Temperature of Love: Episodes 13-14

by LollyPip

How wonderful to see a couple who actually talks about their relationship, is honest with each other, and works things out in a mature fashion! Their discussions about their feelings may not be easy, but at least they’re having them, which is a step in the right direction. Even if everything else in their lives is uncertain, if they can overcome their insecurities about the past and find a way to be together, they’ll make one hell of a strong team.

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EPISODE 13 RECAP

Jung-sun thinks about his parents, and how we can’t choose our family. He narrates that he used to think his mother was the most beautiful woman in the world, and that she always adjusted herself to suit his father. In his vision of her in the past, she’d said she was happy because of his father’s love.

On the day she’d brought flowers to Good Soup, she’d also visited Jung-sun at his apartment, where she’d clung to his arm despite his objections. He’d complained that she always latches onto men even though she knows it never lasts. She’d promised not to cause him any more trouble before rushing off at a call from Daniel, the latest man she’s adjusting herself to suit.

Jung-sun’s father visits him as well, and over tea, he shows Jung-sun the article written about him after he won the television cooking contest. As he says that he wants to have a family get-together at Good Soup, Jung-sun thinks that his father isn’t the man he used to be.

His father asks after his mother, sighing that they were never well suited for each other in the first place. Jung-sun says to himself, “It’s a poor excuse for violence.” Before his father leaves, he tells Jung-sun not to sell the land his grandfather left him.

In voiceover, Jung-sun tells us: “I feel uncomfortable whenever I see my parents. It makes my heart feel complicated, and complicated is difficult. Because it’s difficult, I hesitate. Because I don’t want to hesitate, I overreact. Because I don’t want to overreact, I suppress myself. That’s the kind of person I am.”

On the night that Hyun-soo learns that the studio wants to bring in a second writer, Jung-woo tells Jung-sun that he’s on his way to talk to the lead actor, Ha-rim, into going back on set. Jung-woo asks where Jung-sun is off to, and he says cryptically that he’ll decide after he makes a phone call.

Suspicious, Jung-woo asks if Jung-sun is dating. Jung-sun tells him to worry about himself and asks when he’ll get to meet Jung-woo’s future wife. Jung-woo just says it will be soon.

Once he’s alone, Jung-sun calls Hyun-soo to ask for her home address. She asks why, and he says that they can be friends who wish each other well. Hyun-soo pouts that she’s not going to cling to him, but she gives him her address anyway.

As she gets ready, Hyun-soo sighs at her reflection, saying that she’s in no position to meet with men. But when Jung-sun comforts her when she cries and carries her to the couch, she can’t help but respond to his closeness.

He asks softly if she’s still scared, then when she doesn’t respond, he quirks a little smile and asks what she’s imagining. She says she’s not imagining anything, which is a bold-faced lie, but he just asks if she’s eaten and gets up to make dinner.

Despite Hyun-soo’s nearly empty refrigerator, Jung-sun manages to whip up some delicious-looking stew and pasta. He protects the food by throwing his body across the table when Hyun-soo lunges at it, protesting that he’s not finished garnishing the meal. So freaking cute.

Hyun-soo takes a picture of the dishes, amazed at what Jung-sun was able to do with so little. As she’s showing him the picture, he sees a photo of the appetizer he made when she ate at Good Soup with Jung-woo. She says she took a picture because he made it, and he looks pleased.

Jung-sun tells Hyun-soo to tell him what’s bothering her, promising to listen without trying to fix it. He says that he already knows the station wants to hire a new writer, and that the lead actor walked off the set.

Hyun-soo says that the articles are bad and the online comments are worse, telling her to stop writing altogether. She says it’s tormenting, sad, and painful, while Jung-sun listens sympathetically as promised. He gives her permission to cry, which sets off her tears, and he reaches out to touch her hand.

Meanwhile, Hong-ah fumes after Jung-sun breaks their dinner date, and she heads to Hyun-soo’s place instead. Hong-ah rings the doorbell, and she’s not one bit happy when Jung-sun answers the door.

