This round could also be entitled “The Beginning of the End”, because we come somewhat full circle with Luckanai’s mom’s abandonment and her reunion with him, during the most important moment of his life. It’s a handoff of sorts, where Meunchanok admits that she will take care of mom’s most valuable treasure, and we’ll see how she goes about that – even if it’s in her own little, competitive way. But first, let’s get married!

EPISODE 9 RECAP

Khun Nim escapes from being noticed by her son but she sobs on the sideline as she watches him. She thanks Mom for taking such good care of Luckanai and also for not despising him. Mom relents that she’s the lucky one because Luckanai has always been a good kid. But despite all of his money and successes, he is not happy, because what he really wants cannot be obtained with money. Oof. Mom’s words are always like a punch to the gut because she’s right. Khun Nim sobs again and Mom tells her that if she wants to show her gratitude, she should come to Luckanai’s wedding.

Meunchanok frets over Luckanai’s threat that he will treat their wedding more than just a game – is she worried about the wedding night? Haha – and she wonders what she’ll need to do. Nah Phai suggests that she follows her heart. Nah Phai says that she knows Meunchanok doesn’t keep people whom she doesn’t like close to her. And as evident with Luckanai, no matter how harsh she has acted towards him, she has always kept him close. Well that’s some food for thought. Nah Phai advises that moving forward, Meunchanok should do as her heart tells her, instead of according to her words (which are said in opposite to her heart). Listen to your nanny, Nok!

Wuttha receives several phone calls from his partners and clients, removing themselves from his services, much to his chagrin. He’s descending into desperation, as evidence by his disheveled look. We see that Nai has something to do with it, as he assures the client that they won’t be disappointed with the switch. The Green Dream team congratulates their boss with his pending nuptials which delays his appearance at the wedding dress fitting, Meunchanok snarks to her mom that if he doesn’t show up on time for her dress reveal, then he can merely try on his own tux and leave. Hahaha. But as Nok spins around to show off her dress to Mom, she sees Nai instead, who admires her look. She subconsciously picks at her shoulder seam to avoid making eye contact with him, but Nai adorably says that he’s sorry he’s late, but seeing her in this dress makes him want to marry her today. Swoon.

And GAH, James Ji in a white tux. He’s stealing the bride’s thunder because he is absolutely GORGEOUS. And then Show wants to kill us some more with a montage of their wedding photoshoot, complete with outfit changes and romantic poses. Mom is totally shipping these two as she squeals with delight over how cute they are. You and us both, Mom.

As Meunchanok rummages through the small house off of the mansion – as it appears this would be their home together – she spots a photo torn apart. It’s a photo of Khun Nim and Lucky. Nok realizes immediately what this means and asks Mom why she hadn’t told Nai about his mom. Mom relents that it is not their place to share this. That night she struggles with not telling Nai about her recent findings. He notices that she looks like she wants to tell him something, so he says that from this point forward, there is no such things as things she can’t tell him. AW. Nok says him that she saw the picture of his mom and asks if he’s mad that she saw it. Nai relents that it’s no secret and he’ll eventually have to tell her. Nok wonders if he wants to see his mom again, to which Nai replies that he does not, he hasn’t missed her for a long time now. It is just like Grandma had said, she left him. Nai says they should focus on the present and future, leaving the past behind, and that they should be honest with each other.

Meanwhile Penny tries to get Wuttha to realize that she’s the better girl for him, but he recants that she’s easy to get and easy to abandon. Penny doesn’t like that one bit and shouts his name so that the police would notice him – they had been looking to interrogate him about the multiple cases against him. Penny is quite useful in some cases. He is going to be too busy being interrogated, then to try anything new with Meunchanok, much to Dad and Luckanai’s relief.

As the wedding day nears, Kae becomes even more agitated. She’s convinced that she doesn’t want them to marry because she feels badly for Nai. Her mom chastises her to worry only about her own husband, whom she had ignored when he came to ask her for help choosing Nok’s wedding present. He goes to his ex-wife after, which saddens Kae when she sees it.

