A/N: This chapter has quite a long flashback scene so I’ve put the flashback in italics to make it easier when reading. Italics are flashbacks and normal is the present.

Ji Hyo had woken up first, replaying Jong Kook’s early morning monologue to herself. She had been surprised initially that Jong kook hadn’t realised that she was awake – she had stopped snoring for one but her shallow breathing had become more controlled and not to mention her heart swelled and her smiles reached her ears just from hearing Jong Kook’s monologue, just like the night that he stood in front of the piano singing “It’s Fortunate”. But after that Ji Hyo couldn’t get it out of her head – partly because of how it made her feel, but more so because she knew that she felt the same. She had felt herself falling for him after their third year into Running Man – when everything he did made her smile, no matter how big or small it was. It could be something as small as touching the small of her back when letting her get off the elevator first or as big as holding her hand when celebrating winning a mission. There was no definitive moment like other couples, but to Ji Hyo it was all the little moments that added up – first it was texting her the time when she missed filming due to over – exhaustion, then the occasional text to meet up for drinks and dinner with Kwang Soo, Gary or Ha Ha. It was very rarely Jae Suk or Suk Jin, as they had their families to get home to and didn’t drink anyway. But then drinks between a group smoothly transitioned into going tanning with each other as well as lunch – just the two of them. Then came the late nights, movie nights and possibly the most pivotal moment.

It had been when Jong Kook had got himself a girlfriend, him trying to prove himself that he could move on from Ji Hyo to himself. Ji Hyo had had a free day, void of any filming or photoshoots, as she watched a film (not that she was paying much attention to it in the first place) with a can or two of beer to distract the loneliness that she felt, for it was a Friday night and she was alone, overcome with jealousy. She remembered it distinctly – she had talked to Kwang Soo that afternoon when he absentmindedly dropped it in the conversation, way before she had confided to the tall friend about her feelings for Jong Kook.

“Oh I didn’t know he had a girlfriend.” Ji Hyo had mumbled.

“Oh. I thought you’d be the first to know, you’re both really close. He told everyone else.” There it was, the bombshell – apparently she wasn’t someone that he had thought to tell.

“Maybe he just forgot.”
“Noona… they’ve been going out for over 2 months now.” Silence from both ends. “But there’s something that makes me feel uneasy though.”
“What is it Kwang Soo – yah?”
“Hyung doesn’t seem truly happy.”
“What do you mean? He seemed pretty chipper to me last filming.”
“It seems too fake noona.” Jong Kook had personally made a small cup of smoothie for the staff and cast, something about it containing the necessary protein and nutrients to get through a long day of filming, which Ji Hyo gently refused, much to Jong Kook’s dismay. Thinking about it however, Ji Hyo’s tall dongsaeng had been right in that Jong Kook’s happiness seemed fake. The jokes that he made were worn with a forced smile, cloaking his true feelings, whatever they were. He had failed a couple of missions, giving the excuse of having exercised too much the day before, which seemed plausible in all fairness. But it was the fact that he had seemed distant to Ji Hyo in particular – leading Ji Hyo to question herself. It wasn’t intentional on Jong Kook’s part, it had been before he had purposely done it, just that he had created the situation where he was in a relationship with a girl who fitted his ideal type in every way – just that he wasn’t attracted to her in any way, shape or form. He had made the situation where he wanted to laugh and bicker with Ji Hyo but couldn’t because she had been the reason as to why she got into a relationship, half – assed albeit, in the first place.

“Maybe he just felt ill and didn’t want to worry us. You know how stubborn he is.”
The conversation with Kwang Soo had left Ji Hyo with conflicting emotions – a sense of betrayal loomed over her as she came to the reality that Jong Kook hadn’t told her, mixed with a sense of doubt as she evaluated her own actions – did she do something to upset him? Or offend him? But then the possible explanation came, that Jong Kook’s girlfriend didn’t like him hanging around other women, and Ji Hyo empathised. He was an attractive man who was often surrounded by beautiful women in his line of work.

Ji Hyo turned off the TV abruptly, feeling worse at the kissing scene displayed on the screen in front of her, as she headed to bed to distract her from herself – at half 7 in the evening.

