ToGetHer 愛就宅一起 - Episode 4 (A Contest SqueeCap)

kakashi: Our OTP is far from ready to admit they have growing feelings for each other, but their actions and reactions betray them to the people close to them. It doesn't get any easier, for both of them - some hard times are ahead, with room for misunderstandings But they care about each other's opinion and because of that, they talk to each other. Talking is good.
Sparks: This was one of the hardest episodes for me to watch. But it's a baby-step in the right direction and I'm all for them getting closer!
Trotwood: Yup. No rewatching for me. I usually rewatch an ep before commenting, but it was painful for me as well.
SakiVI: I ... did not have such a strong reaction, lol.
JoAnne: I thought this was incredibly sad, poor girl.
Shuk: She is a little trooper. But then she's had to be most of her life.

Episode 4

Movie premiere time! Momo has a VVVVVIP ticket (front row) and is uncomfortable about everything. The event, the venue, her dress, her shoes, herself ... it's really pitiful. The bullies are there too (right, Mars invited pretty much everyone he has classes with (Awww)) and see her go by. They have a rage fit when they find out she has a VIP ticket - which they do not have.
She really steps out of her comfort-zone for him here. I respected her for not running away.
I did, too. I think she really wanted to go and support him. As a person who used to be painfully shy (afraid to order in restaurants shy), this whole sequence made me cringe for her. I knew they were going to do something hateful. And she was already in such a state of trepidation w/out that threat.
Yes, it was difficult for her. 
It was actually kind of sudden for me, this very bold (for her) step she was making. But I welcomed it, because to me it signaled that she was pretty much there when it comes to accepting Mars as at least a friend. I forget that early happy times mean extended periods of angst later, though.
They found camaraderie during his practices. That's probably something she's never experienced either, that chance to work with someone and mesh with them on a common goal. So bravo for her for wanting to extend that. And bad dye jobs for all the mean girls!
In fact, it seems that Mars gave Momo his one VIP ticket - the one reserved for his mother, who is too busy to come. I hope that's true and it's something extremely important >.< Anyway, Manager teases Mars about that mystery person he gave it to instead. When Mars is alone to get ready for the event, he asks himself why he gave the VIP ticket to the Ah Zhai. Could it be that .... no way! And he does the Prince Kasaba technique to calm down. Awwwwww.
Haha - his dorky grin afterwards! :D 
He's hypnotized now.
His hands seem large and strong, don't they?
That 'cuze you secretly want to go all handsy on him, don't you, Princess Jo.
The front row is full of big-shot directors, actresses and ... Momo. She doesn't make eye contact with the other guys and clearly wishes herself elsewhere. (Tough it out, Momo! Life just kinda sucks that way!) Way at the back, the mean bullies devise an evil plan. It goes like this: one of them tells her that Mars has been trying to get a hold of her and that she should follow her. Poor, naive Momo does... and ends up being locked into a toilet stall and doused with water.
*Rage* I really hate those girls. But I was proud of Momo for refusing to hand over her ticket. Though those big-shots in the front row cracked me up - "what do you think of my furry collar?" "It's nice - what do you think of my jumbo boutonniere?" "Ooh!" 
Let's be clear. I can enjoy a good villain even a campy villain. But these kinds of characters? They don't make sense on screen or in real life. I mean if you got all dressed up to go to a movie premier, would you take the time to hang out in the women's room to lock people in bathrooms? I'd be too busy trying to see if I could see any stars or getting photos or worrying about my own dress.
I've been to movie premieres, and I just wore jeans. Of course, these were local film festivals. Okay, back to this situation: these girls are just obsessed with being friendly with their classroom celebrity.  
These girls are disgusting. Also, I think one of the celebrities is or is supposed to be Peter Ho.
Stupid scene for stupid girls. Nobody would do that in a situation like that. I agree with Trot.
At Jia Sen's house, things are not going well either. Mom and Dad want to celebrate his birthday, but he stubbornly repeats that he wants to wait until Momo gets there. It seems she has come every single year since they were little, so it's a pretty big deal that she has forgotten this time. I get that, but I still don't like at all how the parents seem to take Momo's presence there for granted. (in this relationship. I don't blame him or Momo. I blame the parents) Later, we see Jia Sen - his silly inflatable birthday crown on his lap - out with the driver, desperately searching for Momo.
