"Though we may fall again, we move forward."
Written before live recap
As I look at the smiling faces of the cast, a warm, prickly feeling rises in my throat. I’m going to miss everyone so much. I’m going to save my words for after the episode airs and I finish writing the recap. I want to properly say goodbye to this drama so I ask for your patience.
I know that there will be other fans like me who won’t be able to let go for some time, so I am planning a little rehab program, similar to what I did for Faith and Queen In Hyun‘s man. Hopefully I can get it out by the weekend so keep your eye out for it. If you have suggestions, please share!
This is it! The finale! Oh, how fast it has come. I’m nervous and excited, so I hope my hands don’t shake that much while I type. I’m not ready, I’m not ready!
The order will go like this. I can’t post updates while the drama is airing, unless the episode is moving slowly. I will be trying to capture as much as possible while I am watching the episode. When the episode is over, I will go back to my notes, fix them up a bit and update part by part on each recap post while waiting for the torrents. If you can leave a link here, that would be great. When the full episode is available, I will fill in more blanks and screencaps, and continue to update. Finally, I will leave my comments.
Episode 20
Tan and Young Do stand apart, but together, looking out into the city. YD finally breaks the silence: “It’s cold.” He’s describing the weather, but it is also how he feels. Tan adds, “It’s cold…and dark.” Silence falls between them again as they each try to fight off the cold and dark feeling hovering over them because of their fathers.
At a cafe, Tan discusses his situation with a woman, who we learn is a lawyer. Tan doesn’t trust the lawyers at Jeguk anymore, and he wants this new lawyer’s help transferring legal proxy rights to Won from JS for his stocks.
Yoon and Won are busy preparing for battle against JS too. Yoon reports to Won which person has how many percentage of stocks. Won notes that because the margin between the percentage held by JS and her people are close to the percentage held by Won and Tan and their people, it’s going to a battle to try to get the rest of the stockholders to side with them. He calls for a meeting of people who were said to be on Chairman Kim’s side.
Unfortunately, nobody is showing up at this meeting as Won, Tan, and Yoon wait. Eventually, two people who up, still loyal to the Chairman after 20 years of allegiance.
JS’s meeting of people on her side is a little fuller, and Esther is there too. JS thanks her for being here, but Esther declares that she has not made up her mind yet. She wants to stand opposite to Chairman Kim, but she is not sure if the opposite is JS or Won.
At school, CY is telling ES what happened to Chairman Kim and that Tan has gone with his father to obtain the power of attorney from the overseas stockholders one by one. ES understands that is why Tan didn’t call her yesterday. CY also tells her Tan and Yoon will be gone for ten days.
Tan and Yoon are on a plane, and Yoon asks if Tan knows why he has to go with him to meet these people. Tan replies, “Yes. I am a young boy who might lose his father soon, and the young son that is especially loved by the Chairman.” Yoon affirms- “Because business in the end is about moving someone’s heart and getting that person’s signature.” Tan wonders why his father could have done this for 20 years.
At her house, ES reads a letter that Tan has left with an owl doll. He apologizes for leaving without calling her first, and warns her he might not be able to contact her since he is on a business trip. He adds in Tan’s signature style, “You’re going to die if you cheat on me while I am gone.” Pfft! Fortunately, Tan concludes, “I’m going to miss you a lot, Cha Eun Sang.”
YD and his dad are having a tense dinner. Worried, YD really wants to know what is going on, and as he is about to ask, his father finally speaks up. He informs YD that he thinks the investigation into Zeus will happen quickly, so he will voluntarily go to the police to be questioned. When YD asks if dad will be arrested, Dad tries to bulk up his son the best way he can. He advices YD to not trust anyone except the vice president of Zeus, to only speak through lawyers, and to go to YD’s aunt’s house if he doesn’t return quickly- “Don’t stay alone at home.” He adds lightly with a smile, “Don’t neglect your kitchen duties just because I am not here.” More seriously, he says, “I will come out quickly.” YD, the young kid that he is, can only weakly nod his head, still looking worried and scared.
