I've tried two VPNs (express sufshark) and about s dozen countries (e.g. Thailand, Phillipines, China, Singapore, Canada) to no avail, HS is never there when I open iQIYI.
This show has completely run out of steam - and story. You can skip anything but the final the final scene, you're not missing anything.
This episode being right where the last one ended. Pat returns to work for Deane, but doesn’t bring her food like numerous times before; instead she only carries breakfast for herself. She doesn’t want to reconcile with Deane despite her attempt, she doesn’t want to become a plaything again. Then, separately first Love and the Rain show up and want to discuss their problem: when they try to have sex, some mishap always happens that kills the mood. They both are eager to consummate their relationship but just can’t make it happen. Deane and Pat can’t offer any help and find the whole thing silly. That makes three of us!
The four of them return to the Deane’s favorite bar, but Pat still refuses to be called girlfriend. The owner of the bar remembers Rain, who cried into the drink and complained about their shitty boy/girlfriends. We get a flashback of that time, then a four are sitting at a table. Pat cheers with a male customer, prompting Deane to try to make up with Pat once again, to no avail.
After the ad break, the four are leaving the bar with Rain being slightly and Pat being heavily drunk. While Deane brings Pat home, Rain and Love visit a shrine on the way home which Rain passed in episode one, as a thunderstorm was starting – she vowed never to be in love again, and cursed all future relationships of hers. But Love isn’t worried, she knows someone who can help them and heads home with Rain.
Deane has reached Pat’s home and gently carries her to her bed. Then, she wants to leave – but the semi-conscious Pat doesn’t let her, pleading with Deane to stay the night. Eventually she acquiesces.
Love brings Rain home with her, despite Rain’s protests that it is not appropriate to arrive this late, when there’s also Love’s mother to consider; Love states the mother has gone to bed already, and they can talk to her (about Rain’s vow, I suppose) in the morning. This is the first time Rain sees Love’s room, and she think it fits her character bubbly on the surface, but calm inside with just a hint of fear. A makeout session doesn’t happen due to Rain stomach that apparently wants something more than alcohol. Love cooks her some noodles; after some silly tiff over eating and singing, Rain finds the photos Love took of her before they knew each other and realizes that Love really dig like her for years before they got together. We get a montage of various key scenes between the two. Then, Love brings Rain to be favorite spot on the balcony saying she never shared this spot with anyone. They share a few sweet nothings while looking into each other’s eyes.
The next morning Pat wakes up, and finds Deane downstairs preparing some sponsored iced milk tea. Deane asks her to not drink so much – especially when she’s not around, but Pat hesitates to promise her that, fearing Deane is still only playing with her. But the Dean leaves saying she will pick her up later. Where to? We will find out…
Love and Rain wake up together, having spent the night at Love’s place. In the morning, they are looking to Love’s mother, but find her collapsed and lifeless in the living room having apparently started cooking breakfast before.
And there ends the episode. Apart from the final scene, the progress storylines made is close to immeasurable, Love and Rain continued in their misadventures trying to have sex – a gag that already quickly got old last week – and Deane and Pat moving at a snail’s pace towards reconciliation. The final scene promises to shake up the routine a little, but felt completely out of place due to the rest of the episode being so light and silly.
Next week: the finale. Will our two couples make it. We will find out - if we don’t fall asleep before that.
I like the sci-fi aspect of the show and don't mind that it hasn't as many kissing/love scenes as e.g. "The Loyal…
Well not meeting _is_ changing something, I was just less specific because I didn't what to use spoiler tags. I didn't mean Four was reversing time herself - in fact the whole world goes back in time when Wa's father does the reset.
_How_ are they going to do something differently if they don't remember what they did in the previous iteration? So far, on every reverse we've seen, only the one _doing_ the reverse remembered the erased past, but no one else (apart form occasional déjà vu, but that's not reliable enough to base a plan on, is it). So that would mean the father prevents them from meeting? And how would he prevent them from meeting later and starting the whole loop again?
That is why I don't get their plan at all. But I guess I will find out next Tuesday... I'm just saying this episode doesn't make at all clear what their actual plan is (beyond reversing time) and why they are confident it will work.
You know, this show might be short and yes I would also love more episodes, but I have seen many shows, especially…
I like the sci-fi aspect of the show and don't mind that it hasn't as many kissing/love scenes as e.g. "The Loyal Pin" - but the shortness of the series it hurting the to plot to the point where it becomes borderline incomprehensible. Of episode 7, I did not understand the last ten minutes AT ALL - I don't know what they are trying to achieve, how they are trying to achieve it, all I understand is that Four wants to go back and change something. That is the fault of the storytelling, most probably due to lack of time. This episode felt like a speedrun though half a season worth of material.
The episode starts with Wa and Four saying goodbye to Vivi, whom Wa couldn’t save. Wa blames herself, because Vivi always relied on Wa being able to reverse events. Four instead blames herself because she took Wa out on a date, unknowingly keeping her from being able to return in time. Someone is watching them.
At night, Wa is unable to sleep fearing that the images of her sister dying will haunt her. Four promises to always stay beside her and help her coping.
We are jumping ahead a decade to the flat we already saw in Wa’s dream at the end of episode five. Wa is living with Wa; apparently, she has bought condos everywhere Wa was working as a prosecutor in the last ten years. Wa asks if it wasn’t better if she became a lawyer instead of the a prosecutor (her original plan), but Four is fine as it is, she got her part of the inheritance (apparently, they could never prove that Film was not her father’s son) and she gets to live with the Woman she loves. Wa just wishes Vivi could be here with them.
At the office, Wa is dealing with a case everyone labeled as a suicide, but Wa is not so sure. This reminds her of Vivi: back then, they reviewed the CCTV footage that showed a man entering the building during the time of Vivi’s death, but there was no evidence linking him to their condo, as the camera on the floor was broken. She remembers the detective concluding Vivi’s death was suicide. There was a posting on social media by Vivi that looked like a suicide note, but the writing wasn’t in her style. The police even found the potential killer, a Mr. Ekkachai, but he is not a suspect anymore, because some neightbor of Wa and Four said he visited him an that he was his friends. For the detective, it was case closed – but not for Wa who decided to become a prosecutor then and there, promising to show them how to do the job properly. They tried to interrogate the neighbor by themselves, but he had already moved.
In the evening, the TV shows the news of Jattawa charging someone with murder. Wa asks Four what would have happened if back then, someone had done his job properly. Four says Wa would have become a prosecutor, and this culprit would have gone away – so Vivi’s death wasn’t In vain. As they proceed with making out, someone else is watching the same TV footage in a dark room. The next day, after Wa presented her case to the judge, Four await in front of the building, but she isn’t the only one, and unknow male waits there as well and wants to get to Wa, but Four intervenes. It turns out to be their neighbor, who wants to confess that he falsely claimed that Mr. Ekkachai was a friend for money. He couldn’t live with this lie any longer; Four says she let’s someone search for the suspect’s new identity.
Then, we are back at the exact same scene from episode five. Wa awakes to find Four on the balcony. She is grieving for Vivi – because she has found out that Mr. Ekkachai. He was formerly an Four’s father’s driver, but got fired, and in retaliation killed Four’s father. He was looking for Four on the day he murdered Vivi, but he didn’t know a Four wasn’t living in her apartment anymore. Now, she really blames herself for Vivi’s death – but Wa tries to console her as she did back then. The next day, they visit Vivi’s “tombstone” and encounter someone the placing a garland there. He tries to flee but is rather slow so Four catches him easily – it’s Wa’s long-lost father.
The three go back to his home, where the father has numerous photos from Wa and Vivi on the wall. Wa asks her where he’s been all this time and why he didn’t raise them – he say he left them alone because he hoped Vivi wouldn’t die this time. This time?
At this point, Four excuses herself and leaved Wa alone with her father, who explained that he tried to prevent Vivi’s death from happening – but no matter what he tried she always died somehow, different ways, different reasons, but always the same result. In the end he turned the time back to rather after she was born, left Vivi in Wa’s care and left. But even that didn’t work. Wa says that she knows the killer now, but her father maintains she will just die from something else, as before. She was a good life now, she should not risk it. But what about Vivi’s life, she says. He asks back, what if her connection to Four is the one thing she would have to give up? Every death of Vivi he witnessed had somehow to do with Four.Four still believes that she can save Vivi and be with Four; now, that she’s aware of the connection. But her father is old, because his lifetime continues every time he reverses time, this next try might be his last. He leave’s it up to her, but she should consider this carefully.
She’s back at home at night when Four returns; Wa wonders why Four isn’t asking about her father, she replies that Wa usually tells her everything, unless it’s making her uncomfortable and then, she doesn’t what to know. Wa gives her a brief summary of her family’s powers, Four does not seem surprised. Wa says the things about stopping time – Four says let’s do it together. The leave the apartment and go back to the rooftop where they first really connected all those your ago. Wa’ voiceover tells us that this time she will save Vivi and keep Four. Four wonders how the found each other in all the previous iterations of their lives – and what will they do differently this time.
Then, it is revealed that Four went back to Wa’s father. She pleads with him that he should turn back time, she’s knows she’s been good to Wa, but she cannot give her a family. She knows what to do now in order to save Vivi’s life. Wa doesn’t want that, she does not want to lose Four, either, but Four say’s it’s already been decided. Wa wonder whether Four will remember her at all when the time is reversed, but four claims there is only one Jattawa in this world and she will remember her. Wa claims even if she doesn’t, Wa will always orbit around her like a satellite. Then the clock turns to midnight and the time is reversed.
That was one hell of an episode, and one that raises more questions than it provides answers. I must admit I do not know what Wa’s plan was or what Four’s plan is, and how this is supposed to work at all. Up until know everyone who did not reverse time didn’t keep any memories (apart from some déjà vus) from the previous iterations. That would mean only the father would keep his memories – but how does that keep Four and Wa from repeating the same iteration once again? How does Four even know about the time-travel?
Other than that, this episode only got through the plot in 40 minutes by reducing the characters essentially to three, Wa, his father, and Four. Everyone else we previously got to know did appear in this episode at all, separating and distancing this from the previous episode. The whole plot with Four’s family was left unresolved, and the investigation into Vivi’s death was extremely shoddy work. I always expected Wa’s dad to appear, especially as he kind of made an appearance in the novel (which I’ve at this time I’ve only read to about 66%, so I have no knowledge of the plot to come) which was adamant that he’s not dead, just disappeared. But the plan they’re following now I do not know or comprehend at all.
The episode starts – naturally – at the cliffhanger where the last one ended. Ek is pointing a gun at them. Wan admits that she only ever loved Pleng, and that she married Ek because she hoped Pleng would learn of it somehow and then return to her. Well, that didn’t exactly happen… Ek request that she stops hurting him, but she claims she asked for a divorce to end his pain long ago, and that it is him who can’t let go. He then says he’ll stop trying to get back with her – and point the gun at himself. Wan runs over to stop him from killing himself – but a shot is released, and he hit the back of his head, collapsing. Meanwhile, Pleng is reminded of her own trauma with her father, she’s clearly traumatized. It takes some time for Wan to get through to her so that she can call an ambulance while Wan is dealing with the patient and trying to keep Ek alive.
