Love and Obsession – Episodes 129 - 132
Hongryeon arrives at Gongmi’s house. She has been thrown out of Taeyun’s house by Aunt – and Taeyun did nothing to stop her from leaving (what a wimp). “I wanted him to stop me, I wanted him to ask me to stay,” Hongryeon sadly tells Gongmi.
Gongmi again tries to get Hongryeon to leave Seoul. “I have nothing left in Seoul,” Gongmi tells her. “I’m sick of it.” But Hongryeon, who is listless and feverish, still shakes her head “no.”
*****
Aunt speaks with Taeyun at the E-city office. “I thought a lot about kicking her out,” Aunt tells him. “It’s the best thing to do.” Taeyun doesn’t answer her. He just sits there and mopes (again, what a wimp. He was a bit of a mamma’s boy from the beginning, but that could be understood, since his mother was helpless and senile. But boy, he sure is letting his bossy Aunt rule the roost now).
Later, at the hospital, Janghwa’s father is overjoyed that Hongryeon’s been tossed out. Aunt assures him that Taeyun will come around, just as soon as he holds his baby.
*****
Hongryeon – still not particularly healthy – goes to the hospital to plead with Janghwa. “I can’t break up with Taeyun,” she tells Janghwa. “I can’t live without him. He’s the first and only man I ever loved.”
Janghwa doesn’t answer, and Janghwa’s father then removes her from the hospital room. But later, Janghwa meets with Sara (the manager of the E-city beauty shop) and asks that she be taken to meet with Hongryeon.
They meet at Jongmi’s place, and Janghwa explains things to Hongryeon, “I have a baby. Me and my baby are waiting for Taeyun. We’re a family. I’m not pretending to be sick to trick people. It’s to protect my family. So, you give up.”
Hongryeon replies, “What’s a family to you? You gave up on that. You abandoned his mother, and you had an affair with another man. Isn’t Taeyun family to you?”
Janghwa concedes that Princess isn’t her family . . . but that Taeyun and her baby are. So, she tells Hongryeon again to “just leave.”
*****
Nice Guy Suchan tries to comfort Hongryeon. You did all you could, he tells her. Just forget it and go back home. And a very depressed Hongryeon says to herself that “Everyone is telling me to give up. Nobody is telling me to hold on to him . . .”
*****
Hongryeon decides to give Taeyun one last chance, handing her ring to Gongmi, and telling Gongmi to tell Taeyun to meet her that night, and give the ring back to her.
Meanwhile, Janghwa has locked herself in her hospital room. As her family is trying to get her out, she’s promising herself that “I’ll do anything,” if only Taeyun comes back to her. And that evening, Janghwa’s parents repeatedly keep calling Taeyun at his E-city office. And, as nightfall approaches, Taeyun finally decides to leave.
Hongryeon is waiting for him, outside in the dark, where she knows Taeyun will find her. And, from afar, we see Taeyun looking at Hongryeon.
And then, Taeyun leaves, and heads for the hospital . . .
And Hongryeon is remains there alone in the dark, still waiting for Taeyun, when finally Suchan shows up, and he tells her that Taeyun is not coming.
*****
Back at Gongmi’s Hongryeon hasn’t eaten in three days. She doesn’t leave the bed, nor does she talk. All she does is sleep.
But, on the fourth day, Hongryeon finally tells Gongmi that if they’re going to leave Seoul, they should leave right away. But she’s still depressed, since she had promised herself that she’d return a success, and it’s so hard for her to go home a failure.
*****
Janghwa is back at the hospital, and she’s now remarkably well. Why, she seems perfectly healthy now! Aunt suggests that she get outpatient treatment, and the doctor seems agreeable to the idea.
*****
Taeyun decides to go through with the $5 million payment to Park Seokdu, telling his aide that it’s the only thing he can do for Hongryeon right now. Hongryeon, hearing about it later, is surprised that Taeyun paid the money (which was, after all, more or less extortion). But Hongryeon’s brother (Janghwa’s Boy-Toy) cautions Hongryeon that even with Taeyun’s cash payment, Seokdu will never leave her alone. “Hide well, if you’re going to hide,” he warns her.
