"Do you feel better now that I have a new password, Oppa? Or should I say, dad?",Ji Hyo teased Jong Kook.

She didn't understand why he was so protective of her. Sure, they have grown fond of each other on the past 2 years they have been on Running Man but he had never acted like this before. Ji Hyo didn't complain, she actually enjoyed it, having a man care about her in a non-creepy way. 

"Yes, I'm feeling definitely better! I feel so happy that I'm going to treat you to a meal. Is there anything you want to eat?" Jong Kook asked, with a small smile. For today and today only, he would make an exception and ignore his strict diet of grains and vegetables, or as Jae Suk calls it, "animal feed".

"Omo! Oppa! Are you for real? Then, I want to eat..." Ji Hyo looked in the distance trying to think of a type of cuisine.

Jong Kook was glad he was able to make her forget her worries. Food always came first in Ji Hyo's head, she liked eating almost as much as clubbing. 

"...italian! I want to eat italian food!" Ji Hyo said, already salivating.

"Yah, I seriously think you have a dysfunction with your mouth! Why are you always drooling?" Jong Kook laughed at her.

"Yah, Kim Jong Kook, you!" she elbowed him hard in the ribs, while laughing along.

And so they chatted all the way to the restaurant.

As they went in, Ji Hyo noticed how many people were looking at them and taking their pictures. She never liked big crowds and even now, after she rose to stardom, she still prefered staying at home and calling delivery for dinner than going out and having to avoid the sasaeng fans. She would only go to big open spaces when she was with at least 2 people.

Jong Kook noticed her discomfort and told her to wait a minute for him go do something quick.

That was the longest minute ever in Ji Hyo's life. When she saw him breaking out of the crowd, her face lit up. He gestured to her to come with him but there were too many fans blocking her from him. He excused himself as he pushed through the bunch of people and grabbed Ji Hyo's hand.

"Oppa..." Ji Hyo started softly.

"Why the hell did you leave me alone with all those people?!? I felt like a caged animal! I was about to have a panic attack!" Ji Hyo scolded Jong Kook.

"I asked the waiter to give us a table in the kitchen so you wouldn't feel uncomfortable..." answered a sheepish Jong Kook, with a foolish grin on his face.

"Ah...Thank you then..." Ji Hyo said, feeling bad for yelling at him.

The truth was that no one had ever done anything like that for her. Not even Gary. He often gave in to her demands and that included either going to his house to eat, or staying at hers to order food. Ji Hyo couldn't deny the fact that what Jong Kook did for her touched her. She felt a tingly sensation in her stomach.

"Hunger, it must be hunger." Ji Hyo thought to herself, chasing her deepest feelings away.

The waiter pulled out the chair for Ji Hyo to sit and Jong Kook sat down in front of her. 

"What are you going to eat oppa?" Ji Hyo asked him, not looking up from the menu.

"I am going to have artichoke ravioli with tomatoes." Jong Kook answered, choosing the healthiest dish he could find.

"You're going to share with me, right? There are too many delicious looking options! I don't know what to choose!" Ji Hyo said, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Take the seafood marinara spaghetti. According to the waiter, it's the best dish in this restaurant." Jong Kook suggested, putting down his menu and calling for the waiter.

"Okay then, I trust you on this, oppa. If it's not as good as you said, I'm going to keep ordering things until I get full!" Ji Hyo smiled widely, resting her chin on her hands.

"You're so slim and yet you eat so much! My wallet is going to be empty because of your appetite." Jong Kook chuckled.

If people saw them and didn't know they were celebrities, Jong Kook and Ji Hyo could be mistaken as a couple. 

After a while, the waiter came back with their food. They ate and talked about all sorts of things. Gary eventually came up in their conversation without any of them doing it on purpose.

"It has only been one day since Gary oppa and I...separated." Ji Hyo looked at her plate and swirled her spaghetti on her fork.

"We've only been apart for a bit more than 24 hours, but I feel like it's been an eternity since I last saw him. I still can't believe we're over..." Ji Hyo let out a sigh.

Jong Kook's heart ached to see her feeling the blues. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her he was by her side, but, in his eyes, their relationship could never go beyond friendship.

"Ji Hyo-ah..." Jong Kook softly called out her name.

He could see her large watery eyes staring back at him. She looked so vulnerable; it pulled his heartstrings. He saw a tear escape from her eyes and instinctively, he stood up and crouched down next to her. He took her face in his hand and wiped her tear away. His hand lingered longer than it should have. Ji Hyo put her hand on his and shed some more tears.

"I miss him, oppa." Ji Hyo whispered, her voice barely audible.

Jong Kook stood up and held her against his chest. Ji Hyo was frigid at first but before long, she gripped his shirt and cried her eyes out. 

After 15 minutes, Ji Hyo finally stopped crying. Jong Kook released her from his embrace but Ji Hyo didn't want to let go. 

"Let's stay like this for a while, oppa.'' Ji Hyo said, her head resting on Jong Kook's shoulder.

She could hear his steady hearbeat and her heart matching his rythm. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body, she felt safe knowing someone like Jong Kook would always be by her side, listening to her stories and cheering her up when she was down.

"Hm." Jong Kook replied, both of his arms around her waist. 

"If only we could stay like this forever..." Ji Hyo and Jong Kook both thought, closing their eyes.