We’re not halfway yet but I feel as if so many things already happened between DanOh and Haru. Maybe it’s because of the temporal breaks. The switch between Stage and Shadow divides time into smaller moments so instead of a day passing like a scenic panorama, a day then becomes flashes of disjointed occasions. The effect is tiring.

1. The announcement

To recap, our merry trio, Haru, DanOh and DoHwa, are at NamJoo’s birthday party to try to stop NJ from proposing to Jooda, and to help DoHwa change his second male lead destiny. At first, Haru didn’t want to assist them because he thought it was dangerous and had nothing to do with DanOh’s stage anyway. But after hearing DanOh beg him and seeing Kyung manhandle DanOh, Haru changes his mind and decides to help her.

Haru does all the background work to set the stage for DoHwa to propose to Jooda. He manages to enter the party dressed like a waiter and bides his time to go up to NamJoo’s room. He spills red wine on NJ to give DH a moment with Jooda to propose. Unfortunately, Haru captures Kyung’s attention. Kyung becomes suspicious, follows him to the NJ’s room and witnesses the whole accident.

Haru’s interference proves costly, however.

While DoHwa and Jooda have a rendezvous elsewhere — with Namjoo jealously watching them in the wings — Haru, DanOh and Kyung are suddenly thrust into spotlight.

DanOh and Haru find themselves walking down their aisles. The old Haru would have remained free to roam around during a Stage. But, as he discovered during the tennis match, the new Haru must move as the manhwa writer dictates now.

They both reach the head table at the same time.

As Haru places a champagne flute on the table, they simultaneously realize that DanOh has replaced Jooda. They’re horrified.

Too late! Before Haru can move DanOh out of the way of the falling cake, Kyung grabs her into his arms. He gives the speech meant for NamJoo in the preview. “I’m making an official declaration. From now on, Eun Dan Oh is the only woman for me.” Kyung stares at Haru, as if to challenge him, then he smirks. Haru glares at him.

Kyung downs his champagne and drops the flute on Haru’s tray, again as if to challenge him. He says, “Eun Dan Oh, I’ll accept your sincere love.” DanOh answers, “If you’re joking around, stop it.” He assures here, “I’m not joking. I’m going to start liking you as of now.” And because this is a stage, DanOh smiles up at him. Haru is stunned.

From somewhere in the background, Kyung’s younger brother is shocked, too.

Then a strange thing happens: the fireworks reverse. To me, this signals that somebody is aware. Remember the upside-down book that DanOh was reading? and the basketball used for soccer?

I believe the Kyung’s younger brother is aware. And that Kyung’s aware, too. That’s why the fireworks are shown reversing. They too can see when absurd things are happening in their surroundings.

Then, Haru drops the tray as his scar ached again. The stage ends and Haru runs off. DanOh moves to follow him but Kyung stops her.

DO: Let go.
Kyung: You’re clearly looking at me, but why does it seem like you’re talking to someone else?

This is interesting. He’s always watching where she’s looking. That’s why he got mad earlier, right? She was looking at Haru as Haru defended her. DanOh’s heart monitor starts to beep but Kyung gives an annoyed snort.

DO: You. Don’t toy with someone’s heart.
Kyung: “Toy”? Aren’t you doing that to me, right now? How couldn’t I be upset when you used to like so much that you cried, and now you’re suddenly saying this to me?

Note: he’s mad because her feelings changed. He’s accusing DanOh of toying with HIS feelings. Given that in Episode 1, he asked her why she wasn’t returning his calls, and then in the beach/destiny rock scene, he broke off a bigger half of the rock, and all the other things, yes, he’s bothered that DanOh was moving on from her crush on him.

DO: It wasn’t me. It was what the writer wanted.
Kyung: What?
DO: There wasn’t a moment in time when I liked you willingly. (turning to leave)
Kyung: Say that again? I’m telling you to say that again.
DO: Baek Kyung, I’ve never liked you.

Ouch! She breaks free from his grasp and leaves. His  younger brother watches the scene unfold. He looks shocked, too.

Meanwhile, Haru is doubling up in pain outside the building. He remembers Squid guy’s words to him. “The pain will get worse, if you mess up the stage trying to find answers. Stop Eun Dan Oh.”

But when DanOh finds him, he doesn’t tell her about his pain; he only looks at her. She’s all agog because they succeeded in their “experiment.” She thinks she’s discovered how everything worked.

DO: The stage changed! Once the story begins, everything needs to fall in place. But why weren’t NJ and JD there? Why? Why? I’m sure something happened between DH and JD. That’s why the story line shifted and the appearing characters at the party switched to me and Baek Kyung. You and I changed the flow of the story!”

