Thumping Spike - Episode 11 (A Squeecap)

Trotwood: In my mind I think of this ep as beginning of Bromance Part 1. The next episode isn’t part 2, so don’t get excited; however, here we get a shift in the relationship between Rimbutt and our climbing tree puppy.
kakashi: About bloody time!
JoAnne: You don't even want to know what I just pictured.
There is really no time to fight amongst themselves, and I love how they bond over their ineffectual noble idiocy as much as I like how quickly they recognize what drama watchers the world over know—noble idiocy rarely works and most of the time it just makes matters worse.

Can they please become teachers in Dramaworld?
Yes!  They have to room together because it's so expensive at the center of all those dramas, and they rent from me, and I have just one rule - no pants in the house.  We all live very happily.

This is the time to figure out that things work better when they act like a team. They show that on the court against Hyunchang High School, now they need to start applying that off court as well.
Oh, I guess you do know what I was thinking...

Episode 11—Doubt

We open with a review of the ending of the last episode. I know this isn’t pure fan service since they have done this before, but part of me knows that many people were looking for a replay of this scene. They interweave it into this episode by making it clear that we aren’t the only people replaying it (Se Ra is, too) by cutting immediately from the kiss to her grabbing her hair and trying to come to terms with what just happened. She does the whole does-he-like-me-but-he’s-a student-and-I’m-a-teacher-but-I’m-not-anymore-really-so-does-it-count thing to herself. She feels like she is going crazy, which I have to say is probably the typical response to a Rimbutt kiss. The doorbell rings, but we don’t get to see who it is.

I think the Kdrama writers don't understand what kisses from people you fancy do to you. I mean, they release hormones. And you most certainly don't go into the house alone and pull at your hair. It just doesn't happen.
I honestly never pull my hair. I don't get why this happens so much in dramas.

We cut to Woo Jin coming into his house. It’s like his dad stole some furniture from an upstart new-money family in a lakorn. What is with the gilded furniture? Anyway, just as I thought, Woo Jin has been out too late. His father chastises him, but Woo Jin gives him such a look that the father can only splutter in response. Are we going to see a new Woo Jin? Don’t go dark, puppy! Don’t go dark!

Oh, why? Go dark, Tree, go dark! Sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll!
Oh yes, go dark. Deeeeep dark. Really work that angle, Pup.

Of course, the person at the door to Se Ra’s place is Representative Gi-joon, who is acting as though he is the victim here (I'm trying not to get my slapping outfit out of the closet, but this is going to be hard). He slams what must be the results of her examination on the table, asking Se Ra when she was going to tell him about it.

Of fucking course it's him. Go fucking figure. Fuck off, jerk.
What does a slapping outfit look like? Does it come with extra hands?

Side note: what are the rules about patient privacy in South Korea? According to HIPAA laws in the states (https://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/fshipaa.html), patient records for anyone above the age of 18 are private. Is this not true in Korea or is this just drama rules or is this just because Gi-joon has connections? (Need to know because this determines how much higher he goes on the slapping meter)

Put it on max!
Leave him where he is but add the doctor. He didn't break any rules, the doctor did.

Anyway, Se Ra calmly replies that she understands if he wants to terminate the contract and that she will pay the fine out of her own pocket. He seems pretty upset by this. I don’t think she is responding to him at all like he imagines she will in his head. He realizes that she never intended to renew the contract, but why would she? According to her logic (and frankly to most sports agents), she is only good to him if she can play. She can’t, so it’s telling that he is so upset by her willingness to leave the agency even if it costs her a chunk of money. Any other for-the-money agent would move on and count his losses. An agent who cared about her might renegotiate terms or at least let her out of contract without a money loss. But he is clearly not ready to move on. He, rather nastily I might add, asks her whether she is curious to see how he will use her now that she can no longer play. [Really there should be people waiting in line to slap him. I’ve got slapping outfits to share.]

I think he secretly fantasizes about very naughty things.
It's all the slapping. It turned him on.

We cut to the next morning when the team is getting ready to practice. Han Sol is calling Woo Jin who hasn’t shown up, and he isn’t answering his phone either. He’s never missed practice before, so they are worried. Jae Woong isn’t paying any attention to this because he is in his own little happy post-kiss world morning, and he gets them all off to the outside practice courts.

