The Lotte Karaoke carried you to two different rides before finally the entire cast gathered at one of the parks restaurants, all set up around their own set of tables where their lunch sat.

“Ooh, it smells so good.” Hoku whispered as she hovered her head over the table to sniff the intoxicating aroma smiling.

“Are we allowed to eat?” Jong Kook asked over once his team was seated down next to Hoku’s.

“Yeah, or is there some sort of catch?” Haha asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes on the PD members filming.

“Enjoy lunch first, then we will explain.” PD mentioned as Hoku sat back against the wall, unsure if she should eat.

“Baby. Eat.” Jiyong urged from next to her as she looked over to him mid chew.

“I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right.” Hoku whispered over as she eyed the crew again.

“What’s wrong Hoku-ssi? Eat.” Jae Suk mentioned as she smiled over forcefully before nodding, unsure. She picked up the pair of chopsticks sitting in front of her before picking up a small piece of beef. She chewed, giving in to the delicious flavor coming off the meat.

“Now, let’s start.” PD announced halfway through the meal getting everyone’s attention.

Surprising enough, it wasn’t what Hoku had thought, but definitely a mission of sorts.

“Please come up with games, ones you are confident you will win and can be played here.” PD explained handing out sheets of paper and pencils.

“What are you going to write GD?” Haha teased causing everyone to chuckle.

“A rapping contest.” Hoku muttered under her breath sending everyone into a fit of laughter.

“I’m good at pen spinning.” Gary offered as the pair nodded.

“What about you Hoku-ah? What are you writing?” Jae Suk whispered as Hoku looked up in wonder.

“Not sure, maybe I should put something Americanize.” She mentioned as they nodded.

“Oh! I know.” She said quickly in realization writing her opinion down before showing her partners.

“Really? You are?” Gary asked over surprised as she nodded, already massaging her limbs as Jae Suk took their sheets to the front.

“Please tell me you didn’t write what I think you did.” Jiyong whispered over causing her to chuckle and look over amused.

“I don’t know what you are referring too.” She spoke innocently before looking away to the cameras.

“First game is “Spoon Zero”.” PD mentioned causing Ji Hyo to cheer suddenly.

“What’s Spoon Zero?” Suk Jin asked as Ji Hyo explained grabbing one of the pairs of spoons sitting in the middle of the table.

“Ah, I see.” Jiyong answered tapping the edge of his spoon on the edge of the table, looking to smile at me.

Our team unfortunately got second, better than last. Haha, Suk Jin and Kwangsoo coming in last since Haha tried to cheat.

“Next game will be ‘Flexibility’.” PD rang as I chuckled, clapping my hands.

“Who chose this?” PD asked as I quickly raised my hand. Jiyong pulled his legs up before planting his face into his knees.

“I knew it!” He shouted as I broke out laughing, standing allowing the crew to move all the tables out of the way, now leaving us sitting against the wall.

“So what are the rules?” Haha asked over causing me to smile.

“2 rounds, has to beat me.” I explained as Jae Suk and Gary broke out laughing at my offer, patting my shoulder proudly.

“Only one person?” Jong Kook asked as I looked over to discuss it with my team.

“Are you confident?” Jae Suk asked as I laid my legs out, massaging them through my sweat pants.

“Totally.” I whispered over smirking as they broke out laughing.

“No, the entire time can play.” I mentioned as PD nodded.

“Splits and bends.” I mentioned as I now stood up alone, with the other teams lined up next to me.

“What a cheater.” Jiyong whispered over to me causing me to smile.

“You knew?” Ji Hyo asked obviously hearing us as Jiyong nodded.

Alright, so it was slightly cheating again, but who cares, I was in it to win it.

So one by one, the teams tried to beat me as I sat down on the ground, facing the cameras that were now recording myself, Ji Hyo from the next team and Kwangsoo from the last.

“Alright on Hoku-ssi rules, team by team will spread their legs to match with the mats you are sitting on.” PD explained as we all looked down to the mats we were sitting on that marked, 10-100, between each a few inches till 100 meant fully spread apart.

“1!” I called out as we all spread our legs to match with the ten.

“You can do it Ji Hyo noona!” Jiyong cheered as I smirked over my shoulder at him.

“Hoku-ah! Fighting!” Jae Suk cheered behind me, playfully massaging my shoulders.

“2!” I called smiling as I easily moved my legs apart.

“Ooh, this is easy!” Kwangsoo cheered, obviously psyching himself out.

We got to about 6 when I was breaking out laughing at every second from there on. Haha held Kwangsoo on his shoulders, planting his knees in his back while Suk Jin forcefully pushed his legs apart sending him screaming. Ji Hyo unnie was getting to her limits but still she was fine.

“AHHHHHHH!” Kwangsoo screamed grunting in pain as we all broke out laughing. Jong Kook immediately went over and begun to playfully push on his back, adding to the pain. I was lying back in Gary’s lap laughing, but making sure to keep my legs in place. I looked over to Jiyong to see his disapproving glare directed at me, noticing Gary’s arm now resting on my shoulders. I sat up slowly before patting my thighs.

