Episode 9 Title: They pretended they did not.

If you haven’t started watching Jugglers, you’re missing out on a sweet treat. (Staygold and USAFarmgirl, where are you??!! I’ve been leaving you a trail of crumbs to follow me here. — edited: You’re both here!! )

This is one of the gentle romances that I gravitate towards — similar to “Because This is My First Life.” But compared to BTISMFL, Jugglers is less introspective and relies more on external actions, rather than individual characteristics of the main casts, to create conflicts. For instance, in BTISMFL, the personality of SeeHee is the primary cause of misunderstanding between the couple. In Jugglers, on the other hand, it’s the situation, i.e., office romance, that creates the hi-jinks.

The other reason I’m watching this is I find Baek Jin-Hee adorably cute. I have a serious case of cute-aggression when I see here.

At first, I confused her with Park Bo-Young, that actress in Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon. To me, they have similar features: the bob hairstyle, round face, doe eyes. They exude aegyo like I ooze bitchiness. But PBY’s aegyo tired me after a while whereas I still find PBYa refreshing sight. It doesn’t help that I find that PBY’s voice grating. It can come off as whiny and petulant when she tries to cajole Park Hyung Sik’s character in their show. I definitely prefer PJH’s voice. I think it’s more versatile in expressing a variety of emotions, like animated, indignant, subdued, scornful, and distressed. lol. I’m gushing can you tell?

Although they’re both cute, I’m with her = that girl on the right.

And because I think BJH cute, I enjoyed this Episode 9 very much.

Most of the time I was reacting to her character’s aegyo the same way hero ChiWon did: with bemusement, resignation and patience.  I totally understood how he felt.

For instance, at the beginning of the episode, he didn’t know whether he had done something wrong to offend her. Because he threw caution to the winds and went after what he wanted (the kiss), he was UNDERSTANDABLY unsure of his next step. Hence, that awkward silence on the car ride home. Of course, it didn’t help that when he turned on the car radio, the group Blink was crooning, “Kiss me darling kiss me tonight” (this song must be a running joke for kwriters).  That song was a mood killer.  YoonYi didn’t know where to look after she recognized the lyrics.

Their mortification was palpable — and very funny because they could only vent back in the safety of their homes.  She pounded her head on the wall while he pounded his fist on the table. They weren’t really angry with each other. They were upset with themselves. See the difference? 

I liked the director’s clever use of the split screen to show the two of them racing through their morning routine with the intention of avoiding an accidental encounter. But what took the cake was the sight of ChiWon pedaling off… no, carrying his bike UPHILL for a quick getaway. For someone who complained in the previous episode that meeting YY had caused things to go DOWNHILL for him, he was eating his words.

Pretending they did not (kiss) = sure, they can run but they cannot hide.

At work, they continued to avoid each other. He was obviously concerned that she’d transfer to another department because she wasn’t at her desk (she was UNDER her desk, hiding). So he smiled when he saw that she had watered their growing family of cactus (now three!), and sharpened his pencils (look no more red pens! They’ve been vanquished.)

New slogans: “Green is the new black,” “Le soleil briller et et le ciel bleu qui ouvert” (lol. The French phrase is nonsensical. Translated, it mentions the shining sun and the blue skies that opens. Opens what??? Who knows. lol.) 

All day long, YY and CW played cat-and-mouse until he finally followed after her in the revolving glass door.

I liked that scene. And I liked how the director used the enclosed space as a timeout for the couple. Until now, I’ve never considered a revolving door as particularly romantic. Last time, YY had been the one to accidentally trap him in with her. Back then, he ordered her to make up her mind: either come closer to him or go further away.  This time, CW was the one to deliberately trap her in with him by hitting the automatic sensor with his heel. Locked in space, he suggested that they stop being awkward and talk.

I don’t have a shoe fetish , but I love wingtips.

It was unfortunate however that YY and CW didn’t have their talk earlier in the day, before the well-intentioned office manager warned YY of the dangers of IMPULSIVELY dating:

1. Men who act impulsively
2. Men who set the mood and try to touch you
3. Men who touch you impulsively and then ignore you

You see after her encounter with the office manager, YY was ready pre-judge CW as “player.” She was already defensive; she tried to downplay the kiss as nothing more than an impulsive act.

YY: The thing is…It was the atmosphere. It just kind of…it was impulsive.
CW: Was it impulsive for you?