She grows even angrier when Hyun-soo obliviously invites her to dinner and shows off Jung-sun’s creative meal. Dinner is tense, with Hong-ah glaring as Jung-sun and Hyun-soo banter comfortably. She decides to leave abruptly, and when Hyun-soo asks what’s wrong, Hong-ah only snarls that they should be feeling the opposite emotions, considering their situations.

She asks Jung-sun if he’s spending the night here, but it’s Hyun-soo who answers, “No!” It doesn’t soothe Hong-ah though, who just bristles at Hyun-soo for answering for him, then grinds out a sarcastic “You two look good together” before letting herself out.

Jung-woo finds actor Ha-rim drunk at a noraebang, surrounded by girls. He tells Ha-rim that he needs to get back on set, but Ha-rim calls him a big shot and slaps him across the mouth, hard enough to draw blood.

He starts to throw another slap, but Jung-woo catches his arm this time, and says in a menacing whisper that he’ll let the first one go because Ha-rim is older. The fight goes out of Ha-rim and they sit, and Jung-woo threatens to release the fact that Ha-rim once got into a drunk-driving accident to force him into going back to work. He complies right away.

Jung-sun and Hyun-soo finish their meal, and she says she wants to ask a sensitive question. Jung-sun volunteers that Good Soup isn’t making money, but Hyun-soo gapes at him, since that wasn’t her question.

She wants to know what his relationship is with Hong-ah, and he says they’re friends. Hyun-soo asks if they agreed to be just friends, confusing Jung-sun, so she explains that that’s when both parties want it. He says they didn’t, but that he doesn’t see why they should, since it’s not like they dated and broke up. She sees his point.

Jung-woo calls from outside Hyun-soo’s apartment, but when she says she’s hanging out with a friend, he just tells her that Ha-rim went back to work. She hangs up and Jung-sun says it’s time for him to leave. Hyun-soo thanks him, but when he asks what for, she pouts cutely that she doesn’t want to tell him.

Jung-woo heads off down the street, and a minute later, Jung-sun and Hyun-soo part at the sidewalk. They’re so wrapped up in each other that neither of them even notices Jung-woo walking in the other direction.

Jung-sun finds Hong-ah waiting impatiently outside his building to ask how he could cancel their dinner plans to see Hyun-soo. He says he already apologized for canceling on her and that he understands if she’s angry. But he adds that everyone has priorities, and that Hyun-soo is a higher priority to him.

Hong-ah asks why she’s less important than Hyun-soo, to which Jung-sun answers honestly, “Everyone is less important than Hyun-soo.” Hong-ah whines that he knows how she feels about him, but he just counters that she also knows how he feels.

He tells her that he’s never done anything to make her misunderstand, and Hong-ah can’t argue with that. Jung-sun says that she’s responsible for her own emotions, telling her not to be violent with her emotions again. Hong-ah grows even more upset and wails, “My love is violence to you?”

He says that he feels sympathy for her, and that they can remain friends as long as they don’t cross any lines. Hong-ah complains that today she finally got the thing she wants most, and that she wanted him to be the first to congratulate her, but now he’s being cruel. She asks why he can’t just lie to her, and when he only sighs in response, she vows to make him regret not choosing her.

The following morning, Hyun-soo sends off the script for Episode 9 of Unruly Detectives to Director Min, her assistant Kyung, Hong-ah, and Jung-woo. At the same time, Jung-sun tells Won-joon to supervise today’s kitchen prep while he’s on an interview.

Kyung asks Hyun-soo why she wrote a script when another writer’s been hired, and Hyun-soo says she figured it would be easier if the other writer saw what she had in mind. Hong-ah comes to work, but only to get her things, since she’s decided she can’t work here anymore. Kyung objects to the way she’s leaving, but Hong-ah says that she won’t benefit from being nice about it.

She tries to steal Kyung from Hyun-soo, saying that Hyun-soo will probably be fired anyway, offering Kyung more pay to leave with her. Kyung remains loyal though, so Hong-ah leaves without her. She also leaves behind the tea blend from Jung-sun, remembering how he said that addictions are bad for you.

Hyun-soo asks Kyung for some privacy, and once they’re alone, she asks Hong-ah if she’s angry because of Jung-sun. She asks if Hong-ah likes him, because that’s the only thing that would explain how she’s been behaving since last night. Hong-ah scoffs and denies that she would like a guy like him, but Hyun-soo says they would make a great couple: “But only if he likes you, too.”