She had been woken a mere two hours later by the incessant knocking of her door as she groaned, and mumbled a few curse words on the way to opening the door. Without a second thought, after all she just wanted the annoying sound to stop, she opened the door to find Jong Kook on the other side, much to her surprise.

“Oppa?”
“Ji Hyo - yah! Beautiful Ji Hyo - yah!” He shouted yet slurred, indicating that he was drunk. If that didn’t give him away, it was the pungent smell of alcohol mixed with fried oil – he had most likely been drinking at a meat restaurant, most probably Ha Ha’s.

“You’re drunk.” It was a fact.

“Ji Hyo – yah!” Jong Kook shouted, causing Ji Hyo to quickly usher him inside in fear that he’d wake up the entire neighbourhood.

“Why did you have so much to drink?” She muttered as she guided him into the living room where he subsequently plopped onto the couch. She, being the good dongsaeng, after all that’s all she was to him judging by the phone call with Kwang Soo, went into the kitchen to get a glass of water and some bread that she had – screw what he thought about the carbohydrates messing with his diet she thought.

“Here. Drink.” She said sternly, as she handed the drink as he chewed on the bread slowly, as if it was a foreign object.

“Jeez oppa, you don’t even drink. What made you drink?”
“Girlfriend. Fought.” Ji Hyo listened as she sat next to him, forming a small “o” in realisation.

The conversation pretty much ended there with Jong Kook passing out on the couch as Ji Hyo got a spare blanket and pillow for him, tucking him so that he wouldn’t be cold. She had just entered her bedroom when her phone lit up.

“Hello?”
“Ji Hyo – yah!” It was Ha Ha. “Sorry for calling so late but has Jong Kook hyung contacted you? It’s just that he came to my restaurant and started drinking. I literally just turned around and came back to see him gone and now I can’t even contact him at all.”
“Relax oppa. He came to mine about half an hour ago. He’s sleeping on my couch.”

“Oh thank goodness.” Ji Hyo could hear Ha Ha breathe a sigh of relief on the other side of the phone. “How bad was he?”
“Bad enough to wake up the entire apartment complex.” Ji Hyo chuckled dryly. “Said something about fighting with his girlfriend.” She could hear him practically wincing on the other side of the phone.

“Really sorry Ji Hyo – yah.”
“It’s ok oppa. It’s what we do for family I guess.” Ji Hyo felt her tongue go bitter at the F word.

“Ji Hyo – yah… hyung isn’t entirely happy you know that right?” Ha Ha mentioned cautiously, hoping that Ji Hyo could use her quick tact to understand what he was really trying to say.

“I wouldn’t know oppa… I only found out that he had a girlfriend from Kwang Soo earlier today.”
Ha Ha had no answer to that as Ji Hyo stated that she was tired before ending the call.

Ji Hyo couldn’t sleep. She tried to think of it from Jong Kook’s perspective to find a reason as to why he didn’t tell her but came up with nothing. Then she also tried to think as to what him and his girlfriend had fought about that it drove him to drink to the point of getting drunk. She had known Jong Kook for a while and had never seen him drink, and even if he did it was just one shot before he’d revert back to water – even at team gatherings or Christmas dinners with the staff and cast. Again, she came up with nothing. Nada. She tried to come up with reasons as to why he came to her house from Ha Ha’s restaurant in Hongdae which was 40 minutes away. He could have easily just gone with Ha Ha since he lived in the same area anyway, which made more sense practically. Again, she came up with nothing. Nada. Nought. Thoughts raced through her head before they came to a stop as Ji Hyo forced herself to get some sleep.

Morning came too fast for Ji Hyo who immediately regretted not getting enough sleep, as she went to check on Jong Kook. Much to her relief he was still sleeping – she didn’t want a conversation with him first thing in the morning after the events of the night before. Pushing her emotions which were filled with green envy, Ji Hyo prompted to make some Haejang – guk*, knowing the effects of a hangover all too well.

