I’m still hanging in there for Man of Honor, so strong is my love for PIE and Min Young, who are gamely trudging through the mess that is this drama. My gut feeling is that the writer has no clue how to tie together and wrap up all the loose threads so he’s just randomly pulling everything into a ball and hoping we’d accept it because we’ve come so far along. Jae In tries to become all bad ass and vengeful in this episode but it was laughable, and mopey Young Kwang working behind the scenes for Jae In wastes all the glorious chemistry the OTP has with each other if they aren’t spending time together. Oh drama, at least throw me a bone here.

Episode 19 baby recap:

Jae In slaps In Woo’s dad (about time!) and announces her intention to take him down for all the wrongs he’s perpetrated against her entire family. How about calling the cops, sweetie? She vows that he will suffer the same pain she has suffered. In Woo’s dad crows that she can’t possibly do anything to him, but Jae In reminds him that people trip not over mountains but because of the little rock on the side of the road. In Woo watches with anguish until In Woo’s dad stops trying to glare Jae In to death and lets her go.

Jae In goes to Geodae to mull over her options. She calls In Chul out to discuss her strategy. Fairy beggar grandpa voiceovers his wish for Jae In to find her own happiness and learn forgiveness in life. Jae In rips her key necklace off her neck and throws it in the shrubs outside Geodae. Rich old man (named Mr. Hwang) offers to lend money to Young Kwang if he can bring a guarantee. Young Kwang finds out from gangster lackey that Mr. Hwang is a notorious loan shark in the industry and should be avoided at all costs.

In Chul tells Jae In that it’s a money battle from here on out now that the stock transfer has been approved by the board. The prosecutor arrives and announces that she’s backing Jae In up. Young Kwang finds out from Young Do that Jae In wants to voluntarily quit the competition and he asks for one day to convince Jae In to stay in. Young Kwnag wants to put Jae In back where she belongs.

Jae In brings three lawyers back to In Woo’s dad’s house, which turns out to be a house that is under Jae In’s mom’s name. Jae In is here to collect rent from them for the last 10 years (giving them a discount for their “friendship” to the family LOL). She plans to keep living there. Jae In brazenly starts eating breakfast and taunting her nemesis. When In Woo’s mom throws a fit, Jae In threatens to let the press know about how she’s being treated as the daughter of their supposed good friend.

In Woo asks Jae In to stop what she is doing because she can’t beat his dad. She can’t stop because she has nothing to lose at this point. Jae In is trying to get money any way she can, while In Woo’s dad orders In Chul to cut off all of Jae In’s possible capital sources. When Kyung Joo asks In Chul which side he is on, he reveals he’s not on either side. He wants the two sides to destroy each other while he bides his time.

Young Kwang gets dragged to meet a customer who supposedly ordered 100 hiking outfits from Young Kwang but the order was not filled. He explains he never took the order but Young Do takes the responsibility to fulfill the order and makes the entire team pitch in. During lunch, they discuss how Jae In is not around today because she’s suddenly a tragic heroine. Gangster lackey and Dae Sung accuse each other of being the mole out to sabotage Young Kwang, who doesn’t care because he’s more concerned about other matters.

Young Kwang drags the truth out from his mom that Jae In returned the noodle restaurant deed to them. Young Kwang says they can’t accept it, but finds out Jae In left it without mom’s knowledge. Jae In finds out In Woo’s family is attending some high society party and she decides to crash it and make her identity known as the daughter of the former Chairman Yoon.

Jae In walks up and greets everyone. Young Kwang finds out from In Woo where Jae In is and rushes over to return the noodle restaurant deed. In Woo’s dad has no choice but to pretend to be pleased that Jae In is back. In Woo sits down with Jae In, who tries to brush him off, but he wants to know what she wants. Will it satisfy her only when his dad is pushed to the brink? Jae In doesn’t know, she’s just taking things one step at a time.

In Woo offers to help her, so Jae In asks what he can do for her. She challenges him to do it then, show her how he can help her destroy his father. In Woo confirms that she’s serious, and then he leans in and kisses her in front of his parents and all the party guests. In Woo’s dad sees the kiss and looks like he might have a hernia right then and there. Jae In keeps her eyes wide open and allows him to kiss her, finally closing her eyes at the end of the kiss.

Of course Young Kwang arrives right at that moment to see the kiss. In Woo tells Jae In that he loves her. Jae In gets up which is when she sees Young Kwang staring at her. He calmly turns around to leave but then turns back when he remembers why he’s here. He walks up to Jae In and asks if this is what she told Young Do she needed to do. She doesn’t respond so he just hands her back the noodle restaurant deed. Young Kwang puts the deed in Jae In’s hand explaining that his family cannot accept this from her, and then he walks out with Jae In tearfully staring at him.

Jae In goes from the party straight to the hospital to visit her mom. She sits down in the corridor and starts to cry. Young Do arrives and tells her to return to work tomorrow. If she doesn’t return, Young Kwang will be eliminated along with her because he staked his life on it.

Young Kwang tells Mr. Hwang that he will use his own life as guarantee for the loan. He’s willing to give any one of his body parts if necessary. Mr. Hwang doesn’t want any of it, only asking if Jae In is worth everything Young Kwang is doing for her? Young Kwang’s only thought is to keep Jae In smiling and make sure she doesn’t get her life stolen away from her for the second time. Mr. Hwang accepts Young Kwang’s future as a guarantee.

Young Do tells Jae In that In Woo’s dad has run Geodae well for the last 17 years, despite Jae In saying he didn’t obtain that right honestly. He asks Jae In whether she’s considered what will happen to all the people employed by the company after she gets rid of In Woo’s dad, and how she’s going to run the company afterwards. If she doesn’t have a plan, then he’ll cut her before she can get rid of In Woo’s dad. Young Do gives Jae In one week to convince him that she’s got a plan. If she can’t convince him, then he will obstruct whatever she’s planning to do.