TL;DR Version:
Pran is upset because the architecture students are the only ones to get punished after the recent big fight. Pat doesn’t like Pran rebuffing him, and keeps trying to help him out. Eventually Pat is able to help Pran get some more money for the project, get the engineers to help, and restore Pran’s extra-curricular privileges. It’s also fairly clear Pran has had a crush on Pat for a while.
Recap:
Pran is experiencing writer’s block while working on a song when his friend Wai advises him to use his own life for inspiration. Something like a secret crush.
This sends Pran into a flashback where Pat made Pran a guitar pick out of his own ID because Pran got fussy about using his own. Pran is smiling as he leaves the flashback and Wai notices it but Pran denies it.
Sometime later, I assume, Pat and Pran are in a marathon of bicker-flirting. First over dinner (Pat treats) and then in a race up the stairs when the elevator is out of commission. They finish things off with some tussle over PPL and flirty banter before retreating to their own rooms. This peace isn’t going to last though, because Pat’s gang shows up to let him know about the destroyed bus stop.
Because they started the fight the architecture students are the ones stuck fixing everything with an apparently impossibly small budget. This puts Pran in a mood and he rebuffs all Pat’s attempts to reach out to him. Pat finally resorts to the old tin can on string trick between their family homes. Pran is pissed because the Architects may have thrown the first punch but the Engineering students uploaded a video of Wai being harassed at his job, with Pat smiling in the background.
Pat tries to make amends by deleting the video but Pran isn’t satisfied. This only encourages Pat of course, who sticks close to Pran and gives him an idea on how to get the money. Not only that, he squishes up close to Pran in an elevator and accompanies him during a meeting with potential investors, then steps in when it seems like Pran’s well-done presentation isn’t enough to get the money. Last episode it was said that Pat was Pran’s bad luck, but he seems determined to be good luck now.
In a better mood, they have some more physically close time hiding from one of their friends at a music instrument store. Pat also learns Pran thinks his guitar is long gone and that it doesn’t matter since they’re out of the competition after this recent fight.
Later that night, Pat’s relentless pursuit of Pran takes him to the bus stop where Pran is working on a new idea for the design. Pat gets him unstuck by thinking as an engineer and roleplaying as a heterosexual couple in various weather/emotional conditions.
Pran’s goodwill is lost quickly the next day when they only get half the funds needed. The architecture students are still in trouble. Pat, though, enlists the engineers to help them so that they will not need to pay for engineers or additional labor.
Finally, Pran approaches Pat, to say thank you. But Pat isn’t done being awesome yet, because he gives Pran back his guitar that Pat’s been holding onto, and tells him they’re back in the contest. Some sweet, sincere but also bickering words are exchanged about enjoying competing with one another.
And as Pran goes back into his room he turns his door hanger to a happy face.
Thoughts:
I’m so glad they didn’t go with the usual trope of some authority forcing them to work together. Watching Pat work so hard this episode to try and get back in Pran’s good graces and eventually do the right thing of his own volition was much more satisfying than a forced situation. It made it feel like Pran’s thank you was really earned at the end.
My guess last episode was that Pran already had a crush on Pat. The beginning of this episode and some of his reactions would seem to back it up, though I’m not sure how much he is aware of it and how much he is in denial.
The juxtaposition between the two characters continues to be fun, but I’m also pleased that it doesn’t go too far. Pran is definitely the more sensitive one, but it doesn’t stop him from getting into races with Pat or being tough in his own way. Pat is clearly the more relaxed oblivious one, but he’s sensitive about Pran and what he needs.
The friends are kinda characterless dunderheads that just make the plot go at this point, but we don’t spend too much time with them so it works for me. I’m not big on fighting couples, but Pat and Pran’s bickering is so close to flirting and so harmless that I’ve been enjoying it.