A difference of opinion causes our protagonists to clash as they fail to understand the other’s goal. While our warrior from the future knows the danger that will fall upon the city and wants to stop it at all cost, our genius engineer isn’t as willing to sacrifice his life dream for some uncertain future. However, our two leads find themselves drawn to each other, and with so many enemies out for their heads, they’ll have to stick together in order to survive.
EPISODE 5 RECAP
Against her better judgement, Seo-jin helps Seo-hae, and Tae-sool fidgets by her side. His imagination runs wild as he thinks of all the deadly possibilities, but Seo-jin stares him in the eyes and replies, “She’s malnourished.” Pfft.
While Seo-hae rests, Tae-sool informs Seo-jin of everything he knows including the time machine and Sigma. She understandably calls it crazy and suggests he be hospitalized. Brushing aside her advice, Tae-sool warns her about the Control Bureau and how they appear everywhere.
She tells him that he sounds like Tae-san, but Tae-sool ignores the implications, pointing out his very real injury as well as Bong-sun’s condition. Seo-jin gives up on talking to him and tells him to leave her office by the morning. As she goes, he asks for her credit card, and she drops it on the ground and repeats her warning.
As Seo-hae chows down on the healthy diet of pizza, chicken, and burgers, Tae-sool asks about the future and what she meant about stopping him build the uploader. She tells him about the war and the nuke that will fall on Seoul, killing everyone.
She claims that saving him will stop the war, but Tae-sool wants to know who told her. The alarm behind them blares, and Seo-hae avoids answering. She asks instead if he still plans to go to the address despite the risks, and he nods his head.
Tae-sool points out that he would have met his brother at Busan if not for her meddling, and asks if she would do the same thing again if a similar situation occurs in the future. She confirms it, and her answer settles the matter for him. She calls him selfish for risking everyone’s life for his own goals, and she stares out at the people walking by, completely unaware of their doomed future.
Seo-hae changes tactics and begs Tae-sool to let her help him because he’s the only person she knows. She asks if he understands what it’s like to be all alone, and Tae-sool tells her that he prefers it that way. When he doesn’t budge, Seo-hae tells him that there’s a lot of cash in the future since they use it as kindling, and she chucks his money into the trash.
Hyun-gi pounds on his cell door and screams at his captors to let him at least call his mom. From the monitoring room, Officer Choi asks if they should follow protocol, but Officer Hwang has other ideas. While Hyun-gi looks around his cell and spots a message about the end coming soon, Officer Hwang enters and escorts him out.
As he takes in his surroundings, Hyun-gi stares in shock at the shadows locked in the various rooms, and Officer Hwang describes this place as the Control Bureau, which is in charge of handling illegal entrants. Hyun-gi asks where all these people are from, but Officer Hwang corrects him since when is the more important question.
Officer Hwang tells Hyun-gi that in the past, everyone knew everybody in their neighborhood, but now people don’t even know who lives next door. However, their present world is filled with uninvited guests, and that’s where the Control Bureau comes in.
After checking to make sure the coast is clear, she steps out of her hiding place to face their attacker, but still, the aisle is empty. She hears something crunching on the ground, and looks down at the uncrewed vehicle pointing its gun at her.
Dad tackles her out of the way just in time, and their attackers reveal themselves, shooting their guns wildly into the air. They act as if hunting their prey is a game, and Seo-hae runs away with her dad. They find shelter behind a shelf, and Seo-hae curses under her breath much to her dad’s disapproval.
They topple over the shelf, taking out the vehicle in the process, and shoot down their attackers. However, the rest of the gang comes out to hunt them, so Dad tells Seo-hae to escape without their items.
Returning to the present timeline, Seo-hae tries out a sauna for the first time and tells Tae-sool that the water tastes great. He looks at her incredulously for drinking the bath water but says nothing more. He complains about being in a crowded place, but she tells him that it’s safe.
He catches her looking at the cafeteria and treats her to a meal. She chooses bulgogi—the item her dad wanted—and is lost in thought when the food arrives. While they eat, Tae-sool hands her a cellphone and tells her to save his number. He hands her a new diary as well since her old one was ruined, and Seo-hae looks surprised, mumbling to herself that he was the one who bought it for her.
Seo-hae stares out the window at the guards crawling around the premises, and the two of them are stuck inside until the morning. As Tae-sool inches towards the window to look, Seo-hae tells him to get away since they’ll spot him, and he grumbles about her standing there this entire time.
Though they go to bed, neither of them can fall asleep. Seeing her new cell phone, Seo-hae remembers her birthday when her parents got her a phone, and Mom told her to call her whenever she was in trouble. In the present, Seo-hae enters her mom’s phone number but stops herself.