A Moment at Eighteen: Episode 10

by TeriYaki

The lack of confidence from his crush has our transfer student doubting his suitability as a boyfriend. Too late, his first love realizes her mistake but all she can do is wait and hope for a second chance. This couple isn’t the only one facing challenges and by the end of the school trip, some big decisions are made. Love is never easy no matter the age, but for teenagers, it’s an especially thrilling and heartbreaking journey.

  
EPISODE 10: “The Night That Will Never Return”

Joon-woo reads the text on Soo-bin’s phone and realizes that she doesn’t have confidence in him. With a pained smile, Joon-woo walks away while Hwi-young appeals to Soo-bin, “I did it for you.”

Once he’s alone, Joon-woo stops and a tear escapes from his eye but he brushes it away when Hwi-young finds him. Joon-woo spins around to ask Hwi-young why he lied to Soo-bin and gets called a troublemaker who can’t be trusted.

Hwi-young advises him, “Know your place, Joon-woo. Soo-bin isn’t someone you can like recklessly.” Joon-woo can’t understand how Hwi-young could hurt someone that he likes and is told to shut up. When Joon-woo walks away, Hwi-young shouts after him, “What do you know?”

Soo-bin comes to a stop and berates herself for not believing in Joon-woo. Soo-bin runs back to find Joon-woo but he’s gone so she calls Oh-je and asks for his address.

Soo-bin finds Joon-woo’s place and sees him on the rooftop. Just as she’s about to call out to him, Soo-bin hears his mother shout Joon-woo’s name. Joon-woo helps his mother with her groceries while Soo-bin stays out of sight.

Joon-woo’s mother senses her son’s troubled mood right away but he insists that he’s fine. Soo-bin is still out front when she texts Joon-woo, “I’m sorry for not trusting you.” Joon-woo texts back, “No matter how much I think about it, I don’t think I deserve to go out with you.”

The next day, Joon-woo and Soo-bin find themselves waiting at the same stoplight near the school. When the light turns green, Joon-woo stays behind while Soo-bin crosses. When she reaches the other side, Soo-bin looks back at Joon-woo who thinks to himself, “I think I’ll need some time.”

During science lab, Chan-yeol and Da-hwin can feel the tension between the troubled couples. After class, a miserable looking Hwi-young is alone with Soo-bin and asks, “Why are you not getting mad at me? You know that I lied to you.”

Soo-bin explains that being angry won’t change anything, besides, she’s trying to understand her old friend, Little Boy Hwi-young. Soo-bin asks Hwi-young to consider how he really feels about her, “Are you doing this because you like me? Or is there another reason?”

At lunch, Chan-yeol asks Soo-bin and So-ye, “What’s going on between you guys?” Soo-bin explains that she and Joon-woo decided to just be friends and So-ye admits that she and Ki-tae haven’t made up. Ro-mi pauses at their table to ask Soo-bin if she and Joon-woo are officially over and she smiles in satisfaction when Soo-bin doesn’t answer.

Joon-woo updates Oh-je on his situation and is surprised when his friend describes Hwi-young’s behavior not only as childish but understandable. Oh-je figures that Hwi-young temporarily lost control.

Suddenly, Joon-woo and Oh-je jump apart and just miss the bucket of water that Pil-sang dumps on their spot. Joon-woo urges Pil-sang to focus his efforts on asking Ro-mi for a date but he’s afraid that she’ll kill him. Joon-woo advises, “Would you rather die or go out with her? Pluck up your courage.”

When Pil-sang finds Ro-mi, he hands her some flowers and asks to be her boyfriend. Pil-sang asks for her answer by the end of the school trip and then escapes to the classroom where he shakily drops into his seat. Oh-je compliments Joon-woo’s advice-giving skills but Joon-woo just wishes that he could follow his own advice.

Mr. Oh is at his desk where he recalls how Hwi-young’s mother knew about his calls to the previous home room teacher. When Mr. Oh tries calling the teacher, he discovers that the number has been disconnected.

Ji-min shows up at school to return Mr. Oh’s bag. When she explains that she was delayed because of an interview, Mr. Oh figures that she must be busy but Ji-min corrects him, “I’m not busy.”

When Ji-min turns to leave, Mr. Oh stops her and she assumes that he wants to ask her out and turns him down, “I’m a little busy.” Mr. Oh explains that he just wanted to tell her, “…hang in there. Everything will be all right.” After thanking Ji-min for returning his bag, Mr. Oh walks away with a satisfied smile as he tells himself, “It doesn’t have to be today.”

