SUPERPOWERS! Running Man

Café Meeting

Okay. Here's the first part of the filler arc, this is mostly about each of the member of The Running Man Project trying to know each other. Mostly about Song Jihyo's backstory.

WARNING: It's a little bit dark.
                      Don't say I didn't warn
                      you.

Hope u all enjoy!

After Dong Wan left the room, Donghoon decided he needed to ask something, "Do all of you want to come with me and drink some coffee in a nearby café? My treat."

"Yes, hyung! Thank you very much! May I also buy some donuts?" Kwang Soo answered immediately.

"Sorry, but I'm still a member of the army, so I still got some paperworks to do," Kim Jongkook politely rejected. After that, he nodded to everyone and gave a bow to Jihyo before leaving the room.

"Well," Ji Lupin said, "I don't have anything to do here as my house is in Paris, might as well join." Kwang Soo noticed that Ji Lupin emphatised the word 'Paris' and knew he was boasting. "Hyung, you do know you're not the only one living in Paris, don't you?" Kwang Soo asked while nodding to Ji Hyo. Ji Lupin immediately shut his mouth.

Donghoon then asked Gary, "Do you want to join?" Gary was silent the whole time before realising he was being asked a question, "Well, I do still have a job to do, but I guess after what happened here, it's okay to close early. Sure! As long as I could bring Jihyo here with me." Jihyo smiled at the fact that Gary held her hand while saying that, he was being so nice to her. That word felt really odd in Jihyo's mind. 'When was the last time I used that word to describe someone?' she pondered.

Donghoon half-heartedly agreed, clearly still suspicious of Jihyo for stealing his pocketwatch. "Okay! Let's go then," he excitedly announce. His mood turning 180° in a matter of seconds. He guided all of the rest to where his limo was. Donghoon still had a lot of work to do for his company, but he decided that could wait. For now, he just wanted to celebrate the fact that he was still alive and that he was finally reunited with his once-stolen pocket watch.

***
Kim Jongkook was heading towards the med-camp where all of the soldiers were called for a briefing, when he was greeted by a long-forgotten face.

"Jongkook oppa! Oh my goodness! How long has it been? Fifteen years or so. It's so good to see you."

She was a woman of around Jongkook's age. She was wearing the uniform of an SBS reporter. Jongkook couldn't quite remember who she was.

"Aigh, seriously you've forgotten me! It's me, Yoon Eunhye. Your classmate in high school."

Now, Kim Jongkook remembered. She was the top of his class, the one and only Prom Queen Eunhye. She'd grown even more beautiful than before.

"Ah, Eunhye! It has been a long time, so you work in SBS now? How come I never see you on Television?"

Eunhye playfully punched Jongkook's arms (which was painful) before saying, "Of course you don't. I doubt there's a television in the camp where you're stationed at. I see you have become a member of the army judging from your uniform. Whatever happened to your childhood dream of becoming a singer?"

Jongkook couldn't believe anyone still remembered that. Even now, only some of his closest friends and family members knew that he also worked in a local restaurant as a singer when he wasn't deployed. "Ah, that. Well, it seemed that I don't have much talent for the music industry." He was too embarassed at that moment to tell her that he had actually been contacted by some local labels.

"Really? Well, seeing that you have a place to go to, I'll leave you alone. It was nice seeing you," Eunhye waved Jongkook goodbye before walking towards an SBS news van.

Jongkook then remembered that he was called to the med-camp, and immediately burst out into a sprint, his heart going as fast as his legs were.

***
"Okay! Here's a cup of coffee for living!" Donghoon cheered into the air.

"Hyung! Thank you so much for this," Kwang Soo said while his mouth was still full of the donut he just ate. "Yah! That's disgusting. Close your mouth when you'te eating," Ji Lupin angrily exclaimed. This cause all of them to laugh, including Kwang Soo.

