Episode 2 of "No Gain, No Love" kicks off with a poignant flashback, set eight years prior, where a youthful Ji-uk ventures to visit his grandmother in a nursing home. She, a gruff old soul with a penchant for nicotine-fueled quips, appears to be slowly succumbing to her lifelong addiction. Amidst their heartfelt conversation, she imparts timeless wisdom, urging him to find a virtuous and humble bride.
Fast-forwarding to the present, the scene shifts to a drunken Hae-yeong, playfully yet earnestly proposing Ji-uk as her groom. Though she frames it as a jest, Ji-uk, mindful of her tumultuous past relationships—replete with exes who exploited her resources and those lacking in intimacy—politely declines.
At the office, Yi-lin summons Hae-yeong for a private chat, their encounter preluded by a colleague's revelation that Yi-lin and Gyu-heon's mothers share a bond akin to sisters, fostering a close tie between the two young professionals and Gyu-heon's family. Meanwhile, Gyu-heon's prejudiced stance against hiring female secretaries, fueled by his mother's influence, continues to hinder Ha-jun's departmental transfer aspirations.
In their meeting, Yi-lin surprises Hae-yeong by inviting Woo-jae, revealing that their respective proposals for the upcoming competition mirror each other uncannily. A fleeting flashback illuminates Hae-yeong's initial spark of inspiration, sharing with Woo-jae an ingenious concept for a math-teaching video game.
As Yi-lin departs, Hae-yeong confronts Woo-jae with an ultimatum: abandon the idea or face the consequences of her exposing their secret collaboration. Woo-jae, unfazed, retaliates with a threat of his own, threatening to spin the narrative in a way that casts Yi-lin in a nefarious light. In a bold countermove, Yi-lin declares her intention to triumph in the competition, armed with the revelation that she plans to wed within the month.
Realizing the gravity of her claim and the sudden need for a spouse, Hae-yeong storms into a grocery store, once again pleading with Ji-uk to be her makeshift husband—a mere facade for the wedding aisle. However, Ji-uk stands firm in his refusal, unwavering in the face of her unexpected proposal.
Upon returning home, Hae-yeong meticulously scrutinizes the extensive list of weddings her mother had graced, meticulously planning to extend invitations to each and every one, driven by the aspiration of monetary recompense. Hui-seong, her indignation boiling over, chides her for exploiting their mother in such a manner. Hae-yeong, unyielding, insists that the woman is indeed her genuine mother, prompting Hui-seong to storm out in a fit of rage. Ja-yeon, in a futile attempt to reconcile, finds Hui-seong resolved, declaring that Hae-yeong has never truly embraced them as family.
A retrospective flashback paints a vivid picture of Hae-yeong's mother introducing Ja-yeon into their lives, only to be met with Hae-yeong's bitter resentment. She laments the lack of affection her mother had ever shown her, while Ja-yeon's heart still bears the scars of that day's disappointment. As Hui-seong trudges home, her gaze lingers on a photograph of Producer Yun, unaware of his secret entanglements with another woman.
As dawn breaks, Ji-uk finds himself embroiled in a heated exchange with a man dressed in a somber black suit. Meanwhile, Hae-yeong embarks on a quest to inspect wedding venues and catering options, inadvertently leaving her phone behind at a shop, a careless oversight that soon becomes a matter of urgency.
Hui-seong, a voice actor by profession, finds herself in the company of Producer Yun within the confines of a recording studio. Her eyes fleetingly catch sight of the other woman's earring but she chooses to ignore the telltale sign, burying her head in the sand. Just then, her phone rings, an unknown number flashing on the screen.
Realizing her phone's absence, Hae-yeong rushes back to retrieve it, her heart racing as she glances at an urgent message from the nursing home. Her mother's condition has taken a turn for the worse, wracked by violent seizures. Arriving at the nursing home, Hae-yeong witnesses Hui-seong valiantly restraining her mother during one of these fits, her strength and compassion shining through in the face of adversity.
As their mother finally drifted off into a peaceful slumber once more, Hae-yeong confided in Hui-seong, revealing that the news of her mother's dementia had come as a shocking surprise, even to her. One fateful day, out of the clear blue sky, her mother had summoned Hae-yeong, delivering the devastating news with a reassuring undertone that she had already arranged for herself in a nursing home. A year had now passed since then. As a precaution, Hae-yeong had entrusted Hui-seong's number, acknowledging her own sisterly bond, should the need arise. Amidst apologies and heartfelt reconciliations, Hui-seong counseled Hae-yeong against proceeding with the wedding, yet Hae-yeong was convinced that true love was a luxury she could no longer aspire to, and longed for her mother to witness her wedding before her memories faded completely.
Later, as Hui-seong recounted this conversation to Ja-yeon amidst their stroll down the bustling street, Ji-uk, by chance, overheard their whispers. Meanwhile, the mysterious man in the black suit made his way to Ji-uk's shop, where he stumbled upon Hae-yeong's advertisement seeking a husband on Ji-uk's phone. In a fit of rage, he deliberately dropped and shattered the device, only to receive a retaliatory punch in return.
The following morning, as raindrops pattered against the pavement, Ji-uk intercepted Hae-yeong on her way to work, seeking shelter beneath her umbrella. Drawing close, he probed if she felt anything towards him, prompting Hae-yeong to stammer a hesitant no. Then, he proposed an unusual bargain: he would agree to be her groom if she would welcome a stray cat into her home—the very same feline Ji-uk had been nurturing outside his store. Despite her aversion to cats, Hae-yeong acquiesced.
The next day, Hae-yeong embarked on a mission to procure her wedding gown. Along the way, she detoured to the grocery store, where she requested Ji-uk's measurements, inadvertently dragging him along on her excursion. Curious, she inquired about his sudden embrace from the previous day, and he quipped that it was merely a test to ascertain if she was allergic to cats. Hae-yeong, mistaking it for a scientific experiment, was amused, while Ji-uk remained steadfast in his conviction that he harbored nothing but disdain for her.
At the bridal boutique, Hae-yeong tried on an extravagantly ornate dress, explaining to Ji-uk that she wished to avoid drawing attention to him, fearing it might tarnish his promising future. In a parallel narrative, Ja-yeon encountered Gyu-heon's mother, an avid admirer of her novels, who showered her with praise. As Gyu-heon and Ha-jun entered the same hotel, both women, aware of the delicate situation, discreetly concealed themselves.
Unexpectedly, as Ji-uk is gracefully transforming into a sleek tuxedo, Woo-jae and Yi-lin casually stroll into the boutique, unaware of the impending spectacle. Hae-yeong, desperate to shield Ji-uk's stunning transformation from their view, steps forward only to be awestruck by the sheer elegance of Ji-uk in his black tuxedo, a vision that transcends the ordinary.
In a poignant epilogue to No Gain No Love Episode 2, the trio of girlfriends convene, their conversation inevitably veering towards the upcoming nuptials. Hui-seong laments, suggesting that at the very least, an attractive groom should have been the choice. However, Hae-yeong, with a tinge of conviction, counters that beauty, though alluring, invites unwanted memories and recognition. She yearns for the simplicity of an average, forgettable partner—a surprising revelation that leaves the air charged with unspoken emotions.
