Terius Behind Me- Episode 25 and 26 Recap
K walks from the parking lot towards the apartment premises.
Meanwhile, Ae-rin enters the apartment premises from the street.
K sights Eun Ha tensely walking towards Ae-rin’s house. He strikes her from behind using the butt of the gun, knocking her unconscious. K empties the contents of Eun Ha’s bag and finds the flash drive. He takes her wallet along with the flash drive and walks away leaving an unconscious Eun ha behind.
Ae-rin walks across the premises and comes running as she spots Eun-ha on the floor. She tries to shake her into consciousness but Eun ha doesn’t respond. Ae-rin takes out her phone and calls for an ambulance.
At Bon’s hideout, a person walks in while making a loud clicking noise. Bon hears the sound and takes his loaded gun along with a few bullets. He walks out and aims the gun at the person who walks into view. He is surprised to see that it is Yong Tae.
Yong Tae drops the lighter (which was making the noise). He realises Bon is back and immediately pleads with him not to shoot. Bon asks him where his laptop and papers are.
At the hospital, Ae-rin sits by Eun ha’s (wearing a neck collar) bed. Eun ha says she can leave once the CT and X-ray come back normal. She is annoyed at the attacker and says she will check every CCTV camera in the area. She says she will find him at any cost, as he dared to enter KingCastle. Ae-rin says she reported it to the police and they will be here soon. Eun Ha asks for her handbag. Ae-rin hands it over to her and says she put back everything, which was on the ground. Eun ha finds the wallet missing and says he was a mugger and says that the flash drive is gone too.
Ae-rin is surprised at this and says she will go back to look for it. She shows Eun-ha a picture of Mr Moon from the internet and asks if this was the same person in the video. Ae-rin is shocked when Eun ha confirms it. Eun ha is nervous as she asks Ae-rin how she knew who the victim was. Ae-rin asks Eun-ha not to tell anyone about the video and pen drive. Eun ha is scared as she asks why. Ae-rin says she will explain later and asks her not to tell even Sun-mi and Sang Ryeol.
Just then, Sun-mi and Sang Ryeol rush in yelling and screaming out of concern. Eun-ha hushes them into silence.
Back at the apartment premises, Ae-rin searches the ground for the flash drive. She realises that the attacker had come for the flash drive and not the wallet. Ae-rin immediately calls up Ji Yeon and asks to meet. Ji Yeon asks her to come to King’s Bag.
Meanwhile, at the hideout, Yong Tae promises to tell everything if Bon lowers the gun. Yong Tae sighs in relief as Bon lowers the gun asking what happened. Yong Tae asks Bon if he is a human and if he is real. Bon asks Yong Tae to follow him.
Yong Tae says he heard Bon died in an explosion while being transferred. Bon asks if that was the reason why Yong Tae had switched sides. Yong Tae asks if Bon had forgotten already.
In a flashback, Bon suggests that Yong Tae should give up the bag to the Voice. When Yong Tae hesitates, Bon says he has to give up something small to get something big. He says Yong Tae should ask to meet the Voice in person when he hands over the bag. Yong Tae says Bon is crazy as he is making Yong Tae the bait. When Yong Tae refuses, Bon asks Yong Tae to give him the bag if he is that scared so that he can do it himself.
Yong Tae stands on a busy street with a bag (After Bon’s death). K walks up to Yong Tae. Yong Tae says there are many eyes watching and K better not do anything to him. Yong Tae says he wants to meet the voice in person and K looks at him wide-eyed.
Yong Tae passes the bag to K saying it contains all the material Bon had collected on Cornerstone. K comments that Yong Tae is such a turncoat. Yong Tae says he will give them the handbags when he meets the Voice in person. K asks Yong Tae to wait for his call before walking away. Yong Tae lets out a sigh of relief.
At present, Bon commends Yong Tae on becoming brave. He pats Yong Tae and says he did a good job. Yong Tae says he is moved to know that Bon is alive. He says he was going to tell Ji Yeon once he found out who the voice was.
