So, even though episode 15 is showing tonight, I’ve been recapping the last two episodes; this is my method of withdrawal therapy.

Where the last few episodes were all about the obstacles (and I mean a whole checklist of them) of keeping this couple apart, thus driving up the misunderstandings and “Oh woe is me!” and the Evil Heartless Witch continued to do her Evil Heartless Scheming, this was an episode we’d been BURSTING to get some respite from. Given how superficial this particular sub-plot has become—to my disappointment—I think a bit of Cute and Funny is in absolute order, no?

P.S. Be warned, there is a heck of a picspam ahead! ;)

So, Hae-young is playing the bad guy and has “stolen” Seol away in his shiny big car to a secluded house in the country. Walking to the house, Seol sees a familiar face, which is obviously a flashback, as surely the sight of his own father would have Hae-young look more than a little nonplussed. Hae-young asks Seol what’s up, but she just awkwardly brushes it aside. She asks him what this house is, to which Hae-young rather dashingly smirks: “It’s a place full of memories”. Can this new memory they’ll create involve some one on one time, if you get my drift? Once can always hope.

Inside Seol explores what seems to be Hae-young’s childhood room, judging from a photo of a young Hae-young with a penchant for prep school getup. Seol picks up an old piano music sheetbook. To her amusement she finds pages with Disney princess stickers on them, which just confirms that Hae-young was destined to be enamoured with a princess. The Piano Pages have spoken!

Hae-young calls Seol down for dinner. The chaebol is a man of many talents because it’s the finest curry dish.

Seol finds a child’s soup spoon in the cutlery he’s brought out, and she asks him cheekily whether it’s his. Hae-young retorts that he had a golden soup spoon. Ha. Hae-young asks if Seol remembers the five oaths he told Seol, and in a very teacher-like fashion he now he has a sixth one to add:

From now on, when you’re in this house with Park Hae-young, forget about the past. Look only at Park Hae-young, and only think of Park Hae-young. Just listen to Park Hae-young.

(OK, absolutely, I will do just that.)

Later, the wood’s burning in the fire, the lights are down low, and we’re expecting cues of close ups of smouldering and timid gazes, but it’s disguised as playful banter, and we know they’re so making out when Seol starts whacking Hae-young with her cushion when he teases her.

Seol falls asleep in Hae-young’s arms, and it is the most beautiful, adorable little scene ever. As befitting a princess (!), Hae-young lays Seol down onto the hard timber floor, covering her up in the rug, and strokes her hair, and caressing her eyebrows and ending at her lips, mirroring the way Seol did to him a good number of episodes back. Seol wakes at his touch. She asks him what is it, and he tells her to close her eyes and sleep. But if he’s not sleeping, she’ll stay up too. Hae-young says that if he looks at Seol’s eyes today, he won’t be able to sleep. Well, that’s kind of the point of sleeping: closing your eyes so you can’t actually see Seol.

(Hope he washed his hands)

(Kind of a creepy shot)

Day breaks and Hae-young wakes by the fire to find that he’s alone. In an adorable state of panic, he calls her name a number of times, only to discover she’s just gone out for some fresh air. Yeesh, Mr Diplomat wouldn’t make a good Mr Detective. Hae-young admonishes Seol for not washing her face, and she’s mortified that he’s noticed. “Is it that obvious I haven’t washed my face?” Hae-young chuckles: “Definitely. Look at your drool, there are marks.”

Seol hurries to wash, only to come out of the bathroom with her face sopping wet. “There’s no towel!” Obviously this is a strategic move by Mr P, because—hey presto!—he’s waiting with a fluffy towel in his hands. Embarrassed, Seol reaches for the towel, but Mr P is determined, demanding she close her eyes while he dries her face. And now she looks human again! He certainly has become very forward over the last few episodes, which is lovely to see. I think I’d have fainted long ago from his unwavering attention on me.

And to make things even cuter, Hae-young plays nursemaid to the princess, combing and tying her hair, with the same strawberry hair-tie that holds a key to Seol’s memory of her past. Apparently he is “really good at this” (despite the fact he seems to be losing grip of her hair). Seol tells him to be careful as the tie was a gift from her father’s friend. Hae-young observes that she’s remembering bits of her past. Seol realises this in delight, and adds that the friend (her “uncle”) offered her meat to eat. LULZ. One track mind, that girl.