Here is where I wondered why no one called her cell phone?
I don't have a problem with the parents taking Momo's presence at Jia Sen's birthday for granted if she's indeed been there each year for over ten years and is notoriously unfriendly with anyone except Jia Sen.
Exactly what J says but:  the parents are living with their head in the sand and it starts becoming a problem for me here.
Even if this is traditional, the family should at least call her as a courtesy, if only to tell her the time of the dinner. I go to Thanksgiving with my bestie's family every year, and there are numerous texts to make sure everyone knows the time and what to bring, if anything.
At the movie theater, Mars is disappointed to find Momo's seat empty... while she cries a little in her uncomfortable toilet cell. Gurl, do you not have a mobile phone?
And here I completely forgot about cell phones and just thought, "all those people and not one person had to use the bathroom during the entire movie?"
I thought how horrible to be in the bathroom the entire time and wet and cold and perhaps having a part of you believe that you deserved this because you really aren't worthy to be friends with a star.
I ... didn't really feel this the way you guys did.
I couldn't understand why didn't scream to get someone's attention.  Well I did understand, because it's Momo, but really.  There are so many things that could have been done.  But I think for Momo...she stepped out of her comfort zone and got slapped down.  I think her attitude now is 'This is what happens. I shouldn't do this, because this is what happens.'
She's already wet, so why not crawl under the door, clean up a bit, and go do a smackdown on the Mean Girls? Or at least get out of there. Plus I bet a few kicks would open that stall door, too.
After the movie is done and Mars has finished talking to the press, the Bullies invite him to come to do some karaoke with them - and he agrees. Not sure why. They're so fake and hateful!(Despite his star status and bluster, he really is naive and has a hard time saying no to people who ask him nicely to do things. He just wants to be friends with people. You see this when he invites all the classmates to the premier.) He asks whether they have seen Momo, but they claim they haven't. He finds out the truth much later and by pure chance - the Stupid Cows talk about their evil deed while he is behind the corner on the phone. As soon as he knows what happened, he rushes back to the cinema. 
I'm thinking he was feeling generous since they're his fans. It's a small bit of justice that they blabbed on themselves here. Busted! And then he runs to go find her!
And the Whitney Houston song "Run to You" pops in my head. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9rCobRl-ng )
I loved how fast he dumped them AND that they told on themselves. I want him to ignore them from now on in repayment but I don't think that will happen. Even if his star has dimmed, he's still a celebrity and he's not going to completely alienate what few fans he has left.
I dunno. I hope he dedicates a hate song to "those stupid tramps at school".
A cleaning lady has found and freed Momo in the meantime though. She looks crushed and defeated as she goes home - for someone who never goes out, it was a big deal for her to dress up like this and make the effort. When Mars gets there (he even goes into the female toilet, calling her name), she is gone.
So no one had to pee after the movie either - why'd they even need a cleaning lady? And what's wrong with the movie poster? Everyting. ;P
What does that even mean? It makes me want to see that movie.
Movie poster? And cleaning lady makes sense.  Lots of people there, lots of pee (we never watched them watch the whole thing), lots of cleaning...
Everything you've heard is true.  Also including...EVERYING.  What the hell is that supposed to mean?
All I know is sometimes when you Ying someone you get the Wong number.
The one who finds her is Jia Sen. He is delighted to see her at first and then concerned, when he realizes she is crying. She hugs him for comfort and starts sobbing in earnest. Poor, poor Momo. He starts crying too. Seeing her that sad breaks his heart.
It was so sweet how he teared up, too. But technically, Jia Sen was looking for her because he's obsessive, not because he had any idea something was wrong. Good timing but not so great motivations...
Which is why this connection didn't mean anything to me other than that Momo had found a warm blanket to comfort her not that his status as 2nd lead shifted. He's not really a 2nd lead at all; he's just an obstacle to the OTP relationship because she loves him and feels responsible for him. He's family.
Okay ... never mind, I don't understand this Jia Sen character. I would prefer him not there.
