Summary
Romance in the House delivers its best episode with by far the most meaningful drama.
I had a thought while watching Episode 9 of Romance in the House – this is more like it.
In the previous episode, Mi-rae and Tae-pyeong made major strides in their romance, while Moo-jin and Ae-yeon did the same but under slightly different circumstances. The latter had realized something painful – that for Mi-rae to blossom, she needed space of her own to spread her wings.
That is where Episode 9 picks up, with Mi-rae returning home to find the passcode changed and an address to visit. When she gets there, she finds all of her stuff has been relocated. Ae-yeon has moved her out by force.
It’s a drastic move, but it isn’t a punishment as Mi-rae assumes. This is what she needs – to live for herself, without the burden of having to be the breadwinner to support the entire family.
Of course, initially, Mi-rae isn’t keen on the idea. But she intuitively understands it’s the right thing – not that Ae-yeon gives her much chance to argue, running away before finally collapsing under the weight of her own emotion once she’s a fair distance away.
Word of this spreads pretty quickly, but Tae-pyeong is oblivious since his father is still trying to position him to be the company CEO. When Mi-rae explains everything to him, he reiterates that the decision was made in her own best interests. But he also realizes that Mi-rae is clueless about living alone, and gives her some pointers about how to be safe.
In the midst of all this, Moo-jin finds himself having to care for Ae-yeon, who is struggling mightily with the decision. It feels a little predatory out of context, but remember this wasn’t his decision. Either way, some bonding definitely occurs, and when Mi-rae pops around to visit, she sees the fruits of that, with even the dog having decided that Moo-jin is more than welcome.
Mi-rae is still a little put off by the whole thing, particularly in how it relates to her father’s involvement, but she understands where her parents are coming from, more or less.
The upside of this arrangement at least makes itself clear through Tae-pyeong, who assumes the responsibility of caring for Mi-rae when it is passed onto him by Ae-yeon. And this allows for plenty of bonding between the two. At the end of the day, parents – especially mothers – really do tend to know best.
The same is true when Mi-rae begins to realize the responsibilities of living alone, and thus the effort that Ae-yeon has gone to over the years. This understandably makes Mi-rae feel a little guilty for how she has continued to treat her since the move.
This feeling is compounded when Mi-rae finds a note Ae-yeon left her walking her through various household tasks and explaining to her that this way, her home at the villa can feel like a comforting escape and not a burden. In what is probably the strongest moment of Romance in the House thus far, Mi-rae rushes home to find Ae-yeon crying in her now-empty bedroom. Here’s where they both get on the same page, and it is very nice to see.
But things are still about to get a bit more complicated for Mi-rae, since at work, Tae-pyeong is introduced as their new coworker. He’ll be working under Mi-rae, so how will this level of proximity affect their new relationship? Only time will tell.
The story continues in Romance in the House Episode 10, which finally reveals the circumstances of the fire.