After an aeon, Hae-young finally finishes with Seol’s hair, stroking the sides of her head, which tickles. Awww, I’m flailing here. Hae-young teases her, “what’s up with you?” Seol replies cluelessly, “What?” To which Hae-young says, “I called you the ‘Ya-Seol (erotic Seol—a nod to the episode when Seol was writing dirty fic). Does the princess of porn want coffee?” Oh man, this banter.

The Cute can’t last, because Seol receives an anonymous call, and disregards Hae-young’s warning to not answer such calls as they might be reporters, saying that the caller might be answering her pleas about finding information about her father. And to our (non-)amazement, the mysterious caller is P-kun Senior, Hae-young’s father, Park Tae-jung. Seol leaves the house for privacy. He proposes to meet her, either in Korea or in the US, but he cannot return to Korea, not unless she pleads with the Chairman. Seol is the only person who has the power to bring him back. Seol asks him why she’d want to do that, but the fact is Tae-jung wants to return, and Seol wants the answers. Seol bluntly asks if it’s true, if Tae-jung was not responsible for her dad’s death. But Park Senior only curtly answers that they should meet and talk then. Seol insists that he tell her the truth now, because Hae-young is also hurting from this situation. Resignedly, Tae-jung concedes that he did not kill Seol’s father, even if there’s no evidence, it is the truth. Seol prods him further when he reveals that he took her in his care, but he remains tight-lipped, insisting the details must wait until they meet. He hangs up.

The door opens, and out comes Park Tae-jung. No, he did not Disapparate from the US, but it’s a moving (if a little disconcerting at first as it is shown in realtime) flashback as Seol remembers her ordeal as a child of waiting for her father to return at the Park house. Young Seol is stroking the royal satchel, crying for her father. Clutching her backpack like a shield, she implores Tae-jung why her dad isn’t coming. When is he coming? Didn’t you say he would be back in ten days? Ten days and another ten days have passed, why isn’t he here? With total bluntness, Tae-jung answers: “Your father is not going to come. Your father died. Your father’s dead.” Young Seol won’t believe it, sinking to the floor, and clapping her ears with her hands, crying out “You’re lying, you’re lying! My daddy said he’d come back. He promised!”

Meanwhile, Jung-woo is meeting with the Chairman, and presenting him with the fake sachet. But Yoon-ju had the artefact verified! But no, our Professor’s a crafty cookie, and tricked Yoon-ju, and he actually has the true sachet in his possession. Chairman asks why he would do such a thing. Professor explains Lee Seol has been a student of his for a while and he understands her the most, thus in his opinion, Lee Dan is not the true sachet’s owner. This is all obviously a hoax to undermine the restoration of the Imperial Family. Chairman concedes, and adding that Jung-woo must then know who the mastermind is. Jung-woo asks a favour of the Chairman, pleading with the Chairman to trust him to resolve the issue. Once everything is settled he will return the real sachet and bring Lee Seol back to the Palace. Chairman is thus reassured.

Cut to the country villa, and Lee Seol looks packed for a show on the road again. The quasi-honeymoon appears to be over. She rings up Director Oh, and we can see where this going. Hae-young returns to the living room with coffees, and to his surprise she’s gone again. How thick can he be, surely you’d notice, or at least hear, if she took all her luggage with her?

I don’t know how it’s possible but Seol manages to walk in those heels and given how slowly she’s walking, she has time to reminisce all those fun, intense, and sweet times with Mr P earlier in another lifetime.

Naturally Mr P comes calling (honestly, how much of these plots are driven by mobile phone conversations?). He repeatedly demands to know where she is, and that she should come back. Lee Seol says, no, I am leaving Park Hae-young. All that about Hae-young’s dad is the truth. Hae-young persists, saying that they should meet and talk. Didn’t they agree that they would find out the truth together? Whatever the truth will be. Seol says yes, originally that was the plan, but now she can’t do it, because she will feel guilty to her father, so this is why she must leave him. She hangs up. OH NOES, WHAT NOW!