The next day, YD watches the news that tells him that things are not looking good for his dad. He shuts off the TV, and when the Zeus lawyers come to see YD, he jumps out of his seat, worried about his dad. The lawyers reassure YD, telling him not to worry about anything and to go one as usual; they will take care of everything. One lawyer also relays a message that YD’s dad sent: “There has to be rules; there shouldn’t be any cheating.”
YD has come to see the kid he used to bully at his new school. The kid looks scared to see YD, and asks why he came. YD replies that he came to apologize- “I’m sorry. Truly. I apologize. I am really sorry.” The kid says he is surprised that YD even knows how to apologize, but if he is really sorry, then he should feel guilty for the rest of his life. He declares he is not going to accept YD’s apology ever. “Don’t come see me again.”
ES uploads a post onto her and Tan’s chat room. She writes, “The Seoul without you feels a little colder.” She sees the news story about YD’s dad on TV. She writes, “I just saw YD’s dad on the news. Seeing a family member’s face on the news that everyone in the country is watching…what is the weight of that misfortune? Living in that world that everyone desires, how hurt were you, Young Do, and the other kids?”
Eun Sang continues. “Because I am the first to arrive at school everyday, I am sometimes able to witness someone drawing in the body outline. I was very surprised. It wasn’t just one person. One day it was Hyo Shin, another day Ye Sol, another day Myung Soo, who appears so bright all the time, and another day it was Rachel. And today, it was Young Do. Was it from the moment I learned that everyone was the culprit? I couldn’t simply just be envious of them or dislike them.” Eun Sang asks the question that weighs on her mind- “Tan. Did you ever draw the body outline alone one early morning?”
YD has come to his mom’s café. He stares at her from outside the window, but before she can see him, he hides. Tears fall down his face as he stands frozen to the ground, unable to go in.
Eun Sang’s voice: ” Whether it be too heavy, too severe, or too sad, I hope getting hurt is not the only thing you are able to do. I hope that their weight is not the reason you break apart. I miss you, Kim Tan.”
Tan is back in Korea, visiting his dad in the hospital. Chairman Kim is still in the coma, but Won says he has gotten a lot better. Yoon reports that they were able to get many people to side with them, due to Tan’s help. Won asks Tan to go back to the house together to take care of it since dad is not there.
Won and Tan are back in their house again. There, Won asks Tan to meet YD. He wants Tan to get YD’s help since he will be able to sign and vote in his father’s stead. Tan asks Won to promise, then, to keep doing business with Zeus even if YD’s dad gets arrested. Won promises.
Tan has come to see ES at her cafe part-time job. ES is surprised to see him as he calls out “You’re working hard, Cha Eun Sang.” He spreads open his arms, and Eun Sang runs into them. They hug each other tight, happy to see one another again.
Tan and ES sit down inside, and ES asks Tan about his dad, the upcoming stockholders meeting, and if everything went well on the business trip. When Tan answers them weakly, ES tries to cheer him up by reassuring him that she didn’t cheat on him while he was gone. Tan smiles at this, and he asks her to hold his hand. She immediately takes it, and Tan cries out that she should be holding his hand with her heart, not with strength. I guess ES’s grip is strong, hehe. ES confirms, saying her heart is strong too. Tan tells her he missed her, which makes Eun Sang smile. Eun Sang replies, “Stay strong, Kim Tan.”
Tan has come to see YD, saying he is sorry to come at such a time like this but that he needs YD’s help. Tan says he will pay him back for this one day, even if they can’t be friends. YD replies that Tan can pay back now- consider this his compensation for the bad thing he said about Tan’s mom. Tan, as a sign of agreement, just informs YD that he doesn’t need to come to the stockholder’s meeting himself, just send the proxy papers through his lawyers. YD tells Tan to leave since he has to go do the dishes. He explains to Tan that this is the only thing he can do right now.
Young Do is washing the dishes, and he cuts his finger on a knife he is cleaning.
Yoon has come to see Esther at her office to ask her a favor. Per usual, there is wit and charm in the way he interacts with Esther, and the two lightheartedly joke around a bit. Esther understands that Yoon has come to get her to sign her vote to Won’s side, and she hands it over. Yoon thanks her, and Esther gently wishes the best for him in the future. Yoon does the same.
