Surplus Princess - Episode 5 (A SongJaeRimJob)

Hello again! I'm dropping by from the land of Much Busy, Very Work to hack a little bit at this crazy Mermaid drama. Y'know, the one that got cut down to 10 episodes. That means the last one airs on October 9! Can tvN manage to wrap up everything by then?
becca: Yes! No! Maybe??
JoAnne: Well sure. A meteor could drop on them all and kill everyone. Boom. End of drama.
kakashi: I'm sure they'll wrap up but I'm also sure it will be an opportunity to have ragefits.&
(Note re: We Got Married. Yes, we're going to cap it! kakashi, Enabler of Squees, has started the RimKimJeobs so it should be up soon. Well, as soon as we finish commenting. Hehe. She's already finished it. ^^ Thanks, kakashi! (You're welcome. It had to happen) Oh, and we're still doing YNS recaps too, in case any YNS-lovers are reading this and waiting for news too.)

So just as a refresher, Episode 4 ends with Jin-ah telling everyone to go ahead and try getting into JH, because they can't. And Hani begs the Elite Staaady Group to take her in. They tell her no and insult her in the process, prompting Hyun-myung to give them a smackdown and tenderly wrist-grab Hani away from there.
becca: Tenderly... wrist-grab? Huh. He probably should've aimed for the hand, but otherwise, he was pretty cool. I give him an A-.
JoAnne: I want to smoosh him. He's SO cute.
kakashi: He absolutely is. I have nothing aginst him. Well, one thing: He's in a shitty drama.

EPISODE 5 "Hard Work Is Never Wasted"

The Surplus Family are out drinking and eating grilled meat/seafood. They find out about Hyun-myung putting those elite group snobs in their place. Drunk Hani gives him a thumbs-up and the other boys praise him for being cool. Suddenly, Hani sees the discarded clam shells and rummages through them. She cries and cries as she puts the shells on her chest and says, "This isn't my size!" "This won't cover my boobs at all!" Hahaha. The boys tries to look awkwardly away at this drunken behavior.
becca: HAHAHA!! As always, drunk Hani does not disappoint!
JoAnne: I want to watch a drama with three girls who get drunk and act silly: Jo Boa, Han Groo, and Yoo In Ah.
kakashi: Hahahahaaaa, perfect. Sometimes, the writers have brief episodes of genius. I wish they were a little bit longer and a little bit more sustained. &
Shi-kyung and Jin-ah exit a different restaurant. He asks if this dinner is enough to pay her back. (He promised to take her to dinner sometime for saving him, right? In the elevator? Episode 2? Sounds right. Yep.) Anyway, she demurs that he didn't owe her anything. She also invites him to a movie because she has two tickets "just lying around". (I have two sharpened pencils "just lying around" too, shall I invite you to a stabbing, YOU POOPSUCKER?!)
becca: Oh, come ON!! Okay, Mary, I've got a plan. You just stand there with your pencils and talk to Jin-ah, then I'll& walk by and "accidentally" bump into you. You'll fly pencil-first toward Fox Witch's heart, and as she's being driven away in an ambulance later, we can tell the police it was an accident. Honest, officer! *looks innocent*
JoAnne: ...''shall I invite you to stabbing, you poopsucker"... *shakes head in wonder*
kakashi: If we analyze this a bit more, er, levelheaded, what exactly has she done wrong? I'm a bit too lazy to think about it to be honest, but I think her methods are absolutely legal.&
Shi-kyung takes a long time to think it over, he doesn't seem to like movies (or Jin-ah wahaha). Before he can answer, they get distracted by the Surplus Family walking out of the adjacent restaurant, all drunk and rowdy.
becca: I bet movies are a drag, though, when you can't recognize faces. Maybe he just watches nature documentaries.
JoAnne: But then wouldn't he just be stuck saying, 'Is it a bird? Or is it a plane? No... it's Superman! Right? It's Superman, right? I can't really tell.'
kakashi: He probably watches Yoo-na's Street and knows what it means when girls invite you the the movies.&
Hani is 10 sheets to the wind, but her Rimdar is still totally accurate (like mine). She spots Shi-kyung-sshi immediately and runs to hug-attack him. Big covers Ji-yong's eyes haha. Shi-kyung is shocked and he stops the hug to take a look at the random girl who hugged him. "Kim... Hani-sshi?" he asks. (OMG OMG OMG HE REMEMBERED HER.) Hani is thrilled too. "You remembered my name! Then... do you remember this?" *kisssssss* *butt squissssshhh*
becca: How could he forget her?? There are only two women in the world who would jump on him so fast, and he hasn't met you yet, so.... Also, how much do I love that she went for the apple butt so fast? No one can accuse this girl of being shy!
JoAnne: Maybe rabbits have been coasting on an undeserved rep all these years... but the fish don't care, they're too busy getting their freak on. Apparently.
Hahaha! Everyone looks on in shock at this pervy mermaid who has no qualms about liking people and kissing and butt-grabbing them on the street. Ji-yong looks painfully at the scene before he runs away. But Jin-ah recovers quickly and forces my OTP apart, shrieking at Hani to stop it. (LOL you're just jealous... *whispers* buttpoop) Hyun-myung, who was just standing there drunk and looking at the opposite direction, finally turns around when he heaers Jin-ah's voice. The Surplus Family all walk over.
JoAnne: My heart just hurts for Second all the time. He should comfort ME.
kakashi: I must be a monster because I don't feel anything.&
Drunk Hani tells the Fox-Bitch to watch out, when she becomes human and gets to works at JH Food Corp, she--- mmmfff mfffmff. Hye-young covered her mouth to stop her from drunk-confessing her secrets. But Hani removes Hye-young's gag long enough to ask Shi-kyung if he remembers now? That one time? At the Han River-- mmff mffmfff.
JoAnne: Look at how his arms are gonna bust out of that suit. How do you expect me to follow a plot with that distraction?
kakashi: He has the most earnest slightly-dumb-but-who-cares kinda face, too.&
Hye-young bids a (fake) friendly farewell to Jin-ah as she drags Hani away. Jin-ah tells Rim that these are people "she just knew for a short while". "For a while?" asks a very hurt HornDog. At least ButtPoop has the decency to look away? Hyun-myung stands there looking with hurt puppy eyes at her before Big drags him off too.
becca: Oof. That was cruel.
JoAnne: How could she. Look at his face. I should go comfort him with apples or something.