At King’s Bag base, Ae-rin tells Ji Yeon that both Mr Moon and her husband had died at Meta Palace due to a heart attack. She says her husband had gone there for work. Ji Yeon tries to say it is a coincidence. Ae-rin raises her voice as she says that the person who killed Moon had tried to kidnap her kids. She says she knows it all. She asks if he was the man who murdered her husband. Ae-rin says Moon’s murder is in Yong Tae’s flash drive and Ji Yeon is shocked.
K is at his hideout watching the footage from the flash drive.
At Bon’s hideout, Bon tells Yong Tae that he will handle the operation of getting close to the Voice. Yong Tae says that he had even met the person from Blue House who could be from Cornerstone. Bon says he will stay like a shadow and support Yong Tae since it is dangerous for Yong Tae to go alone. Bon says he is as good as dead just like Jung In Soo (Yong Tae’s real name).
At King’s Bag, Ae-rin cries as she asks Ji Yeon why she didn’t let the world know about the murder. She is angry as she says she is going to the police and says will have them investigate to find the killer.
At KingCastle, Sun-mi and Sang Ryeol are at the security room. They ask for the footage from 2 hours ago outside building 102. The guard says it is strange that the entire folder has disappeared. Sang Ryeol tells Sun-mi that the same thing happened when they were looking at the footage of Ae-rin’s late husband. Sang Ryeol gets goosebumps and asks if there is a ghost. Sun-mi says she is scared and Sang Ryeol asks if they should call Bon to perform an exorcism. The security says they will do the legwork and go around to investigate since important evidence has gone missing.
At King’s Bag, Ji Yeon explains that the killer can’t be found as he is from Cornerstone. She says he is protected by an invisible power. She says that is the reason Bon and King’s Bag were put to work. Ji Yeon says the reason Bon approached Ae-rin was because her late husband had witnessed the murder. Ae-rin says she knew that would be the reason. Ji Yeon says though that was the initial reason, Bon had wanted to protect Ae-rin and her children till the end. When asked why Ji Yeon says it is because Ae-rin became precious to him and didn’t want her to get hurt.
Ae-rin remembers Bon asking her to be in Jeju Island and cheer up while he goes to catch the bad guys.
At present, tears streak down Ae-rin’s face as she continues to weep.
At her apartment, Ae-rin cries holding her family photo in her hand. She runs her finger over her husband in the picture as she cries hard.
Bon receives a call from Ji Yeon who says that it broke her heart to see Ae-rin cry so hard. Bon hangs up saying he will talk later. He looks up at Ae-rin’s apartment and walks into the building.
Upstairs, Bon hesitates to ring the doorbell as he hears Ae-rin crying.
Ae-rin is still crying in her apartment while Bon stands outside the door.
In the morning, Ae-rin wakes up with the photograph in her hand (just as she had cried herself to sleep the day before). She gets up slowly and goes over to the fridge and finds that there is no water.
Ae-rin walks out of her door and is startled to find Bon waiting outside. Bon asks if she is okay.
Bon and Ae-rin talk over a cup of coffee in her apartment. He apologises for not being honest with her. He says he thought it was best for her not to know the truth as it was dark and heavy. Ae-rin says she knows what he means. Bon says they both lost someone dear to the same person who is working for the same group. He says he will do the tracking and revenge. He asks her to stay in her own world and not cross over to his. He says he can’t let her into the dangerous world again.
(Title: Mission Impossible I)
At NIS, Shim asks Kwon about Bon’s death. She says she is investigating. He orders her to find out who did it and he says he will make them pay. Kwon asks why he is looking at her as if she is the perpetrator. He says she wanted Terius. Kwon says she wanted to catch Terius but not kill him. She says he is the only person who knows where the last file from Operation Candy is. She stares Shim down as she wonders out loud, as to who might have killed Terius.
Meanwhile, Do Woo visits Eun ha’s apartment and rings the bell. Eun ha opens the door and he gives her a bouquet and brown handbag. He says Ji Yeon had asked him to visit the VIP who is ill. Eun ha says she would like the bag in black but Do-woo is interested in something else. He asks if he can come in for tea and walks in. Eun ha thinks he wants to Join the KIS and says he will have to clear an interview if he wants to join their team.
