Now that our half-vampire’s secrets are out in the open, both friends and foe are spurred into action. Conflicting goals abound, bringing latent antipathy to the surface as each player makes their moves. In the meantime, said vampire begins tying up loose ends, preparing for the inevitable fate that awaits him.
EPISODES 13-14
Hospitalized in the wake of the stalker attack, In-hae calls out for Woo-hyul in her sleep. He’s also the first person she looks for after regaining consciousness, much to Do-shik’s dismay. Won’t she open her eyes to the truth? Do-shik tries to warn In-hae of the bloodsucking danger Woo-hyul poses, accusing Woo-hyul of manipulating her just so he can drink her blood, but she’s not convinced.
“I’m not asking you to like me back,” Do-shik pleads. She doesn’t have to hold him in her heart. It doesn’t have to be him — just as long as it’s not Woo-hyul, because she’ll be in danger. Despite her gratitude for Do-shik’s concern, In-hae stands her ground. All her life, she hasn’t had the luxury of chasing her desires, so she wants to follow her heart for once.
Do-shik’s distrust of vampires and fear for In-hae’s life has him gatekeeping Woo-hyul from the hospital, complete with a blunt request for him to get lost. Left to his own devices, Woo-hyul strengthens his resolve to keep In-hae safe, even from himself. I will give you my life, Woo-hyul thinks. If one person has to die between the two of them, Woo-hyul would much rather it be him — and that time is coming soon, because his regenerative powers have waned, and the bruises on his arm aren’t fading.
In-hae returns home, and our star-crossed lovers reunite in a heartfelt embrace. Knowing he must be guilt-ridden after nearly succumbing to his instincts, In-hae reassures Woo-hyul that she doesn’t view him as a monster, and that nothing has changed between them. He deserves to be loved, and her heart still lies with him.
Seemingly remorseful, Hae-won returns the scroll to Woo-hyul, admitting that the sight of it weighs on her. She asks what she has to do to reclaim his affection, but Woo-hyul apologizes for trying to find Hae-sun in her. They’re two different people — too different.
Needless to say, Woo-hyul’s rejection makes Hae-won’s demeanor turn on a dime. Dropping by uninvited at the guesthouse, Hae-won informs In-hae that she’ll be withdrawing her investment. In-hae will need to pay her back pronto — oh, but since she doesn’t have the funds to do so, she could just relinquish the mansion instead.
In response, In-hae calls Hae-won out for her selfish greed. She’ll never give up the mansion, since it means so much to Woo-hyul. Stopping Hae-won’s slap in mid-air, In-hae declares that she’ll protect the house in Woo-hyul’s stead.
Having noticed the bite scar on Woo-hyul’s neck, Do-shik commissions Man-hwi to capture him alive. Woo-hyul is the half-vampire whose blood he needs, and he has to act fast before Woo-hyul attacks In-hae.
Meanwhile, Woo-hyul distributes missing flyers in an attempt to locate In-hae’s father, which creates the perfect avenue for Man-hwi to lay a trap. Luring Woo-hyul to his lair with a false report, Man-hwi locks him up in a cell for Do-shik to collect.
Thankfully, Woo-hyul’s perceptive buddies have caught on to Man-hwi, and they come charging in to rescue their dear friend. Unfortunately, our morally upright vampires are no match for Man-hwi, who’s at full strength thanks to his decades of greedily guzzling human blood. By the time Man-hwi grows bored of fighting and flits off into the night, Woo-hyul has thoroughly exerted himself — unlike his companions, his wounds aren’t healing one bit.
Still, the day is saved, and In-hae’s father JOO DONG-IL (Seo Hyun-chul) is freed at long last. In-hae is overwhelmed by her father’s return, and since Dad keeps mum about his imprisonment, she instinctively blames him for abandoning his family. In-hae’s struggled to survive all these years amidst the crushing loneliness of losing her parents — how could he just waltz back into her life like this?
