Trotwood: I'm so glad you are continuing with this. It always provides me something I need even though I didn't know I needed it. Who knew that Nark's Newsie's outfits would provide me with such inner peace?
Kmuse: Anytime I think I might want to try a new Lakorn I remember that I am working on this project and I tell myself, "I'm good. It can't get better than staring on stairs." Let the snarkcapping continue.
Episode 11
We are back, trying to suss out the identity of the mysterious canned food eater. Nark reminds NPC to use the camera pen to capture the hungry guy's face.She really should just be hired by some gangster group and be done with this silly high school life. She comes up with better plans than most of them. She's got a camera pen while Yong Wen's men didn't even have the correct room!
I'm still wondering when Nark has time to do her schoolwork. Between catching bad guys and awkwardly flirting with LLS, her free time is nonexistent.
And she has a gazillion jobs.
Quick tangent. Do you think bad guys ever worry when they stuff their guns down the front of their pants? I would always be double-checking to make sure I don't accidentally shoot my twig and berries. OK back to our paranoid, but not about his junk, hitman.
Chin Fu calls the grocery store immediately, only to be told there should only be one delivery person in the area. Good thinking, Nark! Hungry Guy now thinks the guy downstairs is from the people trying to kill him, and the guy upstairs is legit. We finally have camera-zooming closeups!
See? Good idea. Though is this why she is so slow about everything else? All her brain power is to come up with schemes and not to be used to understand that she has two guys who really like her?
NPC uses the secret-squirrel pen to sign for the package, and Nark gets her video. She squeals that it's the bad guy they have been looking for. Of course, Nark, you are a geeeeeeeeeenius!
A slow genius.
The operation in complete! Except now there is a 30+ year old dangerous-looking delivery boy on a too-small bicycle. Oh snap, it's a real assassin! I guess Yong Wen found him. When did this happen?
Nark goes into Brilliance Overdrive, which means running around until she's knocked over by a passing motorcycle.
Nark wants info; she doesn't want him dead. He's not going to forget this, especially when everyone else wants him dead.
LLS orders Danny to yank that troublemaker to safety, but too late. Nark's man has to get involved to save his woman.
Inside, Nark warns Chin Fu that the bad guys that previously hired him now want to fire him in a permanent way. DeathDelivery is still calling up from downstairs. I'm thinking Nark can speak to him in Mandarin that she's the tenant. But then he won't understand her, since he's not from Hong Kong either.
She begs Chin Fu to trust her, but they are at an impasse. Just then, Landlord shows up and unlocks the downstairs for Mr. Assassin. The landlord assures the fake delivery guy that there are only two rooms, and that he can proceed to Room # 8. I guess it's the third part of "Bed Bath and Beyond". Anyway, our three charge down the fire escape.
It turns out they are all hiding in Fatso's room. Somehow Nark knows there's a sniper outside. Let's just go with it, shall we? They all rack their brains to figure out a solution. Nark is ready to call in the troops, but her phone is missing! It appears it probably dropped when she went into Headless Chicken mode.
I would just assume that there would be a sniper or some other ambush outside if I were in this situation. No way is Yong Wen only going to send one person to kill Chin Fu.
Especially when his assassins have the collective brain power of a pea. This one takes the prize for most dimwitted.
And who picks it up, but DeathDelivery! He sees LLS and JS's name on the screen, and decides to head back inside and look for his team. Nark uses NPC's phone to call Danny and arrange an escape plan.
Nark's phone rings. She begs the gunman not to answer, so of course he does. Chin Fu goads the gunman. Did he really think that he is easy to kill? There's posturing back and forth, and the gunman calls his backup to warn him that Chin Fu is still in his room.
That was dumb sniper. Your friend already told you room was empty. Why would you shoot?
The gang uses the confusion to bolt for the Beetle. Another gunman sniper shoots out the back end of the car, but Chin Fu hangs out the window and is much more accurate than those mooks. The three of them manage to get away.
You would think there would be multiple bad guys storming the building if there are multiple snipers. Oh well, when does this show ever make sense?
Because Chin Fu hasn't stayed alive this long by being dumb. He doesn't have the kind of money that would allow it.