Director Oh conveniently arrives at this point to pick up the princess. Meanwhile, Jung-woo meets with Yoon-ju. He recalls Yoon-ju’s wish to see the Chairman kick the bucket before the national election. Urgh. He tells her bluntly that he’s seen the Chairman and that the satchel she’s seen is fake—he switched the two. Yoon-ju, with her icy demeanour, asks why he’d do that, he’s not the type of person to do that (yeah, because you didn’t realise you treated him like shit?). He warns her to stop whatever she’s up to while she can, to own up to being responsible for the fake sachet incident, and resign from the position of Director. He will then keep her secret that she tried to bring down the imperial family. This is his way of protecting her. Yoon-ju gets a text message saying Seol is now at the Palace. She has to leave, but the Professor won’t be waiting long. Professor, you are too much! This heartless cow doesn’t deserve your help!

Seol meets with the Chairman. He implores her not to be swayed by those wanting to undermine the Princess. Director Oh is waiting ourside. Yoon-ju appears, demanding to be let inside, but her father won’t allow it. Seeing her agitation, Director realises that his daughter is more involved in this whole fiasco than he thought, and demands to know what’s happened.

Seol cuts to the chase, asking the Chairman upfront whether Park Hae-young’s father killed her father. The Chairman confirms that his “disloyal, unfilial” son did not harm the Emperor’s grandson (that being Seol’s dad), but Tae-jung did not kill His Highness. It was only an accident, but Tae-jung was making threats (this seems so silly an excuse). Director Oh and Yoon-ju burst inside the room. Chairman gets down on his knees begging the Princess for her not to leave in this fashion. True to form, Grandpops conveniently keels over from the stress of it all. All are shocked and horrified. Oh wait, blink and you’ll miss it—was that a hint of glee in You-Know-Who’s face?

Meanwhile, the Korean President is informed that the Chairman Park Dong-jae has collapsed. He is concerned more for the loss of support for his government, and hopes that the Princess will be on his side. He is certain that Lee Seol is the “real deal”. He is conveniently met by the opposition leader, who is smug in the wake of news of the Chairman’s ill health.

Lee Seol arrives at the hospital Yoon-ju behind her. Yoon-ju curtly states that she wants to talk briefly with Lee Seol, but Seol is saved by the arrival of Hae-young. To my utter delight, he flatly ignores Yoon-ju’s condolences (with a visible show of annoyance), and beelines for Seol.

I love Hae-young’s expression here. He’s practically fuelled up with “argh, you again, just seeing you makes my whole being bleed.”

(Oooh, does it hurt, Yoon-ju? Ye-es it ought to.)

But before going into see his grandfather, Hae-young firmly warns Seol to wait till he comes back out. “If you go somewhere … [ominous silence].” RAWR, ALPHA MALE.

Yoon-ju is most disgruntled and tells Seol sharpish to follow her so that they can talk, but Seol says that whatever Yoon-ju has to say can be said here and now. “You’re quite something else,” Yoon-ju sneers, and essentially gloats in Seol’s success in getting the Chairman to collapse. “Are you worried you can’t be a princess?” Splutter. The sheer nerve of this horrid woman is incredible. So what else can Seol do? She calls Yoon-ju a bitch, not once, but twice, disgusted that Yoon-ju could bring up such an insensitive topic. On cue, Jung-woo also arrives, asking after the Chairman. Yoon-ju asks Professor Nam for another hearty chat. Yeah, right.

(OMG evil bitch smile. Avert thine eyes, children!)

In the Chairman’s sickroom, Director Oh lays down his suspicions that the princess knows something. That Chairman was begging for the Princess’s forgiveness, and that on the list of people who knew information about Emperor Lee’s grandson included Hae-young’s father, and that Lee Seol requested said list. This is only the Director’s hunch but it makes sense because there wouldn’t be another reason for the Chairman to beg for forgiveness. Oh that’s all? So now Hae-young realises the implication that his dad was more interested in talking to the girlfriend rather than the son. Ouch.

