Flames of Desire Episode 20

As much as I would have liked to feature a happy screencap, I can’t. This is just too sad. 😦 I need a refresher course! I’ve forgotten how dark this drama tends to be.

Motherly love. Fleeting happiness. Vile intentions.

I’m actually trying my megabest to finish FoD this month. Please take my word on it. But if I can’t, at least I’ve tried.

Episode 20

So, YoungJun is back in Ulsan. And the first thing he did was find JungSook. Ahh, these two makes the cutest couple in this makjang. Believe it! 🙂

And becoz Jungsook is not used to have suitors around (or men in general), she’s uncomfortable with his surprise visit.  Her neighbor’s meddling ways and watchful eyes don’t help the situation either. Overhearing their remarks, YoungJun decides to invite JungSook for a walk. Aw, he’s such a considerate guy.

YoungJun says sorry for being mushy-headed. How could he just barge in without even considering her feelings? It would have been nice if she’ll treat him casually though. But he’s rather disappointed that she didn’t say a word or smile.

He tries to brighten the mood by telling her a story about a princess who never smiled (just like her). The king got worried and ordered that he’ll let the princess marry whoever could  carry out the task. One fool accepted the challenge. Suddenly, YoungJun turns around and prepares himself for something. When he faces her, he does this crazy dance. He moves his right arms and legs up and down at the same time. It’s so freakin’ hilarious. Haha! JungSook not only smiles, she actually chuckles.

Mission accomplished! Moving on with the date then. 🙂 They truly deserve each other, ne?

Obsessed wife, Ae-ri, is also in Ulsan. She wants to have a nice chat with hubby but settles on confronting YoungMin first. She’s so furious. YoungMin must be happy that his brother resigned. Now that it has come to this, he should stop the pretenses already and tell her where his brother stays. YoungMin has no choice but take her there. s

They arrive at the place but YoungJun’s not around. Ae-ri tries to contact him but the moment he sees her name on the phone screen, he cancels the call and throws the iphone right to the sea. NOOOO!! What a waste of iphone!

Back in Seoul, DukSong visits NaYoung at her office. He’s getting irritated that Ae-ri kept on pestering him with lots of questions about  their real  relationship. NaYoung worriedly asks if he spilled the beans. And yes, he did spill SOME of it and said  that they dated a bit before. NaYoung is relieved. It’s safe to say that since it’s true. But DukSong is tired of lying and wants to lay all the cards in public. NaYoung won’t take the risks. She tells him to shut it. Instead of talking about senseless things, why don’t he help her out with the Charity Foundation. DukSong agrees if, and only if, it doesn’t involve money.

DukSong is such a busy guy. After meeting with NaYoung, he then flirts with MiJin. Heh? He engages her in a small talk, saying that he knew all along that they’re destined to meet. MiJin laughs. How could it be when he doesn’t even recognize her. DukSong is confused. So they’ve meet before? Apparently, they did. MiJin refreshes his memory by telling him that he’s a regular at her Mom’s place. DukSong remembers. She’s Madam Jung’s youngest daughter!

Seeing DukSong and MiJin, NaYoung smiles her trademark devilish smile.

NaYoung calls it a day. Before she leaves, she instructs the Director to prepare the funds. We still don’t know what she’s up to, so keep posted. 🙂

Meanwhile, MinJae is having a tough time at Atlantic Ocean’s office. He’s been fooled! Grandpa said he’ll just sit around and observe, but nope. There’s a lot of work. He doesn’t even have the leisure time to pee. And Grandpa isn’t helping either. When MinJae presents a project proposal, he shoves or rather throws it away, annoyed that it’s poorly done. Ohhh! MinJae can only look down in embarrassment. And then, Grandpa secretly smirks. Ha! He’s only pretending to be the grumpy old man! Loving you now Grandpa.

NaYoung heads off to President Jang’s talent agency. She wants to buy off his company. In fact, she already drafted a very tempting contract. I’m guessing this is why NaYoung needs money. However, President Jang ain’t sure if InKi will agree to it. She’s a very willful  child and who knows what she’ll do if she finds out. NaYoung brushess off his concerns and gives an ultimatum. She needs his decision by the end of the day or else…eh! Scary!

Meanwhile, InKi is doing her thing… acting.

MinJae will be working overtime. And President Kim actually laughs at the thought. Despite his age, he never misses a thing, even how NaYoung run the mall. He praises her for a job well done and NaYoung is super happy.

YounJun walks JungSook home and both enjoyed the day.

Ae-ri waits for YoungJun at his apartment. She’s playing the doting wife tactic and calmly tells him to change his clothes. They’ll go back to Seoul right away and beg the President to forgive him. But he won’t budge. Ae-ri loses her cool and freaks out. Why is he doing this? Becoz of that woman? Is she that great? She continues to nag and he reaches the limit.

Fine! If she really wants to know then yes. That woman is worth that much.She’s even greater than what Ae-ri could possibly think. Ae-ri can’t believe the absurdity. He doesn’t make any sense. The argument is going nowhere and YoungJun resolves that Ae-ri should stop trying to understand the things she can’t. Of course, she’s fuming mad.

NaYoung convinces the President to approve the proposed Charity Foundation. President thinks about it. She sure is overflowing with greed and  remarks that she resembles him more than his children. NaYoung humbly says sorry for going overboard.

