He didn’t know when it started. He didn’t know how it started. But day by day, his feelings for her started to grow, deep and deeper. And his work in Running Man became hard because of this feeling. Moreover, he didn’t have anyone to talk to. He didn’t have anyone to share his feelings for her. So all he could do was just try to act normal while watching her deeply from far although they were sometimes face to face. 

It doesn’t get any easier when Ji-hyo herself being all clingy with Jong Kook. Like at the start of Running Man shooting episode 372, while they were walking, Ji-hyo suddenly grabbed his hand and put it on her shoulder. Of course Jong Kook was shocked at first but will never waste this opportunity. In fact he tightened his hold around Ji-hyo’s neck.

“Ahh….oppa….You wanna wrestle with me or what?” Ji-hyo asked with laughter while walking.

“Yahh! You asked for it,” Jong Kook answered jokingly.

“Ahahahah….Ah oppa….Your girlfriend is so unlucky then if you treats her like this,” Ji-hyo continue.

“Well…..you never know……Be my girlfriend first then I’ll show you how I treated someone I love……” Jong Kook hinted making Ji-hyo speechlessly stunned.

“Yah! What is with the two of you? Are you both in love?” Suk Jin who walked near them questioned.

“Hahahahah….Suk Jin oppa, does this look like a loving couple?” Ji-hyo asked.

“Well…..not really….But knowing Jong Kook who spent his whole life at the gym, I’m not surprised if he treats his girlfriend like a dumbbell,” Suk Jin replied jokingly making Ji-hyo’s laughter bigger.

“Hyung,…….ever heard of people getting hit until he became dumb?” Jong Kook threatened jokingly at Suk Jin.

Suk Jin stopped his steps and looked at Jong Kook.

“What?” Jong Kook asked, stopping as well.

“…….Ji-hyo ah, you deserved better…..” Suk Jin said to Ji-hyo making all the three of them laugh out loud.

“Yah, hyung! Do you think I’m that cruel?” Jong Kook said to Suk Jin.

“Ahh Suk Jin oppa! I’m not his girlfriend!” Ji-hyo stressed her statement. 

“Hahahahah….Although at first I thought of rooting for you two, but Ji-hyo ah…..hurry and find other man…..” Suk Jin joked again.

“Wahhh…..Suk Jin hyung……If anyone heard this, they could misinterpret your statement…..It will downgrade my marks to my future mother in law, hyung….” Jong Kook stated.

But Suk Jin already walked away with laughter.

Ji-hyo also tried to release Jong Kook’s arms from her shoulders.

“Yah girlfriend! Stay with me!” Jong Kook joked while tightening his hold.

“Ahhh oppa!! Wae!!! Let me go!!”

“Ji-hyo ah, come on. You know no woman will let me hold her like this. So just let me have this moment for today okay?”

“Ah oppa, don’t lie! I’m sure many woman would like to be with you like this. You should open your heart and give them a chance.”

“Really? You think so?”

“Yeah, of course. Although you were known as manly and probably harsh in Running Man, but I know some woman think otherwise of you. You just need to give them a chance.”

“But they weren’t as beautiful as you, Ji-hyo ah,” Jong Kook meant to said for his hearing only but Ji-hyo caught it on her ears as well. She suddenly blushed and looked away without a word.

“Yah you two! Stop romancing and get back to work!!” Haha shouted.

Only then Jong Kook and Ji-hyo realized that all eyes were on them. They quickly get away from each other and pretended like nothing happen.

“What did I say? You both do look like lovers,” Suk Jin shouted.

“Andwae!!!” Kwang Soo suddenly screamed. “We cannot let them be together……We cannot let their monster baby to be born…..Or we will all die! We can’t!!!” Kwang Soo got into his character. Thinking of the combination of Jong Kook’s toughness and Ji-hyo’s sharp tongue for cursing probably made Kwang Soo worry that their children will have the mix of both characters which is why Kwang Soo screamed all of sudden.

Jae Suk then kicked Kwang Soo’s to wake him from his delusion.