Now we have motorcycle gunmen. The poor buggy is taking a beating, but no one inside has been shot yet. Ultimately, the car comes to a halt near the beach. They abandon their motorized friend and start running. And I guess to be sports about it, the motorcycle guys leave their wheels and run on foot, too. Lots of dramatic music as the two groups run and run.
Chin Fu offers to lag behind and be the vanguard, which is awesome until he runs out of bullets. They finally get treed between the water and the gunmen. Chin Fu wonders what brilliant plan Cubic has come up with, but she (and Danny) are drawing a blank. The motorcycle guys call Boss and ask him what to do. Chin Fu offers to speak with their boss, but MC Guy just says no and starts shooting. Chun Fu is down!
Oh Drama, where is thy sting? Danny and Nark are in the center of a circle of guns. There's no way to run anywhere. Ruthainark flashes back to all her interactions with her boss/principal. Goodbye, brocade vests! Goodbye, hot stares through the rear view mirror! Goodbye, Lin Lan Ser!
Oh Drama, where is thy sting? Danny and Nark are in the center of a circle of guns. There's no way to run anywhere. Ruthainark flashes back to all her interactions with her boss/principal. Goodbye, brocade vests! Goodbye, hot stares through the rear view mirror! Goodbye, Lin Lan Ser!
So, she is about to die, and she thinks about LLS. Yet, she will not consider that she might be having genuine feelings for him. Hmm. SO slow.
Or is she really using her genius brain to somehow call him to her location? That expression totally reads psychic powers activating to me. Oh, look here comes the brocade vested Calvary.
Or is she really using her genius brain to somehow call him to her location? That expression totally reads psychic powers activating to me. Oh, look here comes the brocade vested Calvary.
Wait is that a blessing from heaven! Well, sort of. A helicopter suddenly rains bullets on the beach and a short moment later every bad guys' blood has been turned into brown dust. LLS in a cute little two-seater whirlybird, and JS with his team running in from inland.
And we all get tricked into thinking this was going to make her wake up.
Danny just has to break the moment. Chin Fu is still breathing, so it might be a good idea to get him some medical treatment. LLS glares at him for a moment, but the kid ain't backing down. After all, Nark doesn't have a scratch on her but his car sacrificed it's UK flag just to keep them alive.
True.
Out of everyone, I would feel the safest next to Jong Sing as well. You never know when LLS and Nark will descend into a romantic stare down and fly the copter into a building.
You would know because their theme song would start playing. But I agree. I'd rather be with Jong Sing than with them.
LLS shares a hot closeup stare as he buckles her in, then folds himself into the passenger seat. She gives Danny a small wave as they lift off. Is Danny really mad that she went with the old guy? Anyway, he grinds his teeth as JS walks by with a bloody assassin on a stretcher.
To be fair. I'd be mad about being left behind, too. I'd be already thinking about what expensive car I'd ask for to replace the Beetle.
Equal snarly faces, I think. LOL
Our Evil Leader looks angry enough to start choking on his turtleneck sweater. That damned LLS! How can Chin Fu still be alive? Yong Wen starts pacing back and forth, swinging his head around as he searches his mind for a solution to this new problem.
I know I've said this before, but how can he NOT be hot in that sweater? This is why he can't think properly.
After the helo lands, Nark chases after LLS, until he finally stops. Still looking at his back, she apologizes for being headstrong and hanging up on him. She even offers to be punished as long as it reduces his anger.
After a long pause he turns and asks a question: does she still plan to run away from him? He turns and, in a few steps, they are face to face. She looks down, embarrassed, but he gently lifts her face.
She promises to stay and pay the debt and to listen to him. That's not good enough; LLS wants the promise that she won't go anywhere. She finally gives him what he wants to hear. He leans to kiss her, but somehow, they just rub noses? Okay, I know he's never been in love before, but he did have Mei Jin by his side. Did they never kiss? Anyway, they end up each staring in a different direction, nowhere near each other. Boo.
I don't understand this. It's clearly a director choice because both of them have at least done the lip touch but don't move kind of kiss in other dramas. What is the narrative function of her being so oblivious and him being so inept?
