Mask: Episode 7

by LollyPip

What a sweet smile! It seems like every time Min-woo takes one step forward, Ji-sook takes two steps back, in an effort to guard herself against becoming attached and losing her focus to save her family. But it won’t be that easy, as Min-woo becomes more and more endearing the more he falls for her. Unfortunately he’s not the only one, and while Min-woo’s feelings seem to be healing his mental issues, Seok-hoon’s conflicted emotions are beginning to make him reckless, and even more dangerous than before.

EPISODE 7: “A Chest You Can Cry On”

After passing out in the car, Ji-sook wakes up in Min-woo’s bed with him smiling down at her. Min-woo quickly tells her not to misunderstand what happened, that he only took their clothes off to ward off hypothermia, but that goofy grin and his admission to even taking off their underwear says otherwise. Life or death, you know.

Okay now he’s protesting too much, comparing her to a cold rock that he was just trying to warm up. He nods Maid Yeon-soo in with some porridge for Ji-sook, ordering her to get better soon so she can pay him back for saving her. Seriously dude, the self-satisfied grin is totally giving you away — you’re obviously enjoying this.

Awww, he even offers to feed her, but Ji-sook sobers up and reminds him that this is just a business relationship, though she doesn’t look too happy about it. And for once she can’t deflate Min-woo, who just says he wants her to get better before leaving her alone to eat.

Seok-hoon watches all this from his hidden camera, and the more he thinks about finding Min-woo and Ji-sook naked in that car, the angrier he grows. Once Ji-sook is alone he goes into her room, ostensibly to bring her a gift of ginseng tea, and congratulates her on her success of getting physically close to Min-woo.

She says he’s got the wrong idea, and it was totally innocent, but he scoffs at that. When she insists he blows up, and says that if it was really that pure, she should take off her mask. He leans in to whisper that he saved her, not Min-woo — she wouldn’t even be here if not for him.

Ji-sook isn’t scared, and says that she doesn’t need him, because all he ever does is threaten her. Good girl. Seok-hoon says she should think again, and opens the ginseng box to reveal that it’s bursting with money. It’s enough to pay off her father’s debt in full.

Mi-yeon walks in just then, and Seok-hoon slaps on his friendly face and says he’s just here to bring Ji-sook some tea. Mi-yeon doesn’t look like she’s buying it, and her warning to be careful of accidents sounds more like a threat than a worried sister-in-law.

Ji-sook goes to the bank to wire the money to her family, but their accounts have all been closed. As she thinks what to do, another customer recognizes her — oh gross, it’s the jerk from the reunion who tried to pay her for sex. He follows her to the parking lot and calls her name, noting that she looks around, but he just makes note of her license plate.

Seok-hoon and Mi-yeon talk about their as-yet-unsuccessful attempts to have a baby, and Seok-hoon decides that it’s not yet time to take any drastic measures. When Mi-yeon objects he just stops the car in the street, and takes the blame for causing her upset by making her suspicious that he was having an affair with Eun-ha. Wait, you mean your actual affair with Eun-ha?

He’s angry, and asks why she didn’t let him go when he wanted a divorce. He reminds her that he married her for love and no other reason, saying that it’s her decision if she wants to stay together now or not.

Ji-sook doesn’t have any luck getting the money to her family, so she decides to try finding Director Shim herself. She finds someone to offer to pay him directly, but this makes Shim nervous when the man doesn’t want to say who his client is, and a quick look around tips Shim off to her presence.

Shim and his minion follow her out of the café, and they nearly catch Ji-sook when she loses a shoe. She runs up a flight of stairs and throws her show down as a decoy, and it’s enough of a distraction to get her out of there, for now.

The reunion sleazebag tracks down the owner of the car Ji-sook was driving, and of course when he hears it belongs to a chaebol, he assumes Ji-sook is his mistress. Coincidentally he’s got a business meeting with Min-woo tomorrow, and plans to use this information as leverage.

Min-woo is busy terrorizing his new employees… but he’s not yelling about work, he’s yelling about Ji-sook, ha. He asks all three of the office gossips about marriage, trying to get some advice on how to proceed with his wife, but declares all of their tips a waste of time.

