The time has come. I have finally finished this recap after weeks of saying I would and frankly, that is an amazing feeling!! haha oh and if my grammar is terrible and I have rambled more than usual, blame the new post writing layout… where has spellcheck gone? and the word count? anyone?

Anyway, onto the episode itself. This one, was again, not as energetic and quirky as I expect it to be. However, we are certainly making advances in character development which will be built on in the episodes to come (hopefully), especially with GookDae, who I feel needs it the most.

Prepare to have your heartstrings pulled at while watching this one.
SongAh is on the roof, seemingly contemplative while having a drink. But of course, something is bothering her, as she grabs her hair in frustration. In the last episode we saw her going to see the Director, and now we see things didn’t go to plan. The Director loves the collaboration idea and even implies she could gain promotion if she does well.

This is reaffirmed by Kevin who joins her on the roof. Even though SongAh isn’t overjoyed by the collaboration she says she will do her best. Kevin then asks if she will be okay seeing GookDae again and that if he tells her not to go it would seem unprofessional. He has a joking tone, which SongAh plays on, but she is still a little curious when Kevin tells her he will pick her up after her meeting with GookDae.

Back in the building, and as Kevin leaves to head to his office, two of SongAh’s colleagues approach her. They tell SongAh not “smile like that” as people will misunderstand. They also say there is a rumour going around about her and Kevin. SongAh is not impressed and the women brush it off as a joke, saying she is too sensitive.

DoekHee comes to her rescue and sends the women away. She comforts SongAh, who despondently walks away to her meeting. We then see, DoekHee say “those wenches” as she walks away with purpose (go unni!!).

SongAh gives herself a little pep talk before she walks into FLada, where GookDae is taking stock behind the counter. SongAh tells him straight that she didn’t want to be here, but the Director told her to, which gets a smile out of GookDae. But this changes when she calls him by his name (catching herself from fully saying ‘President’) and tells him that it is going to be awkward because of the “inappropriate accident” (I think she means the kiss…? haha) but she is happy he chose to do the collaboration.

SongAh gives put down some material for him to review, but ignoring it, he hands her an apron. SongAh scoffs, not impressed as she assumes he just thinks of her as an assistant. GookDae makes his way around the counter to her and ties the apron around (how does this simple non-romantic gesture make me all happy inside?!). SongAh is very shocked, but her thoughts seem more confused and happy than upset or angry.

BiRyong and SooRi come in and SooRi is ecstatic to see his noona, expressing that now she is here, it feel whole again. BiRyong playfully chastises him, asking why his body moves faster than his mouth and SooRi is quick to hug SongAh.

The three men are soon behind the counter, laughing amongst themselves and working diligently to prepare food. Meanwhile, SongAh is watching GookDae with severe puppy dog eyes.

GookDae brings SongAh out of her reverie and hands her a vegetable to chop up. Looking dejected she takes it, while GookDae watches her with the same kind of expression. He kind of mumbles that her team leader visited him, which startles SongAh into cutting her finger by accident. Even though SongAh brushes it off, GookDae rushes to her side and orders SooRi to get a plaster.

Angry with himself, thinking it is his fault, GookDae takes SongAh by the arm and sits her down at one of tables. He says that her being there is making him nervous. SooRi and BiRyong exclaim ‘ooooh’ and share a cute happy look because of what they just witnessed.

Once GookDae is back behind the counter, SongAh gets a call from Kevin checking up on her progress, and the look of puppy dog sadness on GookDae’s face pulled at my heartstrings (maybe I am just biased right now to it being Yunho haha ^^”). Knowing it would be awkward, SongAh takes the call outside.

After hearing that the work she is doing there will take longer than expected, he is saddened, but makes a comeback by telling her they should have dinner and he will pick her up (wasn’t that the plan anyway… no?). After they hang up, Kevin looks down at the box he’s holding and smiles happily (looks like Kevin is ready to go to the next stage~).

Inside FLada the air between SongAh and GookDae is rather awkward and sad, but BiRyong is there to happily explain the food. They are going for a healthy concept and used different cooking methods.

SongAh is left to taste a sample, while GookDae takes pictures, which catches her off guard. SongAh says the foods taste isn’t definitive enough and the pair start to bicker (like the old times!). This leads to SongAh asleep on the sofa, tummy full after she has tasted 10 samples.

GookDae rejects an incoming call on SongAh’s phone before he lays a blanket over her. He then joins BiRyong behind the counter who, once again, becomes the voice of reason. He tells GookDae that if he were SongAh, he would be very confused by GookDae’s action.

GookDae says he has missed his timing once, that it’s hard to go back. Interrupting this heart to heart, SooRi comes charging in, happy to see chocolate cookies on the counter (he is so cute ♥). But sadly, for him, it’s ladies first and seeing as SongAh is fast asleep, he won’t be getting one anytime soon. GookDae then tells BiRyong that it might be time for him to go, which confuses SooRi as it isn’t closing time yet. Thankfully for GookDae, BiRyong knows whats up and happily clasps SooRi by the shoulders and leads him out.

Inside FLada, SongAh wakes up, which may have had something to do the noise outside. SooRi’s girlfriend had apprehended him and wasn’t too happy to find out SongAh was there, as he had suggested he could get her to be SongAh’s replacement.

She walks over to the counter, a little dazed by his kindness, first the blanket and then how he wrote down all the recipes from earlier. Another shock is given when he offers her a cookie, reminding her that he had made the promise to do so (awwww!! My heart! I had totally forgotten about that ♥). 

