When Ji-hyo woke up the next morning, she was surprised to found herself on top of Jong Kook on the couch. She tried to remember how they ended up on that couch but things were a bit blurry for her especially since she’s still drowsy. She sat up and looked around.

Jong Kook later started to move. When he felt like someone is missing from his hold, he slowly opened his eyes and found Ji-hyo staring at him.

“Ohh...Ji-hyo ah....Good morning....” Jong Kook greeted with little smiles.

“.....Oppa.....err.....morning......” Ji-hyo said while trying to cover her face.

Jong Kook sat up as well, getting closer to Ji-hyo’s face.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“.......Mmm.....N-neh.....Err.....I’ll get you towel so you can freshen up, oppa....”

Ji-hyo quickly walked away to get Jong Kook’s towel. After a minute, she came out with a towel in her hand.

“Here, oppa....You can use the bathroom there.....I’ll shower in my room now….” Ji-hyo tried to walk away as fast as possible.

But Jong Kook grabbed her wrist.

“Why won’t you look at me, Ji-hyo ah?” he asked, smiling.

“…..No….It’s just…..I still haven’t brush my teeth, oppa……I’m afraid you’ll faint if you smell my morning breath…..”

“Hahahahah……Really? Try me!” Jong Kook teased.

“Ah oppa! You’re crazy!” Ji-hyo said and ran away from Jong Kook, get into her room. Jong Kook only chuckled alone. He was sure that Ji-hyo was embarrassed with her bare face although he couldn’t care much.

After they both showered separately, Jong Kook waited for Ji-hyo to come out from her room. But Ji-hyo was actually sitting on her bed daydreaming about what happen the night before.

“Did we……Did he….No….I don’t think so…..” Ji-hyo talked to herself.

Then there were knocks on her door.

“Ji-hyo ah…..are you done? Is everything okay?” Jong Kook checked on her.

But Ji-hyo didn’t reply at all. She’s still embarrassed to face Jong Kook, seeing the way they slept together last night.

“Song Ji-hyo…..are you okay?” Jong Kook called again.

Yet Ji-hyo still kept silent.

“Ji-hyo ah!.........Song Ji-hyo!......Yah! Don’t try to do anything stupid to yourself, Ji-hyo ah!” Jong Kook suddenly got worried, thinking of the worst possible thing to happen to Ji-hyo.

Ji-hyo already walked slowly towards the door when Jong Kook suddenly threatened, “Ji-hyo ah! If you don’t open the door, I’m gonna break it! I’ll count to three! One! Two!........”

And the door opened. Ji-hyo daringly stared at Jong Kook with her annoying face.

“…....Three……” she responded and walked out to the kitchen with serious face.

“Do you think it’s funny?” Jong Kook questioned, following behind her.

“I think you are funny, oppa……for shouting this early……” Ji-hyo said, toneless.

“Well if you would hear me and reply, then I wouldn’t go shouting crazily…..” Jong Kook explained but Ji-hyo kept doing things without focusing on Jong Kook. “I’m talking to you, Song Ji-hyo-ssi!” Jong Kook shouted while pulling Ji-hyo’s hand, turning her over.

“And I hear you, Kim Jong Kook-ssi! Goddammit! Are you trying to test your vocal cord or what, oppa? Why can’t we talk properly without shouting to each other’s face?” Ji-hyo complained.

Jong Kook bit his lips, trying to control his anger. He really didn’t understand why today Ji-hyo was different than the girl he knew yesterday. At first he thought Ji-hyo was embarrassed that they slept together. But now she acted like she’s totally angry with Jong Kook. Did she think that Jong Kook had taken advantage on her? But they weren’t drunk last night so Ji-hyo should realize what happened last night. Whatever it is, Jong Kook felt like it’s better for him to leave, before things got worst between them.

“I think…..there’s no use for me to be here now……I’ll leave now…..” Jong Kook said and turn around, ready to leave.

But suddenly Ji-hyo hugged him from behind. Jong Kook was shocked, especially with the way Ji-hyo acted earlier. Jong Kook didn’t know if he should say anything.

“…………..I’m sorry………………” Ji-hyo said softly with her forehead leaning to Jong Kook’s back.

“Sorry for what?” Jong Kook questioned with his soft voice.

“…….For making you angry…….”

“…….I’m not angry……I’m just……shocked……coz I didn’t know what makes you acted that way……As far as I know, we were good last night……”

“I know….You did nothing wrong, oppa..…It was me…”

Jong Kook tried to open Ji-hyo’s hands from his waist but Ji-hyo won’t let him.

“No, oppa! Just stay like this for a while……”

“But Ji-hyo ah, I wanna see you when we talk….”

“But I don’t wanna see you when I talk…..”

Jong Kook smiled and laughed a bit. “Hahah…..Okay, fine…..Go ahead….Say what you wanna say, Ji-hyo ah….”

“………………….I was just……shocked when I woke up next to you…..I mean, we’ve never slept together even during Running Man. It’s always Kwang Soo or Jae-suk oppa or Suk Jin oppa next to me…And….to be awaken next to you….not only next to you but……in your arms like that…..It’s kind of shocking me……”

“Ji-hyo ah, did you not remember what happen last night?”

