Ji Hyo had a day off from her busy filming schedule. She was cooking in the kitchen when Jong Kook arrived at her apartment after his gym session.

“What’s that?” Ji Hyo spotted a large shopping bag with a coffee machine in it.

“A coffee machine for you.” He smiled broadly at her.

“But I just bought mine a few months ago.” She cocked her head to one side and looked at him quizzically.

“I bought it to put at my place so that you can have coffee when you come over.” He waited keenly for her response. He had been asking her to meet his family at his place for the past month and she had been making excuses not to do so.

Her instinctive response was “I thought you said that coffee is bad for me.” Nonetheless, she held her tongue because she had gotten his hint and she wasn’t ready to meet his folks. She didn’t want to upset him further and she tried to defuse the situation.  “May I have my Kookie first without my coffee?” she said sweetly and leaned against him for a hug.

He wrapped his arms around her. He loved the feeling of holding her in his arms. He felt real and secure to hold her physically. He felt that she belonged to him and he could feel her close to him. He let go of his disappointment and tightened his hold. “Perhaps I’m rushing things a little too much,” he thought.

She inhaled the scent of his cologne and murmured, “Are you hungry?”

“Yes,” he replied gently over her head.

She slowly removed herself from his hold and went into the kitchen to fetch him a sealed container of raw carrot and celery strips. “Have some light snacks while I cook our dinner.” Once she had her back turned, she mischievously stuck out her tongue and made a disgusted expression. She wondered who else besides rabbits would want to eat raw carrot and celery. “Yes, only my boyfriend Kim Jong Kook would eat them,” she thought and smiled to herself.

 “Thanks for preparing these, Ji Hyo.” He caught her hand before she walked away and she turned around with a grin. He was about to pull her for a kiss when he noticed the dark circles under her eyes. At that very moment, he was deeply touched that she had prepared food for him despite her weariness. “Why didn’t you sleep longer today?” he asked more tenderly and reached out to rest his right hand on her left cheek. He gently her cheekbone with his right thumb. 

She glanced at the white roses on the coffee table. She finally got home from her overnight filming in the late morning but before she could sleep properly the florist had delivered the flowers to her doorstep and woke her up. Moreover, he said that he would be coming over after his gym session and would be staying to watch the “live” telecast of a football match at her place. So, she gave up her sleep and went grocery shopping instead. She had been busy preparing the food since she reached home.

He caught her glance at the flowers. “Do you like them?”

“What is the occasion?”

“It’s our one month anniversary.” He felt slightly hurt that she didn’t remember the date.

Her eyes widened at his reply and she felt guilty immediately. “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t prepare anything.”

He stood up from the couch and gave her a tight embrace. “It’s ok, dear. I’m supposed to shower you with surprises. You shouldn’t have to do anything but you are already preparing our anniversary dinner.”

Upon hearing the word “dinner”, she quickly broke free from his embrace and ran into the kitchen to check on her stew. He couldn’t help but smiled at this girlfriend of his.

After dinner, they cuddled on the couch and were channel surfing while waiting for the football match to start. The channels were changing too fast and Ji Hyo turned to look at Jong Kook who was holding the remote controller. He was in deep thoughts. She didn’t like guessing his thoughts so she tugged at his t-shirt gently. He looked at her and their eyes met.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking whether we should go public about our relationship. I want to be able to bring you out for a good dinner.”

A moment of silence came upon them. Ji Hyo was apprehensive about them going public with their relationship. She was worried about the reactions from his fans and the constant scrutiny from the paparazzi. Moreover, her breakup with her former CEO boyfriend had not hit the news yet. She was worried that the reports might portray Jong Kook as a third party instead.  They had been discussing this topic since the second day of their relationship but they could never agree on how to handle it.

“Is my cooking so bad?” She tried to divert the issue.

“No, I like your cooking and I can eat it for life.” He pulled her closer and tighter before she broke away again.

“Is my place too small and uncomfortable for you?”

He gave an inaudible sigh and loosened his grip on her. She immediately stood up and went into the kitchen. Then, he heard washing and chopping sounds. “Since you aren’t afraid that the paparazzi might catch me coming to your place, why won’t you go public with our relationship?”