Once he’s alone though, he gets, I swear, little-girl-giggly at the last bit of advice to tell Ji-sook he loves her three times a day. How are you so cute, sir?

Chang-soo sets up a huge spread of fancy food for Ji-sook on Min-woo’s orders, and HAHAHA, Min-woo calls to have Chang-soo tell Ji-sook that he absolutely does not love her. Isn’t that the first sign of love, when you try to convince yourself you’re NOT in love? Chang-soo actually titters as he reports this to Ji-sook, and the cheeky devil supposes that Min-woo probably said that because he does love her.

Ji-sook hears Chang-soo’s stomach growl, and invites him to eat with her. He only gives the slightest of protests before digging in to all that yummy food, and Ji-sook has a moment where she remembers feeding her younger brother — aw, I love it, she can be Chang-soo’s noona!

Ji-sook asks Chang-soo for a favor, and the next thing you know he, Butler Nam-chul, and Maid Yeon-soo are sitting with a gaggle of orphans at Ji-sook’s family’s restaurant, making arrangements for the family to provide food to the orphanage every week.

Chang-soo discusses it with Ji-sook on the phone, unaware that he’s being watched from several directions. Scar is in a car nearby eavesdropping, and Director Shim and his minion observe from a rooftop across the street. Shim is getting suspicious that someone is taking care of the family, saying that he smells big money.

The family comments that Min-woo and Ji-sook seems closer these days, but Min-woo plays it off as if her family would be upset if she got sick in their care. He proposes that she oversee the luxury goods department at the store, but Ji-sook declines and even gets a bit shrill, since that’s the department where she used to work.

In their room, Min-woo asks what the problem is, and Ji-sook fibs that she doesn’t know much about those things and isn’t confident. But if she’s not happy at the gallery with Mi-yeon, and doesn’t want to work at the department store, then what does she want to do? Min-woo says that she’s got to do something, or lose the respect of the family.

That night Mi-yeon broods over the photos of Seok-hoon with Eun-ha, and needles Seok-hoon by saying that she and Min-woo seems close and at this rate, will probably have a baby before they do. Seok-hoon doesn’t rise to the bait, but shows Mi-yeon a gift he got for her.

Over in Min-woo and Ji-sook’s room, Ji-sook says she’s better and can sleep on the couch again, but Min-woo invites her to keep sleeping on the bed with him. He pretends it’s for her comfort, then says it makes him the bad guy when she tries to go back to the couch. Finally he just pulls rank, and Ji-sook gives in.

But when he climbs in himself, Ji-sook is surprised — surely he doesn’t intend to sleep together? He reminds her that he only sees her as a rock (how romantic) so Ji-sook offers a compromise… they’ll sleep in this bed tonight, then tomorrow they’ll buy a second bed.

Hee, Ji-sook scoots so far away from Min-woo, she actually starts to tilt off the bed in her sleep. Min-woo catches her and pulls her back onto the bed, but then he can’t bring himself to stop touching her. Finally he lays back down close to her, and closes his eyes with a tiny smile on his lips.

And from his hidden camera, Seok-hoon watches this, and slams his computer closed. Though Min-woo is playing right into his trap, Seok-hoon can’t help but watch another video of Ji-sook pouring the tea he made her down the drain, and finds himself growing furious. He flings the laptop across the room, smashing it.

He’s startled to see that Min-woo’s father witnessed his outburst, but Dad assumes he’s upset over a business deal gone bad. He assures Seok-hoon that it’s nothing compared to the money he’s brought in, but Seok-hoon isn’t mollified.

He goes back to his room to find Mi-yeon about to open his gift, and he brings up the subject of divorce again. He assures her its not what he wants, and that he wants to be a good husband. Mi-yeon says she believes him even if it’s a lie, and she opens his gift to find a beautiful set of baby clothes.

Seok-hoon says that when they have a baby, they’ll be happy, and Mi-yeon falls for it hook, line, and sinker. She hugs him, and behind her back, his face takes on that frightening shark’s expression.

Ji-sook and Min-woo go shopping for a second bed, and hilariously Min-woo nixes every single one (allergic to mahogany, what??). Finally Min-woo calls a break for a short lunch meeting, inviting Ji-sook along. It’s the meeting with her jerkface classmate, who seems to be involved with the construction side of the new mall deal.