Trot has explained it exactly. She has no romantic interest in Jia Sen. She cares about him, and probably feels a sense of responsibility toward him - the way we do when we care about someone - but not romantic interest. And he doesn't have any toward her either, actually, since his mental age makes that impossible. He has an adult body, though, so you combine those urges, a need for things to not change, and his juvenile level of attachment to someone comforting and fun, and you get...this.
She is just so sad, I'm glad she had a shoulder to cry on.
He takes her home afterwards and she apologizes for forgetting his birthday. He isn't upset about it anymore - and even delighted when she promises to make it up to him the next day. She does not want to talk about why she was crying, but Jia Sen makes her promise that he'll always know first if she is unhappy.
Which she shouldn't have promised. He's probably the last person she'd normally tell.
I think she probably does tell him but not about really important things but only like "I'm upset I left my book at home" type stuff.
Momo doesn't normally step out of her comfort zone, and she adjusts her thinking to dump any emotions regarding the bullying, so she probably hasn't been sad beyond her parents' passing.
Or she's been sad ever since, and it became her new normal, therefore...just regular. Not sad, not happy - at least not in her way of thinking. But sad. Her baseline is sad.
 
Mars sees them say goodbye at the gate and I think Momo sees him too, but she does not want to talk. She goes straight to her room, ignoring her sister on the way, and locks the door behind her. Mars follows her up and pesters her through the door (making this pretty much about himself and how fast he ran to check on her etc.) to tell him what happened... which results in her returning his sweaty wristband without a word before slamming the door shut again. I totally get her disappointment.
He does the guy thing of "what happened? I'll make it better" instead of just asking if she's ok. Though I can say this is the hottest we've seen him yet this series. 
Oh look, her hair stayed in place despite the water dump.
He tried in his completely clueless bumbling self to try and make her feel better, which totally backfires and slingshots to hurtful comments.
He talks himself into a frenzy and is now hurt too, thinking she is blaming him, and adds hurtful things like that he's leaving anyway to be a big star and doesn't care about a stupid Ah Zhai who hides behind doors. I actually get him too. This is pretty complicated, emotionally: they both like each other without admitting it to themselves; and those feelings make them vulnerable.
They kind of suffer from identical but opposite problems. She shuts down when she needs to talk, he over-speaks when he needs to shut up.
Perfectly put.
Mars wants to apologize to Momo the next morning. He really is trying, and it's quite cute, because he's clumsy and too full of himself, but she's just too hurt and punishes him by not cooking him breakfast. Haha, that's a bit petty. When Jia Sen turns up to pick her up for his promised outing, Momo has Mars hide in the bathroom. Loooool.
Poor guy, locked in the bathroom eating dry ramen!
He should never wear anything but white button down shirts or v-necked t-shirts. (Oh wait, were we supposed to be talking about the story?)
Hello?  Shirtless option?  Where's that?
He hears from Chu Chu that they are going to the zoo together ... which he finds tooootally childish, of course. Dude, it's so obvious you're jealous. The whole thing drives him crazy, actually, because he interprets her going to the zoo with Jia Sen as a rejection. And to make it even MORE obvious how jealous he is, he follows them - wearing a bike helmet. Poor darling.
I can see how he took it as a rejection. He offered to take her out to cheer her up and she went out with Jia Sen instead. And he doesn't know the details like her missing his birthday the day before.
The helmet kills me. I like the vest though.
And that helmet is in no way obvious. [cough cough] I'm waiting for him to get accosted by security.
Momo and Jia Sen have a lot of fun. Mars on the other hand ... not so much.
This whole part was funny but seemed a bit out of character for him, too. And where did he get a bike helmet anyway?
How you have fun at a zoo (or anywhere for that matter) if you are wearing a bike helmet unless you're actually riding a bike?
Why does this not attract MORE attention?
They then light candles on a cake and she sings him Happy Birthday - and he wishes for her to be happy everyday. As seems custom, he gives the second wish he has to her - and she wishes for both of them to be happy everyday. The present she has for him is a blue waterproof watch and he is deliriously happy about it. It's sugar, sugar sweet ... so sweet that Mars, who listened to everything out of sight has to leave.
I felt bad for him here. He saw first hand just how close they are.
I felt bad, too. But he knows that they have known each other forever. It also proves to him that they are out for Jia Sen's birthday.
