“Is this...”

“Yup!”

Somin beams as she catches Jihyo’s extra cheery mood, her eyes still on the sonogram. This was literally one of the happiest she’s seen Jihyo in the morning. “Oh unnie! I’m so happy for you and Jongkook oppa — I can’t believe this is truly real!”

Jihyo smiles, watching the younger girl fuss over one of the photos of the sonogram on her phone. Somin’s one of the first few people she’s shown it to, not to mention how she’s been looking at it daily since they got back from Doctor Choi’s. If it wasn’t for all the morning sickness (that seemed to be ebbing away, or she got used to it) or the extra naps she’s been taking, she would still be doubtful of the pregnancy. But this sonogram was actual proof that she had a little human growing inside of her, even if it looked nothing like one yet.

“When will you find out if it’s a girl, or boy?” Somin asks innocently, giving the phone back.

“The next appointment. Maybe a few weeks later?”

“Unnie! You must tell me, okay? I’ll spoil the baby so much!!”

“Oh, Somin. Donghoon oppa’s going to be so disappointed to hear that. Aren’t you little Song’s favourite now?” Jihyo teases. She’s been in a very good mood lately, and Somin’s noticed how cheeky she’s gotten. It’s like a complete change of heart from last week!

“I can love all babies equally.” Somin nods, determined. “So I will spoil them all.”

“You’re as bad as Kwangsoo.” Jihyo shakes her head, and the two walk along to shoot their opening, bowing at everyone.

“She betray you again?” Donghoon catches the end of their conversation, inserting himself in casually.

“Oppa, go away!” Somin groans, pushing him. She’s trying to sniff out some information! If she just held out a little longer, she might have even pried Jihyo and Jongkook’s weekend plans. They must have had a good time, considering how they’ve been extra smiley since coming onto set.

But Jihyo’s already long gone, making a beeline for Jongkook and Jaesuk on the other end of the room. Ha Ha and Sechan eye each other hopefully as Jongkook perks up the moment he spots her going over, ignoring Sechan mid conversation.

“What did you say to her?” Sechan nudges Somin as he leaves to give them some privacy — as much as he can give in a room full of the crew setting up anyway.

“Nothing! Do you think they...” Somin trails off, winking suggestively.

“When you do that to Sechan, it’s real hard to believe you guys are just friends.” Ha Ha comments dryly to the sounds of their protests. “Seriously though, you said something, right?”

“If I did, I’m just glad to have made them happier this week.” Somin grins gleefully, pretending not to see Donghoon’s eyes rolling dramatically.

“You’re as bad as Jaesuk. He still thinks he set them up!” Sukjin walks over, ignoring the fact that the four of them looked overly suspicious as a huddle. “He keeps talking about Family Outing and how he always knew something was going on between them.”

“I know Kwangsoo hyung’s not here, but I’m pretty sure he sent them home together in the same car all those months ago.” Sechan shrugs.

“But I’m the one who told her to consider dating him for real. She probably took the advice! Look at them!”

They put their conversation on hold, all four of them turning to take a good long look at Jihyo and Jongkook, who are chatting with Jaesuk. The nation’s host is the only one who spots the gang openly looking over, and he only resists the urge to glare at them when Jihyo’s clearly so interested in listening to his story about what his daughter did the other day (he can’t believe she and Jongkook would be sharing their own baby stories to him one day... talk about fate).

Jaesuk excuses himself to check with the PDs on filming, then heads over to join in the gossiping himself, catching the ends of Donghoon’s words.

“Excuse me, but who’s the one who hinted that Jihyo was extremely pretty on the first few episodes of Running Man?” Ha Ha points to himself, smug.

“You were just saying that because you genuinely thought she was pretty, you jerk.” Jaesuk finally comes over, knocking some sense into the large group. “Why are all of you huddling in one corner?”

“We’re trying to see who really set Jihyo unnie and Jongkook oppa up.” Somin explains gleefully.

“I still say it’s me.” Ha Ha grumbles, upset about Jaesuk’s comment.

He’s met with more indignant protests as they try to reason with one another, but Jaesuk only frowns, looking seriously at all of them. “Get a move on — you guys look so suspicious, I’m surprised they haven’t come over themselves yet. Do this after filming, at least. Poor Bopil’s starting his first episode today, you guys better not give him a hard time. Be professional.”

Leave it to Jaesuk to disperse the nosy group with a reminder of work. “Yes, dad.” Somin mumbles to his bemusement, leaving together with an enthusiastic Sechan and sullen Donghoon.

