Miraculously, despite her complaints about the time to her stylist and Jong Kook, Ji Hyo was up first as she carefully sipped the hot coffee as her stylist styled her hair and applied makeup as Ji Hyo sat on the chair on the balcony, overlooking the Seoul skyline. She smiled as the first of the orange hue rays of sunrise kissed the clouds that sat comfortably with the various skyscrapers and tall apartments.

“I saw that Jong Kook stayed over?” Her stylist mused, as she kept her hands busy.

“Yes. We had some tea last night after dinner.”

“That requires him staying over because?”

“Because it was like 2 in the morning and it would have been unsafe for him to drive home.” Ji Hyo defended. However, it seemed that Ji Hyo was using this time to justify her offering Jong Kook a room instead of letting him drive home.

“What were you doing until so late anyway? I thought you had tea.”

“Why so many questions?” Ji Hyo snapped, giving a glare to her stylist as she took another sip from her coffee.

“So moody.” Her stylist muttered under her breath as she turned her attention to applying blusher on Ji Hyo. 

Ji Hyo was about to respond when she heard Jong Kook stepping towards her.

“Oppa!” Ji Hyo smiled as she turned round, causing Ji Hyo’s stylist to sigh. Her stylist had not failed to notice the sudden change in mood in Ji Hyo as soon as a certain someone. She laughed to herself about how Ji Hyo would unconsciously be happier whenever Jong Kook called, messaged or came to visit. Of course, Ji Hyo would dismiss as being good friends but it was evident to other people that it was more than that.

“Ji Hyo – yah.” Jong Kook smiled, as he hugged her. As he did, he felt himself relax as he sniffed in her scent which he may have dreamed up to waking up to a couple of times. “Did you sleep well?” He whispered in her ear, and was satisfied when he was responded with a curt nod from her.

Meanwhile, Ji Hyo’s stylist stood at the side, making an excuse to tidy her make – up bag. She felt like the awkward third wheel who had no tact and kept following a couple round wherever they went.

“I left a cup of coffee for you on the side by the hob.” Ji Hyo directed, as Jong Kook reluctantly let go of Ji Hyo and made his way into the kitchen.

“How did you know I’d be up quickly? It could have cooled down by the time I got up.” Jong Kook teased.

“You’re a light sleeper.” Ji Hyo shrugged, as if it was nothing important. It could be argued that her knowledge had come from filming episodes of Running Man which required them to sleep over somewhere. However, one would have to consider the fact that Ji Hyo and Jong Kook always slept in separate room, due to their differing genders and if they ever slept in the same room, it would cause a massive scandal. So logically, Ji Hyo knowing that Jong Kook was a light sleeper was weird. However, no – one really knew this fact of Ji Hyo knowing Jong Kook’s sleeping habits, which to another person would arise questions and suspicions.

“Thanks Ji Hyo – yah. I thought I said that I owed you coffee last night not the other way round.” Jong Kook chuckled.

“Well you owe me two now then don’t you?”

“Guess so. I’m going to get ready and I’ll come out here. How long will you be?”

“My hair and make-up is nearly done so about 10 minutes?”

“Take your time Ji Hyo – yah. They wouldn’t know any different if you came late in the morning.”  Jong Kook chuckled, causing Ji Hyo to blush in embarrassment, which of course Jong Kook loved to see. He loved to make the strong Ace blush from his teasing which was contrary to her strong and reliable image on the show. Likewise, Ji Hyo loved to tease Jong Kook and watch him shrink under her glare, proving that only Ji Hyo and his mother could put him in his place, which went unnoticed by the other Running Man members.

It was often discussed in the member’s Kakaotalk room, obviously excluding the Spartace couple, about the two member’s increasing attraction to each other which grew throughout the year. Jae Suk was the first to point it out – knowing Jong Kook for years made it easy to observe the subtle change in behaviour whenever Ji Hyo’s name was mentioned or when they were together. Suk Jin would often joke that he would kill Jong Kook if he ever hurt Ji Hyo, someone whom he saw like a daughter, with Haha quickly deadpanning that Suk Jin would get hurt instead. Gary would inform his hyungs that he felt awkward fulfilling the role of the Monday Boyfriend on the show, stating that he felt like he was betraying his hyung. Inevitably, Kwang Soo took the opportunity to joke about Jong Kook’s jealous reactions and bitterness which entertained the rest of the members. Of course, none of them voiced their observations knowing that leaving the two to it would be the best course of action. Plus, they were afraid of getting hit from Jong Kook and Ji Hyo… with Ji Hyo giving the worst beatings.

Jong Kook left Ji Hyo alone with her stylist. “If that was anyone else making that comment, you would have hit them.”

