“Ah… Song Ji Hyo-ssi.” A heavy voice suddenly filled the dark room. Ji Hyo was startled when she heard the sound. She knew exactly who the owner of the voice was. She quickly turned her body around to face the source of the voice. Slowly she took a step back, knowing that she had to be careful.

“Yah Kim Jong Kook-ssi, don’t you dare taking one more step near me!” Ji Hyo backed off and tried to block Jong Kook with her arms expanding in front of her body. She laughed a little when she saw Jong Kook coming toward her.

“Yahh oppa!!” She screamed when he approached her with his big steps. Jong Kook tried to reach her back and looked for her nametag. It was pretty hard for him to rip that nametag off because Ji Hyo fought back.

“Oppa! Opppaaaa!!!” She screamed louder although it didn’t make any difference. Her hand was clutched in Jong Kook’s muscular arm and there was no way she could get out from the death trap. She was going to give up but accidentally Jong Kook tightened his grip, not aware that he was using his full power to fight a woman.

Song Ji Hyo out!!

The speaker announcement filled the whole building with disappointment. The mission team could only rely on Ji Hyo, but because Ji Hyo was out, there was no hope for the team. Once again Jong Kook and the two kids won. Reluctantly the mission team members clapped their hands when a running ball was given to the chasing team. They were disappointed that their team didn’t win, but it was just a game though, they didn’t mind. Ji Hyo acted like she didn’t mind too, but deep inside she wasn’t fine at all. It wasn’t because her team didn’t win, but it was because Jong Kook treated her like a man. She could still feel the pain on her arms from the tight grip earlier.

I’m his girlfriend. I’m Kim Jong Kook’s girlfriend. And what did he do to me? He hurt me, literally. Aiish that ahjussi really doesn’t understand the difference between men and women. Ji Hyo held her arms, trying to hide the bruise from the other oppas. She was a really strong woman. She didn’t want other people to give her sympathy. But if she was alone, she surely would cry. It wasn’t actually because the pain or the small bruise. No one would notice it if she put a jacket on. It was because Jong Kook treated her differently from the female guests who came there today.

Jong Kook happily put the running ball inside the lottery ball machine. He didn’t even notice that Ji Hyo was looking down throughout the whole time.

“Please please please!!! I don’t want to get punished!” Jae Suk pleaded as he observed the balls in the machine.It had been a long time since the last time they used running balls in the game. The whole members were excited about it, but when it came to punishments, no, they were not excited anymore.  

“Yah hyung, don’t you miss doing the punishment?” Jong Kook said jokingly, followed by the other’s laughter, except Ji Hyo. Luckily no one realized it.

“Don’t bring back old memories.” Jae Suk pouted as he remembered the feeling of walking around the city in hot pants.

The whole running man casts couldn’t wait any longer for the ball to come out from the machine. They curiously observed the hovering balls, guessing and hoping their team would be safe. Whatever the result was, Ji Hyo didn’t care. She just wanted to end the filming and kicked Jong Kook’s .

“GYAAAHH!!!” It was chaos. Haha screamed, Gary grumbled, Jong Kook kneeled down on his knees, Jae Suk laughed, Suk Jin hugged Kwang Soo, and meanwhile Ji Hyo grinned. Yes she didn’t care about the result, but she did care if Jong Kook had to wear hot pants to the running man set next week.

“Ji Hyo noona, wait up!” someone called her from a distance. She was just about to enter her car but she stopped and waited for the person to come. It was Kwang Soo. She didn’t really know what he was up to, but somehow she didn’t feel good with it.

“Noona, what’s wrong with you earlier? Are you alright?” He asked hesitantly. He was always caring to other people, but Ji Hyo didn’t know he was that caring. She thought she had hidden her pain well, but it seemed that she was wrong.

“Nothing’s wrong, Kwang Soo-yah. I’m just tired.” She smiled reluctantly and immediately put on her jacket, worrying that he might saw the bruise.

“I can see it clearly noona. Jong Kook hyung did that to you?” His face turned serious after he noticed the bruise on Ji Hyo’s left hand. Without even giving Ji Hyo time to answer the question, he said again.

“That hyung really doesn’t know how to treat his girlfriend.” He sighed and continued, “Noona, I’ll act like I know nothing about it since I know you like to take care of your problems by yourself, but….” Kwang Soo stole a glance at Jong Kook who was walking toward them. He immediately finished his sentence in one breath, “anyway Joong Ki was in town. Bye noona.” Well, he didn’t finish his earlier sentence. He randomly changed the topic, worrying that the commander could hear them.

