Hearts Find Their Perfect Tune in ‘Jazz for Two’ Season Finale

BL Recaps Korea

2024-04-17
14:16

After realizing he has feelings for him, Se Heon kisses Tae Yi, hoping that Tae Yi will reciprocate. Joo Ha, on the other hand, is disturbed that Do Yoon has begun to avoid him, even though he was the one who gave the order in the first place. When the jazz comes to an end, will hearts beat to the same tune? In this BLTai recap of ‘Jazz For Two’, let’s find out!

Warning: Spoiler alert. Read at your own risk.

Episode 7: In a sentimental mood

Se Heon kisses Tae Yi, but instead of responding, he just gives him a long, hard stare. When Joo Ha encounters Do Yoon, the latter avoids him until he notices the bruises on the former’s face and can no longer control his worry. Exasperated, Joo Ha asks Do Yoon what he has done to him and why it is so easy for him to avoid him. Do Yoon responds that he finds it extremely difficult and now wishes he had kept his emotions to himself. Joo Ha surprises him by telling him that although he believes Do Yoon is disgusting for having feelings for him, he also finds it difficult to pretend that he doesn’t exist. While Do Yoon has been avoiding Joo Ha, he realizes that the latter’s absence has left a void in him and that he misses their interactions, even though the majority of them involve him bullying the younger. He admits to himself that he faces certain doom. Without saying anything, he rests his head on Do Yoon’s shoulder, eliciting a joyful chuckle from him and a promise to stop avoiding him. Do Yoon puts his arms around Joo Ha, who orders him, defensively, not to ask him to be in a relationship. Do Yoon, unable to control his happiness, tells him that he will not ask him to date or kiss him right away, but rather to stay in his arms for a little while longer.

In contrast, Tae Yi gives his lips a rough rub and turns away. Following that, Tae Yi treats Se Heon as though he is invisible and ignores all of his messages and apologies. Do Yoon observes his friends’ conflict and tries to find out, but Se Heon also stays silent. Despite knowing in his heart that he did not act impulsively, Se Heon couldn’t help but feel that he shouldn’t have kissed Tae Yi. A while later, Do Yoon asks Se Heon to join him in forming a bard and participate in the school’s Fall Festival music concert to win an air pad. After dragging him to Tae Yi’s apartment, Do Yoon persuades Se Heon to try to patch things up with the latter. Nevertheless, Tae Yi appears to have changed the passcode for his apartment, and nobody answers the door. Do Yoon recalls that when Tae Yi isn’t at home or school, he typically goes to his uncle’s bar. Warmly greeting them, Tae Yi’s uncle thanks them for being his nephew’s friends. Se Heon scans the bar and finds printed pictures of Tae Yi with the same person he saw in the picture frame at the apartment hanging on the wall. According to Tae Yi’s uncle, it’s Tae Joon, his other nephew, who was a musician but has since passed away. Se Heon recognizes that Tae Yi might have been the person Tae Yi mentioned to him when he told him that he reminded him of someone.

Se Heon excuses himself and goes outside the bar for a little breather. To his surprise, Tae Yi passes by and asks him aggressively why he is there. When Se Heon mentions that he went there in hopes of talking to Tae Yi, the latter accuses him of being a stalker. Tae Yi becomes aggressive with Se Heon and pushes him to the wall as he confronts him about his intentions. Se Heon boldly asks what he really feels towards him, but it further enrages Tae Yi, who ends up mocking him and asking if he thinks he’s a girl. To express his anger, Tae Yi corners Se Heon on the wall and asks him if what he is about to do is what the latter wants before he roughly shoves his hand on the insides of Se Heon’s clothes and touches his chest. Se Heon pushes Tae Yi back and tells him that he can just say no if he doesn’t have the same feelings as him. With tears in his eyes, Se Heon apologizes for kissing him that day and leaves without looking back. Tae Yi then finds Do Yoon inside the bar and learns that the two came together because they were worried about him skipping school, unlike what he initially accused Se Heon of. He realizes that he has gone too far and regrets how he acted. Inside the paper bag that contains his uniform, he finds a note from Se Heon thanking him for letting him use his clothes. The following day, Se Heon is back in the old piano room and is surprised when Tae Yi arrives and takes the seat beside him before saying that he can’t stand it anymore. Tae Yi plays the piano badly, and Se Heon comments that he is even worse than him. Tae Yi then starts playing seriously, and Se Heon ends up joining him. Their rhythm meets and produces a beautiful melody, easing the heavy tension between them. He then stops playing, puts his hand on top of Se Heon, and finally apologizes for the words he said before. He also says sorry for being dishonest, and while he doesn’t say directly that it’s about having the same feelings as Se Heon, he asks for his consent before kissing him.

