Panda and Hedgehog Episode 12 Recap

  Panda freaks out to see the two guys sparring. "I thought everything was going okay and Won Il was getting over me. But, seriously, how can they act like that?"

  The guys throw punches, grab at each other, and curse, while the other girls look on, completely entertained. Won Il starts doing crazy moves, even turning away from Seung Ji to do a "Single Ladies" punch sequence, and trying to perform spin-kicks. Seung Ji asks what he's doing, and Panda runs up, screaming at them to stop. The guys and their audience of Cafe Panda girls all ask why. The girls all say fistfights are the best to watch, and invite Panda to sit down with them.

  Panda runs in and starts hitting Won Il in the arm. He asks why she's targeting him when "He started it!" She turns her punches on him and asks what he thinks he's doing. Won Il says that Sueng Ji called him names and demanded to be called hyung. When Won Il is 2 years older! Panda yells at Seung Ji some more and tells him that he should be more compassionate to a heartbroken man. 

  Won Yi finally steps in and tells Panda she ruined it. Seung Ji was doing it on purpose. We flash back to her earlier conversation with Seung Ji about Won Il not eating cakes, and she asks if Seung Ji really thinks he can get him to eat this one. He replies that he wants to make sure he eats it well. She tells him that Won Il eats a lot when he's angry. He can't drink and never kissed anyone, so his score is bang! (which means zero in Korean). He can't always run off to the gym to work out his anger, either, so he eats his way through it. 

  Won Il and Eun Bi pull up just then, and Seung Ji calls him. He lectures him on not being there and asks if his hyungnim has to go get him. They meet at the window, and Seung Ji calls himself Won Il's hyung again. Won Il loses it and tries to climb in through the window, but fails miserably. He tells Seung Ji that this is the perfect opportunity to vent his anger, which was already boiling over, and he'll teach him a lesson. Seung Ji goes out, since "hyung needs to change first." He also disrespects him by saying ya, which is like hey, but is a deliberate show of disrespect in this situation. 

  Won Yi explains everything to Panda over in the cafe, and says that they need to make sure there's plenty of cake around, since with this much anger, Won Il will eat everything in sight. But Won Il has to have the last bite. Lamesauce runs in to ask if the game is all over.

  Poor Won Il can't land a punch. (Remember how Seung Ji was in prison for lots of years? I'm pretty sure he learned a lot during his time. You're not really a match for him.) Seung Ji taunts him that this is why Panda didn't choose him, and he gets ready to fight again. Seung Ji casually says to follow him for the last round, and Won Il wonders why he's running away. Seung Ji just tells him that he's still cute. "So cute!" "You wanna die?!?!?"

  A sore-shouldered Won Il wanders back over to the cafe and gets taunted by Da Na, Lamesauce, and even Won Yi. Customer shows up and asks if the brownie game has already started. Host Club and Beom Bo come to play also. Everyone slaps Won Il on the shoulder as they go past, causing him more pain and increasing his anger. 

  The cafe is rearranged so there's one long table in the middle. Everyone is expected to take a seat, for this "dinner party of secrets," as Eun Bi calls it. Host Club and Beom Bo explain to Won Il that they have to tell their secrets in this game, "like when was your first kiss?" That really gets to Won Il, and you can see his reluctance. Host Club teases that it must have been so long ago he can't even remember. 

  Seung Ji and Panda bring in the cake, and Seung Ji sits across from Won Il, teasing him about going another round. Panda explains the rules. Some of the cream puffs have regular cream, and some have chocolate. If you eat one with regular cream, you pass, but if you get chocolate, you have to tell a secret and then call on the next person.

  Customer goes first and gets chocolate. Her truth is that she uses a fake name. (Wait, your name isn't Customer? I'm shocked.) Host Club has to tell next, and his truth is that he's unemployed and wants to work at Saint Honore. Won Il offers him a job as a server. Lamesauce's secret is that his patissier certification is fake. (Surprise, surprise.) Everyone knows, so he tells them his true age—44. Beom Bo tells Grandpa's secret—that his grandson is dead. Won Yi's secret is that she loves her hyung more than her dad. Da Na's is that she was born to comfort her sister after the loss of her first love. 

  Won Il and Seung Ji perk up at this and press for more answers. Who? At what age? When? She tells them that it was the boy at the bakery when Panda was 7, which depresses both guys. Panda tells about when she was little, and she didn't like the smell of her dad when he came home from working as a medical examiner. His solution was to buy a cake every day on his way home from work. She'd wait at the bakery for him, but one day the bakery burned down, the ahjumma was arrested, and the little boy came home with them.

  We see all this in flashback. Panda explains that she and the little boy would wait outside for her dad, and Won Il would play with them. Little Panda tells little Min Woo that he draws really well. But Min Woo's father came and took him away, and nobody has seen him since. Out of guilt, their father built Cafe Panda for them. 