*****
Hongryeon is just about to return to her hometown, but she wants to see Princess (who, after all this time, is still unconscious) before she leaves. But Aunt doesn’t allow her to visit. She’s not family, she tells her.
Hongryeon asks Aunt why she thinks that a DIL who abandons her MIL is “family,” while someone who loves Princess with all her heart is not. Aunt says nothing, but when Hongryeon leaves, it’s clear that Aunt was stung by Hongryeon’s words.
*****
Hongryeon calls an E-city board meeting, and she tells the board members that she’s quitting. She tells the directors that she’s quitting for personal reasons, and that she’s signed away her $10 million inheritance (which will, instead, be used for scholarships). She also gives Princess the final legal authority over the inheritance, when she wakes up. And then Hongryeon leaves the boardroom, and walks away crying.
Taeyun was present at the board meeting. He didn’t say a single word.
*****
Janghwa is fine now, and she has returned to her parents’ home to live. And the first thing she requests is . . . to see Princess, and apologize?
Yes, Janghwa says that she’s going to change now, and become a good person.
*****
Taeyun is there at the hospital, tending to his mother, when Janghwa arrives. And, out of the blue, Princess’ hand begins to move. She’s beginning to regain consciousness!
Princess can’t talk, but she can recognize people, and blink her eyes. Everyone there is happy and delighted . . . except for Janghwa, who seems concerned.
But no one bothers to call Hongryeon, to let her know that Princess is awake.
Janghwa, who tells everyone that she’s going to start over from the very beginning, gets on her knees and apologizes to Princess, promising to take care of her from now on. Aunt later asks Taeyun to be as forgiving, but he curtly tells her that the only thing he cares about right now is his mother’s recovery.
Aunt welcomes Janghwa back into Taeyun’s home, and Janghwa immediately goes to the kitchen, and attempts to cook dinner for the family (though she even has to ask the housekeeper how to cook rice). Aunt is delighted and appreciative, but Taeyun refuses to even eat what she tried to cook. Aunt tells Taeyun that she’s trying so hard, and even taking care of his mother, but he tells her that he’s not interested in anything that Janghwa might do.
Aunt, though, is delighted with Janghwa’s transformation into a Good Girl, and she gives Janghwa her credit card, telling her to go out tomorrow and enjoy doing some shopping. Janghwa initially balks at the offer, but Aunt is insists, so she hesitantly accepts it.
But, it’s also obvious that Janghwa is quickly getting worn out from trying to be “good” – and it’s only been her first day of trying!
*****
Hongryeon and Gongmi have left Seoul, and they are at the beach with their kids. And even Hongryeon seems to be having a good time. “Remember him if you want, and cry if you want,” Gongmi tells her. “You’ll be okay in time.”
And, from a distance, Nice Guy Suchan is watching them, and promising to protect them.
*****
The next day, Janghwa goes to the E-city beauty shop, ordering the girl there to do her hair. And then, armed with Aunt’s credit card, she goes shopping.
She only buys one (expensive) handbag, but Junghae and Hyunggu come by, and see her shopping instead of caring for her sick MIL. “She hasn’t changed after all,” Junghae says.
But, after her morning of shopping, Janghwa does go to the hospital, and she does tend to Princess. But now, it’s drudgery for her. She initially demands help – and then she withdraws the order, telling herself that she has to change, and become a good person.
But, the next day, Janghwa demands a credit card from Sara (the beauty shop manager) so she can do some more shopping. She can’t use Aunt’s card any more, since she knows that Aunt wouldn’t approve. She tells Sara that she will still continue to nurse Princess, but that she needs to shop to relieve her stress.
And this time, she goes crazy, buying everything in the store. Junghae (still hanging out at E-city) approaches Janghwa, and tells her straight-out that Aunt will have a fit if she finds out that she’s gone on a shopping spree. Janghwa says she won’t find out.
Janghwa heads off with the haul from her E-city shopping spree to Boy-Toy’s apartment, where she dumps off all the things she just bought (since she doesn’t want Aunt to see them). “Is it that hard for a person to change?” she asks herself. She tells Boy-Toy that she feels like she’s “going to explode.”
But, when Janghwa gags on a bite of food, Boy-Toy wonders: “Is she pregnant?”