Meanwhile, Do Yoon and Joo Ha begin to spend time together, although the former usually teases the latter by suddenly hugging him when no one is looking. Do Yoon also return to being suspicious of the nature of Se Heon and Tae Yi’s relationship after seeing them subtly flirt with each other in class? He also becomes worried as it appears that a requirement for the upcoming music content needs its composition, which they currently don’t have. The three promise to meet on the weekend and brainstorm. Later that day, as Se Heon tries to compose, he remembers the notes that Se Jin gave him before starting school. While he rummages over the files, a composition entitled “Jazz for Two” slips from one of the books, although there is no sign of whoever wrote the piece. That weekend, he meets up with Tae Yi in the old piano room while they wait for Do Yoon to arrive. Tae Yi shares that while he has not written any pieces, he can play something that his brother wrote before, although it remains unfinished. To Se Heon’s utter surprise, the score that Tae Yi begins to play is the exact score that he remembers from the score of “Jazz for Two.” He becomes bothered at how something that Tae Joon knows is in the hands of Se Jin. Meanwhile, Do Yoon finally arrives and lets them hear his composition, which turns out to be good until it reaches his rap part. In the end, the three end up agreeing to use the piece written by Tae Joon, although Se Heon remains bothered. Tae Yi asks Se Heon why he seems distracted, but Se Heon asks him instead when the score is written. According to Tae Yi, the score has no title and is incomplete because Tae Joon dies before completing it.

That evening, Se Heon remains anxious about the connection between their brothers and looks for Se Jin’s yearbook. He learns that Tae Joon and Se Jin are in the same class. As he flips over the pages, a photo of the two in a close position slips just as Se Jin’s voice comes from his side, asking him what he is doing.

Watch ‘Jazz For Two’ on GagaOOLala.

Episode 8: Jazz for Two

Se Jin questions Se Heon for rummaging through his yearbook, but the latter asks him instead how he knew Tae Joon and why he has his music score. Se Jin initially refuses to answer but gives up and finally tells Se Heon about their relationship.

In a flashback, Se Jin and Tae Joon are in the same class, but they have only had an interaction in the very same old piano room where Tae Joon usually stays. Se Jin realizes that Tae Joon seems to always be sad, except when he is playing and starts to make it a mission to himself to make the latter smile. The two started to get closer, sharing the same interest in piano, and would always stay in the old piano room. Later, Se Jin realizes that what he feels is no longer that of a friend only and ends up kissing Tae Joon’s cheeks when he thinks the latter is sleeping. What he did not know was that Tae Joon was awake at that time but did not say a thing. Se Jin pretends everything is normal and hides his feelings until one day Tae Joon plays a piece in front of him that he dedicates to his younger brother, Tae Yi. Always carefree with music, Tae Joon states that he doesn’t need to write the score as he will always change it depending on his mood, but Se Jin, who is captivated by the said piece, offers to write the score for him as he plays. After completing the score, Se Jin tells Tae Joon to give it a title, and just as he is about to write “Jazz for Tae Yi”, he changes it to “Jazz for Two” as he dedicates it to Tae Yi and Se Jin. Tae Joon then expresses that he also likes Se Jin and tries to kiss him, but the latter gets scared of the future and decides to step back. He also begins to avoid Tae Joon and stops meeting him in the piano room. When Tae Joon confronts him, Se Jin blatantly rejects him and calls him disgusting. In the end, the two-part ways: Se Jin chooses to go on ahead, while Tae Joon stays in the past and commits suicide later.