Did he put two and two together? I don't recall him saying, "Oh, it's that dude's birthday. Fuggeddaboutit."
This is him, depressed and annoyed on the rooftop (annoyed, because Jiejie Chu Chu is pestering him with her stupid questions and nosy attitude ):
Useless character.
He looks like he's trying to catch his hair in the act of swallowing his face, but his hair is playing innocent.
When Momo gets back in the evening, she sees the bike helmet on the table. And of course, the nosy sister thinks it's her duty to tell Momo how jealous Mars was. Momo denies that's ever possible, but it does give her pause.
Sis is like the exposition fairy of the drama - apparently they aren't capable of noticing things unless it's pointed out to them first. *eye-roll*
They do both lack self-awareness, though.
Where does that door go? It's been bothering me forever.  It's not his room, their rooms are upstairs, so is the bathroom, it's not a closet.
Mars is moodily playing the guitar (please tune it the next time, yes?) when Momo knocks at his door. She has come to tell him that she is not blaming him for what happened the day before at the premiere. And she does not want him to feel sorry for her. Oh, was that it? He says a few rude and hurtful things about how he does not care one bit about her, but she knows he followed them to the zoo.
Why'd she give the wristband thing back then?
She was upset then and didn't want anything to with him. But that probably only lasted until she shut the door.
Mars is in a good mood the next day ... until he learns that his movie was the biggest flop in history. Poor boy is crushed. Future projects have been cancelled. He is even crying. Until Momo gives him a plate full of sandwiches (that she made for herself). According to Prince Kasaba, breakfast brings good fortune.
So he's not allowed to feel sorry for her but she can give him sandwiches? He's such a cheesy melodramatic - choking himself with his scarf, ha!
I think this is different only in the behavior. Like we said above, when he was worried about her, he acted out and said hurtful accusatory things. She knows (from experience) that when you are hurt, you just need comfort. She doesn't even talk about what actually happened. She just shows up with food. Everyone should have a friend that shows up with food when we hit bottom.
I think you're probably like that.
I would love for Trot to show up at my house with food. Or anyone, really. I hate to cook.
Aw, manager ge!
At school, the Bullies are at it again. They demand to know whether Momo told Mars anything and threaten her if she did. When the ring leader pushes Momo, she pushes her right against Mars wonderful chest. He tells them to cut the crap and to stop idolizing him - all he wants is to lead a normal student life. The Stupid Cows don't get it (they scream "we will always support you!") and he is chagrined.
He's so much taller than her. Sometimes it's hard to notice but she really face-planted right into his pecs. And then tilts her head way back to look him in the eyes. And did they forget he already knows what happened because he overheard them. Sheesh.
Lucky Momo, faceplanting into those pecs. It could've been someone she wasn't attracted to. Instead, it was hunky Mars.
His arms are a thing of beauty. They always have these 'guess the celeb by his lips!' things - where are the ones with all the nice hands, the sculpted forearms, the firm biceps?
I think kakashi is bashing cows by comparing them to these creatures.
Mars can't cope. He starts slobbing in front of the TV, eating junk. Manager comes around to tell him that director Steve Wong, recently big in Hollywood, has returned to Taiwan. To find a male lead for his next movie! (of all things: it's about a swimming athlete) But now for the bad news: The lead bully (her name is Sha Sha)? She is this Steve Wong's cousin.
Way too many rhyming names in this drama. How did Manager figure out this connection, though?
It's part of his job to find this stuff out. And if Mars works, he works with him, so he has incentive.
I love this gif. Thank you. Mars is actually really outraged at Manager's suggestions to use this "connection". Good on you, boy! However, Sha Sha - who is class president - has a different idea. She invites their whole class to her cousin's villa for a party. There is group pressure for everyone to attend, but Momo puts her hand up to opt out. Because Sha Sha threatens to cancel the party if just one person is not joining, Momo puts her hand down - in consideration of Mars and his career. On top of everything, Sha Sha puts Momo in charge of the BBQ. 
It took me forever to understand why she'd insist every student had to attend until I realized it was her plan to dump the cooking on Momo all along.
Me, too. You'd think that she wouldn't want Momo there at all. Isn't it worse having her there and looking pathetic than not having her there and, oh. I don't know, hiring a caterer/
Why is it so bad to use a connection? Use a connection, and show your talent, Mars!
