Rising star Andaman is found dead in a car. The news speculates that stress from public criticism may have contributed to that death.
That’s all we get before going back a month in time!
Even though Pod lives alone, his former roommate Dunk wakes him for breakfast with their friend Bumm. They’re about to start their senior year.
Pod and Bumm are also both Anda fans, and excited about an upcoming show he’s been cast in with his on-screen partner James.
Time for orientation! Dunk pretends to be a serious and scary senior, but it’s a joke. This year, they want orientation to be about getting to know each other. And no Faculty King and Queen.
Later, over dinner, Dunk worries about Pod being lonely living alone. Pod gives Dunk some of his food. And Dunk steals some of Bumm’s food. Oh. I see what’s going on here. Poor Pod. AND they leave him with the bill.
Walking home alone, Pod literally runs into Jin. He’s got a grudge against Jin for… something about a sports field and messing with him? So he shoulder-bashes Jin as he walks away.
At a campus party? I guess? I didn’t socialize in college
People who aren’t Pod are shipping Dunk and Bumm. Also, the Engineers and Science-ineers are rivals, I guess. Jin is an engineer. Pod is science.
Flashback to our trio meeting freshman year, because they’re all Science. Anda is also a classmate, but in the Engineering faculty with Jin. Dunk and Bumm were Faculty King and Queen. Also, Bumm kept getting dumped.
But one night, Dunk asked Pod if he thinks Bumm is cute. Poor Pod.
Back in the present, a shirtless, jogging Jin sees Pod alone in the stands. Unlike Pod, Jin doesn’t seem to have a grudge. He checks on Pod and makes small talk. Pod denies being upset, but apologizes for smacking into him earlier.
Jin suggests Pod assist the soccer team so he can watch Dunk. Okay, that was a little naughty. Pod leaves.
Later, Pod and Bumm cheer Anda on as he’s being interviewed at the engineering department. During the interview, Anda brings Jin and two others over, introducing them as his friends.
Bumm tells Anda it’s Pod’s birthday, so Anda comes over to take selfies with them. Jin stands in the background.
Don’t give Bumm (or Dunk) any friend points yet
First, they take Pod to his birthday dinner at the restaurant where Pod’s nemesis Jin works. And Jin brings the cake.
Pod thinks about Dunk as he makes his wish.
Soon after, Bumm and Dunk admit they are dating. NO FRIEND POINTS. Forget Pod’s open-secret crush, friends don’t upstage friends’ birthday dinners with love life announcements.
Jin watches from a distance as Pod pretends he’s fine and gets drunk. After Bumm and Dunk leave, Pod uses his app to find a ride home and his driver is Jin. Heh.
Jin takes good care of drunk Pod, even getting him up to his room and onto the couch. The next day, Pod doesn’t even know how he got there.
Sportsball tryouts time! Dunk is in charge of everything!
The Engineering students want to use the Science-ineers gym, so they have a sportsball competition. After a probably tense match, I think the Engineers win by one point. So they get to use the gym.
Pod collapses to his knees dramatically. He’s that kind of person.
Meanwhile, Anda has REAL problems
Someone sent him a nasty present. The note says to go to hell, and inside is a bloody teddy bear. He tells Jin he has no idea who it’s from.
Anda’s boyfriend, Kum, is much older and a fan. So he’s delighted to receive a limited edition figurine of Anda as a gift.
After announcing the upcoming release of those figurines to his fans, Anda sneaks out to meet Kum, who is waiting in his car. Anda’s tired of sneaking around and wants to announce his sexuality and relationship publicly. Kum is worried about Anda’s career and how his family will react. But he’ll go along with what Anda wants.
Bumm and Pod REALLY want figurines. They sell out instantly. Not to them.
Soon after, Anda goes public about his relationship with a non-celebrity partner in an interview. He’s immediately blasted on social media. Bumm, Pod, and others support him, but they can only do so much.
