It has been about two weeks now since Kwang Soo knew about Jong Kook and Ji-hyo. So far he managed to keep the secret to himself. Jong Kook and Ji-hyo also has been treating him a bit better than before.

In few days, they will shoot for another episode of Running Man. But suddenly, they were all called for a meeting by the production. Nobody knows the reason for the meeting but they guessed it’s probably related to the Running Man shooting outside of Korea.

All members except Gary and the Program Director haven’t entered the meeting room.

“Aish! What’s with this meeting all of sudden?” Jae-suk asked the members.

“We are probably gonna shoot overseas again, hyung,” Haha answered.

“Really? Do we have time for it? And do we have the budget since the rating’s not being good these days?” Jae-suk added.

“I think the budget is still there, hyung,” Haha replied.

“It’s good then…..Now, where is this Gary? Didn’t he know about the meeting?” Jae-suk asked further.

“He should know. PD surely contacted him,” Suk Jin added.

After few minutes, Gary entered the room with PD and few other staffs.

“Gary ah, who do you think you are making us waiting here ah?” Jae-suk approached.

“Aishh! Mianhae, hyung! I just have things to do,” Gary answered, slightly smile.

“Okay….Now that everyone is here, we can start straight away. Firstly, sorry to call for this meeting in a short notice. But, I thank everyone for attending this meeting today,” PD Joo started.

“PD-nim, where are we going this time? Asia? Europe?” Suk Jin asked.

“Mwuh? Ohh…no…We won’t be shooting out of Korea for the time being…”

“Really? Aishhh….That’s too bad then….” Suk Jin responded.

“PD-nim, then if it’s not about shooting outside Korea, why are we having this meeting now?” Jong Kook asked.

“Ermm….I think….Gary should be the one who tell you about it….” PD Joo invited Gary to speak.

All the Running Man members looked at one another.

“Ehermm….Hello everyone….Err….Actually….I called for this meeting…to inform everyone….that….ermm…..I’m leaving Running Man…for good….” Gary spoke.

“Mwuh? Mwuh rah goo?” the Running Man members reacted at the same time with Gary’s announcement.

The room suddenly became noisy.

“Gary ah, stop playing around!” Suk Jin scolded Gary.

“Is this a hidden camera show or what? It’s not funny okay?” Haha blurted while looking around for the camera.

Everyone kept asking Gary question by question.

“Okay! Okay! Quiet!........Let’s give Gary the space to explain everything….You can ask after he finish his story. Alright?” PD Joo instructed.

“Err…….Okay…..I know, everyone was probably shock with this news…..But, do know that I’ve been thinking about quitting for years now…You all know how passionate I am into being a musician, rather than doing variety….In fact, I never plan to stay this long in this show from the beginning….But….because of our relationship, because of the bonding between us….it makes it hard to make the decision…I’ve been postponing this from days to months to years….But this time, I feel that I need to be firm with my decision…And I think the time has come for me to focus on my music….Please know that it’s not easy for me either….I really love everyone here…even the production team…But….I need to do something that I’m really passionate with…You know I’ve set up my company, my studio…All this need my focus 100%....”

“But Running Man only took about one day shooting, Gary ah…Two the most….” Jae-suk interrupted.

“Yes, hyung! But I can’t focus on my music at all. I’ve tried, believe me hyung. I’ve tried to divide my time on music and Running Man. But I failed. After shooting, usually I’ll be so tired. That already wasted a day. The next day, sometimes, I need to attend other appointment not as Gary from LeeSsang, but Gary from Running Man…..Sometimes I don’t even touch my music in a week…That’s why…..in the end….I have to make this decision, hyung…..”

“Then what about Monday Couple? How do you think the fans will react, hyung?” Haha questioned seriously.

Everyone focused on Ji-hyo who is already looking down. Before Gary could answer, Ji-hyo suddenly got up and left the room. Jong Kook was worried about his girlfriend and stood up to catch her but Gary stopped him.

“Hyung, let me talk to her,” he said.