Jung-woo practically accuses Yoon-ju of causing the Chairman’s collapse. But that “miracle” was actually the work of Princess Lee Seol. Yoon-ju is sure that the Chairman and Seol weren’t discussing the sachet so she tells Jung-woo to return the sachet to her. Apparently, the law states that this is theft (HAH! HAH! There are worse things the law can accuse you of, Miss Holier Than Thou!). Jung-woo is flatly unimpressed. Time’s up for Yoon-ju, and Jung-woo will make good on his intentions now. He’s giving her one last chance to not get involved with the Imperial family. She won’t give up but Jung-woo should, Yoon-ju says. “Why are you being like this? I’ll have no one to depend on anymore.” What the hell, you silly, entitled woman?! Jung-woo feels a fool: “I should not be by your side.” HAH, put a sock in it, bitch! But hey, there’s always your mobile phone, Yoon-ju. You seem to be more intimate with that thing than anyone else in this drama.

Lee Dan is not yet forgotten, and that so-called smart brain of hers ought to have realised that she’s been set up for the ultimate fall, stuck in a hotel with nowhere to go and forbidden to speak to her mother. So, Lee Dan is being booted, but that’s OK, Yoon-ju’s wired Dan money so she can leave the country. It’s for her own good and the country’s good. Good on Yoon-ju for being utterly ruthless—when you’re taking the monarchy down you’ve got to go all the way, taking out all your pawns along the way.

Hae-young finds Seol waiting outside the hospital. He asks the dreaded question: “Was the call you got, by any chance, from my father?”

Seol’s silence confirms it for him.

OK. But just listen to me. I haven’t heard my father’s voice for 20 years. It seems he doesn’t want to talk to me. Or he has nothing to say to me. Whatever you heard, and though I don’t know what you remember… that’s OK. Even if what you heard is true, if, because of the truth, I can’t be by your side, that’s OK, I can handle that. But, know this one thing before you leave, I am always on your side, no matter what you do.

Well, if that wasn’t a declaration of solidarity, I don’t know what is. Seol finally speaks.

I asked the chairman if the person who killed my father was Park Hae-young’s father. The Chairman said it wasn’t him. If you want to be by my side, help me not to be the princess. Your grandather. Your father and you forever depressed, so you can never be free of your guilt. Whether it was making my father die, or whether it was frightening him so that he ran away his whole life, it’s all the same to me. In the end, my father still died.”

Harsh words, but they cut through to Hae-young, who can’t make a comeback, and frankly he doesn’t deserve to get any reprieve at this stage. Ah, this Romeo and Juliet parallel just kills me .

Director Oh is massaging the Chairman’s chest when Yoon-ju arrives, with her beady snake-like eyes honing in on her father’s torn button. Grandpa stirs and Director Oh rushes out to get Hae-young. Bad idea, dad. You don’t leave the she-devil so close to a sickly old man. For a brief moment, you do wonder if she’ll have the guts to make that “miracle” come true for good. Chairman mumbles for the princess who Yoon-ju says has left. She is relieved that he has awoken. Right, ’cause you look so genuinely concerned there with your constipated expression.

Jung-woo chases up Seol walking down the street, saying Chairman has regained consciousness. Seol is relieved, but doesn’t go back, because Chairman might faint again (heh). She tells Professor she’s remembered something about the sachet, but it seems insubstantial. Jung-woo assures her that anything’s good. He asks what to do with her sister, but Lee Seol is so loving and decent, she can’t bring herself to seek revenge on Lee Dan. “She is my sister, she is my family.” That’s not family, Seol—that’s a cruel, spiteful thing worse than dirt!

Seol misses her mother and goes to the pension alone, refusing Jung-woo’s offer of a ride.

Lee Seol arrives at the pension and her mother is delighted, but laments the poor complexion of the princess. Seol apologises for all the trouble, but her mother brushes that aside and is only concerned for her daughter’s happiness. Seol asks after unni, but her mother simply says Dan is spending some time away because of the “false news”. They both know this is a lie but both play along with the charade. This is confirmed by the bag of clothes Seol spies, which her mother says is for a friend. Seol happily sends her mother on her way to said “friend”.