“Arghh!!” he shouted.

“Enough! We need to start shooting!” Jae Suk said.

Everyone was laughing then and they get back to work. But Ji-hyo and Jong Kook couldn’t really get rid of their short sweet moments from their mind. Still, they give their all during the shooting. Jong Kook hope he could resolve his feelings before it became too obvious and someone noticed it. But the problem is, he didn’t know how or what to do or where to start. So everything was compressed inside him.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

On another day where Jong Kook and Haha were involved in Big Picture V-live recording, they tried to call Ji-hyo when they know that Ji-hyo was watching their live video. Haha almost hang up when Ji-hyo took so long to answer the call but Jong Kook asked him to just be patient. Once she answered, they talked for few minutes before ending the call.

What surprised Jong Kook was when Haha suddenly said ‘I love you’ to Ji-hyo before hung up. Jong Kook couldn’t blink an eye towards Haha.

“What?” Haha asked.

“Did you just say I love you to Ji-hyo?” Jong Kook asked back in smiles though he’s boiling inside.

Haha suddenly smiled in blush which boiled Jong Kook’s anger further but he tried his best to control his feelings.

“I’m just saying that to a friend,” Haha reasoned out.

“Yeah…..but ‘I love you’? Really? Did your wife know about this?”

Haha started to look pissed with Jong Kook’s interrogation.

“I love her as a co-worker. Don’t you love her as a co-worker too?”

“I do…..but……it sounded weird when it comes out from you….since you are married….”

“What is so weird about saying you love someone who is your co-worker, your friend who is also like your family? Besides, Byul is also close with Ji-hyo……If my feelings were like my feelings towards my wife, then you could debate it,” Haha defended himself.

Jong Kook tried to calm him. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Dong Hoon ah….But it’s just….I don’t know….For me, if you are married, it’s just weird if you say ‘I love you’ to another woman even if she’s your best friend……Well,……maybe I’m just conservative…..”

“No! You are just so old fashion, hyung. How can you make it a big issue for something that was not meant to be this complicated? Aishhh……..”

“Okay! Okay! I’m sorry okay? Maybe I’m too surprised especially since I knew you had once have feelings for Ji-hyo…..Okay….My mistake…….Let’s forget it okay?”

Haha kept staring at Jong Kook.

“What?” Jong Kook asked. “I said I’m sorry okay? Let’s continue since we have only few minutes left before the end.”  

“You know what? It was not me who is weird.”

“What do you mean? Come on, let’s just change the topic, Dong Hoon ah.”

“A-ni! You started this, so let’s play the game,” Haha challenged Jong Kook since he started to suspect something.

“What game? Aishh! We really have no time left now. Let’s just say our last words, Dong Hoon ah,” Jong Kook quickly wanted to end the show.

“Could it be that…..you are the one who is jealous about me and Ji-hyo, hyung?” Haha questioned in smiles.

“Mwuh? Yah! Yah! Stop joking, Dong Hoon ah……..Well you know what, we really have to end this now. So…….thank you to all the viewers for staying with us throughout the show. We hope we will see you again in the next recording. Please keep supporting us and the show okay?” Jong Kook said.

“Yes! Please keep supporting us…..and……..I love you all,” Haha said while looking at Jong Kook.

“Hahahahaha…..Why are you looking at me huh?”

“Hyung, I said ‘I love you’ to them….Don’t you wanna debate about it?”

Jong Kook just smiles.

“Okay, people. Thank you so much! See you!” Jong Kook says his ‘goodbye’, followed by Haha.

Once they ended the show, they both took off their mics and get ready to leave. But while Jong Kook was taking off his mic, Haha stood near him.

“Oh Dong Hoon ah…..You’re done?” Jong Kook asked.

“N-neh!” Haha answered while crossing his arms on his chest. “Hyung, tell me the truth….What was that all about?”

“What do you mean? The truth about what?”

“My words to Ji-hyo……”

“My God! Dong Hoon ah, I already said I’m sorry okay?”

