The thirteenth episode of "When The Stars Gossip" kicks off with haunting flashbacks, painting a poignant picture of Eve's mother abandoning her young son in a taxi on Christmas Eve. Despite her tears hiding just around the corner, the act of deserting a child on such a festive night remains heart-wrenching. This poignant sequence serves as Eve's origin story, setting the stage for her tumultuous journey.
Switching to the present, Ryong and Kang-su find themselves entangled in a tight spot with Tae-hui. While Ryong narrowly escapes reprimand, Kang-su's fate seems sealed with a less favorable outcome looming on the horizon.
Outside, Tae-hui confronts Ryong about his burgeoning relationship with Eve. Ryong, earnest and sincere, pleads his case, urging Tae-hui to understand his genuine affection for her. With Eve poised to journey to the space station within days, the clock is ticking for Ryong to make his move.
Eve's scientific duties call her to inspect the mice, where she discovers a stunning revelation: one of the female mice is with child. Her heart races as she quickly dials Ryong, who rushes to her side. Together, they verify the pregnancy, their excitement palpable. They share this joyous news with the MCC, who are soon briefed on the miracle in the making.
Seung-jun, ever the bold thinker, proposes an audacious plan: since the mice conceived in the vastness of space, they should also bear their young there. Eve, ever the pragmatic scientist, quickly points out the myriad dangers, particularly the scant oxygen levels. A heated debate ensues, culminating in a decision to go "all-in." Yet, whether these space-born offspring will survive to term remains a mystery shrouded in the vastness of the cosmos.A grand celebration is in full swing, yet Kang-su's absence looms large. From afar, he hears the revelry, mistakenly interpreting it as a collective reaction to his dismissal. When they eventually appear in the locker room, the atmosphere turns icy as Kang-su storms past them, steeling himself for his disciplinary hearing—a hearing they've all come to witness.
The meeting, however, proves to be a disappointment. Kang-su is banned from visiting the space station, even in a civilian capacity, and is permanently excluded from the space fruit fly project. No objections are raised, but Kang-su refuses to accept his fate passively. He reluctantly surrenders his passes as instructed but steadfastly refuses to part with his suit, at least initially.
Kang-su swiftly recounts the myriad sacrifices he has made for the mission, before stubbornly storming out and Discard his suit on the floor with a thud.
Meanwhile, at the Fertility Clinic, Ryong reunites with Min-jeong, reassuring her that the insemination has a good chance of success. He even volunteers to implant the morulas for her, promising that she will soon be pregnant. As this procedure concludes, Go-eun informs Ryong that she and Min-jeong plan to leave, allowing him to attend to other patients. Go-eun dismisses their breakup as a matter of boredom, subtly shielding Ryong from the cancellation that the Chairman had intended.
At the MCC, the first team prepares to ascend and assess the space station's condition. Upon receiving updates on the station's damaged sections, Eve and her team will venture in to make repairs. Unfortunately, Ryong's phone, complete with unfinished messages, is located up there, posing a potential threat to his well-being.
In a state of intoxication, Kang-su shows up at Go-eun's place. As she ushers him in, she discovers a picture of her tucked away in his wallet. There, he confesses his desire to protect the morula, despite it being Ryong's creation in the first place.
In the aftermath of these revelations, Eve unearths the identity of her birth mother in an unexpected twist. Jung Na-mi, one of Ryong's mothers and the very one who had abandoned Eve in a taxi, as seen in earlier flashbacks, appears before her. Na-mi confesses that since that fateful day, she had harbored thoughts of ending her life, until Ryong entered her world. She struggles to embrace the role of Ryong's mother, haunted by her troubled past. Eve, though, insists that she was not the one left behind (despite the truth staring her in the face), and their conversation is laden with a tense, brittle politeness.
Ryong, oblivious to this history, and Na-mi both wish to keep it that way. Eve, offering a faint smile, concurs to keep silent, but after her mother departs, she notices a lipstick smudge on the mug's exterior. This prompts her to conduct a DNA test, which, in solitude, confirms beyond doubt that Na-mi is indeed her mother.
However, Eve's moment of clarity is abruptly shattered when Female Mouse 3, the pregnant one, begins to hemorrhage. Tragically, both mother and unborn pup perish.
Later, on her way home, Eve crosses paths with Ryong, who hands her a marriage registration form—not as a proposal but as a poignant reminder of their shared solitude, devoid of family ties. This revelation sits awkwardly between them, given Eve's newfound knowledge of her biological mother. Ryong, sensing her turmoil, offers solace, urging Eve not to grieve in isolation anymore. As they continue their conversation, the camera slowly pulls back, bringing this chapter to a poignant close.