“For the record, I’m the one who saw them meet for the first time in Family Outing...” Jaesuk shrugs, even though the maknaes and Donghoon are long gone, and Sukjin’s the only one within earshot.

“That’s the problem with all of you.” Sukjin notes dryly, not even bothering to respond to Jaesuk’s comment. “Always turning everything into a competition.”

KakaoTalk Group Name：THE BET

Ha Ha: Okay, break time. We can discuss here so Jaesuk hyung doesn’t become a spoilsport

Ha Ha: Somin’s done something to Jihyo, I just know it

Somin: @HaHa Oppa! I did no such thing, unnie just showed it to me!

Sechan: Jongkook hyung showed it to me too when we were waiting for the guests

Kwangsoo: Showed what?

Ha Ha: , he only showed it to me because I saw him show them to Jaesuk!

Kwangsoo: SHOWED WHAT??

Sukjin: Are you guys talking about the sonogram? Technology is so cool these days I didn’t know it looked like that.

Ha Ha: @Sukjin Hyung, you’re just old

Kwangsoo: SONOGRAM? EVERYONE SAW?? EXCEPT ME??

Somin: You’re making me regret adding you back in

Sechan: To be fair, it’s a little hard to show it to you when you’re at home...

Ha Ha: Don’t let him lie to you, hyung showed it to us on his phone

Kwangsoo: WHAT. Aren’t we messaging now?? Did nobody take a picture??

Somin: load picture

Kwangsoo: ... That’s a photo of Jongkook hyung holding fried chicken

Kwangsoo: Where the hell did you get that? And where’s the sonogram??

Kwangsoo: Also, why is he eating fried chicken??

Sechan: Hyung, you’ve missed so much... Noona showed us this photo during our break! @Somin I can’t believe she sent that to you

Somin: Unnie likes me best, that’s why. Plus Jongkook oppa would never hate me if I accidentally leaked that out

Sechan: Only accidentally?

Ha Ha: Who cares about the chicken?? Sniff... I cant believe we have proof of our little Running Man baby!! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this?

Somin: Oppa... you have three kids

Kwangsoo: But nobody took a photo of the sonogram????

Sukjin: Jaesuk says he is one hundred percent sure it’s a boy... You guys better pay up soon

Ha Ha: So NOW it’s okay to discuss this?

Sukjin: I don’t make up the rules around here

Ha Ha: Hyung, you’re the oldest

Kwangsoo: You discussed this without me?

Somin: Just get better soon, oppa

Ha Ha: Hurry up and come back, you punk

Kwangsoo: Can someone just give me more details? I’m really bored at home :(

Sechan: He was really happy about it. Like he couldn’t stop smiling! It’s kinda weird because last week he just seemed to be avoiding everyone...

Sechan: And I don’t really get it because it’s literally just a black and white picture of some shadows. How on earth is that a picture of a baby??

Ha Ha: Ah, a young man like you won’t understand yet. That is literally one of the highlights of pregnancy!

Kwangsoo: @Sechan Thanks for the update, you’re the best dongsaeng I have ^^

Sechan: @Kwangsoo HYUNG YOU’RE THE BEST ^^

Somin: You’re just saying that because I didn’t reply to your text last week

Kwangsoo: No, I’m saying that because Sechan doesn’t sprout nonsense like you do

Somin: Is this about last week when you left the group chat?? It’s not nonsense when it’s true! I’m telling you, they were definitely talking about last week!!

Kwangsoo: THIS IS WHY I HATE TALKING TO YOU, SOMIN

Ha Ha: Agreed. They probably had yesterday, she’s practically glowing and he definitely got LAID... Why on earth would he be so happy?

Kwangsoo: HYUNG

Sechan: I thought pregnant women glow because they are... Well, pregnant

Ha Ha: No no, it’s because of all the hormones they have when they are pregnant. So they definitely had yesterday

Kwangsoo: I HATE ALL OF YOU

*Lee Kwangsoo left this chatroom*

Somin: I’m not adding him back in

Sukjin: That’s a pretty good observation? I’m not sure that’s why pregnant women glow though

Sukjin: Never mind, Jaesuk says it’s because of increased blood flow and hormone fluctuations... How does he know all this??

Sechan: Oh... I didn’t think Donghoon hyung was smart enough to know that

Ha Ha: ... One of these days I’m going to mute all of you, you know？

It’s a very fun episode to shoot when none of them are awkward or fighting on another. They get to shoot indoors too, so Jongkook’s glad that they took his advise to make things less physical, otherwise someone might be in trouble next week.