Ek survives for the moment, they could stabilize him for the moment, but he’s still in a coma. Pleng feels guilty, saying none of the would have happened if she hadn’t returned. Wan tries to reassure her that the problem isn’t Pleng - but Wan, who doesn’t love Ek, and Ek, who cannot accept that. She’s right, if anyone’s at fault, it those two – they really never should have married in the first place. Pleng is not sure if she can handle all of this – but Wan claims it’s just a test so see if their relationship is strong enough – and that nothing will be harder that this. Oh, you sweet summer child …
Then, Ek’s parent show up and claim that Wan did this – that Ek is not so weak that he would try to kill himself. They really don’t know him, do they? Wan just smiles because that is the first time his parent’s have actually taken his side and are defending him. Then, the press shows up and asks all sorts of question about Ek, Wan, and Pleng – but thankfully, Earth has arrived who has probably more experience dealing with reports and quickly shuts them down. Pleng and Wav leave the hospital, heading home, where they cry in the shower together.
The next day, they’ve relocated to a friend’s apartment (I guess the press is waiting outside their own one). They try to calm down – but then there’s a knock at the door. It’s Wi, Wan’s mother, asking why Pleng is still with her. Wan claims that they are a couple – and get slapped by her mother, reminding her that her husband is still in a coma. Wan says is she can’t accept the truth, that is HER problem, prompting Wi to drop the bomb: Wan and Pleng are actually (half-)sibling, they have the same father. Wi then recounts the story that Pleng’s mom told in Episode 2 – she once was hospitalized for several days leaving Pleng’s father in Wi’s care, and apparently, they had a fling. I’m with Wan, I refuse to believe that – but Pleng’s father and Aunt Wi certainly believed it, and it explains why Wan had such a privileged position and wasn’t living with her own father. This of course wrecks Pleng, who wants to be alone.
Pleng believes Wi, and this changes everything for her. She says she can’t stay with Wan and has talked to Earth who has a place for her. Wan say she doesn’t need to leave – she will go instead. Why doesn’t anyone try to find out if Wi really told them the truth? That should be easy to prove/disprove.
Then, Wan is visiting Ek, who’s still in a coma. She apologizes to him, for her part is this mess of things; she’s was naive enough to believe that everything would turn out well – even for Ek – once everything was out in the open. But now, everyone is hurting, and she wishes he could just forget and move on, find someone who really loves him, and in the meantime, get love from his family. I’m not sure I would go as far as Wan in praising her parents, but they are surely better than hers. She bids farewell to him, and I sense a certain finality to her speech. She leaves, and he reveals (only to us) that he was actually awake and heard the whole speech.
Then Wan gets a letter from the DNA lab – ah, so she WAS trying to out the truth about her and Pleng. Great that someone is still thinking logically. She opens the letter – but we don’t get to see the results. Instead, we move on Pleng packing her things and planning to leave Wan’s apartment, as she’s leaving the concierge is giving her to things Wan left for her. It’s is now we find out that the last two scenes didn’t happen concurrently because the one thing Wan left for the was the test results. The other one is a letter from her to Pleng is which she admits that she was just as shocked as Pleng about what her mom said – but she never believes it, whereas Pleng believed it wholeheartedly, not fighting their love. She is exhausted of trying to keep Pleng from leaving and instead left her the test results which prove the are not related, and decided to leave. She leaves it to fate to see whether they reconnect down the line – but she’ll always love Pleng. I don't see how this helps anyone...
Pleng doesn’t want to leave it that way. First, she looks for Wan at the hospital, then she tries to find her at her mom’s – why she would be there beats me, and Wi isn’t scared for her daughter, only for the two of the together. What a mother… Oh, but Pleng has the test result, and throws it in her face that Wan is NOT Pleng’s father’s daughter. She doesn’t take it well – apparently, she’s made up this fantasy that Wan was actually Wut’s daughter, but never bothered to check for herself.
Wan, meanwhile is sitting at a beach and getting drunk; at night, she’s pretty much fully drunk when a Russian-sounding man wants to pick her up and doesn’t take no for an answer – but Frank, her childhood friend appears, apparently, he’s the owner of this resort now, and saves her from the would-be assaulter. He escorts her back to her hotel room and make sure she doesn’t suffocate on her own vomit. Meanwhile, Pleng has apparently given up on finding her – and encounters Earth waiting for her. They walk to his condos, and he knows that her girlfriend is/was Wan – wasn’t that difficult to find out, was it – and proposes that she if Wan comes back, she let’s he go an instead start something with him. The audacity! She lets him down gently, saying in this life she can probably only love Wan❤– then he proposes to sort things out with Wan. What did you think she was trying to be all day!?!? They, he has one good idea: she should go to a place where they both had good memories. This is when Pleng apparently remembers the honeymoon conversation from last week.
Later, Wan wakes up in her hotel room – at 4.00 a.m. of course – and goes back to the beach and stays there until the sun is up. Frank talks to her, offering to take her anywhere she wants to. She wants to visit a tattoo parlor where she is getting a tattoo of the constellation Gemini, because to her, even though they are not siblings, it’s a symbol of the relationship with Pleng. Frank originally wanted to ask her out, but hearing that, he knows that that would be useless, and Wan confirms that in this life, she can only love Pleng ❤, and that they’re better off as siblings.
Later that day, Pleng arrives at the hotel resort. Frank is hesitant to tell her where Wan is, claiming she already hurt her too much, but she pleads with him to just let her talk with her one more time. We don’t find out this week how that conversation ended, because we more on to Wan, strolling down the beach once more, and sporting her new tattoo, she moves into the water, until she’s almost submerged.
We get a flashback(?) to happier times with Pleng and Wan and the beach.
I don’t understand the preview scenes. What is going on there?
It was a pretty melodramatic episode. I never believed Aunt Wi for a second, and the conflict between Pleng and Wan felt pretty artificial to me. I understand that Wan is tired of Pleng always trying to run away, but her solution actually is none, as her feelings are not going to go away. Now, they are both love each other but are not together, and they have one episode to solve this. Plus, we need the song for Wan played in the final episode. And will make Khun Nueng an appearance? 😉
This is by far the longest recap I have ever written, so I leave it at that. 😊
An extralong episode starts at Yoreum’s hotel room, where she and Itsuki are dining. Itsuki is still depressed due to Fuyu breaking up with her. Included in this dinner scene was a flashback to highschool, where Yoreum fought for Itsuki and assaulted those spreading (correct) rumors about her, because she was not liking any of the boys. Back in the here and now, Itsuki still thinks of Yoreum as her older sister, whereas Yoreum wants to be her lover. The night gets longer and longer, and once Yoreum puts alcohol on the table, one can guess where this will lead. The following morning Itsuki wakes up naked in bed next to Yoreum, who remarks “That was fun, wasn’t it?” Meanwhile Fuyu is at the closed café and learns what her mother had been doing, and that Itsuki didn’t want to stay at her home (but not why).
Itsuki still can’t believe she slept with Yoreum, and I’m skeptical, too, despite Yoreum’s claims to the contrary.
Later Itsuki and Fuyu are both called to “Digital Dreams”, where their former colleagues cannot get approval for their new character of the game. The only option they have left is using the photos she made of Fuyu and Itsuki earlier as blueprints for the characters, because those photos created interest with the manga author. But they apparently need some more photos – that’s why they have called Itsuki and Fuyu. Considering the current state of affairs between the two, they help by posing once again in costumes for photos – but that photoshoot is awkward.
The talk they have after the photoshoot isn’t much better. They clearly both want to be together, but Fuyu’s mom stands (and perhaps also Yoreum) stands firmly between the two. Upon return to her hotel room, Tsuji and Kou wait for Fuyu, he has lost his job opportunity at the zoo, but he is more worried about her still-wife and Itsuki. Fuyu said she is ready to give up the love of her life, but her husband does not want to let her sacrifice her happiness; he has decided to proceed with the divorce no matter what.
This apparently propels Fuyu to talk to mother again. She says she want to be with Itsuki and eventually marry her (not in Japan, of course, same-sex marriage is not a thing there), and Kou and Tsuki support her decision. Mother accuses her of ruining not only her and father, but also her own family – but she is ready to cut her ties with the Lin family, severing her ties with her parents. Her mother urges her to rethink this and instead be a normal family, but the necklace she’s wearing gives her strength to withstand her mother this time – she will decide what is normal for herself.
Meanwhile, Itsuki has returned to Yoreum is a moping by the pool. Yoreum beckon her to join the fun in the pool, but Itsuki can’t stand it anymore – she confesses she’s in love with Fuyu, and runs way. She packs a few things from her apartment and is about to leave for somewhere what she gets a phone call from Fuyu who wants to see her. Over the closing credits, they run towards each other only to find each other at a cross-walk; where they once again confess their love for each other; Fuyu also says she has talked with her mother, and no one will stop them from being together ever again. Can I have that in writing? 😊 The episode ends on Fuyu and Itsuki kissing, and Yoreum claiming she will not give up.
Well, we could have had that result last episode. It remains to be seen if Fuyu’s mother really give up that easily, and what Yoreum does next. She has an Ace up her sleeve – she can use the drunk sex she and Itsuki had (or did they?) to her advantage. I’m glad that Fuyu finally discovered her backbone, but found that episode to be largely filler. That Yoreum was a good girl in her younger years doesn’t change the fact that she is trying to hurt Itsuki for selfish reasons now.
Honestly, I should perhaps start to watch this series at x2 speed, because so little happens in an episode.
We got the continuation of the vacation “date” between Love and Rain, where Rain finally admitted that she had fun on the trip. Love asks her to be girlfriends, yet Rain is still a little hesitant. But Love makes it clear that she is all in with her – she always has been – and wants a relationship. Then she kisses her, and the makeout turns into petting (only for streaming watchers) – until Love’s camera falls off the bed. But Rain agrees to be girlfriends after this; she is clearly smitten with this “kid” as she calls her.
After some bubble tea and toast sponsoring, it is time to return to Bangkok. The owner of the vacation house bids them farewell as they drive to on Love’s motorcycle – and the calls Bowie, Love’s friend, and tells her Love and Rain left together.
At the tattoo studio, Pat is at her post as Deane’s friend from Rain’s company appears. The two will probably not become friends anymore; after she delivers some Soy milk for Deane she’s off to work. Shortly thereafter, Love appears and notices the tension between Deane and Pat, but doesn’t get to ask much, because then, a girl named Mai enters the room – and Deane’s attitude completely changes. Mai calls her babe and asks whether they can talk. While they are off-camera, Love informs Par that Mai is Deane’s ex, who broke up with here on their 10th anniversary, as a three-minute flashback shows us. Pat is worried that she doesn’t have a chance with Deane against this long-term relationship. Pat gets further bad news, as her father has gone on a vacation with his new family (remember, her parents are divorced) leaving alone for two weeks. Love says she’ll be there for her, only to abandon her as she is requested by her girlfriend.
The next day, Pat makes a brave face with Deane in light of the new old competition; then we get another flashback scene showing happier times between Deane and Mai. Finally, we learn that the next day, it’s Deane’s birthday, Deane and Pat invite Love and Rain to a party at the tattoo studio. The telephone call reveals to the watchers that Rain and Love are spending the day together, sharing some more sponsored toast. The next day, they arrive together holding hands at the party, admitting to Deane and Pat that they are dating, But of course, more guests show up – first it’s Rains former co-worker (who is actually named Botan), brings a present – and the news that that her other colleague Fern Is getting married, to Rain’s ex Arm. Rain doesn’t seem that bothered, though. Then, of course Mai joins the party, surprising Deane as they had an appointment for the next day – but it’s Deane’s birthday (and their anniversary) after all, so how couldn’t she make an appearance.
They are off talking again, and Pat prepares the birthday cake; Botan leaves however, as she sees no chance with Deane now that Mai is back. As Deane returns, Pat brings the birthday cake combined with a question – she asks if she could be the girl by her side. This is awkward, as Mai is still there. Deane doesn’t answer Pat and instead offers Mai some cake leading Pat to storm off apparently having no chance with her. Love asks if she and Mai are back together – which Deane denies, then scold her for treating Pat horribly.
