The team met with the producers and after a long discussion they finally agreed to stop the show while the going was still good. They planned to have another variety show with some or all of the Running Man cast in it. They also agreed to shoot the final episode when Jong Kook returned from his medical leave. If they could create Running Man after Family Outing, they could create another great show after Running Man.

After serving tea to the guest, Jong Kook’s mother left the two men to chat in the living room. Jong Kook’s back was still hurting so he sat straight with his back guard in an armchair with strong support. Jae Suk sat back in the settee and queried about Jong Kook’s condition. He was glad that Jong Kook was doing better.

“I can’t wait to get back into shooting Running Man with you guys,” Jong Kook remarked. He missed the adrenaline rush from the show.

Upon hearing his remark, Jae Suk leaned forward to speak to him. “Jong Kook, I don’t want you to hear this from anyone else,” Jae Suk started. “The Running Man show is ending and we will shoot the final episode when you are back with us.”

Jong Kook was shocked. His reaction was disbelief just like his dongsaengs’. “What do you mean?” he asked.

Jae Suk sighed. He knew Jong Kook loved the Running Man – for that matter who in the team didn’t love it. He knew they would miss the show, miss the comradeship – had they not felt the same way when Family Outing ended. “You have heard it correctly. The Running Man has come to an end. There will no more Running Man episode after the one we are going to shoot when you return. We will not end the show without you.” He looked at the younger man and put forth a hand to pat his knee.

Jong Kook was saddened with the news. Of course, he understood the show would end one day but this was sudden. “Why the sudden stop?” he asked and his voice was slightly shaken.

Jae Suk wouldn’t lie. Despite Ji Hyo’s repeated pleadings not to tell Jong Kook’s the truth, he had refused to make her the promise. “Jong Kook,” he paused to arrange his words. “The show cannot go on without his tiger. The tiger is injured. The other animals are worried. They can’t do without their commander too but they want their Kookie more. If the tiger continues to fight in his injury, it would break their hearts.” He then looked at Jong Kook for his response.

Jong Kook was touched. “Do you mean all of you have requested to stop the show because of me?” Jae Suk nodded his head slightly.

“If you want me to rest, why don’t I just take leave from the show? Why do you have to quit too?” he asked. He didn’t understand why it had to be this drastic.

“Just like Family Outing, when some of us left the show due to conflicting schedules and to pursue our solo activities, it just doesn’t feel the same anymore.” Jae Suk explained. “We will always need someone strong in a show like Running Man, and we can’t just replace you with someone else. This family is even closer than the one in Family Outing. If you leave, there will be some who will follow too.”

“I could take a longer break then join you again.” Jong Kook was still perplexed.

A long sigh came from Jae Suk as he kept his thought, “You are always so stubborn. And you have met your match. Someone in the team is just as stubborn as you and this person wanted to protect you from further injury. The rest of us want to protect this person too.”

Instead he replied, “You are planning for a new album. Why don’t you focus on your singing career for the time being? Let your back recover better. We are planning for another variety show and I will certainly invite you to join this show too.”

Jae Suk then stood up to take his leave signalling that the decision to stop the show would not change and he had delivered the message. He made a bow to Jong Kook and the latter quickly got up to return the bow. They then hugged each other and gave the other party hard pats on the back.

As they gathered around the table of food prepared by Jong Kook’s mother, Haha and Gary looked at each other nervously. Outside the show, the trio were good brothers and they didn’t usually fear him, but they knew this would be an interrogation session.

Jong Kook cut his chase short. He started his questioning as soon as they picked up the chopsticks. “Did both of you want me to quit Running Man?”

“No,” answered Haha. “Yes,” answered Gary simultaneously.

Jong Kook gave them a stare.

Haha responded with a “Yes” and Gary responded with a “No” this round.

Jong Kook was losing his patience. He said to Gary, “You are not good at lying so you tell me.”

Gary took a long sip of his beer and swallowed it in a big gulp. “Yes, we wanted to you to quit Running Man so that your back can recover better.”

Jong Kook was frustrated with this reason. His back problem had been with him for years. Why were they stopping him now? Didn’t the pain just go away after a while, after some rest? To quit a show just because of his back problem seemed ridiculous to him.

Three of them took their first bite and Jong Kook continued, “Did both of you threaten to quit the show so as to kill the show entirely?”

“No, we did not threaten. We just requested to stop the show together.” Haha quickly explained.

“Gary, didn’t you promise never to quit Running Man ever again?”

“I didn’t ask to quit on my own this time. We are asking to stop the show as a team.” Gary tried to explain but even he was not convinced of the difference.