“Hurry!” Kwangsoo shouted as I broke out laughing, clapping this time.

“7!” I shouted opening my legs further causing him to narrow his eyes at Suk Jin who was now sitting in front of him, his feet planted on Kwangsoo’s calves from the side.

“Go!” I called almost dying in laughter when he shot back against Haha struggling to keep a straight face.

“Give up! I give up!” Kwangsoo shouted slapping the ground as Haha and Suk Jin whined before letting him go. I chuckled clapping my hand before looking over to Kwangsoo worried. I felt bad this time.

“Kwangsoo Oppa, are you alright?” I called over in a cute voice, trying to make him happy, seeing that he was now glaring at his team members. But the moment I called him, his eyes shot open in surprise and over to me. I smiled cutely over to him, feeling a slight glare coming from my side, but I felt bad for him.

“Are you alright?” I asked tilting my head slightly causing him to blush before laughing embarrassed with his hand over his mouth.

“Did you hear her?” Kwangsoo asked overly shocked over to Suk Jin and Haha.

“9!” I called as Ji Hyo grunted before pulling her legs are far as she could. I smirked over to Jiyong before pulling my legs further, now sitting at a complete spilt in front of my team.

“Woah.” Gary whispered in surprise.

“I see you weren’t kidding.” Jae Suk mentioned patting my shoulder as I laughed and nodded.

“Alright Hoku-ssi wins!” Ji Hyo shouted giving in as I chuckled, putting my arms in the air, cheering myself on as Jae Suk and Gary clapped from behind me.

“Seeing that she’s pretty flexible, just give her the round.” Haha shouted over outraged as I chuckled.

I just ended up showing them a few backbends which surprised Jiyong in the end. As I bent back, my hands resting on the ground with my stomach in the air, I took a side glance at Jiyong to see the look in his eyes. This more than surprised, there was something else there. He almost looked slightly aroused that this was the first time he saw that I could do this.

“Did you take gymnastics?” Haha asked as I chuckled and shook my head.

“I did some cheerleading back in middle school for a little while, after that, I just liked doing it.” I explained as they smiled before turning to the next game.

The next game was arm wrestling, obviously written by Jong Kook, I mean who else would it be? My team threw me to the lion as I sat in front of Jong Kook, kneeling down as I stared at him unsure.

“Hey, this isn’t fair.” He whined looking over to PD as I smiled over to my team who were cheering, laughing as they clapped their hands.

“You’ll win Hoku-ah!” Gary shouted as I chuckled embarrassed before looking over to Jong Kook who began to lean over onto the pillow between us.

“I’ll use one finger.” He mentioned holding one finger up as I chuckled.

“No, use your whole hand.” Jiyong called over as I quickly turned to glare at him.

“What? Why? She’s a girl.” Jong Kook mentioned as Jiyong shrugged.

“Hoku-ah is stronger than she looks.” Jiyong warned obviously knowing that first hand every time we got into a fight, I would start swinging just to prove my point.

I didn’t win, but I did hold on for a bit.

Our team was able to gain another secret envelope for our last mission before embarking to our last location area.

“We aren’t allowed to see the contents of the envelope. What do you think is in it?” Gary asked over as he held our two envelopes both a different color.

“Maybe it’s a hint to something we’re supposed to find at the next location.” I explained back as Jae Suk snapped his finger before nodding.

“That could be it.” He said in realization causing me to nod.

What happened next, I didn’t expect, my phone started blaring out of my back pocket. I had totally forgot to turn it off.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry.” I whispered embarrassed, pulling my back end off the seat to pull it out.

“No, it’s alright.” Jae Suk chuckled at my need to apologize. I pulled it out quickly, trying to silence it until I saw the caller ID.

“Who is it? Jiyong-ah?” Gary asked leaning over as I shook my head, looking to Jae Suk hesitantly.

“Can I answer it?” I asked unsure as he nodded.

“It’s my father.” I mentioned as he eagerly nodded, gesturing for me to quickly answer it. I blushed, silencing the phone before answering it, putting it my ear.

“Dad?” I called into the phone confused as I turned my attention to the window.

“Oh Hoku, did I catch you at a bad time?” He asked as I chuckled at the irony.

“Um, I’m actually filming with Jiyong right now. Is everything alright?” I asked almost in a whisper, not wanting the others to hear the embarrassing conversation with my step-father.

“Oh you are. Sorry about that, I just wanted to ask you a few things.” He mentioned as I side eyed Jae Suk only to see that he was nodding, letting me know that it was alright. I looked to the GPS we were following to see that we still had a few miles to go, I wanted to hang up but something was telling me to stay on the line.

“I have a few minutes.” I answered sitting up as I looked out the windshield to the car in front of us.

“How is everything going? How is Jiyong treating you?” He asked sternly as I blinked in confusion. He spoke about Jiyong different then he usually does.

