Seriously, incoherent with happiness here.
First, to get it out of the way, clearly it wasn't Kang To at the end but one of the comrades. I wonder if it will full Shunji into believing Gaksital is dead. Seeing that Kang To was preparing to limp to the rescue and thus will probably show up as Gaksital in the beginning of ep 19, probably not.
I loved loved loved every scene between Kang To and Mok Dan in this episode. It was a hurt/comfort junkie's dream - the way she cradles him in her lap and how he is borderline conscious but keeps looking at her with that adoration in his eyes. The way he gives her that clutched knife, wordlessly. The way he wipes her tears despite barely being able to move. The kiss! (Though I kept muttering that kissing is all well and good but he better make sure he doesn't bleed out, first). The way she rips her shirt to make a bandage for him. The way she is later helping ahjusshi fix him. The way she listens to him and is open and promises to not leave him (he needs to hear that so badly - everyone he's loved left one way or another - no wonder he looks at her like a lost little kid). The way she sneaks out at night to jump on his bed (sadly, this sounds more X-rated than it is).
Mok Dan is like a rock of strength in this episode - telling (and more importantly) showing Kang To how much she loves and admires and will stand by him, fooling Shunji by shamelessly using his psychoses and wishful thinking (serves Shunji right - whenever he touches her, my skin crawls. And he is condemned by his own mouth, promising her father's protection when she knows he lies). And she forbids Kang To to rescue her father, despite how much she loves her father, because being wounded, Kang To would just get killed.
And Kang To - despite being physically hurt and (as ahjusshi puts it), emotionally and physically exhausted, this is the first time we see him at peace since probably his family died. The woman he loves, loves him back and, knowing everything, sticks by him. The way they clutch each other, with so much strength and tenderness and need - it guts me. Oh, and he holds her hair when they cling which is a total kink of mine.
I've seen wildly varying reactions to Mok Dan's acceptance of Kang To but it makes sense to me. She needed Young Master to be Gaksital so badly and she discovered that he was, after a day or so of horror of thinking he was merely a Japanese lackey instead. All that, and seeing him badly wounded defending her - I can see a cocktail of feelings overwhelming her. And then by the time she recovered enough to ask any questions, Kang To explained everything. Ultimately, being black-and-white and patriotic the way she is, helps him earn her love/forgiveness/unconditional OK. He is Young Master AND Gaksital AND Japanese Officer who confessed to loving her (and muddled her opinions) and who she repeatedly tried to kill (and feels guilty about - she flashes back at horrible things she's said). I really do get it.
A few more random things - the moment Kang To mentioned he is not putting aside the mask even if he avenges his family, I realized he is a goner. Anyone fighting Japanese in 1932, and not intending to stop ever, has a very low survival rate. Also, I loved seeing Rie and Shunji at each other's throats - two psychos going at it instead of harming innocents, for once. And Shunji's craziness wins over Rie's. But then - Shunji finally learned to shoot! Oh, and final note - Kishokai must be on drugs if they think that moving the capital of the Japanese empire out of Japan is feasible or good or acceptable.
And now, caps:
In the aftermath of her discovery. You do NOT want to know how many times I've rewatched this.
Hobbling in to be treated. I love the way she supports him:
The conversation where he explains everything and holds nothing back, not trying to defend or excuse. And so does she. And she tells him she will never leave him. OMG.
She goes back to protect him...
Crazies fighting...
Shunji is creepy but I love the way Mok Dan is playing him.
He wakes up to discover she is gone...
She sneaks out to see him. I love the whole climbing on the bed thing. And the way she doesn't want him to risk his life for her father because she knows it would be hopeless.
Some h/c fun...
Loved the intercut with Mok Dan playing and Kang To struggling into his Gaksital outfit, despite his wounds, determined to try to save Damsari despite what Mok Dan said.
