Our elderly student continues practicing ballet despite his worsening condition because nothing can stop him from striving for his dreams. Now that time is running out, every day feels longer to him, and he cherishes these precious moments even more. All the while, his young teacher holds his hand and guides his along the way, making sure that he stays on the path and does not wander.
EPISODE 11 RECAP
Seong-gwan tells his brother that their mom knows already, but Seong-san has a hard time accepting Deok-chul’s illness. He suggests going to another hospital, but Seong-gwan stops him since he knows the results will not change. With a sigh, Seong-san takes them back to his place, and they break the news to the rest of the family.
Like her brothers, Seong-sook expresses her doubts and demands to see their dad in person. Though overcome with emotions, she sits back down when Seong-san begs her to act like normal for Deok-chul’s sake, and they discuss future plans concerning their dad.
Both Seong-san and Seong-sook offer to take care of Deok-chul, and the spouses support their decisions. While they argue back and forth, Seong-gwan says that they should ask their mom, but Eun-ho interrupts them since Deok-chul should actually get the first say. She asks if being sick means he can no longer think for himself, and the adults look away, acknowledging their mistake.
Deok-chul goes over his routine for his upcoming audition, and Chae-rok compliments him for clearly practicing every day. He stops their lesson short since they need to go somewhere, and Chae-rok takes Deok-chul to the audition venue. He rented the place so Deok-chul could get used to the room, and they continue their practice.
Afterwards, Deok-chul sits down to rest, and Chae-rok comments on his bruised feet, calling him a proper ballerino. Deok-chul says that the pain tells him that he worked hard today, and Chae-rok agrees since he feels the same way.
When he thinks that he is not making progress, Chae-rok looks at his feet and his worn shoes to remind himself of the sweat and time he invested into ballet. Deok-chul starts to contemplate on his life and sighs since every day feels long when there are not a lot of them left.
Walking home with Seong-gwan, Deok-chul keeps his promise with Chae-rok and texts him his location. Later that evening, he sits down at his desk to record today’s events and notes the progression of his illness. Despite that, he wants to pass his audition and writes that he will.
On his morning jog, Deok-chul recalls yesterday’s activities and remembers a lot more than the other day. He silently cheers for himself, but his mood dampens when he comes back home and reads the front page of the newspaper bashing Seong-san’s bank.
Seong-san’s family reads the news as well, but he tells them that he is fine. However, he does not answer his phone, and Deok-chul grows worried when he cannot reach his son.
Deok-chul arrives at the ballet company for the audition, but not long after they arrive, he grabs his coat and heads out again. He passes by Seong-san’s workplace and notices the protestors outside. By the time Chae-rok comes in, Deok-chul is still gone, and none of them know his whereabouts since he left behind his phone.
After stopping by a sports shop, Deok-chul returns to Seong-san’s workplace and meets him on the roof. He came by to give him a baseball glove, and it immediately takes Seong-san back to his middle school years.
After he quit baseball, his teacher scolded him for having no dream or future, but Deok-chul came to his defense. He told the teacher that Seong-san was a good kid and did not deserve to be treated this way since he was still young and capable of anything.
On their walk home, Seong-san doubted his dad’s words and cried since he thought the teacher was right. He said that he had nothing, but Deok-chul stopped him and told him that he has a dad who will always be his fielder. He promised to stand behind Seong-san and catch all the batted balls as long as he did not give up.
Back in the present, Deok-chul reminds Seong-san that he is still his fielder and tells him to throw the ball however he wants.
Sitting in his office, Seong-san stares at the baseball glove and remembers his dad’s words. Ae-ran pops in to check on him, and he tells her that he always wanted a new glove but ended up quitting baseball because it was too expensive. Though he wanted to play, he hated see his family suffer in order for him to achieve his dream.
Recognizing his pain, Ae-ran tells her husband to do what he wants and stop pretending to be fine. She says that she will support him from now on. Seong-san apologizes, but Ae-ran tells him that he has nothing to apologize for since he has worked hard.