Before he arrives, Ji-sook and Min-woo get in a fight over the bed, Min-woo now insisting that his family will get the wrong (right?) idea if they buy a second bed. She pouts that she’ll just sleep on the couch then, but Min-woo barks that he’ll sleep on the couch, and spills his water on himself.

He leaves to clean himself off, and Ji-sook runs into Jerkface (okay fine, he has a name, Jung-tae — but he’s still a jerkface) in the hallway. She says he’s got the wrong lady, but he sneers at her that she’s sure moving up in the world. Ugh ugh ugh, he actually suggests they meet up regularly and he’ll give her money, and when she runs off he calls after her that she’ll need him when that other guy gets tired of her.

That other guy overhears this, and Jung-tae suggests they go someplace nicer. If by “nicer” you mean a sleazy room with lots of girls and alcohol, which grosses Min-woo out so much he actually flings the girls off of himself. He tells Jung-tae to get to the point, so Jung-tae just plunks a briefcase of money on the table. Subtlety is not this guy’s forte.

Min-woo smiles that bribery is against the law, and Jung-tae assumes he wants more money. Min-woo says there is something else he wants from him — not to work on his family’s buildings. He says that their buildings are cheaply made because they spend all their money on bribes. When Jung-tae wants to know why Min-woo is so antagonistic when they just met, Min-woo only says that he judges people on first impressions, and leaves.

Ji-sook goes to Seok-hoon’s office, saying that she came to thank him for the ginseng tea, but Seok-hoon knows that’s a lie. Ji-sook asks if he isn’t tired of living like this, and he admits that he is, but they’re in too deep to back out. Furthermore, if she keeps acting on her own, things will only get worse.

Seok-hoon says that if people find out she’s not Eun-ha, her family’s situation will get even worse than it was in the first place. He puts a hand on her shoulder to say that he’s the only person she can be honest with, not Min-woo.

Ji-sook stands outside her family’s restaurant later, holding the ginseng box full of cash. Inside Dad and Ji-hyuk are excited about the money coming in from the orphanage, but Mom is suspicious. She’s worried, saying that it feels like someone is helping them — and then she spies Ji-sook.

Mom runs outside but Ji-sook takes off, and Mom chases her until she finally trips and falls in the street. It kills Ji-sook to leave her, but she does. Mom has a coughing fit and coughs into her sleeve, then gapes at the blood that’s splattered there. Oh no.

Because Jerkface Jung-tae is an idiot as well as a jerkface, he approaches Seok-hoon next, who he knows from past legal dealings. They go to eat, and Jung-tae asks Seok-hoon what it is that Min-woo wants from him in order to keep his company as the builder.

He makes the mistake of mentioning that he used to “play around” with the woman Min-woo was with earlier, and that she seems so different now. Unsure if he means Ji-sook or Eun-ha, Seok-hoon asks her name, and Jung-tae asks Seok-hoon to dig up some dirt on her so they can help each other.

Jung-tae has poked the bear now, and when he goes out to his car after lunch, Seok-hoon takes off his belt and wraps it around his hands. He lifts the belt and runs towards Jung-tae to strangle him… but a passing car causes him to have to hide, saving Jung-tae’s life. For now.

That night Ji-sook apologizes to Min-woo for running off at lunch, and invites him to have a drink with her. They sit at the bar downstairs and open a bottle of wine, but Min-woo bypasses it for something stronger. Ji-sook offers to help Min-woo with whatever is bothering him, but her earlier words not to be nice to her echo in his head and he laughs at the contradiction.

He asks if this is how she gets what she wants from men, but seems to immediately regret his words. Ji-sook admits that he’s right, and pours herself some wine, but spills it when Min-woo says he overheard her and Jung-tae talking.

He says again that they promised not to get involved in each other’s private lives, and that he plans to forget what he heard. At that, Ji-sook admits that she has lots of secrets, and is wearing a mask. As she drinks more, she admits that living with a mask is lonely.