Luckanai invites grandma to the wedding, and grandma puts in a last-ditch effort to get Luckanai to withdraw the wedding: she tells him that Nok is just trying to make him love her so that she could take back everything. Luckanai tells the older woman that this is not news to him, regardless of the reason for the marriage, he will determine how the game ends. He will make Nok love him back. Why does this sound so cold?

Khun Nim looks at a dress for the wedding, but she spots a vendor advertising for a vacation stay at Phu Khao. This takes her back to when Lucky had asked to be taken to Phu Khao when they’ve saved up enough money. Khun Nim finds a better use for her dress money. Aw.

It’s wedding day! Nok stares at her reflection in the mirror – but the first dress was so much nicer! – and Nai comes behind her to help her with the necklace. Nai keeps stealing her spotlight, I can’t help but note how pretty he is. The photographer snaps their getting ready moment. I know they’re just posing for the camera, but I don’t care, it’s so cute. Nok reminds us, this is just the beginning of the game. Though her face falls when he concedes.

Mom doesn’t take no for an answer when Khun Nim merely wants to drop off her present, she drags Khun Nim to the changing room since she came this far already. She tells Khun Nim that she has to stick around to see her handsome son (though he doesn’t need to see her).

Nok instigates with Kae that she doesn’t need to put up her pretenses even during her wedding. She adds that Kae’s boyfriend must be really happy to be marrying her, and Kae relents that she hopes Nok will continue to keep him happy. Nok replies that she doesn’t care whether he’s happy or not, as long as Kae is miserable. Haha, she’s always so spicy.

Khun Nim gets a good look at her handsome son and cries tears of joy, but she runs into Grandma (oh no!) and the shock works both ways. Grandma causes a scene, as everyone looks at the commotion, including Luckanai. Grandma snipes that the trash Khun Nim left behind is causing destruction to Grandma’s heart. She airs out their dirty laundry right before the whole party, lamenting that she doesn’t care since they didn’t consider her face and feelings. Someone needs to give grandma a tranquilizer. Grandpa pushes Luckanai towards his mom and tells Khun Nim to take back her trash. Luckanai could only stare at his mother in shock. He slowly reaches his hand towards her, but mom falls to the ground, apologizing that she should not have come.

This is when grandma tries to launch herself at Khun Nim, but Luckanai catches her around the waist. Nok comes to the rescue and thanks Khun Nim for showing up as requested, which of course shocks everyone, especially Nai. She apologizes for not telling him in advance, since she wanted to surprise him. She extends her hand for his and says that this is the mom that he has been looking for, for so long. Khun Nim embraces Nai, and as the shock wears off, he hugs her back and smiles. The audience, oops I mean the wedding guests, clap.

Mother-son has a reunion, with mom apologizing that she left him but seeing his face today made her realize even more that she made the right decision. She says that they raised him well, more than she could ever do. Khun Nim thanks mom and dad for caring for Luckanai but mom and dad relents that Luckanai is successful because he is smart and kind. They thank HER for making such a great son.

As Nok and Nai turn to mom, mom says that she doesn’t have much to give to the bride, but her one and true treasure (Nai). Nok says she will take care of mom’s treasure. Hugs all around, everybody. * sniff *

Nok apologizes to Nai once again that she hid it from him, when they said they’d be honest with each other. Nai says that he could not be mad at her in this case, instead he’s grateful. He relents that he’ll let her advance in this game, to which Nok questions why everything is a game to him. Nai retorts back that she knows why, and he prompts her to say it. As she starts to say that it’s because she wants him to… they are interrupted by the wedding MC and must proceed down the aisle.

Ah and wedding night! They sit on the edge of the bed and slowly turn their faces to each other, jitters abound.

