Love Next Door kdrama – Episode 9 Recap and Spoilers.
Jung Hae-in of Love Next Door began to make his feelings known to Jung So-min directly.
In the 9th episode of tvN’s Saturday-Sunday drama Love Next Door which aired on the 14th, Choi Seung-hyo (Jung Hae-in) was seen expressing his feelings for Bae Seok-ryu (Jung So-min).
During this episode, Choi Seung-hyo dropped Bae Seok-ryu off at her home and got out of the car, saying, “Just a moment.” He then opened the passenger door for her. Flustered, Bae Seok-ryu asked, “Can I get out?”
Confused, Bae Seok-ryu inquired, “Why are you doing this?” Choi Seung-hyo replied, “It’s a manager thing. If a man does this for you, you should just accept it.”
Bae Seok-ryu protested, “Don’t do it. It feels weird. I’m going crazy because I’ve always been treated poorly, and now I’m being treated like a princess.” Choi Seung-hyo, showing his jealousy towards Song Hyun-joon (Han Jun-woo), said, “I thought Song Hyun-joon was doing this for me. Why? No. Go inside.”
Choi Seung-hyo later confessed his feelings to Jeong Mo-eum, whom he happened to run into. Jeong Mo-eum asked, “Did you talk to Seok-ryu? Why did you choose Song Hyun-joon at that moment?” Choi Seung-hyo answered, “No.” Frustrated, Jeong Mo-eum said, “It’s frustrating. Haven’t you gotten over your chronic problem? Do I have to step in and help?” Choi Seung-hyo firmly replied, “Enough.”
Jeong Mo-eum continued, “Well, it’s something you should address. At least show some support. How do you feel right now?” Choi Seung-hyo admitted, “It’s just messy. And I’m jealous. I told Seok-ryu I wouldn’t ask why she broke off the engagement, but I acted cool about it. I’m actually dying to know. The fact that there’s something between Seok-ryu and me that I don’t understand, with Song Hyun-joon hiding in the background, really frustrates me.”
Jeong Mo-eum then said, “How long have you two been together? If their relationship were a history lesson, you’d be like the fourth major civilization. Don’t be scared or shrink away,” to which Choi Seung-hyo emphasized, “I haven’t shrunk away.” Jeong Mo-eum then threw a pointed remark, “No. You’ve been so downcast lately. What’s with this unrequited love?”
He then asked cautiously, “Does your heart beat?” Choi Seung-hyo replied, “How can you live if your heart doesn’t beat?” Jeong Mo-eum followed up, “That’s not what I meant. When you like someone, doesn’t your heart beat a little faster?” Choi Seung-hyo honestly shared his feelings, saying, “Yes, it beats faster even when there are two people involved, and even more when there’s someone else.”
Bae Seok-ryu (Jung So-min) rejected the advances of both Choi Seung-hyo (Jung Hae-in) and Song Hyun-joon (Han Jun-woo).
During the episode, Song Hyun-joon gave Bae Seok-ryu an envelope with information about studying abroad and said, “I mentioned culinary school before. These materials are from a study abroad center. Since you’ve already started, I hope you choose the right path and don’t fail.”
He added, “There’s one more thing in the envelope,” and Bae Seok-ryu found a ring inside. Song Hyun-joon proposed, saying, “That’s right. It’s the engagement ring you left behind. Let’s start over, just like you’ve started dreaming again. I want to keep cheering you on. I want us to be together.”
Later, Bae Seok-ryu told Choi Seung-hyo, “I got proposed to. From Hyun-joon.” Choi Seung-hyo reacted angrily, “You’re really something. I tried to be polite, but you’re pushing me to swear. What are you doing at this hour?”
Bae Seok-ryu confessed, “If it weren’t too late? I had that thought when I was proposed to the second time. Maybe it wasn’t too late. That person keeps taking me back to the good old days. My heart feels like a breeze, and old memories come rushing back. I remember how delicious that Osam Bulgogi was when we first met.”