Is the director getting a conscious that he has a 16 year old girl getting romantic with a much older mafioso? What 16 year old girl would be that dense about feelings that she wouldn't have at least hugged him by now? This isn't 1846!
Well, looking at her turn-of-the-century outfits, maybe she thinks she's in a Pavel Aleksandrovich painting?
I probably would've thought the same thing for different reasons. If I was falling for him, I wouldn't want to have to go visit each day to talk about another woman. Instead, she's like I can write it all down, and this way I can spend more time on my paying jobs because remember I still owe you money.
He turns and softens his voice. He has to see her everyday without fail. Also, she has to be his chauffeur morning and evening. I'm wondering about her schoolwork; she is wondering about her construction job paycheck. He impatiently promises to reimburse her handsomely for her time.
Finally, we are talking cash here. And does she even need to go to school since she's a geeeeeenius?
Nan is chillaxing in her hidden villa, but she thinks about her younger sister. It's nice that she worries at least a little. Dad comes in but seems a bit exasperated at this daughter for mooning over the situation. Rotten father.
Why did they even pay these actors to be in these scenes? They could've easily just had a photograph and a voice over, which would be just as interesting.
With what money, Dad? You can't work or even pull a hustle when you're on the run.
Nan yells louder. Dad is just full of stupid excuses and acts like he doesn't give a rat's butt about his youngest daughter. Almost like she doesn't exist in his heart. Ouch, but probably true.
It is true.
He sucks.
She is ready to storm out the door and throw herself onto LLS since she's the one he wants anyway. (and because she thinks he's hot). Dad forcibly grabs her; and when she tries to pull away, he squeezes her arms and shakes her, stating he will get money and get her sister back.
Chin Fu still hasn't regained consciousness, but JS assures his boss that the patient is well-hidden and safe.
Nark is nervously waiting outside with the car. She asks to get out of the car away from school campus, so as to keep a low profile that Boss had previously demanded. He tries to explain that things with her had changed since that edict, but he can't spit the words out. The drive to school is made in silence.
Part of me wonders how he managed to have a girlfriend but a growing part of me wonders if this is how Mei Jin got him as a boyfriend. She probably did all the talking, made suggestions, showed up and offered to be his date when he was supposed to have a plus one. It was probably easier dealing with her than trying to have a conversation with anyone else. If they did anything else, she probably took complete lead.
I swear he is acting more virginal then Nark at this point.
A gaggle of LLS fangirls think Nark is pretty cool to drive the boss. I'm glad they didn't tear her apart, at least. Danny is weirdly beat-boxing by himself, waiting for her. (his random idol wannabe act just makes me crazy; it probably makes his dad crazy, too) He demands she pay up for the Beetle repairs, but she is still paying off her boss. And since she has to drive him twice a day now, she doesn't have time to talk to the body shop.
I swear he is acting more virginal then Nark at this point.
Despite his bizarre idol-boy tendencies, he's the smart one in the group. He rightly guesses that Principal Lin is keeping her on a short leash and by his side. He also rightly guesses that she's smart on some matters but abysmally stupid on others, especially when she doesn't seem to understand what he means. Anyway, she changes out of her chauffeur's uniform into her school clothes.
He reads them all. He knows what LLS feels. I think he's starting to wonder about Nark now, too.
In the Office of Evil, Yong Wen is told that Chin Fu is dead. You would think he'd be happy, but as long as he hasn't seen the body, he won't believe the old assassin is pushing up daisies for real.
He reads them all. He knows what LLS feels. I think he's starting to wonder about Nark now, too.
Which is pretty smart in his case, because, indeed, he is alive and finally waking up. JS is there for water, if not for sympathy. We get a prolonged and violent coughing scene, then JS gets down to business. It's time to talk, Chin Fu! Who ordered the assassination attempt on Lin Lan Ser?
Chin Fu is distrustful, but it's not like he has much to negotiate with. And Jong Sing is a very persuasive man. But Chin Fu only got orders via the telephone and doesn't even have a name. A bit of torture ensues, but the only thing the guy has is the telephone number that called him.
JS looks at the number wide-eyed. Does he know who would be at the other end? I guess he does. He contacts LLS immediately, and the next thing we have is a slew of limousines filled with MIB's. JS orders Nark to stay with the cars while LLS and his posse enter a building (also known as Location G).