Shi-kyung touches his lips and seems to remember something. Important because: Rim.
becca: Is it just me, or is Rim getting his cheekbones back? Not here, but in the more recent episodes. I just watched 8, and he's looking more like himself.
JoAnne: It's not just you, I've noticed it as well. I wonder what was going on? It just didn't look like 'he got chubby.'
kakashi: Well, he said on WGM that he's on a diet. I lose weight in my face first too. Maybe he's like me. Hahahaaa. Also ... VERY large hands and thick fingers.&
JoAnne: We all know what the grandmas say about THAT.
Next day, Shi-kyung listens to his pen. His pen is a recorder? Oooh~ that's handy! Smart Rim! He replays Hani's love-or-die confession as he remembers last night's kiss. He also concentrates and tries to remember the underwater kiss. (Was it the butt-grab that jogged your memory, Shi-kyung-sshi? Huihuihui) But Jin-ah interrupts his thoughts when she walks in to take him to an appointment.
Gawd I hate this not-remembering thing. How can you survive Bori-bori's 40+ episodes of amnesia, kakashi? Jo?
becca: You think it's smart now, but those pen-recordy things always bring trouble.
JoAnne: At this point, Bori has lived a whole life without remembering her first six years. I don't even think of it as amnesia most of the time anymore!
kakashi: There's bearable and unbearable amnesia. Bori's was totally bearable. Shi-kyung's isn't cause ... bleh.&
Hye-young shakes a hungover Hani awake and reminds her of her drunken antics. (She mimes the "do you remember me Shi-kyung-sshi" kiss-and-butt-grab.) Hye-young tells Hani that Shi-kyung was surprised but not mad, and he seemed to be remembering something. Hani thinks this is great news. Hye-young disagrees. No man in his right mind would fall in love with a mermaid! So Hani's best bet is to deny everything and pretend that she's a "proper woman". (Me: NOOOOOOOOOO~ FOOK. DON'T DO THIS, HYE-YOUNG! DON'T MESS WITH SHI-KYUNG'S MEMORIES!!!) Hye-young takes out her phone to show Hani a restaurant's status update: Chef Shi-kyung is there to try their cuisine. Off to that restaurant they gooooo~
becca: We don't have time for a conventional romance! Especially now that the episodes have been cut! Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead! Grab thee some butt!
JoAnne: You do realize that all the future stuff has already HAPPENED, right? Telling them now is...
kakashi: ... completely useless? Like ... if they're in life-shoot mode, it's not, right?&
Inside the restaurant, Jin-ah and Rim are waiting for the food to be served when Hye-young barges in with Hani in tow. She pretends to be surprised and asks to share tables, since the place is "packed". (It's practically empty. PWAHAHA) Jin-ah tries to shoo them, saying they're here for work. But Shi-kyung smiles at the pair and says why not? They're ordering a lot of food. It would be nice to eat together. (YASSSSSS!!!)
becca: I like him. I like pretty much anyone who readily shares food. Cheppunim! Feed me, too? Pleeeeaaase??
JoAnne: This drama gives me whiplash though because one minute he's supposed to be this cool cold remote fellow and then the next he's all squishy and food-sharing.
kakashi: I'm with Jo. He has no character. I mean: it's completely unclear what kind of person he is and we're almost done with this drama. But I don't care, especially since we now have WGM and get a whole lot of "real" Rim in there.&
When Jin-ah doesn't want to "step outside" with Hye-young for a talk, Hye-young hints that she has a message from Hyun-myung. That gets Jin-ah up and out with her, leaving Hani and Shi-kyung alone. (YASSSSSS!!! Hye-young is OZAM.)
becca: Gah. Is she going to pretend she's NEVER dated? Or does she just want to hide the recent, bad break-up? Either way, good grief.
JoAnne: Well, she's tried to pass the 'loser' off as someone she barely knew. If SK-ssi finds out she dated him and enjoyed the benefit of his muscly horndog ways for three years...
kakashi: Yeah, what's the problem? People date, people break up ... but have you heard? Physical traits of previous sexual partners can be passed down to future children. Exes do matter.
JoAnne: *gives you side eye*