She looks excited as a puppy with a new bone while he looks …

But all Haru can hear is the warning of Squid guy, “Stop Eun Dan Oh. That’s the reason you exist.”

Haru: (reminding her) Your stage changed.
DO: (clasping hands like in a prayer) If it keeps changing like this…
Haru: (whispering) No.

Note: Most viewers would think that Haru’s complaining about the pain. He’s saying, “No” because he doesn’t want to feel more pain as they continue to change the storyboard.

But I don’t think so.

He’s not a masochist, but I don’t think he minds the pain. What he’s protesting here is the change of HER stage. He doesn’t like is that her stage completely changed and reverted back to pre-break-up setting with Kyung.

BUT DanOh is so excited about the fact that the scenario changed that she totally missed the point that she was officially Kyung’s girlfriend. The trio had planned to change ONLY Jooda and Dohwan’s stage, but they ended up altering DanOh’s stage as well because she was pulled in as proxy for Jooda. She and Kyung became the understudies of Jooda and Namjoo ALL BECAUSE Dohwan wanted his proposal.

And that’s why Haru says no. True, he’s in pain because he meddled with the story. But what he fears more is changing DanOh’s story. He didn’t like the direction her story is now taking both of them.

2. Meeting Squid guy again

Back in the school, Haru studies his drawing book. There are sketches of the flowers interspersed in his drawings of DanOh. He thinks of Squid guy’s warning again and goes to kitchen to talk to him. Squid guy is inspecting “Secret” again. I think he does this continually to check whether things have changed since he last read it. He’s like the overseer or manager to make sure the manhwa world is operating as normal. He stops at the dog-eared page, and lectures Haru for folding it.

He confesses that he can’t predict the ending anymore although the manhwa is a predictable romance. In turn, Haru confesses that the pain worsens as the story changes just as Squid guy said. Squid guy asks why he continues to endure the pain and help DanOh?

Haru: Because Eun DanOh knew my name…when I didn’t. (showing him his sketches) For a certain time, I keep seeing these flowers that I’ve never seen before. The strange thing is that Eun DanOh always appears alongside them. What’s even stranger is that both the flowers and Eun DanOh trigger a feeling of familiarity, as if I’d seen them before a long time ago. I thought Eun DanOh could tell me why I was feeling that way and where I came from.

Squid: She can’t give you any answers. She’s just an extra who doesn’t have many days left to live. The writer created this world, and you guys are just two of the many extras he/she drew. There are no meaning or answers beyond that. An extra that’s a hindrance to the story will just be erased by the writer.

Ahhhh. Haru realizes that DanOh is being killed off because she’s a nuisance. He says, “Then, Eun DanOh—”

I like that his first concern is Eun DanOh’s well-being.

Squid: (interrupting to correct him) She has a name and a set role. She’s different from you. There are levels for extras, too. The only one who’ll disappear is you.

Of course, nobody wants to disappear. But what makes Haru feels bad is the realization that he’s not important in DanOh’s life. He doesn’t hear DanOh calling him the second she enters the classroom in the Shadow.

Instead, he sees her in Stage being congratulated for last night’s proposal. Her Bestie proudly tells them how DanOh’s faithfulness for 10 years finally got her the reward she wanted. The other girls want to know about their first kiss.

In Haru’s head, he’s hearing Squid guy’s words that DanOh is different from him because she has a name and a set role. There are levels of extras.

HA! If this manhwa was set in the Joseon period, Haru would play the stereotypical role of a poor guy admiring a popular girl who’s beyond his reach because of her family name and her social expectation. And there’s a King who’s deemed worthier of her.

Kinda like this odd couple in “Flower Crew: Joseon Market Agency”…although DanOh is 1B times better than JiHwa, and Haru’s not a cad like DoJoon.

Their difference in status and role in the manhwa world weighs heavily on Haru’s mind the whole morning. It doesn’t help that he and DanOh can’t seem to talk privately, without interruption from her friends. DanOh calls out to him the second time that morning. She approaches him and notices his dark face right away.

But her Bestie barges in on them and asks who he is…again. pwahahaha.  Then the short guy replays the trending video of Kyung’s proposal. Her friends’ company merely exacerbates his feeling of insignificance. He’s always forgotten and he can’t compared to the cool Kyung. So, he walks away.

DanOh notices that he’s acting weird and tells DoHwa about it. She blames the shock of seeing the modified storyboard for his sullen behavior. “Was the changed story too shocking for him?”

