Backstage, Si-Woo taunts Hong-Joo for having to go after JB. Hong-Joo says he doesn't care as long as one person gets to hear him sing his song. On cue, Nana walks in and grabs Hong-Joo for his turn. Si-Woo calls out, "You don't have to hold his hand!" Ha!
Somehow Rian magically teleports back to school where Hae-Sung congratulates her. Rian takes back what she said about Hae-Sung not being able to take care of JB. She then tells Hae-Sung to go visit him.
Hae-Sung meets wheelchair-bound JB at ...the subway station?... and he rolls away from her upset. Hae-Sung is super giddy and pesters him to respond, even though he's clearly mad that she lied to him. Why doesn't she get this??? He tells her why, and she lamely apologizes. He relents, and tells her that if she's truly sorry, she'll buy him food.
Hong-Joo takes the stage, telling the audience that he wants to remain a sunflower for this person. Commence weird music video concept as he sings. And the karaoke theme from Episode 14 continues, with the lyrics coming up on the screen for us to sing along. Lovely. At least there's cute sideways glances between him and Nana and jealous ones from Si-Woo to distract from the nonsense.
In the audience, Yoo-Jin looks around and spots his mom. As soon as they make eye contact, however, his mom bolts. He runs after her and confronts her outside. He asks why did she even show up if she was just going to leave, and begs her to at least stay and hear him sing.
Yoo-Jin takes the stage. In his intro, he admits that he's been lying about his past and his parents. All his friends in the audience are shocked that the rumors were true, and feel bad that he had to suffer through his pain quietly alone. Yoo-Jin dedicates the song to his mother, who is crying in the doorway, before the karaoke style music video begins. Rian finds him crying in the dressing room after performing, and she congratulates him for listening to her and being nice to his mom.
JB and Hae-Sung are eating at a restaurant--well, more like JB is eating and Hae-Sung is staring at him like a creepy stalker. JB encourages her to eat too, but when she picks up the restaurant's chopsticks, he replaces them with the golden pair from their couple's set. This makes Hae-Sung uncomfortable, but JB won't back down. He tells her that she made that decision on her own, and that she'd promised to do so many things for him. He begs her to stay by his side until his leg heals. Hae-Sung nods.
Producer Shin reiterates that this is the last chance to become apart of the Super Idols. Rian is announced as the winner, and so is JB since he performed with her. But since JB and Nana are in no position to perform at the moment, he'll give them another chance in one month's time. Aww, I knew you were a big softie under there, Producer Shin! However, that leaves Seul and Soon-Dong effectively out of the Super Idols and a lost cause to the overall storyline. Producer Shin says that will be their last stage (for real this time?) and the winner will debut solo and be sent on the EMG World Tour, the same tour that launched *SEASON ONE SPOILER* Sam-Dong's (Dream High, season one) career.
Producer Shin finds Hae-Sung in the halls at school and pulls her aside. He compliments her on her composing skills; it's rare to find an unknown composer without formal training make two pop hits in a row. He gives her a pamplet, explaining that he's arranged for her to attend Berklee in America to study composing (I'm sure it's supposed to be Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts) as well as an internship at EMG's American branch. But since semesters in the US and Korea don't match, she would have to leave at the end of the month to start school there. Decision time.
In their offices, Teachers Ahn and Hyun praise themselves for doing such a great job with the students-turned-super-idols. Teacher Yang is distracted, and they find out he's entering the KBS Star competition. He was inspired by the students to go after his dream.
Seul tells her dad that she's not going to college. With a big I'm-very-disappointed-in-you fatherly sigh, he asks her why. She says she's going to be a music manager. Principal Lee tells her it's a very hard job, and she needs to go to college to study these things. Seul counters that she's going to learn the business from him anyway, so what's the point of going, just to get a piece of paper? Principal Lee relents, and tells her that if she can prove herself by managing the Super Idols, he'll acknowledge her.
In class, Teacher Yang's lesson is on teamwork, and how as super idols, they need to always work together. They have to be able to turn each others' weaknesses into strengths. They then go around the room pointing out each other's flaws and turning them into positives. When they get to Rian, they say she's a jerk. They fail to find any way to make that positive, and Teacher Yang tells her that being a jerk is just a bad thing. lol.