When it becomes obvious that Hye-young has no message, Jin-ah tries to go back in. At which point Hye-young reminds her that she read Jin-ah's fortune years ago and already told her that she'll break up with Hyun-myung from her own betrayal. She tells Jin-ah to give Hani and Rim a moment together, and in exchange she'll read her fortune again. This time her fortune with Rim.
JoAnne: Proving, once again, that she rocks. Hye Young, we all love you.
kakashi: I must remember that trick for distracting enemies. I like it.&
Inside the restaurant, Chef looks on amused as Hani guzzles a pitcher of water by herself. She apologizes about "that thing" *doing butt grab actions* and Rim leaves it at, "You surprise me all the time, but last night was the most shocking". Huihuihui. That sounds really dirty taken out of context. Granted, it's already dirty in context.&
JoAnne: Nothing dirty about some friendly glute massage. It's a kind gesture to promote health and well-being.
kakashi: Hey, nobody has told her it's not okay to butt-grab a stranger. How should she know?&
Shi-kyung asks her what it was she wanted him to remember and I curse Hye-young for the next bit. Because Hani is forced to lie about the "I saved you" part and settle for "You didn't remember that I've followed you for months as your biggest fan".

Noooooo~ why is the universe working against this two? They are so ready to like each other, can't you see? Fooking universe. *shaking fist*
kakashi: It's tvN, not the universe, mary.&