In a dream, Tae Yi sees his brother and once again asks him why he left him or if there isn’t enough reason for him to stay. Tae Joon apologizes to Tae Yi for being weak and asks him to start letting him go as he now has someone important in his life. Tae Joon tells his brother to wake up before it’s too late. Tae Yi is brought out of his slumber by Do Yoon’s call informing him that the old piano room is being demolished and that Se Heon has not arrived yet. He rushes to the school, where the room is now void of the piano and the other furniture. Do Yoon also says that he hasn’t been able to contact Se Heon at all. They get informed that the old piano room will be renovated into the choir room and that Se Heon’s family called to say that he has something important to do that day. Knowing that it is very unlikely for Se Heon, Tae Yi asks for the latter’s address and visits it that afternoon. He is welcomed by Se Jin, who is still unaware that he is Tae Joon’s brother. He only remembers bumping into him that day in school, and he thanks Tae Yi for visiting Se Heon. Tae Yi makes a motion to leave, but Se Jin asks him to wait for Se Heon and asks for his name. Se Jin is surprised to learn that his name is Han Tae Yi, and he guesses that the person in front of him is Tae Joon’s brother. At the same time, Se Heon arrives and immediately drags Tae Yi outside. While Tae Yi worries about why Se Heon is unreachable and doesn’t go to school, Se Heon is more worried about what he talked with Se Jin about. The two get into a heated argument as Se Heon tells Tae Yi that they should break up. He also informs him that he will go back to home school and can no longer be with Tae Yi, although he refuses to look into Tae Yi’s eyes. Tae Yi keeps on pressing Se Heon for an explanation, making the latter burst out that he just doesn’t like him anymore. Tae Yi tries to talk with him again, but Se Heon pushes his hand away.

That evening, Tae Yi gets a call from Uncle, telling him that Se Heon’s brother is waiting for him at the bar. Upon reaching the bar, he sees his uncle talking with Se Jin, who then gives him the music score for “Jazz for Two” and admits that they worked on it together. Se Jin apologizes for what happened between him and Tae Joon. After their conversations, Tae Yi sets out to find Se Heon, whom he knows is blaming himself and breaks up with him in consideration of what happened between their brothers. He realizes that what Tae Joon said in his dreams is true; he has someone important to keep now. He finds Se Heon crying in the park and tells him that he now knows everything and wishes that Se Heon would stay with him as he’s the only one that matters. The two clung to each other tightly. The following day, they return to school and now face the problem of having no room. They find a place with the help of Tae Yi’s uncle, where he shares what used to be his old music room, and the latter thanks him, not only for the help but for being there the whole time even without saying it. As the three brainstorm on how they will complete the score, Do Yoon hesitantly suggests that they add another instrument to not put the performance all on the trumpet, which Se Heon and Tae Yi agree on. He then tells him that he knows someone who can work with them and pulls in Joo Ha, who is anxiously waiting outside. Joo Ha offers to leave upon noticing the hesitation between the couple but ultimately agrees after Se Heon approaches him and asks him to perform together. Joo Ha formally apologizes to Se Heon and then Tae Yi in a banter. From then on, the quartet started working together and developing a close bond that they didn’t expect they would ever have. The performance day finally arrives, and Se Heon and Tae Yi cheer on each other as anxiety starts to creep in. They even try to sneak in a kiss but almost get caught by Do Yoon, who is almost sure that his suspicions about the relationship between the two are correct. The quartet then performed in front of everyone their completed version of “Jazz for Two,” with Tae Yi singing at first before he played the trumpet, Se Heon on the piano, Do Yoon on the drums, and Joo Ha with his guitar. At the end of the performance, Se Heon finds Tae Yi’s eyes on him.

Three years later, Se Heon, who is now a famous pianist, is back at Wooyeon Arts School to hold a lecture. After the lecture, Tae Yi waits for him and praises him for a job well done. Se Heon tells Tae Yi that the visit brought many memories, including their first meeting. To his surprise, the latter kisses him, which he returns passionately.

Writer’s Thoughts

We can’t believe it is over—it will go down as one of the best of the year. Even though comparisons between the webtoon and the adaptation—which presumably aims for a more general public market—will undoubtedly arise, the story still handles its main ideas extremely well. We adore the two couples’ love-hate dynamic, and it makes us hope that there will be a second season or special where we can see them in more couple moments. We suppose that’s part of the allure of short series—they allow us, the audience, an infinite number of possible outcomes. (And that includes a universe where Se Jin and Tae Joon will hopefully become a couple as well.) All things considered, ‘Jazz for Two’ is a title you can confidently suggest to someone who asks for a good KBL recommendation. Until the next jazz recording that we get to hear!

Enjoy watching ‘Jazz for Two’ on a bigger screen because GagaOOLala is now available to watch on your smart TVs by downloading the app on Google Play, Amazon App Store, and Roku.

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