Da-Bok meets with her daughter in a cafe, scolding Dan for the trouble she’s caused, but Dan is still under the delusion that she could actually be the princess. Mummy is not impressed, and shoots that belief down, as she knows Dan has been in contact with her biological parents from time to time. This is not the Dan she knows. “I was proud of you.” But get this, what disgusts Dan the most was that she was the perfect student, and Seol was the troublemaker, yet Mother still loved both of them equally. Love is supposed to be quantified by how good you are, apparently! So by that logic, whatever bad deeds Dan has committed, her mother cannot hate her because she loves her daughters equally. Good grief, this girl needs help. Yes, Mother loves you Dan, but she’s not sure she can forgive you for this one, so give it up now. And even then that’s a bit too much love than you deserve.

Yoon-ju and the Professor are in his office. The miracle that she wanted to happen did not happen. Jung-woo flatly says that it won’t happen in future either because that’s not what you call a miracle. Well said, Professor. Jung-woo asks if she’s here with her answer to his ultimatum earlier. She asks him out to buy a new suit jacket for her father (the button came off earlier). The subtext for this scene seems to be that Yoon-ju is resting the blame on her father. For all her wrongdoings her father is the one who will have to apologise to the Chairman. Does Yoon-ju want this? Jung-woo asks. Yoon-ju still thinks it won’t happen, but secrets always have a way of showing themselves. As long as the real sachet is returned to her it’ll be safe. Jung-woo pensively affirms that the last chance he gave her now is thrown away. Not to mention you threw away a bloody decent man, Oh Yoon-ju, a very, very good man. Geez, is there going to be any chance of redemption for her? Because, I really don’t think there’s hope, and if the writers make it otherwise, I’m afraid it’ll take another “miracle” for me to actually believe she could change.

Court Lady Shin and Gunna are boo-hooing over a cookbook and pointing out dishes that the princess would love to eat. They debate over how Seol favours Korean food because she is Korea’s princess, but Court Lady Shin says that she loves all kinds of meat (which I agree with!). Gunna quips “Just like you like all men.” Court Lady Shin is offended, but then sidles up to him flirtatiously asking if he’s free tonight and that they’ll rendezvous after the sun sets, and to wear sneakers since they’ll climb over the wall. HAH, nice one.

Lee Dan is leaving the hotel, and out of nowhere Hae-young charges up to the porch, matter-of-factly stating there is no reason for her to head to the airport. She is forbidden from leaving the country. (It helps if you’re a diplomat and have friends in high places, of course.) Dan must pay for the grave mistake she has made. Hae-young bided his time, not wanting to see Seol upset because of it, but as for the trouble Dan has caused, he will take care of it. Dan struggles to cling to excuses—she doesn’t at all regret taking the Imperial family’s dirty money and running away. Hae-young is like ten steps ahead of her, and anticipated that she would take the money and run, so he’s frozen all her account too. Very thorough, that is our Park Hae-young. This is his final warning: Don’t even think of living happily in another country. Don’t even think of becoming a lawyer. Don’t even think of living seeing Seol or your mother’s face, and don’t contact Oh Yoon-ju. But above all, don’t mess with an angry, depressed, lovesick, determined Mr P, or you’ll seriously get what’s coming to you.

Meanwhile Lee Seol is alone in the pension, looking so pretty and dejected while cleaning the house. Wiping the windows of her room she is reminded of the time when Hae-young stayed overnight. OK, we’ve established how lonely and isolated she feels, but this is her own problem for not keeping Mr P by her side. After mopping the floor for what seems to be only three minutes she finishes looking like she worked for three hours, but the house is spick and span, and we get the idea that she may have been a bit hasty in pushing Hae-young away.

While Seol feeds her dogs, Hae-young walks up the driveway, observing Seol silently until she notices him, mirroring the very first time he came to the pension to find Lee Seol. “Let’s talk,” he says. Lee Seol clumsily apologises and says she’s too busy, hastily escaping back into the house. Coward!

Being Hae-young, he does not relent, banging on the door, imploring her to open it.

I know that you’re behind the door. You want to hear my voice. You miss me, but you’re holding it in. So you’re not doing anything and just standing by the door. Even though the door is closed, I see you. And I can hear everything, silly. So don’t do this to me, OK? Although I hate waiting, today I’m thinking of changing that. So let’s not waste our time and energy, OK? Seol! Lee Seol! Lee Seol, please open the door!