*****
Princess is relapsing. The doctor thinks she’s suffered a minor stroke. He asks where Hongryeon is, since she had taken such good care of her in the past. Aunt sternly tells the doctor that Hongryeon isn’t needed any more, because the DIL is here to care for her now.
And Janghwa is indeed still caring for Princess, though she’s obviously only going through the motions now. “Just wait and see. I’ll show everyone,” she says. But the beauty shop manager – who knows Janghwa all too well – thinks otherwise. “You don’t care for her from the heart,” she tells Janghwa. “You won’t last long. Hongryeon was able to do it because it came from her heart.”
*****
Boy-Toy approaches Sara (the beauty shop manager) and asks her point-blank if Janghwa is pregnant. She says she’ll only tell him because it will help him to forget her. Yes, she says, Janghwa is pregnant with Taeyun’s child. They’re starting up a family, she says, and it’s time that he gave up on her, and moved on.
Boy-Toy – who seems to know something that Sara doesn’t – leaves without further comment.
*****
Janghwa is caring for Princess, but it’s midday, and she’s had enough. Nursing someone is hard work, and Janghwa heads off to get a massage, leaving her parents to watch over Princess. But, as she’s getting the massage, her cell phone rings. It’s Aunt, and she’s on her way to the hospital to check on things. Janghwa gets dressed in record time, and rushes to the hospital just moments before Aunt arrives. “Just look at you, you’re so sweaty, and working so hard!” Aunt exclaims. Aunt offers to hire her some help, but Janghwa refuses, telling her that she has to endure this to convince Taeyun.
*****
Park Seokdu is checking his bank account by computer, in the presence of some gangster-looking guy. His account balance shows “zero.” He’s furious! Where did the $5 million go!?!?!?!
*****
It’s “Founder’s Day” at E-city, and Taeyun (the founder) is expected to host a grand dinner for all the company VIP’s. Taeyun is in no mood for a party, but his aide convinces him that it’s a must-do. So he heads off to the dinner.
Aunt also feels it’s a must-do, and she tells Janghwa to take the evening off from nursing Princess, and attend the dinner gathering. She does, and Taeyun is stunned when he sees her walk in. He graciously tells his guests to relax and enjoy themselves, and then he quietly leaves (he obviously has no interest in sitting down with Janghwa for dinner).
But Janghwa is just getting started. The gathering of company VIPs – every one of whom saw Taeyun throw her out of the last company dinner – see that Janghwa’s back. And, furthermore, when she gags on a bite of food, she smiles and tells the crowd that “morning sickness runs in my family.”
As Janghwa leaves, everyone rushes to her and apologizes for not keeping in touch. Junghae, who was also there with Hyunggu, knows exactly what’s going on. “The queen is back,” she says. “Everyone is trembling. They’re all in trouble now.”
Later, Janghwa meets with Sara. “You should have seen their attitudes change when they found out I was pregnant,” she says. Sara offers a mild objection, but Janghwa insists. “I’m trying. I deserve a day like this. I’m different now.”
*****
Suchan, simply by coincidence (yeah, right!) just happens to be driving by as Hongryeon and Gongmi are trying to hitchhike back to their hometown. He transports them back to the Dragon House (which he now owns) and he invites them to stay. And Hongryeon’s old neighbors all see that she’s back, and they swarm all over her in the warmest of welcomes (they’re such good neighbors – and they’re such a contract to the cutthroat people she knew in Seoul). Hongryeon tells her old neighbors that she’s come home to stay.
*****
Janghwa stops by Boy-Toy’s apartment again, where she’s picking up some of the clothes she bought on her E-city shopping spree.
And Boy-Toy asks her flat-out, “Who’s baby are you carrying? Is it mine?”
****************
In the secondary storylines, a home pregnancy test shows that Junghae is NOT pregnant after all. She’s disappointed, but, not nearly as disappointed as when she shows up at the hospital for a more professional pregnancy test, and they inform her that not only is she not pregnant, but that one of her ovaries isn’t working, and that she may be borderline infertile. She’s shocked and depressed over the news, but she doesn’t tell Hyunggu.
Meanwhile, actor boy continues to get beaten up by the middle-aged “Cougar” he just married. His face is so black-and blue now, that he can’t even get acting jobs.