It's fine to say 'hey, you know so-and-so and I'd like to meet so-and-so, will you introduce us?'  It's NOT FINE to butter up (or worse) to someone so that they will influence the person they know on your behalf. Sha Sha would intercede for him, but she'd expect things.

A hilarious scene at the supermarket follows. Mars, who is fully aware of the fact that Momo went against her wish to not go to the party because of him, wants to help her with the shopping, but she has already asked Jia Sen. Oh, the glaring and the pettiness!
She's like a mom trying to shop with two fighting boys. I totally understood when she just gave up and walked away from the cart.
I used to just pick some random tall guy and tell my kids the person was undercover sheriff working the grocery store and would take them away if they misbehaved.
I use random tall guys to help me get things down from top shelves.
I had way more fun with tall guys than you guys did, that's for sure.
[snicker] I plead the Fifth.
When Jia Sen gets distracted with some toys, Mars finally gets to say what he wants to say. It is important to him that Momo understands he would never ever use connections to get a job. Whatever, dude. He wants to be chosen because of his abilities and his abilities only. Pffft, sure you keep living that way. And when you get a regular job, see how that works out for you without making and using connections. He is quite riled up about everything and touches Momo in his frenzy - which has Jia Sen, who sees it, fuming. The two guys start fighting and Mars ends up pushing Jia Sen to the floor. Momo calls Mars immature and takes Jia Sen's side.
He cares so much about her opinion of him. She's right about the immaturity, but it must seem unfair to him since he still doesn't seem to know about Jia Sen yet.
Which I find funny. How can he not notice the difference in Jia Sen's behavior? Could it be that in many ways it isn't that much different than his own? Still, it is interesting to me that neither seems to think about why it's so important to him that she has a good opinion of him.
You really pick up on the difference in Jia Sen when he has a conversation, and Mars hasn't really talked to him. Plus, when it's the three of them, Mars is focused on MoMo. Between his attention to her and his own (relatively innocuous) level of narcissism, there's not a lot of room for picking up on Jia Sen's idiosyncrasies. 
Cut to the poolside party. Steve Wong is quite obviously a smug idiot. Momo and Jia Sen are manning the grill. Mars is keeping himself away from the whoopee, but Sha Sha drags him in front of her cousin, who is at this moment trying to recruit Tom Cruise for his movie ("What Steve wants Steve gets! So get me Tom Cruise!"). Sha Sha starts praising Mars and suggests him as the lead... how embarrassing. Steve Wong claims he tried to get Mars for his first movie but was turned down by the company because Mars had no time. He clearly has NO interest whatsoever in Mars.
Cringing for Mars this entire scene. He's so reluctantly hopeful and then *splat*
Really, this successful adult cousin is hosting his college-age cousin's friends himself? There have got to be some aunties in that family who would supervise for him.
Stupid Sha Sha. Where was the preparation? H? For all the a**holes, you mean.
Momo sees from the grill how sad Mars is after the talk. To make things worse, the annoying fangirls start pestering him about the role he got in the Steve Wong movie, saying Sha Sha organized the party just for him. To escape everything he takes his clothes off (*gulp*)... (I want to help brush out his hair!)
Thank you, Jesus.
Good gif.
... and jumps in. Unfortunately, he gets a cramp ... and does not resurface. Now that's quite difficult to do in real life, but nevermind. The stupid cows just stand there and are impressed that he has not come up at first, but then realize he might be drowning. All of them can't swim. And nobody else can either?
I kinda wonder if this is the bystander effect? When no one does something because no one else is? (Just knowing about this effect has been great motivation for me to take initiative and never stand around uselessly.)
We actually do "bystander" training with our students and staff, specifically about sexual assault and bullying. Lots of universities here do for this very reason.
Momo looks at the smiling Jia Sen in desperation (the guy is very sorry later that he did not jump in, being a swimming champion and all)... and then speeds to the pool and jumps in. The drowning man imagines himself sitting in an empty theater with Momo - her in the front row, him a few rows behind her. They are watching a movie together - one of his. He is smiling because she praised his acting.
