Harmony Secret EP 5

Yam and Ai are talking about the photo of Mae and Rachen. Yam insists that Ai can’t trust either and should step away from her; Ai maintains that she knows where to draw the line, and that Orienna always comes first. Let’s see how this turns out… Later, her father wants to know about the current status with Andromeda und the other business partners; Ai claims all is fine, but unless they signed exclusivity agreements, this cannot be guaranteed – and Andromeda didn’t, because Ai didn’t insist on it. Father isn’t happy about that, as that is one of the most important brands for the bidding; he warns her that he put her in this position, and he could just as easily remove her again. Ai notes that being his child isn’t as glamourous as the public believes, but vows she’ll do her best, ending the conversation. In a scene slightly longer for IQIYI and the uncut YouTube version, he then turns to Yam and asks her if there’s anything to report on her boss. He suspects that Ai isn’t focused enough on the bidding, she maintains that Ai remains committed to the bidding at all times and won’t let herself make the wrong decisions, but the father is not convinced. He changes the subject and asks whether she met her parents since she started working for Orienna – and we see in flashbacks that both her parents abused and mistreated her. When she escapes she ran by chance into Ai, and she helped here ever since; father not-so-subtly remarks that the parents don’t know where she is, and she shouldn’t report wrongly out of loyalty to Ai, or they could learn of her fate. With that warning in mind, Yam excuses herself – and goes to a bar, where she contacts G and invites her to a drink after work. G joins her as she downs a barrage of shots, which could kill her. Good, Yam remarks. Twenty or so shots later she is close to passing out, and G carries her home to her condo. She wants to wipe her down – but while in the kitchen, she encounters Orienna’s bidding plan – and makes a quick copy. Then she gets back to Yam who thanks her for her support and remarks that besides Ai, she’s the only one who’s ever done something like this for her – and I believe her. G says she’s just returning the favour; G wonders whether Ai is such a good boss, and Yam claims that she is the light in her life and that she would die for Ai, if necessary. They share an almost kiss before G returns to wiping her down; while in the kitchen again, she decides to delete the pictures; as she returns to the bedroom, Yam is stripping off her clothes; she says it’s no big deal, as there are both women, but seconds later they kiss and fall into bed with each other. Mae tries to reach Ai, but she doesn’t pick up, but she’s at home as Mae is listening to her via the bug she placed there. She wonders why she won’t take her call, and we see Ai ruminating about the photo of Mae and Rachen. In the morning Yam wakes up and realizes she just spent the night with G, who wakes up next to her. G doesn’t want her to leave, but Yam says Ai needs her support – as Mae does in regard to G, probably. She asks her whether she knows that Ai and Mae are in a relationship and G acknowledges it. Yam says their relationship won’t survive the bidding process, and it’ll be just like the two of them. G shouldn’t get involved with her again, she says. G wonders what this was, then, as last night, she wanted her – but Yam maintains it was just a moment of weakness. With that, a clearly hurt G leaves Yam to herself, who is not happy. Mae phones Ai up, they agree to meet up that night at the Althea bar. Then Mae tasks to her bidding group. She says they should use the numbers for their airport duty-free shops as a base but adjust them for inflation – and the double them, as the customers in the Greater won’t be pressed for time, and as the competitors will think the same way. They all agree. Meanwhile, Ai has the same discussions with her bidding group and propose their bid to be 24 billion THB using a similar approach to come up with that number. Then nothing makes sure that this is the highest bid her father asks, and Ai acknowledges that. Then we need another approach, her father claims – but Ai maintains that unless they know of the other bids, there’s no way of outbidding them. He says he doesn’t care about the method; he only cares about winning. They conclude the meeting, and Yam looks at the father worriedly; she wants to talk to Si, but she leaves without hesitating, a conflicted Yam looks sullenly out the window, as does G in another building. In a scene exclusive to IQIYI (and uncut Youtube), we then get the meetup of Ai and Mae at the Althea bar, where they meet in a private room and kiss at once – then, Ai gives her a drink she later calls “Beautiful trap” that’s first sweet then bitter, claiming that she likes it because the sweetness makes one forget the bitterness. (That’s exactly the opposite effect of “Silver Lining”, the drink Oat mixed for Nene in “Us”). They move outside to a place by the river and Ai says that last time they watched the real life. So, this time Mae wants her to witness a dream, she asks (wasn’t it Ai who dragged Mae to both places?) But Mae agrees, maintaining that this is such a beautiful dream that she doesn’t want to wake up. They talk about business for a bit; both claim they’ve finished their bidding proposal. Are there any other bidders to watch out for, Ai asks, and Mae mentions Great & Grow, Rachen’s company, and reminds her that Ai warned her about him already. Ai lets go of her hand and agrees that other than him there’s really no company to worry about. Mae says that for her, Orienna is the most dangerous rival, always toying with her heart. Ai says for her Superior is the scariest rival, because their leader drives her crazy. Later at home, Mae witnessed glass shattering – her father collapsed. She takes him to the hospital, and he’s diagnosed with arrythmia. The doctor says it is perfectly treatable, as long as they avoid trigger like stress. (Yeah, that’s gonna happen…) But dad claims Mae will eventually succeed him, and winning the auction will give her some great standing in the company. She promises to win the bidding; then we witness a scene where her father told the doctor to say it so that she will put all her energy into winning (The fathers are really equally sh*tty – one openly threatens his child, the other subtly manipulates his). Mae drives from the hospital to Ai and kisses her passionately. Ai asks her if she’s sure, Mae is – and makes a remark that got me worried if that’s her way of saying goodbye. But Ai doesn’t care; IQIYI/uncut watchers are treated to a steamy bathroom scene first while the cut YouTube version directly cuts to the afterglow in bed. Ai asks whether she liked it, and Mae asks whether she really has to say it, and Ai says she’ll do it again anyway. Mae thinks Ai has the upper hand, but Ai disagrees - what they just did puts her at a disadvantage, because now she feels even more for Mae. They make a pact not letting the business dealings decide the outcome of their relationship. But I have my doubts. After her stay at Ai’s place, she phones up Rachen and proposes a meeting with him the following day. He says it all comes down to one number: the concession fee, and he’s got all the other competitors covered, only Orienna remains. Only IQIYI/uncut viewers see that Rachen knows of Mae’s meetings with Ai, he’s got photo evidence of the two. As they both are women, Mae should have no trouble finding that number out, as Ai has a “special interest” in her. Mae’s asks why she should trust him, and Rachen says at least he’s upfront about it, not telling her sweet nothings that no competitor should, he clearly means Ai… …who’s getting a visit from her father. He knows that Ai and Mae have met up and wants to know what exactly is going on. And that’s where the episode ends. ___ I guess we will find out next week whether Mae really takes Rachen up on his – bad – offer, and whether she can find out anything anymore or if Ai is ousted as the leader of the Orienna bid. And will G and Yam reconnect, after Orienna's assistant cut ties abruptly? The next episode promises to be at least as dramatic as this was.

Ai’s scumbag of a father using Yam’s abusive family to try and force her to betray Ai is infuriating. I loved P’G and Yam’s interactions this episode as well.

The audacity of this man to essentially threaten Yam with her abusive parents. However, this episode showed us why she's so loyal to Ai. It will forever be one of my favorites from this series.