02x05 - Kissing Cousins

[bunniefuu]

[Kitty] It's been a while since
what was supposed to be a cozy ski trip

snowballed into an avalanche of agony.

And things are still frosty
with Praveena, to say the least.

[bittersweet pop music playing]

♪ Last night, we sweat it out ♪

♪ Walk on the wire... ♪

[Kitty] Yuri's avoiding me,
and she's not the only one.

I've barely seen Juliana in days,
and I feel like it's all my fault.

♪ You're gonna stay ♪

♪ Hold it together ♪

♪ We fall apart... ♪

- [song cuts out]
- Have a great day, Kitty.

[awkwardly] You too.

Actually, it's not all my fault.

My angelic roommate, Stella,
is definitely up to something... unholy.

[tense music playing]

"WWJD."

- [alert plays]
- No. "Min h*."

[alert plays]

[sighs]

[Kitty] And I'm going to figure out why.

[alert plays]

[sighs]

[door opens, closes]

I forgot my laptop. Oops.

Oopsies. [chuckles nervously]

[door opens]

[door closes]

[bright music plays]

[music fades]

Why is Marius's old mattress so plush?

Too many feathers,
not enough back support.

Yeah, Marius was pretty high maintenance
for a straight guy.

I thought switching rooms
was supposed to make you less grumpy.

Sorry, I just found out that

Mr. Moon is combining Advanced Voice
and Entertainment Management,

so we can work together
for his competition.

Which means I have another class with--

Morning, boys.

Hey. [sighs]

Up early, eh?

Yeah, I got a study group with...

Kitty.

[whimsical music playing]

- Right.
- [Min h* grunts]

Who finished my oat milk?

Don't look at me.

I'm lactose intolerant. You know that.

I swear, I was going to replace it.

No, you just did what you wanted
and didn't give it a second thought.

Typical.

[sighs] Dae, I'm sorry, man.

- [door opens, closes]
- How long is Dae gonna keep this up?

Look what this stress is doing to my skin.

- Please.
- Isn't that punishment enough?

[sighs, scoffs]

[Q] Just want to have breakfast.

Min h*, you can't just put
a pimple patch on this beef

and expect it to go away overnight.

- What is this?
- [Min h* grunts]

Oh.

Stella found a box of my old stuff
Dad kept at the ski cabin.

She thought it would cheer me
up because I was pissed off at him

ditching me for Joon h*.

Oh! Did it work?

A little bit.

But he still hasn't bothered to apologize.

[mockingly] He's still busy
hanging out with his favorite son.

So, the only reason Stella was
going through your dad's stuff

was because she was actually trying
to be a good girlfriend.

[Kitty] Oh, please.
Are you really that gullible?

That's not a reason, Q.
That's a cover story.

How are you explaining
her stealing and leaking my letter?

Maybe, you know, your letter
ended up in her luggage by mistake.

Okay, what possible motive could Stella
have to be leaking your love letter?

Look, I don't know what
she's actually after, hence the snoop.

But trust me.
That girl is up to something.

Well, perhaps this manic energy
could be better utilized

helping me navigate this toxic bro tension
I'm currently living with.

I can't believe you didn't tell me
about Min h*'s plane confession.

Well, he would have k*lled me.
Plus, it meant nothing.

He's over it, and I've moved on
to expl*sive love triangles with girls.

Yeah.

I really wanna make things right
with both Yuri and Juliana,

but neither will even talk to me.

You think you could talk to Juliana

and tell her that I don't suck
and that I feel horrible?

She really likes you.

[sighs] Everybody likes me.

But I think you're gonna have to face this
on your own.

Yeah.

[energetic music playing]

[yawns]

[horns honking]

[horn beeps]

[in Korean] Mr. Kim?

Oh, I'm sorry. I startled you, didn't I?

No, no.

But you seem very tired.

Aren't you overdoing it?

My dad isn't--

No, I'm fine.

But Yuri, can we please
not mention this to Dae?

Yes, of course.

[Dae] He's lucky
he didn't cause an accident.

I'm only telling you because I'm worried.
Your dad seems really tired recently.

Should I talk to my dad?
Tell him to adjust his working hours?

Thank you. You must be
dealing with a lot right now yourself.