“Jong Kook, there is no need to antagonise my CEO with a public announcement. I don’t wish any harm to come to you. Moreover, what if we don’t work out?” She thought to herself as she prepared the fruits for him to munch during the football match.

She placed the plate of cut fruits on the coffee table and cuddled next to him again. They did not resume their previous conversation since the football match had started. She tried to stay awake to keep him accompanied. But like many girls, she enjoyed the striking looks of the footballers more than watching twenty-two grown-up men running after a ball with a possibility of not striking any goal after ninety minutes. She soon dozed off against him.

A goal! Jong Kook almost jumped up in excitement. The jolt had rudely woken her up and she looked around blankly, feeling very groggy. He laid her sleepy head carefully on his lap. He her head soothingly and she fell asleep again. He sniffed in her sweet scent and smiled contentedly.

The next morning, she found herself in her own bed and Jong Kook on the couch. “He is forever a gentleman. He doesn’t even take advantage of his own girlfriend.” She smiled at her own thought. She leaned forward and gave him a little peck on his cheek. Then, she heard his mumbling. “Can you kiss me on my lips instead?”

“No, you need to brush your teeth first.” She quickly moved away from him.

“Daebaek! Daebaek! This is a blast! You are just so great!” Ji Hyo squealed as she ran towards Gary and gave him a big squeeze and clapped his back.

Gary beamed at her, “Thank you! You aren’t too bad yourself.”

She understood his hidden meaning and gave him a slap on his arm. “Yes, I didn’t sing off-key or out of tune today.” She said with a pout and Gary just continued grinning at her.

Gil teased Ji Hyo, “I don’t think anyone mind if you sing out of tune since this is your trademark. The audience simply adore you. I think your segment with Gary is the most well received part of the concert.”

At Gil’s words, Haha turned to look at Jong Kook. Although the Running Man had ended, the audience was still treating Ji Hyo as Gary’s Monday Girlfriend and their love song had garnered loud applauses and great adoration from the crowd. He saw Jong Kook smiling at the sight of Gary receiving the blows from Ji Hyo which were meant for Gil who had used Gary as his shield. He shook his head slightly.

Gary finally calmed Ji Hyo down. “Thanks so much for helping in my concert. It would not have been such a blast without you.” “Can I invite you to be my guest for my next concert? I guess not.”

She smiled broadly at him and he embraced her for one last time. He then gave Jong Kook and Haha a hug, thanking them for coming to his concert. Jong Kook held Ji Hyo’s hand and led her out of the backstage. He was sending her home as she had a commercial filming the following morning, and he had a surprise bouquet of white roses in his car to celebrate their second month anniversary with her.

Gary treated his band and crew for supper at his restaurant after they packed up the concert venue. They celebrated their successful concert. After everyone ate their fill and left, Gary and Gil remained.

Gary was about to reach for another bottle of soju when Gil stopped him. “Are you going to get drunk again?”

Gary looked hard at his buddy. “No, but I don’t know what else to do now.”  He had been able to meet Ji Hyo frequently because of the preparation of his concert. Now that the concert had ended, he felt part of him going missing again. However, he was determined to live his life happily because he wanted his two friends not to feel sad for him.

Gary smiled at Gil and raised his glass to him, “Cheers to our successful concert!”

His frustration and moodiness did not escape from the eyes of the ever perceptive Jae Suk. When the recording of their variety show was over, the senior had invited him and Gary for drinks under the pretext of discussing how to improve their show.

After their drinks were served, Jae Suk posed the question to Jong Kook, "How are you and Ji Hyo doing?" Although he was watching for Jong Kook's response, he did not fail to steal a glance at Gary. Gary appeared rather indifferent.

Jong Kook swirled his glass of drink for a while before replying, "We are doing fine."

Jae Suk gave a frown. "Fine" was a word that could be used to describe a three years old relationship but it didn't seem appropriate to use it on a three months old relationship. Where was the excitement of a new relationship?

"Then why aren't you looking happy like someone newly in a relationship?"

He let out a soft sigh. Nothing seemed to ever escape from Jae Suk's observation. “We had a fight yesterday.”