“My mind hasn’t started to process what happen last night that we end up sleeping together. And with you keep calling me, I became panic……By the time I opened the door, we both were already annoyed with each other………So…………….I’m sorry……”

“I’m not annoyed. I’m worried……coz you didn’t respond at all……Ji-hyo ah, you’ve handled someone’s funeral yesterday, and you cried yourself till you sleep in my arms…..What will I be thinking when you locked yourself for so long without any response? Of course I’m worried, Ji-hyo ah…..” Jong Kook explained.

“I know…..That’s why I’m sorry, oppa…..I didn’t mean to act harsh to you…..I just…..I don’t know what was I thinking……”

Jong Kook slowly tried to loosen Ji-hyo’s hands. But Ji-hyo still holds him tight.

“A-ni, oppa! Just stay like this,” Ji-hyo requested.

Jong Kook chuckled.

“But I’m tired already standing like this, Ji-hyo ah…..”

“Ahh oppa! Stop lying! You are a tough guy. Standing for few minutes won’t hurt you.”

“But it hurt not seeing your face, Ji-hyo ah,” Jong Kook slowly confessed, making Ji-hyo blushed. She’s thankful that she could hide her reddish face behind Jong Kook right now. “Hmm? Why are you quiet, Ji-hyo ah? Let me guess. You must be blushing right now, uh?” Jong Kook teased.

“A-ni! I know you are such a sweet talker. That’s why most women will easily fall for you.”

“Really? Including you?” Jong Kook tested.

“…….I didn’t fall for you……” Ji-hyo denied.

“Really?..........Then what are we doing right now?.......” Jong Kook asked calmly.

“We are just…….hugging……as…..colleagues…..like family….like friends….close friends…..” Ji-hyo still in denial.

“Really? So I guess, you’ll be hugging Kwang Soo like this as well huh? Even to Suk Jin hyung? Even to Jae-suk hyung? Ahhh….then Dong Hoon will definitely like it if you hug him like this. Coz he used to have feelings for you…..”

“Andwae!! That’s not what I meant, okay? What I meant was…..I mean……We are just…..”

Jong Kook forcefully released Ji-hyo’s hands from his waist and turned to face Ji-hyo. Ji-hyo didn’t know where to hide anymore. She felt like she wanna faint the moment Jong Kook turned around.

“I think we both know what we felt right now, Ji-hyo ah,” Jong Kook said while holding Ji-hyo’s hands. “It’s about time we stop hiding behind the bush. What happened between us within this few days, within months, had proven something between us, don’t you think?”

“…..I……Err……Erm…….” Ji-hyo stuttered, looked everywhere but didn’t dare to look at Jong Kook.

“Ji-hyo ah……you know when it comes to woman, I will never do anything daring like this…..But this past months had made me realized…..that my feelings changed for you. You are no longer my colleague whom I wanna treat harshly like a man…..nor would I like to treat you like a sibling anymore…….You suddenly meant a lot more than that, Ji-hyo ah…..Don’t ask me how…..Don’t ask me why…..Coz until today, I couldn’t find my own answer…..All I know is that…….I can’t live without you……and I can’t let you go…..to someone else’s arms……….I…..love you, Ji-hyo ah…..as a woman……who could be in my heart, forever……” Jong Kook confessed romantically.

Ji-hyo was flattered. Never had she seen this side of Jong Kook. She knew Jong Kook is a gentleman. But she never knew she would be the lucky girl who gets to see this secretive side of Jong Kook. And she always imagined that Jong Kook is not the type who is brave to confess face to face. But right now, it’s happening to herself, in front of her own eyes. Ji-hyo felt like her heart is gonna explode.

“Say something will you?” Jong Kook broke her daydreaming.

“…….Err……What…..How…..Erm……I don’t know what to say, oppa……..This is…..so sudden……”

“After what we’ve gone thru yesterday, you still think this is so sudden? Are you telling me that you didn’t have a clue at all about my feelings towards you, Ji-hyo ah? Then last night…….shouldn’t have happened is it?”

“Last night? What happen last night? Oppa,……we didn’t……you didn’t…….”

“Yah! Don’t questioned me like I’m forcing you last night,” Jong Kook purposely wanna make Ji-hyo panic.

“What do you mean? Oppa, did we…… ‘do that’ last night?” Ji-hyo totally turned panic.

Jong Kook moved his hands and wrapped around Ji-hyo’s waist.

“Should we ‘check’ each other……to see if something happen last night?” Jong Kook continued.

“Huh? But……” Ji-hyo couldn’t stay still anymore. She kept rubbing her arms and her neck while trying to figure out if anything happen while she was sleeping.

But Jong Kook suddenly flicked her head.

“Ouchhh!” Ji-hyo groaned.

“What were you thinking huh? Am I that kind of man, Song Ji-hyo?” Jong Kook finally gave his clue.

Ji-hyo was relieved when Jong Kook hinted that they didn’t cross ‘that’ line.

“Ahhh oppa! Stop joking about things like that!! Aishhh!!!” Ji-hyo complained.

“Hahahah…Yah Ji-hyo ah….You are worrying me now….If you can’t even remember what happen last night while you are sober, what will happen if you are drunk huh?” Jong Kook interrogated.

“Aishh, oppa! I’m a good drinker. I won’t get drunk that easy…..” Ji-hyo bragged herself.

“Yeah…..Says someone who dances on the club table……..”

“Yah! I did not!”

“Did to!”

“No way! Who told you that?”

“Kwang Soo!”

“Ughhhh! And you believe that ugly moron?? Ug