Good thing Rim remembers. He leans in with his killer-smile (the scary kind) and spills the newly refilled pitcher of water on her legs, turning them into a tail!!!
becca: At least he isn't choking her this time? Eh? Eh??? No? Still bad!
JoAnne: Is that... a streak of white hair?
kakashi: Is he Cruella De Vil?
Of course this is all in Hani's imagination. She wakes up with a start to find Rim sitting across the table, just laughing at her cuteness. Yieeeeee~ I squee. I squee a lot. He likes her so much it hurts me that they aren't already getting fun sekshi times because of this Fooking Cruel Universe (aka tvN).
becca: He squees over her, too. So cute. So probably doomed.
JoAnne: He does think she's pretty darn adorable - which makes me think HE is pretty darn adorable.
She sees the food buffet and squees at everything. And of course Shi-kyung finds her love of food cute too. (Cheppunim! I love food, too!! Just as much if not more!! I'm not trying to steal him, Mary. I just want a personal chef.)& She gives polished feedback about the food which impresses Rim. Then she takes a stalk of celery(?) and ties it into a heart using her tongue. (Is that like the cherry thing? If you can tie it, you're a good kisser?)
JoAnne: I'm guessing yes? With the added implication that she can handle things that are a lot bigger than a cherry stem? Although why a guy would want his party bits to be tied into a knot is beyond me.
She's so giddy, she ends up squeeing that she'd love to taste Shi-kyung's cooking personally. Once she becomes human. (Shi-kyung: *raises eyebrows* hu-man?) Awesome Hye-young comes back and saves Hani's slip by explaining that she's looking for a job. Because people don't treat you like a "real person" until you have one these days. *awkward laughter*
kakashi: Ah, yes. This is, after all, a drama about the job-less generation, right?&
JoAnne: Yes. Like Age of Feeling was about a young man' search for justice AND his little sister.

Bonus: Shi-kyung praises Hani's food critique skills to Jin-ah. He also asks Hani out to dinner (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) the next day AND tells Jin-ah to finish studying the food while he goes to his meeting AND drives Hani and Hye-young home on his way. Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Uh-huh! Uh-huh *Mary doing a "take that, bish" dance*
becca: I enjoyed that, too. Though, objectively, he did just unceremoniously ditch her. Not exactly gentlemanly behavior.
JoAnne: Well, but they weren't on a date. Work rules are a bit different, esp. if you are in a city with mass transit readily available. No?
kakashi: Of course. He isn't even remotely interested in this woman.&
Aaaand since the universe hates me, the waiter finds Shi-kyung's memory-refreshing, spy-recording pen. Which he gives to Jin-ah since Shi-kyung already left. We all know she's gonna figure out what Shi-kyung's pen is for and do something evil about it.
becca: TOLD YOU!! "Trouble" with a capital "T" and rhymes with "P" and that stands for "Pen!!"
JoAnne: Right here in Han River City!
kakashi: Such a cheap storytelling devise. Not good, tvN. You fail.&

*sigh* Jin-ah is like a reverse Min-jung. She doesn't "plan" anything elaborate. But damn if this Fooking Universe (aka tvN) doesn't hand things to her on a silver platter. With handsome serving boys to boot!
becca: Seriously. She catches all the evil breaks. Hopefully the comeuppance later will even things out again.
JoAnne: After Min Jung goes to jail Jae Hee divorces her. & Jin Ah never does get with Shi Kyung. She begins to date Jae Hee, but he's so damaged by now that he just treats her like crap. We all laugh and laugh.
kakashi: Ah, this is a drama crossover after my own heart!&
Speaking of handsome boys, Hyun-myung remembers Jin-ah's "go ahead and try to get into JH" barb. He steels himself and replaces his PoopFace wallpaper with a random climb-the-mountain motivational stock photo. Then he drags Big out of bed and Ji-yong away from his computer games. They must study! FOR JH!!!!
JoAnne: Big, in a couple of years I'm going to come looking for you. Eat well in the meantime, sugar.
For JH!
becca: *suddenly distracted* Wait, what is JH, again? What is food?? I would gladly study this. I mean with this him.
JoAnne: If he was normal height we wouldn't be so gaga for the boy, you know.

An ex-SurplusHouse friend drops in to interrupt the study session. It's Ji-yong's law school friend! He topped the bar and is now starting his own law firm (plus, he's hawt. Who is he?). He's here to offer Ji-yong a job as his partner's paralegal. Ji-yong is offended and pretends that he already has a job. As a lawyer. At a top company: JH Food. Hyun-myung, Big, and Sun-kyu just sit there staring at Ji-yong as he takes a call from Hye-young and pretends to be annoyed that people won't stop consulting him on his day-off. (I bet she'll beat him up when she gets home.)
becca: Dude, just take the job!! I know it hurts your pride, but the guy is being nice about it and, well, you NEED a job.
JoAnne: I do have to agree, there was a bare minimum of smugness from the classmate.
Well, that's that then. Ex-Housemate looks genuinely happy for him and invites him to a reunion. Ji-yong lies that he has a business trip to New York that day. After Ex-Housemate leaves, everyone gives Ji-yong this, "Really, now?" look. Ji-yong says he wasn't lying. Just predicting the future. *cue inspired I WILL STUDY HARD music* Hani gets home in time to join the newly-energized Surplus Study Group.
becca: Ex-Housemate seemed nice. I'm sad that Ji-yong lied to him.
JoAnne: He's my least favorite ShareMate. Can we vote him off the island?
kakashi: Yes.&