Ji Hyo laughed at her dongsaeng’s behavior. She watched him walking away from her. When Kwang Soo passed Jong Kook, who was walking to where Ji Hyo was standing, he whispered something to his hyung’s ear. Yah that liar. He is definitely telling Jong Kook oppa about the bruise. Ji Hyo assumed as she saw Jong Kook’s change of expression. I was going to tell him myself. She sighed, waiting for Jong Kook to come.

“Ji Hyo-ah!!” Jong Kook sped up his steps. When he reached her, the muscular guy grabbed Ji Hyo’s hands with guilty expression on his face. He quickly searched for the bruise and sighed when he saw it.

“Mianhe Ji Hyo-ah….” He didn’t dare to make an eye contact with his girlfriend. The guilty feeling haunted him.

How could you do that to her, Kim Jong Kook?! You’re crazy! You know she’s a woman. You promised her you will treat her as a woman. Aigoo, even Kwang Soo knows about it. Why didn’t I realize I was being too harsh?! He really wanted to hurt himself for hurting Ji Hyo. He never meant to hurt her, he didn’t mean to.

Ji Hyo really couln’t stand Jong Kook’s guilty expression. Her anger suddenly disappeared when she saw him looking down. She knew he didn’t do it in purpose. She knew he was less harsh to the female guests because he wasn’t comfortable with them. He was just being himself in front of me. It wasn’t a big deal. He surely will treat me better next time. She tried to convince herself.

“Oppa, let it go, I’m fine.”

“Mianhe Ji Hyo-ah, Oppa didn’t mean to do that.”

“Yah oppa, stop it. I know that!” Now she tried to convince Jong Kook and he was even harder to convince.  He kept on blaming himself for treating her so bad.

“Ji Hyo-ah, I’ll make it up to you.” He said hesitantly as he looked up to face her. Ji Hyo’s jaw dropped a little, gesturing a “huh?”

“Want to go for a drink?” He forced a smile, hoping she would accept his offer. He wasn’t a drinker. He only drank for several occasions and that ‘several occasions’ usually happened once a year. Ji Hyo knew about it very well so she knew that it must be hard for him to offer that and that meant he was really sorry.

“Okay. But I want 3 bottles of soju. And we drink at my place.” She replied and smiled along cunningly.

Oh crap! It means she’ll get drunk. And the drunken Ji Hyo is… umm… a little bit emotional. Jong Kook forced a smile again. Regretting what he did earlier. If he didn’t use his full power to fight her, he wouldn’t get trapped in this awkward situation.

Jong Kook swallowed hard as he watched Ji Hyo finished her last bottle of soju. He had been through this kind of situation before and he knew exactly what she was going to do sooner. He predicted that she would started to ask him about some sensitive topics like, “Do you like the female guest stars?” or “How is Eun Hye-ssi doing?” The jealous and drunken Ji Hyo wasn’t fun at all.

After waiting still for awhile, Jong Kook started to feel relieved. Ji Hyo didn’t ask about those things at all. She was just staring vacantly at the empty bottle. To be honest, Jong Kook didn’t have any clue about what she was thinking at the moment. But he didn’t really care about that. Maybe this is my lucky night. Maybe she’ll fall asleep in just a few seconds.

His wish was granted. Ji Hyo slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep with her head on the table. Fortunately Jong Kook had told her to take a shower before she started drinking. It would be uncomfortable for her to sleep without taking a bath.

Gently Jong Kook lifted Ji Hyo up and took her to her bed room. He laid her on her bed and covered her body with a blanket. He gave him a kiss on her forehead and caressed her cheeks affectionately. He really loved her, more than she had ever imagined. Jong Kook himself didn’t know he could really love someone like that. He ran his fingers through Ji Hyo’s smooth hair. He loved the smell of her shampoo.

“Good night Ji Hyo-ah. Oppa is going to go home now.” He whispered with a really small voice and once again pressed his lips against her temple.

“Oppa…” Ji Hyo said with a husky voice. She was barely awake. Jong Kook noticed that Ji Hyo wasn’t really conscious at that time, but he still answered anyway.

“Yes, Ji Hyo-ah?”

“Do you... think our relationship... works out?” Her voice went smaller in the last few words until it was completely gone.  

Her eyes were still closed and Jong Kook was 100% sure that she wasn’t awake nor aware of what she was saying. But the doubtful question somehow startled him. Does it mean she doubts our relationship? Does it mean she isn’t happy with me? Jong Kook held his breath and tried to control his racing heartbeat. In the dark room he realized that somehow the bruise meant something for Ji Hyo. He just didn’t know what it meant yet.

A/N: I never imagined I would end up writing the first chapter like this. I was planning to make a happy introduction in this chapter, but.... yeah.... you know I always turn cruel when I'm sleepy. Unfortunately I only have the spirit to write stories in the middle of the night ;)