Jong Kook opened one eye, immediately shutting it as the rays of sunlight hit him making him groan. The sense of unfamiliarity hit him as he craned his neck to make sense of his surroundings, coming up with no information at all. However, the alien waft of Haejang – guk made his eyes alert as he followed the scent, ignoring his impaired sense of vertigo and pounding headache as he got onto two feet. Stumbling into the kitchen, he saw the familiar back of Ji Hyo as he tried to rack his brain for any memories from the past night so that he could at least start a decent conversation without embarrassing himself – as if the idea of him turning up drunk at Ji Hyo’s place wasn’t embarrassing enough.

“You had a fight with your girlfriend.” Ji Hyo turned around, as if she had read his mind and his confusion, as she took the bowl of the Haejang – guk to the table, Jong Kook unable to move. Great, now she knew that he had a girlfriend.

“I wanted to tell you just –“
“5 years don’t mean anything. I get it. It’s cool.” Ji Hyo cut him off, not meaning anything that she had just said. She didn’t get it and it wasn’t cool. To Jong Kook on the other hand, each word pierced his heart. He wanted to scream that she meant everything to him – that she meant more to him than he could imagine. He wanted to make her his girlfriend and fight with her, before profusely apologising.

“I had my reasons.” Was all that came out of his mouth, leaving both feeling their stomach twist and churn in pain, along with their heart. The uncomfortable silence filled the room as Jong Kook tried to study Ji Hyo for any reaction.

Sensing the tension, although she didn’t know why, she spoke. “I’ve got to go.” Lie. “But after you’ve finished just lock the door behind you. Don’t worry about doing the dishes, I’ll do them later.” Ji Hyo left, causing Jong Kook to groan internally in frustration – this was not what he wanted when he got himself a girlfriend. In fact, it was the exact opposite of what he had hoped – as bad as it sounded, he so strongly wanted him to realise his feelings for Ji Hyo and break up with his girlfriend and then ask Ji Hyo out. Except, he didn’t expect Soo Jin, the girl he was seeing, to actually like him. Although she was his ideal type in every way – she was a family woman, cooked, was healthy – but he couldn’t force his attraction to him. He couldn’t deal with the constant messages, purposely staying in the recording studio or the gym later to not go to dates and he couldn’t deal with the fact that she surprised him at his house even though all he wanted to sleep. He had refused all ual advances from her knowing that he wouldn’t be able to be pleasured. He had refused to meet her parents and introducing her to his, knowing that introducing and meeting the parents was an unofficial commitment to marriage. He had just about heard the front door shut – more like slammed – as he punched his fist onto the table in anger – he was angry at himself for creating this mess and even more angry that Ji Hyo had to had find out about his relationship. He sighed heavily as he went to heat up the soup that Ji Hyo had left, trying to come up with a solution – hopefully one that could rectify his mistakes and not screwing up his remaining friendship with Ji Hyo – what’s left of it anyway.

Ji Hyo, wide eyed, kept thinking to herself. She remembered vividly how she felt at that time, in fact she remembered that she left the house just to go to Kwang Soo’s house and cry. She remembered how she confessed her feelings about Jong Kook there and then, as Kwang Soo merely comforted her, offering a literal shoulder to cry on. Kwang Soo had felt that it would happen but he hadn’t expected Ji Hyo to end up bawling her eyes out. Despite being one of the weaker players on the show, Kwang Soo had felt that something was off between his noona and tiger hyung from the start. Jong Kook rapidly getting a girlfriend after constantly saying that he didn’t one was out of the blue but also his actions didn’t necessarily follow his words that he was happy. In fact, he looked more miserable than he ever had before, only causing him to be more brutal during elimination races – much to the dismay of himself and the rest of the cast, particularly Suk Jin and Jae Suk who kept grumbling about how they were always intimidated by a dongsaeng years younger than them.

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A/N: Haejang – guk – a soup that is known as the “Hangover soup”. Like its name, its often given the day after drinking heavily to help cure hangover.

Word Count: 2464

Hey Runners! Sorry for the late update – I was really tired with overtime at work so pretty much came home and slept instantly. I hope you’re all well and enjoying the sun (except if you live in the UK then you’ll know that sun and summer doesn’t tend to come together XD)
How did you like the 7-year anniversary show for Running Man? And I want to get to know you guys better – what is your favourite episode of Running Man? Comment below or send me a message on Tumblr.

Until next time!