoping her confidence in him and support reached him. After the meal, they ended up in hangang, they were sitting in the car overlooking the peaceful river.  He opened the door, and stepped out of the car and she followed suite.

“Today, I filmed a wedding scene with Sejong.” he finally spoke. Her heart missed a beat after hearing that, she knew Sejong was his new co-host. He had mentioned she was his newest dongseaong, like she once was. She had this worried that Sejong might replace her spot and he would no longer call her out for dinner, but it seem maybe even worse than she thought.

“It strikes me how much i wanted to do it with the one I love.” he continued.

“Not with Sejong?” she asked, facing her biggest fear.

“Nope, not with her. She made me felt like a father giving his beloved daughter away.” he explained, she felt the stone that was on her chest was cleared by his words. “But, there on the makeshift altar, standing there waiting for my bride, it felt too right.” he sat down on the grass and she followed him, as always. Maybe she would not get to do it if he found a girlfriend, this time the stone returned, tripling its weight on her chest. She did not how to continue, so she kept her silent and let him let of his stream.

“I tried to imagine a face, the face of my bride.” he stopped, blushing furiously. Ji Hyo could felt jealously filling up her veins, she wanted to beat the woman up then begged her to take care of her beloved. Tears were threatening to flow so she looked the other way.

“Anyway, i wanted to make it happen.” he said, sounding determined.

“Marry someone?” she heard herself saying, it was calm. Good, her voice did not give away her feeling.

“Yes.” he gave an embarrassed chuckled. “Of course, I would need to find my bride first. Frankly, I did not know if she had any feeling for me” She felt his eyes on her, so she turned and she was caught by his gaze. She felt herself drowning in the deep of his eyes, unable to break the stare.

“Hyung,” They heard a familiar voice and it broke their gaze, it was Gary. “Ji Hyo, you are here as well. Hello, there! I thought I had caught Hyung dating” Gary broke into his silly smile.

“Hi there. We had our dinner and came for an after dinner stroll.”Jong Kook explained. He smiled at the woman beside Gary.

Gary was quite protective of her, “Ji Hyo is just my colleague, honestly, we dont talk much off screen, right Ji Hyo.” Ji Hyo nodded her head, she was curious about the woman beside Gary, she seldom saw Gary been so protective. “Anyway, we need to rush off to dinner, bye guys.” with that Gary walked in opposite directions and disappear into the darkness.

“Who she?” they both asked each other at the same time, and broke into laughter.

“I guess someone dear to Gary, he even refused to introduce her.” Jong Kook said.

“I guess so as well. Can you see how protective he is?” Ji Hyo said, looking wishful, she had not been treated like a previous for a long time, especially not in running man. Filming WGM with Chen Bolin did bring some of the feelings back but somehow, it was not real.

Jong Kook took her hand and gave it a squeeze, it was good to felt her hand in his. He did not let go and they started strolling along the river. The river was peaceful at this time of night, both of them feeling at ease. She wanted to ask who the woman was but she could not bring herself to interrupt this lovely feeling.

She stufflied a yawn, it was getting late. Jong Kook noticed that, “I am sorry, I just lost in my thoughts, let’s go back, you do have schedules tomorrow right.” she nodded her head. He did not let go of her hand, either he forgot or whatever, she did not care. She wanted to be in his as long as possible.

He opened the car door for her and she got in, the drive back was filled with soft music. He parked his car and sent her up to her apartment, something he would always do. Suddenly, he gave her a hug when they reached her door, and in a flash disappeared. She stood there, did not know what to make out of the hug.

She did not hear from him, until they met for the next recording. He even missed their regular tanning session, he could not finish recording he said. She had pouted alone in the tanning station feeling he had done it on purpose. He even made her miss her beauty sleep and dark circles had developed under her eyes. She had arrived early, been too excited to see him again. She could hear him from afar, since he would greet almost all of the recording crews.  Haha and JaeSuk were already with her getting ready for the recording.

“Hyung, good morning.” haha greeted him as he strolled in. JaeSuk acknowledge the man too, he was busy on the phone talking to his son. “Oppa, good morning” she said, almost choking on her words. He gave her a smile then sat beside Haha and they went on to discuss their US concert. She followed him until he was hidden behind Haha, usually he would sit beside her and talked to the rest and not like this. She faced the mirror again, wondering what was wrong. The whole recording, Jong Kook did not attempt to make conversation with her and she felt hurt.