Won meets with Yang, the daughter of BS Telecom and his potential marriage partner. He needs her father’s help, and he asks if she will come to the stockholders’ meeting. Yang points out that it sounds like Won is saying he will marry her- is he okay with that? We don’t hear Won’s answer.
The meeting starts, putting Chairman Kim’s dismissal up for vote. JS, Tan, Won, as well as Yang are there. People vote, and the results are tallied. The result is in Won and Tan’s favor- Chairman Kim stays.
JS has been defeated, for now. She warns Won and Tan that this is just the beginning. Won replies he learned through this experience which people are the enemies. JS advices him to never let down his defenses. Then, Yoon runs up to announce that Chairman Kim has woken up, and he is in surgery now. JS, who has overhead this on her way out, looks unsettled.
KA, Won, Tan, Yoon wait anxiously at the hospital in front of the operation center. After hours that may feel like days, the surgeons finally come out and announced that the surgery was successful. Now they just have to wait for Chairman Kim to wake up. KA starts crying, and as Tan comforts her, Won gives her a look that is probably the softest look he has given her ever.
YD has come to his mom’s café again. This time he enters. His mom immediately tears up when she sees him, but YD can’t look at her in the eye yet. She tearfully calls his name. YD cautiously says hi. She asks him the same thing she wrote on the wall of that restaurant- “Did you get along well?” YD replies, “No.” She walks closer to her son and wipes the tears that have started to fall down his face. She comments on how tall he has grown, also adding, “My son has become so handsome.” YD speaks the words he has wanted to for so long-”Mom. Mom.” She nods, “Yes,” and urgently hugs him. She cries that she was sorry; she is sorry for not waiting longer then. She was planning to go see him again soon after….but….she just apologizes for not doing so. Young Do hugs his mom tighter in response as they both cry into each other’s shoulders.
HS gives ES some his books. He thanks her, saying, “Thank you, Cha Eun Sang, for being a heartwarming cut (note: like a cut from a movie) in my brutal high school life.” Eun Sang remarks that it sounds like a goodbye. HS just tells her to study hard and the he hopes she and Tan become a boring romance movie. She asks if he is really going somewhere, but he doesn’t answer, just smiling.
Esther is holding a meeting with her designers, when R comes in. After the meeting, E asks for R’s opinion about the new line, and R says she likes it, but she wonders if a high schooler’s opinion matters. Esther assures R that she has an eye for such things.
When R comments that she doesn’t like the cold, E suggests that they go on vacation together to somewhere warm. R wonders why her mom is suddenly talking about a vacation, so E reveals that she has noticed that R has been taking her sleeping pills. R explains it is because she can’t sleep, but she doesn’t take it often. Esther says she understands and tells R to get a proper prescription then.
R has come to the hospital to get the prescription, and she runs into HS there. He has just come out of the psychiatrist’s room. R asks why he is coming to this hospital, and HS replies, “To try to live.” He asks her the same, and R tells him that it is her first time here and she has come because she can’t sleep.
HS points out that he and Rachel keep sharing secrets with each other. He also reveals to her that he is going to the military and he hasn’t told anyone else. R asks if HS has a girl that will wait for him while he is on military duty, and HS replies, “Well…”
Tan rushes to the train station where HS is waiting to go off to the military. As soon as he see HS, Tan starts yelling at HS for going off like this, suddenly and without even graduating high school. Tan wonders how HS’s parents consented to this, and HS reveals that he is going without his parents knowing; his mother should have discovered the letter now. Tan calls HS crazy, tells him to be safe, and pulls him in for a gruff hug. HS hugs him back, surprised, moved, and it finally sinking it that he is really going.