Hyun-myung quizzes everyone about their qualifications (to help with resume writing). But they're all clueless. Ji-yong in particular thinks his degree from a well-known school should be enough. Hyun-myung harshly tells him it isn't. He'll be outshined by other graduates of top universities who have volunteered abroad or interned at large companies. That gets Ji-yong on the defensive. He says Hyun-myung has no right to lecture them, seeing as how he always fails to get a job AND even failed to keep his girlfriend.
JoAnne: At least he HAD one, virgin.
Hani, Ji-yong, and Big decide to look for resume writers online instead of relying on the "uppity" Hyun-myung. They find one with lots of positive feedback. He charges $200 each so Big calls his mom, lying about a broken laptop, and asks for $400. Hani also calls "Uncle Ahn" to ask for "study money". Ahn Ma-nyeo calls her nuts. Hani whispers about the antique vase and pearl necklace she gave him. So he gives her $200 too.
JoAnne: I'm sorry, but life after Urban Dictionary has ruined me. Every time someone mentions a pearl necklace I giggle.

Jin-ah comes home from work and dumps her bag on the couch. Ack! Shi-kyung's magic pen turns on by accident and plays back his recordings. Now Jin-ah knows about the Prosopagnosia!!!
kakashi: Which is fully okay!&
JoAnne: I love Prosopagnosia Day! & Everyone gets to ignore everyone they don't like, and then say 'oh, I didn't recognize you there for a minute!' if they get called out on it!

Meanwhile, Hani soaks in the tub while Hye-young sits on the toilet. Hihi. Shi-kyung calls to set the date (tomorrow night dinner, meet-up outside JH Food Corp). Hye-young offers to paint Hani's toenails and Pervy Mermaid asks for a waxing too. In case she gets fun, sekshi times with Shi-kyung. ^____^
JoAnne: She's clearly not a Korean mermaid, according to The Rules Governing Drama Damsels.
CEO Hong is being driven home. She's in a temper. One of their restaurants she just visited was serving crappy food and her driver forgot to keep a snack in the car! (I get cranky when I'm hungry, too - omg I wish you never meet me when I'm hungry, I'm like Hulk)& She spots Ahn Ma-nyeo's takoyaki truck and goes to order some. EXCEPT! He doesn't want to sell her any despite having dozens of it already cooked. He says it's because he changed his flour supplier and now his takoyakis don't taste very good.
kakashi: Ah, another completely useless storyline.
JoAnne: I don't know where it was - tv show, maybe, but I heard and saw the intro (or part of it) to the Tayo Truck show. & Cute.

CEO Hong pities the food truck man and offers to buy all of it anyway. But Ahn Ma-nyeo says it's better to lose a night's profit than to lose customers by disappointing them. She looks impressed and inspired by that. She goes back to her car and calls the restaurant to dispose their substandard stock and get proper ones.
kakashi: Yes. This is very important. NOT. Thank you, tvN, for starting ANOTHER storyline that isn't about the Mermaid.
JoAnne: Why did she need to be in the drama at all, actually?
Next morning, Ji-yong and Hyun-myung have a pissing contest over their resumes. Ji-yong says they found a professional to write theirs instead of the unpolished stuff Hyun-myung does. Hyun-myung in turn just laughs at Ji-yong. Even if he buys the best resume, he'd still need to pass the interview, which he will probably fail. MWAHAHAHA~ But upstairs, Hyun-myung sighs over his hundreds of used CVs and doesn't feel too confident about his "doctoring" skills anymore.
JoAnne: He needs cheering up. Confidence building. To 'win' at something. I volunteer to help.