Don't you have Moon's
music production class this morning?

[somber music playing]

[in English] Did you just walk me
to class to run into Juliana?

Wow, Dae. You're a lot quicker
with these things than you used to be.

[chuckles]

[in Korean] Anyway, I'll talk to my dad.

- [in English] Okay. Thanks. Bye.
- Bye.

- [Kitty] Yuri!
- [tense music playing]

We need to talk.

Come on.

[sighs]

What are you doing, chasing me down
in front of everyone like that?

I'm not chasing you down
because I want to be with you.

So stop avoiding me
if that's what you're worried about.

No, I'm worried about everything, Kitty.

So am I!

Maybe this would be easier

if we were there for each other
as friends.

Like always.

Look, Kitty. I'm so sorry about
how everything went down. Really.

But right now,
I'm trying to get Juliana back,

and hanging out with the girl
I cheated with isn't going to help.

[somber music playing]

Maybe we can be friends again.

Eventually.

But... just not now.

- [Kitty sighs]
- [door opens]

[music grows tense]

[under breath] Right.

Wait. It's not what it looks like.

You gotta hear me out.
You can't ignore me forever, baby.

[tearfully] I'm not your baby, Yuri!

Haven't you humiliated me enough?

What could you possibly say
that I want to hear?

Just... leave me alone.

[Kitty sighs]

Just who I wanted to talk to.

Someone who wants to talk to me.
That's refreshing.

I can relate.

I've been trying to talk to Dae,
but he's still shutting me out.

How about you?

Well, Yuri just blew me off.

But tomorrow, I'm embarking
on a four-hour bus ride,

which will be a beautiful escape
from my dorm room from hell,

where Juliana hates my guts and Stella...

[tense music plays]

...wishes she had a normal roommate.

Anyway, a bus ride to Bukjeon
is just what I need.

I found Simon's real name from that video,

which helped me track down
his mom, my great-aunt,

and, apparently, she still lives

in the same town
she grew up in with my grandma.

She's my grandma's secret sister.

And I found the Instagram of my cousin
named Jiwon.

Hopefully she can help.

[Min h*] Wow, look at this.

Portland's stalker's back.

- Oh, that's really funny.
- [chuckles]

I also have been preparing a speech
in Korean. Do you want to hear it?

[in Korean] Dearest relatives,
I come to ask--

[in English] Okay, stop.

Covey, oh my gosh.

I'll cut you a deal.

My driver can take us,
and I can translate.

Trust me, based on what you just
assaulted my ears with, you'll need it.

- [Kitty sighs]
- [Min h* scoffs]

And you can thank me
by talking to Dae for me.

Why would Dae want
to talk to me about this?

He's not mad at you.
You're the perfect person to tell him

whatever happened on the plane
was a moment of temporary insanity.

I was disoriented.

It was my first time in coach,
for God's sake.

[Kitty] Okay.

I'll see what I can do.

Thank you.

- Hi, how've you been?
- Kitty, let's not.

Hi.

- How are you two?
- Hi.

Hey.

Isn't this great?
We're all here in one room.

I mean, nothing brings people together
more than artistic collaboration.

I know. Me and my Dae-bae have
really been working on our chemistry.

Both on and off the stage,
if you catch my drift.

[Kitty chuckles]

[softly] Hey.

Look, I know that
you're still really upset with Min h*,

but he would never do something
to intentionally hurt you.

And me and you are
in such a good place right now.

- You seem so happy with Eunice--
- Kitty.

[somber music playing]

Min h* confessed his love to you
five minutes after we broke up,

and now he's making you
do his dirty work for him.

He has always been selfish and entitled.

This is just another example of that.

[music fades]

[whimsical music playing]

Hi.

- Hey.
- I heard about your road trip with Min h*.

Oh, it's so, so important
to connect to your extended family.

You don't mind if I steal him away
for a whole Saturday?

[Stella] Kitty.

I'm not one of those girls that needs
to spend every minute with her boyfriend.

Cool.

Oh, you're here.

Why wouldn't I be? I live here.

Right, but wait.

What you saw earlier today,
I promise, it's not what it looked like.

I really can't take one more lie.

No, I... I know, it's...

[sighs] I'm really sorry.

You know what? I'm not gonna help you
feel better about what you did.