When he gets to class, Mr. Oh has some good news — Joon-woo’s retro idea has been chosen as the main event for the 11th-grade trip.

At home, Soo-bin looks through her parents’ closet for a costume and notices that her father’s clothes are gone. Soo-bin calls her mother, who’s in her car with Joon-woo’s mom, Yeon-woo, and she promises to look for something suitable when she gets home. Yeon-woo is about to brag that her son came up with the retro idea but says nothing when Soo-bin’s mom, Song-hee, blames it on a student who doesn’t care about studies.

When it’s time for lunch, Yeon-woo stops at a park and surprises Song-hee with a meal that she packed. Impressed with Yeon-woo’s efforts, Song-hee guesses that she must have been popular with the boys but she confesses that her only boyfriend was Joon-woo’s dad. When Song-hee asks about Joon-woo’s costume, Yeon-woo shares that she kept one of his dad’s outfits as a souvenir.

At home, Joon-woo looks at the clothes that his dad wore on his parents’ first date. He recalls his mother gushing about how handsome his dad looked that day and tells himself, “…they must have loved each other back then, at that moment.”

Hwi-young’s mother is drinking alone in her dressing room when Hwi-young finds her. She complains when she hears about the costume, “You don’t have time to waste on that,” but she calls someone to make Hwi-young an outfit.

As the students gather for their school trip, Joon-woo and Hwi-young keep their eyes on Soo-bin. When Ro-mi makes her appearance, Da-hwin isn’t happy when Oh-je smiles. Everyone is surprised when Sang-hoon joins them and he jokes that he rushed over from Singapore.

On the bus, Ro-mi wants Joon-woo to sit next to her but he joins Pil-sang and Dong in the back. When So-ye sits with Ro-mi, Ki-tae ends up sitting with Hwi-young. Soo-bin brings out some rice balls to share and they look just like the ones that Joon-woo’s mother prepared. Joon-woo looks puzzled while Soo-bin recalls that her mother explained that her driver made them.

When they arrive at their destination, the students disembark and when Sang-hoon sees Joon-woo, he laughs, “I didn’t come because of you.” At the sight of Hwi-young, Sang-hoon kicks a leg in his direction and walks away.

Soo-bin and her friends settle into the room that they’re sharing with Ro-mi. When Soo-bin catches So-ye gazing out the window, she urges her to make up with Ki-tae but So-ye tells her, “Look who’s talking.”

The coach calls the students to the main hall for a dance game where they have to hurry and form groups when the whistle blows. In the first round, Ro-mi steals Oh-je before he can join Da-hwin’s group. In a later round when they’re told to make groups of two, Joon-woo and Hwi-young grab Soo-bin while Ro-mi grabs Joon-woo. Soo-bin shakes herself loose to pair up with Ro-mi and Joon-woo and Hwi-young end up getting eliminated.

After the game, an angry Da-hwin thinks of all the times that Ro-mi enjoyed Oh-je’s attention. Oh-je finds Da-hwin just as Ro-mi walks up wearing his hat to ask, “Give me this hat. This is totally my style.”

When Da-hwin snatches the hat from Ro-mi’s head, Ro-mi hits Da-hwin. The girls pull each other’s hair while Joon-woo and Oh-je do their best to pull them apart. Pil-sang runs to Ro-mi’s rescue only to get knocked to the ground by Da-hwin.

After the fight, the girls are back in their room where Chan-yeol, Soo-bin and So-ye nervously watch over Ro-mi and a still angry Da-hwin. When Oh-je comes to their door, Da-hwin runs to answer it after So-ye reminds her that he could get in trouble for being in the girls’ section. As soon as the door opens, Ki-tae pushes his way past them and So-ye takes him outside.

In front of her place, Song-hee informs Yeon-woo that she has a business trip and won’t need her for a few days. As Yeon-woo walks away, Soo-bin’s father approaches his wife for a talk.

Yeon-woo still has the keys to Song-hee’s car and turns around as Song-hee walks away with her husband close behind. When they stop, Song-hee informs her husband that she won’t give him a divorce. Soo-bin’s dad begs to put an end to their charade but Song-hee won’t consider it until Soo-bin is at a university.

After Soo-bin’s dad complains about his wife’s superior attitude, she reminds him about all of the degrees that he earned thanks to her earnings. Soo-bin’s dad announces that he’ll wait one week and then he’s filing for divorce. When he walks away, Song-hee starts to cry until she notices Yeon-woo, who’s holding her keys.

Oh-je explains to an angry Da-hwin, “I’m not interested in any girl. You’re the only one I’m close with.” When the coach walks by, Oh-je and Da-hwin hide in some bushes and she impulsively kisses Oh-je on the cheek and confesses, “I love you…”

Close by, Ki-tae kneels with his hands in the air and promises So-ye that he’ll change.

