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The meeting ultimately ended on a sour note, and the next morning, the news section was dominated by the announcement that Song Ji-hyo and Kim Jong Kook would be leaving Running Man.
Minister Kwon showed no signs of backing down despite everyone's opposition.
However, what happened next was something he did not anticipate. Not only in South Korea but throughout Asia, fans of Running Man expressed their strong dissatisfaction on the official website.
Moreover, when the other members stated that if Ji-hyo and Jung Kook left, they would all follow suit, the fans' resistance reached a peak.
This, however, led to Minister Kwon becoming completely enraged. Finally, during the third meeting, he made the decision to suspend Running Man.
"He really follows through on his words..." Yoo Jae-suk shook his head helplessly.
"Will there ever be a chance for it to air again?" Lee Kwang-soo asked.
Yoo Jae-suk fell silent, unsure how to respond to that question.
"I'm sorry, I apologize to everyone," Yoo Jae-suk said. "I never expected it would end this way."
When Anna saw Yoo Jae-suk that day, she had never seen such a haggard expression on his face. He had always been full of energy, making it hard to believe he was in his forties. Although he had once stated that if Infinite Challenge ever ended, his entertainment career would end with it.
Yet now, Infinite Challenge continued while the end of Running Man felt like a painful loss. Everyone knew that this drastic change had one culprit: since the new Kim PD joined the Task Force, his daily focus shifted from creating good program ideas to frequent visits to Minister Kwon's office. After several conflicts with Dongwan PD over their differing philosophies, it always ended with Dong Wan compromising. Yoo Jae-suk knew that the new Kim PD was Minister Kwon's wife's brother, which left him speechless.
"The last recording will be on the 9th of next month. Do you want to come?" Kwang-soo asked.
"I don't know if I have work that day, and I'm not sure if I go and Minister Kwon hears about it, will he kick me out," Anna replied with a bitter smile.
"You are doing well on 'Infinite Challenge.' Maybe one day I'll come as a guest, and we'll meet again," Lee Kwang-soo said, trying to sound casual, which made it a bit heart-wrenching.
"I really want to see Running Man continue on," Anna said, lowering her head.
"We've all done our best in this matter; we can't blame anyone," Lee Kwang-soo replied. "But aren't you going to be a long-term PD for 'Infinite Challenge'? If you need more people, feel free to summon me."
"Summon you?" Anna asked. "Are you a bad friend?"
"Ugh, I can't be bothered with you."
"Do you think Running Man will have a chance to start over?" Anna asked.
"I asked Brother Jae-seok this question, but he didn't dare to answer me," Lee Kwang-soo said, helplessly raising the corners of his mouth.
"If there's no hope, there won't be disappointment. Brother Jae-seok understands this principle."
After a moment of silence, the atmosphere grew heavy again. Lee Kwang-soo spoke up, "By the way, I've booked the flight to America for next Tuesday at 10:20 AM."
"Okay."
"What about Peter? It's going to be many days; how will he be taken care of?" Kwang-soo asked.
"I'll ask Chan..." Anna started but suddenly stopped, pausing for a moment. She smiled self-deprecatingly and then said, "I'll have my brother take care of him."
Lee Kwang-soo felt a bit suppressed. "Brother?"
"Park Chan-yeol."
"You all don't plan to...?"
"We all think that things are good as they are now."
"Is that so?" Kwang-soo seemed thoughtful.
"However, if Running Man really goes off the air, do you have any new plans?" Anna asked.
"That depends on whether Brother Jae-seok has a new show and if he can bring me along. Besides, I'm quite in demand right now; many shows have thrown me olive branches. I just don't want to rush into accepting anything," Kwang-soo said.
"Why not?"
"With Running Man being like this, I still want to wait and see if it can really start again. I still hold that hope in my heart. Plus, I have other plans."
"What plans?"
"The first one is a secret. The second is that if Running Man really stops airing, I plan to enlist in the military since I haven't served yet."
"That's true. After completing military service, there won't be any concerns during development; after all, serving in the military is a hurdle for entertainers," Anna said. "But what about that secret? Can't you share?"
"If it's a secret, of course I can't say anything. It's just that this secret needs to be completed before I enlist."
Anna glanced at him and said, "You seem so mysterious."
Lee Kwang-soo smiled proudly; that smile looked particularly warm.