“You’re in a good mood.” Jaesuk notes when they end the shoot and everyone heads back to their changing rooms.

“Hyung, what do you mean? I’m always like this.” Jongkook grins.

“That,” Jaesuk circles his smile with one finger in the air, “Is what I’m talking about. You don’t usually smile so much.”

“Well, excuse me for being happy.”

“It’s just been a while since I’ve seen you grinning around like you’ve discovered a new empty gym? Kookjong, you need to do this more.” Jaesuk pats him on the shoulder, amused.

Do what more? Smile more? For God’s sakes, as if he hasn’t seen all of them giggling into their phones like teenagers. He pretends not to notice, opening the door to their waiting room.

“So how’s the situation?” Jaesuk asks.

“Huh?”

“Aren’t you two in the same apartment now?”

“Yeah, it’s been fun.” Jongkook shrugs.

“Just fun?” Jaesuk sounds very suspicious.

“What else would it be?”

“I thought you two would be completely infuriated with one another now, considering she loves to sleep and all you do is go to the gym.” Jaesuk points out. The room is still empty; a rare sight in a variety show like this when all the crew and their stylists would be running around even when filming was over. But it seems like they’ve caught the best time to head back first, while everyone was fussing over their guests.

Come to think of it, he’s far behind on his gym schedule. “I haven’t been to the gym since Thursday.”

“You... what?” Jaesuk nearly drops his phone for a second, looking up to stare at Jongkook. Hasn’t been to the gym? In four days? It’s like he just announced that the world was ending!

“Yeah, I got busy.”

“Hmm. Busy. You’d make time for that, though.” Jaesuk borderlines accuses, as if it’s a crime not to go to the gym for a few days. In Jongkook’s life, it was probably time for his gym to go ahead and file a missing person’s report if he didn’t make it there in 48 hours.

Jongkook tries not to think too much of it. “I guess I forgot?”

“You forgot. Forgot to go to the gym.” Jaesuk repeats, deadpanned. Does this man hear himself at all? “Okay, what about the fried chicken then?”

“Huh?”

“Jihyo’s been going around showing us a photo of you eating fried chicken.” Jaesuk sniggers, and Jongkook nearly slaps his forehead with the palm of his hand. This was blackmail! He brought her out for something nice and she shows their friends?

“That was for lunch. She wanted it, but how was I to know she’d betray me like that?” He grumbles, pretending to have no comment on it as Jaesuk watches him closely.

“Jongkook... in all seriousness, you need to be careful.” Jaesuk sighs, settling into one of the empty seats in the room. He can’t believe he has to make this speech again. First Jihyo, now Jongkook — maybe if they weren’t so stubborn, one of them would actually listen to their advice.

“Because I forgot a few days of going to the gym and ate fried chicken? I think I’m fine, hyung.”

“No, no... Not that.” Jaesuk laughs. Fools! All of them! Jihyo claimed that they’ll just have a baby with no strings attached, and now Jongkook doesn’t even see how infatuated he is with the woman that he’s forgoing his gym sessions. Not to mention how he showed them all the sonogram the moment they sat down to wait for filming to start! He still remembers the day he saw Jiho on the monitor, so it’s understandable at how excited Jongkook is.

“I’ve spoke to Jihyo about this before, but I think I need to let you know too.” Jaesuk says solemnly. “Be careful, Jongkook ah. You have a few months ahead of you before the baby comes, and now that it’s real, you need to plan into the future. What’s going to happen? Is she going to live with you forever?“

Jongkook knows he has to think about this soon. Delaying is one of the only things he’s been doing just to keep their arrangement alive for now — they’ve hardly felt awkward around each other the past week, not to mention how they could actually talk to one another casually now. He didn’t want to upset either one of them by thinking about what comes next. So what if she has to stay in his apartment forever? It seemed like a feasible plan.

“I guess it’s the plan now.”

Jaesuk doesn’t quite like how Jongkook doesn’t sound confident. He hates doing this to his dongsaeng, but it’s something he has to warn him about if he thinks raising a child will be easy. “Is it? So you’re still doing that co-parenting thing? What if she finds someone else?”

Jongkook’s not even entertaining the possibility that Jihyo finds her own lover and runs away. That’s what clause four was for, right? Nobody runs away from their responsibilities. But he can’t deny that she’s pretty, and well liked — she could find anybody she wanted. She was just that alluring, and he should be one to know.

Him, not so much. He’s older, and frankly married to the gym. Who is he going to find? But he can’t rule all the possibility of her staying at his house forever too. How were they going to explain to their child when he or she grows up? That mom and dad don’t