  Panda says that one day, that little boy might appear as a miracle. The last thing her dad said, was "I'm sorry. You can wait for him."

  There are 3 cream puffs but only 2 chocolates left, and Eun Bi grabs one and stuffs it in her mouth to declare who she likes. Everyone shuts her down, saying that's a weak secret. Seung Ji and Won Il each take one of the last cream puffs.

  Won Il bites his and gets chocolate. His secret is that the child didn't disappear because of Panda. He came to Won Il begging to be taken back to Panda's, and got lost. Eun Bi reveals that that's why Won Il can't eat cake, but he corrects her and says he doesn't eat cake, but he can.

  Seung Ji reveals a hidden piece of cake, and everyone tells Won Il that this whole thing was to help him eat cake again. Seung Ji goes back to his studio, and Won Il comes in to ask what he's working on now. Seung Ji warns him that now he'll want his cake every day, but Won Il replies that he never said he liked it. Haha. Seung Ji gives another jab that this is why Panda came to him and not Won Il. Seung Ji demands to know what that felt like. Won Il asks again if he wants to die, and Seung Ji threatens him with cake. Won Il tells him that he's not going to sleep tonight and tells him to come along. Seung Ji wonders if they're going to fight again, but Won Il just tells him "When hyung says come, you come." Haha!

  Panda runs in and asks Seung Ji if he wants noona to come along. He scoffs, and she asks if he objects to her coming or to calling her noona. He reminds her that in their contract it says that he doesn't have to call her noona. She yells after him to play nice. 

  Alone, she finishes the cake he was working on and asks "Won Il, what is the secret you haven't told yet?" (I'm pretty sure I know, but it'll probably come out next episode, so I'm not going to spoil it yet. Hee.)

  The guys go looking for a bar, and Won Il insists on a quiet and clean one. Seung Ji points out that a bar is for drunk people, and drunk people aren't usually quiet. He brags about his drinking prowess, which he's developed since he was 16, and he can drink by the boxful. Won Il suggests they start with hard drinks, but Seung Ji quickly says they'll just get beer. As Won Il heads to a bar that sells beer, Seung Ji decides that he'll be okay, since Won Il is inexperienced, so he'll get drunk first. Haha, Seung Ji, we know how you are under the influence!

  They walk inside, and all the women start fawning over them, grabbing their arms and saying how attractive they are. They grab each others' hands and the women shrink back, asking if they're "that kind of partners." Haha! I guess it works to get the women away, even if you were holding hands because you're nervous and scared. The guys are confused and suddenly look down and notice they're holding hands. They yell and pull away from each other, each blaming the other. 

  They go to the bathroom, and Won Il pees, standing so he's completely blocked from Seung Ji over at the sink. It's hilarious! Seung Ji recommends they go to a place where he knows, where it's clean, cheap, and they can stay the night if they need to. Won Il wonders if he stays out all night even now that he has Panda. Seung Ji comes over and Won Il asks what he's looking at. "You. Peeing." Won Il freaks out as Seung Ji runs off, and Won Il screams that he got himself wet. (Sorry, I know this scene is kinda gross, but I think it's hilarious!)

  All the girls are upstairs at Panda's drinking. They wonder where the 2 guys went, and Panda thinks they must have gone to a sports club to fight some more. Customer tells them they probably went out drinking. Panda reveals that Seung Ji has no tolerance for alcohol, and Won Il says that her brother has never gotten drunk. Eun Bi cheers to herself, and asks if there's a GPS tracker in Seung Ji's phone, but Customer says there's no need for that when he's always with Panda. Panda smiles and blushes at that. 

  Eun Bi insists that men are untrustworthy when they're away from their girlfriends, and Da Na taunts her, asking if Won Il is like that. "Of course not. (Looking at Won Yi) I mean, our President would never act that way." Won Yi tells her to just be comfortable, since it's no secret she's in love with Won Il. Eun Bi takes that as her blessing. She encourages Won Yi to have a drink. 

  Won Yi thanks her and says that she was worried, being the youngest, then mixes a huge shot and drinks it all down. All the girls are amazed at her abilities. Everyone decides to drink up, but Won Yi is the only one with soju, and she drinks it like water. 

  Grandpa tries to make Won Il comfortable, and says that after everything Seung Ji said, he thought he'd be bad looking. They wonder where Seung Ji has gone. They decide he'll be right back. Grandpa worries Won Il will get leg cramps from sitting in such a small house, so he massages his legs. Grandpa explains that Seung Ji likes Won Il, and thinks of him as his hyung. 