We get a montage of slow-moving guys strolling through the building. Nobody stops him, or indeed, reacts to the presence of strangers with weaponry.
I just got the feeling this was a regular occurrence--that as soon as the office workers hear certain theme music--they're like "Oh crap, gotta redo the calendar again. Wonder if the carpet guy will come back after last time?"
It is scenes like this that make me nervous to visit Thailand. This is not a great promotional drama for the tourism industry.
Finally LLS is on the top floor, facing Yong Wen, ready to confront...Uncle Flock?
Uncle Flock is finishing up some paperwork when LLS breaks into the office in a flood of childish pushing and shoving, albeit with guns sticking everywhere. UF demands order, and once things quiet down, he demands to know why LLS is there.
Poor Uncle Flock. I know he is mafia, but he doesn't deserve a son like he has.Chin Fu is distrustful, but it's not like he has much to negotiate with. And Jong Sing is a very persuasive man. But Chin Fu only got orders via the telephone and doesn't even have a name. A bit of torture ensues, but the only thing the guy has is the telephone number that called him.
JS looks at the number wide-eyed. Does he know who would be at the other end? I guess he does. He contacts LLS immediately, and the next thing we have is a slew of limousines filled with MIB's. JS orders Nark to stay with the cars while LLS and his posse enter a building (also known as Location G).
We get a montage of slow-moving guys strolling through the building. Nobody stops him, or indeed, reacts to the presence of strangers with weaponry.
I just got the feeling this was a regular occurrence--that as soon as the office workers hear certain theme music--they're like "Oh crap, gotta redo the calendar again. Wonder if the carpet guy will come back after last time?"
It is scenes like this that make me nervous to visit Thailand. This is not a great promotional drama for the tourism industry.
Finally LLS is on the top floor, facing Yong Wen, ready to confront...Uncle Flock?
Isn't it his nephew? I might have been misreading the family tree this whole time. Who knew he was in line to be Flock Jr?
He considers both of them his children.
Meanwhile, outside, Nark is playing with her Rubik's Cube as Yong Wen runs out of the building intent on escaping the carnage. But his eye catches the colorful toy, and in a split second flashback, he realizes who Cubic really is.
In the office, the two alpha males growl at each other. The older man demands an explanation for the intrusion. JS shows him the phone number given to him by Chin Fu (and I have to wonder why any bad guy would call for bad things to happen on his own personal cell phone), and explains the entire scheme for killing LLS.
YW confirms Nark is LLS's driver. She accidentally drops the Cube, which YW picks up.
YW is still interrogating Nark and gets her admit she was with LLS the day he was ambushed.
The guys inside have finally figured it out together. Then they realize he was probably running away a short time ago. They also realize that Ruthainark was left alone outside. #GrossMiscalculation
In what universe could they think that leaving her alone was a good idea?
You would think that LLS was at the relationship stage where he just handcuffs Nark to his non-shooting hand and drags her around for her own good.
How could anyone be scared when no one ever gets shot? They all need to be contacting HR and signing up for professional development.
YW jumps into a vehicle and escapes, laughing maniacally.
She's still clueless.
I'm slamming my head against my desk.
Ugh. Just kiss her already so her genius brain can make the connections.
 |
| Until Nark gets it in her head that he likes her, she will remain denser than the environment around her. |
Uncle Flock is seething as he conferences with LLS and JS. He realizes that all the subterfuge was done by his son to secure the top position at Chai Hong. He apologizes for the actions of his flesh and blood. LLS graciously accepts, and also apologizes for his accusations. It's finally peaceful in the office, but for sure there is trouble on the horizon.
Once he is alone, Uncle Flock sadly looks over the family portraits. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, he realizes that Bai Ling's death may not have been a suicide at all. He starts crying as he gently caresses her photograph.
Poor Uncle Flock.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Nark could be living at LLS's, barefoot and pregnant and still not realize she is in a relationship. That girl is dense.
I still can't figure out how they are wearing so many layers and not fainting from heat stroke.
The character development is slow amazingly slow, when it comes to our leads, for sure. If they spent as much time on the plot as they did on the clothing, this could have been shortened by quite a few episodes!
