I don't think we can call one week - two weeks at best - a time skip though. Or maybe that's just me.
Jihwa hired an assassin, he's not going to make him wait months before killing NK. In earlier chapter, although it wasn't snowing, the weather was already quite cold. And we know that snow can suddenly start falling overnight.
I think for me it's just a bit hard to believe that Nakyum went through the stages of heartbreaking and being able to let go as it shows in the last chapter. He sounded as if he had time to mourn the heartbreak and then move on and a week or two sounds a bit forced to me... I would guess a month has gone by at least.
The assassin could be watching Nakyum and the house for a while... I think that for such a job it would make sense to not rush if he has to come up with a plan.
Anyway, I guess the author didn't put a specific time frame so we would be wondering like this. Let's hope we get an answer in season 2. :)
For the shippers that saw the spoilers for raw 44 and the end of the season, how's all feeling about it? ~spoilers~
So, the author chose to keep a certain mystery about Seungho x Nakyum's dynamic after that last sex. It has been two chapters without direct interaction and we don't know exactly what is going on between them... we get an exchange of stares. My impression though on this chapter is that, even if we don't know for sure, there is a vibe of 'they became assumed lovers' around them. Both Seungho and Nakyum look so ... calm, 'unproblematic' in their scenes.
- The time skip and Nakyum's closure with his past: A season change has gone by. ... are they sharing a bed? Eating together? Do they spend any time together that is not sex? I think the most important thing about the time skip is that Nakyum clearly got a grow up phase regarding Inhun. The scene where he has a quiet, serene smile when he says to the servant that he can just throw the picture away, seems like a closure for NK and his realization that he is okay. Nakyum has let go and moved on from whatever feelings he felt for Inhun.
- Seungho x Inhun : Seungho asking Inhun if he was not going to see NK to say goodbye before he leaves. Say what? What confidence is that for that guy that last time was ready to break them off talking with a sword? Seungho stopped worrying that NK will run away. Does he feel that NK moved on? Other thing: Inhun doesn't understand why Seungho concerns himself so much with NK.... after he leaves we see Inhun thinking about how Seungho always makes everything about NK. I think Inhun had discarded NK position with Seungho only a new sex toy for Seungho but now Inhun is rethinking several things he overlook before .... he just figured out Seungho cares for the lowborn. This becomes a very important part of the plot because Inhun thinks to himself: 'Nakyum is still useful then'
- The winter clothes: They are warm, obviously expensive for his position in society. Besides all the other points that the author wrote in S1 showing that Seungho provides special care for NK that he doesn't waste on others, the winter clothes is another one. But, most important, the clothes finally confirm NK position for everyone else. He is Seungho's assumed lover and others better watch out before look down on him (the servants, the tailor) . If before there were only gossip that master Yoon Seungho had stopped sleeping around and was shacking up with a lowborn, the winter clothes is the final statement to everyone that NK is indeed his lover, a special one, the 'mistress of the house' as that other fuck boy mocked Jihwa about and asked Seungho during the hunting... the position that Jihwa wanted... Seungho official lover. We didn't get to see NK reaction when he got his makeover but he looks very natural about it now... if before NK looked embarrassed if people knew that he was sleeping with Seungho, NK doesn't show the shame now. I suspect we will get to see NK fully 'upgraded' with a topknot at some point. Maybe he is taking lessons and learning to read too?
- Season 2 looks so promising. The assassin plot, snake Inhun plotting how to use his new found information, Seungho's family --- he really hates his father, doesn't it? I am getting a bit afraid that Seungho is gathering too many enemies at once. I think the assassin arc will backfire on Jihwa and somewhat get Seungho's harmed instead but let's see.
Anyway, My favorite scene in the end of the season is the sequence of Nakyum and Seungho exchanging a stare, NK is holding his head straight, then Nakyum walking towards Seungho while the snow is falling. This is even more symbolic because it was just after the scene where NK threw away Inhun's painting as if he had closed a chapter in his life.
I think Nakyum is not in love with Seungho yet at this point --- too soon for the plot and still there is so much to fix especially from Seungho's part to make it up for the hurt but Nakyum's breakdown after Inhun's words had the most turning point for their relationship. I can't wait for the official translation because I think we will going to see that it was not entirely about Inhun.... when Nakyum was crying on the floor and Seungho asked if he was doing that because of Inhun, Nakyum started answering in much general terms about everything that had happened so far .... the whole season we saw NK inner conflict about the paintings and sexual desire for Seungho. Some people posted here that NK is not a complex character and kind of vanilla. I disagree very much. I think all the times we saw NK dreams, we were watching the path for what NK blurts out at Seungho during that cry that makes Seungho look so surprised. But this is matter for after the chapter is release. This post is already too long.
Hope the other shippers are as hopeful as I am that we will get tons of Seungho x Nakyum good development next season.
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