She tells him it wasn’t necessary, but takes a bite. They both begin to speak at the same time and SongAh awkwardly says it’s a delicious cookie, while GookDae uses his turn to tell her he has something he wants to tell her (so much awkwardness! I love it! haha ^^”).

The scene is set. The time has come. GookDae says her name, has her full attention. It’s about to get serious.

And then Kevin walks in. God give me strength. I know I have professed my love for Kevin a lot, but they are obviously in the middle of something important!! And he just picked up his order and and SongAh’s hand and didn’t even ask for her permission to interrupt (only main leads can pull this stuff! haha ^^” Also, GookDae baked her cookies, he has many points in my book for that!). 

In the car, SongAh asks Kevin where they are going, and he says he wants to have dinner with her, and reminds her that she owes him a meal. He dismisses her question about the lunchboxes easily and says if she isn’t hungry they could go to have some wine. SongAh gave him a look I agree with, it’s along the lines of ‘has he already had some wine?’ haha :p

At the restaurant, SongAh is scanning the menu and more importantly the prices list. Shocked, she asks only for water, but Kevin opts for wine. He then asks if she is hungry and hurriedly opens the food menu (I love that he is so willing to do anything to make her happy, but he is being a bit overbearing at the moment…). SongAh cautiously suggests that they just go eat in a park as they already have lunchboxes.

Ignoring her, he orders the wine and then announces, “It was a declaration of war” and that he told GookDae he was going to confess to her. Kevin then whips out the jewellery case and slides it over to her. He watches her closely and with anxious expression, which turns more positive as he declared that they should date. However, the same can’t be said for SongAh, who looks rather sad and uncomfortable about the situation.

After seeing her look at the lunchboxes, he notes that she doesn’t look well and if she doesn’t like the necklace, or him. SongAh tells him that she has only ever seen him as a friend. Even though Kevin is disheartened, he tells her that he will wait for her and in the meantime she should keep the necklace.

Once at home, we see SongAh sat staring at the untouched lunchboxes. She is not in high spirits and when SongJoo comes bustling in happy to see food from FLada, he says that GookDae obviously likes her. SongAh tells him he knows nothing, but SongJoo says otherwise. He shocks her by blurting out that if GookDae was a bad person, then why would he have gone to the hospital.

She thinks back to when she collapsed and this time we see GookDae clearly catch her. SongJoo brings her out of her thoughts, by grumbling that the lunchbox is too simple. SongAh then thinks back to a scene from childhood, the same scene she talked to GookDae about, while listing the foods from that time which are now sat in the lunchbox on the table (those bunny rice balls are so cute! I need to date a chef pronto!)

Realising that he has been listening to her and remembering what she has said all this time, she runs out of her house and down the street, all the way to FLada where GookDae is sipping some wine (in near darkness, as you do). 

SongAh is unhappy that GookDae made a ‘proposal’ box, which he knew was for her, but her main question is why he filled it with her memories. Memories which only he was aware of. He gives the simple answer that he wanted to her to enjoy it. This of course is not enough and SongAh demands to know if and why he visited her at the hospital, wiped her tears and kissed her forehead.

The answer is: GookDae wanted to comfort her. This only cause more confusion for SongAh, who brings up him saying the kiss from before was a mistake. This gets GookDae on his feet, who is adamant that he never said the kiss was a mistake (but didn’t he though?…). Even so, SongAh is frustrated that he keeps on confusing her and not acting sincere. 

This only causes GookDae to become frustrated as he asks why she only acts on her accord. That it was SongAh who first ignored his calls, left before he could talk and pushed him away. GookDae is angry that she left with another man when he clearly had something important to say, that she made his heart waver.

There is still a lot of confusion in the air, but GookDae takes the initiative to say clearly what he wanted to.

“I like you. From the start until now, I have liked you. Will you be okay with me still, just as I am? Answer me, Park SongAh!”

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Additional Comments:

On the last part of the episode, this is one of the least happy confessions I may have seen in dramaland. This is filled with so much emotion and not necessarily the good kind. I think this will be good for them though, bringing out all of this negative emotion and confusion will help clear the air a lot more so that they can be happy together (well until the big obstacle comes flying their way).  

Overall, this episode was a lot more emotion heavy. There were some cute moments, mainly courtesy of BiRyong and SooRi. I like that this emotion hasn’t just come into the drama in an unnatural way, although I feel that GookDae a strange cookie when it comes to understanding his feelings… more so than normal I feel, as we aren’t really sure about his history. I do hope that we go back to the happy, quirky show that I love soon, but I feel that may not happen for a while. Especially because of the love triangle…

The “love triangle”. I used to love Kevin, he was cute and obliging and his little face is adorable, but he is starting to get clingy, something which happens to even the best of the second leads. It’s weird, I find that factor endearing (most of the time) when it comes to mains, but not so much when it comes to the second leads. I think it may have something to do with the fact that I don’t get second lead syndrome that often and also, the second leads seem to always say they want what is best for the female lead, but much like in this episode we see them doing things that they don’t have permission to do or ignore what the actual woman wants, thinking they know better.

I like that DoekHee is taking on a more ‘unni’ role again and is actually on her side in the workplace. I wish she was in it more and I still have hope for a DoekHee x Kevin pairing! haha

What I hope for the next few episodes is for the writers to have given SongAh and GookDae enough time to really settle their emotions and understand how they are feeling and feeling about each other before they throw an obstacle at them, like say the ex-wife or what I assume will come up, SongAh’s mothers death.

But I am enjoying it, and the characters are great to watch, even if the story-line is taking a more darker (as in more sad) tone than what I loved and expected throughout.

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Thank you for reading~