He thanks her for everything that she has done for him. He takes her hand and prompts her to finish what she was about to say before they were interrupted. She says nonchalantly that it’s because he’s her enemy. Lol. She adds that he’s a worthy opponent, that is why it’s fun. Nai says that even if it’s just a game, he doesn’t regret playing, because at least she still has the heart to help an enemy like him. Nai starts helping her remove jewelry and shoes.. and getting super close to her in the process.. as he tries to unzip her dress, she tells him that she can do it herself. He whispers that he’ll be right back. Omg, I can’t take this.

Nok freaks out for a bit when he leaves the room and nearly falls on her face. Haha. Nai picks her off the ground and relents that there is a rule that says the bride and groom cannot leave the bedroom until the deed is done. And then he goes in and the camera pans away.

Mom and dad celebrate their only daughter getting married off. They laugh at their good fortune that their daughter is married to Luckanai, but mom still worries that Nok would hurt Nai. Dad thinks that the marriage will help them form a deeper bond. But mom is a realist and questions what happens if they end up like them – divorced. Dad says if that’s the case, it’s not so bad, just look at them. Aw, dad! But no! What a sweet moment that the parents share, mom even wonders why she suddenly thinks dad is cool again as she waves goodbye. Lol. Kae stands before the window, but who knows whether she’s upset about mom and dad talking in a friendly way, or Nok and Nai during their wedding night.

The morning after, turns out nothing happened during the wedding night. Boo.

Nok flashes back to last night where she pleads for him not to do anything. Nai says he’ll only leave the room in the morning and reminds her that he will wait until she goes from hating him to wanting him. He will not play outside those terms. Aw. He massages her feet and says he’ll make her stop hating him quickly, so he can have her. Haha. That’s my boy. We see that by morning, he’s passed out on the corner of the bed. Nok vows quietly that she will hate him until the end (but she doesn’t sound very convinced). As she tries to sneak out quietly though, she falls on him, which makes Nai ask whether she’s already weakened towards him.

As they get ready for the day, Nai asks Nok to hand him a towel. He’s standing by the door, naked and wet. But he doesn’t look too regrettable as she accidentally sees his naked body. Nok of course runs out of there like a screaming virgin bride.

Penny wants Wongwait back, but he doesn’t play along. His mom warns her to stay away or else she will regret it. Penny doesn’t bat an eye.

The duo opens their wedding presents. Nok is scandalized by Green Dream’s employee’s gift that includes lingerie, haha. She hands Khun Nim’s gift to Nai to open, and upon the gift voucher picture, his face breaks into a smile. He tells her that he used to help his mom sell garlands on the street. It was hot and long, so mom promises to take him to Phu Khao, where it’s cool and beautiful. At this thought, Nok suggests they see Khun Nim. They meet at Nai’s condo – which mom is living at – and suggest that Khun Nim move in with her. Khun Nim tears up, and Nok notices how the two mother-son are still awkward with each other, and so she plays the mediator. She tells Khun Nim how happy Nai is when he saw the present, and Khun Nim says she never forgot her promise to him. Nok perks and says Nai could take his mom to Phu Khao so that his dream could come true. But everyone in the room set her straight: it’s their wedding gift, she needs to go with him and make his dream come true. Hahaha.

When they get there, it’s hilarious. Thinking they’d get a five-star treatment, but instead they get a local air bnb. Nok picks a bone with the resort owner, lamenting that it’s false advertisement when the reality looks nothing like the picture. Nok wants to call the cops but she overhears the owner challenging that a person like Nok would never stay here, she’ll hightail to a high-end resort and this amount a money is nothing to her – which is EXACTLY what Nok said earlier – but Nok hasn’t meant a challenge she said no to.

And so here they are, climbing the hill to their room. LOL.

They do get their romantic dinner by the moonlight, but they must eat with their fingers.

Regarding sleeping arrangements, Nai asks why they didn’t just get another room for him. Nok says that the situation is too scary to be alone. She offers him all of the blankets and promises that she won’t get cold because she prepared a ton of cold weather clothing. But to her horror, her meddling maids packed only the scandalous things. HAHAHA. They should get a raise. The maids sneeze (a sign that someone is talking smack about them) and note that Kae has been taking a lot of limes with her to bed. Nah Phai gets a curious look on her face, a sign of pregnancy?