Hong-ah grows livid at that and asks if Jung-sun told Hyun-soo that he rejected her, accusing her of not caring about their friendship or how she feels just because Jung-sun likes her. She wails that Hyun-soo won again, like she always wins, but that that won’t be the case anymore.

Over at Good Soup, Jung-sun sits for a photo shoot and interview, while in the kitchen, the guys tease maknae Min-ho as usual. Won-joon yells at them not to slack off just because the chef isn’t here, but even he can’t keep a straight face, and they all crack up. Min-ho messes up his task, but Jung-sun teaches him kindly and they prep for lunch together.

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EPISODE 14 RECAP

Hyun-soo becomes even more defeated when she sees that nobody read her latest script. Kyung cheers her up by taking her to lunch at Good Soup, only remembering that she’s mentioned the chef’s name before, but unaware that she knows him. She gets a clue when Jung-sun visits their table and they speak to each other familiarly, and she makes a speedy exit to leave them alone.

Jung-sun invites Hyun-soo upstairs to his apartment for coffee. He can tell that Hyun-soo needs to talk so he goes into “listening mode.” When she says she asked Hong-ah about them, he asks Hyun-soo to tell him exactly what Hong-ah said so that he can clear up any misunderstanding.

Hyun-soo says she’s jealous that Jung-sun is always so clear and never wavers. He explains that he just didn’t have anyone in his life to pick him up if he fell while wavering, so she needn’t be jealous. Hyun-soo tells him sadly that she feels like she’s fighting with Hong-ah over a man.

Jung-sun tells her that she should give up on him now. He continues, “If your feelings are enough to give up like this, throw in the towel now. I despise confusing emotions. I’ve never confused you once. You go back and forth saying human beings are contradictions. You push away the man who loves you for reality’s sake. What am I supposed to rely on to start again?”

Hyun-soo apologizes, and Jung-sun looks away from her, admitting, “I’m scared.” He confesses that he’s afraid she’ll push him away again, since there’s nothing stopping her from doing it a second time. He adds sadly, “Reality is always harsh,” and Hyun-soo reaches out to clasp his hand. She admits that she was only thinking of herself when love takes two people, and that she didn’t take him seriously. She tells Jung-sun she’ll think about it.

Hong-ah visits Jung-woo at his office, where he explains that since her script was chosen in another production company’s competition, that it will be difficult and complicated for him to produce it. She doesn’t care, saying that she chose his company for a reason. He agrees to think about it and does say that he liked it, saying that birth secrets always go over well. She tells him that she was going for familiarity and that she based the characters on people she knows.

Jung-woo agrees to think about signing a contract with Hong-ah, but she insists on being paid more than Hyun-soo, which he isn’t keen on. She accuses him of having feelings for Hyun-soo, but he nips that in the bud. He tells Hong-ah that there are rules to follow if she wants to work for him, and the first is to earn his trust.

He says that right now, Hong-ah can’t even be compared to Hyun-soo, who has written a drama that has been produced, while Hong-ah has no credentials. She tries to argue that her script is better, but Jung-woo asserts that a written script can’t be measured against an actual show.

On his way home, Jung-woo calls Hyun-soo to go for a walk to get her mind off her troubles. They end up at the corner where the tiny flower usually grows, and Jung-woo is disappointed that it’s gone. Hyun-soo laughs at him, saying that it already did its job and went in to rest, and that flowers only bloom at certain times.

She lets him know that she’s aware of what he’s doing, bringing her to see the flower that gives her strength when she’s down. He tells her that Hong-ah came to him with her script and wants to make a deal, and that he’s interested because it’s a fun script, but he’s equally not interested because of her personality. Hyun-soo says that her personality doesn’t matter, and to do what he usually does.

Changing the subject, Hyun-soo asks if Jung-woo thinks she’s not serious enough. He asks who said that and she just says “someone.” Jung-woo takes her side, insisting that that person is wrong. He tells her that she just thinks too much, especially about love, and that she should follow her heart before she ends up alone.

Seeing an opening, Jung-woo says she should stop thinking of a man she can’t have. He says that she’s realistic about love, and yet not: “Your reality right now is me.”