Later on, Do-woo walks into the elevator as she says she will let him know about the results later on. Inside the elevator Do-woo folds the heart sticker breaking the listening device that he has removed from Eun ha’s house. He mutters in disbelief that he has to do this kind of work.
At King’s Bag, Bon learns from Ji Yeon that Do-woo has removed the sticker from Eun ha’s house. He says K has the video of Moon’s assassination but they can get it back. He says he met with Yong Tae and Ji Yeon is surprised.
Yong Tae and Ae-rin meet at a cafe. Yong Tae apologises to Ae-rin and says that her husband’s death was an accident. Ae-rin yells in disbelief that he had killed a perfectly healthy husband and father for absolutely no reason. Yong Tae says K was the one who killed her husband. Yong Tae says he had no choice but to clean up. Yong Tae says everyone including him will pay the price.
At King’s Bag, Bon says Yong Tae has agreed to work as a double agent. He says Yong Tae is working on earning ‘their’ trust. He says Yong Tae’s first objective is to find out the identity of the Voice.
At the cafe, Yong Tae says he can’t ask for forgiveness, as it isn’t something he can be forgiven for. He says he hopes Ae-rin acknowledges his courage since she knows he is a scaredy-cat. He says he put his life on the line. Ae-rin asks him to help Bon and get ‘them’ for her or she will never forgive him. Yong Tae sits in silence as she walks away.
As Ae-rin walks out of the cafe, someone clicks many pictures of her.
An unsuspecting Yong Tae sits inside the cafe. He receives a call from a restricted number. He asks if it is today and acknowledges.
Bon’s voiceover says Yong Tae will meet the Voice.
At King’s Bag base, Do Woo passes the gear to Yong Tae saying everything Yong Tae will hear and see will be passed on to his PC and Bon’s Tablet. Yong Tae finds glasses in the box and puts it on. Bon asks him not to be scared, as he will back him up. Ji Yeon tells Yong Tae that he looks good in glasses. Yong Tae says a man with his looks is hard to come by. He asks for a mirror and this annoys everyone.
Later, Yong Tae checks the trunk of his car to find the handbags in it. He gathers his courage and closes the hood of the car.
Elsewhere at the meeting place, the Voice/ Yoon Chun Sang holds the flash drive in his hand and says Jin Yong Tae dared to hold on to this footage. He asks K to stay in the next room and take care of Yong Tae when he gives the signal. K acknowledges and leaves.
Yong Tae walks into the meeting place. Ji Yeon and Bon wait in the car and they watch the transmitted on Bon’s tab.
Yong Tae opens the door to find Yoon Chun Sang sitting inside.
Ji Yeon is shocked to see that Yoon Chun Sang is the Voice.
Back at King’s Bag base, Do-woo exclaims in recognition as he is seeing the images too.
In the car, Bon says he is Yoon Chun Sang. Ji Yeon says that he is the Chief Presidential Secretary.
At the meeting place, Yoon greets Yong Tae and asks him to take a seat. Yong Tae sits down and Yoon says it’s their first time meeting. He pours some tea for Yong Tae and Yong Tae drinks. Yoon asks for the bag and Yong Tae hands him the car key saying it is in the trunk. Yoon laughs as he takes the key. He then holds up Yong Tae’s flash drive in his hand. Yong Tae goes pale as he sees the flash drive.
Ji Yeon is worried when she sees Yoon already got the flash drive. Bon says Yong Tae is in danger and says he is going in.
Yoon asks if Yong Tae had planned to threaten him with something this insignificant. Yong Tae confirms it. Yoon gets angry as he says Yong Tae should have begged him to be saved. Yong Tae apologises but says that there is more. He says he needed a back-up in case he got into danger. He says he didn’t want to die without a plan like last time. Yong Tae says if he dies this time, he has set it up in a way that all will be revealed. Yoon laughs loudly and asks Yong Tae to do as he wishes.
In the next room, K gets ready as Yoon knocks the table as a signal. Yong Tae says that he has the key to Bon’s secret safe in Switzerland. Yoon says ‘Wait’ and K stops in his tracks.