“No! No! No! You can’t simply walk away after what you’ve done live in front of public.”

“Dong Hoon ah, please……Let’s forget it okay?”

“You know…..at first I really thought that it was about me…..I really thought that…..you cared so much for me that you are so afraid if my act could ruin my relationship with my wife……But…..I finally get it now……It’s not about me at all……”

“You know what? The more you talked, the more I can’t see where this conversation is heading to…..Tell you what. We are both tired, so let’s just go back now and rest….Okay?”

“Did you have feelings for Ji-hyo?” Haha suddenly asked while making sure the conversation was only between the two of them.

Jong Kook looked surprised but tried to act cool.

“What are you talking about, Dong Hoon ah? Ji-hyo is our sister, our family. You said it yourself right?”

“Hyung,……….you can tell me the truth……If you are afraid because I used to get close with Gary hyung and you are afraid that I will judge you, you can take it easy………I’m not gonna judge you, hyung……In fact, I wanna help wherever I can…..”

Jong Kook chuckled pretended like Haha is talking nonsense.

“You are funny, you know that Dong Hoon? Haha….Come on, let’s go back now….”

Jong Kook was about to take a step but Haha grabbed his hand.

“Hyung……..you know you can talk to me……”

“Dong Hoon ah, you are talking nonsense. Go back to your wife and tell her I’m sorry for debating something stupid. Okay?”

“Hyung, it’s not the first time I noticed your feelings towards Ji-hyo……I just keep it to myself and waited for the right time to ask you…..And I think, now is the right time….Come on, hyung….I know how it feels when you need to keep everything just to yourself since you don’t know who you could trust……But I promise you, hyung…..You can trust me……It is better if you tell me since I’m also close with Ji-hyo, so does my wife….I’m sure we can play our part in this…”

Jong Kook looked around to see if there’s anyone near them anymore. 

“Let’s go and talk somewhere, Dong Hoon ah,” Jong Kook told Haha.

“Okay! Let’s go!” Haha agreed.

They got into Jong Kook’s car and Jong Kook drove away to a park near a river. 

“So? Spit it out, hyung,” Haha started.

Jong Kook still looked embarrassed and hesitant to let out his feelings. But Haha was right. He need to tell someone before everything inside him exploded and Haha could be the right person.

“What do you wanna know, Dong Hoon ah?”

“Did you have feelings towards Ji-hyo, hyung?”
Jong Kook bit his lips and looked to the front. 

“……..Maybe…….”

“Maybe? Hyung, just say it will you?”

“Say what? I don’t know where to start, Dong Hoon ah!..........This…….This is not easy for me…..You know I hardly open up to anyone about my feelings…..”

“I know, hyung! That’s why I wanna help…..I know you won’t be able to keep it for long……”

“I don’t know what is wrong with me, Dong Hoon ah….I mean, Ji-hyo is like family isn’t it? How can I have this feeling towards her?”

“………….Coz you have long has it in you even before Ji-hyo became family……..”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know if you’re gonna admit it or deny it…….but……I think you have feelings for her since we started working together in the early days…..”

“What? Nonsense.”

“Yepp! You could say that. But, I remember it so clearly in the early days……you were always talking about Ji-hyo…..Remember the three of us always trying to woo her? And all of sudden, you sort of back off leaving only me and Gary hyung in the triangle…..And now that me and Gary hyung is out of the picture, that’s when your feelings came back….Isn’t it?”

Jong Kook chuckled. 

“You were acting like a love expert now huh, Dong Hoon? I don’t even know what’s wrong with me….How can you predict such thing huh?” Jong Kook said.

“Hyung, for all I know, you were always in denial when it’s related to woman. Can’t you just be truthful to yourself and stop torturing your own heart?”

“What are you trying to say, Dong Hoon ah?”

“Hyung, just go for it if you really fall for Ji-hyo. You are single, she is single. I don’t see why you should hold yourself now. Gary hyung is not even in the picture already. So?”

