Everything comes to a head this week as the youngest generation makes major headway in unlocking the secrets this neighborhood has been harboring. The newfound discoveries threaten our couple’s relationship as they each try to come to terms with the past. And the past isn’t finished with them yet – another body reminds everyone that there’s unfinished business in this neighborhood, and no one’s safe.
EPISODES 11-12 WEECAP
I have to say, I do really like both our leads. They may have their frustrating moments, but they’re good people. Gye-hoon’s response to hearing that Da-hyun might’ve witnessed something from when Gye-young disappeared is to be worried about her safety – she shouldn’t have risked going to Jin-geun for answers.
Now that Da-hyun has begun recovering her memory, she starts to question her family’s secrets. She ends up overhearing Bok-hee say that she’ll “never lose Da-hyun again.” And Bok-hee also says something that implies she’s killed (or maimed?) someone before.
Meanwhile, Won-tak struggles to deal with the news that his father is innocent. He glares daggers at Chief Seo, to the confusion of his colleagues. And then, he admits to Gye-hoon he’s ashamed to approach his dad. Ten years ago, Eui-chan sought him out and insisted he was innocent, but Won-tak just told him to pretend not to know him in the future.
Although he’s still prickly, Won-tak does seem to be softening a little. It’s adorable how much Gye-hoon wants to be friends again. He gets all nervous about what to cook when Won-tak agrees to come for dinner with Min-jo in tow. It’s an awkward double date affair where both pairs pretend their relationship is platonic.
The real objective of the dinner, though, is to share intel on Jin-geun. Won-tak finally learns the whole truth regarding Da-hyun’s role in all this, down to the stuffing the not-dead body in the freezer.
When Gye-hoon realizes Won-tak seemed uncomfortable with the fancy food, he decides to change his restaurant’s whole menu. He wants his friend to be comfortable eating there (aww), so Gye-hoon finally makes the wise decision to cater to his clientele.
Soon after, Da-hyun realizes it’s Gye-hoon’s birthday. Given Gye-young’s disappearance, his birthday isn’t exactly a happy affair in his family. They pretty much ignore it with Gye-hoon feeling guiltier than usual on that day as he gets a year older alone. At least his mom is relatively nice to him this time.
But, of course, things go awry before the day is through. After seeing Gye-hoon and Da-hyun all lovey-dovey, Jin-geun decides to ruin everything. He gives Gye-hoon a “birthday gift”: the truth about that night.
Jin-geun says a man approached him and offered to buy him a game console if he brought Gye-young to a certain house. Then, Jin-geun led Da-hyun there in exchange for a game. Gye-hoon is naturally horrified that Jin-geun did something so inhumane, and when Jin-geun laughs without a hint of remorse, Gye-hoon loses control and beats him up. Jin-geun is practically giddy at the thought that now, Gye-hoon won’t be able to see Da-hyun without thinking of how Gye-young died. He’s so unhinged.
Simultaneously, Da-hyun retraces her steps, finding the house with the formerly red gate. She goes into the basement and remembers being trapped with Gye-young there. They managed to escape the basement, but Gye-young’s hurt leg made her stumble. Da-hyun left her behind and kept running. Now, Da-hyun cries that she’s sorry.
Elsewhere, a man comes up behind Gye-hoon and chokes him unconscious. Strangely, he doesn’t kill Gye-hoon, although the man does take Jin-geun and tie him up. Da-hyun is definitely feeling the link now too, and rushes to Gye-hoon knowing he was hurt.
Da-hyun and Gye-hoon don’t know how to tell each other about their discoveries, but Da-hyun can’t lie to him. She tells him about being another victim and leads him to the house. Gye-hoon confirms that the current owners – a shifty neighborhood couple – didn’t live there at the time of the kidnapping. The ajusshi, though, does look like he’s hiding something and throws a glass at the wall after Gye-hoon leaves. The ajumma tries to approach Da-hyun at night, but Eun-jun runs interference after noticing the woman’s sketchy demeanor.
After getting her memory mostly back, Da-hyun asks her mom if there’s anything she should know. Bok-hee lies that there isn’t, although she seems to know it’s only a matter of time now that Da-hyun is remembering. Da-hyun doesn’t believe her mom, but she’s understanding of her mom’s lies.
Da-hyun and Gye-hoon try to act normally with each other, but thoughts of Gye-young hang between them. In line with their personalities, Da-hyun has to hash it out while Gye-hoon would rather compartmentalize. She’s completely honest and tells him she left Gye-young behind, and she’s stunned by how understanding he is. Da-hyun isn’t okay and knows he can’t be as okay as he’s pretending to be, so she suggests they break up.
Meanwhile, the crime scene fridge makes its way around the neighborhood. Eventually, it ends up at the police station since the officers needed a new fridge. Min-jo opens it… and there is Jin-geun’s body, again. Actually dead this time. He just couldn’t escape that fridge.
I’d expected the drama to drag out the whodunnit a bit longer, but we get to see the face of the killer who took Gye-young: it’s the witness who recently came clean about lying to the cops per Chief Seo’s suggestion. We end with the killer saying he can’t hold himself back anymore.
Well, now that we’ve solved the past mystery, I guess the remaining episodes will be about stopping and catching the killer. It’s clear there’s a lot that the neighbors are hiding about the past. Da-hyun’s family and the shifty couple are obviously hiding details of what happened back then, but why?
We’ve reached the obligatory breakup, but it does make sense here. Although I assume they’ll move past this, I do think Gye-hoon and Da-hyun each need time apart to process. It’s a lot for them both, and they need to be okay individually before worrying about each other.