The last part is just a five-minute flashback of Pat's history of abandonment.
And that was episode 5. For me, there was at max 25 minutes of actual story in there padded by lengthy scenes if which essentially nothing happened, and the flashbacks which told us nothing new of importance. At this point the show comes dangerously close to its predecessor “Lucky My Love”; the only part worthwhile is the story of Love and Rain, and even that one is padded as hell.
EPISODE 6 The episode starts straight away with Pleng asking Wan why she hadn’t told her she had married Ek. Wan tells her she filing for divorce, Pleng then asks if she really has a new love as she told Ek, and Wan confirms this – you should know whom she’s talking about!
We get a little talk about if that should be considered an affair – I already mentioned last week that I don’t consider this an affair. And then Wan once and for all spells out to Pleng that she is her first and only love, and she will protect her. The next day, she’s reading in Pleng’s song writing notebook, and quotes back some line of the title song to an embarrassed Pleng before leaving for work.
Then Aunt Wi appears apparently surprised that Pleng is back. She asks her pretty much straight away why she has returned now that Wan’s life has gotten so much better without her. Pleng claims that not everything is better now, for example her relationship with Ek. But Wi claims that they might reconcile – especially if Pleng is out of the picture. She claims Wan has suffered so much during Pleng’s disappearance that her leaving again could net cause her any more pain – well, apparently, she doesn’t know her daughter at all!
Downstairs Pleng run into Ek again, he’s the one that brought Wi to the apartment. Pleng pleads with him once more to let Wan go because she doesn’t love him anymore, but he can’t, because he love’s her so much. That’s not love, that is obsession at best.
Wan comes home to encounter her mom and not Pleng there; she fears Pleng might have run off again. Wi want to praise Ek once more, but Wan is having none of it, telling her she already has who she needs, and goes looking for Pleng. While talking over the phone, Pleng assures her she’s not been scared, but just needs some time for herself.
Later, Ek is drunk at his hotel in from of Earth and Pleng; Pleng, feeling sorry for Ek, agrees to help him and Wan – but only to get them talking again. Everything else in between Wan und Ek. I really don’t understand why Pleng helps him _again_ reverting to her meddling shenanigans from 13 years ago – but as Wan never loved Ek and loves Pleng, this shouldn’t work anyway, right?
At night, Pleng asks Wan out for dinner, having earned her first pay check; we already know where this is going. Wan playfully asks to make the offer more exciting – and Pleng gives her a quick kiss on the mouth! You do remember what you are trying to do with Ek and Wan, right?!?! Later, in the restaurant, the lights go dark, and her and Ek’s wedding starts playing before Ek shows up with some flowers. It goes about as well as can be expected. Wan spells it out once again: she has never loved him, she married him only because of the person she actually loves. At home, Wan is furious – not because of Pleng’s attempt to help Ek, but because she went against her own feelings again. Pleng finally agrees not if interfere with Wan’s life again – which Wan finds can only be a sarcastic comment. But Before Pleng can think about that…
…the episode 1 flashforward finally happens which an all-out assault by Wan but Pleng, after some heavy makeout, eventually pushes her off, saying the she cannot do this. A frustrated Wan lets go of her, leaving her alone.
The next day, Pleng and Ek meet up at his bar. There, two of them share their frustrations with Wan, and Pleng thinks she might need new accommodations soon – but Ek says she’ll never let her go, she loves Pleng too much for that. He even wonders sometimes whether the person Wan talks about, her true love, is actually Pleng. Dude, if you haven’t connected the dot by know you should return your brain, because it’s clearly not working. He gives her a brief summary of Wans 13 years of sadness, searching in vain for Pleng, he even tells her Wan wakes up at 4 a.m. because that when Pleng left her. This FINALLY makes Wan realize their love for each other, and she rushes to find Wan at the hospital where she confesses her love for Wan – and that she has every intention of keeping that promise she made so long again and be hers. Cue the sexy time!
So, after five episodes and 41 minutes – and of course 13 years of dancing around, they finally consummate their love for each other, in a multi-part sex scene that I almost five minutes long. The next day, Pleng visits Wan at the hospital; where Wan introduces Pleng as her girlfriend, much to Pleng’s embarrassment, because after all Wan is still married. But Wan doesn’t care, she thinks it’s time they stand to their feelings. While they are kissing in the hospital garden, someone makes photos of them.
At the bar (with Ek gladly absent) Pleng plays the title song on the piano, and Earth is interested – in her, but also in the song. Pleng of course rebuffs his personal advance, bat talks about the business proposal with Wan, and though she doesn’t trust earth, she trusts her enough to decide for herself. They are talking about going on a quick vacation, as someone once again makes photos of them.
The next day, it’s Wan’s birthday, but Pleng pretend not to remember it. She tries to bake a cake but cuts her finger as Ek calls. He requests she comes downstairs to the lobby where he acts low-key threatening toward her. So, it’s him making the photos, right? Later that evening, Pleng has given up on making a cake, buying one and decorations instead. With them she surprises her girl, who is happy – but says she needn’t have bought a cake, because all she wants to eat is Pleng. Pleng tell her to proceed – it’s her birthday, after all – but then Ek shows up, says “You two should die”, and draws a weapon.
And this is only the first cliff-hanger, because in a flashback scene we can that Wan never forgave her mother for treating Pleng so poorly, and thus didn’t even want to reconcile with her as her father passed away. As Wi remembers that, she’s opens a drawer, and gets out a photo of Pleng’s father. So, they are suggesting – as they’ve alluded to previously albeit less directly – that he might also be Wan’s real father?!?
This CANNOT be the real endgame of this story. Did the author want to make us root to half-siblings?!?! I hope not, because it’d throw the whole love story off the golden gate bridge. I’m actually less worried by Ek holding pointing a gun at them, than by this turn of events.
I found it hilarious that in the end Ek was it that got Pleng and Wan together.
Well, the fun had to end somehow – it can’t all be hugs and rainbows.
In Episode 3, Fuyu’s mother enters this season like a hurricane. It only takes three sentences to take the pressure up to deep-sea levels. Fuyu’s father in die to get a big promotion, one that the family has put all their financial resources on. Of course, the whole family will be investigated before that promotion will actually happen – and they will investigate Fuyu, Tsuki and Kou as well. Thus, the three of them need to live harmoniously – and a scared Fuyu agrees. Itsuki – who heard this all while hiding in the wardrobe is of course worried.
The next day, Fuyu’s mother dines with the whole family, and she doesn’t only boss her daughter around, no, Kou gets his share as well, having chosen an improper job in her eyes (animal keeper). She will arrange a more suitable job for him. Fuyu quickly protests, saying they are not pawns for her mother to position, but mother wants no discussion on this. Tskui hasn’t got the message though, because when asked what her favorite thing about Japan so far is, she claims that was meeting Itsuki. ❤ out of the mouths of babes…
Of course, mother knows about this already, having hired a P.I. to investigate her daughter. Fuyu and Kou lie that they only met Itsuki by accident, and mother pretends to believe it for now. After the dinner, Fuyu meets up with Itsuki, and promises to make her mother understand that she only loves Itsuki – but I’m not convinced. I don’t think she has the strength and willpower to battle her successfully.
We get a cute flashback to how Fuyu and Itsuki first became a couple. Fuyu was planning a date with the “campus prince” and went shopping with Itsuki, only to find out the prince was also dating someone else. Fuyu is surprisingly unaffected by this, confessing that the heart flutters only when she is with Itsuki. Itsuki claims she feels the same way and asks if she can kiss Fuyu; Fuyu wonders if that is normal, but Itsuki tells her that what is normal is not for her mother, but for herself to decide. They share a cute first kiss, and I’m afraid that this is only happy thing we get to see this week.
The next day, Fuyu wants to talk to mother about her life and her own choices – and it goes about as well as could be expected. Fuyu pretty much folds at the start, submitting to her mother’s will – and breaks up with Itsuki again later over the phone, leaving here devastated. So, we are back to the end of last season. ☹
But mother doesn’t stop there, she also creates false reports of health risks at the Café, causing the establishment to be closed down temporarily. And she hires someone to follow her and break into her apartment and write “shameless” onto the ceiling and sheets of papers. Itsuki flees the place and seeks refuge at the closed shop.
There, Yoreum shows up, not knowing what has happened, and ends up consoling her very distraught friend. Later, she visits Fuyu – and slaps her, promising she will do anything in her power to keep Fuyu’s family from hurting Itsuki any further – which is how Fuyu learns what her mother is up to.
And that’s the episode – it really needed the flashback, otherwise it would have been just doom and gloom. Yoreum now has the (unearned, as she was quietly plotting against the couple as well) opportunity to get back into Itsuki’s life for real. And Fuyu needs to grow a backbone if she want any chance in her of repairing her relationship with Itsuki. But so far, I’m interested – battling mothers is nothing new for watchers of Thai GLs… 😊
This might have been a passable watch if we were in the middle of a GL drought, but with shows like loyal pin,…
Truer words were never spoken. Had this come out a year ago, it would have had more of a chance to succeed. But now, in the middle of a GL show explosion in both quality and quantity, it has no chance whatsoever. The only good thing about this show Bmine/Near - the were also the only thing remotely passable in their first show "lucky my love". It's high time they get a proper gig, something with an actual plot.
EPISODE 4 This show doesn’t warrant my lengthy recaps anymore – there’s just not enough happening.
This episode had two focuses (how could there be more, as there are just two potential couples, and nothing else of importance going on).
Rain rejects Love’s love confession, first of all to protect herself from further heartbreak (as all her previous relationship have been disasters, and all the men/women exploited and cheated on her), and secondly because she thinks she doesn’t deserve any love. Love returns home, unsure how to proceed that rejection, but her mother tells her to give it some time; Rain needs to realize that Love is not like her former lovers, and Love’s “ambush approach” is more likely to scare her off than to entice her. So, she takes a step back; lets Rain alone for a few days – and all Rain can think about is Love and her care for her. Eventually, she books a short vacation – and inadvertently select Love’s next place of work where she does some advertisement photography. Love quickly falls back into her “all-out assault” strategy, until the owner of the resort suggests that she should show her that she is serious. So, she changes her style, clothing and approach to resemble work-mode Rain more – but she hilariously fails at drinking wine. Later she confesses that she just wanted to show Rain that she can be serious; and she can wait a little longer for Rain to realize that, having waited for seven years already. This clearly has an effect on Rain; Love takes her on a tour through the area to take some photos, but mostly takes photos of Rain. Finally, Love kisses Rain cautiously and Rain doesn’t immediately recoil. But their moment is interrupted by sudden rain.
Meanwhile Pat finds Deane in her tattoo studio sick; and she selflessly cares for and doesn’t leave her side till she gets better. Deane doesn’t dislike this, in fact, once she’s recovered, she seduces Pat and they sleep together. But the next day, Pat encounters Deane with the former colleague of Rain who booked the appointment directly with Deane. Deane claims she and Pat just had sex, nothing more. After the girl leaves, Pat asks Deane if it’s fun toying with her emotions, but Deane remains unaffected – unlike Pat, who’s left crying over this. (I’ve seen no significant difference between the cut and the Gagaoolala version, apart from a “commercial” where Love and Deane praised the toast sponsor of the show.)
And that’s it. As opposed to all other GLs there’s just not enough going on. This episode clearly had an A and B storyline A being Love and Rain, which was good, because the two of them are the far more interesting pairing. I think Love is well on her way of winning Rain’s heart, without changing herself all that much For Pat/Deane, I’m not sure they _should_ even be together. If Dean doesn’t change her ways, they shouldn’t, maybe her ex next week will show her that she is hurting Pat, perhaps by doing the same to her?