  Seung Ji and Cherry Blossom come back from the store. Cherry Blossom tells him he's pretty amazing and she's proud of him. He says he's optimistic, courageous and nice. He tells her that he used to think to himself that it would have been better if he hadn't been abandoned, if he hadn't been born, or if he'd had a better life. But he decided to just live as though he never even had parents. His resentment ended when he stopped worrying so much about parents.

  Cherry Blossom points out that instead of being abandoned, he could have been lost or the victim of some horrible situation. He tells her what it was like living on the streets, wondering which garbage can he could scrounge food from, which subway station he could sleep in, etc. But to prove his optimism, he shakes those things off and complains about his melted ice cream. Poor Cherry Blossom, once you realize he's your son, those words will haunt you even more. 

  Grandpa tells Won Il that Seung Ji was very upset when he heard Won Il was president of Saint Honore. He may seem prickly, but he really values Won Il's friendship. Won Il tells Grandpa about the current state of affairs at Saint Honore and asks him what he should do. Before Grandpa can answer, Seung Ji and Cherry Blossom get back.

  Seung Ji sits down with ice cream on his face, and asks if Won Il is ready for the drinking fight. Won Il pouts that he ate ice cream alone so that he'd have more in his stomach and wouldn't get drunk so fast. Seung Ji counters that he'd win no matter if he ate ice cream or not. Grandpa tries to go to bed, but Seung Ji stops him and yells at Won Il. Grandpa asks how he can talk to his hyung that way, and he blames it on his family register being wrong. Grandpa says that's always his excuse for speaking disrespectfully.

  The girls are karaoke-ing and getting jiggy to Gangnam Style (natch). Aunt comes home and wonders why the cafe is already closed. She hears the loud music and decides not to interrupt their fun. She sadly decides to go stay at a jjimjilbang.

  Seung Ji is passed out, curled around Grandpa. Grandpa chuckles that Seung Ji only drank a tiny amount of beer, and has zero alcohol tolerance. They wrestle to get him to bed, but he clings to Grandpa tenaciously. We finally see Won Il helping him lie down, but not before Seung Ji bites his arm. Seung Ji tells him he loves him (in English, haha) and tells him to stay the night, hyung. Grandpa tells Cherry Blossom that from tomorrow, she'll need to help Panda at the cafe, and he and Beom Bo will take care of the bakery.

  Eun Bi shows up at work disheveled from her night out, and embarrassed thinking about what Won Il's opinion of her will be when he sees her. He pulls up and asks if she drank last night, too. Host Club runs up dressed to kill as a server, saying he's quick to take Won Il up on his offer. Mom watches their exchange from the balcony, and when they go inside, she notices Creepy Spy lurking and doing his creepy spy thing. 

  Creepy Spy reports to Step-dad, who's incredulous that Won Il could find new employees. He's confident that they won't be able to keep things going for more than a week, though, and plans to come back and take over when Won Il comes begging on his knees. He sends his minion off to investigate the orphanage and look for Min Woo. 
  Grandpa and Seung Ji decide on a plan of action, though we don't know what it is. We also don't know the one condition Seung Ji insists on. Thanks a lot, show.

  Mom yells at Won Il, Eun Bi and Glasses, especially the former 2 for looking like they have hangovers. In the middle of her tirade, Seung Ji calls Won Il and agrees to help, with one condition. Won Il explains that he has agreed to work, but only if they take down all Step-dad's posters up front—he'll even work without pay if they agree. Mom says she understands. (Okay, I love how they've built up this condition like it's some sort of huge deal, like wanting Won Il's first born, or being named the new president or something. But really it's just to get rid of Step-dad's face everywhere, which I'm pretty sure Won Il wants anyway. Haha, show, way to underwhelm us.)

  She goes downstairs and contemplates the posters of her husband. Won Yi comes to encourage her mom and tells her that she met Step-dad, and took him his things, and "a box that looks like a safe." Mom is stunned and asks why she would do something like that, and runs off. 

  She tries to cool off on the balcony with Won Yi, and Eun Bi and her cohort run up in a panic. Mom asks them to find a good, trustworthy lawyer right away, and Eun Bi admits that her dad is a lawyer, but he hates to work. He spends his days doing anything but lawyering, and isn't very good at confidentiality. Mom asks for an appointment right away, and Eun Bi tries to discourage her, but her mind is made up. 

  Won Il promises Seung Ji that the posters will be down by tonight. Seung Ji asks if a guy like him is okay, and Won Il says of course. But Seung Ji means someone with a criminal record. (At least you didn't murder or kidnap anyone. With someone like Step-dad having run the company previously, you're like the whitest little lamb.) Won Il reassures him that if it's him, it'll be the best. Glasses looks on approvingly. (Plus, he's actually wearing his glasses again. Yay!)

  Seung Ji agrees to be there. He calls Grandpa and wonderingly tells him that Won Il said he is the best. Grandpa says he'll take care of things, while looking over a list of names, and says that Seung Ji just needs to take care of Panda.