Over at the main hall, Hwi-young and Joon-woo pick up drinks and snacks for their class and run into Sang-hoon. He guesses that Hwi-young must be worried about his return and reassures him, “I feel so thankful to your dad. He gave my dad a promotion and let me continue to stay here. What an angel.”

When Sang-hoon walks away, Hwi-young asks Joon-woo, “Do you feel satisfied now?” Hwi-young gets rattled when Joon-woo reminds him, “Soo-bin is still having a tough time,” and he drops a case of drinks. Ki-tae and So-ye walk by holding hands but after Ki-tae runs to help Hwi-young, So-ye walks away.

While the kids grill their dinner, Ro-mi recalls barbecues at her family’s villa in Santa Monica. One of the girls from another class, Seo-jin, approaches their group and announces in front of everyone that Ro-mi is a liar — her father isn’t a hospital director, he’s the hospital director’s driver.

Da-hwin tries to defend Ro-mi but she admits to the lie and defiantly challenges Seo-jin, “Blame yourself for falling for my lie.” Ro-mi storms off just as Joon-woo and Hwi-young return with the supplies.

Yeon-woo brings Song-hee some porridge and when she announces that she’s leaving, Song-hee tells her that she won’t be needing her help any longer, “I’d be too embarrassed to see you.”

After dinner, Mr. Oh leads his class in a “Truth Hearing”. Ki-tae goes first and while he’s fielding questions about So-ye, Mr. Oh goes in search of Hwi-young and finds him studying. Mr. Oh convinces Hwi-young to join the rest of the class when he confesses, “It’s so boring without you.”

Mr Oh returns with Hwi-young just as Da-hwin asks Oh-je, “Are you in love with anyone right now?” Chan-yeol protests that everyone already knows the answer so someone else asks Oh-je, “Are you in love with someone who you shouldn’t love?” When Oh-je hesitates, Joon-woo announces that they need to move on.

Ro-mi is next and when she sits in the “Truth” chair, she announces that she can’t participate because she’s a liar. Ro-mi draws Soo-bin’s name and asks her, “Do you still like Joon-woo?” When Soo-bin doesn’t answer, Dong breaks a ballon filled with confetti and chalk dust over her head but Joon-woo swoops in at the last second to shield her.

In his room, a freshly showered Joon-woo shakes his head when he sees that Hwi-young is still studying. Joon-woo finds his spot on the floor and texts Soo-bin, “…sleep tight.” Unable to sleep, Joon-woo turns on the light and wakes the other boys.

The girls can’t sleep and they end up consoling Ro-mi, who’s crying quietly into her blanket. Chan-yeol urges Ro-mi, “Cry all you want.”

The next day, Mr. Oh’s class is busy with ziplines, go-carts, a visit to a farm and a group photo. At night, it’s time for some performances with Mr. Oh as the Master of Ceremonies. The kids run to the stage as a band begins to play but Hwi-young keeps his distance.

Dong is expected to take the stage after the band and So-ye informs her friends that he was a trainee for a boy band. Backstage, Dong squirms and informs Joon-woo that he has diarrhea.

While Pil-sang takes the stage for some impersonations, Joon-woo begs Dong to hold on until after his performance but he has no choice but to find a bathroom. When Dong’s name is announced, everyone is surprised when Joon-woo comes out and as he takes the microphone, Chan-yeol confesses that she’s nervous.

Soo-bin can’t take her eyes off of Joon-woo as he sings a heartfelt ballad about young love. While he sings, we’re treated to highlights of Soo-bin’s and Joon-woo’s relationship starting with their first meeting and ending with his confession in the nurse’s office. During his song, the only person that Joon-woo can see is Soo-bin, who’s finally able to meet his gaze.

After the performances, it’s time for “Retro Night”. Dressed in the clothes of their parents’ youth, the students pair up for a choreographed dance. Pil-sang dances with Ro-mi, Ki-tae is paired with So-ye, Chan-yeol is Mr. Oh’s partner and of course, Oh-je is with Da-hwin. Soo-bin makes her way through the dancing couples as she searches for someone.

Ro-mi asks Pil-sang to follow her and when they’re alone, she gives him her answer, “You’re not my type… so stop dreaming.” Pil-sang asks what he can do to get Ro-mi to like him but she tells him, “…you’ll never be my boyfriend. Find someone else.” When Ro-mi walks away, a heartbroken Pil-sang breaks down in tears.