We start directly where we left off, with Pleng meeting Ek in the Lobby. As she tells him that she is currently staying he want her help again as Wan just broke up with him before he can tell more, tough, an angry Wan arrives and tells him to get lost.
Pleng and Wan talk about Ek over dinner; she admits that they’ve been really together, but that her cheated on her. Wan takes some of the blame for this, because she never loved him. Why did she date him, then? Because of Pleng’s recommendation all those years ago, of course. Wans call it one of her life’s mistakes – but we know the relationship wasn’t just dating as Wan carries now Ek’s last name…Wan say she tried to love him but just couldn’t – maybe she was destined to only love Pleng. Came on, please don’t do this awkward dance around each other again…
The next day, Pleng’s phone doesn’t charge anymore, she could only get the message that she lost her gig at the bar before the juice runs out. Pleng decided to try her luck as a street musician – but encounters two former bandmates of her from high school and flees the scene, too embarrassed to talk to them. She then runs into Ek, who is in full stalking mode again – he followed her because he wanted to make her an offer, and Pleng suspects he really want help in getting back together with Wan. He brings her to a fancy hotel (for which Wan clearly feels underdressed) – and offers her job. This hotel belongs to his family, and he wants to hire her as a bar musician. He even teases that she might start a recording career, as many producers frequent to bar. She’s still suspicious and Ek admit he hopes for some helps with Wan, but says she’s fine either way. I believe that when I see it!
She’s still thinking about the offer as she returns home – and finds Wan in tears as she thought she had away once again as she couldn’t reach her. Pleng tells her she went looking for a job, and admit that a) she got one, b) it’s at Ek’s hotel and c) that he most probably wants to enlist her as a help to reconcile with Wan again. But Pleng says, as Wan isn’t interested in getting back together with Ek, this should not matter, right? Wan eventually relents, but not before warning him not to try any funny business with Pleng.
We then get a flashback to an anniversary of some kind that Ek celebrates alone at a bar, Wan texting him she needs to work. While sitting at the barn a woman approaches him, they cheer – and next we see him getting hot a heavy with her at home, where of course Wan catches the two in flagranti as the Italians say. Ek admits she’s lonely in their relationship. I’m actually halfway sorry for Ek, but how do think cheating would help?!?
Wan returns home, where Pleng see that she’s stressed – and Wan suddenly just kisses her on the mouth?!?! This just happened, right?! Then, Wan gifts her an iPhone to replace her old one, Pleng starts texting with her right away, knowing that she not happy with her job with Ek, and then admits that she loves Wan. We’ve heard this before, but what kind of love is it?
At night, Pleng thinks about Wan’s kiss, so it did really happen? Then Wan kisses Pleng on the neck but Pleng pretends to be asleep. At work, Ek wants to gift her a dress, but Pleng doesn’t want it. Later, she takes a bow after work with Ek; but Wan is also there and reacts really jealous – of course not for Ek but for Pleng. She causes a huge scene and then wants to leave with Pleng – but Ek says she’s still on the clock which makes her even more angry. She throws money at him as compensation. Back to home Pleng and Wan argue, which ends In Pleng offering to take a bath with Wan?!? How exactly did we get here? In the bathtub, suddenly catches feelings, so she leaves and plans to sleep alone of the couch, but Wan will have nothing of it she snuggles with her until Pleng admits that Wan does cause her to feel something, and proceeds with a makeout session as demonstration. Come on now, this is getting ridiculous!
At work, Pleng meets Earth, one of Ek’s producer friends, this is no coincidence, as we later find out – because Ek has finally realized that Wan and Pleng are close, perhaps too close, and he wants Earth to woo her to get her out of the way. How, I’m definitely not feeling sorry anymore for Ek, even though the situation with his parents probably hasn’t improved in the last 13 years.
Pleng visits Wan at work, where she complements her on her skills as a doctor, and on her doctor’s outfit which looks professional – and easy to take off. This common results in a heavy makeout session, that doesn’t lead to full-on sex only because they get interrupted. While walking home that talk, and Ek comes up again. Pleng feels there is something unresolved between Ek and Wan. Wan, you need to tell her that you’re married!
Well, too late because Ek tells her the next day. He also knows that Wan loves someone else, loved that person even before they got together, he asks Pleng if she could tell him wo that person is. That’s Pleng, you fool! Then he claims that as they are not divorced yet, Wan is actually having as affair. Well, you are separated, so in my book it wouldn’t be an affair. Then, he’s says he’ll kill the guy once he finds out who he is.
And there ends the episode. Ek either is really stupid (I think he knows it's not a guy that is his competition), or wants to make Pleng fear him. I don’t see how this could work either way. Putting the proposal flashback of Ek to Wan after this doesn’t make his character any more likeable, he is already unredeemable at this point.
Next week Aunt Wi returns!
I don’t see any of Ek’s plans succeeding, if Pleng and Wan don’t let other people interfere this time. So, it’s really up to them.
This time, I felt the length of the episode which once again clocks in at over 60 minutes but whereas last time that way okay because we had to get to know Pleng and Wan again, Ek is just not that interesting – or likeable – a person, and that Wan and Ek were married was not a secret that needed to be kept from Pleng for a whole episode. It was still a good episode, but the previous one was better, no contest.
So, the title of the show is a misnomer; as Ek and Wan are separated, no one – at least in western counties, I don’t know about Thailand – would think Wan is cheating on anyone, and Pleng is not a mistress – well if they ever get to that scene for ep. 1 , that is. 😊
This episode was fun for the most part, though my patience with Yoreum is already wearing thin.
In the beginning Yoreum, Itsuki’s “first love” for high school reappears; the Korean girl previously lived with Itsuki and her parents during high school as part of some exchange program, and apparently, they were close. Now a famous celebrity, Yoreum has returned to Japan – obviously to reconnect and court Itsuki, having recently confessed publicly that she’s gay.
Itsuki tells her right away that she is already in love with someone else, but Yoreum won’t take no for an answer, especially as Itsuki tells her they are not dating because Fuyo is still married. She hugs Itsuki without permission, and that of course is the time when Fuyu arrives at the café, misinterpreting the frankly questionable situation and storming off. Itsuki runs after her, but apparently Fuyu is too quick in her high heels for her.
The next day, Fuyu is visiting the Game development studio she was the boss of in S1. They are still working on “Tennyo Sekai”, and the creator of that comic strip isn’t actually the college-aged woman we met in S1, but rather her younger sister, who is still in high school (I assume this means we’ll still visit “Dynamic Dream” in S2, and the original actress playing Zhang Shulin wasn’t available for S2, because why else would the show essentially recast this minor role).
Itsuki, meanwhile is confusing salt and sugar at her café – so, she’s clearly still affected by her Tiff with Fuyu, while her former co-workers assure Fuyu, that Itsuki’s heart only belongs to Fuyu. But they also acknowledge that her rival Yoreum is really popular and successful. Yoreum, meanwhile calls her team to find out who this Fuyu even is.
Later, Itsuki awaits Fuyu at her hotel, wants to make her understand that there’s nothing between Yoreum and her, a conversation that ends with Itsuki exclaiming loudly “The only person I love is Fuyu!”. Fuyu quickly gets in an elevator before anyone can see that she really liked that statement – but then the elevator breaks down. I’m wondering if there’s some technical problem with Japanese elevators in general (as the same thing happened in S1), while Itsuki tries to calm Fuyu, who is claustrophobic, down. This works in the beginning, but as then the power cuts out and Fuyu is sitting in the dark, she’s springs into action, breaks open the elevator door and frees Fuyu.
Then they are having dinner in Fuyu’s hotel room. Fuyu at first apologizes to Itsuki for causing her pain by being with her while still technically married (as Yoreum just had called her accusing her of this), but Itsuki vehemently denies this. The having a cute dinner, feeding each other, and almost kiss – but then, Fuyu’s homophobic mother is outside the hotel room. Fuyu’s telling Itsuki to hide.
Overall, the second episode was mostly as good as the first, though I didn’t really care for the revisit to “Dynamic Dream”. And while Yoreum claims Itsuki and her are linked by “Inyeon” – the Korean term the doesn’t really have a translation but could be interpreted as “soul mates” – her actions don’t really fit that description. If Itsuki doesn’t fall for her in some way, this could get annoying really soon. I’m actually more excited for Fuyu’s resolute mother, who caused the first breakup of the two lovers. Fuyu has her work cut out for her if she wants to change that battleship’s direction. 😊
In the beginning, they’re worrying about customers – a day after their online promotion. A little early isn’t it. Love decides to hand out flyers at the mall, and of course takes Rain with her who reluctantly agrees after over a minute of debate among the four friends.
Afterwards, they return to the shop where is all “Where are my customers?” Apparently, she has no idea how advertisements work. Then, the first customer makes an appointment via text. If they’ll always need four employees to get a single customer, this is doomed to fail.
All this time, Love Is doing even the smallest thing like opening water bottles for her – this could get annoying really soon, especially when she takes all the agency away from Rain. Deane, on the other hand flirts with Pat, but tries to keep thing casual, non-committal. As Pat is pretty much the smitten kitten, who only pretends to be okay with that, this is surely going to work out great …
Love openly flirts with Rain, who misinterprets this behavior is joking – or at least doesn’t want it to be serious. They eat ice cream together, and Rain slowly thaws up, though she still thinks Love is just joking with all of her childish ways of hitting on Rain, for example by sending her sweet texts on the phone.
We get another talk with Love and her mother, who recommends just asking Rain when her feeling are.
The next day, customers start appearing! Pat plays the assistant for Deane, how this business ever could be profitable is beyond me. Pat must have made tons of money in whatever she did before this. Later, Deane wants to send her home, as turns out to hide her appointment with the former co-worker of Rain (I don’t think we heard a name yet) – now Pat of course stays till the “customer” leaves. Deane once again cautions her this she isn’t looking for love, and getting attached to her will only head to pain. Deane drives her home, with Pat inviting her to come in, but Deane doesn’t think that is a good idea.
(Gagaoolala subscribers get a cut, but ultimately meaningless montage of scenes where Pat arrives at the store of different dates.) Deane thinks about love in the car, reiterating that “without pain, disappointment, or heartbreak, it’s not really love. I’m not ready to be in love” (The uncut version added one sentence to this: “Maybe I’m already in love, but I just don’t know yet”).
The next day, Love meets up with Bowie who complains that Love all but disappeared over the last days, she suspects Love has fallen in love, and she admits it right away, but doesn’t tell her anything about her crush other that it’s a girl (well, at least the subtitles do). Later that night she’s text flirting with Rain again, and invites her to a meal - at 10 a.m. Must be the weekend, then… Rain says she doesn’t want to come, but she doesn’t text it. 😊
This is followed by another ultimately meaningless exchange between Bowie and Wawa.
The next day, Rain is getting ready for the meal date – which is definitely not a date, or is it? They drive to a restaurant where once again Love does everything for her, she even offers to cut the food for her. This clearly does not sit right with Rain but for now, mothing come of it. Deane and Pat are also going out, having closed the tattoo show for the day; they are looking for a restaurant, but Deane is surprisingly picky for someone claiming to be “fine with anything”. The two couples spend the day at the arcades and by painting figurines, respectively.
The four eventually meet by accident in a row of grabber machines and after an awkward exchange where neither of the couples wants to admit they are on a date, Deane and Pat leave, why Love is angry that Rain denied the two were on a date together. Rain claims Pat and Deane would have interpreted this as having feeling for each other. Love finally admit that she’s into Rain, but Rain still doesn’t believe her. Rain has been so unlucky in love that she fears she can’t even love herself let alone someone else – but Love offers to love her if she can’t love herself.
