Episode 6 of "My Stand-In" thrusts us into Joe's old apartment, where Sol accuses him of trespassing. Before Sol can reveal Joe's identity, Joe retaliates with a punch and flees the scene. Later, at his mother's residence, Joe rummages through the package he carried, finding only his tag and ID. His mother awakens, coughing and in discomfort.
At the hospital, Wut arrives to check on their well-being. Joe's mother's condition is dire, yet there's a glimmer of hope for recovery. Joe recounts how tirelessly she cared for him during his hospital stay. Wut consoles Joe, suggesting that he should chalk it up to "past karma" rather than blaming himself.
Wut receives a phone call about Ming's troubles and promptly rushes off to deal with them, granting Joe a day off. Meanwhile, at the office, Sol and Ming are locked in a dispute over Joe's apartment. Ming claims it as his temporary residence while awaiting Joe's return.
Joe eavesdrops from outside the building as they debate the break-in, deciding against involving the police due to their public statuses. Instead, Ming's family hires a private detective who might uncover clues at the scene or through CCTV footage.
Back at the hospital, Joe persuades his mother to stay as the doctor advises, though he internally frets over the cost. He calls Joy, hoping to secure a gig as Tong's stand-in, but learns they've already filled the spot.
On set, Tong is dissatisfied with the stuntman Joy has brought in. However, upon seeing Joe, who resembles Tong from behind, they agree to reshoot previous scenes if Joe performs well. The director is indifferent, but Ming interventions, affirming Joe's superiority. Tong concurs.
After the shoot, Ming questions Joe about his familiarity with Tong's movements. Tong joins them, and Ming seizes the opportunity to request a role in the show, which Tong agrees to write for him.
Outside, Joe eavesdrops on Ming's conversation with the detective, vowing to thwart Ming's plans to visit his house tonight. Ming's secretary catches Joe lurking and he invents a party among the crew, inviting Ming. Both Ming and Tong accept the invitation, leaving Joe reluctantly obligated to attend the drinks.
That evening, as a young actor attempted to charm Joe, Ming intervened, practically towing Joe back to their table. Seeking to alleviate the burgeoning awkwardness, Joe offered to pour the drinks, cleverly angling to incapacitate Ming with alcohol. Hours passed in a haze of liquor, and as the crowd thinned, Jim insisted that Joe assist him in escorting Ming back home. They arrived at Ming's family house, where a drunken Ming collapsed onto Joe, planting an uninvited kiss on his lips. Instead of lending a hand, Jim absconded, abandoning Joe to Ming's shouted declarations of longing. Joe, recognizing the futility of correcting Ming's misplaced affections, gently tucked him into bed, reminding himself that Ming's yearnings were not for him, but for someone else named Joe. With a sigh, he retreated to his apartment to eliminate any traces of his presence from the scene.
The following day, Ming and the detective scoured the premises in vain, puzzled by the absence of forced entry. Jim mentioned his inability to reach Joe, speculating that the events of the previous night might be the culprit, but Ming remained oblivious to his hints.
At the office, Sol informed Wut of his decision to stay in Thailand indefinitely until matters were resolved. Wut proposed a music video featuring Joe, reminding him of their deceased friend Joe. Though initially skeptical, Sol's resolve softened upon Joe's entrance, and he agreed to consider the proposition.
After Sol's departure, Joe confided in Wut about his mother's need for lifelong dialysis, explaining his motivation for accepting Tong's job offer. Wut cautioned him, offering to facilitate his collaboration with Sol. Struggling to manage the mounting medical bills, Joe requested an advance on his stunt work, unaware that Ming was surreptitiously eavesdropping, overhearing the financial woes from Jim. Disheartened and distracted, Joe wandered into the road, narrowly escaping Sol's speeding car.
Inside the vehicle, Sol demanded to know why Joe hadn't disclosed his mother's illness during their meeting. Joe, wanting to spare Sol worry, remained silent. Seeing a parallel with his old friend Joe, who similarly kept his struggles to himself, Sol offered a loan. Joe declined, prompting Sol to insist on the music video gig instead.
At Joe's mother's residence, Ming insisted on a conversation, offering career assistance in exchange for Joe's role as a stand-in for his deceased doppelgänger. Joe, incensed, evicted him. Ming, however, was undeterred, vowing that he always got what he desired.
Joe, contemplating the impending bills from his hospitalization coupled with his mother's expenses, reluctantly negotiated with Ming, bargaining a year of his life. Ming sealed the deal with a kiss, warning Joe that he'd better come to terms with the arrangement, as it was merely the prelude to a longer commitment.