Min-woo says he’s wearing a mask too, but that everyone wears a mask. Ultimately, everyone is lonely, and it’s only difficult because they pretend otherwise. He and Ji-sook drink companionably, for once feeling comfortable together.

Ji-sook quotes a poem that basically says that when times are hard, you need someone beside you, and Min-woo says it’s one of his favorite poems. She stands to get more wine and stumbles, and Min-woo steadies her by the shoulders. But instead of letting go, he simply nods and folds her into his arms. For a long moment, Ji-sook allows him to hold her, and he tells her to cry if she needs to cry. She does, just a little, and lets herself relax into him.

When she finally pulls away, Min-woo tells Ji-sook tenderly that he doesn’t like her — he doesn’t like when she thanks him, when she sleeps on the couch, when she’s sick. And he doesn’t like when she’s with other men. He doesn’t like her expression, her eyes, or her lips. And then he can’t hold back anymore, and he kisses her.

Unaware that Seok-hoon is watching through the front door, Min-woo kisses Ji-sook for a long minute, then she pushes him away. Min-woo smiles wryly, and says that at least he got to say everything he needed to say, and now he’s gotten her response.

He starts to walk away, but Ji-sook stops him: “I am not Seo Eun-ha. I’m not the woman you married.” Min-woo asks who she is then, but she can only stammer, “I… My name is… “

COMMENTS

I’m surprised, in a good way, that it’s Min-woo who’s developing feelings for Ji-sook first. You would think that his lack of love in his life would make him more hesitant to open up to someone, but I can see how it could be the other way around — his lack of love pushes him to desperately want someone to care about, and to care about him. It’s sweet how much he truly seems to care about Ji-sook, and how proud he is of himself when he accomplishes something good like getting her healthy porridge or telling her to do something that makes her happy. I love the personality that’s coming out in him, and if things keep going this way, he’s going to be pretty irresistible very soon.

I’m also pleasantly surprised at how freaking adorable Min-woo is, because I never expected him to turn into this giggly, smiling, tell-her-I-don’t-love-her-so-there kind of guy. But I love it. He’s so endearingly grumpy when he tries to act like things like having Ji-sook sleep in the bed are for show or for her health, but it’s so obvious that he just likes her. That little smile when he went to sleep next to her was so very telling, that just being near her makes him happy. I wish she could see those moments, because I think that if she realized Min-woo was feeling this way, she wouldn’t be so resistant.

I can understand her feelings completely though, and I appreciate why she could hold herself back and keep reminding him that this is supposed to be a business arrangement. I honestly thought that Min-woo would be the one who would keep throwing that up between them, but I completely understand Ji-sook’s reasons for doing so. I don’t think she’s having much, if any, romantic feelings for him just yet (yes there was their waltz, but that’s really the only time she’s let herself look at him as a man), because she’s got so much else to worry about between her family, their debt, and trying not to get outed as an imposter. With all that to worry about, it makes complete sense for her to try to maintain the status quo in this marriage, and keep things platonic. I do think Ji-sook realizes that Min-woo is relaxing around her, but I don’t know if she sees that he’s having true feelings for her just yet.

But I’m glad that, if nothing else, the two of them are finding that they can lean on each other. The scene where they had drinks and shared a long comforting hug was such a sweet moment, and I hope it’s just the first of many. These two need someone to hold and trust, and if they can open up enough to let each other in, they’ll find that they’re so much stronger together than apart.

The one thing that’s really concerning me is Seok-hoon and his increasingly tenuous grip on reality. I’m still not entirely sure of his motivations beyond “don’t let Min-woo have control of the company,” though it’s unclear exactly why, or how planting Ji-sook as Min-woo’s wife is supposed to accomplish that. But it’s scary how Seok-hoon seems to be getting more and more emotionally invested, so that even as he gets what he wants — Min-woo becoming attracted to Ji-sook — it makes him more and more volatile. Yes, he’s getting closer to his goal, but I think he’s having a harder and harder time separating his feelings for Eun-ha with his feelings for Ji-sook, and seeing what looks like the woman he loved lying in bed with his enemy, is pushing him to erratic behavior. It’s getting worse, and I’m dreading it for Ji-sook’s sake, even as I’m looking forward to it as a viewer.

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