If I have to live with it, so do you.

Can we please just talk?

- [door locks]
- [sighs]

[somber music playing]

[music fades]

Like some tea?

I'm good. I just brushed my teeth.

[quietly] And I can't be sure
you're not poisoning it.

[Stella humming "Amazing Grace"]

[sighs]

[exhales]

[chuckles softly]

[indistinct chatter]

Thank you again for doing this.

Especially because I did not fulfill
my side of the bargain with Dae.

I actually might have made it worse.

It's fine. Honestly,

I wouldn't mind putting some distance
between myself and Dae's death glare.

[Kitty sighs]

And look at that.
Stella gave me sandwiches to bring.

Huh. That's really thoughtful of her.

- She really is the best.
- Mm-hmm. [chuckles]

Yeah.

Thanks.

Damn. [sighs]

So when we went to Iceland,
Juliana loved this certain yogurt.

And I found a place
that will overnight them.

So what I'm thinking is
I need a big gesture like that.

Look. [sighs]

I know how badly
you want to fix things with Juliana,

but I just think
a gesture like that isn't gonna do it.

Okay, then what will?
I've apologized a million times.

Breakups suck.

When I first moved to Korea,

I was coming off the back
of a really bad breakup.

Oh. I didn't know that.

I've definitely told you a few times.

Is it possible that
you can be a little self-involved?

That is a distinct possibility.

[sighs]

What if I am just
a selfish, terrible person?

- No, don't say that.
- Like with Kitty.

I completely shut her out
after kissing her on a whim.

Yesterday she came to me as a friend,
and I didn't want anything to do with her.

I might have ruined that friendship.

Ugh. God.

All I want is to get Juliana back.
That's all I can think about.

That may be what you want,
but what if that's not what Juliana needs?

[energetic music playing]

[Min h*] Okay, we're here.
What's the plan? You do have one, right?

Well, of course I have a plan.

We are waiting for my great-aunt to leave
so I can talk to my cousin, Jiwon.

And I'm not gonna do the grand "you have
a long-lost relative" reveal just yet.

Today, we are simply gathering intel.

We're gonna act like students
who are interviewing locals

who have lived here for generations
for an oral history project.

That's actually not a bad plan.

- [chuckles]
- Thank you.

I'm sorry again that
I couldn't help with the whole--

What? Dae hating me thing?

- [sighs]
- It's all right.

I just don't know what to do.

Dae's like a brother to me.

We had our fights,
sure, but never like this.

Never over a girl.

Well, when I talked to Dae,

I kinda got the feeling
that this wasn't really about me.

What do you mean?

I remember Dae telling me
about some fight that you guys had

in, like, the 7th grade.

You wanted to go to a concert

and made fun of him
for wanting to stay in and study.

- [gentle music playing]
- I don't even remember that.

'Cause it probably seemed
like no big deal to you.

But for Dae, getting caught for something
like that can mean losing his scholarship.

He has to think about
a lot of things that you... don't.

And sometimes, that can lead you
to making impulsive decisions.

Like telling my best friend's ex
that I'm in love with her.

[inhales sharply] Right.

So maybe for Dae's sake,

you should think twice
before doing things like... that.

[gentle music fades]

[yawns] I'm sorry.
I didn't know stakeouts were this boring.

- Want the last walnut cake?
- [gasps] Wait. I think that's her!

[bright music playing]

That's my great-aunt! It has to be.

Ooh.

She looks just like my halmoni.

She's leaving. She's leaving.

And she's left. She's left! [gasps]

Oh, we're going up. Okay.

[gentle music playing]

Covey?

Hello?

You all right? [chuckles]

I didn't expect
to feel this... much. [sighs]

Is it weird to have a close connection
to a place I've never even been before?

No, I think it's pretty special.

[Kitty] I just can't get over...
My ancestors lived here.

[in Korean] Oh my God!

Why are you just standing there?

You're too late.

She thought you weren't coming,
so my grandma stepped out for a bit.

[Min h*] Oh.

We're very sorry.

Which one of you is here to be matched?

[in English] She's asking which of us
is here to be matched.

[whispers] New plan. Go with it.

Tourists?

[chuckles]

I guess Halmoni
really is expanding her customer base.