Over at Good Soup, Jung-sun and Won-joon discuss the restaurant, and how they hope that the TV show is a hit so that it draws in business. Won-joon thinks that Jung-sun should market his looks, adding that he’s miserly towards women with his emotions, which adds to his mystery.

Jung-sun says that’s just because he was raised by people who spent their emotions too easily. Won-joon says sadly that when a woman as beautiful as Hong-ah has feelings for him, he should at least consider her, but Jung-sun thinks his friend is strange for saying that when he likes her himself.

Won-joon mopes that he loves Hong-ah and is waiting for her, confessing that sometimes he wishes for Jung-sun to be cruel to her, but then he feels bad for her. Won-joon jokes that if Hong-ah were a man, it would’ve been over long ago because he’d have beaten her up, and the friends share a good laugh.

When the cooking show airs, Jung-sun’s popularity goes through the roof. He tells his excited staff not to get their hopes up, but it’s futile, as they read online comments about how much everyone wants to eat at Good Soup.

Hyun-soo isn’t having such a good night—the latest episode of Unruly Detectives airs, and it’s completely different from what she’d written. Kyung tells her sadly that there are other writers already attached to the project. Determined to get some answers, she finds CP Yoo, who says that Director Min has been using other writers besides Writer Park for some time now.

CP Yoo pleads with her to just endure it, since it will still air under her name and she’ll still get the credit, and her next drama will go easier. Incredulous, she goes for a run, with all of her struggles and everyone’s opinions about her racing through her mind.

Kyung goes to see Jung-woo in desperation, and although he says that things won’t be easy for Hyun-soo because the ratings have gone up with the ghostwriters, he reassures Kyung that Hyun-soo won’t be fired (and HAHA, I’m dying at how Kyung’s chair seems to be trying to swallow her throughout the entire conversation). Kyung flounces off when Joon-ha arrives, so she misses the fact that he’s bringing Jung-woo information on the situation.

He reports that there’s a team of three writers working on the show, and that Hyun-soo can’t be fired… she’d have to quit. He thinks that she should hang in there to reap the glory when the show’s ratings go up, but Jung-woo grumbles that glory is pointless when you’ve been ripped to pieces.

Jung-woo goes to see Jung-sun, congratulating him on his sudden popularity. Jung-sun isn’t so sure he deserves congratulations when he didn’t do anything to earn it, so Jung-woo shamelessly takes the credit. While he’s there, he asks Jung-sun for help in planning a proposal dinner at Good Soup, and Jung-sun enthusiastically agrees that whoever his love is, she’s a lucky lady.

In the morning, Hyun-soo is visited by her whole family, which now includes her sister Hyun-yi’s adorable four-year-old daughter, Bo-ra. Hyun-yi is a lot more reserved since getting married, though she still acts mildly hostile towards Hyun-soo, who credits her brother-in-law with taming her sister.

Bo-ra pipes up about an article written about Hyun-soo, and when she looks it up, it’s about her being replaced by a ghostwriter (which is supposed to be a secret). Even Hyun-yi takes pity on her and says that at least she got her debut, as her parents look on pityingly.

Good Soup is packed to the rafters, and the chefs are exhausted by the time they get a break to eat. They’re excited to learn that they’re booked solid for the next week, so they decide to celebrate after the dinner service.

After giving it a lot of thought, Hyun-soo goes to CP Yoo and tells him that she’s quitting the show. He tries to change her mind, but she respectfully insists on quitting, even when he warns that she’ll regret it. On her way out of the building, she thinks about Jung-sun’s fear that she’ll push him away again, and she tries to call him. But he’s out playing ball with the guys (and girl!), so he misses her call.

Jung-woo gets the news from CP Yoo and calls Hyun-soo, ordering her to his office. She braces herself for punishment since she couldn’t stick it out, but Jung-woo insists that he never asked that of her. Hyun-soo asks if he knows how hard it is to admit that you can’t see something through to the end.

She tells him, “Everyone told me to endure, but that’s not the script I wrote. That’s not the story I wanted to tell. But everyone is saying it will be okay if I endure. Does that make sense?” She says that she ignored the signs that things weren’t going well because she wanted to debut and see her name on the screen.