Uhhh, no girl. It’s deeper than that. He’s going through an existential crisis.

He’s wondering what the meaning of life is and what his purpose in life is, because he’s been told by the Squid guy that he’s inconsequential to her. What’s the point of this scar then? Why suffer when he means nothing to her?

If he doesn’t amount to anything much in her life, he can very well just sit in the sidelines and be safe.

3. Remembering Haru

His feeling of inadequacy and unimportance continues during PE time when he sits by himself in the bleachers. He watches DanOh being hounded by her classmates about her dating life. Kyung comes over to ask him to play soccer.

Note: There’s a faint “click” as Kyung sits down but it’s hard to tell whether this is the start or end of a stage.

Kyung asks him if he has any friends because he’s sitting by himself.

Haru: I do. (Yes, and these are real friends because they’re all self-aware)
Kyung: Is that so? Then why are you by yourself?
Haru: You don’t hang out with A3 all the time either.
Kyung: I’m not that close to them. I have someone else that I’m really close to. The girl I’m engaged to. You know her, too. Right?
Haru: Yeah. Eun Dan Oh.
Kyung: You knew? Of course, since the whole school knows she has a crush on me. Should I let you in on a secret? I’m just toying with her. (smiling at Haru, so Haru grabs him)

Note: If this is a Stage, then Haru is NOT acting like actions are controlled by a writer. However, if this is a Shadow, then Kyung is acting just like his mean character in the manhwa. But why? Why is he provoking Haru if he can’t remember who Haru is?

At this point, we can say that he knows about the Secret. And he deliberately uses that word “secret” to bait Haru. He’s toying with him like he accuses DanOh of toying with him last night.

Haru looks at him, and Kyung snorts. Haru stands up and grabs him by the shirt.

Haru: Are you serious?
Kyung: I bet she would even die for me if I treat her a bit nicer.
Haru: Disgusting.
Kyung: But who are you?
Haru: You wouldn’t know even if I told you.
Kyung: Ahhhh…right.

Kyung laughs and moves away.

Note: Most viewers will think that Kyung is an asshole because he insinuates that DanOh will do anything to please him, even dying for him.

However, I think he’s saying those cruel words to rile up Haru. He wants to know what Haru’s intentions are toward DanOh, and why Haru keeps on hovering around DanOh.

His curiosity actually started in Episode 5 (Chapter 10 at 12:40) after the tennis match. He ordered Haru to give him his racket so he could re-grip the handle. He asked, “Is this an antique or what?” lol.

He then told Haru to play with him from then on because he wanted to keep him in check and see what type of person he was.

That’s what Kyung means when he asks, “Who are you?” He isn’t interested in knowing Haru’s name anymore. When he demands, “Who are you?” he means that as a challenge, like, “who do you think you are to tell me how to act in this manhwa world?” He’s already remembered Haru’s name because he wrote it down on the clipboard (Chapter 10 at 14:55). Remember what I wrote about the importance of names in the poem, “Flower”?

Also, when the guards at the party (Chapter 10 at 20:10) asked if he knew Haru, he did. He just chose to ignore him.

lol. He thought he could keep Haru away, so he was probably surprised to see Haru masquerading as a waiter. He didn’t know that Haru and DanOh had agreed to change the Stage. That’s why he was wondering who DanOh was looking for at the party.

That someone, of course, is Haru.

Haru said in the previous episode that he’s always been in search of DanOh, and now, DanOh is doing the same thing.

4. Haru’s decision

If that encounter with Kyung triggered Haru’s protective instincts, seeing DanOh being bullied by the girls solidifies his decision to stand up for her. At first, he avoids eye contact with her.

But then the mean girls come and harass DanOh. Kyung also enters the classroom to see the bullying. Her monitor beeps to signal her distress. As one girl raises her fist, Haru steps in to stop her. He asks DanOh if she’s okay.

Only then does Kyung move to help out DanOh. He grabs her wrist (okkkaaay. Stop it with the wrist-grabbing! Ugh! One of the hazards of an actress in a kdrama must be a broken wrist.) while telling Haru to move. He’s going to bring Eun DanOh to the clinic.

Haru doesn’t like that idea and he grips Kyung’s wrist. (ugh! If I were the actor here, my arms would look like a cheetah’s skin: pale with black spots.) Kyung slaps his hand away.

Kyung: What’s your problem? (note: he doesn’t ask who he is anymore. The girls did.)
Haru: Forget it. I’ll take her.

In the hallway, they stop. She sits on a windowsill to catch her breath.

Haru: Are you really okay?

