Jihyo’s father’s eyes rounded with hope and fear.

“He’s alive,” Jae Suk said. “Barely alive, but still, alive.”

The elderly man grabbed Jae Suk’s hands tightly.

“Thank you… Thank you,” he said, voice weak from the tension it had been holding. He was not a man who wears his emotions on his sleeve. But looking at her daughter suffer like this, he had been so worried about Gary as well.

Jae Suk nodded silently, his eyes red as well.

Jihyo’s father went to tell Jihyo the news. Meanwhile, the rest of the members made their way over.

Upon hearing the news, Jihyo broke into tears of relief. Thank you, thank you, she thought. After calming herself, she went out to meet the members.

She didn’t say anything and quietly sat down beside Jae Suk. All eyes landed on her, but she couldn’t find the strength to look at them. She looked down, staring at her hands. Her hands that missed Gary’s firm grasp.

“Are you okay?” he asked gently, putting his arm on hers.

She nodded slowly, without looking up.

“He’s severely injured,” Jae Suk reported. “I hear from some of the rescuers that he lost a lot of blood.”

Jong Kook nodded. “My reporter friends told me that they heard rumours about him being in a coma,” he said. “But it’s just rumours,” he quickly added.

“Jihyo-yah,” Jae Suk said. “Now, it’s just the start. You must prepare for the worst,” he told her gently.

She hadn’t spoken a word since she was told that Gary was alive, but now she looked up, her eyes red with tears.

She let out a breath, her eyes locking with Haha’s. He seemed to know what she was thinking, but if he knew, he didn’t say it out.

“We’ll let you rest,” Jae Suk said, after sitting around in silence for close to 10 minutes. They all understood that it was hard for her, so they didn’t press her any further.

“No matter what, we’ll always be here for you, noona,” Kwang Soo said, hugging her. She returned the hug.

“Thank you,” she finally said, to all of them. “Thank you for always being here for us.”

Suk Jin smiled and ruffled her hair gently, Jong Kook and Jae Suk patted her shoulder. None of them said a word, but their actions all meant the same thing. Fighting.

Haha lingered for a while after the rest left.

“Do you want to take a walk?” he asked.

Jihyo didn’t really want to, but she knew he wanted to ask her something, so she agreed.

Haha sighed. Jihyo waited for the words he wanted to say, but it didn’t come. She stayed silent.

“It has been a tough 4 days huh?” he asked rhetorically.

“Hmmm.”

“Let me go with you,” he finally said.

She stopped and turned to look at him in shock.

You’re not one of us, are you?

Haha cocked his head to a side, frowning at her.

“Why are you staring at me like this?”

She shook her head and let out a smile, laughing at herself for having such incredulous thoughts.

“I was just wondering if you heard my thoughts,” she said. “I thought you were one of us.”

“But then it couldn’t be. Gary would have known,” she added. Her heart ached at the thought of Gary.

“My brother was,” he said. “I guess maybe I have some of it too,” he shrugged.

Jihyo looked at him curiously. She never knew he had a brother. Gary never told her, since he respected Haha’s choice to keep it a secret.

She had always felt a special connection with Haha. Like they could read each other’s mind sometimes. It was much weaker that that with Gary’s, and most of the times she wouldn’t be able to read clearly, but it was there. So this was what it was.

He briefly told her about their story.

“No wonder you are so close to Gary oppa,” she said at the end of his story.

“So, let me go with you.”

“It’s dangerous, oppa,” she said.

“So let me go with you,” he repeated.

“Do you think Byul will let you go?”

“Gary hyung doesn’t have any other family,” he said quietly, almost sadly. “Of course there’s you and Jiyoung and Ji-ohn. But for 20 over years, he was alone. I was all he had, Jihyo-yah. And he was all I had, after my own brother died. I mean, of course I had my parents, but he’s important to me too. As important as he is to you.”

Jihyo looked at Haha, who’s looking so serious. They’ve known each other for over 8 years now, but she had never seen him this serious before. He was always the joker, along with Kwang Soo. They could be serious if they had to, too, but never this serious.

And now, the faint connection with him was back. She could feel his determination. She nodded.

He smiled, and sighed again.

“Okay, but maybe he’s not as important to me as he is to you. I won’t kill myself for him. But still important,” he laughed.

Jihyo rolled her eyes, but smiling again. Can’t get rid of this joker status, can you? She thought, even though he couldn’t receive it.  

A/N: Okay! There you go. I think it’s quite short, but sigh… I have been so busy and the next few week’s gonna be worst!!!!!!!! I feel like breaking down sometimes, but I think about how all the running man members held on and I feel motivated again.

So, fighting to all the people with a week/ month/ year ahead.

Things will get better one day. Waiting for that day to come, it’s strength.

Damn, this feels like a farewell message, but it’s not (I hope). I’ll be back in maybe a month’s time. But hey at least I let you guys know that Gary’s alive before leaving.

Bye!!!