At the end of the day, she made an excuse and left early. She wanted to nurse her wound at home where no one could see her. The first thing that escape her when she first entered her house was her tears. She had so look forward to spend a day, even if they were working, with him and he practically ignored her the whole day, and she could not belief that she was crying for him.  If he was to give her the silent treatment, then she would too, she thought, until he explained why. With that, she fell into a restless sleep.

Her nightmare woke her up, she dreamt he had a new female dongseaong and his new dongsaeng replaced her spot! Was that the reason he had ignored her, because he had someone new! The nightmare had shocked her to the core. She quickly got up and drank some water to calm her nerves. She tried to rationel, he had never never gave up on any of his male ones, why would he gave up on her, that did not make sense, unless he had some rules she did not know. She was missing him like crazy already and all the doubts was making her nervous.

She sat through her assignment looking more mong than usual, luckily it was a photoshoot and she needed only to be half presence. Most of her was thinking of Jong Kook, he had not called or asked her out for 2 weeks. Tomorrow would be running man recording again, and frankly, she was a bit nervous. What if he ignore her again, she sighed. For 2 weeks, he had not done anything with her and after that nightmare, her imagination had run wild and uncertainty had filled her heart, she was so tempted to message him but fear always got better of her and she decided to hide her head on the sand. It would be better this way, she thought, at least she was still something.

A beep went off, it was a beep she had been waiting for and she rushed to her phone. “Dinner?” the message said, and her heart soared.

She tried to calm herself down and acted cool “Ok, but I am in a photo shoot, maybe done in an hour time.” she messaged back.

“Oh.. ok, want me to pick you up?” he replied.

Of course, she wanted, she liked the feeling of him picking her up. “Alright” and she proceed to message him her address. The photoshoot went faster after that, and they managed to wrap up in 15 minutes. She quickly changed out of her clothes and waited for him. He was punctual and she ran to meet him.

In her usual seat was Kwang Soo, she frowned, it was usually only him and her. She got on the car and seated in the rear, “Hello Oppa,” she said.

“Noona, you looked beautiful.” Kwang Soo compliment her but none came from him.

“Hello,” was his short replied. Ji Hyo’s heart sunk, something was not right.

“Noona, I loved how your hair looked, I gathered the photoshoot went well?” Kwang Soo tried to strike a conversation with her. She tried her best to keep the conversation going but she was distracted by Jong Kook. He was quiet, too quiet, never joining their conversation, more like a driver, Kwang soo on the other hand was like a chatterbox. They soon joined their usual gang but her eyes just followed his every move.

A woman was walking towards them and the group acknowledges her, she sat down opposite Jong Kook! Her heart sank to her feet when she saw Jong Kook making conversation with the woman while ignoring her the whole night. She felt betrayed and her heart was bleeding. She murmured an excuse to Kwang Soo and left the place. All the food she had eaten was not going the right way, and she quickly entered an alley and grabbed a bag and vomited. Her head hurt and she felt terrible, she felt her knees giving way, she braced herself for the impact on the ground but she landed on a pair of strong arms instead, she raised her head and saw him, then she out.

The next moment she opened her eyes, she was staring at a white ceiling, she slowly turned her head and saw him beside her, her hand was in his. His eyes were closed but his face looked tense. She wondered what was wrong. felt dry and she tried to sit up to pour herself a drink and suddenly her task took over by a pair of strong hands.

“Let me help” he said, in a deep voice unlike his usual high ones. She let him, sipping the water he had poured for her.

“Where am I” she asked.

“Hospital, you passed out. The doctor said you had not been sleeping well and you suffered from mild food poisoning. Luckily, i went after you.” There was something unreadable in his eyes, and it was drowning her in his stare. His hand gently touched her face as if she was a piece of delicate china. “Luckily, I went after you, or else I could not imagine what could happen.” he closed his eyes.

“Well, I am alright now,” she tried to console him, he slowly opened his eyes, and in it she could read fear.

“Yes, you are alright now, but you sure scare the hell out of me just now.” his voice quivered slightly. “Ji Hyo, please don’t fall sick. I could not bear you falling sick, I want you to be in perfect health, to be happy, to smile, to laugh. Not like today.” he looked at her, his eyes registering what he had said. “I …” he stopped.