Jong Kook picked some food and placed it in Haha’s and Gary’s bowls. The two dongsaeng could not refuse his food out of politeness and unease so they quickly put it into their mouths. Jong Kook waited for them to swallow their food before asking crossly. “Am I not part of the team too? Why didn’t you consult me first?”

“Of course you are part of the team!” Haha quickly replied. “The last two filming sessions were so strange without you. We miss you so much!” Haha added and went on describing what had happened during the filming and how the Game Devil Kim Soo Ro, who was invited as a guest, had bullied and terrorised them.

Jong Kook had known Soo Roo well from their Family Outing days so he was certain that Haha was exaggerating. He also knew that Soo Roo was very busy these days and he had already turned down many variety show invitations; hence Jae Suk must have used his friendship card to invite Soo Roo to cover his tough guy role in the show. He felt apologetic for the trouble he had caused to the production team, Jae Suk and his friends, but his infuriation that they had decided to stop the show without consulting him remained.

While Haha was ranting away, Gary was quietly eating so as not to draw Jong Kook’s attention. He understood Jong Kook’s infuriation but he was irritated at how it seemed to be about all about Jong Kook all the time – all Ji Hyo cared about was Jong Kook and now it was all about how Jong Kook was feeling.

Alas, it was unlikely that Jong Kook would let Gary off especially when all of them knew that it was easier to get the truth from Gary than Haha. Jong Kook decided to attack his soft spot. “Why did you agree with them to quit the show? Didn’t you say before that Running Man was the only way for you to see Ji Hyo regularly?”

Haha saw Gary tightened his grip on the beer can upon Jong Kook’s last question, and he quickly placed his hand on the latter’s forearm to calm him down. Gary had been sworn to secrecy by Ji Hyo so he could only feel his temperature raising but he couldn’t think of a reply to this question.

Jong Kook could see the change in Gary’s facial expression. “So, you didn’t really want to quit. Then, who initiated the request to quit?”

Haha knew that he had to answer this question; he wanted to say it was Jae Suk, but he slipped. “Ji Hyo.”

“Ji Hyo?!” Jong Kook was taken by surprise.

“Yes, it’s Ji Hyo,” Haha reaffirmed his answer with a shake of his head. 

“Why?”

“We don’t know,” Haha quickly replied before Gary could say anything.

“Did all of you agree just because she requested? This is my career.”

“Yes, it’s always about you.” Gary blurted out before Haha could stop him, and he put his can down quite strongly. Jong Kook turned to look inquiringly at Haha because Gary seldom lost his cool. 

Haha sighed and replied, “Ji Hyo had pleaded with us to go with her plans to ask for the show to stop so that your back can recover.”

Jong Kook still could not comprehend why they would just listen to Ji Hyo. He gave Haha a look urging him to explain more.

Gary was drinking directly from his fourth bottle of soju while Haha and Gil were still holding their first glasses. The trio sat in silence. Gary was glad that his two good friends were giving him support but he wished he could drink more freely without them around. He was about to order his fifth bottle when Gil put a stop to it. “You have to think about the hangover you would be having tomorrow if you didn’t die of alcohol intoxication by then,” Gil warned.

“Think?! This is what I don’t want to do!” Gary screamed in his head. Gary took the glass of drink from Gil and down it in one shot. He proceeded to clean out Haha’s glass in another one shot.

“So what is this all about?” Gil asked Gary. “Is it Ji Hyo again?”

“Ji Hyo!” The very mention of her name gave his heart another shot of sharp pain and he clenched his fists.

In the last three years, Gary had gotten drunk because of this woman for countless times. He got drunk when she rejected him. He got drunk when she got involved with her CEO. He got drunk when he caught her boyfriend cheating on her. However, he had refused to tell Gil why he was drinking this time. This was Jong Kook, not Joong Ki, not her CEO or not some named or unnamed guy. It was Kim Jong Kook, his hyung, his other buddy.

“Why don’t you tell her that that Baek fellow is cheating on her and ask her again to give you a chance?” Gil urged Gary while Haha took in the news that Ji Hyo’s boyfriend was cheating on her.

Gary refused to answer Gil.

“Don’t tell me she has a new boyfriend?” Gil gave another shot.

Gary glared at Gil but didn’t answer. And Gil knew from Gary’s reaction that he was on a roll.

“Who is the new guy?”

Gary reached over to Gil and pulled him at his collar. Haha quickly pulled Gary off Gil and filled him in, “he thinks Ji Hyo likes Jong Kook.”

 

(15.07.2013)