Nabi Choosing Jaeeon - And What It Means (22 August 21)

It is Yoon Sol who calls him. YS, the best judge of character, who believed in him from the very start. YS, who always knew what NB needed. Ep 10 was a confirmation of everything we’ve already known of JE and NB, consolidated together as NB searched her heart.

When JE leaves as he promises, he’s asked about it. JE answers a question with a question, “Do you want my stuff?” This is how JE speaks to avoid the tough questions. To keep private matters private. Not be manipulative.

The drama showed that JE can change, did change, but he didn’t have to change all of himself. Without a word, he grabs JS’ shoulder, all the things that he wants to say, conveyed in the way that he can most sincerely show it – touch.

In Ep 6 JE was asked to be sincere, to acknowledge his feelings, and he did. In Ep 9, he messed up, realising NB no longer wants to have anything to do with him. As in Ep 3, when he told NB he wouldn’t interfere with her and EH, here again, he keeps his word.

Even when NB silently wishes he’d give her a ride, even as every unintentional touch still matters, even when she doesn’t realise it, he never touches her, he keeps his distance, in every way.

But here is the change – JE can brush off many things, smile for her as he encourages her to clean up and start anew. Just one thing he knows he cannot brush away, his deepest feelings for her.

So we start to see the tears of JE, something I myself wouldn’t even have imagined in the first few eps. JE allows himself to let these feelings cross the line. This is a natural progression from as early as Ep 2.

As in Ep 5, his encouragement to her lingers. It's what drives her, soothes her, makes her happy - because it is said with sincerity, because he knows her and her art, not a romanticised version of her, and because she likes him.

This is a NB-focused episode because this is NB’s story, and what NB wants is the most important. I’ll say it again, NB only had to face what she truly wanted in her heart, and not feel ashamed by what others think, to be fully happy and free.

So part of the journey was figuring who JE is to her, and what she wants from him. It's his drawing in the notebook that gives NB clarity. Again, JE tried to voice it, but at that time she wasn’t open to trusting him. Seeing the drawing she knew it was true.

If you look at the drawing you’ll see that sculpture that degraded NB didn’t register in JE’s mind at all. He was bored, uninspired, he didn’t care for her ex’s crass work. But his eyes were drawn to beauty, emotion, NB. She alone caught his attention.

NB, having found her footing, is able to go to Paris, but what is most important is not Paris, but her saying with conviction – “I want to go”. For me that is the most beautiful thing about the finale. A confident NB.

Everyone discusses JE, about how little they knew of him despite confidently speaking like they knew in earlier episodes. Isn’t that also a confirmation of all we’ve seen before? That people always make assumptions of him?

The ep is full of silence, sonically, there’s a lot of “space” for NB to reflect. Beyond the assumptions, she looks at her own heart. So what she tells JE is crucial – She’s saying, you may be all these things, I may come to regret it – But you are who I want.

She’s not prophesying her future, in fact her tone is almost teasing. However, NB is now proactive, she speaks in the way JE and her know best, reaching out to hold his wrist, touch. She is saying, I choose you.

She is taking the courage to go for who she wants, what she wants. Everything, is about her agency. JE and NB end with their colors, purple and green. They didn’t have to change the core of who they were.

Remember how people were worried she’d try to change JE – she doesn’t. What did happen instead is they both grew through conflict, reflection and resolution, motivated by their genuine feelings.

NB ends by walking with JE, hand in hand on the street. She’d been on a date before with him on her birthday. This time she sees DH, who here represents other's opinions (to her). Now she decides, who cares what others think? Her wants, her choice, her life.

doramaticbites

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