They were watching a movie when Gary asked.

Jihyo lay on his couch, her head on his lap, a blanket covering her legs. The movie is something they've both wanted to watch for some time, but he wasn't paying attention. Instead, he watched her expressions throughout the show, from her adorable laugh at moments to her focused face at others.

"Oppa, stop staring at me." She pushed his head away, her eyes never leaving the screen.

"Don't want to." He replied childishly, bringing his face closer towards hers and pecking her cheek.

When Jihyo concentrated on something, he knew from experience that she wouldn't be distracted. That was how the ace could win so many episodes of Running Man, despite that mong face of hers. But he must be something else, because she tore away from the television screen to look up at him, giggling.

 "You're acting silly." She said simply, poking his cheek with one finger.

"Silly in love for you~"

"Gross, oppa. I'm leaving if you continue this."

"You wouldn't." He teased, and she rolled her eyes. He complied though, going back to admire her face instead of turning back to the movie. The female leads weren't as pretty as the one in front of him anyway.

And she's gorgeous. With her hair swept up in a high bun, as if testing his self control, her bare face is without a trace of makeup, and he wishes he could kiss those pretty lips again and again. Jihyo looks the best like this, a soft, undeniable glow about her radiating and throwing him into a frenzy. All the money in the world could not buy you a face like this, and he loves that she was his and his alone.

 "I love you." Gary blurted out, cringing the moment he said it. They've been friends for years, a couple for weeks, and he already started throwing out three word phrases that some of his friends in long relationships wouldn't dare say. The first time they kiss, she ran away. What would she do now?

Quickly, he tried to save himself before she could say anything, embarrassed at his bluntness. "Wait, don't answer that."

"So you don't love me?" She smirked.

A simple coy look from her and he knew that he was caught. "I'll always love you - wait no I didn't mean that, actually yes I did! But-"

Jihyo shut him up with a soft kiss on the lips, and for a moment, he forgot all about his moment of stupidity. It escalates into something else, and he's aware of the need he has for her, her scent intoxicating him. When she pulled away, it's all he could do to keep that silly grin off his face.

"I love you." Gary repeated, opting for a soft peck on her nose as she pulled away, laughing.

"Oppa." Jihyo breathed, struggling to explain herself.

"And you don't have to say it back. I just wanted to let you know that I love you." He wasn't demanding, he knew that these things took time, and they had all the time in the world.

The movie is forgotten for the second time, their lips interlocked again. By the time they pull away, she's panting slightly, and his self control betrays him as his smile widens into a grin.

He didn't think that he could love someone as much as he loved Jihyo. For him, words flew easily, like lyrics of a song accompanying the rhythm of the beat. He's dated before, even clubbed in the wee hours of the morning and fooled around, but this is different. This relationship was trial and error, and this time the smooth words he once knew were shaky.

"Will you meet my family?" Gary found himself asking, and she bolted up in shock.

"What?"

"I don't want to ignore them anymore." He blamed her beauty, because suddenly he didn't seem as confident as before.

"Will they be... Ok with it?" Jihyo looked nervous, one hand reaching up to touch her bun, anxiously patting her hair. Chuckling, he holds her hand down, gently stopping her.

"Why not? I don't always bring pretty girls home."

"Liar." She retorted, unconvinced.
"If I go, you'll have to deal with my family too." It seemed like a good counterattack for his proposition anyway, but he gladly took it.

"Of course."

"That wasn't an invitation!"

She fumed cutely, and he laughed at her worried expression, unshaken. "I'll pick you up on Saturday."

"This coming Saturday?" Jihyo panicked, eyes widening. "But I need to prepare clothes! A gift!"

"Just come as yourself." Gary smiled, melting at her reaction. Leaning in to give her another kiss, he felt her soften in his arms, until she was sighing contently, returning the kiss eagerly.

Needless to say, the movie went unwatched for the rest of the evening.

 

"Miss mong!"

Jihyo turned her head to find Jaesuk calling her, the nation's MC jogging up to her. They were filming another episode of Running Man, and it was the second day of their back to back filming schedule.  Afterwards, the cast weren't sparred from a meeting, usually about ratings, but she didn't know what this one was about. She could still feel the ache in her muscles from the nightmare filming of a chase from the day before, exciting enough to warrant her a break from flirting with Gary onscreen. Besides, yesterday's mission was entirely solo, and they hardly saw each other while driving around with their guest.

"Waeyo, oppa?"

"Where's Gary?"

"I don't know."

"Is he the spy?"

There's something about Jaesuk's excited grin that throws her off guard. The entire cast had been hovering around her and Gary the entire day, as if they knew a secret that she didn't. She shouldn't be surprised, with the latest 'success' with the stupid plan they had. But the mention of a spy immediately started the gears in her head, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why would you ask me that?" Jihyo asked, suspicious. "Are you the spy?"

"You know I'm not." He shot back, laughing. She knew that he was right, because the clues they received from the games earlier on hinted that the spy was a singer. That eliminated her as well, and she was thankful that she didn't have to sneak around.

"How are things?" He asked knowingly, ignoring their mission completely.

She's conscious of the cameras in front of them, before replying, "The usual, oppa."

"So dating Kang Gary is now the usual?"

There's a teasing tone behind his words, different from the first episode when the reveal first surfaced. Jihyo did a double take, wondering if they knew more than they had let up. She opens to scold her oppa for making fun of her, when someone familiar calls for her.

"And there you are!"

The mentioned suspect strolled right in, with his VJ in tow, cutting her conversation with Jaesuk. Gary immediately jogged over when he spotted Jihyo, completely ignoring his hyung's presence.

"Yah don't come so close, what if you're the spy?" Jaesuk retorted, pulling Jihyo behind him teasingly to separate them.

