Spoilers for 징크스 | Jinx Episode 81 (It was wonderful :3):
While Dan definitely needed to take control, it's good to remember that underneath Dan's control and need to create distance, he still clearly cares for Jaekyung and wants him. His little heart racing and blush, the way he's looking up at Jaekyung...
Also his panicky face is so cute alkdjlaj He feels so bad >.< Poor guy.
Jaekyung blushing is also so cute :3 He's so in lurrrveee (and horny).
Jaekyung want bite/neck smooch/lick :3 That was nice >:3
That Dan stands up for himself is so wonderful :3 And also that Jaekyung lets him go and doesn't chase is good! Growth! It happens!
Yes, why do you get turned on over Dan's everything, Jaekyung, as you have done since basically first meeting the guy? This is deeply out of character for you /end sarcasm
Jaekyung's little crisis as he tries to get back in control is alkdjalj He wanted to focus! And just be helpful! Not hornt!
I appreciated that Dan showed he understood at least some swimming fundamentals, albeit briefly, before starting to drown alkdjalkj
Return of the chibisss :3 They're so cute! Even if Dan is flailing as he nearly drowns alkdjalj
Now maybe this is normal for this kind of thing, but why would you put dirty, wet swimsuits overtop a slatted rack containing clean, dry towels??? That's so weird to me aldkjalj I get it seems like the slats are tight and water won't drip inside but alkjdlaj Also did they just strip nude after getting out of the pool and walk to the shower/bath(s) together or something alkdjalj Hypothetically maybe they went to the showers and returned the swimsuits to the area later, but still aldkjalj
Dan nodding off on the couch :3 Cutie :3
I also admit I'm not up to date on the science but so far as I'm aware, any connection between swimming and eating causing issues with each other is a myth and it doesn't matter lkajdlaj Like if you eat so much you feel bloated, regardless of whether or not you're in water, you're not going to feel comfortable. And if you have a sort of broken relationship with food - as Dan does - then eating a lot is going to screw you up, regardless of your other activities. And if you're not someone who exercises a lot or who swims a lot regularly, like Dan, then obviously you're not going to feel great at the end of a long day. But that doesn't have to do with the fact you swim and ate in near-relation to each other. I'm not sure if it's intentional that Dan got it backwards(?) because usually it's "don't swim after eating [some random increment of time] ago." Possibly due to inexperience (he knows of the myth, but is too inexperienced and so got it backward). Or it's just an awkward way of Dan pseudo-narrating what's happening.
Jaekyung stuffing Dan, huh :3
But no really that is so much meat lakdjlaj I get Dan is probably still experiencing malnutrition but that is too much aldkjalj I don't know if that's how much he should be eating, Jaekyung, even if he definitely needs to eat more, but I appreciate your commitment to feeding and cooking for him aldkjalj And at least Dan seems to finally agree that he needs to eat more.
Dan sitting on the couch is so cute :3 And his soft face as he looks forward to sleeping... No wonder Jaekyung wants to pounce >:3
Also!!! Talking!!! Next time!!! Plans!!! What appears to be a long conversation where Jaekyung is asking Dan his opinion!!! Good!!! Communication!!! Not just jumping to weird plans to trash Dan's entire wardrobe!!!
Jaekyung putting a blanket on Dan :3333
Ahhh Dan put his legs on Jaekyung's lap, and Jaekyung held on to him T-T So cuuuute :3 Even in sleep, they clingy, still :3 Poor book tho aldkjalj
It's good they got easier with each other. And nice that Okja is happy with Dan (and Jaekyung) visits. And they even went to see the still nameless landlord and Boksoon and her puppies!!! Boksoon leaning on Jaekyung, pressuring him to take at least one of the puppies don't you see how Dan has one on his lap Jaekyung??? Feel the pressure!!!
Also, I think Dan is wearing one of the new shirts. Or maybe borrowing one of Jaekyung's, it's clearly very large on him.
Dan getting proper sleep so much the dark around his eyes is fading!!! Glad for him.
Jaekyung still thinking about the letter and the keychain mmm... A lot of things left unanswered. And how he's going to respond to them. They're living together in some form of harmony but they're not precisely where Jaekyung wants to be. It's better, but not perfect. I imagine some apologies will have to happen first, and it's not clear under what circumstances they'd occur. Dan still plans to leave after their agreement. Jaekyung wants more. If only there was a high-tension event to push them together...
