Crashed and burned.
Episode 14
Min-soo sees Seung-jae leaning in to kiss Tae-ri. Initially enraged, he stops short of confronting him then and there. Eh? Why? As he walk away, Seung-jae words haunt him. Min soo: I’m not a dead person – I’m Geum Eun-dong!
Tae-ri wakes up to find Seung-jae staring at her fondly. Uncomfortable under his gaze, she tries to send him home. He won’t go home – it’s been too long since he’s been like this. He suggests a change of location since the air conditioning is too strong and detrimental to health at this late hour.
Eun-dong’s mum explains how Soon-sim has requested for re-engagement, complete with bribe gifts. Dad is shocked by this unexpected U-Turn but wants mum to accept nevertheless, convinced that Eun-dong would be persuaded to return. It’s the Geum’s men family trait to be attracted by the women they love. Hah. Anyway, it’s a no for mum. Biggie no. No amount of gifts could sway her decision…right?
Coach is having a video conversation with Hong-sil. So cute these two!
C: You sure that Tae-ri really loves my brother?
HS: Yes, she loves him very much.
C: One more question –if my brother suddenly changes, how would she react?
HS: Sudden change? What is it? Personality? Body?
C: Oh? Hold it. Hold that position….
HS: Why?
C: You look really pretty now! You sure are photogenic.
HS: Min-gook shi is photogenic too. Your thick dark eyebrows are really pretty…
C: Hong-sil shi. Listening to your voice make me miss your long slender legs. I’m feeling uneasy at the moment because of my brother’s problem, so can you like show me your entire body to comfort me?
Muahaha.
Min-soo interrupts the racy conversation when he returns. He informs Coach that Soo-bin and Tae-gi are also aware of his true identity now. As more people discover his identity, Min-soo feels more and more uneasy. Coach sees it as a sign that he will revert back soon. Min-soo inquires about Jung Soo-ji; curious why she is unaware of the real Min-soo’ death. Coach explains that his brother wants it that way. Soo-ji has a weak disposition so the real Min-soo wants Coach to keep it from her if ever he meets with an accident during his trekking expeditions. He’s afraid that she’ll commit suicide. Min-soo muses that his brother was unable to protect the woman he loved in the end. Coach offers his opinion: Love has many faces – even though he could not be by her side, but he’s protecting her in his own way.
Seung-jae and Tae-ri continues to research on other samples of memorial halls. Seung-jae shows her some older memorial halls, with a special note on how lasting they are. Tae-ri thinks that the buildings were lasting because they had a good foundation. Seung-jae concurs – adding that relationships are the same. His allusion is not lost on her but she continues to be discouraging. Seung-jae offers to send her home. She declines but promises to consider his proposal carefully.
Min-soo is having trouble sleeping. He tries to text Tae-ri but could not find the right words.
The next morning, a still hard at work Tae-ri receives startling news that VP has called for a meeting of the shareholders. Everyone is invited but her. Secretary Hong urges her to hurry over.
Min-soo strolls to a flower shop looking for a something with a longer lifespan. The florist suggests the cactus – strong and easy to care for.
On the car ride to the Group, Secretary Hong warns Tae-ri that the disruption of the Sun Clock project is probably part of a grander scheme to kick her out of the group. Tae-ri vows to protect the museum with her all but Hong warns her to prepare for the worst. It can’t be worse than now.
The meeting is underway. After exchanging pleasantries with the board who all show great confidence in VP’s capabilities, they move on the agenda of the day – to close down the Museum under Tae-ri’s management!
An unknowing Min-soo enters Tae-ri’s office with the cactus but finds it empty. He tries to call but couldn’t get through. Aw…you are so out of it…
Tae-ri reaches the meeting in time but there’s no place set for her. VP continues the meeting, oblivious of her presence. They pick on the management problems of the museum which also include financial difficulties. VP refuses to contribute because it’s hardly profitable. Furthermore, the Group is recently much discussed in news. A snippet of Tae-ri’s interview is shown where she mentioned that the problem regarding the inheritance is solved. VP is dissatisfied with her offhand referral to the inheritance problem which has caused the company stock to plummet. All this paints Tae-ri in a very irresponsible way and she tries to explain herself but she sounds lame next to a well-prepared VP.