I wondered why she didn't say anything to Jia Sen but he was so oblivious to the situation. I think Mars was dreaming how he'd hoped the movie premier would go - he'd been wanting to impress her - he really wants her to like him.
Awww.
This is all so stupid because now Mars can't even prove his swimming abilities to Steve. Imagine if he'd shown off how well he could swim and his awesome body, and made Steve go, "oh, maybe he should at least have a supporting role." But no, he had to nearly drown instead.
She has pulled him out and desperately tries to revive him - with CPR and then mouth-to-mouth. He spits water! He is alive! And brought to the hospital. It seems that Momo's standing with the Bullies improves after she saved him.
She's so tiny it's amazing her chest compressions did the trick. Maybe the bullies will leave her alone now. 
Wow. I still had no hope for them. Am I a bad person who assumed that everyone would just be mad that her lips touched his now that his life is not on the line?
I don't think size has much to do with strength, tbh. When I did Krav, some really skinny people were incredibly strong.
I thought the way Trot did. We'll be bad people together, Trot!
Good job, Momo, for assisting when everyone else stood there like gaping fish.
The sister, when she hears about the mouth-to-mouth:
I will never understand dramas and the CPR "kiss" or second-hand kiss from sharing a drink. Just... no...
Or the accidental bump-on-the-bus kiss. Or anything that isn't a direct and intentional liplock. But then I come from a very demonstrative, Italian family.
She calls it Momo's first kiss. And Momo's face darkens immediately...
If CPR even counts then it was her second kiss. ;P But she ain't telling Sis about that!
First one counts! First one counts!

Comments

The drama keeps kicking poor Mars to the curb again and again. All that hope that the new movie would re-launch his career ... crushed. Humiliation chases humiliation - the Steve Wong scene was almost as bad as the one where he was told to remove his clothes. We watch him and see how vulnerable he is, and how much it means to him to do stay honest and true to his principles, but how difficult it is for him to come to terms with the fact that this might be the end of his fame. For good.
Just when we think he can't sink any lower, we find out he hasn't quite hit bottom yet. It's like the evil stepmother in Ever After. "No matter how bad things get, they can always get worse."  
I remember when watching this being surprised at how low they push him in this show. Right when I think we've completed the humiliation arc and it's time to start the rise, he gets slammed again. It really does make us root for him and to root for them together because they really are two lost souls with extremely kind hearts who just want to live quietly with support of a small groups of close friends. Mars loves his fame, but he still seems to want to live quietly when he's not doing the "star" stuff.
I hope he rises soon. I can't take much more of Mars in the dumps.
I want to get to the lovey parts!
Weee neeeed cuuuute!!!

He isn't wailing and crying about it though and that makes me like him so much more. I think he has somehow accepted it. He is resigned to go to school and be the normal guy from next door, just a little better looking. Momo doesn't believe that. Instinctively, she knows that this guy has talent that would be wasted as the guy next door. And what's more, she knows that he belongs on stage and needs to be on stage to be happy. That is why she starts caring for his career, urging him on.
I really respect that he is already improving. And she believes in him without hearing him sing, seeing him act - just based on that poetry contest and what she has seen of his character. He's trying so hard to earn her belief in him and I'm not sure he's realized he already has it. 
He doesn't have anyone who does besides his manager/friend, and he probably think that believing in him is part of his job. Like how I never completely believe my mother can impartially judge my looks because I think "Of course, you think I'm pretty. You're my mom. That's your job."
I don't see him so much as accepting as deciding to retreat for a bit and gather his energy, even if he doesn't realize that's what he's doing.
I agree with J, and Trot? You are pretty. Pretty, tiny, tough, kind, smart. That's you. And I'm not your mama.
What Jo said. <3

Caring for someone, thinking about them and whether they are well, worrying about them when something bad happens to them... the very basis of love. They are such an unlikely pair that I can't blame them for being so puzzled about their feelings though.
And watching them figure it out is so squee-ish!
(applauding)
I love this drama. So much! Thank you for winning and choosing this! (It could have gone so wrong. What if someone won and asked us to recap...oh, I don't know...name your worst drama ever.)
I was planning to ask for a nice revenge-y Thai drama if I won. [twirls evil mustache]
Anyone else notice the slight...err....tear?