The Root

Scent of a Flower

The rest of the Running Man members just let Jong Kook and Ji Hyo left the filming site, so they can further discuss the show's strongest couple's relationship. When they were already sure that the two have left, they went back to where they were eating earlier. "I thought all is well already?" asked Suk Jin. "Hyung, didn't you say that you were just to exaggerated earlier?" asked Kwang Soo. "Don't get me wrong guys. I have nothing against them. In fact, we're here to discuss how we can actually protect their relationship." answered Jae Suk.

"How can we do it, hyung?" asked Ha Ha. Jae Suk looked at Gary as he said, "We have to make sure that the 'Monday Couple' thingy will be able to cover the real couple." Jae Suk looked at the rest of the men as he returned his look at Gary. "Will it be okay with you?" asked Jae Suk. Gary looked blank at first, but he responded, "It's okay with me as long as it's okay with Ji Hyo." "Just with Ji Hyo, hyung?" asked Kwang Soo. "Of course, Jong Kook hyung will definitely agree with this plan. It's for them afterall. Don't you think?" asked Gary. 

Jong Kook returned to the restaurant almost an hour after he drove Ji Hyo home. "Sorry to keep you waiting." apologized Jong Kook when he saw the six men. Suk Jin nodded at him as an acknowledgement of his apology, so he sat down. "Is she already asleep?" asked Gary. "Probably." he answered with a smile as he added, "You know that she always sleeps whenever there's a chance." Gary also smiled as he replied, "Oh yeah!" They started talking about how to keep his relationship with Ji Hyo private until they came up with what's best.

Another week has passed, and everyone has gathered up again to film a certain episode. Ji Hyo, who was not aware of the talk among the men, smiled at everyone. Ji Hyo was about to come closer to where Jong Kook is standing, but Kwang Soo stopped her. "Noona!" he yelled making Ji Hyo a bit flustered. "Ya! Lee Kwang Soo! Don't shout." she told him. "Why?" she then asked wanting to know the reason of his call. "I just want you to stand next to me in the opening." told Kwang Soo. "Why?" she asked the young man with the same question again.

The awkwardness on Kwang Soo's face was evident to the six men, so to not let Ji Hyo notice it, Jong Kook walked towards their direction and said, "Ji Hyo-ya, just stand between Kwang Soo and me." Ji Hyo smiled at her boyfriend as she said, "That's what I want - standing right next to you." The six men, who overheard Ji Hyo's words, found it so undenyingly weird and sweet. "Ya, Song Ji Hyo, are you a teenager?" asked Suk Jin, who was not able to control his reaction. Ji Hyo blushed but she responded shyly, "There's no age in love, Suk Jin oppa."

They suddenly stopped talking when the director said that there will only be ten minutes before they start to shoot. They do not know their guests yet, so they tried to guess who the guests are. They were busy giving names, but Ji Hyo remembered something. "Oppa, it will be your guesting later, right?" she asked. "Which guesting?" asked Jong Kook, who has a very hectic schedule today. "Healing Camp." she answered. Jong Kook smiled at her and said, "Oh, right. What about it?" he then asked his woman, who just smiled back at him.

Long before Jong Kook can answer, Myuk PD has informed them that it's now time to film. It's their 228th episode, and they bowed down to the audience as an introduction. Ji Hyo is standing between Kwang Soo and Jong Kook, and minutes after, the guests Moon Chae Won and Lee Seung Gi were welcomed. They are going to be the guests because they have to promote their movie together. Ji Hyo was the happiest when she wasn't picked by Chae Won and Seung Gi to be a part of their teams, because that means she's with the remaining ones - Kim Jong Kook and Ji Suk Jin.

She was kind of confused when Suk Jin and Jong Kook weren't talking. "Are you two still tired?" she asked. Jong Kook, who was driving for them, said, "I just have to focus driving, so we'll be safe." Ji Hyo bit her lower lip with her man's reply, so Suk Jin said, "Ji Hyo-yah, don't let your boyfriend commit an accident just because you miss his voice already." Suk Jin was taken aback when Jong Kook and Ji Hyo screamed, "Hyung!" and "Oppa!" at the same time. "How to do?" worried Suk Jin asked when he remembered that they are filming.

