Everything will inevitably come to an end. The same goes for the year like no other, 2020. The ever-hectic year was now coming to a closure with the arrival of December. The month that signifies the end of the year. The month where the first snow would be sighted. The month where ‘get-together’s and reunions are organised all around the world. December also signifies the season of year-end entertainment awards. Yet, the world was still recovering from the damage that the year had caused – the pandemic.

The unexpected pandemic had gravely impacted the lives of many. Many plans had to be altered or halted. Yet, it failed to deter the well-awaited annual affair from happening – SBS Entertainment Awards.

For the award show to be made possible, many alterations were implemented to fit into the new health guidelines amidst the pandemic. Despite the many changes, there was one key thing that didn’t change as per usual. For the tenth time, the Running Man members were still given a shared waiting room.

Tugging the hem of her dress to smoothen the creases of the semi-transparent beige gown she had donned in, So Min’s eyes were fixated by the essence of the lady’s beauty. Through the mirror, her eyes trailed to get a quick glance at the wall clock. The realisation that it was barely late afternoon had So Min widened both her eyes and mouth in surprise that she still had to spend many hours waiting for the evening awards show to start.

Leaning closer towards the mirror, she was astonished to witness the evidence that she had insufficient sleep the previous night due to the restlessness that was brewing from within her - the darkened bags that were settled just below her eyes. Not only was she running on an energy low battery mode, the fluttering butterflies at the pit of her stomach had also been pestering her since the previous night. Having a loss of an appetite, instead of grabbing lunch, So Min reported earlier with hopes to conquer her nervousness.

Tightening the grip on the sides of her script for the awards presentation, she scrunched her nose as a deep sigh escaped. With the attempt to memorise the script, So Min had been fumbling with those pages for the past hour or two. Yet, her brain had insisted to rebel against her. Of all days, she couldn’t be more disappointed at herself for being in such a bad condition on a day like that.

“So Min?”

Snapping back to reality, the said woman straightened her back as she turned her head towards the direction of the voice. Burdened by her negativity, So Min forced enthusiasm out of her lips and exclaimed, “Unnie!”

Taking her seat beside So Min, Ji Hyo joked, “Why are you so early today? Were you given a secret mission?”

Fuelled by stress, So Min wasn’t in the mood for jokes. Besides, why would the Running Man crew give them a mission on a day where the grand awards are held? Being the persevering person she is, she gritted her teeth to hold that plastered smile on her face. Only to realise later on, that her smile was portrayed a tad bit too awkwardly for her own liking.

“No, unnie!”

Ji Hyo narrowed her eyes over to the younger woman who shook her head profusely. The higher pitch exclamation was uncalled for. Scrunching her nose, she questioned, “So Min-ah, is something troubling you?”

So Min shook her head, “No, unnie,” averting the older woman's eyes.

By then, Ji Hyo had concluded that her gut feeling was accurate and heartily questioned, “Where has my bubbly So Minnie gone to? Was my adorably outgoing dongsaeng kidnapped by this pretty lady?”

“No, unnie!Walking towards So Min, Ji Hyo giggled at how adorable So Min was vigorously shaking her head, in which she probed further, “I can tell that something is troubling uri So Minnie today. Do you wanna share with unnie?”

Standing behind So Min’s seat, Ji Hyo observed how the younger woman struggled internally – wanting to open but failing to relay any of her thoughts. Settling on shaking her head instead, So Min sank her incisors into her lower lip.

Staring into So Min’s eyes through the mirror, Ji Hyo pointed out, "You are nervous, aren't you?"

In a grimace, So Min reluctantly nodded subtly upon Ji Hyo’s bullseye comment.

“Let unnie tell you. Presenting awards isn’t that scary,” Ji Hyo reassured.

“Yeah, but you can’t say the same when we have to prepare a dialogue before the presentation of the awards!” So Min complained, “It’s just so stressful to do it all together!”

“To some extent it is stressful but on the bright side, you are not presenting this award alone. You are presenting it with Se Chan. Doesn’t that solve your problem?”

“Maybe it solves half of my problem…”

“Now with half a problem solved, isn’t that just half a problem left?” Ji Hyo highlighted.

So Min sighed, “Yeah, but now it creates the other bigger problem!”

Furrowing her brows tightly together, Ji Hyo shot So Min a questioning look, “And that is…?”

Refusing to breathe a word out of her lips, the younger woman pretended to be occupied with the checking of her nails.

“So Min, just tell me, please!” Ji Hyo pleaded, yet the younger one refused to budge in to the deal.