Arnaud looks like some love-child of Christophe Giacometti from Yuri!! On Ice and Elijah Wood alkdjalj
Which generally, for me at least, means... he's fine but not precisely what I would consider really hot. I think if he were a real person, he'd probably be pretty attractive (his basic hair/face/beard is something I generally enjoy, kind of like Hugh Jackman but with less Huge Eyes), but between his eyes, the big eyebrows, and the way Mingwa draws lips and beards like this, mmm... no.
I love that Jaekyung is like "...Why does this matter?" Like it makes sense: he didn't get into this sport to win Hotness awards. He knows he's attractive, he doesn't need a contest to do that. He got in to show off his athleticism and win sports fights. The only person whose physical interest he cares about is Dan, not a bunch of strangers.
Everyone: WE WILL ENSURE THE WORLD KNOWS YOU'RE HOTTER
Jaekyung: -is startled confusion-
I love Yosep wearing his neck pillow in the airport alkdjalj while looking Determined TM alongside Namwook. Burning Yoon-gu :3 A-Team goooo :D
Poor Dan, feeling nervous. The last match Jaekyung had was so disastrous for everyone, including him, and Dan's still worried he can't measure up to what Jaekyung needs and/or he'll let Jaekyung down. The last time he was overseas was also a total nightmare: he was drugged, Jaekyung dumped soda on him, he was harassed by U.S. security... And there's just a lot riding on this, on top of the long plane ride. Hopefully Jaekyung looks out for him more.
A wonderful episode as always :3 Looking forward to Episode 82!!
Spoilers for 징크스 | Jinx Episode 76 (It was wonderful :3):
Ahhhhh Jaekyung!!! Dan!!! Just all the ahhh!!!!
Jaekyung thinks Dan is more important than winning a match!!! (Or is mostly coming around to the idea anyway aldkjalj)
"gradually morphed into a desire to hold onto him"
My guy, on his first day of working for you, you got so territorial when he was chatting with other people that you dragged him into the shower for a fuck. There was no gradual here alkdjalj Or do you not remember when you blew up his phone after you first fucked aldkjalj
"But finding out how Kim Dan got to that point" I'm glad he's aware there's more to what's happening with Dan, maybe even beyond the sleepwalking. He could just be talking about figuring out Dan is sleepwalking and how to deal with it (e.g., cut out the alcohol abuse), but I like to think, given he's turning his more strategic side on this issue (maybe), he's actually thinking along the lines of, "Hmm, maybe there's a reason to the alcohol abuse, like there was a reason when I was drinking constantly".
It's nice Jaekyung remembers that time in Episode 36 when he was cruel to Dan and views it as being bad (hope he feels the same about knocking the cup out of Dan's hands). Didn't expect that to come back, but well, clearly Jaekyung's doing some soul searching! And the soda pouring in Episode 37! And not just that Jaekyung threw the keychain, but also that Jaekyung yelled all those things at Dan. There's a lot that Jaekyung's done to Dan so his going, "Can I actually fix this?" makes a lot of sense lol That's a tall mountain to climb, even with his long legs. Good thing he's a runner.
Dan holding the puppyyyy, so cute. More of Dan with puppies. I think if Jaekyung saw this, it would help things. Maybe. We have no idea what Jaekyung thinks of animals. I still want Jaedan to adopt at least one dog.
I figured the landlord was going to have to intervene to get Dan to do anything alkdjalj Well, at least Dan did it with relatively little pushing. He can sympathize with Jaekyung's life, but that doesn't change all the things they've gone through. But having an excuse to check on Jaekyung, as a good neighbor, isn't an issue.
Blanket burrito worm Jaekyung lakdjklaj Would you still love Jaekyung if he was a worm, Dan :3
Jaekyung telling Dan to stop leaving :3 Confusing for Dan, since he still feels Jaekyung would move on easily if Dan wasn't around (Dan in big denial, though with good reason).
I'm guessing Dan made Jaekyung some juk (like I had Dan make him in this fanfic after Episode 72). It's porridge often with meat (not always chicken, but it can contain chicken) and vegetables that people make in South Korea for when you're sick.