After the meeting (of which I’m pretty sure the motion was passed), Tae-ri tries to appeal to VP to spare the museum which is grandpa’s dream. VP smirks: “I have greater dreams than my father!” Tae-ri kneels but he remarks that it’s too late!
Almost immediately, suited men are shutting down the museum. Min-soo notices the unusual activity (much belatedly!) and calls Secretary Hong. He turns on the news which is reporting on the closure of the museum. He tries to stop the men from clearing out Tae-ri’s office and his cactus is knocked over in the scuffle.
Meanwhile, Tae-ri is shunned by people left and right. Secretary Hong wants her to return home for now. The museum is being shut down at the moment and she would only get hurt if she shows up there. A disbelieving Tae-ri is upset she’s being kept away from her own museum!
Reporters have gathered before the museum waiting for Tae-ri. Seung-jae spies his reporter sunbae among them.
At home, Tae-ri is worried about her employees and instructs Hong to comfort them. She refuses to be defeated so they should just assume they are on a break for a few days. Hong agrees to get on it. She passes by Min-soo who shows up with a box of Tae-ri’s belongings. She asks about the museum. Min-soo: “It’s crying. Just like its owner.” Tae-ri did not expect her uncle to be so cruel. Min-soo holds her hand comfortingly and apologizes for not protecting her properly. She finally breaks down. Why? Where did he go? All these while, she was waiting for him. Where was he? What was he doing? He has no answer and hugs her. He promises to never again let her wait for him.
Seung-jae tells his reporter sunbae about Tae-ri’s adopted status. The reporter instinct in him immediately grasps the situation. Whoever controls the rumours wins the game. Seung-jae seeks his help. Sunbae is surprised that Seung-jae wants to help Tae-ri. Didn’t he break up with Tae-ri?
Min-soo watches as a tired Tae-ri sleeps. He prepares a meal for her with a sticky note on the big cup he used to re-plant the cactus. He calls up Coach, requesting for a special food. Hmm…what?
Soon-sim is rehearsing some dialogues when Hong-sil shows up warning her not to pick on Tae-ri. Soon-sim is confident Min-soo is hers for the taking, hinting at a special past they shared. While a confused Hong-sil tries to digest the unexpected bit of information, manager comes running in a panic state. He brings bad news. Their sponsor – Lee Tae-ri is broke, kicked out from the Group and her museum is shut down. Hong-sil requests that her schedules be canceled for the day. Soon-sim warns her to stay put unless she’s ready to retire. She tells the manager she wants to take on the role she’s been rehearsing –The daughter of the wind, a Hollywood production. If she does well in acting, they can easily find new sponsors, right?
Tae-ri wakes up to find the food and the note which reads:
“Tae-ri, when you wake up, clear your mind and fill your stomach first. Every bite of rice and vegetable will be your source of energy to continue your fight. Don’t leave any behind. The cactus will protect you in my absence. So be strong. I love you.”
She starts to eat but the door bell rings. It’s Seung-jae and he joins her at the table. He was worried that she would be too distressed to eat. He’s relieved to find how well she’s holding up and promises to help her win back the museum. Tae-ri would rather he does not help her. She doesn’t feel like accepting his help when her heart clearly belongs to another. It wouldn’t be fair to either. She doesn’t want to owe him any favors. Min-soo is her only pillar of support at the moment so if Seung-jae moves him, she would crumble. No matter what he has to say about Min-soo, she’s not interested to know now. What if it’s something she needs to know? She’d rather hear it from the person himself.
The three musketeers are gathered again, this time at Coach’s place, where they start munching on the food Coach has prepared. Min-soo is initiating a special team to protect his woman, Tae-ri.
The special team starts deliberating on their mission which is to recover the museum. Soo-bin can hardly believe his dad has truly taken away the museum from Tae-ri. Tae-gi thinks it might be a good idea for Soo-bin to persuade his dad since his dad dotes on him. It’s not that simple. Anyway, Soo-bin is totally cool with everything – he doesn’t really care for the museum and thinks his dad is too ambitious. Min-soo explains that they need to make sure that the Sun Clock attains national treasure status. Promotions will be done through the AppleHead– Eun-dong will be in charge of that. Soo-bin promises to persuade his dad to preserve the Sun Clock so that it wouldn’t fall into disrepair again. A grateful Min-soo cheers on their mission with his buddies.