YY: Well… I was too sick that day (she’s about to spew nonsense her, a habit that she does when she’s flustered). I wasn’t myself. It was so cold, too. My head was frozen. The snow was falling on top of it. (She’s disjointed. She’s not organizing her arguments.)
CW: Are you saying…you want to consider it never happened? (He’s being a gentleman here. He’s given her an “out” or the option of backing out, although he doesn’t want it himself. He didn’t force himself on her.)
YY: Yes, well.
CW: Okay, then. (He stood up to leave.) Then, let’s not avoid each other or be awkward. We can’t let it get to our work.
YY: Wait. Do you know what my motto is? (She stopped him from leaving.) “Boss, teacher, and father are one.” I cannot love my boss, teacher or father. “Why?” you’d ask. Because that’s immoral. I’m determined to follow my motto. (Methinks, the lady doth protest too much. She’s arguing with herself, hoping that HE would stop and correct her.) Did you think I would…beg you to date me…just because we kissed by mistake? (Yes, she was PROJECTING. This was exactly what she wanted him to do.) No way.
CW: Okay. (pwahahaha.)
YY: Wait! (See? She stopped him again.) With my former boss, a rumor went around… saying that we had an affair. That’s why I was on the waitlist. How could I date someone like you? (She’s begging him to give her a reason.) That’s impossible, it cannot happen (Argumentative, Your Honor!) Don’t you agree? (Nice one! She was giving HIM the burden of chasing after her.)
CW: Okay, I understand. You’re right. (pwahahahaha. He totally didn’t understand YY’s desperation. He took her words literally instead of reading between the lines. He thought she was giving him the red light, when all along she was giving him go signal.)
YY: Gosh! Why is it so easy for him? Why is it so hard for me? It makes me so frustrated.

The thing was CW himself was frustrated. And I totally agreed with him here.

Monologue: I understood why he didn’t tell it straight to her face and instead ranted in his room.   

She was giving … what was the word he used before? Leeway? She gave him mixed signals and he was frustrated. Plus, the idea that she was lumping him with her teacher and father was repulsive to him.

Meanwhile, downstairs, YY was having the conversation — which she should have had earlier with CW – by herself. She knew she messed up. lol.

The next day, he glared at her through the glass wall. It would appear as if he despised her but nooo, he didn’t deny it when the VP observed that he had feelings for another person nor protested when the VP said he wanted CW to be with his “other half.” In fact, he smiled ruefully and told the VP that he wouldn’t be happy with his “other half” either (considering the situation he was in with YY).

See that? To me, he was resigned to liking YY more than *he thought* she liked him. He thought his affections weren’t reciprocated.

But the VP’s next words, “ChiWon, stop being so stubborn. Just do what you want. Take it easy” must have gotten through to him because his next encounter with YY was on the bus.

They had never ridden the bus together before so I wondered if he followed her. Then, he explained about his ex. He had always clammed up about his past and now he was sharing it with her. He read her writing on the foggy glass, her motto, “Boss, teacher, and father are one.” Then, he vigorously erased it once she was asleep.

At the gate, he asked her to eat ramen with him. Her respond was ridiculous again because she mistook his innocent invitation as a prelude to seduction. She protested that she wasn’t an impulsive girl.

What he said: Do you want to have ramen with me?
What SHE thought he said: Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir? (Would you like to make love with me tonight? )

I’ve learned from watching kdramas that an invitation to eat ramen is like a prelude to seduction. When a guy invites his date to come inside for ramen, he’s asking her to enter his place where he hopes to continue their romance in private. It’s similar to a guy asking a girl to come up and see his collection of books, etchings, his waterbed, his Adam’s apple, whatever… He’s just giving an excuse like a spider to a fly to enter his parlor.

So, of course, CW just stared at YY like she sprouted an extra head. What’s wrong with you, girl??

It was at the ramen place where he cleared the air.

CW: Do you always do things impulsively and regret it later?
YY: Excuse me?

He then swapped his non-spicy bowl for her extremely spicy one. For a romantic gesture, I thought this scored a 10! CW must be a fastidious eater, but for YY he would suffer and eat her salty dishes and spicy ramen.

CW: Eat mine. I don’t decide impulsively like somebody. (hahaha. Touché! And he avoided her eyes. )

See that, staygold? He was following the VP’s advice. He was keeping his courtship simple from then on. He wanted her. That was why he wasn’t moving out and he didn’t care anymore if their living arrangements were “uncomfortable.”

Plus, he was giving her bunny slippers although it was embarrassing for him. 

That’s why I like this Episode 9. It was clear to me that HE liked her very much but he was biding his time with her. He didn’t want to behave “impulsively” with her.

But…

HE should have been grateful that YY acted impulsively after reading his note.

They matched well, these two. Although he professed not being impulsive, he came to appreciate the whimsical and unpredictable nature of YY. As for YY, she wasn’t originally impulsive either. She had always been circumspect and prudent with her ex-boss. Her only for focus back then was the advancement of her career and her boss’. Remember? She even refused to get medical attention for her knee and she also forgot her father’s memorial service.

Also, the unnie is right. Acting out of impulse is only possible when you have feelings for that person.

Both CW and YY discovered spontaneity the day they met each other. lol.

What do you think was the symbolism of the rain?