Bon is disguised as a waiter and walks into the meeting place. He waits outside the room Yong Tae and Yoon are.
Yong Tae tells Yoon that Bon had got something from Candy which he keeps in the safe. Yong Tae explains that 3 years ago, a North Korean Physicist failed to seek asylum. He says he has the key to the safe.
Outside, Bon takes his gun from the trolley.
Episode 26
Yoon asks Yong Tae what he wants. Yong Tae says he wants to work for Yoon.
In the car, Ji Yeon smiles in disbelief as she finds Bon has lied to her again about the secret safe. Ji Yeon calls Do Woo and asks him to find out information about Yoon. She also asks him to find out about the secret safe in Switzerland. Do Woo comments that she is so short tempered when she hangs up.
Elsewhere on a bridge over the river at night, Yong Tae lets out a sigh of relief as he tells Bon that his legs were shaking so much. Bon hands him a Barista Rules coffee and Yong Tae accepts it.
Ji Yeon watches the duo talking from afar and wonders what they are talking.
Yong Tae asks Bon what is in the secret safe. Bon doesn’t reply and Yong Tae gives up.
Meanwhile, Ae-rin video chats with her kids. They ask her when she is coming to pick them up. Ae-rin says she will come once she finds a job. They start singing a song asking her to stay strong. Ae-rin is touched and she says she feels much stronger. She asks them to go to sleep and they hang up. Ae-rin is sad as she wipes away her tears. Ae-rin hears the bell and goes to the door.
Ae-rin opens the door to find no one there. She is about to go back in when she finds a Barista rules coffee with a note on it. The note reads, “We took one step forward today. I’ll stay strong. You should too.” Ae-rin looks at Bon’s apartment.
Bon is inside his apartment. He feeds the fish (looks like there is only one). He picks up the gift box from Tiffany & Co.
In A flashback, Ji Yeon gives the gift to him. She thanks him for returning alive. She says it is his birthday present. She says she bought presents every year. She says she has a pile of presents that she couldn’t give him. He thanks her. She walks away saying that she hopes there is no unrequited love in her next life.
At present, Bon opens the gift box and finds the bracelet. He puts on the bracelet and smiles saying it is nice.
At her home, Ae-rin tidies her house. She hears the bell and goes to answer the door. She is surprised to find Ji Yeon there. Ji Yeon asks for a cup of tea.
Ji Yeon sits across the table with tea as Ae-rin asks her why she is here. Ji Yeon says she has come here to ask a favour.
At King’s bag base, Do-woo briefs Bon about Yoon’s residence. Do-woo says that Yoon keeps all the evidence inside the residence (1301-9, Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul). Bon says Yong Tae had said something similar too. Do-woo says Yoon spent a lot of money on home security. He says the house has 24 hours security with radar sensor on the fence. He says there are state of art PTZ cameras in the yard and in the house that record endlessly. He says the security is impenetrable. Bon asks about the layout of the building but Do Woo says there is no way to find out the layout unless someone goes in person.
At Ae-rin’s house, Ae-rin tells Ji Yeon that she will do it. Ji Yeon warns that it will take extra courage but they will support Ae-rin from behind. She asks Ae-rin to prepare herself and that she will contact her soon. Ae-rin agrees.
Later on, Ae-rin calls up Eun ha and asks for a favour.
At King’s Bag base, Ji Yeon explains that a housekeeper will infiltrate the house. She says Do-woo explained the housekeeping system at Yoon’s house. Bon says Yoon’s wife and children are in the States. Ji Yeon says Yoon has established a separate control tower in his house.
She brings up An Da Jung’s picture (Born Jan 23rd 1970). She says An is the head butler and is known as Pyeongchang-dong’s Ms An. Do Woo hands over a book published by An and Bon says she is quite something. Ji Yeon tells Bon that it is said the whole country will flip over if Ms An opens her mouth. She says anyone with power in Korea went through Ms An. She says it is also said that many fought over her but it was Yoon who won in the end.
