Monday brings a grueling day of filming Running Man for Jong Kook. He curses the staff a little under his breath; the missions were punishing and physical and he's thirty-seven years old -- relatively young, but not young enough to bounce back as well as he used to.

He's limping on aching knees as he moves to the changing rooms when a very familiar arm wraps itself around his shoulders and pins him to its owner's side.

"Jae Suk-hyung," he sighs, staggering as Jae Suk hauls him around. Contrary to the show Jae Suk likes to put on during filming, he is much, much stronger than he looks. "Did you want something?"

"I heard you had a lot of fun this weekend," Jae Suk says teasingly. "I can't believe you told our cute giraffe dongsaeng all about it, but not your favorite hyung! Did you get a girlfriend? Will I be paying for you when you get married?"

"Don't be ridiculous, hyung," Jong Kook grumbles, feeling his face flush. "Ji Hyo was dragging me around to stalk her little brother on his date."

"Sung Moon?" Jae Suk's eyebrow shoots up as he herds Jong Kook into the fitting room. "I thought he was a university student."

"He is," Jong Kook grouses. "Ji Hyo said she was making sure his taste in women would 'bring honor to the family' or something. She made me wear a disguise and sneak around -- have you seen the pictures? I've never felt so embarrassed in my life."

There's some shuffling as they change back into their street wear. Jae Suk glances at him pensively before shaking his head with a chuckle, slapping Jong Kook on the back.

"Those pictures were gold," he says solemnly, "and I do think I'll be paying for a marriage soon, if you know what I mean."

Jae Suk winks and Jong Kook scowls, feeling his blush reemerge in force.

"Ji Hyo is family," he insists, even as Jae Suk walks away, cackling. "We're just friends!"

"That's what my wife said, too," Suk Jin interrupts, popping in as Jae Suk leaves. "I'd be careful if I were you, Jong Kookie. You never know where these relationships turn."

"Relationships? Kim Jong Kook? Is there a girl?" Haha slips in from behind Suk Jin, shuffling close with wide eyes. "Am I gonna have a sister-in-law?"

"Go away, idiot." Jong Kook grumbles, placing a hand on Haha's face and shoving. "It's nothing, seriously."

"That's what they all say," Gary says serenely, poking his head over Suk Jin's shoulder from where they stand in the doorway. "It's like those dramas I've been watching, hyung! You'll end up in a real relationship!"

"Life isn't a drama!" Jong Kook shouts, forcefully yanking on his jacket. "I don't understand why all of you are making this such a big deal!"

The other men turn away, snickering, when Kwang Soo barges into the room, face bright and eager.

"I heard shouting and mockery," he announces. "Someone show me the object of ridicule."

"Jong Kook's being defensive," Haha grins slyly. "There's a girl."

"Oh? Is everyone talking about his weekend trip?"

Jong Kook does his best to throttle Kwang Soo while Haha imitates an volcanic eruption, Suk Jin looks faintly scandalized, and Gary's eyes widen like those of a flabbergasted fish.

"There was a weekend trip?" Haha splutters.

"Jong Kookie on a weekend trip... Does that mean--"

"...A hotel...?" Gary chokes, the tips of his ears bright red.

"No!" Jong Kook bellows, "There was no weekend trip! There was no hotel! Kwang Soo, you !"

"I'm sorry, hyung!" Kwang Soo squeaks, head lolling back and forth with the force of Jong Kook shaking him by the collar. "I didn't mean it! It won't happen again!"

"You better pray it doesn't!" Jong Kook growls. He turns to his three co-stars, huffing indignantly. "All I did was go to a cafe and the amusement park on Saturday. There was no hotel involved."

"...Oh," Haha breathes, relieved. "I'm glad you didn't start a scandal, hyung."

"Seriously, Jong Kookie, you should've just said so outright instead of being so tight-lipped," Suk Jin scolds, patting his chest as if he's warding off a heart attack. "I thought I'd be seeing tabloid gossip on my doorstep today."

"Yeah, hyung," Gary sighs. "It just sounds like you had a nice date."

"It wasn't a date," Jong Kook mumbles, resigned as Kwang Soo wriggles out of his hold and smooths the wrinkles out of his collar.

"Whatever you say, kid," Suk Jin soothes as Jong Kook storms out the door.

Jong Kook is still grumbling on the way to his car afterwards when Ji Hyo pounces at him with a smile and her hands raised. He automatically moves forward to clasp her hands in their habitual, grappling high-five.

"I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier, but you were awesome today, oppa!"

"Flatterer," Jong Kook retorts. "You were the one who won... even though you betrayed me."

Ji Hyo lets go of him to hop back a pace, her smile widening into a mischievous grin.

"I couldn't have done it without you," she says in a sing-song voice, pulling out the velvet box with today's prize nestled inside and waving it around. "You know gold just calls to me."

"Backstabber!"

"It's Running Man! Everyone's a backstabber!"

"Just wait until next week, Song Ji Hyo," Jong Kook threatens. "I'll show you what real backstabbing is."

Contrary to being cowed, Ji Hyo just laughs in his face. "I'll be expecting it if you tell me in advance, idiot."

Jong Kook's about to sling a witty comeback when Ji Hyo's phone rings. It's that dumb song that had once gotten stuck in everyone's head for a week.

"Hello? Oh, hi -- What, really?! I'm so sorry, I didn't even notice the time-- Yes, of course, I'm on my way now--"

Ji Hyo turns to Jong Kook, whispering a quick "See you next later, oppa!" before sprinting off to her own car, likely rushing home to get ready for another commitment.

Jong Kook feels the slightest brush of disappointment and wishes she could stay longer to chat, other commitments be damned. Then he grimaces and gives himself a mental slap; Ji Hyo is a popular and successful actress. Her being so busy can only be a good thing, and his own selfish desires have no place in how she chooses to live.

As Jong Kook slides into his car, though, there's a tiny, tiny part of his brain that confesses, quite honestly, that he wishes he could see her more. Ji Hyo is fun to be around, refreshingly odd, and, of course quite pretty. Today, she had even painted her lips that one color between "ruby red" and -- what was it? -- "cha cha orange", though he knows her favorite is more of a "cherry pink" and--

Oh, god.

Jong Kook thumps his head into the steering wheel once or twice to clear his mind before starting the engine. Wishes and weirdly specific recall aside, he just wants to spend a little more time with Ji Hyo. And that's perfectly normal. Wanting to spend more time with one specific person of the opposite gender, the gender he is attracted to, is... is friendship. Wanting to hang out more is what friends do!

Whatever you say, kid, Suk Jin's voice echoes, whatever you say.