"I really hope that one day I can produce my own show. At that time, I would invite Brother Jae-seok, Jung Kook, Haha Brother, Sister Jihyo, Brother Gary, and Brother Stone to join in. That way, everyone could be together again."
"Why am I not included?" Lee Kwang-soo asked.
"If I didn't call you, you would still come, wouldn't you?" Anna joked.
"That's true," Lee Kwang-soo conceded. "You should work hard; I believe there will come a day. They say 'Infinite Challenge' is particularly tough, but I believe you'll grow quickly there."
"If you're not capable enough, Kim Tae-ho PD will scold you badly," Anna said with a smile.
After packing her bags and turning off all the power in the room, Peter had already been picked up by Chan-yeol yesterday. He came with Miss Bai Baoying, and while Baoying took Peter downstairs first, Anna held onto Park Chan-yeol's arm, looking into his eyes without flinching this time.
"Brother, don't tell Baoying the truth. Let her always think we are siblings," Anna said.
A hint of sorrow flashed in Chan-yeol's eyes as he looked at Anna helplessly and said, "You could keep hiding it forever. Why not…"
Anna was at a loss for words; she released her grip and couldn't argue back.
"Don't worry; she won't know about everything that happened before," Chan-yeol said before turning to leave.
Anna stood by the window, watching Baoying and Chan-yeol's joyful faces. Aside from wishing them happiness, she didn't know what else to say. She could indeed keep the secret for a lifetime, but she understood that Chan-yeol also knew their feelings had long ceased to be pure. Knowing there were things hidden and burdens carried was fundamentally different from being completely unaware from the start, leading to entirely different outcomes.
Seeing Anna sitting quietly beside him, lost in thought since the beginning, Kwang-soo asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Anna's thoughts were finally pulled back from yesterday's scene by Kwang-soo's words. She shook her head and replied, "Nothing."
"The return ticket is for three days later. Did you tell Mrs. Smith that you're going to visit her?" Kwang-soo asked.
"No," Anna replied.
"What? Why didn't you give me a heads up? What if Mrs. Smith isn't home?"
"Then we can just pretend we're taking a trip to America," Anna said, glancing at the time. "But aren't we a bit early for the airport? It's only a little past five in the morning."
"Better to arrive early, find a quiet spot to sit. Otherwise, with my popularity right now, there will definitely be a lot of people watching. If any rumors come out, it could ruin your new job," Kwang-soo said.
"It seems like you're looking out for me," Anna shot him a glance.
"Of course, I've always treated you well; it's just that you don't realize it," Kwang-soo said proudly.
"Running Man has already confirmed it will be canceled next month. How was the atmosphere during yesterday's recording?" Anna asked.
"What else could it be? I heard the program planning for next week still isn't done. I don't know if we'll even be able to record next week," Lee Kwang-soo replied.
Anna sighed; there was no point in saying anything. After parking at the airport and completing four days' worth of parking procedures, she took down her luggage. Just as she closed the car door, Anna's phone rang.
Seeing Park Chan-yeol's number, Anna thought something might have happened with Peter.
"Hello?" Anna answered.
On the other end, she heard a girl sobbing.
"Anna unnie, it's... it's Baoying."
"Baoying?" Anna asked, puzzled. "What happened?"
"Brother Canlie... Brother Canlie has been drinking all night and locked himself in the bathroom. No matter how much I call him, he won't respond. I don't know what to do; please come quickly."
"Alright, don't worry, I'll be there soon."
Anna hung up the phone without thinking and turned to leave. "Brother Kwangsoo, I need to go see Park Chan-yeol, he..."
"Anna." Lee Kwang-soo calmly interrupted her, stepping in front of her. He was not angry and showed no emotion; instead, he was surprisingly calm, unlike his usual teasing and complaining demeanor, which left Anna feeling a sense of panic. "This is Incheon, and there are less than two hours until the flight takes off. If you go now, you won't make it. I won't wait for you again."
Kwang-soo used the word 'again.' From his eyes, Anna saw an emotion she had never witnessed before—an emotion that Lee Kwang-soo had been holding back all along, which she had failed to notice. Now that she saw it, the tremor in her heart intensified.
Kwang-soo took out a 500-won coin from his pocket, smiled slightly, and said, "This coin has been saved since the first snow last winter; I've collected almost 200 of them now. I originally planned to save them until it snows this year so I could show them to you in style. After Running Man ends, I will enlist..."
"Brother Kwangsoo, what are you talking about..." Anna knew what the coin represented; it was a joke of hers that Lee Kwang-soo had taken seriously as a promise and commitment.