Bumm worries at Pod about her relationship with Dunk. She’s got a bad track record. Plus, she knows Pod likes Dunk. Pod reassures her it’s fine.
Pod gets stuck assisting the soccer team for school credit
Jin is on the soccer team, so Pod really doesn’t wanna. He glares at Jin and tries to ignore him. What did Jin DO!?
Bumm isn’t letting go. She finds Pod in the locker room and offers to revert to being friends with Dunk. What good friend would say yes? To make her stop, Pod claims he likes someone else. And is seeing them. Jin.
Oh hey, Jin’s standing there. And he overheard.
Meanwhile, Anda’s mom is amazing, and his father sucks. He won’t even talk to Anda. Apparently he also has a brother, Itti, who doesn’t know yet.
Back to Pod. He apologizes to Jin for lying. Jin knows what’s going on, and that Pod likes Dunk. After being endlessly snarky and rude, Pod shamelessly asks Jin to hit on him. If he does it for a month, Pod will let go of whatever grudge against him.
Jin agrees, and Pod looks both relieved and cute. Fine. I get it, Jin, he is cute.
Jin puts on a good show in front of Dunk and Bumm
Dunk is a little confused and worried, but hopes this means the faculty rivalry is over. Was it only because of Pod?
Pod also brings up some headphones Dunk borrowed, which I think are important for the “mysterious sounds” part of this show we’ll get to eventually.
Things are a little better for Anda on social media now. While checking it online, Pod makes friends with his neighbor Amp, who is also an Anda fan.
Anda pours his heart out to Jin, confused about why it’s so hard when all he wants is to be himself. Ever since he made that announcement, he feels lost and wonders if he made a mistake. All his work has been put on hold.
He asks Jin if so many people really hate him.
Jin reminds him that so many more love him. Anda admits that while he’s met so many people as an actor, Jin and the other two Engineering friends are the only ones he can talk to honestly. He’s just exhausted and overwhelmed by everything.
Jin tells Anda to rest, and that he’s worried about him. Awww, nice friend hug.
The next day, Jin loses fake-boyfriend points by Talking To A Classmate
Risa in accounting is very cute and friendly. And just a friend. Pod and Bumm are snarky, and Jin accuses Pod of being jealous.
Later, Anda is at the Engineering department when someone in a mask shows up to talk to him alone. Jin isn’t letting that happen, but it’s James, Anda’s ship partner.
James calls Anda selfish for ruining everything for him too. Anda apologizes, and James brings up how Anda once rejected him, and he didn’t mix personal stuff with work. How… kind of you? He shakes Anda, accusing him of being desperate for sex.
Jin and the others step between them, making James leave.
At home, Pod happily watches Anda and James together on screen. Then, Jin shows up at his door with a gift. It’s one of the Anda figurines!
Jin pulled some strings to get it. Pod is so excited that he somehow ends up on the floor with Jin on top of him. This makes him so flustered he nearly leaves his own apartment.
But later, he tags Jin in his social media post about the figurine.
I’m not looking forward to Anda dying
On the other hand, I’m ready for some mysterious sounds.
But yeah, poor, sad Anda has some less-than-awesome people around him who could make good suspects. Boyfriend Kum seems nice, but maybe too nice? And too old? Anda’s father seems awful. So does his partner James.
We’ve barely met Risa or Amp. I wonder if either of them will be suspicious.
I’m trying to solve a murder before it happens. Is it too much to hope this show has a timey-wimey aspect, and they’ll save Anda?
On the other hand, I’m happy to be watching a brightly lit murder show. Dark shows about dark things lurking in shadows are good. And there are also a few out right now. There’s something about danger lurking somewhere on a bright, sunny school day that has its own creep factor.
Truly, I don’t mind Pod’s hot-and-cold attitude with Jin. But I’m hoping it’ll be a “fall harder” thing, and Pod ends up head over heels. I’ve got a bad feeling Anda will die before Pod falls, though.
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