Jaeeon as a Flawed Character II (21 August 21)

More on Park Jae Eon being a flawed character. Let's now talk about the rare times that he has lost his temper and let his true emotions show. First up is during Episode 2 when a senior of theirs trash talks Na Bi behind her back. It's such a fascinating response.

Prior to this scene, he's still adamant about saying that nothing is going on with him and NB. Now, some would argue that a true gentleman would never talk badly about a woman and that's simply what JE was doing here. Sure, let's go with that. But more than that...

This is the first time we actually get to see him show an emotion apart from the smiles he's shown her since they met. To NB, nothing shakes him and she points this out several times. She says she doesn't know when he's warm or cold, serious or joking.

But we, as the viewers who were privy to this scene, get a glimpse of JE as someone other than the laid-back, too-cool-for-everyone guy. He fiddles with his lighter. His tone gets tight. The senior he's talking to is taken aback by his curtness.

Pay attention to his words. It's a clear warning: Stay away from her because you're no good. Stop talking shit when you know nothing. I would go so far as to say he basically threatened the guy, if the translation is accurate.

It's easy to brush off this scene but it's important for the buildup of JE's character. This is where it gets good. When's the next time he loses his temper? At the end of Episode 4 and the beginning of Episode 5. The infamous workshop boxing match.

He doesn't immediately react to the first punch thrown his way. But when NB fell down, he MOVED. And did you notice this? He was about to go for the second blow but when NB called out his name, he hesitated and looked back.

Why was it important to add that detail? It was to show that JE fighting back wasn't to save his own pride but to save NB's. He wasn't punching back to get back at the guy who punched him for reasons unknown at the time. He attacked because she was threatened.

He was ready to go in for more but NB held him back. And, you guessed it, he let her. You think a 6"1 man can be held back by a 5"4 woman half his size when he's on a warpath? Because, again, it isn't about revenge for him. He's lost his temper but not his control.

I once saw someone make an analysis about how Jae Eon is a raging storm and Do Hyeok is calm waters. The contrast between them was presented in such a way that one was meant for destruction while the other for smooth sailing.

While I agreed with some points, I didn't think it was fair to call JE destructive and DH as the everlasting peace. We go on to the next scene, the infamous guest house sass fight. Who loses their temper here and lashes out?

They were both thwarting each other in this scene. But surprisingly, JE doesn't seem angry. Resigned, sarcastic, and just... done. At least for the night. Because he doesn't feel threatened. His ego and pride are bruised but he doesn't care. In fact, he walks away.

Are you seeing the pattern yet? Am I making sense? JE doesn't care if people hurt him with words, or even fists. He can't be bothered to defend himself. He just walks away and basically doesn't give a fuck what people are saying or doing.

But the moment NB enters the picture, he's a goner. His emotions, whether he understands them or not, come bubbling up the surface. So much that it pushes him to a boiling point during the last scene we all cried over. Yep, that scene.

This is the greatest turning point of his character. This is where we see him finally break. It wasn't during some grand showdown between him and DH. It was under the rain, drunk off his wits, right in front of the girl who turned his entire life upside-down.

You know how I said it was so out of character for him to get drunk and confront NB like this? Looking back, that was the point of this scene. It was the only way he could face this head-on. Not sober and cool like his usual self, but desperate. Confused. Hurt.

The only times JE has shown the depth of his emotions were either when he was with NB or the context was about NB. Whether he or we as viewers realise it, he was always his truest self when it came to her. Since the very beginning.

Now, this is in no way to say that he gets a free pass for the dumbassery he's shown and done. He has moments where I truly want to strangle him with my bare hands. It wasn't right that he did that in front of NB's house. That wasn't how it was supposed to go.

If this was your typical K-drama, you and I know that the rain scene should have gone the complete opposite way. But then again, this is Nevertheless. It's raw and real and will take you in a chokehold with the truths it will force you to see.

Instead, we get this. This confused, hurting, angry JE who takes it out on NB because what the hell else was he supposed to do? Act like a grown adult and talk to her honestly, without pretence, for once?

Because that's how his character grows. It's how he finally, finally comes to the conclusion that all of this push-and-pull, the drawing of lines, the ambiguity, all of it has led to this...

Nevertheless, he still has some way to go. One last episode. One last glimpse of the real Park Jae Eon. For real this time, no more hiding. No more running away. For better or worse, Episode 10, our big Finale, will tell us all about Park Jae Eon. Art student. Red flag. Human.

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