Min-soo spends another restless night, running on the tracks, overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness. He desperately wants to help Tae-ri and the fact that he doesn’t know how is killing him. Seung-jae is also working out, though he opted to sweat it out through baseball. And he’s troubled by Tae-ri refusal to stand by Min-soo.
Min-soo finds Soon-sim and asks her for help. She considers his efforts to help Tae-ri as befitting Eun-dong’s manly nature, especially since he feels sorry to Tae-ri, since he will surely return to her. He doesn’t quite care what she thinks as long as she agrees to help but she…declines! Min-soo agrees to see her as a woman in future. But she IS a woman, and he is her man. She brushes him off, still firm in her stance and quite displeased with his request. Min-soo receives a call from Hong who tells him that Tae-ri is meeting VP…
Tae-ri has arrived at the promised meeting place first. Flash to their earlier conversation. Tae-ri agrees to forfeit her claim on the inheritance as long as VP promises to continue managing the Museum. Min-soo is on his way… Tae-ri calms her nerves by checking her reflection on her Minnie mirror. She notes the curious presence of reporters outside the restaurant. Her phone rings – it’s VP. He claims he doesn’t have time for her but sent some representatives. She’d do well to expose her background to them. He’s not impressed by her arrogance at all. He doesn’t need any signed documents from her. He’d still be able to claim back everything and she’d be as penniless as she was before.
The reporters round up on her, bombarding her with questions regarding her adopted status and her claim on the inheritance. A man approaches the group with an umbrella. Seung-jae or Min-soo? It’s Min-soo and he shields a lost Tae-ri from the reporters with the umbrella. He apologizes for being late and leads her away from the crowd.
Meanwhile, Soon-sim is stuffing her face with noodles, more affected by Min-soo’s words than she let on. She considers his words but remains unconvinced he’d honor his promise to treat her like a woman once Tae-ri is out of the woods. She comes up with an idea and calls Eun-dong’s grandpa. What now?
Min-soo asks Tae-ri if she wishes to go somewhere far away, where they wouldn’t be found. Through her tears, she agrees, entrusting her faith in him.
Seung-jae reads about Min-soo saving Tae-ri from the press and sighs heavily. (You guys should really join hands now! Two heads is better than one.)
Min-soo brings Tae-ri to the swimming pool, where he used to train and where he feels most at ease. Tae-ri is envious he has a place to go to when he’s lost. Min-soo encourages her to find a place like that too. She’s already found it – it’s him! He’s her source of strength because she knows that even as the world turns on her, she’d still have him who’ll worry and care for her. He offers her a wish, to buoy her spirits after such a tiring day – a fighting wish! She glances at the pool and says –“swimming!” She wants to see him swim in the very waters that were part of his past. He agrees after a moment of hesitation and tells her to wait while he changes into swimming trunks. Before he leaves, he passes her his phone to listen to music while she waits.
He unlocks his locker and smiles at the contents. He’s uneasy because he remembers how he changed to his current body when he was swimming. Nah…that couldn’t be it, right? Anyway he starts hunting for keys to Coach’s locker.
Meanwhile, Tae-ri starts exploring his phone for other songs and chances upon his voice recording!!! (The one he recorded the night he thought he would revert back to his 14 year old self). Tae-ri is stunned by the time the recording ends and remains motionless even when the lights go out suddenly. Min-soo rushes to her side worriedly. He’s forgotten that they switch off the lights here by 10pm. He removes her earphones and nudges her gently, thinking that she’s frightened.
TR: Hwang Min-soo…you’re just 14 years old?
Thoughts:
Woohoo. She’s finally found out. Gotta say I pity her though. At her most desperate times, she’s dealt with another unexpected, possibly more shocking revelation. Still, I’m kinda curious how Eun-dong is going to help her or if he’s going to join forces with Seung-jae. Of course for our heroine, she’s going to have to figure out if loving a 14 year old is ermm…love or pedophilic. I don’t oppose noona-dongsaeng romance in general because I think emotional maturity is more important than physical maturity. But even I have to concede that 14 is way……..too young for a 28 year old. Which is why I was never quite on board for this pair and wished they’d kept it platonic instead. But with a title like I Love Lee Tae-ri, I knew it wasn’t possible so let’s see how they plan to wrap things up.
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