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Receiving a text from Gary, Anna was not surprised. Since he had already accepted the decision to leave, there was bound to be a routine farewell dinner. Seeing the scheduled time and location made Anna feel a bit uneasy.
The filming next Monday should be Brother Gary's last shoot.
Upon arriving at the designated place, Anna realized that Gary had not invited everyone. After all, he was leaving, so there was no need to force himself to invite people he didn't particularly like.
"Brother Gary, Sister Jihyo," Anna greeted them before sitting down.
The two of them seemed fine, showing no negative emotions and wearing expressions of happiness, as if they had just returned from their honeymoon. Seeing them like this eased Anna's heart considerably.
"How was your trip, Gary? Ji-hyo?" Brother Jae-seok entered with a smile and greeted them. Jae-seok had already mentally prepared himself and accepted the situation calmly.
"I brought gifts for you and everyone else. We'll have dinner together later," Ji-hyo said with a smile.
"Why did you come so early? I was hoping to come with you," Lee Kwang-soo said as he sat next to Anna.
"Come with me? After finally getting rid of the dating rumors, if we get photographed again, it would be disastrous. It would just create more trouble," Anna replied.
"Oh come on, why care so much about what others think? Look at Sister Jihyo and Brother Gary; they're married and so happy," Lee Kwang-soo laughed.
"Can we be compared to them?"
Yoo Jae-suk glanced at the two of them and smiled slightly without saying anything.
"However, I can testify that Kwang-soo hasn't been out on a date in a long time," Jung Kook joked.
"But brother, you travel to America often; how do you know about Kwang-soo's situation?" Ji-hyo asked.
"I just haven't seen him go out on dates while I was in America," Jung Kook teased.
Everyone laughed together, while Kwang-soo's face turned red with dissatisfaction. "Hey, brother, you might as well not say anything; you're making it worse."
"I have seen Kwang-soo go to a café with that Miss XX," Haha added.
"When did that happen?" Kwang-soo asked, surprised.
"It was the day before yesterday, at a café next to Namsan Tower," Haha replied.
Kwang-soo laughed and said, "Hyung, that was during the filming of a show, okay?"
"That was still a date," Haha teased with a smile.
"I'm not talking about this anymore," Kwang-soo said, trying to change the subject. He looked at Gary and asked, "Brother Gary, do you have any new plans after leaving?"
After finishing his food, Gary said, "Well... Lessang is planning to release a new album. For now, I plan not to take on any shows and just focus on making this new album. In the future, I hope to take on some music-related programs like Gil did."
"That's good too," Yoo Jae-suk chimed in. "No matter what you do, you should always do your best. If you're lucky enough to be in a profession you love, then you should put in even more effort and energy to deserve that luck."
Haha laughed and said, "Brother Jae-suk is starting to serve up some motivational quotes again. You're amazing, really amazing."
"The current situation of Running Man isn't optimistic either; we don't know how long it can last. With a six-month deadline, if there’s no improvement in this half year, we might have to look for other paths," Jung Kook said.
"That's an unavoidable outcome. At that time, we can only accept it cheerfully."
"I heard SBS is already planning a new show to take over if Running Man can't continue. I wonder if Brother Jae-suk will still be the host then?" Haha said.
"Well, it's too early to say anything about that now. We should focus on doing our current show well; after all, everyone has put so much effort into Running Man. I don't want it to end like this. This program is indeed facing significant problems; there are similar shows in China as well, and their ratings are reportedly declining too. It's really frustrating trying to figure out what the problem is," Yoo Jae-suk said.
The atmosphere became somewhat heavy, completely deviating from the purpose of the gathering. Kwang-soo looked at everyone who was silent and smiled, saying, "Let's not talk about this today. Sister Ji-hyo and Brother Gary, you went to Palau, right? Was it fun there?"
Sister Ji-hyo smiled and said, "When we went diving, the water was incredibly clear. When Brother Gary saw a yellow jellyfish, even though it doesn't sting, he was so scared he almost lost his mind; it was hilarious."
"Yellow jellyfish?" Anna asked for the first time.
"Yes! They are said to live in the waters around Palau; they don't sting and are non-toxic with gentle temperaments. The quality of the water while diving was just amazing; I can't describe it—just beautiful," Gary said excitedly.
"But there wasn't much good food; it was seafood every day. The cooking methods are so different from ours in Korea; I still prefer our seafood soup," Ji-hyo said with a smile.
Haha moved his untouched seafood soup in front of Ji-hyo and said, "Here you go! Ji-hyo, why do you still love eating so much even after getting married? What will Brother Gary think of you?" Haha laughed happily.
"Thank you, Haha Brother," Ji-hyo said happily, then glared at Gary and asked, "Are you going to dislike me? Ah, brother?"
