Early Access: Yumi's Cells 2 E11 (Patreon)

E11. Well. Last episode, I'd predicted that we'd have something of a love triangle this episode, involving Woong, Babi and Yumi, and we do get that, but not in the way I'd expected.

I think I've said this before already, but I'll say it again: I do love that Show manages to be unpredictable in the watch experience, while remaining so relatable, in how it unpacks human emotions and relationships.

At the top of episode, we see that Woong's the one leaving glowing comments on the new chapters of Yumi's web novel, and feeling all fuzzy and happy about it.

I don't know if I'm supposed to find this endearing, but while I appreciate his good intentions, my thoughts around this are similar to what I said about him buying up her books at the bookstore; I kinda wish he wouldn't.

Because, even though this does make Yumi happy, it's making her happy in a lie. What I want for Yumi, is to taste that happiness, when the success and the good comments are all real.

In a weird sort of way, I feel like Woong is diluting Yumi's journey by doing things like this, which is why I wish he wouldn't, even though I understand that he means well.

On another note, the way Yumi mentally designates various stores in the neighborhood as Babi zones and actively avoids them, feels very true to life.

At least, I feel like that's something I would do, if I were in Yumi's shoes, and faced with the possibility of running into my ex, now that I know that he's moved back into the neighborhood.

The way Yumi gets bolder as her successful streak of avoiding Babi gets longer, also feels true to life. Don't we all tend to get a little reckless after a stretch of success?

But gosh, the way Yumi runs into Babi at the coffeeshop, and detects his presence first by his scent, and then his voice, feels so on-point.

Of course she would know him by his scent; it's a scent that she's known and loved up close, for over a year.

And of course she would then immediately know him by his voice; she doesn't need to see his face, to know that he's there.

At this moment, I just want to pause to say that Babi's visuals are very spot-on this episode, in the sense that, without him needing to say anything at all, I can see that he's out of sorts, and has been out of sorts for some time.

He looks a little puffy and wan, like he hasn't been eating or sleeping well, and his hair always looks just a little less than perfectly tidy, like he hasn't quite gotten himself together.

I love this attention to detail, and I thought this was very well done indeed.

Back on topic, how very awkward yet realistic, that Yumi and Babi would be mistaken for still being together, since they've been regulars at this particular coffeeshop, while dating.

Yumi's Emotion cell having a meltdown that Yumi's dressed so carelessly, and Reason cell stepping in to say that a confident attitude is more important, feels exactly like how I'd imagine Yumi's thoughts to be racing, while faced with her ex, unexpectedly right in front of her.

Even though Babi looks out of sorts, he manages to praise Yumi on her writing and her novel, which I thought was sweet. He's always been interested in her writing, after all, and it's nice that even though they've broken up, he's still reading her novel.

Guh. I have to admit, my heart leaped when Babi runs after Yumi, and tells her that he misses her terribly. My goodness, my heart wavered on Yumi's behalf; he looks so sincere and earnest.

Before we see what happens in this scene, though, I'm glad that we back up a bit, and that we get to see things from Babi's perspective, after the break-up.

The moment, when he wonders to himself, what would have happened if Yumi had trusted him the way he'd trusted her, is so plaintive.

It's true that he'd felt insecure that time at Christmas Eve too, but had chosen to trust her, and that had reaped a lovely milestone of trust and love in their relationship.

While the circumstances this time are different, there's enough similarity between the two, that I can see why Babi would ask himself this question.

Yumi's also feeling insecure at this time, not too unlike how Babi had felt insecure that time too.

The difference, of course, is that Yumi had not actually wavered in her feelings for Babi, while Babi's feelings had wavered. But the core issue of insecurity vs. commitment is there.

I do feel that objectively speaking, Yumi could have given the relationship more of a chance, instead of breaking up then and there. However, I rationalize that Yumi's experiences form the lens through which she feels all of this.

If she hadn't been as emotionally wounded from previous relationships, I do think that she'd have had more emotional buffer with which to weather this storm with Babi.

It's a little unsettling to see Babi so torn up and so bitter, when all we've seen of him to date, has been sweetness and steadfastness, but it's good; it's actually important, that we get to know Babi better.

Importantly, now that he's lost Yumi, he doesn't suddenly gravitate to Da Eun like some other men in his shoes might; after all, it's human nature to crave acceptance, after having been rejected.