Meanwhile, the trio excitedly open the file sent by their "professional writer". The first one was just a file with "Write Your Own Resume, Suckers" written in it. And the other file was a sexy video (porn?) Hani, of course, tries to watch it. Haha.
kakashi: There is an industry out there exploiting poor jobless people. And that is sad. Go away, bad people.&
Ji-yong and Hyun-myung quickly make-up and end up laughing at the silly resume fight. Instead of writing useless fluff, they come up with a way to get "food industry experience"--- starting with Hani aegyo-ing Ahn Ma-nyeo to lend her the takoyaki truck for one day (since he only sells food at night). When the aegyo only half-works, she pulls the "if I don't get a job, I can't pay you back" card to get him to agree. They will use it to air an episode of Hye-young's mok-bang with the Takoyaki Superheroes theme. Their brainstorming is narrated in an old-movie style. Complete with shrill voices, hammy reactions, and washed-out colors.
becca: I love this show.
kakashi: You do?&
JoAnne: Tiny parts of it.
A takoyaki ajusshi (Ahn Ma-nyeo LOL) gets a nosebleed and collapses, prompting the Surplus House folks to step in and tend the shop for him. A poor "girl" begs for food and the takoyaki superheroes give her free takoyaki. The poor girl turns into CEO Hong, who then buys all the takoyaki and gives them jobs for being nice. And they live happily ever after.
Everyone approves the sob-story and they set to work making posters and costumes for their booth. Hani tries to sneak out for her Rim date. Hyun-myung catches her, thinking she's avoiding work. She runs away shouting this date is very important. And Hye-young clings to Hyun-myung to stop him from following. (Girlfriend power!!!)
becca: Hye-young is an enabler. An awesome enabler, of course.
JoAnne: I'd like to know more about her, wouldn't you?

Shi-kyung is on his way to the date when he realizes his pen is missing which puts him in a panic. His pen is important, dontcha know? He can't go on dates without it! Jin-ah enters his office with a long face, steeling herself to return the pen. But Chef's assistant runs in. Emergency!!! Their cooking class for foreign VVVVVIPs will start in 10 minutes, and the chef-in-charge got sick!
becca: Oh, well! Guess someone else will have to do it, as Rim has a date! Lalala! No?
kakashi: Of course, becca. This is tvN.
JoAnne: He is the onliest only chef in the company except for that one guy who got sick, and there's not even ONE SECOND to call and postpone the date.
Shi-kyung is roped into teaching the class and gets a quick introduction to the seating arrangement of the three guests. But when they enter the kitchen, there are five people instead. O___O Shi-kyung freezes in a panic as CEO Hong mentions that two of last year's guests were so charmed with Chef Shi-kyung that they asked to attend again this year. They start talking to him but he can't fooking recall their faces. And the names and seating arrangement he memorized just minutes ago are now useless.
becca: Uh-oh!
kakashi: Shit!&
JoAnne: I'm quite certain Jin Ah will use this to her advantage.

Shi-kyung sweats like a pig (a very sexy, yummy bacon kind of pig) (oh-kaaaaay......)& until a notepad pops up behind the counter. Jin-ah has written the names of the guests for him. He's a bit surprised that she's suddenly helping, but has no choice but to rely on her. Now that he knows which guest is seated where, the class goes on smoothly.
kakashi: See? She's nice.&
JoAnne: She has no reason to let him fail, since she wants him. & Wouldn't it have been smarter to take him aside for a moment?
Mary: kakashi! Did you forget about that totally horrible way she broke up with Hyun-myung? And how she knowingly stole Hani's Shi-kyung-saving identity? And... well... hmm... I forget. The things I hate her for will happen in future episodes. Dammit. I'm confused now.
Meanwhile, Hani waits for hours in the cafe near JH Corp. She calls and messages Shi-kyung, but he doesn't (and can't) look at his phone due to the VVVVVVIP class. She finally leaves, dejected. Our poor Pervy Mermaid. Why? WHY is this Fooking Universe conspiring to keep you away from Rim? Is it because of me? To reserve him for me? If so, please give her my Rim, Fooking Universe. I don't mind Mermaid getting Rim. T________T Man, it makes me sad to see her so sad because we know Shi-kyung likes her too... I don't wanna watch another drama where Rim gets hurt. No. Never again. This hurts too much. *crying in corner*
becca: Bad news about that: it's K-drama. Everyone gets hurt. :(
JoAnne: Buck up, Buttercup. & KDrama ain't for sissies.
Shi-kyung finishes the class. He asks how Jin-ah knew about his facial recognition problem. She admits hearing the recordings by accident. Then she gives him advice about opening up and not worrying too much. That gets Shi-kyung on the defensive. He tells her to stop meddling in his affairs. She has no right to look down on him with pity.
becca: This is one case where I do think she was just trying to help. But I totally understand him being upset about the secret getting out.
kakashi: Yes, in fact, I think she is a very nice person. Somewhere deep down.
JoAnne: I agree with you that she is not an evil troll, and that she is trying hard to live by the rules society has told her guarantee success, but I do think sometimes her heart isn't entirely in it.&

