Monday Couple Stories

Chapter Twenty Eight: New Beginnings

Gary and Ji Hyo stayed at the seaside village for another two days before heading back home.  Ji Hyo took one more day off so it wouldn't look like both of them took the same amount of time off from work.  Gary went back to his studio to focus on his music, while Ji Hyo went back to filming Emergency Couple.

When Gary came back to the set of Running Man, they immediately questioned his whereabouts.  

"Oh, Gary, Gary...where have you been?....Where is JI Hyo?".

Gary said, "I had a family emergency to take care of....Why are you asking me about Ji Hyo?...I don't know where she is."

Yoo Jae Suk went up to Gary.

"Are you and Ji Hyo dating?"

"Hyung, you know we can't date....We must be really good at acting for you to think that."

Then Suk Jin teasingly joined the conversation.

"Oh Kang Gary, why don't you just be honest and tell us you have true feelings for her."

"Ah, hyung...don't be like that...we are just friends....this is just a show...stop playing with me."

Suk Jin and Jae Suk starting laughing because Gary was taking them seriously.

Gary was relieved that they were just joking with him.  If they found out that Ji Hyo and him were truly dating they might lose their jobs, so he was very careful with his every moves.

The PD called for the cast members so they may begin filming.  Ha Ha put his arms around Gary's shoulder.

"Hyung, you can tell me...are you and Ji Hyo dating?"

Gary was worried that Ha Ha would find out but it was Kwang Soo who came to his rescue.

"Hyung, leave him alone...he goes clubbing every week...he sees lots of girls...so why would he want to see just Ji Hyo?"

Ha Ha thought about what Kwang Soo said.

"Ah, yes...he likes to have fun... he is not ready to settle down."

Gary smiled.

The next day, Ji Hyo showed up for work to film running man.  So the cast won't bombard her with numerous questions regarding her long absence from filming, she explained to them that she was feeling exhausted from trying to balance her film schedules, that 's why she took some time off from filming running man and focus on her new drama, Emergency Couple.  They didn't question her after she gave them her reasoning for her absence from filming.  She had experienced exhaustion before from overexerting herself filming two shows at once, so they didn't bother asking questions to her. They were just happy she came back to work.

Suddenly Gary saw Ji Hyo.

"Oh, Ji Hyo...where have you been?"

"Ugh...I just explained what happened to me and now you show up...why do you always have bad timing?"

(Gary and Ji Hyo wanted to keep their relationship a secret, so they would play off with each other's conversations with the other cast members to throw them off from the truth about their relationship).

"Aigoo...I was just asking," he said and then walked off.

As he walked away from Ji Hyo and the cast, he had this slight smile and smirk on his face.

Suddenly the PD was telling them that they need to finish filming for the show.  So they all went back to work.  By the time they were done filming, it was another long and tiring day.  They all decided to meet after work for a late dinner.  Gary offered to have them come to his restaurant.  Since it was late, the restaurant was open for only his friends that night.

Gary had his staff prepare a nice meal for them.  The atmosphere inside the restaurant was very relaxing so they all had a good time eating, talking and laughing.  He made sure their was a lot of food to choose from.  Gary would be going in and out during dinner as he was helping his staff bring out the food to the table.  Later, when nobody was looking, he signaled Ji Hyo to meet him in the back of his restaurant.  Ji Hyo saw his eye signal and made an excuse to the cast that she was going to go to the bathroom.  Gary waited for a little while, before he excused himself from the table.

"Oh, I need to go get more soju...I'll be right back."

Everyone was very happy how Gary was treating them.  They were very thankful for his nice hospitality.

Once Gary excused himself from the table, he went into this long semi dark hallway.  There were two doors on the side, which led to the bathrooms and one door straight ahead which led to the supply room.  The location was very isolated away from the tables.  Ji Hyo was waiting inside the bathroom, when the door suddenly opened.

Gary whispered, "Ji Hyo?"

"I'm here oppa."

Gary quickly grabbed her hand and escorted her to the supply room.  You can lock the door in the supply room from the inside without the key or with the key from the outside. Once they were inside, Gary quietly and quickly locked the door behind them.  He turned around and Ji Hyo threw her arms around his neck.  They began kissing each other passionately.  Gary went from her lips, to her cheeks to her neck.  They were all over each other.  Unfortunately their time was limited as their friends were not too far from the door.  After spending a fleeting moment together, Gary unlocked the door, took a peak outside to make sure the coast was clear and had Ji Hyo go back to the table.  As she was leaving, Gary gently grabbed her hand.

"Stay with me tonight," he said.

Ji Hyo smiled and nodded.

Gary was thrilled.  He waited a few minutes until she was back at the table before he came out with a few bottles of soju.  By the time they were done with dinner, everyone was really tired, so they thanked Gary for his hospitality for treating them to dinner and said their goodbyes. Gary paid his staff a bonus for staying late to make dinner for his friends, cleaning up and closing his restaurant.  His mind was focusing on only one thing and that was to hurry home to be with Ji Hyo.  

She was waiting for him in her car near his apartment building when she received a text from him.

To: Ji Hyo

Message:  I am on my way home.  Where are you?  I will pick you up.

From: Gary                           

Ji Hyo was a little nervous that she would be seen spending the night at Gary's place.

To: Gary

Message:  What if someone sees us together?

From: Ji Hyo        

Gary already had a plan worked out.  He would disguise her by having her wear a wig and plain clothes.  If anyone sees them together, he would pass her on as his cousin who is coming for a visit.       

To: Ji Hyo

Message: Don't worry, I have it all planned out.  Be there in a little while.  Wait for me.

From: Gary   

It didn't take along before Gary finally showed up.  Ji Hyo parked her car in a somewhat isolated location.  Gary pulled up next to her.  She got out of her car and quickly went inside his.  He told her to put on the disguise and then he drove up to his apartment. Since it was very, very late at night, nobody even noticed Gary sneaking in someone in his apartment.

Once inside his apartment, Ji Hyo realized that she didn't bring anything to sleep in. He took her hands and had her wrap them around his neck, then he put his arms around her waist and kissed her with such longing and passion that they were out of breath when the kiss ended. Then he looked at her with loving eyes.

"Ji Hyo, when you are spending the night with me, I don't want you to wear anything."

She immediately blushed after his comment.

Gary smiled, then grabbed her hand and led her to his bedroom.