And that’s it for this week; work dropped way into the background leaving room for the first toward love for our two mismatched couples. I’m not sure yet either Deane/Pat or Love/Rain are really compatible; Deane claims to only want a casual fling while Pat is obviously interested in more; Love is in Love, while Rain doesn’t believe in love anymore. Pat too easily gives Deane the benefit of the doubt, while Love comes across as naïve to childish.
But the episode was all in all entertaining, though some of the scenes could have been shortened or left out altogether. Bowie was only present to give the milk tea sponsor of the show a shoutout, the scenes with her and Wawa served no purpose whatsoever. And all the other GL shows of the year – “The Loyal Pin”, “The Secret of Us”, “Affair”, “Blank” and even “Reverse 4 You” are way more dramatic and have higher stakes, whereas this one runs the risk of putting me to sleep at times.
This episode being right where the last one ended. Pat returns to work for Deane, but doesn’t bring her food like numerous times before; instead she only carries breakfast for herself. She doesn’t want to reconcile with Deane despite her attempt, she doesn’t want to become a plaything again. Then, separately first Love and the Rain show up and want to discuss their problem: when they try to have sex, some mishap always happens that kills the mood. They both are eager to consummate their relationship but just can’t make it happen. Deane and Pat can’t offer any help and find the whole thing silly. That makes three of us!
The four of them return to the Deane’s favorite bar, but Pat still refuses to be called girlfriend. The owner of the bar remembers Rain, who cried into the drink and complained about their shitty boy/girlfriends. We get a flashback of that time, then a four are sitting at a table. Pat cheers with a male customer, prompting Deane to try to make up with Pat once again, to no avail.
After the ad break, the four are leaving the bar with Rain being slightly and Pat being heavily drunk. While Deane brings Pat home, Rain and Love visit a shrine on the way home which Rain passed in episode one, as a thunderstorm was starting – she vowed never to be in love again, and cursed all future relationships of hers. But Love isn’t worried, she knows someone who can help them and heads home with Rain.
Deane has reached Pat’s home and gently carries her to her bed. Then, she wants to leave – but the semi-conscious Pat doesn’t let her, pleading with Deane to stay the night. Eventually she acquiesces.
Love brings Rain home with her, despite Rain’s protests that it is not appropriate to arrive this late, when there’s also Love’s mother to consider; Love states the mother has gone to bed already, and they can talk to her (about Rain’s vow, I suppose) in the morning. This is the first time Rain sees Love’s room, and she think it fits her character bubbly on the surface, but calm inside with just a hint of fear. A makeout session doesn’t happen due to Rain stomach that apparently wants something more than alcohol. Love cooks her some noodles; after some silly tiff over eating and singing, Rain finds the photos Love took of her before they knew each other and realizes that Love really dig like her for years before they got together. We get a montage of various key scenes between the two. Then, Love brings Rain to be favorite spot on the balcony saying she never shared this spot with anyone. They share a few sweet nothings while looking into each other’s eyes.
The next morning Pat wakes up, and finds Deane downstairs preparing some sponsored iced milk tea. Deane asks her to not drink so much – especially when she’s not around, but Pat hesitates to promise her that, fearing Deane is still only playing with her. But the Dean leaves saying she will pick her up later. Where to? We will find out…
Love and Rain wake up together, having spent the night at Love’s place. In the morning, they are looking to Love’s mother, but find her collapsed and lifeless in the living room having apparently started cooking breakfast before.
And there ends the episode. Apart from the final scene, the progress storylines made is close to immeasurable, Love and Rain continued in their misadventures trying to have sex – a gag that already quickly got old last week – and Deane and Pat moving at a snail’s pace towards reconciliation. The final scene promises to shake up the routine a little, but felt completely out of place due to the rest of the episode being so light and silly.
Next week: the finale. Will our two couples make it. We will find out - if we don’t fall asleep before that.
_How_ are they going to do something differently if they don't remember what they did in the previous iteration? So far, on every reverse we've seen, only the one _doing_ the reverse remembered the erased past, but no one else (apart form occasional déjà vu, but that's not reliable enough to base a plan on, is it). So that would mean the father prevents them from meeting? And how would he prevent them from meeting later and starting the whole loop again?
That is why I don't get their plan at all. But I guess I will find out next Tuesday... I'm just saying this episode doesn't make at all clear what their actual plan is (beyond reversing time) and why they are confident it will work.
The episode starts with Wa and Four saying goodbye to Vivi, whom Wa couldn’t save. Wa blames herself, because Vivi always relied on Wa being able to reverse events. Four instead blames herself because she took Wa out on a date, unknowingly keeping her from being able to return in time. Someone is watching them.
At night, Wa is unable to sleep fearing that the images of her sister dying will haunt her. Four promises to always stay beside her and help her coping.
We are jumping ahead a decade to the flat we already saw in Wa’s dream at the end of episode five. Wa is living with Wa; apparently, she has bought condos everywhere Wa was working as a prosecutor in the last ten years. Wa asks if it wasn’t better if she became a lawyer instead of the a prosecutor (her original plan), but Four is fine as it is, she got her part of the inheritance (apparently, they could never prove that Film was not her father’s son) and she gets to live with the Woman she loves. Wa just wishes Vivi could be here with them.
At the office, Wa is dealing with a case everyone labeled as a suicide, but Wa is not so sure. This reminds her of Vivi: back then, they reviewed the CCTV footage that showed a man entering the building during the time of Vivi’s death, but there was no evidence linking him to their condo, as the camera on the floor was broken. She remembers the detective concluding Vivi’s death was suicide. There was a posting on social media by Vivi that looked like a suicide note, but the writing wasn’t in her style. The police even found the potential killer, a Mr. Ekkachai, but he is not a suspect anymore, because some neightbor of Wa and Four said he visited him an that he was his friends. For the detective, it was case closed – but not for Wa who decided to become a prosecutor then and there, promising to show them how to do the job properly. They tried to interrogate the neighbor by themselves, but he had already moved.
In the evening, the TV shows the news of Jattawa charging someone with murder. Wa asks Four what would have happened if back then, someone had done his job properly. Four says Wa would have become a prosecutor, and this culprit would have gone away – so Vivi’s death wasn’t In vain. As they proceed with making out, someone else is watching the same TV footage in a dark room. The next day, after Wa presented her case to the judge, Four await in front of the building, but she isn’t the only one, and unknow male waits there as well and wants to get to Wa, but Four intervenes. It turns out to be their neighbor, who wants to confess that he falsely claimed that Mr. Ekkachai was a friend for money. He couldn’t live with this lie any longer; Four says she let’s someone search for the suspect’s new identity.
Then, we are back at the exact same scene from episode five. Wa awakes to find Four on the balcony. She is grieving for Vivi – because she has found out that Mr. Ekkachai. He was formerly an Four’s father’s driver, but got fired, and in retaliation killed Four’s father. He was looking for Four on the day he murdered Vivi, but he didn’t know a Four wasn’t living in her apartment anymore. Now, she really blames herself for Vivi’s death – but Wa tries to console her as she did back then. The next day, they visit Vivi’s “tombstone” and encounter someone the placing a garland there. He tries to flee but is rather slow so Four catches him easily – it’s Wa’s long-lost father.
The three go back to his home, where the father has numerous photos from Wa and Vivi on the wall. Wa asks her where he’s been all this time and why he didn’t raise them – he say he left them alone because he hoped Vivi wouldn’t die this time. This time?
At this point, Four excuses herself and leaved Wa alone with her father, who explained that he tried to prevent Vivi’s death from happening – but no matter what he tried she always died somehow, different ways, different reasons, but always the same result. In the end he turned the time back to rather after she was born, left Vivi in Wa’s care and left. But even that didn’t work. Wa says that she knows the killer now, but her father maintains she will just die from something else, as before. She was a good life now, she should not risk it. But what about Vivi’s life, she says. He asks back, what if her connection to Four is the one thing she would have to give up? Every death of Vivi he witnessed had somehow to do with Four.Four still believes that she can save Vivi and be with Four; now, that she’s aware of the connection. But her father is old, because his lifetime continues every time he reverses time, this next try might be his last. He leave’s it up to her, but she should consider this carefully.
She’s back at home at night when Four returns; Wa wonders why Four isn’t asking about her father, she replies that Wa usually tells her everything, unless it’s making her uncomfortable and then, she doesn’t what to know. Wa gives her a brief summary of her family’s powers, Four does not seem surprised. Wa says the things about stopping time – Four says let’s do it together. The leave the apartment and go back to the rooftop where they first really connected all those your ago. Wa’ voiceover tells us that this time she will save Vivi and keep Four. Four wonders how the found each other in all the previous iterations of their lives – and what will they do differently this time.
Then, it is revealed that Four went back to Wa’s father. She pleads with him that he should turn back time, she’s knows she’s been good to Wa, but she cannot give her a family. She knows what to do now in order to save Vivi’s life. Wa doesn’t want that, she does not want to lose Four, either, but Four say’s it’s already been decided. Wa wonder whether Four will remember her at all when the time is reversed, but four claims there is only one Jattawa in this world and she will remember her. Wa claims even if she doesn’t, Wa will always orbit around her like a satellite. Then the clock turns to midnight and the time is reversed.
That was one hell of an episode, and one that raises more questions than it provides answers. I must admit I do not know what Wa’s plan was or what Four’s plan is, and how this is supposed to work at all. Up until know everyone who did not reverse time didn’t keep any memories (apart from some déjà vus) from the previous iterations. That would mean only the father would keep his memories – but how does that keep Four and Wa from repeating the same iteration once again? How does Four even know about the time-travel?
Other than that, this episode only got through the plot in 40 minutes by reducing the characters essentially to three, Wa, his father, and Four. Everyone else we previously got to know did appear in this episode at all, separating and distancing this from the previous episode. The whole plot with Four’s family was left unresolved, and the investigation into Vivi’s death was extremely shoddy work. I always expected Wa’s dad to appear, especially as he kind of made an appearance in the novel (which I’ve at this time I’ve only read to about 66%, so I have no knowledge of the plot to come) which was adamant that he’s not dead, just disappeared. But the plan they’re following now I do not know or comprehend at all.
The episode starts – naturally – at the cliffhanger where the last one ended. Ek is pointing a gun at them. Wan admits that she only ever loved Pleng, and that she married Ek because she hoped Pleng would learn of it somehow and then return to her. Well, that didn’t exactly happen… Ek request that she stops hurting him, but she claims she asked for a divorce to end his pain long ago, and that it is him who can’t let go. He then says he’ll stop trying to get back with her – and point the gun at himself. Wan runs over to stop him from killing himself – but a shot is released, and he hit the back of his head, collapsing. Meanwhile, Pleng is reminded of her own trauma with her father, she’s clearly traumatized. It takes some time for Wan to get through to her so that she can call an ambulance while Wan is dealing with the patient and trying to keep Ek alive.
Ek survives for the moment, they could stabilize him for the moment, but he’s still in a coma. Pleng feels guilty, saying none of the would have happened if she hadn’t returned. Wan tries to reassure her that the problem isn’t Pleng - but Wan, who doesn’t love Ek, and Ek, who cannot accept that. She’s right, if anyone’s at fault, it those two – they really never should have married in the first place.
Pleng is not sure if she can handle all of this – but Wan claims it’s just a test so see if their relationship is strong enough – and that nothing will be harder that this. Oh, you sweet summer child …
Then, Ek’s parent show up and claim that Wan did this – that Ek is not so weak that he would try to kill himself. They really don’t know him, do they? Wan just smiles because that is the first time his parent’s have actually taken his side and are defending him. Then, the press shows up and asks all sorts of question about Ek, Wan, and Pleng – but thankfully, Earth has arrived who has probably more experience dealing with reports and quickly shuts them down. Pleng and Wav leave the hospital, heading home, where they cry in the shower together.
