Our story has settled into standard fare territory. Will we get our plucky Dan Oh back? Are our interesting characters who are trying to break free of their storyline really just regurgitated characters from another story? Can our characters change their fates?

Symbolism

As Ha Ru remembers the past, we see that Baek Kyung is wrapping the handle of Ha Ru’s sword. Throughout the last few episodes, a lot of emphasis has been placed on both guys wrapping the handles of tennis rackets. Now we understand that there is a deeper meaning. The tennis rackets are their modern-day swords. This is just further evidence that nothing is new and everything is recycled from the other story.

Heart to Heart

As Dan Oh is reeling from the news that her heart surgery is fast approaching, she sees Baek Kyung in the hall of the hospital. They are on stage, so she has to go through the whole story about how she wanted to marry him, but she’s sick and she may not make it. She tells him that he got her through her childhood of hospital visits and that’s why she loved him. It’s so sad. When the scene changes, Baek Kyung is having a hard time with the fact that her character is so sick. Dan Oh tells him that she feels that she doesn’t have much time left. She asks him if he will be her friend in the shadow and shake hands. Only, he can’t shake her hand, he keeps remembering his mother’s death, and that stops him from grabbing Dan Oh’s hand.

Baek Kyung’s Confession

Dan Oh asks Baek Kyung to keep her illness a secret from Ha Ru. So, of course, we go to a scene where Baek Kyung confesses that he’s falling for Dan Oh. In the shadows, Baek Kyung basically claims first dibs on Dan Oh by saying he’s always been a part of her story. Baek Kyung isn’t going to let go of Dan Oh without a fight.

Pause for some appreciation of the cinematography

This drama really uses light and shadow so well. I love how often we see our characters bathed in sunlight. I’m watching Dan Oh and Ha Ru meet at the gorgeous old tree, and the sun coming through the scenery is so pretty. It gives everything a hopeful vibe. Then we switch to being on stage and Dan Oh and Baek Kyung are in fading light. The scenes between the two of them seem dull in comparison to the brightness of the Ha Ru and Dan Oh scenes.

I like you…

Baek Kyung confesses to Dan Oh on stage, but won’t let go in the shadows. He goes in for a hug and holds her tight. All the while, he’s making eye contact with Ha Ru who is walking up to them. Ha Ru is NOT happy about this. UGH. It’s a tug of war with Dan Oh between the two boys. I really hate this trope. I’m ok with Baek Kyung deciding he will confess his love and try to fight for Dan Oh’s affections. I’m not ok with her being a doll to fight over.

The Other Storylines

Poor Squid Fairy sees his love, but she has no clue who he is. So he is both grateful to see her and tortured by his memories. Speaking of torture… Joo Da is letting out her inner thug! She’s not taking any crap from any of the mean girls at school anymore. She tells all of them off and then locks them into A3’s club room. She heads to the music room to listen to instrumental music. Do Hwa shows up and he asks her why she keeps making him hope. She tells him to hope. She’s wearing the shoes he gave her!

Little Brother is kind of scary

Baek Kyung’s little brother walks up as Do Hwa is talking to Ha Ru about changing the stage. He then meets Ha Ru by his locker, introduces himself, and tells Ha Ru to leave his brother alone. Hmmm. This sounds ominous. He gives Ha Ru a really ugly look, and now I have all kinds of questions. Is he the writer? Did his story change and he’s resentful? Is he really thinking he’s protecting his hyung? I don’t know!

Baek Kyung can’t keep a secret

Baek Kyung is very angry and resentful of how his story has changed. So he goes to find Ha Ru. He tells him that since he changed the stage, Dan Oh has to have surgery. Well, hold up, Dan Oh’s character has always been sick, so the surgery may have always been in the plans. He’s just being a jerk. To make things even worse, he is waiting for Dan Oh when she comes home. He tells her that she is all he has, everyone else is fake. Poor Baek Kyung, no one has ever taught him how to love someone so he’s going about this totally wrong. He’s determined that she will be his. What is he going to do?

What’s real and what’s fake?

The students are in art class discussing which is real, the painting or the shoes. We all know that this is a comparison to the story and the books. It’s all about interpretation. Ha Ru goes into overprotective overdrive. He’s shielding her from everything, and it just so happens that he has to keep his arm around her all the time. Poor Dan Oh, she went from a girl who tackles her own destiny to a girl who is being smothered by concern.

Cinderella’s shoes

Joo Da seems obsessed with the story of Cinderella. We know she’s self-aware, but now we know that she is interested in Do Hwa. She keeps seeking him out in the shadow, and she’s wearing the shoes he gave her. She clues him in to the fact that she remembers what happened that night of the party. She knows the scenes change, but when they change, he’s the only one that she can remember. I’m happy with this storyline. I just hope it doesn’t lead to heartbreak.

Surgery is coming soon

Stage: Dan Oh is sitting on a park bench waiting for Baek Kyung. The writer pulls out all the sick heroine tropes, random comments, coughing, and a single tear for good measure. Baek Kyung is telling her how he’s always liked her, he just hates that she’s sick. So BORING. Off stage: Dan Oh and Baek Kyung walk he tells her that he feels more like his character than he used to. He’s worried she will die and he will be forever wounded by her loss. He keeps asking her to get the surgery and to be with him.

The Other Book

Ha Ru can’t stop worrying about Dan Oh. He tells her there was another book before this one, and that he saw her die in that story. He’s worried that that story is repeating in this world. He wants to change their story. He can’t let her go. This is so sad. Dan Oh reassures him that she will be ok. After they separate, she stops by her mother’s empty garden and prays/begs the writer to let her live.

We have to change the stage

Do Hwa tells Ha Ru that the date for the surgery has been set. Ha Ru says that they have to change the stage. It seems like he is going to have Do Hwa dress like his brother. Baek Kyung goes looking for the book and he finds Ha Ru’s corner in the library. He sees the portal that shows the scene from the book where Ha Ru and Dan Oh are planning to run away. Baek Kyung sees that Dan Oh dies, then the portal closes up and a flower is left behind.

My Thoughts

I’m hoping that some of our newer developments mean that our characters stop being so tropey and start trying to actually change the story. We have just a few episodes left and I feel like we’ve got some interesting scenes to come. What will happen with Squid Fairy’s story? I’m going to be furious if they dropped that girl in and don’t do anything with her. Also, we seem to have a villain in Baek Kyung’s little brother. Something is really fishy there. Hopefully, we stop repeating everything and start moving forward soon.

Until the next glitch,

Clkytta

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi