Episode 6 of "I Am Running Mate" kicks off with an intense confrontation between Won-dae and Yu-gyeong, stemming from her attendance at Sang-hyeon's birthday bash. Images, now viral online, depict Sang-hyeon and his cronies indulging in underage drinking. Won-dae, accusatory and suspicious, brands Yu-gyeong a spy and demands to inspect her phone. Upon clearing her name, he extends an invitation to Ji-hun to join their table, intent on resuming their crucial discussion.
Elsewhere, Se-hoon's journey home is interrupted by an encounter with two gossipy students, who are browsing through clips from the controversial party. They spew derogatory remarks about Sang-hyeon and Se-hoon for participating in such an illicit gathering. Se-hoon, swift in action, snaps their photo and presents it to Jae-won. Recognition dawns on Jae-won's face; one of the students is the sibling of a college attendee who was also present at the party—potentially the same individual who surreptitiously captured the incriminating footage. When pressed by Se-hoon on how to address this college student's actions, Jae-won vows not to retaliate, sternly advising Se-hoon to always conduct himself with dignity, regardless of provocation.
Se-hoon's conscience stirs, reminding him of his earlier instruction to Jong-su to confront Gyeong-tae. He frantically dials Jong-su, who, engrossed in a gaming spree atop Gyeong-tae's apartment roof with a sack brimming with mysterious items, fails to answer as his battery dwindles. Desperate calls to Gyeong-tae go unanswered, met with a curt hang-up. Meanwhile, Jae-won speeds towards Gyeong-tae's place on his motorcycle, their arrival timely as Jong-su prepares to unleash the contents of his sack upon an unsuspecting Gyeong-tae. Disaster narrowly averts as the sack slips prematurely, Jae-won's keen eyes catching the impending peril just in time. Without hesitation, he rushes to shield both Se-hoon and Gyeong-tae from whatever lay within.
The following morning, amidst the election eve fever, the blue and red teams staged yet another rally at the school grounds. After serenading the audience with their respective campaign anthems, Vice President Jeong-hui and her opponent Yu-gyeong squared off in a heated debate, each attempting to undermine the other's promises with relentless vigor. However, Jeong-hui's sharp wit and cunning left Yu-gyeong completely flustered when she stumbled over the English spelling of "popularism," rendering her momentarily speechless.
The latest polls painted a vivid picture: Sang-hyeon's popularity soared to an impressive 52%, while Won-dae's numbers dipped to 41%, with a stubborn 7% of the electorate vowing to boycott the elections altogether. Undeterred, Won-dae and his ally Gyeong-tae intensified their dirty tricks campaign, circulating compromising photographs from Sang-hyeon's clandestine birthday bash. In a move that bordered on reckless, Gyeong-tae dared to scale the school rooftop, shouting for Sang-hyeon's withdrawal from the race, inciting a frenzy among the student body. Additionally, they dispatched a mass message across the school, lambasting an unnamed representative for hosting an underage drinking party.
The aftermath of these incidents was swift and devastating: Sang-hyeon's popularity nosedived to a mere 27%, while Won-dae's support surged to a commanding 57%. The tides had turned decisively against the blue team, with students turning their backs on Sang-hyeon and his allies. In response, Sang-hyeon resolved to fight back with every fiber of his being.
Earlier, In-Gyeong had covertly taped a conversation with Se-hoon, who had casually mentioned Ji-hun's illicit practice of forging report cards and peddling them to fellow students from their school and beyond. They strategically released a video of this conversation, the voices skillfully distorted to mask their identities. However, Se-hoon, recognizing the familiar cadence of their casual chat, confronted Sang-hyeon about the duplicitous act. With unwavering conviction, Sang-hyeon persuaded Se-hoon that this drastic measure was necessary, arguing that they needed a powerful weapon against the red team's relentless onslaught.
Se-hoon makes a concerted effort to reach out to Ji-hun, yet his attempts fall on deaf ears. Undeterred, he decides to wait patiently for him at a serene park nestled outside their apartment complex. Meanwhile, Won-dae confronts Se-hoon about the cryptic voicemail, the disguised voice leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that Se-hoon is the culprit behind it. In a fit of rage over his perceived betrayal of a friend, Won-dae lashes out, kicking Se-hoon.
Elsewhere, an enigmatic social media account surfaces, posting crystal-clear photographs from the recent party. The images capture Se-hoon and his fellow teenagers indulging in alcohol, some even slipping into unconsciousness. Sang-hyeon is plunged into a panic, realizing that if these photos come to light, the reputation of the blue team will be irrevocably tarnished. Desperate to mitigate the damage, he implores Hyeon-jin to locate experts capable of tracking down the anonymous account and erasing every digital footprint of the photos before the red team lays their hands on them.