"No, no," Gary replied with a forced smile.
"Gary, I really need to pray for you," Yoo Jae-suk teased with a laugh.
"After I leave Running Man, you all must take good care of my wife," Gary said as he put his arm around Ji-hyo's shoulders, looking affectionate.
"Hey, brother, what are you talking about?" Kwang-soo laughed. "Sister Jihyo doesn't need us to take care of her; we should focus on protecting ourselves in front of her."
"Ya, Lee Kwang-soo, do you want to die?" Ji-hyo initially looked happy but shot him a glare upon hearing Kwang-soo's comment.
"Look, look, how scary," Lee Kwang-soo said while sitting across from Ji-hyo. Knowing she wouldn't pose any real threat to him, he continued to tease her with a smile.
Everyone laughed as they watched the two bicker again.
"Anyway, no matter what happens, after leaving Running Man, everyone only knows Kiseong Jeong. Later, when I came to Running Man, I became 'the ginger Gary that everyone wants.' I will remember what Running Man has given me for a lifetime. Brother Jae-seok, Jung Kook, Haha, I will also remember your help as a variety show rookie for a lifetime. I have my own path to walk and will willingly follow the show's arrangements. Just Brother Jae-seok, if you have a new program next time, consider bringing me along," Gary said with a feigned casualness.
Before Jae-seok could respond, others began to chime in.
"Me too," Lee Kwang-soo said.
"I," Jung Kook added.
"I won't push it; after all, I've already been with this brother in Infinite Challenge. If we do another program together, I'd probably spend six days a week with him. By then, I might just go completely crazy," Haha joked.
Brother Jae-seok smiled awkwardly.
"Why?" Kwang-soo asked.
"Being with Brother Jae-seok means always being in work mode; I feel like I would become mentally exhausted," Haha added. "This brother is about to drive Brother Joon-ho crazy."
"Haha, come on now; when have I ever been like that?" Jae-seok laughed but knew deep down that he took work too seriously. Thus, he didn't have much to counter Haha's teasing. Haha understood that Jae-seok's seriousness was for a reason; he made a few jabs but still followed Jae-seok willingly in the Korean variety scene.
"Why are you so quiet today?" Kwang-soo asked on the way back after dropping Anna off.
Anna was originally daydreaming by the window, and when she came to her senses, she smiled slightly, "I just feel a bit reluctant."
"What are you reluctant about, Brother Gary?"
"I'm reluctant that the running man I've always liked has changed."
"Everything changes."
"Yeah, everything changes..." Anna paused for a moment, "This winter, I don't know when it will finally pass."
"The weather forecast says it might snow next week. If it really snows, it will be fun to play games in the snow; it should be interesting. By the way, who is the guest? Has it been decided?"
"I don't know yet; we should be able to finalize it in tomorrow's meeting. This isn't really my area; mainly Sister Park is in charge of this," Anna said.
"Anna, you seem a bit different since you came back."
"Yeah, didn't you say that everything changes?"
"I feel like you've spoken less and smiled less."
There was a moment of silence in the car. The warm air inside made one almost forget that outside was still filled with the chilling cold wind. Anna raised her hand and quietly touched the car window, which was extremely cold, leaving a hand-shaped fog on the glass.
"Brother Kwangsoo..." Anna began.
"Yes?"
"Only when someone has completely left do you realize there is an irreplaceable void in your heart. That feeling is truly painful. Can you relate?"
"Is it Park Chan-yeol?"
"How could he be a void? I confirm that I once loved him so much. More than confirmation, it's the confusing void that is the most painful."
Kwang-soo smiled helplessly, "It seems like I've missed something again."
"Brother Kwangsoo, try to love someone well. Don't wait until you no longer have the right to clarify your feelings and end up feeling lost like I do."
"Hey, how do you know I haven't loved someone properly?" Kwang-soo said with a smile.
Anna raised the corner of her mouth, "That's good."
"Why does your tone sound like you're my elder now?"
"This shows that a person's physiological age doesn't determine their psychological age. Maybe according to psychological age, I really am your elder."
"Come on, you're just a kid."
Anna chuckled, and after a long silence, this time it was Lee Kwang-soo who spoke first.
"Anna."
"Yeah?"
"Park Chan-yeol has returned. What about you guys?"
"We?" Anna smiled bitterly. "Our matters are for the future. There's nothing now, and whether there will be anything later, let's leave that for another time."
"Do you still love him?"
Anna pondered; she couldn't deny it. "What we will become in the future needs a long time to think about." Anna avoided giving a direct answer.
"Alright, I understand." Kwang-soo said.