With her patience evaporated from waiting, Ji Hyo pursed her lips together into a thin line. Catapulting a playful wink, Ji Hyo snickered, “Ah… I get it now!”

Raising her brows, So Min wondered, “What do you know, unnie?”

“It must be that Se Chan had asked you out but you rejected him!” Ji Hyo threw her hypothesis out.

Rolling her eyes, So Min exasperated, “Unnie, seriously…?”

“Seriously! Why else would you be so tensed up at the mention of Se Chan?” Ji Hyo insisted, in which she caught the younger woman flinching at the mention, “Am I not correct?”

Being deliberately ignored by the younger one, Ji Hyo decided to contain her playfulness by clearing , she encouraged earnestly, “Unnie believes that you will be able to do this well!”

So Min hurled a glance at Ji Hyo as if to ask the latter for reaffirmation, So Min swallowed her saliva, “Hmmm.”

“Trust unnie, okies?”

“But…” So Min sighed.

“Then, how about you tell unnie about your problem?”

The words that came from the older one sounded easy, yet So Min knew clearer in her mind that the weight they carry is really insignificant as compared to those of actions. Her emotions drowned her thoughts so much that she felt that she might be drowned by its strong current.

Lifting her head to look at the ceiling, So Min bit her lower lip hard. Wrestling with herself rigorously, she knew that she had to prevent herself from sulking on a day like that! So Min was so preoccupied with the internal struggle that was brewing within her that caused her eyes to accidentally meet with the older woman’s eyes.

“But unnie, you won’t understand…” Shrugging, So Min sighed as she dragged her eyes away from making eye contact with Ji Hyo yet again.

Noticing that So Min wasn’t receptive to her words, with a hand of hers, she lifted So Min’s head up to lock her gaze into hers. From the bottom of her heart, Ji Hyo radiated a heartwarming smile towards the younger woman, “How would you know that unnie doesn't understand when you haven’t told unnie what’s the problem yet?”

Hesitantly, So Min nodded.

“So, what about Se Chan?” Ji Hyo teased suggestively.

“Unnie, I believe we are not on the same page!” So Min whined.

“Aigoo… Then, share your problem with unnie before my imaginations run wild,” Ji Hyo shrugged mischievously.

“I’m afraid that it’s too late to contain your wild imaginations by now,” So Min rolled her eyes.

“So Min, stop keeping me in suspense!” Ji Hyo nudged impatiently.

“Fine! So, you know that we have to submit scripts as awards presenters to the programme team by yesterday, right?”

“Yeah,” Ji Hyo nodded, urging the younger one to carry on.

“I’ve tried to brainstorm and contribute, but I just have no ideas. Se Chan was the only one who wrote the entire script and submitted on my behalf.”

“Isn’t he such a gentleman?” Ji Hyo praised.

“Yeah,” So Min sighed, “But that’s not my point.”

“Then?” Ji Hyo frowned in confusion.

“His actions make me uncomfortable. How can I be a freeloader when we are supposed to work together for this pair-work?!” So Min exasperated.

“So Min-ah, you shouldn’t think this way! Besides, Se Chan is used to having to always brainstorm scripts for the Comedy Big League, it’s no wonder that writing scripts come naturally to him over time.”

“Really?” So Min stared at Ji Hyo with eyes that sparkled like a lost little puppy.

“Of course!” Ji Hyo caressed So Min’s back gently, “You shouldn’t worry so much! I believe that Se Chan would understand too!”

“Really?”

“Of course! The entertainment industry is quite widespread, everyone has their specialisation mastered over time!” Ji Hyo reassured So Min.

“Right,” So Min nodded, yet doubts were scribbled all over her face.

“Do you have another concern?” Ji Hyo questioned.

“But how do I memorise the script that Se Chan had submitted? I have been trying so hard since yesterday, but I just couldn’t memorise it! What if I screw up on the stage in front of the live national telecast? How can I afford to be a burden to Se Chan?!” Like a machine gun, So Min rambled all her concerns out in a shot.

“How about you try that again?” So Min’s back in an attempt to calm her down, Ji Hyo suggested, “Now that the root of your issue is more or less resolved, maybe it’s easier for you to memorise?”

“Really?”

“That’s of course!”

With that, So Min reached for the script and tried her best to memorise the script that she was struggling with earlier on. Moments later, Ji Hyo was holding onto the script as So Min recited those words she had memorised.

“See? I told you that you can do it!” Ji Hyo beamed proudly at So Min as she patted So Min’s back.

