Gym and Protein Shakes

“Hyung-nim!” Haha showed off, running at ease on the treadmill as if he could do it all day, grinning widely at the older man. Jong kook scowled, wondering what his dongsaeng was doing there. “Didn’t you say you wanted to spend more time with Dream?”

“Later… my omma borrowed him and my wife. Besides, we haven’t spent time together for a long time hyung.”

“Then will you be okay? I’m not going to be easy on you today just because you slacked off and tried to avoid the gym for months.” Jong kook remarked staring at the other one with ideas of workout (torture?) floating in his head.

Dong hoon’s grin was replaced with a nervous smile. He hopped out of the machine and placed an arm around his hyung. “Eyy, don’t be harsh… I missed you hyung… you didn’t miss me?”

Jong kook cocked his brows suspiciously. “Did they send you?”

“Yah, hyung! Do you really?” Dong hoon gaped in disbelief, acting as if Jong kook had stabbed him before breaking into a toothy grin. “How can you read me so easily? Kekeke, they did tell me to talk to you. I think the others will also try to corner you hyung... let’s just work out for a while and see?”

“Sounds fine to me…”

An hour later, a wailing sound could be heard in the gym. Haha was panting hard, making inhuman noises as he lifted weights, his shirt drenched in sweat and regret. “Argh! Twenty! Hyung-aaah!”

“Yah! Enough! So noisy… you could do this well last time. When was that? Last month, or last year?” Jong kook effortlessly lifted the deadly metal away from his dongsaeng who was now on his back lying flat on the floor muttering prayers of thanks.

“Rest?” Jong kook offered. Haha nodded spending the little strength he has left to sit and chug a bottle of water.

“I told you I wouldn’t go easy on you.

“You… m-made me tired so no talk. You good avoiding issue hyung.” He gasped out, still trembling from the efforts he exerted earlier. Haha thought it was a bad thing to corner Jong kook in a gym. He should have just gone straight to the tiger’s apartment or lure him out to the studio – but in Jong kook’s life, only gym is consistent. You wouldn’t really see him around that much since he’s always busy.

“Haha-yah…”

“Neh hyung?”

“Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“You have a mission to fulfill right?” Dong hoon could only nod as the hyung led the way. Haha followed silently and observed his unusually quiet hyung, wondering if he’s going to get anything out of him.

>////<

Jong kook carefully cut the vegetables. Then he washed them and minced the boiled chicken meat. Tossing everything in the blender after adding a few more ingredients, he finally finished two servings of his special protein shake.

Dong hoon grimaced as the older one walked towards him. “Hyung, I’m not hungry.”

“Drink it. You’ll see.” Haha’s face paled, his hands shaking as he accepted the drink. He held his breath and drank. It was much smoother than he had expected, almost tasty. To his surprise, it’s not actually bad.

“See?” Jong kook smiled smugly, drinking his own in long quick gulps.

“Okay, you win hyung. I think I could use the recipe for…” Jong kook arched his brows unbelieving, “For Dream hyung, he wouldn’t eat anything in a spoon.”

“I’m gonna give you the recipe later… but it’s easier to drink it if you don’t know what’s in it --" Jong kook roared in laughter watching Dong hoon’s face turn into bewilderment. He dropped to the chair facing Haha. “Don’t worry, it has nothing weird… I don’t consume anything unhealthy or gross.”

“This isn’t gross? Hyung, it’s vegetables and chicken, with milk and god knows what.”

“But you’re drinking it.”

“There must be something terribly wrong with me then,” they both laughed and normally went back to how they were before. Jong kook had always been the noisy and talkative one and Haha likes that. It’s not boring and the older one is someone you could talk with about literally anything.

The laughter and talks died down soon. For the first time in a long while, they had experienced silence between them.

“Hyung…”

“What do you want to know?” Jong kook’s tone was resigned, almost exhausted. He didn’t really know what to do or why he needs to do something. Why did he even say those words? And why is it that everyone's making a big deal out of it? He already told them it was nothing... but he also knew, deep inside him it is a big deal. 

He couldn’t avoid her for the rest of his life. He couldn’t put her at bay and try to pretend she does not exist. He owes that not only to the viewers but also to her… he knows all that. But here he was, wallowing in his thoughts, worrying everyone and still confused.

They weren’t strangers. She was Ji hyo, his closest woman friend who understands him and knows what to do with him. With a bitter smile, he chuckled.

She knows me well, it’s me who doesn’t know a thing about her…

The silence continued. The glasses emptied. The kitchen lay in a mess. The two men stared outside, watching the skies grow dark.

“Haha-yah, where do I buy the best coffee here in Seoul?”

The younger one turned to him in surprise, his eyes suddenly replaced with a realization. “If you’re driving to Ilsan you’ll find a shop where we had filmed before…” Haha gave him the name and the directions. He beamed at his hyung wanting to tease the older one but he resisted.

Dong hoon knew his hyung well, and he is excited. He wished nothing would go wrong between the two. He just couldn’t help but realize and see the possibilities of the future… and it’s looking good.

“Do you know what she likes?”

“I know that much Haha-yah.”

At least I know that much…

Thanks for reading :D