First things first – hide the tests. Jihyo throws them into a ziplock and wants to call it a day, but she knows she needs to get an abortion. What would everyone think? The press, the public, her family and friends? What the hell was she going to say? Hahaha remember when I thought it was a good idea to get drunk and have with that gym addict Kim Jongkook and now I’m pregnant? She’s going to die from the scrutiny and maybe this time her career will be over. No more Running Man! No more dramas or movies or anything!

So she schedules an appointment with her  doctor two weeks later on a Tuesday right after filming on Monday. It’s her earliest free day since her manager liked to block out Tuesdays so she wouldn’t feel exhausted after a whole day of mindless games. If she doesn’t tell anyone, it would be alright. Nobody needs to know, and this would just be buried as her deepest, darkest secret. It would be so hidden that her own mother wouldn’t find out, and none of them will.

It’s the end of February and the weather isn’t deathly cold like it was a month ago, which meant that the water punishments are back in full force. This time, the PD has all of them under a gigantic water tank so huge it might bring even Jongkook to the ground. Speaking of which, she ignores the most and stands the furthest away, which isn’t even abnormal anymore with how much they avoided one another since that night.

“Unnie, you’re looking a little pale. Are you sure you don’t want to sit down a little? We might not even get the water!”

Bless Somin for having heart, but Jihyo’s almost completely sure the water bomb was meant for their team – there’s no way Kwangsoo didn’t betray them, if Somin herself didn’t already do that.

“I don’t know what you’re taking about, Somin ah. Come on, the faster we finish this, the faster we get to go home.” Jihyo reassures the younger girl, who perks up and moves to her designated spot beside her.

Except she’s exhausted. She’s been tired so often these days and she doesn’t want think about what’s growing inside of her or what even is her future until she got things checked out that she’s filled her schedule to the brim with meetings and script readings and other variety shows. 2020 was her year, damn it! Not to mention how nothing stays down except a few bites of biscuits or cups of coffee that she definitely should not be drinking at this stage. God, she’s terrible. She’d be a terrible mother, so there really was no point.

They spent the entirely day running around Seoul like a bunch of children they aren’t – and Sukjin’s not even on her team this week. They don’t get to eat because they lost the mission, which was fine with her stomach anyway, but she’s too tired to even accept Sechan’s kind gesture of some Tonkatsu, redirecting him to Somin because she knows how love lines work for being in one for too long.

Her team ends up losing – it’s her, Kwangsoo, Jaesuk and Somin, and she shuts her eyes right before the water pours down and the chill gets to her as she falls to the ground with the weight of the waterfall of water. Somin’s squealing by her side, and Jaesuk groaning while Kwangsoo just complains. God, the PDs must have been planning this one for months with how much water is hitting them. For some reason her eyes can’t quite open as her head hits the hard ground, the pain radiating wildly, and she’s exhausted, too tired to push through. Until she realizes this is now a problem when she’s too weak to get up, and her head starts spinning like she’s just bungee jumped and went on the Nervis Swing one after another.

“Noona?”

“Unnie!”

The last thing she hears is Kwangsoo and Somin’s horrified shouts of her name and the feeling of Jaesuk’s careful hand cradling her head before she completely blacks out.

When she comes to it, there’s an oxygen mask on her face, and she nearly rips it out before a hand stops her. It’s Jaesuk, and she blinks several times wondering if this was how God looked like until she sees six other anxious pairs of eyes looking at her.

“Am I in trouble?” Jihyo jokes, her voice croaky and dry. Somin lets out a noise sounding between a mixture of a laugh and a cry, and Jihyo feels bad – the poor girl must have gotten quite the shock.

“Unnie... you scared us.” Somin sniffs, and this time Jihyo yanks the oxygen mask off her face and tries to sit up to hold Somin’s hand.

“No, you don’t.” Jaesuk warns sternly, already exasperated with her swift removal of the mask. “Lie back down and don’t you dare get up.”

He’s not one to be so assertive, but she’s too groggy to call him out on that. “How long was I out? And how did all of you get in here anyway?”

“Not long, but you’re not going back to filming.” Kwangsoo matches his hyung’s tone, helping Jihyo with a glass of water he’s taken. “Jaesuk hyung pulled a few strings.”

“It’s not like we can leave you alone.” Sukjin says dryly beside Jaesuk. “And the nurses were to starstruck to stop us anyway.”

“Yah, you’re not getting any younger. Why do you always overwork yourself?” Donghoon calls from the other end, still passing poor Somin tissues to stop her tears.

Jihyo frowns, taking a couple of seconds to digest her oppa’s words, and then freezes almost immediately. . She’s pregnant, for God’s sakes. This is a ty way for the baby to go, in a room full of her family and... the baby’s father, who’s standing worriedly just by the door. Her eyes meet Jongkook’s, and he burrows his brows in confusion at how wide her eyes are.