Anna smiled and looked at Kwang-soo, saying, "By the way, Brother Kwangsoo, I need to tell you something. I've only shared this with Brother Jae-seok before, and now I'm including you in this ironclad relationship."
"Ah... I'm so disappointed. It turns out I'm not as trustworthy in your eyes as Brother Jae-seok."
"When I'm confused, Brother Jae-seok can point me in the right direction; you can't."
"You say it so directly..."
"Okay, now that I'm telling you too, don't be too surprised." Anna said.
"What is it? Hurry up and tell me."
Anna thought for a moment about where to start. "Brother Kwangsoo, do you remember when you and Brother Jae-seok came to my house and met Ms. Han Yoon-soo? You said she looked familiar?"
Kwang-soo recalled, "Ah, yes, that did happen. What's going on? Did I really meet Ms. Han Yoon-soo?"
"Yes, you really did," Anna said.
"Where did we meet her?"
"Brother Kwangsoo, my mother is not dead. That Ms. Han Yoon-soo is my mother."
"What?!" Kwang-soo startled and nearly swerved the steering wheel; fortunately, there weren't many cars on the road, or it could have led to a serious accident.
Anna was also taken aback and instinctively tightened her seatbelt. "Hey, be careful!"
Kwang-soo calmed himself down and stammered, "How... how is that possible... why didn't you say anything before?"
"I only found out not long ago; at that time, I didn't even know she was my mother," Anna explained.
"No wonder..." Kwang-soo suddenly understood. "No wonder she looked familiar; I must have seen her when I was young. But why did she disappear for so many years? Why did she suddenly appear next to you? And judging by her outfit, she seems quite wealthy. Why didn't she come looking for you and Andy?"
"Everyone has their own life; parents and children are no exception. She has her choices and her struggles, and I have my own life. No one says that a mother must give up her life for her children. By the way, she is now Park Chan-yeol's mother."
"What?!!!!" Kwang-soo jerked the steering wheel again.
Anna felt like her heart might leap out of her chest. "Hey!! Lee Kwang-soo! Can you please drive properly!"
"What is this... how can it be so coincidental?"
"I want to know too, how can it be so coincidental?"
"So you and Park Chan-yeol? Aren't you siblings? You two haven't... done anything inappropriate, have you? That's unethical!"
"What do you mean by 'done anything'?" Anna couldn't comprehend at first.
"Well, it's just those shy things that couples do when they're alone..."
Anna understood now and raised her hand as if to hit him, but remembering that he was still driving, she stopped midway and pulled it back.
"I mean, do you think about these dirty things every day, brother? Not every couple's relationship has to be like your dates, okay?"
"I never realized that Park Chan-yeol is such an innocent person..." Kwang-soo sighed.
"Do you think everyone is like you..." Anna glanced at him with disdain.
"Ah... no wonder you and Park Chan-yeol needed to break up; it turns out so much has happened between you two."
"Yeah, we've been through too much. It's really amazing," Anna said helplessly.
"Then your mom... no, I mean Ms. Han Yoon-soo... ah, I don't even know how to address her. How are you going to face her, Anna?"
"Brother Jae-seok said to face it with a mindset of mutual understanding and no debts; that way, it's a relief for both her and me," Anna replied.
Lee Kwang-soo remarked, "What has Brother Jae-seok been practicing? His words make so much sense, and you believe him completely."
"Am I a fool? You said it makes sense, so of course I believe it," Anna said.
They were almost home, and Lee Kwang-soo seemed deep in thought.
"Anna," he spoke up.
"Hmm?" Anna asked.
Lee Kwang-soo smiled as the car turned into the parking area under Anna's building.
"Nothing. Just go home and get some rest."
"Got it, you too," Anna said with a smile.
It wasn't until he saw the lights in Anna's window turn on that Lee Kwang-soo restarted the car and slowly drove away.
People always see what they want to see, but in doing so, they inadvertently overlook far too much. In our youthful recklessness, we play around carelessly, and when we finally encounter someone who makes us want to pause, we realize that our image in that person's heart has long since become difficult to rein in, forever out of reach.
I had many dreams in one night; although I didn't wake up, my sleep wasn't particularly restful. In the morning, I woke up with dark circles under my eyes. I splashed cold water on my face to refresh myself and hurried off to work without having breakfast.
"Have we contacted the guests? Who are we choosing?" As soon as I entered the studio, I heard Dong Wan asking Park Soo Eun.
In the past, before the official work hours began, everyone would discuss entertainment gossip together. After Gary decided to leave, everyone seemed a bit sensitive and awkward. This atmosphere was truly different from before.
Anna greeted everyone and sat down at her desk. She took out the materials she needed to prepare for the meeting. Miao PD arrived shortly after and took a seat.