Gary stared at Jong Kook for the flash of an instant then quickly recovered his look of indifference.

“What did you fight about?” Jae Suk asked.

“She wants to take on another filming project when she still has one on hand. She is already so wore out by her current schedule. She got mad at me when I asked her to turn down the offer.” Jong Kook explained sulkily.

Jae Suk let out a soft chuckle. “Didn’t you react similarly when we told you to stop Running Man?” he thought. Instead he said patiently to Jong Kook, “I know you care for her. But you should trust her to manage her workload, especially after her hospitalisation experience.”

Both Jong Kook and Gary recoiled in their recollection of Ji Hyo being put on the drip in the hospital when she passed out from overwork three years ago. They could not forget how frail she looked then when she had to rely on the oxygen mask to breathe. However, they had to admit that she and her manager had much better managed her schedule since that incident.

“Jong Kook, I don’t think you would fight with her just over her work.” Jae Suk gave him a questioning look and probed further.

Jong Kook placed his hand on his head and ruffled his hair a little before replying. "I just don't know what she is thinking." He grumbled with a sigh.

Jae Suk could not help but grinned at his statement. Hadn't he and Suk Jin reached the conclusion that women had minds that no man can comprehend and Ji Hyo had a mind that no mankind can ever comprehend. "Firstly, I must tell you that a woman is meant to be loved and not to be understood. So, what exactly has been bugging you, Jong Kook?"

Jong Kook smiled at Jae Suk’s first statement. He was grateful to have such a wise and caring senior looking out for him. He finally let out his greatest frustration of all. 

"She refuses to go public with our relationship. She gives all sorts of reasons which seem more like excuses to me. She has even told me to go public only after the news of her breakup with her former boyfriend is out. If no one wants to stand out to announce their breakup, does it mean that we have to be a secret couple? It's ridiculous when they have already broken up for so long. I simply can't understand this reasoning of hers."

Jae Suk pondered over his words and finally let out a little smile. He realised this girl must have thought too much again but not without some truth. "She is trying to protect you."

Jong Kook scratched his head. He just could not see the logic. Jae Suk wondered if he was always so clueless towards Ji Hyo's intents.

"If you go public via an official statement, you are also officially announcing that her relationship with her CEO boyfriend is over. Do you think he would like it?"

"No, he won't like it. But what's the problem?"

"Well, there might not be any problem but that silly girl rather not take the risk. She doesn't want him to bear a grudge against you and sabotage you in any way."

"But she didn't mind being caught by the paparazzi. I seriously can't make out the difference." Jong Kook let out another sigh of frustration.

"The difference is simple - you are not the initiator." Jong Kook was not fully convinced but decided to let it rest. He thought he should be responsible as a man and not let her be caught in a scandal. He wanted the world to know that she was his girl. He never knew he could be this possessive until it came to her. At this thought, he took a quick peek at Gary who appeared nonchalant.

"Sometimes I just want to bring her out. I don't want to just meet at her place." Jong Kook said glumly.

“You have been dating only at her place for the past months?” Jae Suk asked in surprise. He himself was a fiercely private person and he had been protecting his family from the media ever since. Even so, he could not imagine dating in an apartment for months. Wouldn’t they want to go for movies, walk in the streets together and have drinks in cafes like what normal couples do?

“Yes, just her apartment because she won’t even come to my place,” Jong Kook said dejectedly.

"Maybe you can take her somewhere out of Seoul. You can travel separately and meet there." Jae Suk suggested.

"She likes the sea." Gary said his first sentence for the night.

Under Gary's calm and peaceful appearance, his emotions were like the undercurrents beneath the seemingly calm ocean. He was worried about her health and workload. He was pained by her thoughtfulness for another man. He was irritated by Jong Kook's frustrations at her. He was sad because she had not been going out with her loved one. All he ever wanted was for her to be happy.

After their conversation, Jae Suk could not help but be worried about Ji Hyo and Jong Kook. They were not communicating as they should. He decided to give them a helping hand and called Suk Jin.

 

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dear readers, thanks for reading and your comments. i hope you like this chapter. please continue to comment so that i know whether the story is heading the right way. (12.08.2013)