At the meantime, Jong Kook was in his supposed paradise – the gym. His haven where all his essential equipment lined up for him to produce his muscular body frame, chocolate abs and tender y tights. His paradise had never failed to enable him to feel satisfyingly great about himself instantly after a good workout no matter how busy he was – dating the gym was always essential to revitalise his mood.

Lifting up the 50-kilogram dumbbell singlehandedly, he grunted with a loud ‘Argh!’ with every lift. The force used to lift the dumbbell, caused his muscles to stretch. The euphoria from the activated endorphins triggered by exercising lifted his mood up instantly.

Usually, the euphoria would be able to last him a good few hours after exercise. However, that day, the moment he paused doing those vigorous stretches, the euphoria vanished into thin air immediately. Why is the air so stuffy here? Jong Kook blamed the air for being stale that day, not that the air in his confined gym ever had fresh air, but the memories of Ji Hyo storming out of his haven yesterday pained him.

Ever since frequenting this gym, yesterday was almost his happiest day there. He was mesmerised by her curves, ogling at her curves in her tight tank top and equally fitting sweatpants, which were wrapped around her body’s features accurately, that he didn’t hear her calling him for the umpteenth time and he came up with a white lie. There was no way he was going to risk the title of being her friend for something more, there and then.

Yet, he made things worse with the slip of his tongue, “No, I love you more,” where he had accidentally confessed his feelings for her. They were supposed to be friends, aren’t they? And he was glad that he was able to recover from his stumble, and she seemed to believe it by changing the topic, “Oh, then oppa, which equipment would you recommend me?”

Having major his area of expertise over the years of his experience, he guided her throughout from showing her around to supporting her when using the equipment. They started with the warm-up stretches by stretching their joints on their own under Jong Kook’s lead. As they toured around the gym, he introduced her to his friends – the gym equipment. Every introduction includes its name, its function, its purpose and a live demonstration by trainer Kook himself.

Throughout the entire session in the gym, he was patient to help her into the correct posture and used his weight as a support when she was exercising. Only after she was exercising with the equipment under his supervision, it would be his turn where he would set the equipment to be filled with heavier weights.

Jong Kook shook the memories from yesterday’s incident as he knew that it was his excessive teasing that triggered Ji Hyo’s anger. He had been trying to apologise to her, but it was to no avail – missed calls and not replied texts. Damn, she’s already mad at me and ignoring me like we’re on a couple’s quarrel when we’re not even a couple yet, or ever.

His eyes scanned towards the barbell which he had used yesterday. He remembered adjusting the settings of the barbell by putting his usual comfortable load and was greeted by an astonished Ji Hyo. He remembered the concern laced in her voice, the worried gaze she had for him and the smile she had for him. And that gave him strength, yesterday, and enabled him to easily lift up the barbell with his Herculean strength.

He was proud at how he guided Ji Hyo around, where everything went smoothly as they completed the exercise routine. However, he had unfortunately messed things up when he refused to comply with her request to drink his water and instead for being a smoker and conwoman instead. And that sent her storming off his paradise – his paradise hadn’t been grim until that day.

The incidents of the previous day caused him to be rather distracted when he was exercising that day. His mind was bombarded with many questions of ‘I don’t know’ that caused him to be frustrated.  

He didn’t know why he insisted to sign that goddamn baby contract. He didn’t even know why he thought that announcing his non-existent relationship with Ji Hyo was a good idea. He didn’t even know why he brought her to his gym – his paradise.

But he knows one thing only and that is, he likes her.

After completing three sets of lifting the 50-kilogram dumbbell, he decided to take an early break. He had to organise his overwhelming cluttered thoughts and piece himself together. He hoped that, after a break, he would be able to focus as he exercises, for he knew how not focusing on exercising could lead to injuries and he doesn’t want that.

He stopped his tracks upon realising that his feet were headed to that same bench which Ji Hyo had stormed off from. Pained by that memory, he shifted his feet direction and headed for another bench. As he sat on a gym’s bench, he fished out his phone as his heart burst with anticipation to see a reply.

2 New Messages

Upon seeing the pop-up notifications on his phone screen, his eyes turned into little crescents. His mouth, too, curved upwards into a bigger crescent as he saw the messages from a sender who he was anticipating from – Jeon So Min, one of his many beloved dongsaengs. He knew that deploying So Min into action was his only way of access to Ji Hyo, for she had a soft spot for her other female cast in the show.

From: So Min

Oppa, I could only text you now as I’ve just parted ways with unnie. Unnie is still mad at you.

From: So Min

Oppa, don’t be mad at me! I’ve tried my best to talk about you to ask her to not be mad at you, but she won’t even allow me to mention you. You know how scary unnie is when she’s mad.

Seeing the messages, he sighed and looked at the ceiling in helplessness, before quickly sent a reply.

To: So Min

Thank you for your help! Can you help oppa with a favour? Can you spend more time with Ji Hyo these days on my behalf until I’ve resolved my issue with Ji Hyo?

Sending the text, he regained his smile. He was glad that he had set up the foundation of the lie – that he’s dating Ji Hyo – to his advantage. It seemed like a brilliant plan by ensuring Ji Hyo would be kept occupied by So Min. He didn’t realise how long his smug smile possessed him when he felt his phone vibrated again, bringing him to reality.

From: So Min

No problem oppa! But would that make me your favourite dongsaeng?

To: So Min

Of course, my favourite dongsaeng!

Feeling assured that Ji Hyo would be taken care of by someone he trusted, his dearest female dongsaeng, he felt the burdens on his shoulders were lifted instantly. With a lighter mind, he resumed his date with his first wife – the gym.

-

The days in the week snailed by with his mundane life filled with work and gym. Despite sending messages of apology to Ji Hyo for his misbehaviour daily, it was to no avail. He knew that he should be relieved that Ji Hyo would be taken care of by So Min, yet he was still disappointed that she was still avoiding him.

Valentine’s day was on that Friday, yet he was the one who ruined his chances. Instead of spending his evening with Ji Hyo like what he had wanted a month ago, he got Se Chan over to have a sleepover with him instead – two singles make a double, isn’t it?

Ever since the encounter with soju almost two weeks ago, he wasn’t that stubborn and yielded to drinking upon Se Chan’s suggestion. Clink! For the countless time, the glasses bumped into each other for a brief yet meaningful contact, longing for each other, they were reluctant to separate from each other, yet they obeyed their owners’ command.  

With the burning sensation of the cheap soju lingering at the back of his throat, he turned to face the beet-like face with protruding mouth. Shaking his head, he couldn’t believe how easily his weak dongsaeng was defeated by just two bottles of soju shared amongst them – to be exact four shots was