Jin-ah cries and says it's because she likes him and doesn't want to see him suffering. (Man, this girl can cry well too.) She apologizes and wishes him luck in coolly managing his disease alone (LOL). Then she leaves the pen and walks away. Shi-kyung doesn't even get time to process it before he sees his phone's missed calls. He remembers his date with Hani. Then he just breaks down at all the crap that happened to him today. (Aww... he really really likes Hani?) (He does!) (Of course!)(Three days ago in the club he thought she was a freak, though. Whiplash.)
Hyun-myung spots Hani walking home. He scolds her for skipping work and tells her she's now kicked out of their study group. She sits down on the yard and cries. (LOL) He backtracks immediately and says it's not true. (LOL again)
becca: These two. So cute.
JoAnne: They are equally adorable in an 'I want to pet you' kind of way. Then he takes off his shirt and petting takes on a new dimension.
Maaaan~ they are CUTE. Hani is just cute with everyone. And once again I emit highly-concentrated hate-beams directed at tvN/SNL for messing up this show. It's like they had enough jokes/plot for two (more like ... four?) different stories and merged them into one crazy show. Now instead of a happy Horny Couple and Cute Mermaid Couple, we will get an abruptly cut-off, resolution-less couple. Whoever it is. *throws tiny tantrum again*
JoAnne: & There, there. *patpatpat*
Hyun-myung tries to comfort Hani, but she shoves Hyun-myung away. She's trying to get a signal! While crying! Haha! She blames the crappy phone reception around their area for her not (possibly) getting Shi-kyung's calls. Hyun-myung realizes she's been ditched. He tells her that nowadays, people only get boyfriends/girlfriends when they have a job (hahahaaaa). So she should stop worrying about Shi-kyung until after they manage to get into JH. Then everything else will just follow. That cheers her up a teensy bit.
JoAnne: He is a genuinely nice fellow.
They set-up their Takoyaki Superheroes booth the next day. Hye-young opens the show and tells her mok-bang fans that all donations during this episode will go to help the "Sick takoyaki ajusshi". When Hani starts handing out fliers, she misses Shi-kyung's call. (Me: Super Sad Face. Me: tvN, this is getting old FAST) He sends her an apology text instead and promises to call again later.
becca: Two thoughts, here. 1) Hye-young looks fabulous. 2) Are they trying to sell this sob-story as reality? That's... not cool. 'Cause dishonest. *preemptive cringing*
kakashi: *yawn* - how much longer until seckshi time?&
JoAnne: So, takoyaki. & Fried octopus balls? & Like Rocky Mountain Oysters?

Meanwhile, Jin-ah sends Shi-kyung a text too, apologizing again for being nosy. Then she drinks while remembering Hye-young's tarot card reading: Jin-ah will get a "powerful weapon" which could either help her cause or harm it greatly. (So is the knowledge about Chef's facial amnesia the "powerful weapon"?)&
kakashi: No, mary. It's complete bullshit.&
JoAnne: Complete bullshit is her powerful weapon? & Why not. It's worked in countless other dramas.

She runs into Rim in their apartment elevator. The awkwardness is broken when Shi-kyung's granny calls. She chats about that bright young woman who found his phone and can understand her Jeju dialect. (Oooooh~ did Hani talk to halmeoni before she returned Shi-kyung's phone?)
Speaking of Hani, they're managing the long line of takoyaki buyers. CEO Hong approaches and is concerned that the "deep-voiced ajusshi" is sick. Hyun-myung doesn't recognize her and asks her to fall in line. Heh. But Big does! He Googles her profile and shows it to the others except Ji-yong.
Because Ji-yong is busy cooking the takoyaki. That is, until a group of lawyers (including their ex-housemate) spots the food truck and decides to buy too.
becca: Somethin' baaaad's gonna happen here.
JoAnne: Just protect the takoyaki, that's all I ask.

