At Seung-cheon’s convenience store job, there’s a new part-timer — it’s NA JOO-HEE (Jung Chae-yeon), a bright-eyed girl with an equally radiant smile. It’s clear she’s developing a budding crush on gruff but good-natured Seung-cheon, and it’s adorable.
Tae-yong pays Seung-cheon a visit outside the convenience store, and he gives him an envelope of money as a token of gratitude for his help, explaining that he didn’t know what gift to get him. Seung-cheon attempts to refuse, but Tae-yong insists, calling him his friend. Yay! Tae-yong declares that he knows how to differentiate what’s real from what’s fake — and Seung-cheon’s a real friend.
Unfortunately, Seung-cheon’s suffering never ends. He narrowly edges out Jang-gun for the last spot in the elite Eagle Class, which has a furious Jang-gun smacking him around and spitting on his uniform vest.
His resolve to escape his current life renewed, Seung-cheon heads to Tae-yong’s house, fibbing that he’s hungry and asking for a meal. Aww, Tae-yong notices the bruises on Seung-cheon’s face and worriedly asks if he got into a fight.
Supper is served, but CEO Hwang arrives home before Seung-cheon can take a bite. Terrified of his father’s wrath, Tae-yong quickly ushers Seung-cheon out, apologetically asking him to go home.
Tae-yong gets called to his father’s office, where CEO Hwang reveals that he knows Seung-cheon wrote his reports for him. Having received a tip-off from Jang-gun, CEO Hwang is furious that Tae-yong let himself get caught. He pulls his son into a terrifyingly patronizing hug, saying that Tae-yong needs to be punished for his wrongdoing. Should he send him back to the States?
Just the mere mention of that is enough to send Tae-yong into a near-catatonic state of panic. A flashback reveals glimpses of dead bodies, a gun, and a young Tae-yong in a state of shock. Back in the present, Tae-yong falls to his knees, begging his father that he’ll do anything else instead. Sobs, the fear in Tae-yong’s eyes is heartbreakingly palpable.
Without a shred of compassion for his own son, CEO Hwang orders him to deal with Seung-cheon, then. Ugh, if he’s trying to run for the Worst Father of the Year award, he’s got it in the bag.
That night, Seung-cheon calls Tae-yong out to a bridge, confronting him about the lie. Tae-yong admits it easily, but he acts like he was just using Seung-cheon all along. Playing the part of the entitled rich boy to a tee, Tae-yong scoffs that he could never be friends with someone as poor as Seung-cheon.
Except Seung-cheon isn’t fazed — he’s recorded their entire conversation, and he’s going to reveal the truth to the school. Terrified of the potential repercussions, Tae-yong lunges for the phone, and it escalates into a tussle that ends with Seung-cheon skidding over the edge of the bridge.
Back in the house, Seung-cheon tentatively calls CEO Hwang “Dad,” but CEO Hwang responds in bewilderment. Confused that the spoon didn’t work its magic, Seung-cheon apologizes for his misstep, then leaves.
Only, he runs into Joo-hee in the hallway, who greets him with a slap and yells that he, Hwang Tae-yong, is a terrible jerk. She saw them outside the convenience store, and it certainly wasn’t extortion.
Ooh, the magic worked! That was a fun fakeout; turns out CEO Hwang demands that his son address him formally as “Father,” hence his surprised reaction towards Seung-cheon’s informal use of “Dad.”
To everyone’s relief, “Seung-cheon” is in the hospital, having been found passed out on the road. Seung-cheon rushes to the hospital, searching for Tae-yong, until he’s stopped short by someone calling out his real name. He turns, and it’s Tae-yong, who’s supposed to be “Seung-cheon” now. Omg, does Tae-yong remember??
It almost seems like he does, but it soon becomes clear that Tae-yong is just confused and disoriented. Most of it seems to be an unconscious instinct bleeding through, at least for now. Tae-yong’s previous memories have merged with the magically fabricated ones, leaving him unsure of what actually happened.
Seung-cheon and Tae-yong’s friendship is lovely, albeit short-lived, and I can’t help but hope that they’ll reconcile soon. What Tae-yong did isn’t excusable, but it clearly stemmed from fear rather than malice. Tae-yong’s deeply traumatized by his father and his time in the States, and the abject terror on his face whenever he expects his father to lash out at him is so heartwrenching.
Now that he’s finally embraced by a loving family, it’s beautiful to see Tae-yong’s pure and unfettered smile — the same smile he lets slip around Seung-cheon. On the contrary, Seung-cheon’s already beginning to feel the pressure of CEO Hwang’s greed and the strained relationship Tae-yong has with his stepmother. I suspect it won’t be long before Seung-cheon begins to have second thoughts about his decision, and I’m interested to delve deeper into the dilemma that will follow. Seung-cheon has three chances to switch back, in a month, a year, or ten years — will he take any of them?