Author’s Note:

Disclaimer: 100% Imagination and fiction. Inspired by Episode 547.

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“Oh! Yah, Song Jeoktoma!” Kim Jong Kook exclaimed when Song Ji Hyo opened the door and chose to be on his team for the first mission.

It was fair to say that Jong Kook was genuinely shocked. In all the years they have known each other, he was always the losing candidate whenever Ji Hyo was asked to pick between him and Yoo Jae Suk. Rarely was there an exemption to this. Even when they officially became a couple, Ji Hyo was still very loyal to their hyung-nim and was a proud member of the Yoo line.

Yang Se Chan and Jeon So Min instantly rose from their seats to welcome her. The maknaes couldn’t believe that their big sister chose her boyfriend. With teasing and pleased grins, they greeted her and ushered her to Jong Kook.

“Hang on, this isn’t bad,” Jong Kook beamed and offered his hand to Ji Hyo for a handshake.

“This is enough. We’re ready. I don’t need the tall one,” he proudly claimed before the cameras. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that his favorite dongsaeng was lightly snickering with his girlfriend for surprising them all.

“So, what made up your mind?” Jong Kook couldn’t help but be a bit playful and asked Ji Hyo.

“I only have one oppa,” Ji Hyo cutely raised her pointed finger.

So Min squealed and nudged Ji Hyo’s side while Se Chan laughed upon noticing Jong Kook’s cheeks had turned pink.

He bit his lip, trying to control his smile from reaching his eyes, “O-K! We’re good. This is good.”

Jong Kook lowly chuckled, wrapping his head around Ji Hyo’s unpredictability. While the concept made him feel uncomfortable since the beginning, he couldn’t deny that he was starting to warm up to its thrill.

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Unfortunately for Jong Kook, things didn’t turn out the way he expected. He became overconfident and cocky about his strength that he had forgotten about the dynamics and luck when teamed together with Seok Jin, So Min, Se Chan, and Ji Hyo.

It was ridiculous how he found Seok Jin hyung horribly hiding under the covers of the bed and So Min on the kitchen counter in Jae Suk’s area. Se Chan followed suit when he discovered him lined up awkwardly next to the crew. Ji Hyo was the worst of them all. Why on earth did she decide to hide out in the open?

Jong Kook accepted his fate that none of his former members would return after lashing out at them. So Min had officially declared her alliance with Jae Suk and the rest would most likely jump on the bandwagon to do the same. Contrary to what he had anticipated, Seok Jin rushed walking in his house and bragged about his loyalty to stick with him as Se Chan handpicked and gifted him a flower in an attempt to calm his nerves.

Secretly happy with the development, Jong Kook questioned Seok Jin playfully about his sworn “ties” with Jae Suk and ignored the flower Se Chan placed on his thigh. As he was silently sulking about their pathetic strategy from the first mission, he was yet again surprised when Ji Hyo came back on her knees begging for his favor.

“Ji Hyo-ah!” Seok Jin’s tone was amused as Se Chan began to laugh.

In an instant, Jong Kook’s frustration over the wasted opportunity aroused once more and was directed at his girlfriend. He didn’t know if it was the heat of the moment or his disappointment towards her. Out of all of his teammates, he counted on her the most. He may be the commander but she was their ace.

Despite feeling disappointed over their loss, Ji Hyo coolly argued with him to give her side of the story. However, when he brought up the slow-witted cameraman that had given away her hiding spot, Ji Hyo joined him in scolding Yun Sang. With fiery eyes and sharp tongues, Jong Kook and Ji Hyo reprimanded him for standing in the middle of the field during a hide-and-seek mission. The crew could only sympathetically laugh at Yun Sang for being thrown under the bus for doing his job right.

As Kwangsoo forcely positioned himself in Jong Kook’s embrace, the tiger had suddenly forgotten his irritation towards Ji Hyo and remembered his goal to have Kwangsoo and So Min get the penalty.

“Ara, I’ll be watching you,” Jong Kook warned them and fixed his sling bag as s bowed and promised to win the upcoming round. Seok Jin, Kwangsoo, and Se Chan began to move to the other room while Ji Hyo stayed behind to walk next to her boyfriend.

“Jinja, oppa. My spot was better than Kwangsoo’s. It was fair and good,” she reasoned.

He scoffed, “Right, you better make it up to me.”

“Yah, how could you say that? I don’t wanna get the penalty either!” she whined.

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