[Kitty chuckles]

- Follow me.
- [energetic music playing]

Are you telling me
that they are matchmakers?!

- [gasps]
- Covey, be cool.

- Be cool.
- [exhales]

[chuckles softly]

[clears throat] So, which one of you
is the client?

Oh. So, my American friend here,
she's so pathetic and perpetually single.

- She really needs professional help.
- Mm.

And Min h* here
also desperately needs your services.

He's run off every girl in town
by being so annoying and rude.

[Min h* chuckles]

Okay, my halmoni doesn't like
to get involved in anything complicated.

So, you two aren't a couple?

- Oh my God. That's disgusting.
- Oh God, no.

- I'm gonna throw up and die.
- What's wrong with you?

We are just friends.

Single and ready-to-mingle friends.

[Min h* chuckles]

[whimsical music playing]

Okay, so two questionnaires, then?

Sounds great.

- [Q] Thank you.
- [Juliana] Thanks. [sighs]

So, did Kitty put you up to this
to make herself not the bad guy?

- Well, yes.
- [chuckles]

And I also thought the squish of the boba
might actually make you feel better.

Is it working?

[sighs] That worked
for like half a second,

and then my bloodlust returned anew.

[chuckles] Okay, I totally understand
your... bloodlust. But, um...

Okay. I'm gonna tell you something
I haven't told anyone. Not even Kitty.

You have my attention.

Remember our old roommate, Marius?

He was "straight."

He had a girlfriend back home.

Well, he and I used to secretly hook up.

To be honest,
you're not coming off great in this story.

I know. I know. But...

I never met the girlfriend.
I could pretend she didn't exist.

But then she visited us,

and I realized
a real person was getting hurt.

I know it's not an excuse.
I'm still garbage.

You're not garbage.

You're just a person that made a mistake.

[Q] Look, Kitty first started
having feelings for Yuri last semester.

- When she was still figuring out she's bi.
- Yeah.

She didn't know you.

She helped you come back to KISS,
despite her feelings, and...

[sighs] I know she feels like garbage too.

Yeah.

I've been focusing my rage on Kitty
because if I face who I'm really mad at,

I may never stop crying.

[door opens]

[Juliana] Stella, what are you doing
at an internet café?

[gasps] Juliana! Q!

Hi. Um, so... it was a funny story.

I actually use
the gaming computers in there

to play this immersive role-playing game

where you get to be
a famous Bible character.

[chuckles softly]

Okay, fine. I was playing
Call of Duty: Warzone, all right? Um...

I... I should go. Uh, have a... a blessed day.

[chuckles softly]

[intriguing music playing]

Okay. Why was she acting like
we just busted her making a drug deal?

- That was sus, right? Okay.
- Yeah, that was sus.

- Okay. All right.
- [Q] Absolutely. But I don't know.

I'm still not buying Kitty's theory
that she's some letter-stealing wackadoo.

Why not?

I kind of agree with Kitty on that one.

No way.

Look, Stella was conspicuously missing
when that letter was circulating.

And as her roommate,
I gotta say, the girl just... is off.

Too smiley. Too wide-eyed.
It all adds up to sus.

Well, now I feel bad for telling Kitty
she's the one who lost it.

[sighs]

You know, if the two of you ever squashed
your beef, you could actually be friends.

Maybe even start
a detective agency together? Huh?

- Don't know about that one.
- [Q] Baby steps.

[Juliana] Yeah.

[thunder rumbles]

So, how long
has this business been around?

Is the whole family involved?

It goes back many generations.

Halmoni would love
for me to take over one day, but

I'm actually studying to teach English.

Probably at the village school so that
I can stay here and take care of Halmoni.

She needs me. I'm her only family.

Well, don't freak out,
but speaking of family--

Kitty, that's not the plan.

[in Korean] It's really starting
to pour out there!

Jiwon.

- Yes.
- [grandmother] Come here and help me.

[Jiwon] Grandma! Over here.

Who are these people?

Huh?

Aren't these your new clients?

What are you talking about?

No, why would a radish farmer
have such a fair skin complexion?

[chuckles]

Plus, his younger sister...

[Kitty chuckles]

...has a famous hairy mole, look.

It's not there.

Who are you both?

[in English] Uh, maybe I can help explain.