It’s a good thing Nai packed an extra pair of warm clothes for her. But that night, he wakes up shivering because of course she pulled all of the blankets on herself. Since she cheated, Nai snuggles close to her all night. And this is what Nok wakes up to. Ha, cute. She shoves him away and rushes outside, wondering what Phu Khao has to offer.

A breathtaking sunrise, that’s what. How gorgeous. Nai wraps her with a blanket and holds her close, which earns him an elbow to the stomach. He adorably watches her as she watches the sunrise.

And nothing marks a honeymoon without some selfies. They send the pictures to mom and she shows it to Khun Nim. But Khun Nim’s coughing still has mom worried so she takes her to the doctor. She thanks Wongwait for scheduling it in last minute and couldn’t help but fangirl over his handsomeness. Haha.

I think the resort owner’s reverse psychology is working for her because we see Nok willing to do anything to show that she’s not some spoiled rich girl, including chucking corn, and turning it into a competition. When they weighed the corn, at first it appears that the resort owner may have won, and she relishes her victory. But they found a hidden bag with Nok’s name on it, so in the end our spoiled rich girl is the winner at everything.

Nok gets a spa treatment next and the resort owner speaks to the power of their salt rub. She lets it sit on Nok as she tends to a new set of customers who argue the virtue of false advertisement again. When she sees Nai, she orders him to wash his wife’s back. He goes reluctantly upon learning that it will sting her if left on too long. As he quietly goes into the hut, Nok orders -whom she thinks is the lady – to massage her back first. Nai’s face as Nok pulls off her towel, it’s priceless.

Then Nok realizes that it’s Nai who’s massaging her and squeals. The resort owners come to check on them but only see the tent moving vigorously. HAHAHA.

COMMENTS

Well that was a ridiculously cute episode. This is the sassy Nok that I like. I’ve always given Nai credit for understanding Nok more than she understands herself. It’s a very cliched thing to say, but it’s true, the people who love you, the people who notice you, sometimes have this amazing ability to see you for who you are without you realizing it. However, today, Nok earned her stripes. Today she made me realize that she has always been the one responsible for bringing Nai’s emotions to the surface. He has always been one to hide how he feels inside. He always carries on no matter what, holding everyone else’s burden onto his own shoulders. He’ll fix people’s problems, he’ll go to great lengths to ensure they’re comfortable without batting an eye, without a single complaint. But he always closes a part of himself off.

But because of Nok, those rioting emotions start to get unraveled and we see what makes him tick. Even though he tells himself (and maybe to everyone else) that he doesn’t miss his mom, nor does he think about her very much. But deep down he’s still not whole. Nok finds a piece of his missing heart and reunites them, something even her own mother couldn’t do because she claims it’s not her place, but I think Nok innately knows what will make Nai happy. It’s beautiful to see how she too strives to make him happy (even though subconsciously she doesn’t yet realize this), since she keeps telling herself not to fall for him.

I really liked that moment between her and nanny, because we get to hear from the person who knows her the best, a piece of Nok’s character, in that if she doesn’t love someone, she would never keep them close. Which means that deep in her heart, Nai always belonged to her and her family. It’s a twisted way to think of the person you care about, that only you can treat them badly but no one else can. Because no matter what, you know that person won’t leave you, you’re secure of your place with them. Know what I mean? The next episode preview indicates the burning question that I’ve always had: why does Nai love Nok when she has always been mean to him? I can’t wait to find out.

Even though the tone of the show has that dark cloud above us – that heart pounding first five minutes of the first episode is still looming over us – the game between them though is one of teasing and friendliness. I know our horizon is one of unknown, but for now, I’m reveling in the beautiful, pink sunrise that envelopes us in its embrace. Bring on the cute.