"Hyung, it's not me! I swear!"

"Then who? Our guests today are all actors!"

"It's not him." Jihyo laughed, and the two men looked at her, one smiling, and the other one triumphant. "He can't lie even for the prize."

"I can't trust you either, Jihyo ah. He'll split the gold with you if he wins anyway." Jaesuk joked good naturally, deciding to split up from the pack. "Don't do anything rated after I'm gone!"

They watch as the grasshopper fled the scene, knowing that he would probably be caught sooner or later if not careful. Jihyo's still fully aware of the cameras still recording them, so she continues her part as the Monday girlfriend.

"Oppa, it's Tuesday today."

"Doesn't matter, we're everyday now." She responded with a punch to his arm, and he winced, pretending to doubling over in pain until she gave in and picked him up.

"Are you're really not the spy?" She asked, even though she knew the answer was a definite no.

"It's not me! They can't make me the spy anymore, I'm too bad!"

"But if it's you, can I have the gold?"

Gary laughed, pulling Jihyo into a hug, and she doesn't have to close her eyes to imagine the reactions when the episode is broadcasted. He lets go, taking her hand sincerely, crooning, "You don't even have to ask."

It took all their willpower to stay focused on the hunt for the spy, behaving themselves in the presence of the cameras and crew. Maybe it was the truth of their relationship now, but it was getting easier to transition from reality to the Monday couple. He still resisted the urge to hide in some corner with her and give her a shower of kisses though, her beauty never failing to draw him in.

When Jongkook came running towards them with a foolish Ha Ha in tow, they get eliminated, Gary's protection of no use for Jihyo as her hair gets tangled up and his shirt gets torn. He swore to take revenge for their harshness on Jihyo, and they both leave hand in hand, playing it up for the cameras. Instead of heading to the awaited jail though, they take a breather together. Their VJs leave them alone as they find a quiet spot by their filming venue, a small corner in the large departmental store devoid of any cameras. She plopped herself down on the floor by the window, and he followed suit.

"They'll be suspicious." She warned, when he fixed her hair, readjusting her cap. She had let it loose today, wavy locks cascading down to her chest, the way he loved.

"Did Jaesuk hyung give you a hard time?" He always got concerned when he wasn't there to shield her from their meddlesome cast, or from the public's judgmental eyes.

"He didn't." She answered truthfully, surprised. "They have been quiet actually."

"After the meeting today they would probably ask."

"Wanna bet who would do the honors?"

"Deal. Name your stakes."

"Hmm." Jihyo pretended to think, teasing him. "Loser gets to do whatever the winner wants."

"Deal." Gary repeated, even though he would have gladly done anything she wanted without asking.

"I bet Kwangsoo would do it." She laughed, knowing that the elder men would push the talking to their outspoken maknae.

"Nah, Jaesuk will." He said confidently, and she stuck her tongue out at him like a little child.

They stayed there for a little while, his arms thrown around her shoulders and hers snaking around his waist in an embrace. He didn't think that he would be lucky enough to do this with her, not even in a million years. Gary spends the short break letting Jihyo doze off quietly in his arms, knowing that she liked to rest while the cameras weren't filming her. She could sleep everywhere, so he let her do what she did best, being the gentleman he tried to be for her.

When he was sure it had been more than ten minutes, he leaned in close to wake her before the crew called for a search party. It did take some persuasion, but she finally shook the sleepiness off her, and they made their way back to their jail for the day.

"Did you get lost?" Kwangsoo's voice fills the room when they both enter, unsurprised to see the show's main betrayer out so early. Beside him, the resident race starter Sukjin folded his arms, pretending to look angry. The guests sat quietly, amused.

"I needed to fix my hair." Jihyo replied easily, already thought of an excuse before coming in.

"Did you have to bring Gary with you?" Sukjin attacked, watching with glee as the later overreacted, leading Jihyo to their seats.

"Hyung, why can't I follow?"

"Admit it, she fell asleep somewhere!"

Jihyo maintained her mong face, denying it, but Gary's terrible acting skills gave it all away. She groaned, lightly slapping his cheek playfully, and he ree goofy grin in apology. The easy brothers complain loudly at their interaction, bringing the crew and guests to laughter.

They end up sitting beside each other anyway, chatting with the guests as the camera filmed their every interaction. There are times when he forgot about them, leaning in to run circles with his thumb on her hand, in his little bubble with her. If anyone saw, they didn't speak up, although he swore he saw Sukjin and Kwangsoo smirk knowingly.

When Jongkook and Ha Ha come in victorious, holding Jaesuk's name tag, the losers (mainly the jail duo, Kwangsoo and Sukjin) complained loudly, scolding the PDs for allowing Spartakook to pair up with someone. In his defense though, Jongkook claimed that Dong Hoon was of no help whatsoever, leading a fresh round of overreactions and louder insults.

Filming ended as easily as it started, and Jihyo's just glad that they had two whole weeks of rest now that they filmed two episodes in a row. She's curious about the meeting they have though, and Gary must share the same thoughts, because as they scatter to change out of their sponsored clothes, he pulled her back into the half deserted corridor.

"No matter what happens in the meeting afterwards, you know I'll promise to protect you right?"

"Don't be dramatic." She laughed, until she saw his serious expression. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure myself, maybe I'm overthinking..." He muttered, looking around at the hardworking crew rushing around to pack up. They spot Dong Hoon done already, and quickly part to change themselves.

She wondered what he meant, when she realized that he had every right to be suspicious. A meeting so early at the start of the year was rare; they usually started after a few months, more so when the ratings were undesirable. What could they possibly have wanted everyone to know about so urgently?

With the guests gone and the crew all packed up, the se