When Ji-yong sees them, he grabs his Iron Man mask and puts it on. Then he hides behind the truck. Hyun-myung tries to shove him back inside. He needs to cook! The CEO of JH is here! Ji-yong thinks they're bluffing to get him to go back. Their fight starts to attract a crowd, and CEO Hong shakes her head at the apparent incompetence of these kids.
Things get worse when Ahn Ma-nyeo shows up and wonders what's happening. CEO Hong is surprised that he's up and about. He claims to be perfectly healthy before Hani can make pointed references to his anemia. Y'know. That very. severe. anemia. (It's no joke!) CEO Hong isn't tricked. She leaves, disgusted at the group for lying so much. Ahn Ma-nyeo can only look at Hani and go "*gulp* Princess....."
Meanwhile the fight gets worse inside the truck. Hyun-myung pulls out Ji-yong who's hiding in the driver's seat. His mask is removed in the process. So is his costume. So are the truck's brakes. Oups?
They don't notice the truck rolling away and hitting a pole until it's too late. And to add to all this bad luck, there's now nothing to hide behind. Ex-Housemate recognizes Hyun-myung and Ji-yong, who was supposed to be on a "business trip to New York" today. Ji-yong can only pretend to faint while Hyun-myung tries to wake his hyung up to uh... go to New York. Haha~
becca: *laughing and cringing* At least he tried?
kakashi: If you go down, go down as hard as you can (my motto)
JoAnne: And Min Jungs.
Later that night, Ji-yong emos in the SurplusHouse garden. He's very guilty about ruining everyone's chance to impress CEO Hong. He cries about his 15-years-ago self. The young Ji-yong who got his acceptance letter to Seoul National University. The one who dreamt of being a lawyer. Then a judge. Then marrying a pretty wife and having kids... Now all he thinks about after waking up is how to survive for today. And all he ever does is play games because that's the only thing he can win at these days.
becca: Aww. Poor Ji-yong.
kakashi: I'm trying hard to muster sympathy but ......... fail.&
JoAnne: Yep. & Go away. & Shouldn't you have moved on to a different plan ohhh, 14 years ago?

Hani hears the last bit and says he's really good at cooking ramyun. Haha. He waves it off as a stupid task that any kid can do, but everyone chimes in that his ramyun is the best! Then they ask him to please cook his very very very special ramyun right now.
becca: That was sweet. I like these kids.
kakashi: Uhm, becca? Who do you ship, hm? *suspicious side-eye*
Everyone goes back to the house in a lighter mood. Except Hani who hangs around trying to get a phone signal again. Hyun-myung tells her that if a guy doesn't call, it's because he's not into you. She calls him a jerk. He watches her stomp off in annoyance. Then he gets a pensive and looks at Jin-ah's messages on his phone too...

Shi-kyung sits at home and dials a number.

Hani finally gets reception in the 2nd floor common area and she answers excitedly.

Jin-ah gets a call too and answers it nervously.

COMMENTS

So who called whom?
kakashi: Who wants to bet?
JoAnne: I actually don't even remember. &

I want Shi-kyung to call Hani. But that would mean Hyun-myung caved and called PoopFace, which I DO NOT WANT. Unless it's to say, "I found a really great girl who's as horny and cute as I am. Ta-ta, PoopFace!"
becca: HAHA!:&
JoAnne: If the sharehouse is rockin', don't come knockin'
This is the first episode where I feel a teeny tiny bit pity for Ji-yong. Previously, I really hated his character. The type of person who lazily stays at home and mooches off other people. Someone who isn't even giving any effort and yet expects the best opportunities to drop in his lap. Case in point: rejecting the offer to be a paralegal. His moment of emo-ness at the end helped me to understand where he's coming from, but I still think he should do more than cry and be aware of his situation. How about putting in more effort into living up to your younger self's dreams, eh? Ji-yong?
becca: In situations like this, you should ask yourself, "What would Iron Man, do?"
kakashi: *Sigh*. I vote him off this island.&
JoAnne: & Him AND his wig have got to go. & But leave the ramyun.