The judges announce the winner, and the special gala spot goes to Deok-chul. The others congratulate him, and Deok-chul returns to the studio to practice some more. He also texts Hae-nam the good news, and she tells him that he did a good job—which also means she is going to buy a nice pot. Heh.
Seung-joo’s friend comments on Deok-chul’s performance and marvels at his improvement over such a short period. He says that he understands why Seung-joo recommended him, and he admits to hearing about his secret pick from Sori.
Seong-san visits his superior to tender his resignation. He takes partial responsibility for the loss, but he makes it clear that he will not accept the fall for the company. His superior screams at him, but Seong-san walks away without looking back.
Deok-chul joins the ballet company’s practice, and Chae-rok makes sure that he will be okay by himself. He wonders if he should inform Seung-joo, but Deok-chul tells him that he will try his best. Once practice starts, Chae-rok watches from the doorway for a while before going back to the studio.
With the days dwindling down, Deok-chul practices the performance with Chae-rok as well as by himself. With ballet taking over his life once again, Deok-chul forgets about the nursing home until they call him back and ask about his admittance. He tells them that he would like to postpone it since he needs to finish something first.
The performers receive their allotted free tickets, and Chae-rok hands his to Deok-chul since he has no one to invite. However, Deok-chul returns them to him since Chae-rok needs it, too. Heeding his advice, Chae-rok takes the bus to visit his dad.
Chae-rok gives Moo-young a ticket and tells him to come if he has the time. He starts to make up excuses for him to not show up, but Chae-rok changes his mind and tells him that he wants him there.
As Chae-rok gets up to leave, Moo-young hands him an envelope and mentions how his mom would have taken care of these things if she was still around. He apologizes for being absent, but Chae-rok cuts him off and tells him to be by his side, then. Moo-young promises that he will, and Chae-rok thanks him for the money.
With only one more episode left, the show is wrapping up its loose ends and giving a lot of its characters closure before the final hour. Chae-rok meets with his dad again, and we see them grow closer as Chae-rok decides to be honest about his feelings. At first, he gives Moo-young an excuse to run away, but he changes his mind and tells his dad that he wants him to come see his performance. Chae-rok realizes that he wants Moo-young back in his life even if his feelings towards his dad are mixed, and in return, Moo-young recognizes his son’s efforts to fix their relationship and understands that the best way to show his repentance is by being present in his life rather than keeping his distance. As Moo-young starts to make amends, he also apologizes to Se-jong and Ho-bum. As a result, both men are able to let go of some of their resentment as well, and hopefully, they can enjoy soccer again without their past dragging them down.
Deok-chul and Hae-nam are an adorable couple who have gone through a lot together. They might not always do or say the right thing, but their love and respect for each other is evident in their actions. Because of their history together, I think it took Hae-nam the longest out of everyone in the family to truly accept her husband’s illness. Though she knew the truth and prepared herself for it, she still tried to avoid the topic and stopped Deok-chul from telling her the first time. However, when she sees him sitting outside their house, unable to come home, she fully accepts their situation and lets him say those dreaded words out loud. They are no longer able to pretend with each other that everything will be the same. The couple is devasted in this moment, but they also don’t shy away from their feelings or hide. Instead, they sit their together and cry. It’s painful for Hae-nam to hear that her lifelong partner is slowly losing his memories, but she holds back her tears long enough to tell him that it’s alright. While her comment is a response to his apology, it also feels like a general statement about his condition and their future. The show packs in so much meaning in such few words, and the actors capture the nuances of their characters, making even simple lines feel imbued with restrained emotions and pain. While Park In-hwan is great as Deok-chul, I absolutely love Na Mun-hee as Hae-nam, and above all else, it’s a pleasure to watch these two actors not just as someone’s parents or grandparents but as individuals with their own stories, including life’s joys and sorrows.