ES finds her mom sorting beans, and Mom reveals that she is sending the bean powder to ES’s sister. Eun Suk has texted her, saying she found a job. ES appears angry at first, asking for her number and indignant that Eun Suk didn’t anything about the money she took. But when her mom asks what ES will say to her sister, ES replies with a smile that she is going to tell her that mom and her are healthy and happy, so Eun Suk should only worry about herself. Mom asks ES if she is really happy, with a mom like her and having had such a difficult life. ES replies wholeheartedly that she is happy because she is her mother’s daughter- “I love you mom.” Mother and daughter embrace happily, but they have to break apart because ES’s phone is vibrating. ES sheepishly declares, “It’s my boyfriend.” Tan is calling ES to bring her to his father.
Chairman Kim is awake, talking to JS. He has heard what JS tried to do while he was in a coma. He announces that he wants to divorce her. She agrees. JS says she will prepare to take half of Jeguk and leaves. Chairman Kim orders his lawyer to prepare for divorce.
Tan comes in with ES to the hospital room. She cautiously gives Chairman Kim some books to read. He responds, without looking at her, that there is no need for her to try to look good him, but Eun Sang replies that she still wants to try. She promises that she will pay back the debt steadily so Chairman Kim should be healthy until then. Dad replies he has to live long, then. When ES says she will come back to visit him, Dad tells her she doesn’t have to. But he adds he will read the books well.
Tan and KA are walking the streets of Gangnam together like they said they would. Tan asks if there is anywhere else she wants to go, but KA reveals her legs have lost feeling. Tan chides her for wearing such high heels, but KA declares she can’t give up on high heels because she dreamed of being Miss Korea. (The actress who plays KA was actually Miss Korea.)
Yoon and CY have come on a father-son fishing trip. While waiting for the fish to bite. CY takes a picture of them together to send to BN, because BN said she can’t breathe if she doesn’t see CY every hour. Click!
CY asks Yoon if he has no plans to remarry or date, but Yoon just asks again when CY will be ready to support him instead. He talks about the difficulties of an adult life and having a job, when Won’s voice is heard, asking, “Are you talking about me?” Yoon and CY look back and are surprised to see Won and Tan standing there together.
CY and Tan fish, while Won and Yoon talk over coffee. When Yoon explains that he and CY came fishing because the final exams are done, Won is reminded to ask Tan about his result. Tan is all proud to report that he placed 50th, and Won is happy to hear it. See Tan’s proud face.
But Yoon is surprised that Won seems happy with just 50th. See Yoon’s shocked face.
Won asks how CY did, and Yoon rubs it in his face that CY always gets first place so he doesn’t even think about asking anymore. See the face Won gives Tan at this revelation.
Tan, embarrassed, gets mad at CY and scurries off. Yoon says to Won, “It would be nice if the days were always like this.” He asks Won if Tan doesn’t know yet, and Won confirms. Yoon informs him that the news report will go out tomorrow.
Poor, dear Hyun Joo. She reads the news report that Won is getting to married to Yang of BS Telecom while sitting at the bus stop. She cries quietly, hot tears falling down her face and onto her hands.
Won and HJ sit across from each other at a cafe. HJ has a smile on her face as she asks Won to keep his promise now. She takes out a wishbone and reminds him that he said he will break the bone with her when she has a wish. When Won doesn’t move, HJ designates the sides herself and breaks it. Her piece is longer so her wish will come true. She closes her eyes and silently makes her wish. When she opens them, tears have filled up to the brim. Despite her shattered heart, she bravely declares, “Let’s break up. That is my wish. Even though we sat close together, we were so far from each other. It’s not something I didn’t know, so don’t be sorry.” Still, the only thing Won can say is sorry and he does. Hyun smiles even as her voice breaks as she reminds him, “I said I would wave to you.” She holds up her hand and says, “Goodbye, oppa.”
Won comes home, and Tan starts asking him about the news about Won’s marriage. Won tells him that he is marrying because the company needs this. This is the weight of the crown he has to bear. He then reminds Tan of the deal that they made before about Tan going to the U.S- he doesn’t want Tan to go the U.S. Won says, “Just stay behind me on my side. This means you can’t dream about anything else. This means you have to properly take business management lessons. Just do that. I’m lonely.” Tan asks if Won won’t be lonely with him here, and Won replies, “I’m still lonely, but it is better than you not being here.”
