Episode 3 of *A Hundred Memories* opens with the group date unfolding in all its charming awkwardness. Yeong-rye, clearly shy and out of her element, contrasts sharply with Jong-hui, who exudes a bold and straightforward confidence. Yet, when Yeong-rye locks eyes with Jae-pil, a spark of recognition flickers—this can’t be mere chance. After all, encountering the same man three times across just two episodes feels like destiny weaving its threads, doesn’t it?
The group date unfolds with whimsical sweetness as the guys select items randomly placed by the girls to determine their pairings. As if guided by an invisible hand, fate aligns Jae-pil and Yeong-rye, their match-up feeling written in the stars. Meanwhile, when Sang-chul draws Jong-hui, he practically begs Jae-pil to switch, cowed by her fierce demeanor. Jae-pil, who’d only planned to stick around for an hour before the group heads to the skating rink, agrees to shake things up, turning the outing into a double-date.
On the bus ride to the rink, Yeong-rye battles motion sickness, prompting Jae-pil to crack open a window for her. Seizing the moment, Yeong-rye launches into a flurry of bus-related trivia with encyclopedic precision—only to abruptly clam up, concealing her job as a bus attendant. Instead, she laughs nervously and claims to be a mere “enthusiast.”
But brains don’t translate to balance. On the ice, Yeong-rye flails like a fish out of water, her feet betraying her at every turn. Jong-hui, by contrast, glides with effortless poise, her confidence radiating. Tensions flare when one of the guys accidentally rips Jong-hui’s jumper. Incensed, she dubs them “half-wits,” and Yeong-rye, in a fit of impulsive loyalty, hurls a fire extinguisher at the offenders—because sometimes, awkwardness demands grand gestures.
Naturally, the gang finds themselves with no choice but to flee the scene, opting instead for a quick meal of dumplings. Given the lateness of their rendezvous, they're forced to rush through their food, anxious not to miss the curfew deadline at their dorms. As the girls dash off, Sang-chul and Jae-pil stand there, utterly bewildered by the turn of events. Nevertheless, Jae-pil can't help but comment to his friend that Yeong-rye possesses an endearing quirkiness and cuteness.
When the girls arrive at the bus station, they find Hae-ja already aboard one of the buses, chatting happily with Mr. Kim. She returns to the dorms, her spirits high and her demeanor effervescent, much to the delight and amusement of the other girls when they hear Yeong-rye's recounting of Hae-ja's escapade.
Poor Hae-ja, however, has been unwittingly played like a fiddle. Mr. Kim, it turns out, is a charlatan, smoothly working his charm on the other women, recycling the same smooth one-liners to win them over. What a despicable cad!
The next day, Sang-chul and Jae-pil keep a vigilant watch over the school, determined to catch a fleeting glimpse of Yeong-rye and Jong-hui. Yeong-rye is distracted, her mind elsewhere, and even more so when she's teased about Jae-pil's affection for her.
The entire situation is quite amusing, especially as Jong-hui continues the teasing in class after she and Yeong-rye are invited to a grand event at Giant Boxing. The girls fuss over Yeong-rye, getting her all dolled up for the occasion, while Jae-pil and Sang-chul engage in a heated altercation.
Amidst the commotion, Jong-hui steps into the ring, pleading with Jae-pil to cease the fighting. She's seen enough violence and explains later that she was terrified he might succumb to the blows. Some of this fear stems from her own past, where she witnessed abuse that left a lasting impact on her.
Meanwhile, Yeong-rye sets off to fetch some medicine for Jae-pil, but she's unable to deliver it as Jae-pil insists they all return to the dorms once more. Unfortunately, this decision has repercussions for Jae-pil, as he finds himself haunted by thoughts of Jong-hui that night.
As for Yeong-rye, she lets slip the chance to administer Jae-pil's medication. Instead, she hurries home just in time to witness her mother's collapse. Throughout this episode, we've observed Park Man-ok, physically drained and battling her circumstances, and it appears the weight of it all has finally become too much for her to bear.
Desperate, Yeong-rye attempts to flag down a taxi, but her efforts are fruitless until a car screeches to a halt beside her. It's none other than Jae-pil himself. Seizing the opportunity, she secures a ride to the hospital with Jae-pil at the wheel. Her mind is a whirlwind of worry for her mother, her body trembling with fear, but Jae-pil does his utmost to calm her nerves.
It transpires that after the cart mishap, Man-ok's fall wasn't the only injury she sustained; she also suffered internal damage. The surgeon informs Yeong-rye that her mother should have sought medical attention sooner, as the minor abdominal bleeding had escalated into peritonitis. Fortunately, she pulls through, but Yeong-rye can't hold back her tears, which stream down her face more out of relief than anything else.
She tries to stifle her sobs for the sake of her siblings, but Jae-pil steps in, offering his cap as a makeshift shield for her tears and allowing Yeong-rye a moment to cry in private. That night, however, Jae-pil shatters Yeong-rye's heart by giving her his number—not for her to keep, but to pass on to Jong-hui.