Jong Kook stared deeply inside Gary’s eyes and agreed to let Gary go for Ji-hyo. He sat back to his chair.

“Yeah….I think Gary should talk to Ji-hyo privately….” Jae-suk suggested.

“But how can he decide to leave all of sudden?” Suk Jin asked.

“Like he said, he had been thinking about it for a long time already,” PD Joo answered.

“……..But…..he won’t be leaving too soon right, PD-nim?” Haha asked.

“We will shoot his final episode in few days’ time.”

“Mwuh? What do you mean final episode? You can’t be serious right?” Suk Jin questioned further.

“It was his decision. He said he’s already delayed his music because of Running Man. He didn’t want to push his music again.”

“Oh dear…..But…..we are not prepared with all this….” Suk Jin added.

Jong Kook has been silent for a while now.

“Jong Kook ah, say something will you?” Jae-suk asked Jong Kook.

“Yeah! You are quite close with Gary…..Can you talk to him?” Suk Jin added.

“Hyung, you know Gary love music more than variety show. Maybe he was right. It was the time for his music now,” Jong Kook replied.

“Aish! But at least, let us have few more episodes with him,” Suk Jin responded.

“Let us all try to talk to Gary okay?” Jong Kook suggested.

“Ji-hyo will be the most affected if Gary leaves,” Haha proposed.

Hearing Ji-hyo’s name giving butterfly to Jong Kook’s stomach. He didn’t know what to think right now.

Gary waited outside the ladies room. But he could hear the sobs from Ji-hyo’s cry.

“Ji-hyo ah....can you come out?” Gary shouted from the outside since he can’t enter the ladies room. “Let’s talk, Ji-hyo ah,” Gary tried again.

Ji-hyo suddenly walked out of the ladies room with runny pink nose.

“What is there to talk about? You’ve obviously made your decision, oppa!” she talked in her cries, leaning to the wall.

“Yeah....but....you need to understand why I made this decision, Ji-hyo ah....”

“What? To pursue your music? All this while haven’t you been doing that? Jong Kook oppa and Dong Hoon oppa also do their music. But they never leave the show. Everybody has been doing other things beside the Running Man. Everyone has tight schedule, but we never have the intention to leave the show. So how could you do this, oppa?”

Gary looked away while Ji-hyo looked down.

“You guys are different from me, Ji-hyo ah. I cannot focus on many things at once. I have lost my focus in music since I joined Running Man. And lately, my passion towards music started to grow again and I felt that I have to do something about it before it goes totally dead. Please understand my decision, Ji-hyo ah.”

“Then what about me, oppa? We have responsibility as Monday Couple. What will happen to me without you? What will happen to the brand that we brought since seven years ago?”

“......We can continue being Monday Couple outside the show, Ji-hyo ah.....” Gary actually hinted to proceed their love line to real life.

But it was beyond Ji-hyo’s imagination. Yes she was sad to see Gary leave the show, but she didn’t have the intention to proceed further since she has Jong Kook.

“Ji-hyo ah....among all, you’re the one that I worry the most....Please don’t make it harder than it already is, Ji-hyo ah....”

“How can I make it easier, oppa? How.........when it’s hard for me to take?”

“Ji-hyo ah,…I really don’t know what to say….But….can we talk about this in private later? Right now, everyone is waiting for us….Okay?” Gary consoled Ji-hyo, getting closer to her. But Ji-hyo’s cries became harder. “Ji-hyo ah….I promise we’ll keep in touch….please don’t be like this, Ji-hyo ah…” Gary slowly pulled Ji-hyo and hugged her.

Ji-hyo didn’t budge either. She just let Gary hugged her. They were in that situation for a while.

From behind the wall, someone had witnessed everything. Trying so hard to understand Ji-hyo’s condition, it still bleeds his heart. But Jong Kook didn’t want to interrupt those two. He walked quietly into the meeting room.

“Oh Jong Kook ah….Where are they?” Suk Jin asked.

“……..They are coming……” Jong Kook answered lifeless and took a seat next to Kwang Soo.