“Everything’s fine dad, he’s treating me and Elle amazingly as a father should.” I explained as I line went quiet. I couldn’t believe I was talking about such things live on television right now. I heard him sigh before coming back online.

“If he asked you to marry him, would you?” he suddenly asked as my eyes shot open before looking to my phone confused.

“What?” I asked shocked as he sighed.

“Answer the question honey. If Jiyong was going to ask you to marry him, after everything that happened to you in the past and everything that may happen to you in the future because of him, would you still accept him?” He asked seriously this time as I blinked a few times, trying to collect my soul that had seemed to be lost in space somewhere.

“W-What? Why are you asking?” I asked quieter this time, not wanting this part to be shown.

“Hoku, answer.” He scolded as I sighed, looking to Jae Suk and Gary embarrassed that they were just silently waiting through the whole thing.

“I would.” I answered almost immediately.

“You would? Even after everything you went through?” He asked surprised as I sighed, crossing my free arm over my chest before turning back to the window.

“Even after the earth falls out of the sky or aliens invade to destroy us, I’d still chose him.” I answered feeling a bit warm from my answer.

“Even after everything that happened?” He asked still in disbelief.

“Are you saying that because he’s Elle’s father?” He asked sounding as if he was trying to come up with some sort of excuse to get out of it.

“Of course she adores him like she should, but I do too. Even after the world comes to an end and life as we know it ends, I’ll still wish with all my heart that in my next life, he is the one I find.” I explained smiling out the window, waving to a few fans in the car next to us.

“I went through a lot of things in this life, he has shown me a different side to life that I have just yet to get a grip on. But he has also given me people that I cherish and adore, friends that I hope I have for a lifetime and a daughter that I would do anything for. He means the world to me dad. Even if I get hurt in the future because of something else, I think I’m strong enough to hold on and protect him and Elle, if not, I’ll fight, you know me. I can hold my end. But I won’t go down without trying. I trust him with all my heart and love him the same. If God and my father are happy with the choice I have made to be next to him still after everything, then I am glad I came back.” I spoke smiling the entire time. I had been waiting to tell my step-father those exact words since he came for Elle’s birth. I knew he hated Jiyong after what happened with Trang, but Jiyong was my everything now. Even if he hated him down to the bone, I would love him more and more as the days went on.

“I see.” Was the only thing he answered me with, causing me to chuckle.

“Dad, I know you don’t like him, but I know you also know, I have a good judge in character or you would have never married my mother.” I teased causing him to chuckle this time.

“That is true.” He answered as I smiled.

“Jiyong is who I want, he treats me like a princess and is always there for me and Elle when we need him. She adores him just as much as I do, and he loves us enough to give up his music for us. So just be happy for me and my small family. Even if it might be slightly broken, beaten and clumsy, I wouldn’t trade anything that has happened to me for anything. I’m happy Daddy.” I answered using the nickname ‘Daddy’ that I have never used on Ben. This was showing him that I was absolutely serious about my answer. He just sighed, louder this time as I looked up to the GPS to see that we would be arriving soon.

“Dad, I have to get back to filming so I’ll call you later.” I spoke into the phone.

“Alright, have fun.” He said before I hung up, looking to Jae Suk and Gary who were just silently sitting in the car.

“I am SO sorry.” I begged causing them to laugh and shake their heads.

I was so embarrassed about the conversation and the fact that we got to the last mission without even discussing anything about it. Jiyong looked over to me worried, obviously noticing the change in expression I had from the time I stepped in the car till the time I got here. I just smiled at him before turning to Jae Suk when I had a sudden thought.

“I think I know what it is.” I whispered over to them frantic as they looked up in shock.

“You do?” Gary asked surprised as I nodded.

“I’m not totally sure but when Jong Kook Oppa was holding their envelope up I saw through it because of the lighting.” I whispered looking over my shoulder to see that Jong Kook Oppa was now holding it at his chest.

“What did you see?” Jae Suk asked as I sighed, trying to think of what it spelt before my eyes shot open.

“There are small rectangle pieces inside.” I pointed to the envelope in Jae Suk’s hand.

“Of what?” Gary asked pinching the ends of the envelope to get a feel.

“One said ‘Extra Life’ and the other said ‘Trade Names’.” I whispered as they blinked in confusion causing me to sigh.

“It’s a nametag race.” I whispered annoyed as their eyes shot open.

“We’re getting special additions to our nametags.” I added as they began clapping, both hugging me at the same time confusing the other teams. Now that we knew what this mission was all about, now was the time to figures ours out and plan it.

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Just a little heads up, I don't plan on dragging the Running Man episodes too much.

I feel as if the story is now dragging along slowly, so I want to finish this up as quickly as possible and move on to the more intense and important parts of the story like the festival and other ;) exciting things!  I apologize to all you Running Man fans [I'm one too!] But I will promise one last chapter with the show coming up soon!

As for the story itself, it will be coming to an end soon, so continue to support it and expect surprises to come :)

Thanks for your continous support!

<3 author-nim