Seul runs into the room announcing that she's their manager now to which they all frown. She takes their measurements for their wardrobe so she can save money. The former regular idols lament that she's worse than her dad. Seul then takes the Super Idols to a meeting with an executive of some sort, who wonders if the Super Idols are really a group, since the former A-class kids look idol-ready while the former B-class kids look a mess. He tells them that they have a long way to go.
At the hospital, the doctor tells JB that if he puts too much pressure on his leg from over-dancing, it could even affect the way he walks. He tells JB to keep treating his leg so he can get better. Hae-Sung walks in on the tail of this conversation and may or may not have heard all the details. Hae-Sung congratulates JB for getting his cast off, asking if his leg is okay. JB gets upset, telling her it's not okay ("[JB] I might even die!" lol, riiiight), in fear that she'll run off again. Torn between her promise to JB to stay by his side and the chance to study abroad, Hae-Sung watches him hobble away.
JB and Rian play sunbae to the B-class-turned-Super-Idol students, and set up a series of scenarios for them to learn their idol role. JB and Yoo-Jin get defensive over Hae-Sung however, and end up ruining their faux-interviews.
Hae-Sung marvels at her admission letter from "Berklee." Yoo-Jin walks up behind her and snatches the envelope and letter. He's amazed and happy for her, but she tells him she's not going to go, that she can make good music right here in Korea. Unconvinced, Yoo-Jin says he's going to tear up the letter since she's not going anyway. He rips up the empty envelope, and Hae-Sung freaks out thinking he tore the letter.
"[Yoo-Jin] See? You saying you're not going is just a lie... Go. So I can brag that I'm friends with a famous composer."
Backstage at their first Super Idol appearance, Hong-Jo is freaking out. Si-Woo comforts him, telling Hong-Joo to trust him. Awww, bromance! Nana tells Hong-Joo to pretend that she's the only one in the audience and gives him her shades. Rian gives everyone backstage a "fighting," then stops at Yoo-Jin, teasing him not to mess up. Their interaction is long and makes me uncomfortable watching, and the others in the dressing room look as if they feel the same way. JB makes a face at them and asks if they're dating. They deny it, saying they're just close friends. Doth protest too much? JB tells Yoo-Jin to take care of her. Yoo-Jin changes the subject, bringing up that JB still hasn't bowed down to him yet. Fat chance of that happening, lol. Rian asks JB if his leg is okay, and he assures her it's fine.
Hae-Sung motherly chastises JB for eating so fast. JB says it's a bad habit from training days when he wanted to eat quickly to get back out on the dance floor. When Hae-Sung threatens to take his gold spoon away, JB asks her to feed him. She's taken aback, but relents when he tells her it will help him pace himself and eat well. He jokes that she'll be the reason he'll be disqualified from the audition by feeding him such good food everyday. Hae-Sung is surprised that he's going to audition so quickly. JB just wants to get back on the stage for her.
"[JB]But even when my leg gets better, can't we keep eating meals together like this?"
Hae-Sung begins to break the news about studying abroad, but JB cuts her off, assuming that she wants to break up with him. He vows to be quiet so she'll continue feeding him. Cut to scene of JB dancing alone in the studio on his bad leg, repeatedly falling, and crying in pain while Hae-Sung watches in the shadows.
JB gets a call from Producer Shin. In his office, he tells JB that he wrote Hae-Sung a recommendation for "Berklee" but she won't go. Producer Shin brings up what she did for JB to get back on the stage, and that it's time for Hae-Sung to find her own path. JB assures Producer Shin that he'll talk to her. Soon-Dong lays dejected in the cafeteria now that all her friends have moved on to Super Idol stardom. JB wonders why she's so upset when she can't even dance or sing. Soon-Dong lets him have it, and he smiles at her, asking if she's feeling better now that she's gotten mad. She does. He tells her all she needs to do is regain her strength. He then begins to wonder if that theory also applies to women that are dumped by men. Soon-Dong immediately puts together the pieces and tells him that he'd better not abandon Hae-Sung. He assures her that he won't, that he'll be the one abandoned instead.
JB walks in on Hae-Sung playing "B-Class Life" on the piano. He tells her that his leg is all healed, and after winning this audition, he may not come back to Korea after graduation. He tells her that they should just wish each other well if a good opportunity comes along for the other. Hae-Sung doesn't like where the conversation is headed, and asks why he's talking like that. He assures her that if something comes her way, he'll send her off happily as well. As a final gift, he hands her back the Rubik Cube, completely solved.