"So, why don't we just tell about each of ourselves, seeing that we're going to be stuck with each other as a member of whatever-that-project was, how about that?" Donghoon asked. He was curious about each of them, especially the one named Jihyo.

"I'll start. My name's Ha Donghoon, I am the CEO of HaOil Company, I was born on August 20, 1979, in Stuttgart which was still a part of West Germany at that time. What I do besides my company business is going to a gym and doing sports. It's nice to meet you all," Donghoon ended it with a bow.

Both Kwang Soo and Ji Lupin followed Donghoon's example. Both of them telling about their full name, birthplace, birthday and a little bit about themselves. Kwang Soo surprised all of them when he said that his father was a former soldier fighting in the Vietnam War. He also said that his father was sick, and he was being treated on the hospital funded by the military, so he got free charges. Kwang Soo looked a little bit depressed about that story, but laughed it off by saying that his father would want him to become strong and didn't want to see him sad.

Next turn was Gary's. "Annyeonghaseyo, my name's Kang Gary. I'm a part-time worker in the airport's convenience store and also working on a rap album with my friend, Gil. I don't have a home, so I live in Gil's apartment. I like historical drama and every form of rapping."

Nobody was intrigued by the fact that Gary didn't mention his family, birthday and birthplace, and this relaxed Gary. He didn't know how to answer them if they did ask, it would be really awkward for them if they knew he didn't have any.

Jihyo took a breather before telling about herself, "My name's Song Jihyo, this is the first time I'm telling anyone about my name, I was borned in Paris on the 15th of August of the year 1981. My parents and I lived happily there, and I learned how to speak both Korean and French. One day, my dad drove both me and my mom to visit the Louvre, I was sitting on the backseat. Suddenly, I heard the sound of horns and tires screeching, I woke up to find myself in a hospital. My mom and dad gone. I...I..." Jihyo broke off into silent tears, Gary sitting next to her trying ti comfort her. Why was he being so nice? Even Donghoon seemed to have felt bad for Jihyo, he softly said to Jihyo, "I'm so sorry, Jihyo. We're all here for you." Jihyo stopped crying and thought it was better to let all of her feelings out, "After that I lived on my own, all of my parents' money was inherited to me. Out of grief, I sold my old house, trying to erase any memory of my parents. I bought a new house with all my parent's money. Then, I filled that house with all of the things I could afford with the money I got from selling my old house. When I was about 16, my money started to get less and less, I decided to look for a job. I decided to look for a job, but I.... I looked in the wrong place, and I, and I," Jihyo stopped for a moment, not wanting to remember. Gary whispered to her, " It's okay if you don't want to tell us. It's okay, we fully understand," Gary was cut off by Jihyo. "No, you don't understand. I've managed to escape from there, but I'd never be the same. Ever since, I've been stealing things and selling them to sustain my life. I'm sorry. Mianhae." Jihyo told Donghoon through watered eyes. "It's okay, I forgive you. Sorry for being cold and suspicious to you. I let my anger take control of me," Donghoon kindly replied.

All of them let Jihyo compose herself before going separate ways. Ji Lupin followed Kwang Soo to his home, Donghoon went to a meeting he had to take part in and Jihyo was left confused where to go.

Gary knew Jihyo didn't have a place to stay in Korea, so he offered her to stay with him in Gil's apartment. "It's okay, Gil is out, so you can use his room. I'll sleep at the sofa." Jihyo didn't know why Gary was being so nice to him. "That's because you're a pretty lady who seems to be looking for a place to stay," Gary smiled. Jihyo gave Gary a thank-you hug before following him to Gil's apartment.

Well, Song Jihyo's backstory is a little bit dark (yeah, right *in a sarcastic voice*), I know. But, I want this to be like a sort of recovery arc for her, especially with Gary. She needs some time to become the Song Jihyo we all know and love. Btw, thank you for all of you, this story has surpassed the 200 views milestone. I couldn't do this without you guys. Thank you, all of you.

Have a good day!