March 2019: Jong Kook's Concert

In his preparation room, Jong Kook was warming up his throat for the nth time. His first concert in over 9 years.

"Jong Kook-ah!" He turned and saw Jaesuk, Somin, and Kwangsoo enter. 

"Yah, hyung!" Jong Kook greeted all of them. 

"Are you ready, oppa?" Somin cheerfully asked. 

"I feel good. Just don't have to jynx myself." Jong Kook chuckled. "Thanks for coming, you guys."

"As if we would miss this." Kwangsoo laughed. "I mean, the chance to see you perform in front of 30,000 people?"

The Running Man cast continued to talk for a while before Somin and Kwangsoo left earlier to save the seats. 

"Oh, Jong Kook-ah..." Jaesuk spoke since it was only both of them in the room. "Jihyo is also coming. She's wrapping up a shoot and coming here immediately."

"Got it. But why are you whispering?" Jong Kook frowned. He had no problem with any of his Running Man cast coming. He even gave every one of them tickets, even Suk Jin and his family. 

The Nation's MC sighed. "Well, her coming here was supposed to be a secret. She wanted it to be."

"But why?" The singer asked, and all he got was a sigh from one of his closest friends. 

"How come you are fast at games, but clueless when it comes to women?" Jaesuk muttered, but Jong Kook caught that.

"Hey, I heard that." Jong Kook grunted. "Look, I'm very grateful to all you that you came. But I'm still not sure why Jihyo's coming has to be secret. Is she not supposed to be here?" 

"She wanted it to be a surprise for you. You know how much of a fan she is of your songs. More so than even Somin." The grasshopper MC noted. 

"Ah, I got it." Jong Kook nodded and got up slowly. "More of a reason to knock this concert out of the park then."

Jaesuk chuckled. "Time for this nation's One Man to shine once more! Jalhae!" They high-fived and Jaesuk happily left the room. 

Jong Kook cleared his throat and checked his phone again for the time and instead saw a text message. 

-YS: Just arrived oppa. Can't wait to see you perform!

He chuckled and texted back.

-JK: Then get ready to enjoy it!

Jihyo's POV

Jihyo thanked God that her movie shoot ended quickly so that she could go to Jong Kook's concert. Quickly enough that she was able to go home, dress into something proper, and leave for the concert. Thanks to the concert staff, she was able to enter through the backdoor, to avoid the public cameras, and to make her way to the front seats. 

Ever since, Jihyo heard that Jong Kook was going to have his concert, she made absolutely sure that she would have make it. She begged her movie director to allow her to leave early. 

As she went to her seat at the very front, she saw someone that she didn't expect. Han Ye Seul, wearing a figure-hugging wine-red dress.

"Oh Jihyo-ssi!" Yeseul beamed, stand up from her seat to greet her fellow actress. "It's been a while!"

"Yeseul-ssi!" Jihyo hugged her fellow actress. "Yes, it has. Have you been well?"

"I have! Why am I not surprised to see you here? I already saw JaeSuk-oppa, Kwangsoo, and Somin." Yeseul pointed behind then, and Jihyo saw the mentioned trio sitting in the middle. "But aren't you sitting with them?"

Jihyo shook her head. "No, I want to enjoy the concert for a bit. But I'm surprised to see YOU here though."

Yeseul giggled. "I managed to get a ticket as soon as his concert was announced."

"I see." Jihyo nodded slowly. Something didn't feel as it should like she was missing something. 

"Sit next to me!" Yeseul practically dragged her friend to the seat next to them. The two of them waited for the concert in silence. Neither of them really knew each other that well, so there was nothing for them to really talk about. Jihyo glanced at Yeseul's attire and couldn't help but feel self-conscious about what she wore. Jihyo wore a semi-formal dress while Yeseul wore something for a fashion gala, so the former internally cursed herself for not doing something more. 

"So if you don't mind me asking," Jihyo asked, and Yeseul turned to her. "Were you always Jong Kook-oppa's fan?" The Running Man member asked.

Yeseul thought for a bit. "Well, I always like his music, but I admit I was more of a HOT fan in the beginning..." She chuckled nervously. "But over time, I grew to like Jong Kook's songs more and more."

"I see..." Jihyo said, nodding.

"What about you?" Yeseul turned to Jihyo.

"The same," Jihyo admitted shyly. She herself had been a HOT fan, particularly Tony Ahn. But there were a couple of Turbo Songs that she always loved, such as December. And not that Jihyo ever admitted to her cast member, but she fell in love with his solo songs, particularly his All Man are like that. "When I was a teenager, I was a fan of Tony."

"I see." Yeseul giggled. "More of a Kangta-fan myself."

"But not anymore?" Jihyo raised an eyebrow.

End Jihyo POV

"Let's just say that my preferences evolved," Yeseul answered. Before Jihyo could ask more, the stage darkened and the instrumental for "Walking in One Spot". The huge stadium began to cheer as the man of the hour appeared, and the stage lights focused on him.

Jugdorog himgyowodo momsori chige werowodo
Nol giriwohaji anunge da sulsurhan irinde

The entire concert hall of 30,000 people took out their glow-in-the-dark wands and waved it from side to side. 

Nul ne senggaghanae salgo harul (harurul) dassodo mojaraso
Daumnaldo gu daumnaredo do hagenun guriume

As he sang, he quickly scanned the hall for Yeseul and found her in the front...with Jihyo sitting next to her. Yeseul gave him a wink, making him grin even wider. 

To haruga hullo to handari hullo
Ilnyon iranun shigani hullo
Jakkuman nunun gojidmal gathun nari nal bangijiman
Chon gorumul gado man gorumul gorodo
Nan onjena jejari gorum
Tonago shiphodo moth tona niga wajulkabwa....

He finished and continued to sing through all of his medley songs, performing with Joon Park, Haha, and Sechan. 

"Thank you all again for coming today." Jong Kook smiled, and the concert ch