ToGetHer recap - Episode 9

[dramasoliloquy]

"Te amo," "sarang hae," "chan rak khun," "gua ai li." No matter in what language it's spoken in, saying “I love you” always ups the tension in a drama. In today's recap of episode 9 of ToGetHer, a confession of love.

Too many times we see the wrong things happen to the good ones
Gotcha' thinking that you maybe should run
But there ain't no place to hide out
Even if you do they will find out
Face it, the times now
You gotta live for the minute and the moment
Keep and you hold it
Don't you miss it or ignore it
'Cause it may never be like this no more
So tell them that you love them and kiss them more.
(From "Tell Them I Love You" by Raujika feat. Nieve)

Momo is visited by Jia Sen's mom, who tells Momo what happened. She also gives Momo a bag filled with Jia Sen's writings about Momo. Momo opens the memory bag, which really showcases Jia Sen's love for her, from the time they first met and she told him about Prince Kasaba (he later writes he wants to be Prince Kasaba), to when she rested her head on his shoulder and how it made him feel.

(Momo and Jia Sen, Shi JIa wants Mars... to sing with her.)

It moves Momo to tears, which doesn't please Mars. When Momo tells him she's going to Jia Sen, Mars gets upset, saying Jia Sen wouldn't want her sympathy. He feels like he's losing her, or have lost her (here can I give a hurrah to Jiro Wang's acting?). Mars tells her Jia Sen was right. “I like you.” Momo's taken aback, but gets up and leaves without a word.

As Momo goes to Jia Sen, she asks herself out loud, over and over again,

“Why are you telling me now you like me?”
 

She goes to see a catatonic Jia Sen, who is just staring at a picture of the two of them as children. Flashbacks ensue.
 

Popular singer Ivy/Shi Jia watches a video of Mars in Ben's mv, and demands Mars as her duet partner or no contract with Mars' company. Mars main interest lies elsewhere as he lays in wait for Momo to come home. When she finally does, he reiterates that he was serious earlier and asks if she likes him. Momo brushes him off with an “I don't know,” and leaves. Persistent Mars goes after her, so Momo finally tells him they are just landlord and tenant. Mars tells her that's not what he asked and asks her to think on it and leaves to relieve his anger at her rejection at a batting center.

(Momo makes Jia Sen take his meds, Tony and Yi Zhi visit Mars)

Breakfast the next day is filled with awkwardness, especially when Momo announces she's visiting Jia Sen today.  Tony debates the issue of Shi Jia's offer, thinking that due to Shi Jia's popularity, she might help Mars rise again. It's a win win situation and together with Yi Zhi they go to see Mars. But Mars isn't thrilled at all, wonder why. He claims he doesn't want to gain popularity from someone else, so Tony and Yi Zhi leave him to ponder his decision.

Mars thinks back to his school days, when he was apparently on kissing terms with Shi Jia. And a tear falls when Mars remembers the day she left for America, and he promised her they'll be together again on stage. A call comes from Shi Jia and they meet. She brings up their past, telling him she's sorry for not staying in contact and that she wants to be on the stage with him again, but Mars brushes it off telling her that's all in the past.

Word of the possible collaboration between Mars and Ivy has spread, and Tony urges Yi Zhi to get Mars to do it. So Yi Zhi goes to find Mars, but he's still in the succeed-through-my-own-talent mode, so Yi Zhi asks him to think of others like him, Tony and especially his Mom's expectations and angrily leaves.
 

“Why doesn't Momo like me?” Jia Sen asks his Mom. She comforts him the best she can, telling him he must work even harder. Ji Sen's mom tells Momo that they're thinking of sending Jia Sen aboard to study with a swim coach because the doctors felt it would be good for him. The only problem is? Jia Sen doesn't want to leave Momo. So Jia Sen's mom offers to pay all of Momo expenses if she also comes to study with them in London.

Why doesn't Momo like me? Mars is also probably thinking this when he and Momo meet that night in the kitchen. She wonders why he didn't take the offer. And Mars tells her, in this wonderfully poignant moment, that it's because of her... And then he laughs it off like it he was joking (rolls eyes).

(Loyal friend Yi Zhi asks Momo for her help.)

Ben's badmouthing Mars about the news article that came out about Mars and Shi Jia meeting and thinks that Mars set it up for the reporters. And no wonder Shi Jia wanted to work with Mars and not him, since she and Mars were dating. Yi Zhi tells him to take back what he said about Mars. He repeats it until Ben hits him and then again.

Meanwhile, Mars has met with Shi Jia again, who urges him to reconsider. He tells her things have changed, but Shi Jia tells him that they can change again. While there, he gets a call about Yi Zhi and goes to find him watching Mars' old audition tapes. Yi Zhi asks him, is the reason why he doesn't want to accept the offer because of Momo? Yi Zhi knows the answer even though Mars doesn't say anything.

So Yi Zhi takes Momo to the place where Mars held his first concert. He tells her he thinks Mars won't take the offer, and that's he willing to give up everything to be with her. And he asks her, can't it wait? Can't you be together later? Does it have to be right now? He throws everything into persuading her, calling upon the invisible masses that want to see Mars back on stage and even framing it as God's special province for Mars. Heh. Kinda going overboard there, aren't we? And he bows to her.

Momo arrives home to find Mars watching the old audition tapes. She asks to speak to him and bluntly tells him to move out. Mars wonders if it's because of Jia Sen, and she says "yes," adding that she's going to England with Jia Sen. And Mars is like fine, whatever (okay, not his exact words) and goes back to the big question. “Do you like me?” and “Have you ever liked me?

Subbed by Billasub

Final Thoughts: In regards to the separation issue, I like the fact that's it framed around a “not now,” rather than a tragic-lovers-who-can-never-be-together premise. It makes it more realistic. So it's just a temporary parting for the lovers, no need for a swan dive off a cliff ala Bella, or drinking poison ala Romeo.

I actually think Yi Zhi's correct and Mars would throw away his career to be with Momo and Momo knows that as well. But for Momo, I think she's wondering if he'll regret it later, having to be with her at such a cost, and whether he'll really be happy with a non showbiz job. She hasn't known him for very long, and what she does know of him is someone who has always been very proud of his celebrity status, someone's who is always making a big deal out of being “Mars,” not “Zhuang Jun Nan."