Lee Kwang-soo laughed lightly and put the coin back in his pocket. "It's nothing. 200 coins of 500 won is almost 100,000 won; I could buy some snacks with that. You should go... Just know that if the plane leaves, I won't wait for you. I'll head to America on my own."
Anna lowered her head and turned around. The shock of that moment left her feeling lost and unprepared; she panicked and had no idea what was happening now. She didn't dare look back at Lee Kwang-soo's face, even though she could feel him standing there watching her leave... watching until she completely disappeared from view.
To this day, Anna cannot recall what she said when she went to find Park Chan-yeol. After that, Park Chan-yeol and Bai Baoying confirmed their relationship in front of the media, which naturally drew both resentment and blessings from many people.
That day, on her way back to the airport, traffic became exceptionally congested. Anna saw trails of planes crossing the sky and checked the time, unsure if it was the flight she was supposed to take or if Lee Kwang-soo was on board.
Her phone was already turned off, and after running through the entire airport hall, she ultimately couldn't find him...
In an instant, a wave of emptiness surged within her; Anna didn't know if she had missed something again or if she had been blind all along.
I won't wait for you anymore.
The seemingly casual teasing and joking confessions were all brushed aside by Lee Kwang-soo's nonchalant attitude. How much sincerity lay behind those words was something Anna dared not contemplate.
Anna sat in the airport lobby, dazed, watching the flow of people come and go, shifting from clarity to blur. Many had said she was smart, and there was a time she believed it too, but now she realized that over the years, so many things had been lived so confusedly.
Dragging her suitcase that she hadn't had time to open, Anna returned to her home, which was devoid of any light. She still planned to go pick up Peter in three days because she didn't want Park Chan-yeol to know that this trip had ended without resolution. She turned on all the power and lights in the room and put the neatly folded clothes from her suitcase back into the wardrobe.
That night, Anna once again suffered from insomnia. She stared at her phone for a long time but lacked the courage to send a text to Kwang-soo. She thought about their childhood; back then, in her eyes, Brother Kwangsoo was tall and handsome, always surrounded by many beautiful older sisters who came to play with him, while Anna followed behind them eagerly.
"Hey, kid, hurry back," Lee Kwang-soo would always say to Anna, who trailed behind. Anna would stand still. Then Lee Kwang-soo would sigh and come back to take her hand, telling the unhappy girl, "You go ahead; I need to take this kid home."
After saying that, he would pull Anna along, buy an ice cream topped with candy, and walk down the path home. The candy ice cream was very sweet; Anna seemed to vaguely remember that taste.
"Brother Jae-seok, I'm about to start work soon; I want to take a look at the filming of Infinite Challenge in advance," Anna said to Kim Tae-ho PD.
When Kim Tae-ho received Anna's call, he gladly granted her request.
However, at the recording site, when Yoo Jae-suk saw Anna, he was genuinely surprised. The confused Haha, upon seeing Anna, simply greeted her happily. The familiar face of Park Myung-soo also exchanged pleasantries with her.
The atmosphere at the filming site was indeed different from that of Running Man; they changed locations five times in just one day. As far as Anna knew, these five locations were merely segments for five episodes. By the end of the day, everyone was utterly exhausted.
"Anna," after filming wrapped up, called out Yoo Jae-suk.
"Brother Jae-seok."
"How did you find today?" asked Yoo Jae-suk.
"It feels very different from Running Man," replied Anna.
"But aren't you supposed to be in America with Kwang-soo? What brings you here? I saw on Kwang-soo's SNS that he is indeed in America," asked Yoo Jae-suk.
"Ah, this." Anna lowered her head and told Yoo Jae-suk everything as it was.
Yoo Jae-suk fell silent for a moment and said, "Anna, some things are clearer to outsiders than to those involved... I and Jing'en have long noticed that Kwang-soo really likes you; it's just that you can't see it."
Seeing Anna remain silent, Yoo Jae-suk continued, "You don't know how happy he was when he told me he wanted to go to America with you to find Mrs. Smith. After all the issues with Running Man, this was the only thing that could make him happy. He is about to enlist, and he said he wanted to express his feelings to you in America before he goes. He just didn't expect it would turn out like this."
"Brother Jae-seok, I don't know."
"You don't not know; it's just that when it comes to someone you like, you can't see others. The person you've always liked in your heart, I can see it, and Kwang-soo can see it too. That's why he remains calm because if you noticed, it would only make things harder for you."
