Player EP 5 - UNCUT GEMS

Seeing Ploy's childhood broke my heart, it really explained a lot about why she doesn't let herself go all the way with Pun and thanks to her mom, Ploy does not have high hopes about someone actually loving her. Still can't believe Ploy's mother blamed her for her sister's accident just because the scooter was a present from Ploy. Ploy never received her mother's love from the beginning and it hurts to see that reflected through her eyes.

We start this episode with a flashback into Ploy’s childhood for a change. Her mother actually had her brother Phetai as a favorite and dealt with her only out of necessity, though Ploy tried so hard. In the end, she had to learn to love herself because no one else would. We then get back to the end of the previous episode, where Pun got a photo sent to her which showed her ex Golf and Phetai together, and where someone tried to catch her in the parking area; this turns out to be Golf himself. On the phone, the voice of the apparent P.I. tells Pun that Ploy and Phetai are half-siblings and that there was another daughter Pailin, wo died. Her mother married thrice and all her kids are from different fathers. Pun remembers how Golf treated her last time and immediately threatens him to call the police, but Golf this time actively tries to calm down himself and just wants to talk; he was also scammed by Phetai. Pun talks to Golf, but keep a safe distance (read: six feet apart); he tells her that he has actually seeked out treatment of his anger issues. He tells her that he found out that Ploy was his sister and observed her; he was watching the scene we saw at the end of episode 3 where Ploy handed him some keys; he followed him to an apartment where he tried to get his money – 500,000 THB – back from him; he tried to flee, but two other guys tried to catch him as well as he apparently has even more debt. He fled using a Taxi cab. Golf tried to get to Put for Ploy last time to find out Phetai’s whereabouts – as she was doing, Golf mentions. But Pun doesn’t want to investigate Ploy anymore, she admits. Golf tries to calm himself down again, then ask Put whether she wants to get her money back, and of course, she does. But she thinks there’s another way, to which Golf angrily asks her what the most important thing for her is right now… …when we switch to Pun giving Ploy freshly squeezed orange juice, she apparently met with Ploy just to give her that – and to say she misses her. She wants to appear to leave, but is happy when Ploy calls her to her side. Pun want to ask her a question – but all she gets out is something silly like: “Between ten Puns and a ten-year old Pun, which one would you choose?” Ploy replies to this by claiming that Pun is almost ten years old, isn’t she, to which Pun replies that she is not a kid anymore. But her birthday is coming up Ploy add and wants to know what her favorite present has been, but Pun liked every present she ever got. And what about her, Pus asks back, which is when her expression darkens and she replies that it was probably something her brother gave her. Pun tries to cheer her up by giving her a hug. Then, it’s Pun’s birthday, and she celebrates it by with her family, including Prang and Jay, at the family home. Her father mentions that she hasn’t met with them for a long time, net even mentioning that she returned to Thailand, and asks her what brought her back. She lies that she returned to gain more experience and even got a job, he tells her to take things slowly, but then switches to Prang and Jay, who are asked about marriage – which is legal now – but Prang tries to shove these thoughts out of the way. Later, Pun sits alone in the garden; she is joined by Prang who is wondering why she is sitting alone at her party. She asks her flat out whether she is broke – but how can she when Prang just gave her a million Baht, how could she possibly spend all that money this fast. Prang asks her if there is something else, claiming that everyone wants to help her, but can’t unless she opens up to them. But Pun lies that there is nothing, and even if there was, she could handle it by herself. Then, Jay joins them and this gives Pun a reason to end the conversation and leave the two lovebirds alone. Even later that day, Pun visits Ploy, and Pun’s friends are also there for another birthday party; they give her gifts, then leave her and Ploy alone, so that she can give her her birthday gift; she hands her some butterfly earrings, because Pun has been into butterflies lately. And the night is generally enjoyable for Pun with Ploy paying special attention to her. They, they’re playing some version of “Truth or Dare” where some shot glasses are filled with some nasty stuff which one must consume if they didn’t answer the question. The first interesting question comes from Ploy what wants to know about Pun’s first kiss. Pun replies that it happened freshman year in a car – and with a girl, Ploy teases out of her. Pun returns the question, Ploy was first kissed in the science classroom in 11th grade. Ploy then asks what Pun felt when that girl kissed her – but Pun chickens out by drinking fermented fish juice. Pun counters by asking which one of her exes took her virginity – which Ploy doesn’t reply, but consumes on onion. Then her final question of Pun is, what’s the highest number of people she dated at the same time. First, Pun tries to pretend that she never two-timed anyone, then, she goes up to two – but in the end admits that it was six people she dated at the same time. They’re waking up next to each other in bed; Ploy mentions that she was smiling right before she woke up, and Put says it’s because Ploy smells so nice, to which Ploy claims the whole room reeks of the alcohol Pun consumed. Ploy invites her and her friends to a sports day her TV channel organizes. Golf checks out Phetai’s room but gets hit by the Phetai before he leaves again. He obtained some documents, though. Then, it’s “Heart Pop Sports Day”, and Pun and her friends sit in the bleachers. Team “Pink Milk” is captained by Jay, Team “Purple Sweet Potato” is captained by Ploy. Pun carries a sign with her sister’s name to avoid suspicion – not that it’s actually a secret that she is dating Ploy. She throws Ploy some kisses. Jay is nervous backstage with Prang, she claims it because of the sports day, but then, she is called aside by Jae Ang, and it turns out that she planned to propose to Prang by faking an asthma attack during the game. We then get a glimpse into Jay’s imagination for how it would happen. Pun wants to get to Ploy, but she doesn’t have a VIP pass, so she can’t get in, until someone lets her in for being “Ploy’s girl”. She asks her whether she usually sneaks in girls like that, because she had no trouble getting in herself, and would