Hae-Sung looks around her dorm room, silently saying her good-byes before she exits. On the way out, she runs into Rian, who is surprised to see her with her bags packed. Hae-Sung takes out the K medallion necklace and returns it to Rian, asking if they're friends. Hae-Sung brings up the reference from Episode 13, telling her that a star alone is just a star, but when they gather together they make a constellation. Rian confirms they're friends, but then points out that Hae-Sung is so plain, what did JB ever see in her? How was Hae-Sung better than her? Yeah, because that's how we all treat our friends. Hae-Sung hands her JB's Rubik Cube and tells her to solve it. Rian balks that it's already completed.
"[Hae-Sung] Because it's so put together and perfect, you can only hold it and look at it; there's nothing a person can do for you. [Mixes up cube] Become like this so that someone else can help fulfill you, even if you get it wrong a few times, so you can match it up again."
Yoo-Jin watches Hae-Sung leave from the school's rooftop, but turns away when she looks up at him.
It's audition day, and the Super Idols marvel at the venue and the decorations, even though it looks exactly like every other stage they've performed on for the past 14 episodes. Seul complains that her father is always spending money. Ui-Bong jokes that she's already taking care of their household finances. Hae-Sung eats dinner with her family, but barely touches her food. Her dad encourages her to eat, and comments that she should've brought JB along. She replies that JB has a performance and needs to get ready. Hye-Poong tells her unni that she'd better not cheat on JB just because she's going abroad. LOL, I love her.
JB opens his locker to find an apple and a note from Hae-Sung. Yoo-Jin hits him from behind with a basketball. They both ask each other why they're not at the performance, and neither give a straight answer. Yoo-Jin urges JB to make a clean send off with Hae-Sung instead of sulking there like a coward. JB asks why doesn't Yoo-Jin go. Yoo-Jin quietly asks why would he go; a friend and a lover are two different things, and JB will regret not going to say good-bye to Hae-Sung. JB considers this for a moment, then grabs the letter and runs off.
Frustrated, Yoo-Jin shoots the ball but misses the basket. He laments that he always misses when he's determined to make it. Counselor Joo asks him if he's always going to play cool, even when he looks like he's about to cry. Counselor Joo asks how long Yoo-Jin is going to be JB's pacemaker.
"[Counselor Joo] If you keep hovering around behind his back, you'll never be able to see what's in front of him your whole life."
Back to the stage, Producer Shin once again announces that the Super Idol winner will get to release a solo album and go on a world tour. Meanwhile, three "American" execs/judges sit in the audience, whispering amongst themselves. Backstage, everyone wonders where JB and Yoo-Jin are.
Hae-Sung is at the airport saying farewell to her family. She promises to come back as an amazing composer. Her dad gives a strange Eskimo reference, telling her that she doesn't need to suffer to become amazing; she's perfect as his daughter. Awww, finally a touching moment in the story. Meanwhile, JB sits crying in a cab, reading Hae-Sung's letter (anyone else recognize the song from Boys Over Flowers?). In it, she asks him if he's the one unsolvable piece of the puzzle that she's not allowed to have. Ugh, her musings make me sick; I've officially jumped the Hae-Sung train.
Yoo-Jin arrives and Ui-Bong is excited because he was worried the winner wouldn't arrive. Yoo-Jin brushes him off and says they're all winners. Everyone smiles. Ui-Bong asks if Yoo-Jin brought JB with him. Yoo-Jin looks around uncomfortably. He makes brief eye contact with Rian, signaling that they both know exactly where JB has gone. Rian takes her place on the stage, performing to Beyonce's "Run the World."
JB runs frantically through the airport. Bad idea, as his leg gives out. Way to go, as passive-aggressive Hae-Sung is hardly worth losing the competition for. He spots Hae-Sung and calls out her name before she can go through security. He hides his new limp as they meet. She asks what he's doing at the airport when he should be auditioning. JB says he didn't come to stop her from leaving, but to tell her that his leg is better and that she doesn't have to worry about him anymore; just worry about herself.
JB tells her that she's not pretty when she cries, and if she's going to cry, he's just going to leave. He turns to hide his own tears when Hae-Sung grabs his hand. He turns and pulls her into a poorly edited hug, and they cry in each other's arms.
They suck it up as they pull apart and smile as Hae-Sung lets go of JB's hand so she can leave. And I'm all too happy to see her go.
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