Ji Hyo woke up that next morning with a pounding headache. She groaned, rolling over and pawing her bedside table for any cups of water and pills she may have left behind. Ji Hyo loved drinking, but she hated the hangovers that followed. Why did drinking have to feel so good in the moment, yet feel so terrible eight hours later?

Thankfully for her, aspirin existed. It didn't magically make her feel better immediately, but after a few minutes, her head began to clear. She saw a note Kwang Soo had left on her desk:

"In case you forget everything that happened last night (which you usually do), I helped pour you some water for when you wake up. Here's a rundown of everything that happened the night before:

you were on a date at some water park?  you went drinking. duh. but you went drinking with your blind date??? and from what i gathered talking to you when you were less drunk you said that it was a platonic drinking and that you were now friends with your blind date because he was in love with his matchmaker??? reminds us of someone doesn't it hehe (pls do not kill me) also he decided to go visit her house drunk which was obviously a very stupid decision too bad i don't know him personally there was no one there to stop him from leaving your new friend has probably screwed up any chance he had with his matchmaker by going to see her drunk idk if he actually went through with it though you started getting weird in public and I had to take you home

okay yeah i spent too long writing this goodnight noona you owe me one i want a raise"

Ji Hyo sighed as she finished reading Kwang Soo's note. For good measure, she sent Joong Ki a text to show concern and ask if he really did what Kwang Soo said.

Then, she received a text from Jong Kook.

Jong Kook: Meet me at the park nearest your building :)

Ji Hyo smiled as she read the text. 

Ji Hyo: Another blind date so fast? You better thank your lucky stars I had nothing on today and my hangover is 70% cured haha. I'm on my way! See you soon.

 

 

When Jong Kook read Ji Hyo's text, it was as if he had just gotten stabbed and a knife had been twisted and left in his chest.

She had been drunk when she had said all that. And didn't remember one word. It was all garbage that meant nothing because of her drunk state.

And like a fool, Jong Kook had believed it and planned out an entire date for the both of them at the park.

In fact, he was now waiting for Ji Hyo in the park with a basket in his hand.

And he didn't have a blind date for Ji Hyo.

Oh, crap he was so screwed! He needed to solve this. Immediately.

After pacing back and forth in panic for a minute or two, Jong Kook managed to pull it together and call his trusted friend, Ha Dong Hoon. They had also met when they were both trainees, although Dong Hoon and Jong Kook trained at different companies. Dong Hoon then went on to become a successful comedian that was also a singer but if Jong Kook was being real Dong Hoon was mostly just a comedian.

And Jong Kook was the one that introduced Dong Hoon to his wife, Go Eun, so he technically owed Jong Kook one.

"Hello?"

"Dong Hoon-ah! It's Jong Kook Hyung."

"Ah, Hyung! What's up?"

Jong Kook cleared his throat. "Are you free now? You aren't filming or with your family or anything right?"

"No..." Dong Hoon trailed off suspiciously. "Why, what do you need?"

Jong Kook sighed, deciding to get straight to the point.

"I know I haven't been updating you on my love life lately, but here's a rundown on what's been going on- I fell in love with one of my clients, and last night she kind of called me saying that she wanted to go on a date with me, but turns out she was drunk and nothing she said was real."

"Oh Hyung that's-"

"I know I know, that's terrible. My love life is a living hell. But that's not important right now. She's coming here in about ten minutes so I need you down here to pretend to be the blind date I 'set up' for her."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah. I'll text you the address-"

"Hyung, wait!" Dong Hoon excalimed.

"What is it?"

"Aren't you forgetting something? Y'know, like the fact that I'm married and can't go on a date with someone who isn't my wife? Come on Hyung, I have a kid!"

Jong Kook groaned. "I won't tell Go Eun. Anyway, it's not a real date, you don't have to try and charm her or anything. Plus, I'm the one that set you up with Go Eun in the first place. I know it's a tall order, but come on- you owe me one. Please don't let me embarrass myself in front of the girl I'm in love with."

Dong Hoon sighed. "Fine. I'm coming."

"Thank you!"

A few minutes after hanging up the phone with Dong Hoon, Jong Kook heard the familiar voice of Ji Hyo happily echo throughout the park.

"Jong Kook Oppa!" Ji Hyo called out with a smile, prompting Jong Kook to turn around and smile at Ji Hyo. He did his best to act natural.

"Hey Ji Hyo! How's your hangover?"

Ji Hyo beamed. She was wearing a flowery sun dress and pink lipstick. She was too beautiful and it hurt, watching her stand there as the ethereal being of light she was. She could've replaced the sun and no one would've noticed. 

"Much better now. I walked around, taking in fresh air. Also I'm at the park! My head feels great." She glanced down at the huge picnic basket Jong Kook was carrying. "What's that?"

"Oh this?" Jong Kook lifted up the picnic basket as if he had just seen it himself. "It's just a simple picnic basket. I prepared it. Um, seeing how disastrous your last date at the park went, I wanted to make it up to you by preparing the picnic basket myself. Here, you hold it. Your date is a little late, but I told him to meet you by the bridge. You should head over there. Have fun on your date."

Then, Jong Kook began to walk away.

"Jong Kook Oppa, wait! You're not coming along?" Ji Hyo asked. The moment the words fell out of she knew they were weird things to ask of one's matchmaker, but it was too late to take everything back now. 

Jong Kook shook his head "I've got some matters to attend to. I'm sorry."

The truth? Jong Kook was in too much pain to be with Ji Hyo at that point.

It was funny how love worked. He wanted to be with Ji Hyo so badly, yet he wanted to be far far away all the same because he knew she wouldn't se