“Hyung…..are you okay?.....Did you saw anything?” Kwang Soo asked in whispers.

But Jong Kook simply pat him and smiled, didn’t give any answer.

Ji-hyo and Gary suddenly walked into the room.

“…..Ji-hyo ah…..are you okay?” Jae-suk checked on Ji-hyo’s condition. Of course everyone was aware that she’s crying.

Ji-hyo only nodded without looking at anyone. The room turned quiet.

“Aishhh….Please everyone….I’m just leaving the show….But you guys acted like I’m dying….” Gary tried to cheer up the tense surrounding. “You can always see me after shooting…aishh…”

“Gary ah, how can you say it easy like that? Of course we can’t accept this all of sudden,” Suk Jin stated.

“But Suk Jin hyung, you always know that one day I’ll leave the show for my music. It’s just a matter of time.”

“It’s okay, Gary ah….They were just….shocked….But of course we’ll support you in whatever you do…Please know that okay?” Jong Kook told Gary.

“N-neh, hyung! Thank you for your support.”

The meeting goes on for two hours. On the way out of the room, Jong Kook got close with Ji-hyo.

“Ji-hyo ah….you want me to send you?”

“………Oppa…….I……I wanna be alone…..”

Jong Kook was dumbstruck. He continued walking to his car without asking further. He didn’t even wait until Ji-hyo left the place or make sure she has a ride. It’s too much for him in one day.

That night, he couldn’t close his eyes even if his body and mind was tired. Jong Kook didn’t realize how much Ji-hyo was affected with Gary’s departure. Jong Kook started to feel scared if he’s losing Ji-hyo. If he’s following his ego, he wouldn’t contact Ji-hyo any time soon. But, because he didn’t wanna lose her, he tried to call her.

“………Hello………” Ji-hyo answered.

“……He-hello……Ji-hyo ah….Were you sleeping?.....”

“…..Oppa….I was just….about to sleep….”

“Oh really? Then sorry that I disturb you……Never mind….Just go to sleep….We’ll talk tomorrow okay?”

“…….Oppa….I’m so tired…..and sad…..”

“…..Ji-hyo ah….”

“How can he be so selfish, oppa?”

“Ji-hyo ah,…..try to sleep okay? Just rest and stop thinking for today…..please…”

“But oppa….How can….”

“Ji-hyo ah….Just…go to sleep….You’ll feel much better tomorrow…Okay?”

“………N-neh.......Bye, oppa…..”

“Bye….” Ji-hyo already disconnected the line. “I love you, Ji-hyo ah……” Jong Kook whispered alone.

He didn’t realize when he falls asleep.

For few days, Jong Kook purposely didn’t contact Ji-hyo. But he hoped that Ji-hyo will try to find him even if he’s quiet. Sadly, that never happens. Jong Kook kept telling himself that Ji-hyo needs time to cope with the reality that Gary is leaving Running Man.

And today, they are shooting Running Man for Gary’s last episode. The moment Jong Kook saw Ji-hyo, he approached her.

“Hey…..how are you doing?”

“I’m good, oppa…..Better…..”

“Ohh…that’s good….Will you be okay today?”

“……I think so…..I have to right? I mean….it’s the last shoot with Gary oppa…..We need to make him leave happily…..”

“Yeah….That’s right….”

“…..Oppa…..I know I have been ignoring you since the news broke down…..But I hope…..you will understand….and give me some space to adapt with everything………….Can you?”

“……Sure…...As long you promise you’ll take care of yourself…..”

“I will….I promise….”

“Ji-hyo ah….you know you can find me anytime you want right? If you need to talk to someone, you can call me………even if it’s about Gary……”

“N-neh, oppa……Thank you so much….”

“Alright! Now let’s get ready okay? Please try to be happy and smiles as much as you can.”

“…………………I’ll try………………….”

And so, the shoot for Gary’s final episode goes on.

It was quite funny at first but turned out sad in the end. When Ji-hyo was asked to say her final words, she started to cry an