Yumi's Cells 2 E5 (Patreon)

E5. What a rollercoaster of an episode this turned out to be; my emotions were all over the place, as Show took us on this episode's journey.

Show really is quite remarkable, in how relatable it is, and at the same time, how fresh it feels, too. I feel like I can relate to so much of what Show is serving up, AND YET, I feel like I can't quite predict where Show's going to go. That's the coolest thing, honestly.

This episode, I find it refreshing to start the episode from Woong's point of view.

The way he dreams about Yumi, where he says all the things that he'd meant, but hadn't said, and then wakes up to the sad reality that these happy scenes are just all in his dreams, and he'd never said the things that he'd really meant, is so full of pathos.

Woong's pain at how he could have, but didn't, and had therefore ended up losing Yumi, is so  relatable.

I'm sure we all have those times in our lives where we wish we'd said something different, or done things differently, but unfortunately we didn't, and now we have to live with the ghosts of the should'ves and could'ves.

I think the thing that makes it most painful, is how simple it looks, in Woong's dream, to have said or done things differently, and how those simple tweaks could have made things turn out differently.

That feels truly tragic.

The whole backstory to why Woong becomes fixated with the idea of buying a rice cooker, is also pretty sad. It's really only because he's financially so tight, that he thinks of buying those buns in bulk, after all.

Show really had me going for a while there, with Woong's imagined outcome of his accidental meeting with Yumi, where she expresses concern for him, and sits down with him over coffee, to talk.

What a rude shock it must have been for Woong, to have Yumi handle their meeting as a pure transaction, when he's been longing for a chance to reconnect with her.

On this point, though, I actually think this worked out pretty close to real life.

As in, so often, we might imagine what it's like to run into an ex, and all the potential ways we might reconnect as a result, but if we ever do actually run in that ex, it's very likely as awkward and stilted as Woong's meeting with Yumi, over that rice cooker.

I also really appreciate that Show also goes back, and shows us how all of Yumi's various cells are collectively trying to come up with an appropriate manner in which Yumi should respond to the situation.

The fact that Yumi needs to make a snap decision on how to react to Woong; Stingy cell bringing up stuff about the actual transaction, and how they should prevent Woong from negotiating; Emotion getting all choked up; Pride getting upset; Decorum speaking up about manners; everyone leaving it to Reason cell, who decides that it's best to keep it short.

All of those varying thoughts and feelings, at war within Yumi for a single long second, feels so true to life. Of course her thoughts and feelings would be all over the place, when she's suddenly faced with the sight of Woong in front of her like that.

It also feels very true to life, that even after their short interaction, Detective cell would continue to ask all sorts of questions, which continue to pique Yumi's curiosity about Woong and why he'd be interested in buying a rice cooker, when he doesn't cook.

The way Yumi manages to figure out that Woong's company had gone out of business, at around the time they'd broken up, also feels like something that could happen in real life. You really can find out so much through the internet and social media, if you put your mind to it, yes?

Yumi's thoughts going wild, as Writer cell comes up with a scenario of how Woong hadn't been able to say anything, when she'd brought up the idea of marriage, is so relatable as well.

Of course Yumi's imagination would go into overdrive, now that she's belatedly discovered this key piece of information about Woong.

With all this going on, I can see why Yumi's heart is no longer in the Christmas celebration with Babi, and it's so on-point, that the few cells who can bring themselves to, would gather to try to pull off a happy celebration with Babi anyway.

It's such a great visual, though, that as the few cells try to make merry, it's actually raining in cell town. Aw. Yumi's crying on the inside, but trying to smile on the outside. Again, something to which we should all be able to relate.

I can see why Yumi would send Woong that text to wish him merry christmas, because Yumi's a warm person, and I would believe that she genuinely feels sorry for being that cold and transactional with Woong in person.

So, I can accept that this text is her effort to smooth things over - from a distance. So, she gets to feel like a better person, without having to interact with Woong in person.

The way Woong's Love cell tricks Pride, Woong's prime cell, over that bridge, and then explodes the whole bridge (talk about burning down bridges! 😅), is such a great way of showing us how Woong's finally making the decision to put his pride aside, for the sake of one last chance with Yumi.

Y'know, I have to admit, I was rather shocked and horrified when Yumi runs out of Babi's apartment, to meet Woong like Woong requests, because like I've said, I'm on the Babi train, and Babi's been nothing but sweet, understanding and supportive in all of this.

I just couldn't fathom why Yumi would run out there to meet Woong on such short notice, and leave Babi in the lurch.

In fact, Babi knows in his gut, that Yumi's going out to meet Woong, and isn't actually that happy about it. Even his Reason cell is upset, along with his Emotion cell.

But his Love cell is the one who leads him to demonstrating his trust in Yumi, by letting her go, without letting on that he knows.

To Yumi's credit, she does try to tell Babi that she's going to meet Woong, and to Babi's credit, he's so warm and supportive, in the way that he tells her that it doesn't matter who she's going to meet, and that she should be careful of the snowy streets.

Augh. Babi's accepting, unconditionally supportive vibe is so, so lovely; I'm in a puddle over here, on Yumi's behalf. 🫠

And, when Show reveals why Yumi goes out there to meet Woong - to return his poster, which she believes is precious to him, and to tell him that she's seeing someone - it all makes sense to me again.

I can very much accept that Yumi feels that this is the right thing to do; to return Woong's treasured item, and to apologize for not having been there for him, when he'd needed her, to wish him well for the future, and also, to accord him with the respect of telling him in person, that she's now seeing someone else.

I really like that in all of her reflections over her discovery of Woong's real situation, Yumi's been sympathetic and compassionate, and also, quick to turn the lens on herself, to examine how she could have done things better, and differently.

When Woong points out that he's the one who hadn't told her the truth, the way Yumi responds, saying that it would have been nice if he'd told her, is the perfect mix of gentle wistfulness at what could have been, and contented acceptance, that this is their reality.

I feel sad for Woong, because I do have a soft spot for him, but this is life, y'know? Sometimes you make mistakes that you can't undo, and sometimes you lose someone precious because of it.

It's something that Woong will need to come to terms with on his own, without Yumi, and I hope that he'll see better, happier days ahead of him, given some time.

In the meantime, I'm so glad for Babi, that his gut instinct, to trust Yumi, pays off so well.

The way he rushes to open the door, when Yumi rings that doorbell, tells us that underneath that calm exterior, he must have been a bundle of nerves, waiting for Yumi to come back. Aw. Poor sweet Babi.

I love the way he smiles at her so happily, as he pulls her into the apartment. I feel like I can feel his joy, in that moment.

AND!!! I love that Babi gives Yumi the passcode to his apartment.

It's been a positive cycle of trust this evening, with Babi exercising trust in Yumi in letting her go to Woong, and then Yumi living up to that trust, when she comes back.

And now, I feel like Babi's going one step further, to show his trust in Yumi one step deeper, by giving her the passcode to his apartment.

The fact that it's 1224 - Christmas Eve - makes me think that Babi changed the passcode that evening, to commemorate this step of faith that they've taken together, and had planned to seal it by giving Yumi the passcode, when she returned.

Because he had believed that she would return.

Ahhh. It's so lovely, truly. 🥰🥰

Next episode notes will be out on: Wednesday, 6 July 2022!