002: running man: the special episode

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Jong Kook is on his way to Kwang Soo’s place for a dinner with the members of the Running Man family, when he receives a call from the PD asking him to drop by the SBS Building for an urgent meeting. He wheels the car around, heading straight to the meeting with confusion. In the 6 years doing the show, they’ve never been summoned at this hour (9: 38 pm). Deeming it must be something important, Jong Kook steps on the accelerator and counts down the minutes.

When he arrives, there is someone holding up the Running Man flag. Another man wearing a blue shirt with a rather muscular build approaches Jong Kook as soon as he reaches the entrance. Puzzled, Jong Kook takes the mission card he’s handed.

  << Nametag elimination game: Out of the members, there are two spies. Eliminate the spies in order to win the game. Throughout the building, hints revealing the identities of these members have been hidden. If you eliminate someone from your own team, you are out. The spies can also eliminate the members. If after one hour the two spies are not both out, the Running Man team loses. >>

Staring at the mission card, Jong Kook has no idea on what is going on. He is sure this is not the new episode. Filming starts on Tuesday, and his manager would have given him some short hand notice if there were changes in the filming schedule. He thanks the man for sticking his nametag on his back before rushing inside.

He spots Ji Hyo waiting for the elevator, mission card in hand with her nametag stuck on the back. He quietly approaches her, tapping on her shoulder making her squeal in surprise.

“You were supposed to pick me up.” She reproaches him, smacking his arm lightly. “And here you are pulling pranks.”

“I was so tired I overslept. I’m sorry.” He says, planting a quick kiss onto her forehead in case someone sees them. Although the Running Man cast and crew knows that they are dating, they still very much want to keep their relationship under wraps, mostly to protect the show and because they enjoy not having the press prying into their every move.

When there’s a slight ‘ding’ sound and the elevator slides open, Jong Kook swiftly guides her inside to get away from the possibility of getting pictured. He’s not that keen on making big headlines the next day, or receiving hate for stealing away Korea’s goddess (which is ironic for they’ve been in a relationship for more than 2 years. 2 years and 19 days- not that he’s counting).

“I found your favorite white tee with black stripes in my closet by the way.”

“You did? I really thought I lost it.” Ji Hyo ponders.

“Considering that half of your closet is at my place, we might as well just consider that you’re living with me.” Jong Kook says, nudging her elbow teasingly.

Ji Hyo pulls a face. “Don’t be so presumptuous.” She says nonchalantly, throwing him a judging look.

He slings his arm around her neck, pulling her closer to his side. “I like it when you’re mad.” He concedes, grinning foolishly. “You always make these faces that drive me crazy.”

The earnest confession makes Ji Hyo’s heart flutter. How is she supposed to react to that anyway? The fact that she can listen to his heart hammering inside his chest isn’t helping either.

“You drive me crazy as well.” She mumbles, making a show of rolling her eyes while tiptoeing so that she is on the same level with him. “But in a negative kind of way.” Much to his disappointment, she only pinches his nose.

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Jong Kook plants another quick kiss on her hair before the lift jolts to a stop on the 16th floor. Following Ji Hyo out to the hallway, Jong Kook heaves an inaudible sigh.

He’s bought the ring three months ago, and is currently still stuck in the process of formulating the epic proposal. By the looks of it, things aren’t going very smoothly. Ji Hyo seems to get extremely sensitive even if he just briefly touches on the subject of ‘moving in’. She’d probably drive up the walls when he kneels in front of her, holding out the diamond ring.

Both of them head to the meeting room with anticipation. Inside the room, the other members are seated. All of them look like deer caught in the headlights, apparently in the middle of a heated discussion.

“Is this your doing?” Jong Kook raises his eyebrow, giving Kwang Soo a pointed look.

“Why is it that you always blame me first?” Kwang Soo rises from his seat, acting upset and hurt. Haha and Gary roar with laughter while Jae Suk and Suk Jin pat his shoulders understandingly.

Suddenly, the door springs open. Another staff member steps in, handing Ji Hyo an instruction card.

<< The mission will start in 5 minutes. The race takes place from the 16th floor up to the 24th floor. Today is a special episode that will be filmed through CCTVs and hidden cameras instead of VJs. Make sure the small microphones are set up and when the race starts. >>

“See, it’s not me.” Kwang Soo insists, snatching the card from Ji Hyo and waving it in front of Jong Kook.

“You could have made fake cards, couldn’t you?” Suk Jin butts in out of the blue. Kwang Soo stops mid-rant, turning to his brother.

“Oh lord.” He huffs, shaking his head disbelievingly. “You will be out first, hyung. Save your breath and energy to keep yourself alive.”

“You two stop being 5-year-old kids.” Jae Suk comes in between, separating the two of them. Kwang Soo makes weird facial expressions, trying to get across the fact that he feels underappreciated just to be smacked in the head by Haha.

The sound of the wailing siren fills the air, signaling the start of the race. They file out of the room in two different directions. Jong Kook, Gary, and Haha turn left whereas the other remaining members go to the opposite direction.

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Suk Jin trudges down the hallway of the 18th floor, goes into every room for thorough searches for the clue. He hesitates a little before turning the door knob of the last room in the hallway. There was nothing closely related to the clue in the other rooms.

He takes a look around, goes through the pile of files and papers on the desks, rummages the drawers. While opening the last drawer of the desk closest to the exit, his small microphone drops to the ground.

Suk Jin groans, kneeling down to pick the small piece of device up. That’s when he sees the envelope on the floor under the table.

“I have a good feeling today.” He grins widely, fishing the envelope out of its hiding place. Casting his eyes around to see if it was safe, he carefully opens the envelope and takes out the piece of paper with << four >> written on it.

With a new form of energy surging up within him, Suk Jin leaps for the door to continue his quest for the clues. He’s determined to find the clues, eliminate the spies and win the race. ‘It’s been a good start’, Suk Jin thinks to himself, patting the envelope that he shoved into his pockets.

Just then, the speakers equipped throughout the building make an announcement.

<< Ji Suk Jin, OUT. Ji Suk Jin, OUT. >>

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Haha and Jong Kook come to a halt when they hear the announcement through the speaker on the 22nd floor.

“The race has started.” Haha comments off-handedly, going across the room frantically searching for clues. “I wonder if the