“Noona... I’m pretty sure you said you finished filming for your drama.” Sechan, ever so naive, voices his thoughts. She barely hears him, with how flustered she’s gotten.

“It doesn’t matter! Unnie, you’re fine now, right?” Somin sniffs, still scared sick.

“I’m sure she is, if you’d all just give us a moment.” The gang find themselves staring at the newcomer in the room, wondering how on earth the doctor got in without any of them noticing. And a room full of Running Man members too! The doctor, pushing through the gap between a tearful Somin and Ha Ha, walks up to Jihyo’s bed, and introduces herself as Doctor Choi. “As much as you’ve managed to charm my nurses, I’m afraid you’ll have to all leave now.”

“I’m sorry for the disruption.” Ever the spokesperson, Jaesuk bows slightly and the rest follow suit, even Sukjin. “You’ll take care of our Mongji, won’t you?”

“Of course.” And maybe Doctor Choi isn’t completely immune to the nation’s favourite host, Jihyo thinks as the doctor smiles. “It will only be a few minutes and I’m sure she’ll be released for the day.”

That seemed to perk up the gang, and even Somin started to smile again. They poured out of the room one by one, with promises to wait, and just before they all disappear, Jihyo thinks she’s being totally foolish about this. After all, she’s the one avoiding Kim Jongkook. Since she’s already reached this part of the soap drama she’s now writing, she might as well introduce the main character.

“Um, just, Jongkook oppa, could you stay?” She calls before he goes, and this startles poor Kwangsoo, who’s one of the last few to leave. “I’m feeling...”

“Of course.” Doctor Choi doesn’t even blink. “Shut the door while you’re out, Kwangsoo ssi.”

Kwangsoo’s just glad to be recognized and does exactly that as he walks out, unbothered by how weird Jihyo’s acting. Jongkook, on the other hand, looked to be trapped in a cage. He awkwardly wavers behind Doctor Choi, who’s fast enough to start checking Jihyo’s vitals and eyes.

“Well, you seem to be fine.” The doctor confirms as she writes down a few notes on her clipboard, and tucks it neatly under her arm once she’s done. Then, as if remembering that Jongkook was still standing behind her looking half terrified and half worried, turns to him and back to Jihyo, as if directing the soap opera. “Both mother and child are fine.”

“Excuse me?” Jongkook shakes out of his daze so fast, Jihyo winces. This is the first time she’s gotten actual medical confirmation that she’s pregnant, even after weeks of morning sickness and her missed period. It doesn’t seem to settle in even though she knows the possibility was always there.

“Am I...?”

“Two months along, so no stress, Jihyo ssi. You’re a little older than the normal age, but it doesn’t mean it’s bad, you just need to monitor yourself more. And you don’t seem to have any gynecologist records in your file, so I’m going ahead and assigning myself to you.” Doctor Choi barely flinches at his shock. She’s too used to these situations of surprise for couples that she’s not even going to untangle this one, even if said couple happens to be Kim Jongkook and Song Jihyo. “You are free to go like I said, but please pick up prenatal vitamins and schedule another appointment soon. And please take it easy, I’ll have to talk to you about stopping whatever running activities you’re filming with Yoo Jaesuk standing outside for the nurses to cry over.”

“I’m sorry, did you just... did you just say she’s pregnant?” Jongkook stutters, looking every bit as dazed as Jihyo was feeling with that wave of information just unloaded on her.

Doctor Choi pauses, looking at him, and back at Jihyo. “I’m sorry, did I assume wrongly? Only because you called him in...”

“Um, could you give us a moment, Doctor?” Jihyo barely manages to say, but she’s already nodding briskly and packing her things.

“I’ll set the appointment up and let the nurses know you are free to leave after you collect your vitamins.” Doctor Choi says, eyeing Jongkook, and then back at Jihyo. She’s very pretty, this actress. She doesn’t really watch dramas or variety shows herself, but everyone knows Running Man, even if this wasn’t exactly how she thought of her new patient. Shaking her head, she decides to leave them in their own private discussion, shutting the door behind her.

“Just so you know, I don’t need those vitamins.” Jihyo throws the blankets off her legs, ready to hop off the bed.

“How long have you known?” Jongkook finally speaks, stopping her from getting down.

“Long enough.” Jihyo shakes her head. “I swear, I didn’t purposely faint on set.” She tries again, pushing past his hands weakly to get off the bed. “Oppa, can we talk about this later? Everyone’s waiting for me.”

“No, we can’t.” Jongkook holds her down as she squirms. “Not until you tell me why you’ve decided to avoid me. That night...”

“Was the stupidest thing we’ve ever done. Oppa, we’re colleagues. That was a mistake, and I need to correct it before it’s too late.” She avoids h