The next day, they’ve relocated to a friend’s apartment (I guess the press is waiting outside their own one). They try to calm down – but then there’s a knock at the door. It’s Wi, Wan’s mother, asking why Pleng is still with her. Wan claims that they are a couple – and get slapped by her mother, reminding her that her husband is still in a coma. Wan says is she can’t accept the truth, that is HER problem, prompting Wi to drop the bomb: Wan and Pleng are actually (half-)sibling, they have the same father. Wi then recounts the story that Pleng’s mom told in Episode 2 – she once was hospitalized for several days leaving Pleng’s father in Wi’s care, and apparently, they had a fling. I’m with Wan, I refuse to believe that – but Pleng’s father and Aunt Wi certainly believed it, and it explains why Wan had such a privileged position and wasn’t living with her own father. This of course wrecks Pleng, who wants to be alone.
Pleng believes Wi, and this changes everything for her. She says she can’t stay with Wan and has talked to Earth who has a place for her. Wan say she doesn’t need to leave – she will go instead. Why doesn’t anyone try to find out if Wi really told them the truth? That should be easy to prove/disprove.
Then, Wan is visiting Ek, who’s still in a coma. She apologizes to him, for her part is this mess of things; she’s was naive enough to believe that everything would turn out well – even for Ek – once everything was out in the open. But now, everyone is hurting, and she wishes he could just forget and move on, find someone who really loves him, and in the meantime, get love from his family. I’m not sure I would go as far as Wan in praising her parents, but they are surely better than hers. She bids farewell to him, and I sense a certain finality to her speech. She leaves, and he reveals (only to us) that he was actually awake and heard the whole speech.
Then Wan gets a letter from the DNA lab – ah, so she WAS trying to out the truth about her and Pleng. Great that someone is still thinking logically. She opens the letter – but we don’t get to see the results. Instead, we move on Pleng packing her things and planning to leave Wan’s apartment, as she’s leaving the concierge is giving her to things Wan left for her. It’s is now we find out that the last two scenes didn’t happen concurrently because the one thing Wan left for the was the test results. The other one is a letter from her to Pleng is which she admits that she was just as shocked as Pleng about what her mom said – but she never believes it, whereas Pleng believed it wholeheartedly, not fighting their love. She is exhausted of trying to keep Pleng from leaving and instead left her the test results which prove the are not related, and decided to leave. She leaves it to fate to see whether they reconnect down the line – but she’ll always love Pleng. I don't see how this helps anyone...
Pleng doesn’t want to leave it that way. First, she looks for Wan at the hospital, then she tries to find her at her mom’s – why she would be there beats me, and Wi isn’t scared for her daughter, only for the two of the together. What a mother… Oh, but Pleng has the test result, and throws it in her face that Wan is NOT Pleng’s father’s daughter. She doesn’t take it well – apparently, she’s made up this fantasy that Wan was actually Wut’s daughter, but never bothered to check for herself.
Wan, meanwhile is sitting at a beach and getting drunk; at night, she’s pretty much fully drunk when a Russian-sounding man wants to pick her up and doesn’t take no for an answer – but Frank, her childhood friend appears, apparently, he’s the owner of this resort now, and saves her from the would-be assaulter. He escorts her back to her hotel room and make sure she doesn’t suffocate on her own vomit. Meanwhile, Pleng has apparently given up on finding her – and encounters Earth waiting for her. They walk to his condos, and he knows that her girlfriend is/was Wan – wasn’t that difficult to find out, was it – and proposes that she if Wan comes back, she let’s he go an instead start something with him. The audacity! She lets him down gently, saying in this life she can probably only love Wan❤– then he proposes to sort things out with Wan. What did you think she was trying to be all day!?!? They, he has one good idea: she should go to a place where they both had good memories. This is when Pleng apparently remembers the honeymoon conversation from last week.
Later, Wan wakes up in her hotel room – at 4.00 a.m. of course – and goes back to the beach and stays there until the sun is up. Frank talks to her, offering to take her anywhere she wants to. She wants to visit a tattoo parlor where she is getting a tattoo of the constellation Gemini, because to her, even though they are not siblings, it’s a symbol of the relationship with Pleng. Frank originally wanted to ask her out, but hearing that, he knows that that would be useless, and Wan confirms that in this life, she can only love Pleng ❤, and that they’re better off as siblings.
Later that day, Pleng arrives at the hotel resort. Frank is hesitant to tell her where Wan is, claiming she already hurt her too much, but she pleads with him to just let her talk with her one more time. We don’t find out this week how that conversation ended, because we more on to Wan, strolling down the beach once more, and sporting her new tattoo, she moves into the water, until she’s almost submerged.
We get a flashback(?) to happier times with Pleng and Wan and the beach.
I don’t understand the preview scenes. What is going on there?
It was a pretty melodramatic episode. I never believed Aunt Wi for a second, and the conflict between Pleng and Wan felt pretty artificial to me. I understand that Wan is tired of Pleng always trying to run away, but her solution actually is none, as her feelings are not going to go away. Now, they are both love each other but are not together, and they have one episode to solve this. Plus, we need the song for Wan played in the final episode. And will make Khun Nueng an appearance? 😉
This is by far the longest recap I have ever written, so I leave it at that. 😊
An extralong episode starts at Yoreum’s hotel room, where she and Itsuki are dining. Itsuki is still depressed due to Fuyu breaking up with her. Included in this dinner scene was a flashback to highschool, where Yoreum fought for Itsuki and assaulted those spreading (correct) rumors about her, because she was not liking any of the boys. Back in the here and now, Itsuki still thinks of Yoreum as her older sister, whereas Yoreum wants to be her lover. The night gets longer and longer, and once Yoreum puts alcohol on the table, one can guess where this will lead. The following morning Itsuki wakes up naked in bed next to Yoreum, who remarks “That was fun, wasn’t it?”
Meanwhile Fuyu is at the closed café and learns what her mother had been doing, and that Itsuki didn’t want to stay at her home (but not why).
Itsuki still can’t believe she slept with Yoreum, and I’m skeptical, too, despite Yoreum’s claims to the contrary.
Later Itsuki and Fuyu are both called to “Digital Dreams”, where their former colleagues cannot get approval for their new character of the game. The only option they have left is using the photos she made of Fuyu and Itsuki earlier as blueprints for the characters, because those photos created interest with the manga author. But they apparently need some more photos – that’s why they have called Itsuki and Fuyu. Considering the current state of affairs between the two, they help by posing once again in costumes for photos – but that photoshoot is awkward.
The talk they have after the photoshoot isn’t much better. They clearly both want to be together, but Fuyu’s mom stands (and perhaps also Yoreum) stands firmly between the two. Upon return to her hotel room, Tsuji and Kou wait for Fuyu, he has lost his job opportunity at the zoo, but he is more worried about her still-wife and Itsuki. Fuyu said she is ready to give up the love of her life, but her husband does not want to let her sacrifice her happiness; he has decided to proceed with the divorce no matter what.
This apparently propels Fuyu to talk to mother again. She says she want to be with Itsuki and eventually marry her (not in Japan, of course, same-sex marriage is not a thing there), and Kou and Tsuki support her decision. Mother accuses her of ruining not only her and father, but also her own family – but she is ready to cut her ties with the Lin family, severing her ties with her parents. Her mother urges her to rethink this and instead be a normal family, but the necklace she’s wearing gives her strength to withstand her mother this time – she will decide what is normal for herself.
Meanwhile, Itsuki has returned to Yoreum is a moping by the pool. Yoreum beckon her to join the fun in the pool, but Itsuki can’t stand it anymore – she confesses she’s in love with Fuyu, and runs way. She packs a few things from her apartment and is about to leave for somewhere what she gets a phone call from Fuyu who wants to see her. Over the closing credits, they run towards each other only to find each other at a cross-walk; where they once again confess their love for each other; Fuyu also says she has talked with her mother, and no one will stop them from being together ever again. Can I have that in writing? 😊 The episode ends on Fuyu and Itsuki kissing, and Yoreum claiming she will not give up.
Well, we could have had that result last episode. It remains to be seen if Fuyu’s mother really give up that easily, and what Yoreum does next. She has an Ace up her sleeve – she can use the drunk sex she and Itsuki had (or did they?) to her advantage. I’m glad that Fuyu finally discovered her backbone, but found that episode to be largely filler. That Yoreum was a good girl in her younger years doesn’t change the fact that she is trying to hurt Itsuki for selfish reasons now.
Honestly, I should perhaps start to watch this series at x2 speed, because so little happens in an episode.
We got the continuation of the vacation “date” between Love and Rain, where Rain finally admitted that she had fun on the trip. Love asks her to be girlfriends, yet Rain is still a little hesitant. But Love makes it clear that she is all in with her – she always has been – and wants a relationship. Then she kisses her, and the makeout turns into petting (only for streaming watchers) – until Love’s camera falls off the bed. But Rain agrees to be girlfriends after this; she is clearly smitten with this “kid” as she calls her.
After some bubble tea and toast sponsoring, it is time to return to Bangkok. The owner of the vacation house bids them farewell as they drive to on Love’s motorcycle – and the calls Bowie, Love’s friend, and tells her Love and Rain left together.
At the tattoo studio, Pat is at her post as Deane’s friend from Rain’s company appears. The two will probably not become friends anymore; after she delivers some Soy milk for Deane she’s off to work. Shortly thereafter, Love appears and notices the tension between Deane and Pat, but doesn’t get to ask much, because then, a girl named Mai enters the room – and Deane’s attitude completely changes. Mai calls her babe and asks whether they can talk. While they are off-camera, Love informs Par that Mai is Deane’s ex, who broke up with here on their 10th anniversary, as a three-minute flashback shows us. Pat is worried that she doesn’t have a chance with Deane against this long-term relationship. Pat gets further bad news, as her father has gone on a vacation with his new family (remember, her parents are divorced) leaving alone for two weeks. Love says she’ll be there for her, only to abandon her as she is requested by her girlfriend.
The next day, Pat makes a brave face with Deane in light of the new old competition; then we get another flashback scene showing happier times between Deane and Mai. Finally, we learn that the next day, it’s Deane’s birthday, Deane and Pat invite Love and Rain to a party at the tattoo studio. The telephone call reveals to the watchers that Rain and Love are spending the day together, sharing some more sponsored toast. The next day, they arrive together holding hands at the party, admitting to Deane and Pat that they are dating, But of course, more guests show up – first it’s Rains former co-worker (who is actually named Botan), brings a present – and the news that that her other colleague Fern Is getting married, to Rain’s ex Arm. Rain doesn’t seem that bothered, though. Then, of course Mai joins the party, surprising Deane as they had an appointment for the next day – but it’s Deane’s birthday (and their anniversary) after all, so how couldn’t she make an appearance.
They are off talking again, and Pat prepares the birthday cake; Botan leaves however, as she sees no chance with Deane now that Mai is back. As Deane returns, Pat brings the birthday cake combined with a question – she asks if she could be the girl by her side. This is awkward, as Mai is still there. Deane doesn’t answer Pat and instead offers Mai some cake leading Pat to storm off apparently having no chance with her. Love asks if she and Mai are back together – which Deane denies, then scold her for treating Pat horribly.
The last part is just a five-minute flashback of Pat's history of abandonment.
