There’s progress on multiple fronts this week as our couple takes a step closer to each other and more clues to their past are revealed. The reunited classmates all have their own reasons to seek out the truth, even if the answers may call into question everything they thought they knew.
EPISODES 9-10 WEECAP
After the impromptu reunion, Jin-geun’s words shake up everyone. Gye-hoon can’t stop thinking about how Jin-geun said Gye-young was hurt that day before she was taken, and Da-hyun is bothered by Jin-geun’s implication that she was there that day, too.
Won-tak is bothered by Jin-geun’s suggestion that his father is innocent, although Won-tak is determined to put the past behind him. When he passes his father in the street, Won-tak walks by without a word. He also warns Gye-hoon that he doesn’t intend to be friendly with him, even though they used to be best friends. He seems to resent Gye-hoon for his role in Won-tak’s (or Han Se-jin, at the time) father’s fate.
Meanwhile, Gye-hoon learns that Jin-geun was telling the truth – Gye-young did hurt her leg that day. He visits Eui-chan who blames himself for not giving Gye-young a ride after seeing she was hurt.
While Gye-hoon tries to figure out what happened to his sister, Da-hyun starts to regain hazy memories involving a red gate in an alley. Ever since she was a kid, she’s had this recurring nightmare involving the gate. Her grandmother would always comfort her and tell her, “Don’t turn around”; she should always move forward. Now, Da-hyun decides to be proactive and see if she can find the gate. She sees one that’s similar, but it’s not red. (Did she forget about paint?)
As they each try to find the truth in their own ways, Gye-hoon and Da-hyun’s feelings are in full swing. They have some moments where they almost take a step forward, but they never do. That is, until Gye-hoon opens up in a rare show of emotional honesty.
He shares that he came back to Jihwa to find his father. Ooh, another mystery. Ever since Gye-young went missing, his father devoted his life to finding her. I had assumed his parents were divorced since his father was never around, but his father actually just spent all his time chasing down leads, leaving Gye-hoon to take care of his mother alone.
Last he saw him, Gye-hoon begged his father in tears to come home because he and his mom needed him. But that wasn’t enough, and his father left, despite Gye-hoon’s threats never to talk to him again.
Recently, Gye-hoon got a call from the police who found his father’s wallet in Jihwa. Gye-hoon hadn’t been able to get in touch and now assumes the worst because there’s no way his father would go off the grid when they’ve already had one family member disappear.
Poor Gye-hoon has had to shoulder so much alone, essentially single-handedly raising himself and keeping his family together. It’s sad to see that his parents were so obsessed with finding one child that they neglected the other. No wonder he’s afraid to bring anyone else into the mix.
Gye-hoon tells Da-hyun he doesn’t have the courage to be happy. She leaves, unable to get him out of her mind. And then, she has a flash of a hazy image and burst of emotion. Oooh, is she feeling the link now too?! She rushes back over to the restaurant where she finds Gye-hoon in tears.
When he sees her, he rushes to her and kisses her. Finally! They’re adorably awkward after the kiss. He apologizes. She assures him he shouldn’t be sorry; in fact, he did a good job. HA. Making matters worse, Jin-hoon walks in and they all stare awkwardly. Then, he just turns and walks back out.
The next day, Da-hyun is giddy. But she deflates when Gye-hoon treats her as usual and seems like he’s going to pretend nothing happened. Thankfully, they talk it out, and he admits he does have feelings for her. He says he’ll likely want to run from time to time, but he promises to try. And he does. It’s so nice to see him smiling and taking baby steps toward happiness.
Gye-hoon is ready to tell people they’re dating, but Da-hyun warns him that they have to keep it from her mom for now. Bok-hee has made it abundantly clear that she doesn’t want Da-hyun dating or getting too close to Gye-hoon. Her argument that it’s because he’s arrogant isn’t convincing.
In the midst of Gye-hoon and Da-hyun’s new couple bliss, Jin-geun hangs over them like a shadow. One night, Gye-hoon talks to him on the phone. Jin-geun happens across someone in the alley while they talk, and he seems oddly afraid. The man tells him to ask Gye-hoon how his father is doing. (I’m guessing this shady man is the culprit.) After that call, Jin-geun goes into hiding.
It takes some convincing, but Gye-hoon enlists Won-tak’s help in trying to figure out the truth behind who really took Gye-young. They go to one of the cops from the case, and he shares that he doesn’t believe Eui-chan is the culprit.
Back then, they found out that Eui-chan was secretly working at a bar to make ends meet and the blood on his clothes was likely from a fight with a customer. Also, the witness who said he saw Gye-young get into Eui-chan’s car was pressured to say that by Chief Seo who is determined (still) that Eui-chan did it.
Won-tak is horrified to realize that his dad might be innocent, feeling guilty for how he disowned his father who must’ve been going through hell. He’s out for Chief Seo’s blood, but Gye-hoon manages to talk him down for now. He reminds Won-tak that he can still apologize to his father and make things right.
Elsewhere, Da-hyun deliberates over sending Jin-geun a message, accidentally pressing send and promptly tries to delete it. But it’s too late – he saw it and finds her alone in the library. He’s terrifyingly irate that she’s trying to help Gye-hoon find out the truth but comforts himself by saying they can never be together. She’ll learn why soon enough. He doesn’t say much more than that, but he does mention a red gate, confirming Da-hyun’s fears that she was there that night.
Da-hyun ends up telling Gye-hoon the truth that she might’ve witnessed something and could’ve been the last person to see Gye-young. We end on an image of a gate… that’s no longer red. So yeah, it was painted.
With this odd neighborhood, almost anyone could be the culprit. I just wonder who had such a hold over Jin-geun who never has shown any fear before. He was oddly respectful and nervous around the man.
At least we’ve confirmed that, while Won-tak may be troubled, he’s likely not someone to be worried about. I’m glad he’s starting to help and hopefully let go of some of his anger. I was surprised he told Min-jo without prompting that he was classmates with the other Jihwa kids – I guess he’s no longer hiding his identity.
And then there’s the link which Da-hyun seems to be feeling now too. I found it odd that it was one-way, but if it truly is two-way, why did it take her so much longer to feel it? It seems to coincide with her memory returning, so I’m guessing it’s yet another piece of the puzzle of that night.