E18 Love Actually Inspired Moments

by guadi

Great recap of Ep. 18, everyone. Thanks for all those swoon worthy moments and insightful and funny comments  

This is one of my favorite moments from this episode - 

Sorry for re-posting these images (cr. @myphim & @anomalous)

I love this sequence -  purely for the gesture to be seen from two different perspectives - his and hers. For him, those words provide some solace in knowing that Eun-soo is here waiting for him after an incredibly tumultuous day. She is his companion now; she's there to give him encouragement, to listen, to be a figure of calm. He has never had that kind of presence for the past seven years. So when he hears, "Don't worry, everything will be fine, all right?" It's refreshing; it feels reassuring that "yes, everything will be alright."

For her - at this point she hasn't asked him if she can stay here in Goryeo. This simple movie imitation is a way of silently expressing her inner desire to stay close to him. She is hesitant to ask openly in part because she doesn't want to put him in a situation of having to answer that question. If she asks him directly, imagine the burden his answer will place on both of them. A "yes" means he has the responsibility to protect her forever, and that means added and complicated risks. She can't in good conscience put him through that again considering all that are happening in this episode. It's already hard enough as it is. A "no"would crush the soul of both, because we and both of them know, this is no ordinary separation. And Eun-soo probably thinks that if she asks him now with her being poisoned, his answer would be a categorically "no". So the best way to console both of them at this moment is through a few written words from heaven. She externally comforts him and his loss through what she says, while internally consoling herself, by asking in written form if she can stay here, with the people she has come to know and more importantly with him, a little longer. And his answer without understanding the context is "yes". For a brief moment, that answer gives her false hope. 

And then....

This part makes me feel a bit dejected for Eun-soo. Just as she's pretending to accept his answer as a confirmation of him allowing her to stay, he turns around and immediately asks about the date of the portal. While she is momentarily trying to forget their impending farewell, he has unintentionally brought that day up to the surface. And with that, a brief moment of delusional hope is dashed. She is brought back to reality; she can't stay here

This image has been resized to fit in the page. Click to enlarge.

Look at those tear drops falling on the question asked. How can a brief moment of interaction leave one person feeling hopeful and then empty so quickly?