Episode 2 of Still Shining begins with the students preparing for their upcoming PSAT exams. Their high school teacher, Jeong-su, drops Eun-a and Tae-seo home and reminds them to be at the bus stop by 7 a.m. the next morning. He also goes over the items they must bring for the exam.
Later that night, Eun-a texts Tae-seo and asks him to arrive ten minutes early so they can spend some time together before Jeong-su arrives. The next morning, Eun-a gives Tae-seo her scarf for luck, while he hands her his nametag to hold during the exam.
After finishing the test, the two head to the beach. Eun-a suggests visiting the Han River, but Tae-seo admits he does not have enough money for the trip. She offers to use her allowance instead, and they decide to take a bus to Seoul so they can spend more time together.
Once in Seoul, they stop at a tent shop and order noodles. While eating, Eun-a talks about her mother, who left when she was very young. Despite the abandonment, Eun-a still speaks about her fondly and admits she never really had the chance to build a relationship with her. Soon after, she asks Tae-seo to show her the Han River. They hurriedly finish their food and run toward the riverbank.
Standing by the river, Eun-a confesses that she dreams of becoming independent someday. For her, independence means reaching a point where her father is mentally stable enough that she no longer has to worry about him. Tae-seo says his dream is simply to become self-reliant so he never has to burden anyone else.
Later that night, the couple rushes back to the station to catch the last train home. During the ride, Eun-a wonders whether their relationship can survive once they leave for college. Tae-seo reassures her that they will be able to stay close through constant messages and calls. Feeling hopeful about their future together, they share a kiss.
After returning home, Eun-a sneaks Tae-seo into her house. The two are nervous and awkward around each other, but eventually end up in her bedroom. When her father, Seon-gyu, knocks on the door to check on her, Eun-a quickly tells him she is going to bed. Tae-seo panics until Seon-gyu leaves.
When he tries to unbutton her shirt, Eun-a suddenly becomes shy and admits she is embarrassed about the floral thermals she is wearing. Over the next month, Eun-a and Tae-seo secretly spend time together while applying to their chosen universities.
One evening, So-hyeon and her colleague Bae Seong-chan discuss Seon-gyu. So-hyeon asks Seong-chan to bring food for Eun-a, who is in her room. Unaware that Tae-seo is inside with her, Seong-chan quietly leaves the food outside the door.
As they wait for their college acceptance letters, Eun-a and Tae-seo spend most of their days together. Eventually, Jeong-su informs Tae-seo's grandparents that he has been accepted into the university of his choice. Tae-seo later takes Eun-a on a date and tells her he must move to Seoul immediately to begin tutoring at a friend's academy.
Though worried about what the future might bring, Eun-a spends the rest of the day with him before his departure. On the day he leaves, Chang-sik drives Tae-seo to the bus station and gives him money to buy new clothes. Tae-seo promises to visit often, but his grandfather encourages him to focus on his studies instead.
Just then, Eun-a calls to say she is waiting at the train station to see him off. They take photos together and spend their remaining time talking before the train arrives in Seoul. As Eun-a prepares to say goodbye, she receives her own college acceptance letter. The two celebrate briefly before parting ways.
At Hanguk University, Tae-seo settles into his dormitory and later visits his parents' graves. There, he promises to study hard and assures them that he will take care of Hui-seo. Meanwhile, both Tae-seo and Eun-a begin adjusting to college life and meeting new friends. Despite their busy schedules, they continue talking on the phone late into the night.
Still missing Tae-seo, Eun-a eventually takes a bus to Seoul. She considers calling him, but decides not to when she remembers he has a tutoring session. Her resentment toward So-hyeon has not faded, especially after believing she cheated on her father. When Eun-a finally meets Tae-seo, they spend the day together.
Not long after, Eun-a runs into Seong-chan and learns that her father plans to marry So-hyeon. Shocked, she rushes home and confronts So-hyeon about the man she once saw at her apartment. Seong-chan overhears the argument. During the confrontation, So-hyeon insists she will end things with the other man, which only leaves Eun-a more upset.
As Eun-a tries to leave, Seong-chan stops her and promises to help her find a job. He also asks her to congratulate So-hyeon and her father in front of their guests. Though reluctant, Eun-a does so before leaving the house and heading to Seoul.
Once there, she texts Tae-seo about how uncertain she feels about everything. Tae-seo immediately realises she is in the city and rushes out to find her. The episode ends with him hurrying through Seoul to meet Eun-a.
The Episode Review
It looks like the distance is complicating the relationship between Tae-seo and Eun-a. Tae-seo is also going to a big and reputable university, but since Eun-a is studying at a local college, attendance is poorer, and students are skipping class more often than not.
Since they are quite young, Eun-a does not have many friends other than Tae-seo, which also explains why she is dependent on him and keeps reaching out to him. I like how by the end of this episode, Tae-seo made the effort to go meet Eun-a, but this also means that he is compromising on his academic and social life with his classmates.
The adults in this story have their own relationship issues to deal with, which I am not very interested in. Something about Seong-chan being in such proximity to Eun-a makes me worry that they will be getting closer to each other as the show progresses.
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