President Kim:  Running is easy, stopping is hard.

NaYoung receives a call from President Jang, who confirms that he already signed the deal. He also extended InKi’s contract for a couple of years more, knowing that it’ll please NaYoung.

NaYoung is delighted that everything is going according to plan. She calls to check on MinJae. He’s still working though. He is fishing for some pity, but Mom just tell him to make it good and hangs up.

President Jang demands that InKi sign the contract. JinSook  expresses some objections, but still, InKi willingly affixes her signature. At least, she won’t see his ugly face anymore. But she had it wrong. He will still manage the company in NaYoung’s behalf. Ha! What a bummer.

JinSook blames InKi for signing without even reading the contents. InKi assures it’s okay. President Jang will make her sign one way or the other. And besides, it’s good for her too. Now, she won’t worry about NaYoung following her trails. Maybe, the great Madame is just testing her, seeing if she’s a suitable daughter in-law.

MinJae wasn’t able to go home becoz of work. YoungDae even catches him brushing his teeth. I just can’t resist the urge to post this screencap. 🙂

YoungDae curiously asks President Kim if he’s punishing MinJae or something. But then again, punishment or not, MinJae is still the luckiest kid he knows. YoungDae then informs President Kim that General Nam wants to meet up. President is suspicious. Who wouldn’t be? Duh!

It’s done! NaYoung officially owns the talent agency. NaYoung asks him how InKi reacted and he answers she’s fine with it. President Jang is so grateful for the advantageous buy off  that he even volunteers to do whatever favor she’ll ask of him. Well, there’s one thing. She wants to scare someone….

Back to Ulsan, Ae-ri’s anger intensifies ten-fold. She vents her frustration at YoungMin. She still can’t figure it out. What the heck is going on inside YoungJun’s mind? YoungMin patiently shed some light. All he know is YoungJun wanted to try something new. He advises Ae-ri to give his hyung some time to think. Ae-ri walks off, still pissed. She gets in the car and remembers JungSook. No!

President Kim and General Nam finally meet. They exchange offensive jokes and start to get on each others nerves. Unexpectedly, the proud General admits defeat. Heh? He extends his hand for a handshake, but President Kim didn’t pay attention to the gesture. Instead, President Kim calls Lawyer Hong and hands over a document. It’s an amicable settlement, giving General Nam a meager 20% share. It’s a take it or leave it offer. No negations. In the end, General Nam is still unsatisfied and President Kim is still wary.

President Kim reminds Lawyer Hong not to let his guard down. General Nam is not an easy opponent. He asks about YoungJun’s whereabouts and instructs Lawyer Hong to keep him updated. President Kim: ‘ I can’t lose a son just like that.’ Aw, he’s a father after all.

NaYoung gets the favor she wanted. Gangsters are swarming at InSook’s coffee shop, inflicting all sorts of nasty. All the while, NaYoung contentedly looks from afar.

SoonJa ain’t giving up the fight just yet and forces her son, KyungJae, to work at the mall.  But KyungJae detests the idea becoz he wants to work in publication. And by curious coincidence, NaYoung will be doing a publication business and it’ll be perfect for him. Since she’s having a Charity Foundation, she might as well let SoonJa manage it.

MinJae passes by the coffee shop and finds the place totally ransacked. He sees InSook drained and scared out of her wits. She’s weak and suddenly faints.

MinJae rushes InSook to the hospital. On the way, he keeps on encouraging her. She then remembers an exactly the same scene not so long ago, when she was about to give birth to MinJae. It was NaYoung who was holding her hand then. Now, it’s her own son.

NaYoung calls MinJae. She frets when he said he’s in the hospital with Coffee Ahjumma (InSook). She tells MinJae to go home ASAP. But he’s being stubborn and cuts the line. NaYoung resorts to going around, searching every freakin’ hospital for his son.

At the hospital, the doctor needs InSook’s necessary info, like name, age etc. But MinJae can’t provide the details. Right then, he realizes that he doesn’t know anything about her. Later, he finds out that his beloved Coffee Ahjumma has a brain tumor. WHAT?! So, she’s telling the truth. She really is dying. The devastating news caught MinJae by surprise.

In the middle of the night, InSook wakes up. MinJae is sitting right next to her, sleeping. She  gives him one long, sorrowful look. Now, I’m feeling sorry for her. 😦

InSook gets ready to discharge the next morning. She appears healthy (or pretends to be). MinJae is still worried though. InSook smiles and guarantees she’s fine. MinJae doesn’t push the issue and confesses that he’s actually embarrassed that he doesn’t even know her name. They’ve been friends for a long time but he didn’t bother to ask.

InSook consoles that it doesn’t matter. ‘Coffee Ahjumma’ would suffice. But she must admit, she owes him her life. She could have died if he weren’t there. For that, he deserves a hug and a name. It’s Yang InSook.

Madame NaYoung and Wild-child InKi’s inevitable ‘getting-to-know-you-more lunch date’ has come. Both are in good mood and, as far as I’m concerned, in their sane minds. NaYoung prods that President Jang told her she has been miserable the past months. InKi retorts in equally challenging manner. On the contrary, she never felt better. Her appetite is great! NaYoung incites some more. She heard InKi’s an orphan and she doesn’t know her parents. InKi affirms that fact. NaYoung seems interested. So, should she start delving into that? InKi smiles. Good, she wants to know her real parents too.