Bon asks about An’s personal profile. Ji Yeon says there is nothing suspicious till high school and says Ms An joined Pyeongchang-dong when she was 25. Ji Yeon says there are no records of An’s time between high school and Pyeongcheon-dong. She says Ms An left for Russia after school and there are no records of her time in Russia. Do-woo says there is a rumour that An had worked for Spetsnaz (Russian Special Forces) and is an expert in close combat.
We see a montage of Ms An swiftly deboning a chicken.
Bon asks if An knows Systema (Russian Martial Art Form) and Do Woo nods. Ji Yeon says Yoon doesn’t use the same person for over a year but An lasted for 5 years. She says it is possible that An is an agent of Cornerstone.
At Ae-rin’s house, Sang Ryeol pulls out the SWOT Analysis of Ms An. Eun ha stands by the screen and starts coaching. She warns Ae-rin against asking Ms An’s age or her wrinkles. She says she will be fired that very instant is she does so. Next, she brings up on screen, the book published by An. Eun ha says An has mastered every dish in the country and is artful with the knife.
We see a montage of An carving a rabbit out of a carrot in swift movements.
Sun Mi and Ae-rin wonder if An will like Ae-rin. Eun ha brings up the SWOT analysis and explains.
Strength- Ms An is good at seasoning, talented in cooking, doesn’t need to measure anything for her to season perfectly.
Weakness- Handsome guys (Eun ha says she isn’t sure but it is rumoured that An’s judgement wavers if she is around handsome men.)
Threat- The chance of getting beaten. Sang Ryeol says the previous helper touched An’s food and was in the hospital for 2 weeks.
Opportunity- Nabak Kimchi. Eun ha says Yoon Chun Sang goes crazy for Nabak Kimchi. Sang Ryeol says that Ae-rin’s speciality is Nabak Kimchi.
At King’s bag, Bon asks if Ji Yeon is going to infiltrate the house as An is a formidable opponent. Ji Yeon says she is a bad housekeeper and they will be suspicious of her. She says Yoon Chun Sang knows every NIS agents face. Bon asks if they should talk with Interpol or the CIA. Ji Yeon says she found someone from the KIS.
Bon doesn’t approve when he learns that their choice is Ae-rin. Ji Yeon says Ae-rin has accepted. He says Ae-rin already lost her husband but Ji Yeon says Ae-rin wants to do this for her husband. Bon gets up and leaves.
Bon walks down the street. He stops as he crosses a library and remembers meeting Candy there.
In the flashback, Candy and Bon stand on either side of the aisle. Candy places a flash drive on the shelf. She seems paranoid and Bon says it is the hardest in the beginning. Candy asks if she will never get used to it and she can barely eat nor sleep. She says she feels someone will come for her anytime. She is jittery as she says she was almost caught today and that someone at the laboratory would have noticed. She asks him to know that something is wrong if she doesn’t show up for the next meeting. She asks him to give up if that happens. Bon passes a Norah Jones record to her. He tells her that she needn’t do this if it is too stressful. She takes the record from him.
Nora Jones music plays in the background as Bon stands outside the library at present.
Bon waits outside Ae-rin’s Building as Ae-rin walks towards him with groceries calling his name. Bon takes the bags from her and asks what she has bought. Ae-rin says they are ingredients for Nabak Kimchi. He asks if it is to make and sell before walking into the building. Ae-rin follows him.
Once inside, Bon puts the supplies on the table. Ae-rin points to the box on the table asking him to take the gifts from Joon Soo and Joon Hee. Bon opens the box to see a car labelled ‘Friend 5’ from Joon Soo and a band-aid box labelled ‘use when sick’ from Joon Hee.
Ae-rin says they thought for days as to what to give him. Bon asks her to tell them that he is so grateful that his eyes teared up on seeing the gifts. Bon asks if there is anything else. Ae-rin says that she had cooked that day but since he hadn’t come, she threw it out. She offers to give him some Nabak Kimchi today instead and asks him to wait.