Now that her burdens had been relieved by her Ji Hyo unnie, So Min can yet again understand why her Jong Kook oppa has been so madly in love with her Ji Hyo unnie. Grinning from ear to ear, So Min was elated to have her genuine smile returned back to her lips once again. Breaking free from her worries, So Min jumped out of her seat and pulled the older woman into a tight embrace.

“Thank you unnie! Thank you unnie! I don’t know what to do without you! You are such a lifesaver!” So Min showered Ji Hyo with her gratitude.

“Aigoo, So Min-ah!” Ji Hyo chuckled, shaking her head at So Min’s little antics, she tightened her embrace with So Min.

“What’s the occasion?”

A familiar male voice intruded the waiting room that was filled with ladies. While the younger woman turned over towards the source of the voice, breaking herself from the warm hug, Ji Hyo instantly knew who that voice belonged to

Without the batting of an eyelid, Ji Hyo mumbled, “Kwang Soo.”

“Ah…” So Min nodded nonchalantly and then looked away from the tall man, “It’s Kwang Soo.”

Frowning, Kwang Soo told the younger woman off, “So Min, I have told you so many times, it’s Kwang Soo oppa for you!”

“Ah… Right…” So Min nodded, rather indifferently.

“Why didn’t you all greet me properly? I have to tell Jong Kook hyung about this!” Kwang Soo emptily threatened.

Shrugging, Ji Hyo questioned blankly, “About what?”

“Your romance with So Min!” Kwang Soo shrieked just like the drama king he typically is, “How could you do this to hyung?!”

While So Min can be defiant at times, So Min’s concerned eyes trailed over to Ji Hyo’s direction. After her being indebted to Ji Hyo’s help, So Min didn’t want to cause Ji Hyo any unnecessary trouble.

Yet, Ji Hyo merely shrugged, “Sure, do whatever as you please.”

Looking at the younger lady, Ji Hyo impishly signalled over to the man at the other side of the room, she nudged, “So Min-ah, let's continue to prepare ourselves for the awards show! We have so much to do that we don’t have time to care about this man!”

“Alright unnie!” Radiating playfulness from her eyes, So Min beamed.

With a deep grimace plastered on his face, Kwang Soo shrieked at the top of his voice, “Yah! Song Ji Hyo! Jeon So Min!”

Gently nudging Ji Hyo to do the same, both ladies stuck their tongue out at the lonely tall man. It wasn’t their fault that they had to gang up with each other to make him the victim. Rather, it was his fault for starting such a game by pulling out the name of the power man.

Just then, the eldest of the Running Man cast came strolling into the room. Scanning his eyes around the room, he observed the situation.

In his friendly work-only voice, a perfectly induced higher pitch than his usual voice, Suk Jin asked, “Kwang Soo-ah, what’s with the commotion? Are there cameras rolling?”

Bowing down to greet the older man, “Ah, hyung!” Following the trail of the older man’s eyes, Kwang Soo looked around the room, he concluded, “There are no cameras here, hyung.”

Suk Jin nodded, instantly he switched his voice back to his usual low deep voice, “Ahh…” – his version of saying thank you.

Smiling, So Min beamed, “Oh oppa, you are here early!”

Signalling her stylist to pause for a moment, So Min stood up and bowed slightly towards Suk Jin.

Standing up from her seat, Ji Hyo greeted the older man, “Oppa, annyeonghaseyo,” in which the eldest quietly exchanged a nod before heading to his seat at the corner of the room to prepare himself for the show.

“Yah! Noona! So Min! How could you greet Suk Jin hyung but not me?!” Kwang Soo exasperated, where his eyes were fixated on the two ladies in the room who were giggling amongst themselves.

Being the one that was cast aside from attention, infuriated Kwang Soo exclaimed, “Why are you two ignoring me? My day had just barely started!”

Upon spotting the room’s newcomer, Jae Suk, the two ladies jolted up from their seats, yet again, and greeted, “Oppa, annyeonghaeseyo!”

Jae Suk nodded pleasingly and welcomed them by gesturing his arms out to them warmly for an air-hug.

Casting his glance over to one who was previously speaking, he called out, “Kwang Soo-ah, Kwang Soo-ah.”

Having the tallest man attention on the spectacled man, Jae Suk snickered, “The event has yet to start! And you are already creating problems?!”

“That’s right, oppa!” So Min exclaimed as she clapped eagerly like a seal.

Putting both her thumbs up, Ji Hyo nodded vigorously as she recruited yet another team member to go