make sure that she’s the last person to even gets to come see her, then. Ploy jokes to get her a VVVVVIP pass. She wishes her the best of lock, then says she’s leaving – three times, because she wants Ploy to hold her back. Ultimately, she leaves her to prepare for the event. A blonde lady called Dream comes over wishes her success and asks whether she’s tired, which Ploy denies. At the stairs, some other girl – Annie, we later learn – accuses Ploy of getting her way because she used to date the producer. The game starts by drawing a lucky fan who will throw the first ball of the basketball match that is about to start. Pun’s number isn’t drawn, but the girl who sits next to her has the lucky number, but Pun cleverly uses the girl’s fandom of her sister Prang to coax the ticket out of her hands. Ploy of course knows that she didn’t give Put that ticket, but Put argues that when luck is not on her side, she’d have to make her own. She throws the first ball of the game – but it bounces off the basket. Pun is sorry that she has missed put Ploy argues who needs luck when she has her. Then the game starts. Both teams score many points, but Annie is all over Ploy and blocking her, but Ploy scores anyway. Then, on the next shot, Annie pushes Ploy to the ground and then kicks her in the stomach; the game is interrupted immediately and Pun rushes down to Ploy, but Dream gets to her first, and Ploy is carried off to the hospital with Pun rushing after her. At the hospital, Ploy reports to Pun that her knee, hip and arm were bruised and her ankle got sprained, and she has to stay for the night until her headache goes away. She asks Pun to check online how the incident is reported. Pun finds only flattering comments and reports that argue the rivalry between Annie and Ploy might be real. Ploy says she was just minding her own business, but Annie never liked her. She’s not going to sue her – she will probably apologize soon, say it was an accident and that she didn’t mean it. Her image will take a hit, but it will blow over soon. But she hurt her, Pun argues, what would she do if Annie even got further – as she is leaning in to kiss her. But Ploy shies away, claiming she probably smells bad and doesn’t even wear perfume, yet, Pun argues that she always smells nice to her. They lean in again, but this time they are interrupted by Ploy’s parents. Ploy’s mother scolds her for only hearing in the news that she got injured, and claiming she almost got killed (hyperbole, anyone?), but Ploy sarcastically is flattered that her mother still keeps up with her headlines. Her father is concerned, but Ploy insists it’s just a few bruises, and she can still handle her mother’s lectures. Her mum wants to know why she didn’t call, but Ploy just asks her to do what she always does, she doesn't have to pretend to care because Ploy has always handled her own problems. Then, Pun joins the conversation as “Ploy’s neighbor” and tells her parent that Ploy really needs to rest, they can wait in the hospital or come back tomorrow; which is what makes the parents reluctantly leave. Pun claims they all just care about Ploy, but Ploy is not so sure, she want to be alone with just Pun and requests a hug, which Pun happily gives her. Pun wants to know if Ploy is all right with her mom, and she claims it’s okay – she is used to it… … which is when the second flashback to Ploy’s past happens. Her mom scolded her in high school for wasting time with follies like becoming a drum major for the school when she should be studying. From the off, Ploy remarks that her mother never got over her father leaving them, blaming it on her. Then, we flash forward to the hospital where her younger sister was due to a head injury suffered while riding a scooter she gave her. Her mother blamed this accident on her as well; after two years of coma her sister passed away. It was an accident, Pun argues, why can’t she see that, put Ploy has given up on mother long ago, she will always hate her. But Pun maintains she deserves to be loved; in no one else is doing it, then, she will love her. They hug, and Ploy cries. Pun then talks to Golf, who got into a fight with Phetai, he reports the earlier incident where they struggled at his place. He shows her some loan documents; apparently, Phetai has a few million Bahts of debt, that’s why he started scamming people left and right, including Golf and Pun. Golf has no idea where he is currently and asks Pun what Ploy’s take is on this, but Pun is sure that she has nothing to do with this and at most helped him hide. But that’s exactly what matters argues Golf, if she’s gotten that out of her, they would have found Phetai ages ago. Golf suggests contacting Pun’s father, who is a police commissioner, but Pun doesn’t want to involve him, either; Golf gets angry again. Pun claims she wants to recover the money as well, but there is nothing she can do. Golf corrects her that she could do something, but she chooses not to. But he will handle it on his own from now on and wishes her happiness with Ploy, then, he leaves. Pun’s friends debate over drinks whether to punish Annie for her actions online, but Pun wants to know who the person accompanying Ploy to get hospital was. Her name is Dream, they tell her, she is a producer on the show Ploy is starring in, and she is her age. They wonder if Pun is jealous, and she denies it – but her face says otherwise. From the off, we hear her voice: “In the end, everyone carries their own scars, even someone as perfect as Ploy Pitcha. And that’s part of why I’ve come to love this game even more – it’s not just about winning her heart, I want to win against the pain that haunts her, too. Actually, if this is really a game, it would be strange without this. So, the new player had arrived.” As she enters Ploy’s hospital room, Dream is already there, asking Play if Pun is her friend. We end the episode with another round of “Truth or Dare”; first, Pun asks her about her relationship with Prang, to which Ploy replies that she’s her ex, with the flame long gone. Then, Ploy asks her whether she’s ever peeked at her boobs, which see reluctantly admits. This was obviously cut from the previous scene because it ends on the same beats of smelling onions and fermented fish. ___ This was a different hour which cut deeper into the character of Ploy and featured less insanity by Pun. But we understand Ploy now a little better, and they got so close that Pun’s friends think they are already dating – und Pun’s narration at the end certainly went that way. While I enjoyed this episode, I found the tonal shifts to be jarring at times, and the previous episodes had a clearer general theme. But has Pun given up on finding Phetai, and what is Ploy’s involvement in all of this? I guess we have to tune in next week to find out. 😊