Seasons of Blossom: Episodes 9-10
by mistyisles
This week is full of warm, fuzzy feelings and new beginnings. But because we know what awaits our characters down the road, most of the giddy moments are colored in shades of sorrow.
EPISODES 9-10
Before Bo-mi can respond to Jae-min’s question of whether she and Jin-young are actually dating, Jae-min admits he overheard them calling the relationship fake. Rather than wanting an explanation, however, he’s just letting her know she doesn’t have to carry her secret all alone. Likewise, she doesn’t press for answers about his secret, but makes it clear she wants to listen whenever he’s ready to share.
In the meantime, Jin-young and Bo-mi are getting closer, and though Bo-mi tries to stay in denial, she’s becoming aware that their relationship — real, fake, or otherwise — has changed ever so slightly. The first sign is when So-mang mentions learning to like mint chocolate because of the person she liked (Ha-min, of course). Bo-mi had been giving Jin-young chocolate milk without realizing he didn’t like chocolate, but now he says he doesn’t mind it so much, and her eyes bug out adorably as she puts two and two together.
Then Bo-mi and Jin-young are chosen to represent their class in a couple dance battle. That, of course, means they get up close and personal. Bo-mi starts out in the lead, but after she steps on his foot, he takes over, ending with a dip that leaves them both feeling shy.
The more Bo-mi tries to deny her growing feelings, the more frustrated and confused she gets. Eventually, after a little heart-to-heart with So-mang, she works up the courage to text Jin-young a casual, “What’s up?” Jin-young immediately calls her, but her mom calls her away before she can get brave enough to answer.
When she apologizes for it later, Jin-young shrugs it off — she needn’t explain if she doesn’t want to. But Bo-mi does want to, and suddenly she’s word-vomiting all about her mom yelling at her for her grades slipping, which happened because she’s been so busy worrying about her friends, and how disappointed she is in herself for not handling everything more gracefully.
Instead of adding to the criticism, Jin-young counters that he finds her impressive. Sure, at first, he thought she was crazy to make things so complicated for no reason, but now he understands and admires how much she cares about her friends’ feelings. It’s sweet that he’s supporting her when she feels low, but it still kind of glosses over the problem with her decision to lie to her friends.
Meanwhile, summer is approaching, and for So-mang, that means the emotions stirred up by memories of Ha-min are getting stronger. Ha-min used to hate summer because the humidity made him feel like he was suffocating. But the summer after they surreptitiously held hands on the rooftop, things changed. Instead of attending the lecture his parents wanted him to, Ha-min secretly signed up for lessons at So-mang’s art studio so they could spend more time together.
His first assignment was to draw anything he wanted, and for a long time he just stared sadly at the blank canvas in front of him. Then he created the most heartbreakingly beautiful picture of a man sitting hunched over and ankle-deep in water with gigantic butterfly wings.
One afternoon, So-mang and Ha-min were caught in a downpour while leaving the studio. Ha-min rolled his eyes in annoyance, but So-mang was struck with sudden giddiness. Tossing both of their umbrellas aside, she grabbed his hand and pulled him down the street at a run until he was smiling and laughing along with her.
They circled back to the studio to dry off, wrapping themselves in the only blanket. What with the rain and the happiness and the close contact, Ha-min was practically glowing as he thanked So-mang for teaching him the joy of doing what he wanted instead of what he was supposed to do.
So-mang found herself caressing his hair, and slowly, after checking that she was okay with it, he leaned in and kissed her. Then they kissed again and again, and giggled, and held hands, both shyly admitting this was their first kiss. In the present day, So-mang again drops her umbrella and lets the rain fall on her face, but the precious memories of that summer are as painful as they are wonderful now.
In the following days, So-mang couldn’t get the kiss out of her head. She couldn’t even be near Ha-min without getting shaky and fluttery, but he seemed so calm that she feared he might not share her feelings. But once Ha-min got the truth out of her, he assured her he was just uncertain how to navigate his own feelings. She’d opened his eyes to a whole new way of living, and he felt as though he could face anything if they were together.
While So-mang reminisces and Bo-mi puzzles over her feelings, Jae-min deliberates whether to grant his mother’s request to meet up. Ultimately, he does, but it’s more a confrontation than a reunion. He’s been reading Ha-min’s diary, he explains, and Ha-min wrote about someone named Han So-mang. Initially, Jae-min blamed So-mang for Ha-min’s death, but now he understands that So-mang was the one person who could have given Ha-min the hope he needed to keep going.
It’s not hard to guess where this is going, but it’s still gut-wrenching, especially interspersed with scenes of So-mang and Ha-min cuddling, blissfully unaware that Ha-min’s art studio enrollment had been discovered. Jae-min’s mother is overcome with horror and grief as she realizes what he’s saying. And Jae-min’s eyes fill with angry tears as he spells it out anyway: their mother personally destroyed Ha-min’s only support system.
Oof. These episodes felt like one gut punch after another. I thought Ha-min’s struggle to think of anything to draw was sad, until I saw what he came up with, and that hit even harder. And then So-mang gave him a reason to like both rain and summer. And then the kiss happened. And then — well, you get the idea.
On top of the expected pain of watching all the happy moments while knowing ahead of time how Ha-min’s story ends, I didn’t anticipate being struck so hard by that ending sequence with Ha-min and Jae-min’s mother. Ha-min knew she was wrong to treat them the way she did, and he knew she’d likely never realize until it was too late, but still he empathized with her motivations and hoped she might someday understand how blinded she’d been by grief over the loss of her own dreams. Perhaps he was right, but he’ll never know that, and no amount of remorse on her part can reverse the damage that was done.