"I really don't know when it started."
"It started from the moment you first came to Running Man... No matter how playful or flirtatious someone is, once they meet someone they truly like, they will hold back everything. It's not that they have played enough; it's that they have met someone they don't want to play around with anymore. Do you understand? I saw that Mr. Park Chan-yeol has publicly acknowledged his relationship with Miss Bai Baoying; he has made his decision and choice. As for the silver-haired gentleman Jung Kook mentioned, I don't know much about him, but I do know he is a special presence for you. However special he may be, life ultimately tends toward simplicity. For Kwang-soo, I hope you two can have a good ending, but in the end, it depends on your own heart's choice. You can't accept him out of guilt; that wouldn't be fair to Kwang-soo. Also, don’t keep yourself trapped in past feelings; if you miss out because of that, it would be too regrettable."
"Brother Jae-seok, I... I don't know what to do," Anna shook her head.
Those memories were too deeply etched in her heart; what was she supposed to do...
It was as if there was an unspoken agreement; after Lee Kwang-soo returned from America, apart from bringing Anna a photo with Mrs. Smith and Jack, he no longer contacted her. On the last recording day of Running Man, after the recording ended during the gathering, Anna sat next to Park Soo Eun and was no longer at the same table as Kwang-soo; they didn't even say goodbye.
A week after Running Man went off the air, Kwang-soo enlisted quietly without notifying the media. Anna hid in her car and watched from afar. Since then, she received letters from Lee Kwang-soo every month, each containing a photo of a glass jar increasingly filled with coins; later on, the jar turned from one into two...
Anna never replied to his letters; she pinned those photos on her wall and stored the letters in a wooden box. She buried all her energy in the work of Infinite Challenge and in constructing a new program in her mind. When discussing the production of the new program with PD Kim Tae-ho, Kim Tae-ho didn't mind at all; instead, he helped brainstorm ideas.
She cut her hair short again after finally growing it out. Over two years, Sister Jihyo had a girl named Kang Min-hee; she rarely took jobs now and spent most of her time researching nutritious meals at home and taking care of her baby at night. Jung Kook really did get a girlfriend in America; however, they were still keeping their relationship secret. Haha had a second child and was starting to show signs of gaining weight again. Brother Stone made some money from stocks and opened a fried chicken restaurant. Yoo Jae-suk maintained his position as the most popular host without any challengers. As for Lee Kwang-soo? He was still serving in the military but should be discharged before Christmas...
In two days, it would be Christmas Eve. After finishing a day's work late into the night, Anna felt very tired but exceptionally happy because her planned new program was about to get approved by MBC's Variety Department. Not going home, Anna took a train to Jeollanam-do. Around three in the morning, snow began to fall lightly outside the train window as Anna leaned against the glass and could only see faint lights far away through the window amidst the dark night and the vague outlines of rolling hills.
In Jeollanam-do, the local dialect made it quite challenging for Anna. After asking for a long time, she finally arrived at the large gate. Checking the time, she realized there was still half an hour left; it wasn't late. The snow was getting heavier, and the bangs on her forehead had frozen solid from the melted snow in her hair.
Before the scheduled time, the gate opened. Dressed in military uniform, he stood out brightly against the white snow. After bidding farewell to the soldiers behind him with a salute, he couldn't help but smile when he saw Anna and returned her salute.
Anna smiled back.
There were very few people around; in the snow, two sets of footprints walked side by side into the distance.
"Why didn't you notify the reporters to cover your discharge?" Anna asked.
"I didn't want to."
"Then why did you tell Brother Jae-seok?"
"I knew he would tell you."
"How did you know I would come?"
"Well... I just knew."
"I'm here for another reason," Anna said.
"What is it?" Kwang-soo asked, surprised and standing still.
Anna also stopped, facing him. "I'm planning a new show and wanted to see if you'd like to join."
"Sure," Kwang-soo replied with a smile.
"However, there are conditions."
"What conditions?"
"The production budget is insufficient, and I want you to contribute a little."
"How much? I haven't made any money in two years, so I'm not sure if I have that much."
"Well... just give me all the coins you've saved over the past two years."
Kwang-soo raised the corners of his mouth and said, "Okay."
The two looked at each other and smiled, their smiles as beautiful as flowers, pure and untainted.
I have missed so much, but thankfully, I did not miss you...
The End.
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