Back at the dance, So-ye tiptoes up to Ki-tae’s ear to say, “Let’s end things here.”

Hwi-young sits alone as he grapples with Soo-bin’s question, “Are you doing this because you like me?” Hwi-young decides that he can’t allow Joon-woo to take anything away from him and he stands up.

Joon-woo finds Soo-bin at the dance and gently takes her hand to turn her around. When she sees Joon-woo, Soo-bin smiles and thinks, “Joon-woo. I’m sorry for not trusting you.” Joon-woo looks at Soo-bin while he thinks to himself, “I’m sorry for making you not trust me.”

Another student backs into Soo-bin, pushing her towards Joon-woo. Joon-woo pulls Soo-bin into a hug and tells her, “Stay beside me,” and when she returns his hug, he smiles, but Soo-bin’s face is hard to read.

  
COMMENTS

Sang-hoon! I can’t believe that he’s already back in the mix and I can’t wait to hear how he managed to return for the school trip. His over-the-top praise for Hwi-young’s father can only mean trouble because I’m positive that Sang-hoon wants to teach that family a lesson. It’s seriously about time.

After Soo-bin’s reaction in the middle of her date with Joon-woo, I almost lost interest in this drama. I couldn’t bear to see Joon-woo suffer any more setbacks and I knew that Soo-bin’s willingness to believe that he was using her would hurt him deeply. I had to power through my misgivings for the sake of this recap and I was so thankful that the truth about Hwi-young’s lie came out sooner rather than later. As Joon-woo and Soo-bin navigate the effects of their first serious misunderstanding, just about every other couple in this drama faced some kind of crisis as well and it was pretty overwhelming.

Hwi-young took a backseat in this episode while the couples, maybe-couples and soon-to-be exes grappled with their problems. Da-hwin and Oh-je made me sad because it’s only a matter of time before she gets her heart broken. Da-hwin is oblivious to Oh-je’s lack of enthusiasm and she just barrels ahead with an, “I love you,” after that fit of jealousy and fight with Ro-mi, who’s having a very bad day.

Ro-mi’s lies finally come to light but the truth does nothing to diminish Pil-sang’s ardor. He was really impressive, declaring his feelings for Ro-mi and asking to be her boyfriend and he proved how serious he was by coming to her aid during that fight with Da-hwin. How many times did Pil-sang get hit? He’s actually quite sensitive so it was especially tough to watch Ro-mi crush Pil-sang’s heart so completely. I’m not sure how I feel about this couple but I would like to know if Pil-sang’s total acceptance of Ro-mi, warts and all, could soften her harshness.

In a surprisingly mature move, So-ye accepts that Ki-tae will never change and that she’ll never be happy with his subservient nature, so she breaks up with him. Will it stick? It just might because actions speak louder than words and Ki-tae has repeatedly prioritized Hwi-young over So-ye. As much as she may like Ki-tae, So-ye knows that three’s a crowd and she’s definitely the third wheel.

Mr. Oh has a real challenge in Ji-min, who’s determined to shoot down any interest he may have in her. But Mr. Oh proves that he’s willing to be patient and Ji-min is thrown off balance when he walks away from her after she finally returns his bag. These two are fun to watch and I can’t wait for Ji-min to fall for Mr. Oh.

Soo-bin’s parents have to face their own moment of truth because their marriage has been over for quite some time and Soo-bin’s father wants a divorce. I can understand Soo-bin’s mother’s desire to wait until Soo-bin is safely at a university because a divorce is tough for children of all ages, even adult children. However, there’s never a “good” time for children to face that reality so dragging out the marriage only deepens the resentment of the unhappy husband and wife. It’s hard to believe that Soo-bin’s parents ever loved each other because they’re so far removed from what must have once been a promising beginning.

Maybe the toughest breakup was the one between Soo-bin’s mother and Joon-woo’s mom. Song-hee is so embarrassed that Yeon-woo knows the truth about her marriage and ends her employment. It’s too bad because the only time that Song-hee smiles is when she’s talking to Yeon-woo. I have a feeling that Song-hee will need to reach out to Yeon-woo again and I hope that she recognizes what a treasure the young mom is.

In the middle of all of the turmoil, Joon-woo and Soo-bin manage to find their way to each other again just as Hwi-young recommits himself to keeping them apart. If Soo-bin likes Joon-woo, I want her to really like him and that look on her face at the Retro Night has me concerned. Why doesn’t she look happy? Joon-woo just sang his heart out for Soo-bin yet she looks underwhelmed when he hugs her. I want Soo-bin to look overjoyed because Joon-woo deserves to have something really good in his life and so does she.

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