Haha, he acts like he's on drugs. See? Told you about the hormones.
I'm giggling because you said he gets them all off.
I really need to be more careful with my language.

Se Ra pops out from behind a tree to watch practice. With as many years as she has been a celebrity, you would think she would have better disguises. She’s got a scarf over her head, sunglasses, and a trench coat. She notices that Woo Jin isn’t there, so she calls him. He doesn’t answer, but while she does this, she notices someone else lurking in the trees. It’s Jung Eul Young again.
He looks like a pervert, the way he lurks. 
Wanting to rejoin the volleyball team and being a pervert are not mutually exclusive.  Perhaps being a pervert is what gave him the know-how to peep on the volleyball team.
She calls out to him, but he runs away. However, she’s made so much noise that she attracts the attention of the team. They all call out to her. She tries to keep hiding for a second and then just tells them to keep practicing. (Gif of scarf thing please.) This actress should always have to do things with scarves. (Me: remembering fondly the hilarious lost in scarf scene).
That was very, very funny, that scene.

We cut to her sitting on bench with Jae Woong. Will they do some fondling? When two volleyball players sit on a bench together, what do they do with their balls? He’s clearly told her that Woo Jin not only isn’t here today but that he didn’t come yesterday either. This surprises her because when she talked to him yesterday, he said he was practicing hard. Jae Woong, says “last night?” And she says yes, but then clearly remembers last night (and the kiss) and starts looking embarrassed. He wants to know why she looks embarrassed when clearly it should be him that is. We cut to scene from last night again (they are getting a LOT of mileage out of this kiss), and it turns out that she pushes him away, slaps him, and then rushes inside with the bear.

"Here rests Se Ra, who lost 100000 Brownie points in a few milliseconds and then died a miserable death of crushing remorse"
If I were him I'd be thinking 'Okay, she slapped me then went in the house and called another man. I'm taking my balls and going home.'

She apologizes for hitting him again, saying that he surprised her. He asks her if he looks like a volleyball to her. She shoves his shoulder saying that she was just surprised and that she won’t do that the next time. She clearly doesn’t realize what this implies until he smiles and says, “Then I’ll look forward to next time.” Hehe, please keep the good lines coming. My tummy did a little lurch at that one. She splutters that isn’t what she meant. I’m thinking Freudian slip. He just grins at her and stops practice. (Please have shot of that over his shoulder grin that he gives her even though it isn’t a close up). The team comes over to the bench and ask her if she is going to continue to coach them since the rumor has been cleared up, but before she can answer, she gets a call from Representative Gi-joon.

Not again???!
I really want to touch his legs. He always wears shorts, and it's nice to rest your hand against the back of a man's upper calf right below his knee, or the inside of his thigh right above his knee.

She is back to the agency, and Secretary Kim excitedly presents her “Se Ra come back” the plan. Secretary Kim seems excited about her handy work. The agency is going to schedule her for a game, have her “get injured,” play up the hospital visit, and then play up the story of her injury for pity. Se Ra looks disgusted. Gi-joon asks Secretary Kim to leave. Se Ra is not merely disgusted, she is really sad. She can’t keep back the tears as she accuses Gi-joon. She tells him that even her family didn’t know about her dream to play until she was 40. She is clearly having a hard time believing that someone who knew this could use her like this. At least Gi-joon looks chagrined by this. He can barely look at her. But this is not enough show. I want him groveling for forgiveness—perhaps after being slapped.

Trot, are we not past slapping?! I'm thinking pulling out of fingernails and stuff.
Time for Killer Wang to make an appearance.

We go back to the training house where everyone is (awkwardly) exercising in the tiny exercise space. Don't they ever go to normal classes? No wonder Tree's father is upset. Jae Woong is going out to run. He tells them all to keep watch on the house and don’t think of sneaking out. Or smoking. I love how Sang Gyun is sitting on Ah Jin’s feet while he’s doing sit ups while studying. Someone is clearly following him. He starts looking suspicious at the track. Finally, he just tells the person following him to come out. It’s Woo Jin trying to hide . . . behind a tree! I cracked up that our very own climbing tree puppy was trying to hide behind a tree. Even Jae Woong thinks this is funny. He wonders at him about whether he really thinks he could hide at his size. Woo Jin sheepishly grins. Let us pause for a time out to relish our adorable climbing tree puppy. Screenshot of grin please!
No, you'll get a gif!
*dies happily*

Jae Woong would have to have a heart of stone to still hate this face, and we all know that Jae Woong doesn’t have a heart of stone.

