A mission of Love

Episode: 14

Kang-woo confronts Myung-wol with his investigator's report confirming that she has fabricated every aspect of her identity. Moreover, he's figured out that she approached him from the outset because of that book and asks how she could do that, when she knew what it represents for him.

He says he'd been racking his brains for explanations, and even now he tells her that if she just owns up to the truth, he'll still forgive her. He urges her to come clean, but she stays mum, which just drives me nuts. Speak! Lie, invent wild stories, tell the truth, I almost don't care — it's her continual meek silence that drives me to the edge. And Kang-woo too, from the looks of it.

Realizing she's not going to say anything, his face drops and he turns away, telling her to leave before he has her dragged off by police, saying, "I mean it."

They separate, both in tears. While Kang-woo parties and drinks to numb the pain, Myung-wol arrives at her apartment to find Ryu waiting for her.

She informs him that her cover's been blown — Kang-woo knows she's got a faked identity, though not about the spy part. Since her goal has now become impossible, Myung-wol pleads with Ryu to call an end to the mission, which angers him. He tells her that there's no such thing as quitting, and that they'll take him back to the North by force if necessary.

Ryu gives the book to the spy parents for safekeeping. Are you wearing your bad idea pants today, Ryu? Have these two ever accomplished anything competently? And no, becoming full-fledged internet anti-fans doesn't count in my book. He calls the book their last card, because even if they fail, they can use the book as leverage to lessen their punishment.

Hee-bok and Ok-soon look for places to hide the book, ruling out the sofa and in a hole in the yard. (Hee-bok argues against the burial method, saying they might forget where it was hidden. Ok-soon says they can mark the spot with a plant or a flag. He says that's too obvious. She counters that they can bury it a certain number of steps away from the marker. He argues that they'll forget that, too. Ha. Ok-soon says what I'm thinking, that it's a marvel he ever got to be a spy with a soul that timid.)

Myung-wol arrives as Hee-bok is trying to decide upon a hiding spot, hearing them refer to it as their last hope.

Ryu takes a secret meeting with Chairman Joo to report that he hasn't yet been able to find the real book, the one Kang-woo swapped out for the fake. He points out that this new problem is Chairman Joo's fault, because forcing Myung-wol to steal the book made Kang-woo suspicious, and now he's probably moved it to a safer location.

Kang-woo, meanwhile, is still lovelorn and distracted despite his attempts to forget Myung-wol, and envisions her all around him. During a producing session for the Rocket Girls, for instance, he zones out and imagines producing a song for Myung-wol instead.

Then during a shoot, he imagines that he's acting with Myung-wol rather than In-ah, hearing the dialogue in Myung-wol's earnest voice: "Don't you understand how I feel? I love you. How many times do I have to say so for you to believe me?" Well, maybe if you didn't run around stealing from him and lying about your identity...

In-ah guesses they broke up and gloats, suggesting he go public with the breakup and turn Myung-wol into the bad guy, earning some sympathy points along the way. He turns her down flat, so she turns to Dae-kang instead, wanting to leak rumors at least.

As a result, President Kyung fields rumors about the breakup and assures the media that Kang-woo and Myung-wol are very happy together and in no danger of splitting.

That night, Myung-wol sneaks into Spy Central and swipes the book from the office safe, where Hee-bok finally decided to stow it. She's stopped by Ryu, who engages her in a fight on the roof, which ends up slamming her into some broken glass.