Aaahhh. I get why girls like tall guys. It’s that protective image; a tall guy can be a shelter, like a really tall toadstool.

She looks surprised. He touches her forehead.

And his hand over hers triggers her heart monitor.

She pushes his hand from her forehead, and he backs away from her. She lamely says that she’ll be fine once she gets some fresh air. She promises him.

“I promise.” To me, her words settles his mind. He’s made up his mind, too. And he tells her on the bridge…which is a fitting place. That’s where he saw her first, right? They were both staring at the black hole.

She takes out their picture together and studies it. He takes it from her.

Haru: I’m in it, too. (she fixes her hair and uniform, self-consciously) Can I keep this?
DO: You pretended like you didn’t know me this morning. What was that earlier? You made my heart flutter.

She thinks he was playing hard-to-get and that made her heart flutter. Playing hard-to-get is a dating and flirtation technique.

Haru: I had something I had to think about.
DO: I understand. (No, she definitely does NOT understand) It’s rare that a stage changes. I understand that confusion, too. (playfully) But I still think that I’m creating my own moments to my heart’s content.

Her enthusiasm mesmerizes him. And he smiles.

DO: What was that? Why are you smiling?
Haru: You’re right. I’m going to follow my heart, too. I’ll keep going regardless of the price I’ll have to pay.
DO: Right? (still clueless to Haru’s real meaning) Just trust and follow me like you’ve been doing so far. Got it?

She smiles up at him and he pats her hair affectionately. She rubs her own hair, too, to mimic his gesture.

DO: Hey, let’s go together.

Then she chases after him – which is kinda funny since she just told him to follow her like he’d been doing so far. He waits for her – which is kinda symbolic since he’s been waiting for her all along to come to her senses.

5. Haru’s chosen destiny

Haru returns to the kitchen to inform the Squid guy of his decision. The Squid guy is reading the manhwa “Flower.”

Squid: What about Eun DanOh? Why are you here alone? (he expects the two of them to be together now) I guess you’re scared.
Haru: (calmly) Is there anyone who wouldn’t be scared if they found out that they would disappear?
Squid: Exactly. It would’ve been nice of you to listen to me earlier. Your hand would’ve have hurt nor would the story have changed. It’s not so bad being an extra in a romantic comic. There’s a lot to see. Anyway, I’m glad. (meaning, he’s an extra, too) You won’t go along with Eun DanOh’s plan, right?
Haru: It’s not something I can stop. I can’t distance myself from her. I will stand on Eun DanOh’s side.

Squid: What?
Haru: I started wanting to change my fate, too.
Squid: You—
Haru: Instead of being an extra that doesn’t know when, where, and how he’ll disappear, I want to be the only person who can change someone’s fate.

Very important: What he means is that he doesn’t want the writer to determine his ending, his disappearance and his death. He wants to determine his own death and he’ll endure it in order to change DanOh’s fate. He may just be an extra. But he’s the ONLY person who can change her fate.

Title alert!!! That’s why he’s extra-ordinary. He’s only an extra in the manhwa, but he’s extraordinarily special because he’s the ONLY ONE who can do this much for DanOh.

Do you get it?

Haru: (continuing) If there is no answer about where I came from, I’ll make my own answer with Eun DanOh.

He stands up after his declaration and the Squid guy looks shell-shocked. He puts down the “Flower” manhwa that he’s reading and one of the characters is shown speaking, “If there is no answer about where I came from, I’ll make my own answer.”

What I like about this whole setting is the difference between Haru’s and Kyung’s declaration. Kyung was a very “staged” (because it was, lol) declaration and he made it to taunt Haru. He wanted to show Haru that he’s the boss. It was a competition for him, and DanOh was like an object he had to claim. He had no intention of declaring until the writer forced it on him. The writer wrote and MADE him declare that DanOh was his possession.

“I’m making an official declaration. From now on, Eun Dan Oh is the only woman for me.”

In contrast, Haru’s declaration was made in the “shadow” and thus, it was sincere. His declaration was made with full knowledge of and consent to the sacrifice he’s about to make for DanOh. Although the manhwa writer tried hard to rewrite and UNDO his efforts, there’s a force stronger than the manhwa writer that pushes him to be at DanOh’s side. He said, “It’s not something I can stop. I can’t distance myself from her. I will stand on Eun DanOh’s side.” He was offering his life, and death, for her, so she could have the ending and the fate she always wanted.

***********

I’ll end here for now to let all these sink in. I know I write a lot, don’t I? I hope you’re not bored because you’re already ahead of me.