  Panda remembers back to his competition with Glasses and how he convinced her to let him work for her. He catches her staring and asks about it, and she just says she was thinking about how great he is. He asks "what's so great?" and she replies "I know you're good, but you'll never win over Saint Honore." He just looks at her, and she tells him his next line, from the conversation she just revisited in her head. They reenact it, but with a few changes to reflect their current relationship. It's pretty cute. 

  Seung Ji says he'll work at her cafe, and she asks for how long. He answers "until the little boy from the cake shop, who you've been waiting for all these years, returns." She asks what will happen then, and realizes that he's jealous because that kid was her first love. (Aww, he's jealous of himself!)

  She tells him that he'll be the patissier, and the kid will be the assistant. He may have been her first love for the last 20 years, but Seung Ji is hers for the next 20, and the 20 after that, and the 20 after that, to lov— and she stops mid-word. Seung Ji asks "Lov— what? Lov— what? Lov— what?" and moves her against the wall. She asks him to give some inspiring orders—if he says "1 2 3 go," she'll be able to tell him.

  "1. . . 2. . . 3. . ." Then he kisses her forehead and tells her "I love you." She begs him to say it again, but he replies if she takes care of their house well, he'll tell her when he comes back. She pouts that he's leaving her and she won't get to go with him. She says she can't let him go to a place with so many girls, and he just smiles at her. 

  Outside, they take a pictures together in front of the panda head, then inside drinking out of couple mugs, eating the same piece of toast, lying down on his bed, and in his studio. She insists that in these last photos he has to kiss her. 

  Won Il watches the removal of Step-dad's posters sadly. Won Yi comes up and holds his hand to lend him support and encouragement. 
  Seung Ji shows up at Grandpa's, but he's already asleep. He asks Cherry Blossom to take good care of Cafe Panda, and she says she'll do her best, but she's not as good as he is. He tells her to have confidence in herself—she makes great cakes. She answers "As you say, sunbaenim." (I think it's so cute that she calls him her work elder.)

  He asks what ever happened to her son. She becomes sad and doesn't answer, causing him to apologize for bringing up such a difficult subject. She promises that she'll tell him after everything is settled with Saint Honore. "Right now, tomorrow is more important than the past." He hugs her and promises to do well.

  Early in the morning, as he rests, Panda sticks photos of them on the back of his phone and on his chef's jacket over his heart. He orders her to come cuddle with him, and just as they settle in, Da Na calls from the kitchen for him to come eat breakfast. They spring up, trying to act all innocent, and Panda runs out, telling him to get up. He notices Panda's handiwork with the photos and smiles to himself. 

  Seung Ji and Grandpa show up at Saint Honore with two vanloads of helpers. I'm pretty sure they're guys who graduated from Grandpa's Prison School of Baking. Which is awesome. As the men file past, the women all wonder who the heck they are.

  Seung Ji goes up to the window and says "Saint Honore, I finally came back. You're ready, right?" It's a nice reference to the time waaay back when he, Panda, and Won Il had their almost-meeting at the same place and each made promises to themselves and Saint Honore. 

  Step-dad show up at Cafe Panda and is shocked and alarmed to see Cherry Blossom in the window. 

  Seung Ji chants his mantra and then walks into Saint Honore like he owns the place. 
  Comments:
  Well, more of the back story has come out, although it's pretty much what we were led to assume. I loved how the brownie game played out, although there weren't really many surprises for us. Though there were some surprising revelations for our characters. I love how Seung Ji is now jealous of himself, even though he doesn't remember being Panda's first love. Too bad he can't really be his own assistant. 

  I also cracked up at how Eun Bi thought her secret was some big important revelation, but everyone already knows (except Won Il), and they all just shot her down. And then again when she was acting all mysterious to Won Yi, but she just called her out and told her to stop acting dumb. Also, how awesome was it that Won Yi, the youngest of them all, was also the best drinker? 
I really wonder what's going on with Aunt. We haven't had an elder relative collapse yet, so maybe she's sick and it'll be her. It makes me a bit worried though, that she seems to be checking out of her nieces' lives. It seems much more ominous than her just going back to her family. (I'm assuming they live outside Seoul, since the story indicated earlier that she's trying to pay off her husband's debts.)

  I can't wait to see Step-dad and Cherry Blossom meet again. I'm not sure if she'll recognize him, since he's had all those plastic surgeries, and I'm pretty sure the one photo she saw was during the process of changing his face, but I think it will really move things along. So I guess we have to wait to see what happens. I'm also intrigued by what's in that safe. I'm pretty sure it's dangerous for Mom, and it's definitely Step-dad's trump card. Hopefully, Eun Bi's dad is a better lawyer than she thinks he is, because it seems they'll need him to help save the day.