Instead, he is resolute - almost bitter - in the way he is tightlipped around Da Eun, when she stops by the front of his house.

I think that reveals his heart as well; that even when the door's been closed on his relationship with Yumi, and even when Da Eun is standing right there in front of him, he's not biting.

I also appreciate how pure his Love cell is, as Love cell tries to tell the other cells, that they should tell Yumi how her writing has improved, the next time Babi sees her. That's sweet, honestly.

I think that many other men in Babi's shoes would feel bitter towards Yumi instead, and not even think to read her web novel, let alone compliment her on her writing progress.

How poignant, to see how Babi's been working hard to avoid the "Yumi zones" in the neighborhood, for the same reasons that Yumi had been avoiding the "Babi zones."

And even more poignant, is when we see Babi come to the realization, two months later, that he misses her and wants to tell her so, if he were to run into her.

Back in the present, I love how we get to see the conflicting thoughts and feelings running rampant in Yumi, as her various cells shout out what they'd like to say.

Reason wants her to be cold; Emotion wants to tell him that she's missed him too; the way her feet refuse to move, even though Reason thinks that it's time to leave. It all feels so relatable.

Again, the way Kim Go Eun and Jinyoung play this scene is so, so good.

The way Babi's and Yumi's eyes turn red, as they both struggle to hold back tears; the way the emotions rise in both their voices, as they attempt to articulate what they want to say. It all feels so real, and so raw.

It feels so relatable, that Yumi's Emotion cell would take over, by kicking Reason cell out of orbit, and then reminding all the other cells that their motto is, "Once an Oppa, always an Oppa!"

Tee hee hee. I gotta say, these kpop references tickle me greatly. 😁

I love the way Show balances the amusing cell town antics, with the burgeoning emotion of the scene; this is the kind of thing that could crash and burn, but Show makes it work, and very well.

Both the way Kim Go Eun and Jinyoung deliver their lines, and the lines themselves, are so perfect.

I love that Babi, being as instinctive as always, reads Yumi's emotions on her face, instead of just listening to her words, and calls her out on lying, that she hasn't missed him at all.

But when she challenges him on this, he doesn't push his way through, even though Yumi's feelings are so clear to read, and instead tells her that it's his wish, that it were a lie that she didn't miss him.

And then the way he looks at her and asks again, so plaintively -  that it really was a lie, right? - gives her the opportunity to choke out, "Me too."

Aww. I love it. I love that while she struggles to say the words, Babi just waits, instead of trying to put words in her mouth.

And I love that the moment those words leave her lips, he's pulling her into a hug, and rubbing her back, and telling her that he's sorry, and he's missed her.

Augh. The feels! I was completely and utterly caught up in the feels of this moment, I tell ya.

The reality setting in afterwards, that things really aren't the same as before, probably weighed on me as much as it weighed on Yumi; it was hard to watch Babi and Yumi walk on eggshells around each other.

I can understand why things end up feeling like a shadow of the past relationship, though.

After all that they've been through to get back together, of course both Babi and Yumi want things to return to the way they'd been; that's the goal, in both of their minds.

But things can't return so easily to the way they'd been, because of all the hurts, wounds and distance they've gone through, and so they act like everything's fine, in service of attaining the goal, given some time, but end up feeling more distant from each other than before.

Gah. That's sad. 😭

How awkward as well, that while all this has been going on, Woong's still on his new mission to make up with Yumi, while assisted by Control-Z. Oops.

I'm glad that Yumi chooses to tell Woong that she's dating Babi again, even though she's not obligated to.

Also, what a Catch 22 situation Woong finds himself in; he can't diss a second-chance relationship because he wants to have a second chance with Yumi too. Poor guy.

With so much emotional stuff on all sides, it's little wonder that we end up with such an awkward situation, at the end of the episode.

Woong's got all this pent-up frustration, along with his sense of rejection and dejection, and Babi's got a sense of insecurity, I think, that comes from the awkward eggshell-walking situation with Yumi.

And of course, as they come face to face with each other, it's going to get awkward.

I think it's rather petty of Woong to call out Babi on the whole wavering thing, using knowledge that he didn't learn directly from Yumi, but from Control-Z, so I can understand that Babi would feel attacked, and look ready to fight back just as aggressively.

Ooh. It feels like the fight is on between these two, doesn't it? 😬

Next episode notes will be out on: Friday, 5 August 2022!