The gripping recap of "Bad-Memory Eraser" Episode 2 unfolds with Lee Gun divulging to Ju-yeon that she holds the cherished position of being his first love, an assertion that resonates with a newfound narcissism and an unbridled charm that captivates all around him. The medical team, buoyed by their optimism, deems the trial a triumph.
Yet, beneath the surface of their celebration, Ju-yeon's heart is heavy with unease. Her memories of softly caressing Gun's face, only to see him fleetingly awaken post-surgery, hint at a sinister twist. She surmises that instead of obliterating the memory of his first love, the procedure may have inadvertently twisted reality, casting her in that cherished role. Her mind swirls with questions, chief among them: why would Gun's fondest memory become a burden he'd seek to erase?
Meanwhile, Gun's memory remains frozen at the moment of glory—his final tennis match as a youngster, preceding the fateful racket-throwing incident. But when probed about his plunge into the river, Shin hastily interjects, weaving a tale of a clumsy stairway mishap.
Dr. Han, with solemnity, counsels the family to shroud Gun's past and the trial's existence in secrecy. He is to be sequestered and meticulously observed for a period of 100 days, a decree that weighs heavily on the family's conscience. Han's words reveal a haunting truth: Gun's recollections end at that triumphant match because the years that followed were marred by adversity.
Moreover, the revelation that it was Shin who enrolled Gun in the trial and now stands as his guardian adds another layer of complexity to the narrative.
As for Gun, fate brings him face to face with Ju-yeon, whom he impulsively pulls into a secluded storage room. Convinced that she has been relentlessly seeking him, he is bewildered and agitated when she disavows any such knowledge. Their clandestine encounter is threatened by the amorous whispers of a nurse and her beau, prompting Ju-yeon to steal away before they're discovered. But Gun's inadvertent noise alerts the nurse, who promptly summons Dr. Tae-oh to investigate the commotion within the storage room, heightening the tension and leaving the audience on the edge of their seats.
Ju-yeon's infatuation with Tae-oh suddenly takes a twist as she abruptly halts Gun from opening the door, amusing him with her impulsiveness. Yet, her attention shifts to the subtle detail of him gripping the doorknob with his left hand, his right still aching from the ordeal.
Outside, amidst the chaos of doctors summoning security to investigate the storage room, Gun defiantly refuses to hide. Ju-yeon, ever the quick-witted one, suggests a game of rock, paper, scissors, triumphantly emerging victorious and sauntering out, feigning a phone call, while Gun is relegated to the laundry bin, disappearing into obscurity. The hospital promptly descends into a state of alarm.
Returning home, the Lee family encounters an unexpected sight—Gun, basking in Shin's bathroom, clad in Shin's attire, and occupying Shin's bedroom with a newfound narcissistic flair. Shin, though silently observing, refrains from correcting him, while the mother scoffs in annoyance, the father indulging him out of paternal guilt.
At the hospital, Ju-yeon's despair rises as she believes the experiment has failed, but Han's steady hand guides her from abandoning Gun as a test subject. He reminds her that Gun is visibly happier now, and it's their duty to mitigate any unintended consequences. Meanwhile, Gun's reappearance at the hospital stirs up a flurry of agitated staff, with the nurse chastising him and revealing Ju-yeon's unwavering daily care, urging him to heed her words.
Ju-yeon's personal life intersects with a call from her mother, scolding her for overworking and messiness. Gun's timely entry interrupts, teasing her before offering a drink as a token of gratitude for her nurturing. The gesture lingers in her dreams, where a scolding board accuses her of tarnishing his memories, instilling a sense of guilt within her.
Elsewhere, Shin's world revolves around a commercial shoot with Shi-on, his aloofness towards his agent palpable. Shi-on inquires about Gun's whereabouts, and the agent fills her in on the recent incident. Their paths converge at the hospital, but Shin's arrival is hindered by an overzealous fan. Ju-yeon finds herself caught in the fray, her hand firmly entwined with Shin's as he struggles to evade the fan's clutches, her screams echoing his name.
Shi-on, meanwhile, discovers Gun, who is genuinely surprised by her fanaticism. His candid observations about her commercial endeavors are met with gratitude, especially when his advice for her knee injury proves insightful. She presents him with a tennis racket, her curiosity piqued by the missing medal.
This simple gesture unlocks a flurry of memories—the devastating head injury from his final match, the futile dive into the water by his first love to retrieve his medal, the abandonment by his parents, Gun's chance discovery of the medal, and the poignant reunion that ended with a leap into the river. The memories overwhelm him, sending him into a blackout, necessitating an ICU admission, his journey fraught with both triumphs and tragedies.
Guk-bong, the steadfast friend, stands alone in anticipation, his heart heavy with guilt as he confesses to Ju-yeon that he bears the burden of responsibility. It was his insistence that drove Gun to attend the reunion, unwittingly setting in motion a chain of events that would forever alter their lives.
The veil of mystery surrounding that fateful evening is finally lifted. Gun arrives at the reunion, and amidst the chaos, discovers his cherished medal. The staff's gentle guidance leads him to the owner—his first love, a vision of brown hair adorned with a bow. In a desperate dash, he chases after her, only to witness her embrace with Shin in the car park. His heart shattered into a million pieces, Gun retreats to the bridge, where he calls Guk-bong before taking the ultimate leap. In his despair, he believes himself unworthy of her affection, finding solace only in the fact that she lives on.
Guk-bong's heart aches for Gun, who has lost not only his tennis prowess but also his family and the love of his life, all due to his brother's shadow. Ju-yeon stumbles upon Mrs. Lee, seated beside Gun, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and resolve. She confesses her shortcomings as a mother, revealing a past as a formidable athlete, her tears last shed when she had to choose between Gun and Shin, ultimately taking Shin to Australia. Her strength, she thought, was what her sons needed, yet it alienated them. She recalls their final conversation before Gun's accident, a moment fraught with unspoken emotions.
Returning home from the reunion, Gun's anger boils over as he devours the food intended for Shin. The father tries to diffuse the tension, but Mrs. Lee's scolding cuts deep, accusing him of selfishness. Gun's outburst exposes the sacrifices he's made for Shin—even enduring bullying in silence to protect his brother's reputation. His final, searing words accuse her of never being a true mother to him. Mrs. Lee, shaken to her core, vows to seize this second chance and be the mother Gun deserves.
Meanwhile, at the gym, Shin's world is disrupted by the arrival of police. Gun, having awakened from his slumber, finds solace on the hospital grounds, his tennis racket in hand. Ju-yeon finds him, tears streaming down his face, a vulnerability rarely seen in the once-cocky athlete. He realizes the emptiness that comes with abandoning his passion and longs to reclaim it. Ju-yeon encourages him to pursue his dreams, and as if fate were intervening, a tennis ball machine springs to life, offering a sign.
Gun, with lightning reflexes, intercepts the ball with his right hand, pondering the possibility of regaining his lost memories. Ju-yeon, filled with compassion, decides to assume the role of Gun's first love, hoping to ease his pain by shrouding his darkest memories in a veil of fantasy. Little do they know, the real first love has arrived at Ju-yeon's mother's doorstep, setting the stage for an emotional climax in the heart-wrenching second episode of "Bad-Memory Eraser."