Choi Seung-hyo asked, “Even though I’m here?” and Bae Seok-ryu affirmed, “Even though you’re here.” Choi Seung-hyo, looking upset, asked, “Even though I confessed?” Bae Seok-ryu reiterated, “Even though you did.”
Choi Seung-hyo pointed out, “Is that the same reason you went to the hospital with him instead of me?” Bae Seok-ryu explained, “It’s instinct. People are the most vulnerable and honest when they’re sick. I guess I unconsciously wanted to lean on Hyun-joon,” delivering harsh words.
Choi Seung-hyo, frowning, asked, “Am I not worth leaning on?” Bae Seok-ryu snapped, “To me, you’re still that five-year-old kid who cried on the jungle gym. You’re a childhood friend, the son of my mom’s friend, who’s really cool.”
Choi Seung-hyo, angered, said, “You’re really cruel. How can you make me the one who has nothing to say?” Bae Seok-ryu drew the line, “I’m letting you know. It’s a mistake. You don’t like me; it’s clear. It’s like a duckling chasing after the first thing it sees and mistaking it for its mother. That’s how it is. I’m just a mother figure to you.”
Choi Seung-hyo turned away, saying, “Don’t judge so rashly. Your feelings don’t matter. I can’t help it if it’s not me. But don’t judge my feelings. No matter how much I like you, you have no right to do that. The milk still has time left before it expires, and I’m not afraid of things like the jungle gym anymore.”
Bae Seok-ryu pushed him away, saying, “You should throw away that milk. I’m answering in advance: You can’t be more than a friend to me.” Choi Seung-hyo clung to her, asking, “Is that all? Is there no room for reconsideration?”
Bae Seok-ryu replied, “Oh, it’ll be awkward for a few days, but it’ll be okay soon. You and I aren’t a friendship that can be easily broken over something like this.” Choi Seung-hyo responded sarcastically, “Friendship? There’s no more of that.”
Bae Seok-ryu also rejected Song Hyun-joon’s proposal, saying, “I can resize the ring, but it’s not about us. I’m too busy. Even if I get through five years of treatment and recover, I’ll always be anxious and sad, teetering on the edge of death. That’s how I’ll live from now on. I’m done with love. My only comfort is pursuing my dreams.”
Moreover, after hearing that Choi Seung-hyo was sick, Bae Seok-ryu went to his house. She fell asleep waiting for him to wake up, and when Choi Seung-hyo did, he muttered, “Why do you always have to be there for every embarrassing moment in my life? Why are you there when I’m sick?”
At that moment, Bae Seok-ryu woke up and scolded him, “If you’re sick, at least call me. Why groan so foolishly?” Choi Seung-hyo coldly replied, “I won’t call you anymore. No matter what happens, I won’t do it again. So leave.”
Bae Seok-ryu responded, “Do whatever you want. Even if we break up, just eat. I don’t know what’s in the fridge. I’ll check,” and went to the kitchen. Choi Seung-hyo then happened to see Bae Seok-ryu’s medical certificate.
Choi Seung-hyo cried, “What is this? What’s wrong with this? Why is your name on it? How come you didn’t tell me about this?” Bae Seok-ryu tried to stop him, saying, “I knew this would happen. I knew it would upset you.”
Choi Seung-hyo continued, “Is this all I can do for you? Was this all I could do as a friend? How could you do this to me, Seok-ryu? How long were you trying to hide it? It doesn’t make sense. How could you keep something as serious as stomach cancer a secret?”
At that moment, Na Mi-sook (Park Ji-young) arrived with Seo Hye-sook (Jang Young-nam), and upon learning about Bae Seok-ryu’s cancer, Na Mi-sook broke down in tears. Bae Seok-ryu reflected, “At that time, I wanted to call Seung-hyo first. I wanted to cry in my mom’s arms like when I was a child. If I had, would I have been able to overcome the cancer? I thought, ‘I really want to live.’”
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