Episode SUMMARY
The information Director Yoon dug up on Hojin’s background wasn’t too far off the mark. Hojin’s mom did run away when she was pregnant with him, and she did go back with both Hojin and his brother to their father a few years later. The part that Director Yoon missed was the reason why his mom ran off in the first place: Hojin’s father was physically and emotionally abusive. His father, however, had some kind of Come To Jesus moment and realized how much he loved Hojin’s mother, so when she returned with the kids, he became such a devoted and loving husband, it was the talk of their neighbors. Sounds like it was a happy ending, right?
It wasn’t.
In a flashback to Hojin’s high school days, we see him as a swim athlete well liked by his peers. When he sees a fellow classmate being bullied, he steps in and gets the boy back his money. Hojin asks if he reported the bullies to their teacher, and the boy says he did but that nothing was done.
This incident seemed to further solidify what he saw with his parents: a victim cannot heal if they remain in the same space as their abuser. He reasons that this must be why his mother, despite her having a difficult time raising two boys herself, eventually divorced their father. She wanted to stop living in fear that Hojin’s father would return to his former abusive self. For her to heal, she needed to leave him.
But just when Hojin thinks his mom can start living a life of her own, tragedy strikes. His mother is killed in a car accident. At her funeral, their father shows up to pay his respects. He tells Hojin he regrets what he did to her in the past and says that was the only way he knew how to love back then. His father held the hope that Hojin’s mother’s heart would eventually heal and that they would all live together again as a family.
Hojin, however, knew that wasn’t what his mother would have wanted. In fact, she wouldn’t have even wanted him to be at her funeral. When his father makes a comment that his heart hurts so much he feels like dying, Hojin wishes that his father stay healthy and life a long life. Because to Hojin, his father deserves to live the rest of his life without forgiveness from his victims.
Outside the funeral home, Hojin decides to smoke the cigarette that his brother offered him earlier. He had initially declined, reminding his brother he’s a high school athlete. But it’s different now. While his brother tells Hojin that he has a strange side to him like their father, Hojin remembers the interaction he just had with their dad. Then, he thinks to himself that only kind people deserved to be loved.
Discussion
Okay, so I have something to confess. Maybe I’m just super dense, but I don’t understand the last few panels of this episode. When I first read this episode through a fan translation, I thought my inability to comprehend this scene was due to some mistranslation. Turns out it might be the scene itself. I get why Hojin believes only kind people deserve to be loved, especially after witnessing first hand what happened with his parents. But what is the strange side that Hojin’s brother was referring to? Is it because Hojin decided to smoke the cigarette when he had declined earlier? If someone can enlighten me, I’d appreciate it.
It comes as no surprise that Hojin was the same as he is now back in high school. I enjoyed seeing Hojin interact with his classmates. It was only a few panels, but you could tell he was a fun person to be around. He has the same, playful personality as he does now. Which is amazing knowing what kind of childhood he had. I mean, who else can joke about neutering their friends? (I might also be biased because Dacto used chibi Hojin here, and you know how I am with chibi characters)
This episode felt painfully short. I feel like I have barely anything to say about it. I know next episode is a continuation of Hojin’s past, and I’m really looking forward to it because the fan translation I mentioned earlier did a terrible job with the that chapter. I’m excited to learn what the true meaning of certain panels are next chapter.
Read Boss Bxtch Baby on Tappytoon [R15 Version] [R19 Version]
Series Details
Original Title: 보스 빗치 베이비
Author/Arthist: Dacto
Publisher: Tappytoon
Audience: NSFW