Bon sits by the table peeling garlic while Ae-rin does the other prep work. She freezes when Bon asks her if she found another job. Ae-rin remembers telling Ji Yeon that she doesn’t want Bon to find out that Ae-rin is helping and Ji Yeon had agreed. At present, when Bon asks, Ae-rin says she got a Job in the kitchen at her friend’s restaurant. She says she will get paid a lot and it is in Sangam Dong. He asks if he can visit and she jumps in alarm saying he can’t. She then explains that the restaurant isn’t open yet. Ae-rin asks if he is done peeling the garlic and starts to search for salt as Bon continues to look at her.
The next Day, Ae-rin gets ready for her interview.
Outside Yoon’s residence, Ae-rin is nervous as she is about to ring the doorbell. She hears Ji Yeon’s voice through the earpiece. Ji Yeon says that Ae-rin just needs to focus on getting the job for now. She asks Ae-rin to call her if anything goes wrong.
At the interview, Ae-rin sits alongside 2 other applicants facing Ms An. Ms An asks Ae-rin to tie up her hair so that her ears are visible. Ae-rin smoothly removes the earpiece and puts it in her pocket in the pretext of retrieving a hair tie.
The test commences and it is a tasting test. Ms An asks what the ingredients in the sauce presented in front of them are. Just then, one of the candidates asks Ms An how there are no wrinkles on her face. Ms An immediately signals the woman to be sent out. Two maids drag her out.
Ae-rin and the other candidate taste the sauce. The other candidate lists the ingredients as, ‘soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and sugar’. Ms An asks if that is all and Ae-rin says, ‘green plum extract’ should be added to the list. Ms An says it is right.
Outside, Ji Yeon watches the other two candidates leave. She wonders if Ae-rin is still there.
Meanwhile, Yoon looks at Terius’ death report. He finds Ae-rin’s profile in the personnel file. He is told that she was used as a bait to lure Terius.
At Yoon’s residence, Ae-rin places the Nabak Kimchi on the table. She says she heard Ms An liked Nabak Kimchi so she made some for her. She says she isn’t an expert cook but asks Ms An to try it. Ms An doesn’t seem pleased and says that it might be poisoned. Ae-rin apologises and tries to take it back but Ms An asks for some.
Ms An pours it into a wine glass. She says it is not bad, based on clarity, colour and viscosity. She drinks it and says it is exactly how she likes it, based on the sweetness, saltiness and acidity. Ms An says she has passed and asked Ae-rin to come to work from the following week. Ae-rin is excited as she thanks her.
Just then, Ms An receives a call and she looks seriously at Ae-rin. She acknowledges the person on the other end and hangs up.
Ms An walks up to Ae-rin saying that the alarm system turns on once the sun sets and Ae-rin can’t leave through the main gate. She asks Ae-rin to follow her.
Ae-rin follows Ms An through a hallway. Ms An sees her out through another door. Ae-rin says she will come next week and takes leave. She continues to walk down the path as Ms An shuts the door.
As Ae-rin reaches the street, she searches for Ji Yeon but isn’t able to find her. Ae-rin senses that someone is following her. Ae-rin walks fast as ad the figure follows her. She breaks into a run after some time. She stops by a corner and wears the earpiece when a muzzle of a gun is placed at her temple. Ae-rin freezes in shock.
Image Courtesy -MBC
Review
Yong Tae sure knows how to make deals. The scene with Yong Tae meeting the voice was thrilling and well made. We got to know who the Voice actually is and he seems to be way up the hierarchy.
Ae-rin showed good character when she confirmed that her husband was murdered. Her reaction to it was necessary and she had some time to herself to grieve alone, which she had said earlier that she never had. It was good that the scenes weren’t long and her anger towards Ji Yeon and Bon wasn’t prolonged. The story did not reduce its pace and this particular incident was incorporated well into the episode.
That SWOT analysis indeed proved really helpful for Ae-rin to get her job.
Sending Ae-rin into the house was a bad move, as most of the characters with Cornerstone connections know Ae-rin. ‘K’ who works closely has come across Ae-rin on various occasions. I wonder how she qualified as an outsider when she always frequented King’s Bag.
I am curious to know who took Ae-rin’s photograph outside the cafe. Yoon saw Ae-rin’s profile on Terius’ death report and not through the photographs.
Nevertheless, this was a fast-paced and gripping episode.
-By Soul Sword-
The Writers Room 
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