Once again, I’m drawn to the parallels between Ha-min and Bo-mi. Even though their circumstances were very different, they both wrestled with external and internal expectations. They both needed — and found — someone to confide in outside of their usual circles, gaining at the same time the freedom to see themselves differently.
And that’s the tragedy of it all, because Ha-min presumably got only a small taste of that freedom before his future was cut short. Bo-mi, on the other hand, still has time to grow into full confidence in who she wants to become.
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Tags: Kang Hye-won, Minkyu, Oh Yoo-jin, Seasons of Blossom, Seo Ji-hoon, So Joo-yeon, Yoon Hyun-soo
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1 wandering spot
October 13, 2022 at 9:30 PM
Its so sad to see HM finding his life line and how his mother will be cutting it out. *Sigh* Why do parents think it’s okay to achieve their dreams using their kids? I hope SM heals at the end. That rainy scene of present was too painful to even watch. I drew parallels this week with both the storylines and can’t help to wonder about the lack of empathy I feel towards the present storyline. While HM’s struggles were because of his mom, BM’s struggles were created by herself. And I wished JY to at least acknowledge that instead of making it an impressive trait. And unless and until she learns to that counter that trait, she will continue suffering. Also, while watching the past storyline, you feel its depth, HM’s struggle, SM’s confusion even the warmth of their relationship but when it comes to the present storyline its basically nothing. The storyline lacks depth, the characters one dimensional.
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2 Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
October 13, 2022 at 10:05 PM
@mistyisles Thank you for the weecap. It is so hard to watch this beautifully presented drama knowing the harsh reality of the long term effects of decisions made in emotional frames of mind. Every week I worry if this is the one when we will have to see the rawness of the pain of the parents and the little brother left behind. Poor Somang having to experience a depth of sorrow only her one close friend would understand.
I feel for Jaemin without his protector, we see the behind the scenes of a boy whose parents separate and then his mother remarries and he chooses to return to his dad and start a new school as an only child. Where is his stability and joy in life. Do his new friends really know him? Does he love and trust anyone? No wonder Somang is determined to watch over him.
I like that alongside the love stories and growth of the characters there are little flashes of humour and teenage awkwardness. How cute is Jinyoung’s sister and it’s lovely to see he is also a caring big brother. He is the opposite of Jaemin as he presents as reserved in school and is clearly more expressive at home having told his little sister all about his girlfriend.
This is my favourite drama of the moment.
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3 Kurama
October 13, 2022 at 11:27 PM
The past story is so beautifuly filmed. I really liked the ambiance. Somang is so hurt, I wish her to find peace with her past. She wasn't responsible for HJ's pain. He was pretty good to hide his feelings too.
I'm happy that Jaemin understood that Somang wasn't the cause of his brother's death, but his mother's ambition.
For the present story, Bomi is the only one who puts pressure on herself. She has great friends who want her to be herself. I think JY's honesty and "rudeness" were a good help for her, he kinda shook from her confort zone a little bit. It's sad that the actors are kinda bland because their story could be better.
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4 Kafiyah Bello
October 14, 2022 at 5:53 AM
This DRAMA. SM and HM are SOOOOOOO cute. I wish he had just run away, 😭😭😭😭😭. The past scenes are so beautiful and heartfelt. I just want happiness for both of them. They found peace in each other.
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5 tabong
October 14, 2022 at 8:05 AM
This week was just our couples being adorable for two hours straight.
Ha Min... What can I do besides feeling bad for him? It stresses me out a little bit that there's nothing to do. He's gone and that just hurts. He deserved the world... I'm glad So Mang helped him see a little of that world, at least for one season.
The fact that this show is giving me more reasons to hate summer... Ha.
I love Bo Mi and Jin Yeong. They're just simple, cute. Love them together.
PS. Can someone just hug Jae Min? 🥺 I feel so bad for our boy.
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6 blue
October 14, 2022 at 2:39 PM
Ha Min is making me wish this was a Makjang
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7 chinit@
October 19, 2022 at 12:25 PM
I just finished watching ep 11-12 and I can still feel the knot in my chest. The what if's is all I can think of. The missed call, the deleted messages, the words that So Mang have spoken? Could the result be different if the timing for this was right? *sigh* I still cannot comprehend how a mother would put so much pressure on their kids in fulfilling their missed dreams. As for Bomi, I wish the production team have cast a more qualified actress. The character of Bomi is not being portrayed and I cannot connect when she acts. I have to skip. SM should be able to have closure when she reads HM diary. *i hope.
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
October 19, 2022 at 1:56 PM
I know right?! We are all waiting for the weecap to drop so we can comment on this week’s episode. It’s always a sign of a good drama when you have so much to say and keep refreshing waiting for the opportunity to share. I am sure it will be a lively thread this week.
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8 Snow Flower
October 23, 2022 at 4:52 PM
Just stopping by to say that I binged 10 episodes in 2 days. Ha Min and So Mang❤️🥰😭
Jin Young is a sweetheart, don't want him heartbroken...
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
October 23, 2022 at 8:46 PM
I love binge watching and this would definitely be the series to enjoy that way. But the banter in the comments is such a big pull that I started watching on air dramas but it is times like this when I wish I could do both😊.
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