And we’re all thinking: OMG, woman, open the bloody door! The guy is practically spilling his heart and guts out on the floor for you and your too proud and noble self won’t give in. Stop putting us all in agony.

Yet to our incredulity and deep admiration, Hae-young waits. And waits. And waits. Lee Seol moves a few steps up the staircase but also sits and waits. Cue sad piano score and lots of deep sighs.

Hours later, night falls, and still our two star-crossed lovers are less than metres apart from each other, if only Lee Seol weren’t so stubborn and opened a damn door. It’s freezing out, and Hae-young has stood by the porch all this time, but no longer. He leans against the door pane, and he reveals this bright vulnerable gem:

Alright. When I think about my father has done, when I think about the pain you received because of that, I know that I shouldn’t come here. I know it’s not right to appear in front of you again. I know I shouldn’t behave like this, I know the etiquette for attending to a Princess like you; I’m sorry. But I can’t do that today.

I know all the times I bullied you, made you do things you couldn’t do, and made you confused; I don’t think I can give up the fun I got from that; I can’t give up being the Mr P who makes you breathless and your heart race.

I was raised so preciously, I lack patience. I have not given up on anything before. OK. Like you said, I am a really bad person. You’re right, but … but … (and here Hae-young starts to cry) What can I do, I miss you so much. I want to see you all day long, so what should I do? I just said I miss you. I miss you to death. So what should I do? Huh? Lee Seol? What should I do? Lee Seol!

Lee Seol. I love you.

This Mr P … loves you.

And finally, after that raw, heartfelt confession, the door creaks open.

Seol starts to say “I also … Mr P …” But this is a man who knows what he wants, and Mr P doesn’t let her finish. GO, MR P!

Awww.

Afterword

Was all that unnecessary angst over 4 (or however many you interpret it) episodes worth the pain? Well, let’s say, yes. Because at last we got an ending that was touching, emotional and unrestrained. And like many who did watch this episode, I am even more in love with Park Hae-young—for being so frank and ardent in his love for Lee Seol, for ignoring her request to stay apart (which is very silly and virtually impossible, when you think about their situations), for taking the initiative, and making everybody feel slightly less antsy. I would like to see Lee Seol admit the same depth of feeling to him, even though this is obviously implied in that she’s not rejecting him (but er, who wouldn’t), but if she could say it, I’m sure Mr P would be doubly happy.

I was particularly impressed with Mr P’s speech. I find it incredibly awesome when heroes admit their feelings first, and I drew parallels with my number one literary hero, Mr Thornton (from Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South). These are two men who are irrevocably in love with women above their station (though in Mr Thornton’s case, he feels like she is above his station), kept apart from them by circumstance and/or prejudice, but nonetheless devoted to loving and protecting the women they love from a distance. I don’t think you can get a better boyfriend/husband package than either of these guys, seriously. Mr P began his association with Seol for selfish reasons—this was the girl who would steal his heart inheritance—but this episode showed how emotionally vulnerable he set himself up to be; however, knowing his mindset, he’s not prepared to take no for an answer now.

The case of the real culprit responsible for Seol’s father’s death seems a moot point now. What needs to be resolved is the familial ties of the Park clan. It seems likely Park Tae-jung will return to Korea by Seol’s command, and we will finally get absolute closure about Lee Dan’s death, but in any case, whatever happens now Hae-young will be having a say in it. Which means more of The CUTE! And more of the cute can only mean more blissful fangirls. :D

As for Oh Yoon-ju, I highly doubt that she’s going to redeem herself; at least, it will be very difficult now to convince viewers to sympathise with her. She’s simply caused too much trouble and to begin with had no strong reason to motivate such hateful crimes. But then this is a K-drama, and the fact that someone younger and ditzier than you managed to steal your man (or make that, men) is enough motivation. Perhaps Jung-woo (being the incredibly decent and considerate man he is) will be Yoon-ju’s last saving grace, but I can say with confidence that she hasn’t been an inspiring kind of antagonist throughout any part of the drama. You are only as good as your enemy, and unfortunately this enemy has been so poorly written it’s not a wonder that the actress can’t do much with the character.

Here’s hoping I get episode 14 done tomorrow!