"For the guests, I think we should choose some popular idols right now. We can invite more of them since this recording is themed around two groups competing," Miao PD said.
"I agree with this. This way, we can generate a lot of buzz and attention. Also, if we're considering adding new members, I think we can select from younger idols," Dong Wan said.
"I don't agree with that," Anna said calmly. "The charm of a show shouldn't rely solely on the guests to drive it. Moreover, if young idols are already very popular, their schedules will be packed, making it hard to guarantee the quality of their appearances on the show. They can be guests, but it's not suitable for them to be regulars. Remember when 'Family Birth' had declining ratings in its later stages? It relied on inviting more young idols to support it, which only highlighted that the show was at its end. I don't want to see Running Man go down that path."
"Anna..." Park Soo Eun nudged Anna's arm, signaling her that her words were a bit harsh.
"Anna, I understand your point, but if we can't come up with good strategies for now, this is the quickest and most effective way, isn't it?" Miao PD said.
"Well..."
"Alright, let's not dwell on this anymore," Miao PD interrupted Anna and said to Park Soo Eun: "Park Soo Eun, please go over the list of candidates for this episode so everyone can discuss."
"Okay," Park Soo Eun replied as she distributed documents containing lists of idols who could participate.
"Bobby and Nam Taehyun are both good choices. They've been quite popular lately," Zhang Yuanxiao said.
"I think those two are great as well," Dong Wan added.
Anna looked at the candidate list and saw Park Chan-yeol's name. Her heart skipped a beat; she frowned but didn't say anything. Miao PD noticed Anna's silence and thought she was still upset about their earlier discussion, so he asked: "Anna, what do you think? Who do you consider suitable?"
Anna paused for a moment and said: "How about Yonghwa? He hasn't been here in a while." After a brief pause, she continued: "I think we could also consider doing a special episode featuring past Running Man champions—forming a team from the best guests over the years to compete against Running Man in a PK format."
Miao PD thought for a moment and said, "That's a good idea. We can consider making that into a future episode."
Anna nodded and smiled.
"What about Park Chan-yeol? He just returned to EXO again. If he comes to Running Man this time, it will definitely be his first appearance on a variety show after his comeback, which will be a huge topic and attract a lot of attention," Dong Wan said.
"I thought of him too," Miao PD said.
"So now we have confirmed Park Chan-yeol, Nam Taehyun, and Bobby?" Park Soo Eun noted down.
"Plus Jung Yong Hwa, Lee Joon, and Tiffany. I think that should be enough," Miao PD said. "What does everyone think?"
"Sounds good."
Anna silently nodded without speaking.
"Alright, Park Soo Eun, you take charge of contacting them and finalizing the schedule. Anna, you go tomorrow to discuss and finalize the appearance contracts with these artists' managers. Understood?"
"Understood."
"Good. Dong Wan, keep in close contact with the props team. The venue doesn't need much setup; as long as there are no safety hazards, it should be fine. You all need to refine the recording process again and estimate the basic recording duration. In the afternoon, submit the report to me."
"Okay."
Miao PD checked the time. "I need to head to Mugyeongdong SBS soon and won't be back until this afternoon. If anything comes up, call me. Also, the candidate for the Assistant Director position has been decided."
"Really?" Everyone was interested. "Who is it?"
"It's... Dong Wan," Miao PD said with a smile, applauding in congratulations.
Although Anna was not selected, she genuinely felt happy for Dong Wan. After all, she had been absent for too long during this period; although it was beyond her control, she accepted the outcome calmly.
"Congratulations, Dong Wan PD."
"You all must come out for dinner tonight; we have to eat barbecue."
"Sure!" Dong Wan said happily. "Thanks for everyone's support. I will work hard from now on. Barbecue tonight, everyone together."
"Alright."
"Okay, you all think about where to eat. I'm leaving now, and remember, as happy as we are, we can't forget about work," Miao PD said as he left the studio.
Park Soo Eun patted Anna's shoulder with a comforting look, and Anna smiled back.
Dong Wan looked at Anna with some regret and sighed, "If it weren't for that incident with Han Yufei, you might have become a PD by now, Anna."
"Come on, what nonsense are you talking about, Dong Wan? Don't worry, I'm still young; I have plenty of opportunities," Anna said, pretending to be carefree.
"Yes, there are still opportunities. Everyone has a chance," Park Soo Eun added.
"Everyone should hurry up and think about where to eat tonight. It's not every day we have something to celebrate; we should make it a good one," Anna said.
"Hurry up and decide! We only have tonight; after that, it's too late. I'm quite stingy; once tonight is over, I won't acknowledge it," Dong Wan joked.
Everyone laughed together, joked for a while, and then got back to work.
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