Uh, Kitty?

[in Korean] I am Kitty Song.

My mom's Eve Song.

She's your sister's daughter.

- [in English] Your mom is Eve Song?
- [grandmother gasps]

You've heard about my mom?

Her and Simon were--

That's my dad.

[Kitty] Yeah.

[in Korean] Grandma,
what's she talking about?

That's enough!
Stop and just leave! Get out!

[in English] I... I don't understand.

She says, "Get out."

[in Korean] Leave right now!

I said get out!
Why are you just standing there? Get out!

- Halmoni!
- Yeah, yeah.

Get out! Get out now!

[Kitty crying softly]

[in English] Great tea. Thanks for the--

[in Korean] I told you to get out!

[Min h* in English] Right.

- [in Korean] Oh, what's wrong with you?
- What?

How upsetting.

[exhales]

Oh, my temperature is rising.

[sighs deeply]

[Min h*] Kitty!

Kitty!

[somber music playing]

Kitty!

[thunder continues rumbling]

Kitty, you all right?

I should have seen this coming.

[music fades slowly]

I just kept thinking that they're family,

so they would have to feel a connection.

I mean, my great-aunt is a matchmaker.

[voice breaking] But my family...

doesn't want me?

I have made such a mess
of things at school,

and now I've made a bigger mess.

And apparently,
that's what my mom did too.

I always thought that maybe
I was like her in the best ways.

What if I'm like her in the worst ways?

[sobbing]

[tender music playing]

Come on now. That's not true.

Oh, I know quite a bit
about Kitty Song Covey.

She's relentless and determined.

She helped her sister find love

in her own chaotic way,

then traveled around the world
so she could find it for herself.

["This Is What It Feels Like"
by Armin van Buuren playing]

That's how I know she...

Well...

Well, that's how I know
you won't give up on your family.

Whether they want you to or not.

[chuckles sadly]

[clears throat]

Right. Shall we get out of here?

It's getting quite muddy, and frankly,

your living ancestors scare me.

I don't want to meet the dead ones.

Yeah? Come on.

[gentle music fades]

Runners always get the runs.
It's like an actual thing.

They were so surprised by that.
Tell me you've heard that.

You should keep that to yourself.

- Okay.
- Right.

[Q] I'm workin' on that.

- Uh...
- Hi. Don't worry. I'll be quick.

[Juliana sniffles]

I just want to say I'm gonna stop
chasing you around campus

and give you space.

I'm gonna really try
to figure out why I made the mistakes...

[crying] ...that made me lose the most
important person in the world to me.

[inhales deeply]

That's it. [sniffles]

Sorry. You can both go about your day.

- Are you gonna go after her?
- No.

But I did need to hear that.

[cell phone chimes]

[intense music playing]

Oh my God.

What?

- ♪ I'll take you down ♪
- [excited chatter]

♪ I'll take you down ♪

♪ I'll take you down ♪

[notifications chiming]

♪ I'll take you down... ♪

Oh. It's a drop from some new
anonymous Insta called Moonleaks?

Oh my, it's NDAs.

Lawsuits are accusing him of--

"Bullying, overworking staff and trainees,

putting untalented singers

on his reality shows
just to embarrass them."

- Poor Min h*.
- [gasps] Wearing hair plugs? What?

- This is so embarrassing.
- [cell phone vibrates]

[Dae in Korean] Hello?

Yes, this is Dae Kim.

- [somber music playing]
- [woman speaking indistinctly on phone]

[Dae panting]

Dae, this isn't what you think.
I swear to God.

I need to get to the hospital.

- What?
- My dad got into a car accident.

Get in. I'll take you.

[suspenseful music playing]

["Face to Face" by Kenzie playing]

♪ All this space ♪

♪ What a shame ♪

♪ How can we be so far apart ♪

♪ Face to face? ♪

♪ I'm getting tired ♪

♪ Of practiced lines ♪

♪ I wish you could take off
Your disguise ♪

♪ Why can't we see things eye to eye? ♪

♪ Face to face ♪

♪ Remnants of a stolen youth ♪

♪ Two lies and a broken truth ♪

♪ I don't miss you, I don't love you
All I wanna do is talk to you ♪

[nostalgic pop song ends]

[balloons expanding]