“Oppa.. i will try not to fall sick.” She reached out for him but his hand shy away from her touch, and she felt her tears dropped. She was shocked, maybe it was because she was sick, she could not restrain her tears.

He panicked, “Please don’t cry, Ji Hyo” his hands gently brushed her tears aside. “I was just shocked and ..” he stumbled. “I .. I … Ji Hyo, please belief in me, I don’t want to hurt you, please don’t cry.” his words opened her two water taps in her eyes and tears flows. She didn’t understand why he was behaving this way. Every one of his words stung her.

He hugged her, “Ji Hyo, Oppa just going through a confusion stage. I would sort it out soon, I promise, please don’t cry. I don’t deserve your tears…” he was in distress. “Oppa just need to sort out how do i face you after I discovered I love you.” he was blubbering, anything to stop her tears. “And i discover you did not love me. I need to recover from my broken heart. Give me time, I would treat you like use too. Ji Hyo ya, please be patient, don’t cry. Please.” he hugged her tighter.

“Really, Oppa,” her muffled voice said. “You love me?” she asked.

“Yes… yes .. Ji Hyo, I love you. I love you too much, I think, until i bent all my rules so i could be in your company, but  I will be alright, don’t worry about me.” his voice filled with raw hurt and yet trying to reassure her at the same time.

“So you wanted to unlove me?” she asked.

“I don’t think that is possible, but I will bury that love in my heart. We can go back to what we was and you forget about today’s conversation. I am ok.”

“But I don’t want.” she said stubbornly. “I don’t want to be just one of your dongsaeng. I don’t want to be your dongsaeng.”

“O..k… don’t be my dongsaeng, I can disappear from your life, if that’s what you want.” she felt his arms loosen, she was not going to let him go again, her arms went around him and tighten her hug. His body stifled.

“I am not going to be your dongsaeng, your colleague, your friend. No.. I am not those, you hear.” she demanded.

“Yes.” his voice sound unsure.

“I am going to be your best friend, your girlfriend, your love.” she commanded. “Don’t you dare run away from me again. You cannot hide your feelings from me. I wanted your love to be only for me from this moment.” She pulled away, and her hands cupped his face, bringing his eyes to hers “Oppa, i love you, I had always love you but you always treat me as one of your dongsaeng. Then you ignored me, I thought you had replaced me, but now I know you loved me, I not letting you go, and I dared to let me go! I will chase you where ever you go.” she said furiously.

He chuckled then laughed out loud. “Oppa!” she pouted.

“Ji Hyo ya, you really love me?” he asked again.

She felt her eyes rolling, then she gave him a gentle smile. “I love you” she said as she brought his face closer to her, sealing her vow with a kiss, he kissed back gently at fast, then he grew demanding, his tongue asking for permission to enter . Her tongue instead slipped into his. They broke apart when they heard commotion at the door.

“Ji Hyo, are you ok?” her manager and the rest of running men came through the door after knocking.

“I am ok, see” she saw him stood beside her completed dazed. She was all smile, “I just need a good rest and the medicine was effective too.”

“Wah, the doctor had already prescribed the medicine. That was fast!” JaeSuk said.

“Yeah, he did.” Jong Kook reconfirmed, a slight blush was on his face, JaeSuk wondered what had happened before they came in. Both of them looked so happy, unlike last week recording.

“Are you able to record tomorrow then?” JaeSuk asked.

“No” Jong Kook said.

“Yes.” Ji Hyo insisted, “I am fine now.” Jong Kook fell silent. “Ok, I will ask the doctor,” she compromised. The running men and her manager stayed till the doctor arrived. JaeSuk and Jong Kook waited for doctor’s diagnose.  He gave her all clear.

Ji Hyo was discharged and Jong Kook sent her home. On the way, both of them just enjoyed each other’s company and absorbing what they now knew.

“Ji Hyo, I know this was not the best place to ask,” Jong Kook said after he parked his car at Ji Hyo’s apartment carpark. “But I don't want to waste any more time. Ji Hyo ya, please be my girlfriend.”

“Oppa, ok. You had mirrored my thoughts.” Jong Kook smiled, as he took his new girlfriend hand in his and sent her up to the apartment. Then behind her closed door, he gently embraced his girlfriend and bent down to continue the kiss that was interrupted. Ji Hyo’s heart raced and leapt, finally, he was hers.