“I don’t hit people!” Ji Hyo strongly protested, as she playfully hit her coordi’s arm. This lead her to pointedly look at the area which Ji Hyo had hit leaving both the women to laugh. “It’s true that I’m not violent though.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Her coordi muttered, earning a small poke in the side from Ji Hyo.

“Unni!” Her coordi exclaimed, leading both to laugh. On the other side of the door, Jong Kook had been standing by the door, not entering the room, fully dressed and ready to head out to the filming site. He had called his manager, Gap Jin, just a few minutes before to ask him to meet at the filming site, explaining that he would be carpooling, eliciting questions from Gap Jin as well. However, Jong Kook dodged the questions skilfully and quickly hung up. Instead of walking to Ji Hyo however, he had used this opportunity to revel in Ji Hyo’s laugh. He found, apart from her physical appearance, that Ji Hyo’s laugh was the most beautiful sound in the world. Her laugh made Jong Kook want to be the source of her laugh as it was the time when her happiness radiated to everyone else, making others happy.

“Wow… Not only is Ji Hyo up early but she’s actually laughing and engaging in a conversation.” Jong Kook teased.

“We were just discussing if unni was violent or not.”

“Ji Hyo?” Jong Kook looked at Ji Hyo, chuckling at Ji Hyo’s unexpected aegyo* by making her eyes look big and bashing her eyelids, and tried to not melt there and then. “Of course she’s violent.” He deadpanned, turning away quickly. Ji Hyo’s coordi’s laughter rivalled that of young fans at a concert.

“Oppa!” Ji Hyo yelled in response, throwing the nearest cushion that she could find at him, with Jong Kook laughing as he caught it perfectly in his hands.

“I’m just telling the truth!” Jong Kook told her, as he put his hands up in a defensive manner. “You’ve pulled my hair, bit me and deliberately kicked me!”

“That was just for a game!” Ji Hyo protested, feeling wronged.

“I don’t bite you!”

“That would be wrong if a guy bit a girl on a variety show.” Ji Hyo laughed.

“But you’re not denying it?”

“I like biting… if you know what I mean.” Ji Hyo winked before returning to her seat so her coordi could finish applying her make up. Jong Kook however, could not move as he was left dumfounded as he tried to wrack his brain as to whether Ji Hyo’s last comment implied what he thought that she implied or not. Jong Kook shook his head before he proceeded to wash up his and Ji Hyo’s coffee cups before making Ji Hyo another cup that she could carry in her thermal mug on the way to the filming site.

They both sat together in the car side by side, with Ji Hyo’s manager sending questions through his eyes through the rear view mirror which Ji Hyo ignored. Both Ji Hyo and Jong Kook made small talk, mainly about their predictions of the up coming episodes which inevitably came to Kwang Soo’s betrayal.

“In all seriousness you’d never betray me if I was on your team right oppa?” Ji Hyo asked, silently hoping that he’d say no.

“Of course not Ji Hyo – yah. I could possibly betray the other members if needed but never you.” Jong Kook smiled, reassuring Ji Hyo.

“Thanks oppa. But you know yesterday you said you liked that girl?”

Jong Kook perked his head up in response. He thought that Ji Hyo had forgotten about it. “What about it Ji Hyo – yah?”

“You should confess oppa.” Ji Hyo smiled. “You should confess because you wouldn’t want to live your life in regret at not asking her out and then finding out that she already has another guy.”

“You talking from experience there Ji Hyo?” Jong Kook half teased, half worried.

“No.” Yes, she thought in her head. “I know someone who went through the same thing.” Ji Hyo stuttered but hoped her skills as an actress made up for it.

“I’ll think about it.” Jong Kook smiled. However, he managed to see behind Ji Hyo’s façade and saw the flicker of sadness in her eyes as she spoke and wanted nothing than to comfort her. The rest of the car journey was finished in a comfortable silence, with Ji Hyo having a nap whilst Jong Kook admired her.

The fact that Jong Kook admired Ji Hyo didn’t go unnoticed by Ji Hyo’s manager which he relayed to Gap Jin via a text message when he they were caught at a roadworks traffic light. Gap Jin replied saying that he wished that they would just get together quickly so that he wouldn’t have to be careful of Jong Kook each day.

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Word count – 1746

A/N: Aegyo – when a person acts in a cute manner.

First off, I’m so sorry that I haven’t updated. First I had a cold which then developed into a sinus infection and then I got an eye infection and I’m still not better. On top of being ill, I had an assignment due and been so behind on my work L Hopefully you’ll forgive me?
Anyway, thank you for continuing to support me! I’m kind of better now so I should be able to update regularly again (I’ll aim for weekly, if not every other week).