And that was episode 5. For me, there was at max 25 minutes of actual story in there padded by lengthy scenes if which essentially nothing happened, and the flashbacks which told us nothing new of importance. At this point the show comes dangerously close to its predecessor “Lucky My Love”; the only part worthwhile is the story of Love and Rain, and even that one is padded as hell.
The episode starts straight away with Pleng asking Wan why she hadn’t told her she had married Ek. Wan tells her she filing for divorce, Pleng then asks if she really has a new love as she told Ek, and Wan confirms this – you should know whom she’s talking about!
We get a little talk about if that should be considered an affair – I already mentioned last week that I don’t consider this an affair. And then Wan once and for all spells out to Pleng that she is her first and only love, and she will protect her. The next day, she’s reading in Pleng’s song writing notebook, and quotes back some line of the title song to an embarrassed Pleng before leaving for work.
Then Aunt Wi appears apparently surprised that Pleng is back. She asks her pretty much straight away why she has returned now that Wan’s life has gotten so much better without her. Pleng claims that not everything is better now, for example her relationship with Ek. But Wi claims that they might reconcile – especially if Pleng is out of the picture. She claims Wan has suffered so much during Pleng’s disappearance that her leaving again could net cause her any more pain – well, apparently, she doesn’t know her daughter at all!
Downstairs Pleng run into Ek again, he’s the one that brought Wi to the apartment. Pleng pleads with him once more to let Wan go because she doesn’t love him anymore, but he can’t, because he love’s her so much. That’s not love, that is obsession at best.
Wan comes home to encounter her mom and not Pleng there; she fears Pleng might have run off again. Wi want to praise Ek once more, but Wan is having none of it, telling her she already has who she needs, and goes looking for Pleng. While talking over the phone, Pleng assures her she’s not been scared, but just needs some time for herself.
Later, Ek is drunk at his hotel in from of Earth and Pleng; Pleng, feeling sorry for Ek, agrees to help him and Wan – but only to get them talking again. Everything else in between Wan und Ek. I really don’t understand why Pleng helps him _again_ reverting to her meddling shenanigans from 13 years ago – but as Wan never loved Ek and loves Pleng, this shouldn’t work anyway, right?
At night, Pleng asks Wan out for dinner, having earned her first pay check; we already know where this is going. Wan playfully asks to make the offer more exciting – and Pleng gives her a quick kiss on the mouth! You do remember what you are trying to do with Ek and Wan, right?!?!
Later, in the restaurant, the lights go dark, and her and Ek’s wedding starts playing before Ek shows up with some flowers. It goes about as well as can be expected. Wan spells it out once again: she has never loved him, she married him only because of the person she actually loves. At home, Wan is furious – not because of Pleng’s attempt to help Ek, but because she went against her own feelings again. Pleng finally agrees not if interfere with Wan’s life again – which Wan finds can only be a sarcastic comment. But Before Pleng can think about that…
…the episode 1 flashforward finally happens which an all-out assault by Wan but Pleng, after some heavy makeout, eventually pushes her off, saying the she cannot do this. A frustrated Wan lets go of her, leaving her alone.
The next day, Pleng and Ek meet up at his bar. There, two of them share their frustrations with Wan, and Pleng thinks she might need new accommodations soon – but Ek says she’ll never let her go, she loves Pleng too much for that. He even wonders sometimes whether the person Wan talks about, her true love, is actually Pleng. Dude, if you haven’t connected the dot by know you should return your brain, because it’s clearly not working. He gives her a brief summary of Wans 13 years of sadness, searching in vain for Pleng, he even tells her Wan wakes up at 4 a.m. because that when Pleng left her. This FINALLY makes Wan realize their love for each other, and she rushes to find Wan at the hospital where she confesses her love for Wan – and that she has every intention of keeping that promise she made so long again and be hers. Cue the sexy time!
So, after five episodes and 41 minutes – and of course 13 years of dancing around, they finally consummate their love for each other, in a multi-part sex scene that I almost five minutes long.
The next day, Pleng visits Wan at the hospital; where Wan introduces Pleng as her girlfriend, much to Pleng’s embarrassment, because after all Wan is still married. But Wan doesn’t care, she thinks it’s time they stand to their feelings. While they are kissing in the hospital garden, someone makes photos of them.
At the bar (with Ek gladly absent) Pleng plays the title song on the piano, and Earth is interested – in her, but also in the song. Pleng of course rebuffs his personal advance, bat talks about the business proposal with Wan, and though she doesn’t trust earth, she trusts her enough to decide for herself. They are talking about going on a quick vacation, as someone once again makes photos of them.
The next day, it’s Wan’s birthday, but Pleng pretend not to remember it. She tries to bake a cake but cuts her finger as Ek calls. He requests she comes downstairs to the lobby where he acts low-key threatening toward her. So, it’s him making the photos, right? Later that evening, Pleng has given up on making a cake, buying one and decorations instead. With them she surprises her girl, who is happy – but says she needn’t have bought a cake, because all she wants to eat is Pleng. Pleng tell her to proceed – it’s her birthday, after all – but then Ek shows up, says “You two should die”, and draws a weapon.
And this is only the first cliff-hanger, because in a flashback scene we can that Wan never forgave her mother for treating Pleng so poorly, and thus didn’t even want to reconcile with her as her father passed away. As Wi remembers that, she’s opens a drawer, and gets out a photo of Pleng’s father. So, they are suggesting – as they’ve alluded to previously albeit less directly – that he might also be Wan’s real father?!?
This CANNOT be the real endgame of this story. Did the author want to make us root to half-siblings?!?! I hope not, because it’d throw the whole love story off the golden gate bridge. I’m actually less worried by Ek holding pointing a gun at them, than by this turn of events.
I found it hilarious that in the end Ek was it that got Pleng and Wan together.
Well, the fun had to end somehow – it can’t all be hugs and rainbows.
In Episode 3, Fuyu’s mother enters this season like a hurricane. It only takes three sentences to take the pressure up to deep-sea levels. Fuyu’s father in die to get a big promotion, one that the family has put all their financial resources on. Of course, the whole family will be investigated before that promotion will actually happen – and they will investigate Fuyu, Tsuki and Kou as well. Thus, the three of them need to live harmoniously – and a scared Fuyu agrees. Itsuki – who heard this all while hiding in the wardrobe is of course worried.
The next day, Fuyu’s mother dines with the whole family, and she doesn’t only boss her daughter around, no, Kou gets his share as well, having chosen an improper job in her eyes (animal keeper). She will arrange a more suitable job for him. Fuyu quickly protests, saying they are not pawns for her mother to position, but mother wants no discussion on this. Tskui hasn’t got the message though, because when asked what her favorite thing about Japan so far is, she claims that was meeting Itsuki. ❤ out of the mouths of babes…
Of course, mother knows about this already, having hired a P.I. to investigate her daughter. Fuyu and Kou lie that they only met Itsuki by accident, and mother pretends to believe it for now. After the dinner, Fuyu meets up with Itsuki, and promises to make her mother understand that she only loves Itsuki – but I’m not convinced. I don’t think she has the strength and willpower to battle her successfully.
We get a cute flashback to how Fuyu and Itsuki first became a couple. Fuyu was planning a date with the “campus prince” and went shopping with Itsuki, only to find out the prince was also dating someone else. Fuyu is surprisingly unaffected by this, confessing that the heart flutters only when she is with Itsuki. Itsuki claims she feels the same way and asks if she can kiss Fuyu; Fuyu wonders if that is normal, but Itsuki tells her that what is normal is not for her mother, but for herself to decide. They share a cute first kiss, and I’m afraid that this is only happy thing we get to see this week.
The next day, Fuyu wants to talk to mother about her life and her own choices – and it goes about as well as could be expected. Fuyu pretty much folds at the start, submitting to her mother’s will – and breaks up with Itsuki again later over the phone, leaving here devastated. So, we are back to the end of last season. ☹
But mother doesn’t stop there, she also creates false reports of health risks at the Café, causing the establishment to be closed down temporarily. And she hires someone to follow her and break into her apartment and write “shameless” onto the ceiling and sheets of papers. Itsuki flees the place and seeks refuge at the closed shop.
There, Yoreum shows up, not knowing what has happened, and ends up consoling her very distraught friend. Later, she visits Fuyu – and slaps her, promising she will do anything in her power to keep Fuyu’s family from hurting Itsuki any further – which is how Fuyu learns what her mother is up to.
And that’s the episode – it really needed the flashback, otherwise it would have been just doom and gloom. Yoreum now has the (unearned, as she was quietly plotting against the couple as well) opportunity to get back into Itsuki’s life for real. And Fuyu needs to grow a backbone if she want any chance in her of repairing her relationship with Itsuki. But so far, I’m interested – battling mothers is nothing new for watchers of Thai GLs… 😊
This show doesn’t warrant my lengthy recaps anymore – there’s just not enough happening.
This episode had two focuses (how could there be more, as there are just two potential couples, and nothing else of importance going on).
Rain rejects Love’s love confession, first of all to protect herself from further heartbreak (as all her previous relationship have been disasters, and all the men/women exploited and cheated on her), and secondly because she thinks she doesn’t deserve any love. Love returns home, unsure how to proceed that rejection, but her mother tells her to give it some time; Rain needs to realize that Love is not like her former lovers, and Love’s “ambush approach” is more likely to scare her off than to entice her. So, she takes a step back; lets Rain alone for a few days – and all Rain can think about is Love and her care for her. Eventually, she books a short vacation – and inadvertently select Love’s next place of work where she does some advertisement photography. Love quickly falls back into her “all-out assault” strategy, until the owner of the resort suggests that she should show her that she is serious. So, she changes her style, clothing and approach to resemble work-mode Rain more – but she hilariously fails at drinking wine. Later she confesses that she just wanted to show Rain that she can be serious; and she can wait a little longer for Rain to realize that, having waited for seven years already. This clearly has an effect on Rain; Love takes her on a tour through the area to take some photos, but mostly takes photos of Rain. Finally, Love kisses Rain cautiously and Rain doesn’t immediately recoil. But their moment is interrupted by sudden rain.
Meanwhile Pat finds Deane in her tattoo studio sick; and she selflessly cares for and doesn’t leave her side till she gets better. Deane doesn’t dislike this, in fact, once she’s recovered, she seduces Pat and they sleep together. But the next day, Pat encounters Deane with the former colleague of Rain who booked the appointment directly with Deane. Deane claims she and Pat just had sex, nothing more. After the girl leaves, Pat asks Deane if it’s fun toying with her emotions, but Deane remains unaffected – unlike Pat, who’s left crying over this.
(I’ve seen no significant difference between the cut and the Gagaoolala version, apart from a “commercial” where Love and Deane praised the toast sponsor of the show.)
And that’s it. As opposed to all other GLs there’s just not enough going on. This episode clearly had an A and B storyline A being Love and Rain, which was good, because the two of them are the far more interesting pairing. I think Love is well on her way of winning Rain’s heart, without changing herself all that much For Pat/Deane, I’m not sure they _should_ even be together. If Dean doesn’t change her ways, they shouldn’t, maybe her ex next week will show her that she is hurting Pat, perhaps by doing the same to her?
Pleng and Wan talk about Ek over dinner; she admits that they’ve been really together, but that her cheated on her. Wan takes some of the blame for this, because she never loved him. Why did she date him, then? Because of Pleng’s recommendation all those years ago, of course. Wans call it one of her life’s mistakes – but we know the relationship wasn’t just dating as Wan carries now Ek’s last name…Wan say she tried to love him but just couldn’t – maybe she was destined to only love Pleng. Came on, please don’t do this awkward dance around each other again…
The next day, Pleng’s phone doesn’t charge anymore, she could only get the message that she lost her gig at the bar before the juice runs out. Pleng decided to try her luck as a street musician – but encounters two former bandmates of her from high school and flees the scene, too embarrassed to talk to them. She then runs into Ek, who is in full stalking mode again – he followed her because he wanted to make her an offer, and Pleng suspects he really want help in getting back together with Wan. He brings her to a fancy hotel (for which Wan clearly feels underdressed) – and offers her job. This hotel belongs to his family, and he wants to hire her as a bar musician. He even teases that she might start a recording career, as many producers frequent to bar. She’s still suspicious and Ek admit he hopes for some helps with Wan, but says she’s fine either way. I believe that when I see it!