Later on, though, In-hae overhears her father recounting his kidnapping to Woo-hyul, and the revelation devastates her. When Dad sincerely apologizes for leaving her alone, it cues the waterworks, and they share a hug of forgiveness and understanding.
Back at Man-hwi’s hideout, Do-shik arrives way after the commotion has settled, and all that’s left for him to find is Man-hwi’s underground dungeon. The pungent stench of blood alarms Do-shik, and he can’t help but grow even more wary of his partnership with Man-hwi.
When Man-hwi’s avaricious demands escalate, Do-shik retaliates by calling off their deal entirely. Unwilling to relinquish his cash cow, Man-hwi offers a compromise via information exchange — he’ll explain how to capture a half-vampire, if Do-shik tells him why he needs a half-vampire’s blood. Oh boy, I don’t like the idea of Man-hwi gaining access to that knowledge.
Ever the guardian angel, Do-shik repays the investment money on In-hae’s behalf. Though he might not like that she’s living with Woo-hyul, he can’t sit by and watch as she’s chased out of her home.
The mansion may have been saved, but Woo-hyul’s life still hangs precariously in the balance. Another dizzy spell hits, and Woo-hyul passes out in the midst of doing laundry, leading In-hae to realize that he needs her blood as soon as possible.
When Woo-hyul comes to, he immediately knows that In-hae’s smart enough to have already caught on to his situation. Resolving to protect In-hae, Woo-hyul departs on a goodbye trip, unwilling to drink even the tiniest sip of her blood. By the time In-hae wakes, Woo-hyul is gone — and even though she knows it’s futile, In-hae runs out in search of Woo-hyul anyway, desperate to save the man she loves.
Aww, Woo-hyul. It’s bittersweet to see how far Woo-hyul has come from his childish, bumbling days; he’s mellowed out considerably over the course of the show, gaining maturity as his foolish antics give way to perceptive insight and earnest sincerity. Woo-hyul may not realize it, but his innate compassion and empathy are part of what makes him so unmistakably human despite his vampiric blood.
On that note, I am so pleased that Do-shik hasn’t lost his sense of reason despite the shock of discovering Woo-hyul’s identity and In-hae’s feelings. Do-shik could have easily turned bitter and vindictive just like Hae-won did, but instead his moral compass remains steadfast in his commitment to In-hae and her wellbeing. However, I do worry that Do-shik’s determination to keep In-hae safe may turn misguided and lead him astray — he may prioritize her safety, but he has to respect her agency too.
As usual, it’s so satisfying to see In-hae consistently stand up for herself, whether it’s against the spiteful Hae-won or the overprotective Do-shik. In-hae has a sensible head on her shoulders, and it’s subverted a lot of potential miscommunication and misunderstandings. Now that she’s gained the courage to fight for her desires, rather than solely focusing on her needs, she’s slowly learning how to listen to her heart. Woo-hyul’s supportive presence has allowed her inner child to heal, and her father’s return pushed her to acknowledge the vulnerability she’d been trying her hardest to hide.
One thing I particularly like about this drama is how it builds a community of support around our two leads, beyond just their romance. Woo-hyul has his loyal friends and Yang-nam, while In-hae has Do-shik, her tenants, and now her father. It’s why I’m hoping that Do-shik turns out to be an ally rather than an adversary, especially since his motives are so sympathetic — who doesn’t want to live, and who doesn’t want to protect the person they love?
As we enter the drama’s last stretch, I’m hoping for our lovebirds and their third wheel to put their heads together and solve their blood conundrum for good. Notably, the weapon that Do-shik crafted — a dagger with a hawthorn hilt and a silver blade — is made from the same materials as the arrow used against Woo-hyul centuries ago. Since Man-hwi emphasized that the method of killing a half-vampire is different from that of a vampire, I’m hoping Do-shik has a trick up his sleeve — preferably one that leads to a happy ending, in which everyone is safe and sound.