Jong Kook bit his lips, thinking.

“It’s not that simple, Dong Hoon ah.”

“Hyung, the way I see it, you were the one who make it hard.”

“What if she rejects me? What if we can’t work together anymore after her rejection?”

“Why are you preparing for the negative instead of positive?”

“Coz I’ll be doom if she rejects me, Dong Hoon ah.”
Haha laugh all of sudden.

“Yah! Don’t laugh!” Jong Kook ordered.

“Aih hyung! I never thought the man behind the steels were this chicken when it comes to woman. Hahahah….”

“Coz I’m not like you, okay? You were born to be love by woman, naturally…..While I…..aish, I don’t wanna talk about it anymore. Let’s just go and eat huh?”

“Wait! Wait! Okay, hyung. What if……I try to get some infos from Ji-hyo huh? Let me just try to get some answers for you…..What do you say?”

“Aishh! No need, Dong Hoon ah! Let’s just leave this matter alone okay? I……If I have the courage, I will do it myself….Thanks for your help anyway….”

“Hyung, it’s been so long that we leave this matter to you alone…..But where did it end up? Nowhere right? I actually think that, you and Ji-hyo is a match made in heaven.”

“Hahahah….Stop it, Dong Hoon ah. You don’t have to sugarcoat me with sweet words. I will just let it be and go thru the day as it is.”

“Aishh! Hyung, please give yourself a chance will you?”

Jong Kook just smile. 

“You know what? Why don’t we try to get infos from Ji-hyo now huh?” Haha suggested and starts to call Ji-hyo.

“Mwuh? Yah! Don’t! Dong Hoon ah, stop it!” Jong Kook requested, being panic. He tried to grab Haha’s phone but Haha hand it far from Jong Kook.

“Ohh, oppa!” Ji-hyo’s voice on the line, making both Haha and Jong Kook stop struggling.

“Ji-hyo ah! Are you busy right now?”

“Right now? Err…..I’m on the way for my script reading now…..”

“Ohh….I see….Ji-hyo ah, Jong Kook hyung said he missed you….” Haha joked to make Jong Kook more panic.

“Mwuh?” both Jong Kook and Ji-hyo asked at the same time.

“Oppa, are you on a secret mission or something?” Ji-hyo asked.

“Hahahahahha……No, Ji-hyo ah……I was just teasing Jong Kook hyung here….He’s right next to me now…..”

“Ahhh…..I see…..Oh! Are you trying to cheer him up now because of the news?”

“What news?” Haha and Jong Kook both curious.

“About this blind date girl that we set for Jong Kook oppa previously. She’s getting married today,” Ji-hyo explained.

“Ohhh….You mean Jeong So Young? Yeah I know about it already. She invited me to her wedding, but I can’t make it, Ji-hyo ah,” Jong Kook answered.

“Ahhh….Are you sad, oppa?”

“Hahaha….Noooooo! Of course not!” Jong Kook responded.

“She’s not your type is it?” Ji-hyo asked again.

“Ji-hyo ah, Jong Kook hyung’s type is like you!” Haha shouted, trying to give a hint to Ji-hyo. But Jong Kook quickly covered Haha’s mouth with his hand.

“Mwuh? What did you say, Dong Hoon oppa?” 

“Err….It’s nothing, Ji-hyo ah….Haha is quite drunk now…..We’ll talk again later okay? Take care, Ji-hyo ah. Enjoy your day!” Jong Kook quickly wanna end the call.

“Ahhh……N-neh, Jong Kook oppa. You guys have fun too! Bye!”

“Bye!”

Once hung up, Jong Kook stared at Haha.

“Is that how you said you’re gonna help me, Dong Hoon ah?”

“Hahahahahha….Hyung, okay I’m sorry…..I just want you to brave up facing Ji-hyo….Hyung, she could really be your soulmate……Even the fortuneteller said you both complement each other. You should give it a try, hyung!”

“Hahahah…..Let’s just go, Dong Hoon ah….I’m tired and hungry now….”

“Okay! But