Jaekyung not eating anything would help make his lack of recovery make sense. And while Jaekyung's thought, "Like he's in any shape to be taking care of someone else." is really mean, it's also kind of on point, given Dan's issues with eating, and his potential continued alcohol abuse and likely refusal to take the medication he was given, or see that sleep specialist. Maybe he did actually start taking his medication and see the specialist again while Jaekyung was out of it (or is planning to, given how seemingly little time has passed), but we'll have to see. On the whole though, one of them is a medical professional in charge of looking after people who are sick, and it's not Jaekyung lol Yes, Dan endangered a patient at least once, but he generally seems to not have issues in that department.
Ah Jaekyung, putting your foot in your mouth even when you don't want to >.< At least he realizes he screwed up. An apology would do wonders here, babe.
"But it's a lonely feeling... ...not having anyone to take care of you when you're sick."
A lot's potentially happening here. Dan is very quick to sympathize with people, and he cares a lot about Jaekyung. He seemingly learned Jaekyung's mother abandoned him, and that Jaewoong was a monster who died when Jaekyung was young, and Jaekyung struggled with other relationships. As someone who grew up poor and alone (when Okja wasn't around; and even with her there, he didn't have his bio parents, or seemingly many friends), Dan can understand some of the loneliness Jaekyung felt growing up, especially when Dan had an older relative support alone and no one on his side to support him other than that same older relative who likely couldn't be there all the time - and whom Dan seemingly pushed away even when he needed help (like with the alcohol and smoking, as Okja noted in Episode 65).
At least some of this is probably Dan being maybe unintentionally(?) honest about his own feelings: he wanted someone to help him in his bad moments, and outside Okja, didn't have that. As noted in the flashback in Episode 61, Dan wanted someone (a certain tall muscular dude who could carry him to bed being optional here) to take care of him while he was sick, and that didn't happen. Instead, he felt sad and alone, and just got through it on his own. There might also be some resentment here, noting he's doing for Jaekyung what Jaekyung didn't do for him, at least then (after all, Jaekyung did take care of Dan to some extent in Episode 13, though I don't think Dan knows Jaekyung called a medical professional for him; but Dan does know Jaekyung made him food).
Dan also has Okja to look after, and he's repeatedly self-flagellated for leaving her alone while she's sick. Yes, she has nurses and other medical staff, and maybe she gets along with some of the other patients, but still, he takes it personally when he leaves her alone (like in Episode 21 after the late night/early morning health scare, and in Episode 47 when he misses her).
There's also likely some of his training in his profession, and as shown with Byungchul, knowing older people who are lonely and maybe don't get visitors in the hospice, and just want company.
Dan's clearly weary of this. He's given Jaekyung a lot of chances, and Jaekyung just... doesn't take them. But Dan's still a decent person (and a medical professional who cares for the sick), so it's not like he's going to storm out. But he can tell when he isn't wanted (or at least when someone bungles their "I want you around" talk).
I like the juxtaposition of Jaekyung holding the keychain in the memory facing left and Dan cooking facing right after Jaekyung's, "There's no winning with him." Both of them facing away from each other, moving apart, rather than working together or towards each other. Jaekyung with his plans to get Dan's back not seeing the man for who he is or what specifically Jaekyung needed to focus on to convince Dan back. Mingwa's doing a lot of fun visual paralleling.
Okay, you didn't do so great here Jaekyung, but you didn't lose, you can still you know, fix things, and starting with an apology or 400 is a good idea. Don't just give up before you even start trying.
Wanting Dan to be with him isn't necessarily the same as wanting Dan to be happy, though clearly he understands that his making Dan unhappy is a reason Dan is not with him. It'll be interesting if he focuses more on the "Make Dan happy" stuff than "Try to get Dan back" stuff. Those things can crossover, but as we can see before this, they don't have to. The good news is, Jaekyung is coming around to seeing Dan as a person with feelings and history who can be and has been hurt by Jaekyung's actions, and Jaekyung has a lot of ground to cover. And Jaekyung's been curious in the past (about Okja, about Dan's apartment, about the loan sharks, about Dan's eating habits), so he can just build on that and hopefully at least make Dan's life a bit better. And maybe Dan will see Jaekyung is being genuine about his feelings.
Such a wonderful episode :3333 It's kind of insane we still have at least 31 episodes to go lol A lot can happen! Looking forward to Episode 77!
