In the opening of episode 13 of Love Next Door, after a night filled with passion, Seung Hyo (Jung Hae In) and Seok Ryu (Jung So Min) share endearing words. However, the romantic mood is abruptly interrupted when Seok Ryu’s parents come home earlier than planned. The young pair pretends to be reading comics together since the early morning, and though Seok Ryu’s mother seems oblivious, the state of Seung Hyo’s misaligned shirt buttons gives away their secret. During a family meal, neither set of parents picks up on anything unusual about their children, allowing the couple to keep their budding romance hidden.
The episode continues with a mix of humorous and charming moments as Seung Hyo and Seok Ryu manage to sneak in their secret dates. Meanwhile, the relationship between Mo Eum and Dan Ho becomes increasingly strained, with Dan Ho’s daughter also being unable to visit Mo Eum’s home. To definitively quash any lingering feelings, Dan Ho bluntly asserts that he does not like Mo Eum.
However, Dan Ho has his own reasons for his harsh stance, which Mo Eum uncovers during an accidental meeting at a memorial service. There, Mo Eum’s daughter stands in front of two portraits and addresses them as her parents, revealing that Dan Ho is actually her uncle. In the past, Dan Ho suffered the tragic loss of his family in an accident and has since raised Yeon Du as his daughter.
Following this emotional reveal, Dan Ho continues to distance himself from Mo Eum but eventually reaches a breaking point. In front of Mo Eum’s mother, he professes his desire to marry Mo Eum, despite his feelings of inadequacy.
In another plotline, Seok Ryu begins to set her sights on her aspirations. Meanwhile, her younger brother gets into a predicament after investing in an unapproved mold-based protein product. Amidst family disputes about how to handle this issue, Dong Jin expresses his frustrations about not being as special in their parents’ eyes as his sister. However, with some encouraging advice from Seok Ryu, Dong Jin gains clarity and starts to carve out his own path.
Good news arrives when Seok Ryu wins a competition and earns the title of a culinary artist, prompting her to seek a job as a chef. Simultaneously, Seung Hyo receives an architecture award and is invited to a ceremony. He hopes to take Seok Ryu with him, but she declines, expressing her reluctance to face familiar faces. However, Seung Hyo soon learns that Seok Ryu is contemplating studying abroad, which leaves him feeling hurt and worried about the potential distance between them. Seok Ryu confides that she has sent her résumé to multiple establishments but has yet to receive any responses, leading her to feel insecure about attending the event with Seung Hyo. Acknowledging her feelings, Seok Ryu requests they take a week apart to sort through her conflicting emotions.
As they stop communicating, an unfortunate incident occurs when Seung Hyo is injured at a construction site. Seok Ryu rushes to the hospital in tears, only to discover that he has merely sprained his ankle. In a heartfelt moment at the hospital, Seok Ryu confesses her love and reassures him that she should not doubt their relationship. They embrace, promising to always support one another.
Love Next Door airs every Saturday and Sunday night on tvN.
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