"Let's just remove the tape. Let's just change it without them knowing." said Jong Kook. "Oppa, if we remove the tape, we won't have a screentime. You two won't be able to be on screen while we're on our way to the site." told Ji Hyo. "Ya! It's much better for us to be unseen than for our relationship to be revealed like this." yelled Jong Kook to Ji Hyo's surprise. But she received it positively, so she smiled as she apologized. "It's my fault. I should have kept my mouth shut." admitted Suk Jin, but the couple just said it's okay.

They arrived at the location, and had their first mission completed. They didn't win the first place, but they didn't mind it that much. They are now on the site of the second mission, and the mission is an ice stick pepero game. When their team was about to play the game, Ji Hyo revealed that Suk Jin doesn't want to do it with her and Jong Kook, so Suk Jin told her to just do it with the commander. Jong Kook said, "You have a reason to play this game." But Suk Jin said, "I don't care about the reason.", so the three of them just decided to do rock-scissors-paper.

"Should I do it for you?" Gary then kidded which made everyone laughed. The three then played the game, and it was Suk Jin who won the game. Ji Hyo and Jong Kook are now left to do the mission - the first kind of mission they'll be playing. Even the six members screamed at the top of their lungs secretly. Gary even reacted "Oh my God!" in a very embarrassed way, and the rest of the members started teasing them. The PD requested Gary to step aback which made the rapper said, "I'm sorry. This is very heartwarming."

When Jong Kook and Ji Hyo prepared for the game, Suk Jin said that they have to win since it is just a game. He even said that it is their first pepero game together. When the real couple started to get ready, the staffs were reminded of Ji Hyo's pepero game with Park Seo Joon as well as Jong Kook's moment with Ha Eun Soo. As the two started to bite the ice stick little by little, Kwang Soo said, "They might discover some feelings that they didn't know about before." As the two keeps going the ice broke as soon as Suk Jin asked, "Do you two like --?"

The couple received a lot of double meaning reactions from their co-members, like when Jae Suk said, "You two don't work together", when Gary said, "What doesn't work, doesn't work." as well as when Suk Jin mentioned, "I know something like this will happen.", Jong Kook responded that the power of Monday Couple is actually blocking them. Ji Hyo was all happy with those reactions, but little does she know that it will just be the start - for she has to deal with Jong Kook's interview later. An interview where he said that she and Gary should really date at this point...now.

 

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chen_zan
#1
Chapter 24: hey author<3 this story is really good,,why did i just find it now??><....but anyways,,that 'script reading' thingy got me hard that i cried for like an hour or so,,,but ofcourse plot twists is always there--and that made me happy....this was one of the bestest story i've ever read thank you for sharing this <333 will probably put this in my reread stories folder ^^
perkedelcoklat #2
Chapter 1: <span class='smalltext text--lighter'>Comment on <a href='/story/view/980661/1'>The Assertion</a></span>
I'm a few years late to find this beautiful fanfic, but I'm happy I can read it in one go. Thank you for writing this! Beautiful & heartwarming story, indeed.
jihyosglasses #3
Chapter 24: it’s 2020 and i just found this fic ksjdkjd
can i just say, that plotwist really played with my heart omg i really cried reading their death scenes aND LO AND BEHOLD they’re alive ksjdksjs
regardless, i’m glad to have found this fic and read it!! thank you for publishing it, authornim!! ;)
zeroeightwentyone #4
@Tania_Lorenza - Thank you for taking time to read this, and giving time to comment. Glad you did like it. :)
Tania_Lorenza #5
Chapter 23: Wow really good story at first I'm really sad but read until the end that make laugh by myself
zeroeightwentyone #6
@cancergirl88ak - Were you born in 1988? Kkk~ Thank you for spending time reading this one. I hope that you won't forget this story. kkk~ Thanks again. :)
zeroeightwentyone #7
@Song_lee - Thanks for reading this in one shot. I'm glad you liked this one, too. I am really thankful. Thank you. :)
cancergirl88ak #8
Chapter 24: I'm crying when I read the story and the ending make me smile wide.. what a sweet story I love it
Song_lee #9
Chapter 24: Woah. Your write a great story. I have a mixed emotion when read your story. The plot twist is not expected and chapter 20-23 really makes me sad. I can't stop reading after 1 chapter so I finished it in one shot. Thanks for making such a great story
zeroeightwentyone #10
@baybeesuga - What very nice words you have. Thank you for the comment, and for spending time reading this one. I'm happy that this one was received well, and was appreciated. Thank you again. ^^ I'll be writing a new one. Hopefully you can read it when you have time. :)