She continues, “I gave up on the story I wanted to write in order to endure. But if I endure this time, I think I won’t be able to come back to the version of myself I most want to be.” She asks if that’s wrong of her, tears streaming down her face.

Jung-woo steps closer and raises a hand to her face, wiping her tears. Hyun-soo is caught by the tender look in his eyes, but then she snaps out of it, brushing his hand away. But Jung-woo grabs her hand and holds on tight.

 
COMMENTS

When we first began this journey, I assumed that when we got to the present times, that the main reason for Jung-sun and Hyun-soo’s missed connection when they first met—their careers—wouldn’t be an issue anymore. I just figured that with five years under their belts, that they would have that part of their lives under control and would be able to focus on their relationship in a way that they couldn’t before. But that’s not the case, and in fact, you could argue that their fears are even more justified than they were five years ago, because now they’ve had a taste of success and know what they’d be missing if they lost it.

Hyun-soo is in a much more precarious position than Jung-sun, but they’re both in danger of losing everything if they make just one wrong move. But that just makes their relationship that much more interesting this time around, because with time and maturity, hopefully they’ve learned that professional issues don’t have to mean giving up on love. I’d say that Jung-sun already knows this, since he was ready to wait five years for Hyun-soo if she would wait for him. He’s been nothing but crystal-clear about how he feels about Hyun-soo, and he’s even been honest regarding his misgivings about giving her another chance, because he’s scared she’ll hurt him again. I just love that about him, that no matter how difficult the subject, you know that he says exactly what he feels.

It’s Hyun-soo who has trouble compartmentalizing work and love, and not letting one affect the other. What’s different about her is that she’s more self-aware now, and she’s taking this very seriously this time around. She knows how much she regretted her choice five years ago, so now she’s taking her time to decide whether or not to be with Jung-sun because she doesn’t want to make the same mistake again. I respect that she’s not impulsively jumping back into things with Jung-sun without thinking about it, because I believe that on some level she knows that this is for keeps with him. She’s not taking his feelings lightly anymore, and she’s considering the fact that once she decides to be with him, it will be permanent.

Something that really bugs me in dramas is when the second lead gets it in their head that they have some claim on the object of their affection, especially when the other person isn’t interested. Hong-ah is terrible about this—Jung-sun has been telling her for years that he’s not interested in her, and he never will be, yet she continues to pout and pitch fits whenever she pushes the issue and he has to draw that line again. But what I appreciate about this drama is that for the first time I can remember, the guy she likes isn’t having any of her shenanigans.

It’s incredibly frustrating when a second lead has this attitude and for some inexplicable reason, the person they like lets them get away with it. But Jung-sun gets annoyed and frustrated with Hong-ah instead of letting her manipulate him. He makes his feelings crystal-clear, about Hong-ah and about Hyun-soo. Nobody can say that he led Hong-ah on, and he even says that to her flat-out. I nearly cheered when Jung-sun told Hong-ah that he’s never done anything to make her think she has a chance with him, and that her feelings are her own responsibility. Hong-ah’s bad behavior is completely her own delusional thinking that she can have him just because she wants him, and for once, the only one who thinks that’s reasonable is her.

Not that Jung-woo is any better when it comes to Hyun-soo, though I like him a lot more as a person right now. But he’s got this whole fantasy built up around Hyun-soo, to the point that he plans to propose marriage, when they’ve never even been on a date! I mean, is that even a thing that people actually do? Granted, she’s never turned him down in so many words, but you’d think after five years (and her crying over another man when he confessed) that he’d get the message. But Jung-woo has the same problem what Hong-ah has—they both think that wanting someone is all it takes to own them. It’s ironic that Jung-woo tells Hyun-soo to stop pining for a man she can’t have, when the truth is that she can have Jung-sun the moment she makes up her mind. It’s Jung-woo who’s hung up on someone he can’t have, yet he doesn’t even see it. I’m getting really scared for the moment when he finds out about Hyun-soo and Jung-sun, because although he’s a good person who truly cares for them both, there’s definitely a dark side simmering under the surface. I’m not looking forward to that part of him being woken up.

 
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