rosdrise | Exhibition of Fireworks 12: Have some boring with a side of mommy/daddy issues (Reply)

I haven't been sleeping well for the past couple of days. That combined with the fact this episode was so mind-numbingly boring (with hardly any Na Ra/In Jae moments) I may very well fall asleep doing this recap.

The most important thing happens in the first 10 seconds (and was actually revealed at the end of the previous episode when Mi Rae caugh Seung Woo going through her things:

THE PONYTAIL OF EVIL.

This is the hairstyle she sports for the remainder of the drama.

The evil just comes off of her in waves now. Haven't done enough to establish how the audience should feel about this character? Let's make her look mean! Subtle, show.

At least they didn't give her blood red lipstick or something.

In addition to her makeover, she's becoming increasingly suspicious and jealous. Basically, In Jae isn't allowed to talk to anyone with a vagina, EVER. Especially if their name is Na Ra.

Not that Na Ra is going to want to talk to him much right now anyway.

In Jae had promised to help Na Ra do project research for her proposal, but instead agrees to leave with Mi Rae after putting up a weak fight.

Even her SMILE is evil now. Eeeeeevvviiiillllll~~~~

While Na Ra is out surveying customers her sister stops by. Na Kyung told her father that Na Ra was on a business trip (to explain why she didn't return the previous night, because it's obviously his concern what is 30 year old daughter is doing. ONLY NOT *AS(*AHIU(*AD@*DWRATH!!! ).

Na Kyung intrusts In Jae with the message and a bag of clothes for the next couple of days, WHICH HE PROMPTLY FORGETS ABOUT because he is a thoughtless man.

Meanwhile, the confrontation that Mi Rae had been fearing has come to pass. In Jae's mom has come visit and talk about their relationship and how she wants it to die a fiery death.

Basically she can't stomach the thought of her son being with the fiance of her dead (and more beloved) son.

Luckily, Mi Rae now has her super ponytail powers and is not so easily swayed.

Na Ra, never having gotten the message from In Jae (who was instead preparing for a romantic evening with Mi Rae) goes home much to her sister's horror and her father's wrath.

Now having more reason to be unreasonably angry he kicks the two sister out EVEN THOUGH IT ISN'T HIS APARTMENT. This nearly drove me insane. It is Na Kyung's apartment, HE IS THE MOOCHER. WHAT THE HELL.

Na Kyung tells Na Ra she tried to get the message to her, but In Jae is a failure and thus they have to go spend the night at a public bath.

Note: Na Kyung is horribly obnoxious in her mannerisms but kind of awesome all at the same time. She may be whiny, but she's straight-forward about everything and doesn't put up with crap from anybody.

Hopefully someone is taking care of her kid while she's living on the street.

While the sisters settle in to endure an uncomfortable night Mi Rae is laying more guilt on In Jae because Momma was mean to her.

Their two dinners are quite different. Na Ra and Na Kyung get dry biscuits and hard boiled eggs. Mi Rae and In Jae get a candlelit dinner.

Granted, it is a little awkward since no one wants their relationship to succeed which gives them a topic for some nice, light dinner conversation.

Your food is probably cold after all that crying...

Na Ra has managed to finally fall asleep on cold, hard ground at the bath house. Of course, she talks in her sleep about In Jae. Na Kyung decides to share her displeasure over the situation with In Jae.

Na Ra wakes up to the sound of her sister ripping In Jae a new one and grabs the phone. In Jae fumbles over an apology which doesn't help much NOW.

The next day at work Na Ra looks fairly good for someone who spent the night on a wood floor. In Jae's mom is delighted to see her, mainly for the fact that she was not once engaged to her dead son.

She is there to announce that Na Ra's project has been selected as the winner (YAY - even if it is just to piss Mi Rae off).

Mi Rae puts up a weak fight but the VP tells her to back off, it was the company's decision and even the VP can't change that. She also reminds her that never before has she questioned a decision she has made (so stop trying to bone my son!)

That shuts Mi Rae up and makes Na Ra feel SUPER AWKWARD.

After that fun little interaction Na Ra goes to talk to In Jae.

I can't quite get my head around why she mentions this to him. There are a bunch of different reasons and while it would be nice to think that she is showing concern for another person I highly doubt it is that. But then why? Bringing it up would only make In Jae feel more bound to protect Mi Rae. But as Na Ra has mentioned before, that relationship is doomed because no one will support (ie. HIS MOM). So maybe this is her way of reminding him of that? I'm not sure.

Eventually the conversation turns to how In Jae totally failed in the small task assigned to him the previous day. He offers his apartment to her (MY MISTAKE, I thought this happened in the previous episode, but they were just working on the project).

Someday he'll be a real boy!

She also wishes him luck in his conversation with his mom. Again, is she just being a supportive friend and not actually scheming? I think that is true in this case, but I never could get a real read on Na Ra some of the time. She wavered between mature and actually trying to remove herself from the bad situation, and then other times just diving right into it like a teenager.

Anyway, they return to In Jae's apartment and reminisce about how she conned him into buying it. Good times.

Yeah, it was a learning experience, so quit your bitchin'.

In Jae sits down with his mom and that goes about as well as you would expect.

She's not going to budge from her position and is going to do everything in her power to keep them from being together. Her main reason is that she can't stand the idea of meeting her son in heaven after allowing his fiance to be with his brother. What it mainly boils down to is that she has always favored In Chang and will support him more than In Jae even in death.

In Jae must really fail at using the telephone because he also failed to mention to Mi Rae that he wasn't going to be at his apartment for the next couple days.

This will end well, can't you feel it? PONYTAIL POWER.

Mi Rae lays into Na Ra about how she keeps trying to be near In Jae and how deceitful/awful/etc she is. Basically she takes out all the frustration she was not able to throw at In Jae's mom and beats Na Ra with it. Because obviously Na Ra was the one who kept her from revealing her true feelings for the past ten years and nearly marrying a man she didn't love. Yeah, that's fair.

Oh my god. What a bitch.

Meanwhile, Seung Woo is off doing something I don't care about.

He's having a business lunch with some woman who just HAPPENS to be pregnant so he can ask her questions about morning sickness.

OH REALLY. I bet that cooresponds with the last time Seung Woo and Mi Rae made lurve (you know, before she had to put her hair back in that ponytail).

DID YOU FORGET SHE IS PREGNANT?!

I kept waiting for it to be revealed that she had an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage because she was having all these pains. But no, she was just stressed.