We also know Rim takes smile-practice very seriously, and it pays off! 
Every time I see him I think about that stupid device, haha.

They, of course, go somewhere to get noodles. When students come to my office seeking solace, I usually give them a chocolate pudding cup. Maybe I should make them ramen instead because Woo Jin slurps up those noodles like he hasn’t eaten for days, even choking a bit because he’s eating so fast. OMG, has he run away from home? Woo Jin wants to know how everything has been, but Jae Woong wants to know if he’s so worried why did he skip practice. Woo Jin initially comes up with a lame excuse about them not having a coach, but JW calls his bluff. He reminds our puppy that he led the team before without a coach. Woo Jin asserts he made a mess of that, but JW tells him that he’s learned since those impossible practices.
Re noodles - do you think Yatou is an ancestor? (Go watch Mystic Nine, Trot! NOW!)

Woo Jin wants to know about him and whether Gi-joon said anything to JW. He tells JW about signing a contract with Gi-joon that he wouldn't see Se Ra anymore and that’s why the reporters left. Jae Woong is outraged. He asks if that can even be a real contract? At first, he scoffs at what he could possible do to Woo Jin, but when Woo Jin tells him about the representative threatening his volleyball career, JW finally gets it. Woo Jin says that it was the only thing he could think to do to help their coach, but Jae Woong tells him it was useless; however, there is no bite to this comment since right afterwards he admits that what he did was useless, too.

I still don't get why Jerkface would even say something like that. Jealousy? For the wrong guy?
How could either of these adorable bundles of yum ever be described as 'the wrong guy' ?
I think he hates any guy that gets close to her. Both of them came in to rescue her, so to him they are suspicious characters and probably rivals.

 

Still, he wants to know why Woo Jin followed him from the residence. Woo Jin admits that he followed him because he thought Jae Woong would be the one person who would understand him. This surprises Jae Woong. He doesn’t understand Woo Jin at all since from his perspective the only reason why Woo Jin can’t do what he wants is because he already has it all. Of course, this angers our puppy, and he finally gets a chance to tell his position from his perspective: “I study so hard just so I can play, but my own father is the one who’s trying to ruin the team. At least you can curse him. If I do that, then I’m a disgrace.” Jae Woong looks sorry; he clearly has not thought of this perspective at all. He doesn’t apologize; he just encourages Woo Jin to eat.

Iz cuuuute, the boys...
Aww, look at Rimmy, all pensive. So adorable.

When they are leaving, Woo Jin adorably bows and thanks him for the meal; he clearly has no cash. Jae Woong just rolls his eyes to pay, but then sees the camera in the ceiling and gets an idea. He and Woo Jin ask the proprietor to see the video, and they see the guys that saw him and Se Ra come by several nights wearing the same clothes.

Haha, why not.
Naturally. Side note: do you think other men hate to stand next to my Giant Puppy because they naturally look old and tiny in comparison?

The next shot we get is at the convenience store where Jae Woong and Woo Jin have been joined by Sang Gyun, Hyung Sung, and Han Sol to watch CCTV from this place. The clerk looks a bit nervous. I can’t believe he’d think they are a gang, but they do look like an oddball group. The perps are seen eating ramen (which makes Han Sol hungry), but also that they are clearly meeting with Secretary Kim who gives them a camera. We know that Woo Jin recognizes her from the agency, but they all look surprised. The episode ends with the shot of them all silently realizing what this means.

Hahahaaaa, yeah, why not.
That clerk is a teen in the throes of puberty. He's thinking 'Oh God, not a boner, not right now.  This is not good!'

Comments

I think it’s really sad that Se Ra believes that she isn’t good at anything but volleyball. She admits this directly to Gi-joon. As her manager, especially one who has groomed her since she was a child, I blame him for this.
I think I hate a lot of people in this. 
I'm too busy loving our boys and our teeny Se Ra to truly hate anyone.
Ah, but you know me. I get annoyed so easily... but at least this is short.
And there was our giant climbing tree puppy in those white pants!