YD is back at the motorcycle shop, this time for inspection, not for customization to make his motorcycle faster. When the technician takes notice of that, YD replies it is choosing safety over getting a kick out of speed. While looking at helmets, and notices the cut he got from cutting himself while washing the dishes before. A girl comes into the motorcycle shop with chicken delivery and this brings up the forgotten memory of his real first meeting with Eun Sang, not the one at the convenience store. He says, “Our first meeting preceded our memory.” He then remembers ES giving him a bandaid before, and he puts one on now over his cut.
At MS’s studio, YS, BN, and CY play a card game in which they have to describe a them using the cards. CY picks the theme “18 years old,” and they start playing. “At 18, one causes pain to oneself, is lonely, and sometimes have to fight a great enemy, but has a passionate heart, and has grand dreams. When BN loses and she has to grant wishes, CY asks for a kiss on the cheek. BN turns to do it, but CY moves his face, and gets a kiss on the lips. YS wishes they break up.
Tan gets his notebook mailed back from his teacher from the US. The teacher has written a question for Tan on the page of his notebook where Tan had written, “One who wants to wear the crown, bears the crown.” He asked what kind of crown Tan was trying to wear- fame, wealth, or love?
Tan writes in his notebook again. “The owner of the study room has changed.” We see Won sitting in the Chairman’s study room, crying as he looks at HJ’s wishbone piece. Tan writes, “Won has reached the place he wanted, he has became firmer, and at night he cries. Isn’t his place of exile this house he has lived his whole life?”
Tan continues, “And I have become a senior in high school.” We see Tan walking to school. MS takes a picture of him, saying he is commemorating the face of someone who has crossed the threshold of the world. Tan sees Rachel who doesn’t say anything to him as she walks away. He also sees lovey-dovey CY and BN, and they tease him about his low ranking again. Tan then sees YD. They just walk past each other, but both have small smiles on their faces.
Tan narrates, “But nothing has changed. We still don’t know how to skillfully grow apart or make up smoothly.”
ES narrates, “But we know how we each hurt, cried, fell apart, and fought fiercely within the time of being 18 years-old.”
ES and Tan meet up at the bench in school. ES asks what Tan wished for on his birthday. Tan reveals that he wished everyone he knows becomes happy. He starts describing to her what he imagines for them 10 years from now. He going to hold a party in his house…
We are brought into Tan’s imagination of the party ten years from now. Everyone is there: BN, CY, YS, HS, R, and YD. It seems HS has become a director. He invites R to the premiere, and R shyly says she will think about it. YD is talking to MS on phone, because his serving his mandatory military service. YD is working at Zeus successfully, and Won compliments him. Chairman Kim is still alive, and Yoon is still there by his side. JS is also at the party, looking happy and friendly with KA. ES’s mom is there too, and KA is surprised to find out that ES’s mom is younger than her!
Tan walks to his room, and we hear, “And even ten years from now, like the way I passionately ran to you when I was 18, I hope that I am standing on the road and you are at the end of the it- that is the wish I made when I blew out my birthday candles.” Tan finds ES in his room- they kiss.
Back to the present. ES points out to Tan that his picture is full of people who can only laugh together in his imagination. Tan replies, “That is why it is a wish.” Still, ES wishes it can come true, and Tan says, “Maybe. One day.”
Tan and ES walk hand in hand together as the snow falls around them. Tan narrates, “At 18, we fell for each other, liked each other, cried, ran away, knelt down, and turned our backs to each other many times.” We see scenes of Tan and ES turning their backs to each other in the past, hurting each other, and running away from one another.
ES narrates, “Still, at 18, we ran toward each other, held hands, and tightly embraced one another.” We see scenes of Tan and ES hugging.
Back to ES and Tan walking in the street. Tan asks when ES is going to buy him the meal she promised, wondering if the reason she isn’t is because she wants to cook him a meal every morning. He asks, “By chance, did I just receive a proposal from you?” ES sticks out her tongue, saying no, and the two continue to joke around with each other.
ES narrates, “We might fall or end up kneeling again. But still…” Tan finishes, “We go forward.”
END.
Credits: joonni.com
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