She’s still thinking about the offer as she returns home – and finds Wan in tears as she thought she had away once again as she couldn’t reach her. Pleng tells her she went looking for a job, and admit that a) she got one, b) it’s at Ek’s hotel and c) that he most probably wants to enlist her as a help to reconcile with Wan again. But Pleng says, as Wan isn’t interested in getting back together with Ek, this should not matter, right? Wan eventually relents, but not before warning him not to try any funny business with Pleng.
We then get a flashback to an anniversary of some kind that Ek celebrates alone at a bar, Wan texting him she needs to work. While sitting at the barn a woman approaches him, they cheer – and next we see him getting hot a heavy with her at home, where of course Wan catches the two in flagranti as the Italians say. Ek admits she’s lonely in their relationship. I’m actually halfway sorry for Ek, but how do think cheating would help?!?
Wan returns home, where Pleng see that she’s stressed – and Wan suddenly just kisses her on the mouth?!?! This just happened, right?! Then, Wan gifts her an iPhone to replace her old one, Pleng starts texting with her right away, knowing that she not happy with her job with Ek, and then admits that she loves Wan. We’ve heard this before, but what kind of love is it?
At night, Pleng thinks about Wan’s kiss, so it did really happen? Then Wan kisses Pleng on the neck but Pleng pretends to be asleep. At work, Ek wants to gift her a dress, but Pleng doesn’t want it. Later, she takes a bow after work with Ek; but Wan is also there and reacts really jealous – of course not for Ek but for Pleng. She causes a huge scene and then wants to leave with Pleng – but Ek says she’s still on the clock which makes her even more angry. She throws money at him as compensation. Back to home Pleng and Wan argue, which ends In Pleng offering to take a bath with Wan?!? How exactly did we get here? In the bathtub, suddenly catches feelings, so she leaves and plans to sleep alone of the couch, but Wan will have nothing of it she snuggles with her until Pleng admits that Wan does cause her to feel something, and proceeds with a makeout session as demonstration. Come on now, this is getting ridiculous!
At work, Pleng meets Earth, one of Ek’s producer friends, this is no coincidence, as we later find out – because Ek has finally realized that Wan and Pleng are close, perhaps too close, and he wants Earth to woo her to get her out of the way. How, I’m definitely not feeling sorry anymore for Ek, even though the situation with his parents probably hasn’t improved in the last 13 years.
Pleng visits Wan at work, where she complements her on her skills as a doctor, and on her doctor’s outfit which looks professional – and easy to take off. This common results in a heavy makeout session, that doesn’t lead to full-on sex only because they get interrupted. While walking home that talk, and Ek comes up again. Pleng feels there is something unresolved between Ek and Wan. Wan, you need to tell her that you’re married!
Well, too late because Ek tells her the next day. He also knows that Wan loves someone else, loved that person even before they got together, he asks Pleng if she could tell him wo that person is. That’s Pleng, you fool! Then he claims that as they are not divorced yet, Wan is actually having as affair. Well, you are separated, so in my book it wouldn’t be an affair. Then, he’s says he’ll kill the guy once he finds out who he is.
And there ends the episode. Ek either is really stupid (I think he knows it's not a guy that is his competition), or wants to make Pleng fear him. I don’t see how this could work either way. Putting the proposal flashback of Ek to Wan after this doesn’t make his character any more likeable, he is already unredeemable at this point.
Next week Aunt Wi returns!
I don’t see any of Ek’s plans succeeding, if Pleng and Wan don’t let other people interfere this time. So, it’s really up to them.
This time, I felt the length of the episode which once again clocks in at over 60 minutes but whereas last time that way okay because we had to get to know Pleng and Wan again, Ek is just not that interesting – or likeable – a person, and that Wan and Ek were married was not a secret that needed to be kept from Pleng for a whole episode. It was still a good episode, but the previous one was better, no contest.
So, the title of the show is a misnomer; as Ek and Wan are separated, no one – at least in western counties, I don’t know about Thailand – would think Wan is cheating on anyone, and Pleng is not a mistress – well if they ever get to that scene for ep. 1 , that is. 😊
This episode was fun for the most part, though my patience with Yoreum is already wearing thin.
In the beginning Yoreum, Itsuki’s “first love” for high school reappears; the Korean girl previously lived with Itsuki and her parents during high school as part of some exchange program, and apparently, they were close. Now a famous celebrity, Yoreum has returned to Japan – obviously to reconnect and court Itsuki, having recently confessed publicly that she’s gay.
Itsuki tells her right away that she is already in love with someone else, but Yoreum won’t take no for an answer, especially as Itsuki tells her they are not dating because Fuyo is still married. She hugs Itsuki without permission, and that of course is the time when Fuyu arrives at the café, misinterpreting the frankly questionable situation and storming off. Itsuki runs after her, but apparently Fuyu is too quick in her high heels for her.
The next day, Fuyu is visiting the Game development studio she was the boss of in S1. They are still working on “Tennyo Sekai”, and the creator of that comic strip isn’t actually the college-aged woman we met in S1, but rather her younger sister, who is still in high school (I assume this means we’ll still visit “Dynamic Dream” in S2, and the original actress playing Zhang Shulin wasn’t available for S2, because why else would the show essentially recast this minor role).
Itsuki, meanwhile is confusing salt and sugar at her café – so, she’s clearly still affected by her Tiff with Fuyu, while her former co-workers assure Fuyu, that Itsuki’s heart only belongs to Fuyu. But they also acknowledge that her rival Yoreum is really popular and successful. Yoreum, meanwhile calls her team to find out who this Fuyu even is.
Later, Itsuki awaits Fuyu at her hotel, wants to make her understand that there’s nothing between Yoreum and her, a conversation that ends with Itsuki exclaiming loudly “The only person I love is Fuyu!”. Fuyu quickly gets in an elevator before anyone can see that she really liked that statement – but then the elevator breaks down. I’m wondering if there’s some technical problem with Japanese elevators in general (as the same thing happened in S1), while Itsuki tries to calm Fuyu, who is claustrophobic, down. This works in the beginning, but as then the power cuts out and Fuyu is sitting in the dark, she’s springs into action, breaks open the elevator door and frees Fuyu.
Then they are having dinner in Fuyu’s hotel room. Fuyu at first apologizes to Itsuki for causing her pain by being with her while still technically married (as Yoreum just had called her accusing her of this), but Itsuki vehemently denies this. The having a cute dinner, feeding each other, and almost kiss – but then, Fuyu’s homophobic mother is outside the hotel room. Fuyu’s telling Itsuki to hide.
Overall, the second episode was mostly as good as the first, though I didn’t really care for the revisit to “Dynamic Dream”. And while Yoreum claims Itsuki and her are linked by “Inyeon” – the Korean term the doesn’t really have a translation but could be interpreted as “soul mates” – her actions don’t really fit that description. If Itsuki doesn’t fall for her in some way, this could get annoying really soon. I’m actually more excited for Fuyu’s resolute mother, who caused the first breakup of the two lovers. Fuyu has her work cut out for her if she wants to change that battleship’s direction. 😊
Anyway, I’m excited for the next episode!
In the beginning, they’re worrying about customers – a day after their online promotion. A little early isn’t it. Love decides to hand out flyers at the mall, and of course takes Rain with her who reluctantly agrees after over a minute of debate among the four friends.
Afterwards, they return to the shop where is all “Where are my customers?” Apparently, she has no idea how advertisements work. Then, the first customer makes an appointment via text. If they’ll always need four employees to get a single customer, this is doomed to fail.
All this time, Love Is doing even the smallest thing like opening water bottles for her – this could get annoying really soon, especially when she takes all the agency away from Rain. Deane, on the other hand flirts with Pat, but tries to keep thing casual, non-committal. As Pat is pretty much the smitten kitten, who only pretends to be okay with that, this is surely going to work out great …
Love openly flirts with Rain, who misinterprets this behavior is joking – or at least doesn’t want it to be serious. They eat ice cream together, and Rain slowly thaws up, though she still thinks Love is just joking with all of her childish ways of hitting on Rain, for example by sending her sweet texts on the phone.
We get another talk with Love and her mother, who recommends just asking Rain when her feeling are.
The next day, customers start appearing! Pat plays the assistant for Deane, how this business ever could be profitable is beyond me. Pat must have made tons of money in whatever she did before this. Later, Deane wants to send her home, as turns out to hide her appointment with the former co-worker of Rain (I don’t think we heard a name yet) – now Pat of course stays till the “customer” leaves. Deane once again cautions her this she isn’t looking for love, and getting attached to her will only head to pain. Deane drives her home, with Pat inviting her to come in, but Deane doesn’t think that is a good idea.
(Gagaoolala subscribers get a cut, but ultimately meaningless montage of scenes where Pat arrives at the store of different dates.) Deane thinks about love in the car, reiterating that “without pain, disappointment, or heartbreak, it’s not really love. I’m not ready to be in love” (The uncut version added one sentence to this: “Maybe I’m already in love, but I just don’t know yet”).
The next day, Love meets up with Bowie who complains that Love all but disappeared over the last days, she suspects Love has fallen in love, and she admits it right away, but doesn’t tell her anything about her crush other that it’s a girl (well, at least the subtitles do). Later that night she’s text flirting with Rain again, and invites her to a meal - at 10 a.m. Must be the weekend, then… Rain says she doesn’t want to come, but she doesn’t text it. 😊
This is followed by another ultimately meaningless exchange between Bowie and Wawa.
The next day, Rain is getting ready for the meal date – which is definitely not a date, or is it? They drive to a restaurant where once again Love does everything for her, she even offers to cut the food for her. This clearly does not sit right with Rain but for now, mothing come of it. Deane and Pat are also going out, having closed the tattoo show for the day; they are looking for a restaurant, but Deane is surprisingly picky for someone claiming to be “fine with anything”. The two couples spend the day at the arcades and by painting figurines, respectively.
The four eventually meet by accident in a row of grabber machines and after an awkward exchange where neither of the couples wants to admit they are on a date, Deane and Pat leave, why Love is angry that Rain denied the two were on a date together. Rain claims Pat and Deane would have interpreted this as having feeling for each other. Love finally admit that she’s into Rain, but Rain still doesn’t believe her. Rain has been so unlucky in love that she fears she can’t even love herself let alone someone else – but Love offers to love her if she can’t love herself.
And that’s it for this week; work dropped way into the background leaving room for the first toward love for our two mismatched couples. I’m not sure yet either Deane/Pat or Love/Rain are really compatible; Deane claims to only want a casual fling while Pat is obviously interested in more; Love is in Love, while Rain doesn’t believe in love anymore. Pat too easily gives Deane the benefit of the doubt, while Love comes across as naïve to childish.
But the episode was all in all entertaining, though some of the scenes could have been shortened or left out altogether. Bowie was only present to give the milk tea sponsor of the show a shoutout, the scenes with her and Wawa served no purpose whatsoever. And all the other GL shows of the year – “The Loyal Pin”, “The Secret of Us”, “Affair”, “Blank” and even “Reverse 4 You” are way more dramatic and have higher stakes, whereas this one runs the risk of putting me to sleep at times.