So this chapter is the final piece of the puzzle I needed... Like I said before, it's very unlike Jeong-In to wander aimlessly for 10 years for feeling guilty... Yeah he could feel a little bit guilty but I doubt he'd fall into depression just because of that... What was Jeong-in's defining character trait in S1? His self-serving altruism. He does favors not because he's kind but because it makes him feel good about himself. Which is fine but it's kind of extreme in Jeong-in's case...
Anway, this would explain why he was fixated on Seunghyun all these years. He probably believes in Karma a lot. And he thinks that since he got someone who was potentially innocent in jail (even though Jeong In has perfectly good reasons to suspect Seunghyun. He even mentioned those reasons back in S1).
It was easier to think that everything bad that happened to his family was because what he did to Seunghyun backfiring on him and not because he was gay. Because he can't cjange being gay but he can try to atne for his sins.
And with his family shaming him for being gay... It made him an easy target to blame for their misfortune because... Conservative Logic hahaha anyway this eventually lead to his low self esteem (which is even more painful for a prideful guy) and descent into depression...
So to cope with the mental trauma, his brain went from "it's my fault because I'm gay" to "It's my fault because I let an innocent man go to jail"... In which case if he repents and atones, then he can get rid of his misfortune. So for 10 years, he practiced celibacy and saved up money for Seunghyun...
That's why when they reunite in S2, Jeing In only wanted to give him the saved money and then went on their separate ways...
But, because Seunghyun forced him into stay together, he got a chance to see someone who cherishes and treasures him so much... and he was starved for affection and sympathy at that point that he'd cling to him no matter how crazy he was...
That's why Jeong in got so mad when Hyunjin said that Seunghyun was lying to him. It wasn't about his feelings being hurt, it was about his sense of worth being shattered. Jeong in took pride in being Seunghyun's special person.
That's my take anyway... but my theory has a lot of "maybe's" and "probably" in it so I'm guessing others would also have an alternative character interpretation...
In any case, if my above interpretation is correct, this isn't a case of stockholm syndrome. This is Codependency.
So... Is their love real? hmm... I don't know but I know that love isn't the only reason Jeong-in is staying with staying Seunghyun...
Seunghyun, like in S1, was a way to make Jeong In feel good about himself again...
But they seem to have a perfect understanding of each other... They can understand each other like no one else can; they can handle each other like no one else can... So, it makes sense that they are fitted for each other...
Chapterr 55
Well, this bores a hole in my theory. So according to Minwoo, Jeong in's whole fanily issue started only 4 years ago, which would also be around the same time that Seunghyun got out... Which wasn't mentioned before...
My theory is that Jeong in became an easy target for his family to blame for their misfortunre because he was outed 10 years ago. Even though he was the victim of a rape...
So this means... It took 6 years before his family started having misfortune and thus blaming him... And tbh, the whole blaming him part also feels so scripted... how could they blame him for something that happened 6 years later? What was their reasoning? Nothing because it doesn't make sense. It's just a forced plot created by the writer...
So... if the family misfortune only started happening 4 years ago... And that family misfortune also wasn't mentioned beforem It was a late detail added... Then what was the reason for Jeong in becoming celibate for 6 years?
Trauma? He did say that he was sent to study abroad and it's possible that while he was studying, he'd be afraid to engage in any relations with other students considering that's how the whole fiasco with Seunghyun started.
It'll be better it we can get more details about how exactly he was ostracized by his family. or a better timeline of the events that happened to Jeong in these past 10 years...
I mean, 10 years is a long time. And he still kept in touch with Seungju and Minwoo? Or that both of them would still be hanged up on him...
Anyway... this 3rd arc feels like an cheap way to end the series with a bang, a big dramatic climax but it just made plotholes.
Chapter 60: The messed up aside, I need to say with my whole chest how SATISFYING it is seeing seunghyun cry and broke down. The whole story he always has the upper hand on jeong-in, they were never equal as jeong-in were always an object of his desire that he wants all to himself, he knows jeong-in in and out because of obsession. And seeing jeong-in use that against him? Fucking satisfying for me. Now they are equal in both mentally derange and spiritually twisted. To see seunghyun walls broke down so bad with FEAR and AGONY knowing he could lost jeong-in forever is soooo fucking good, no barrier were greater than death, no regret heavier than grief. Their love are sick and this story aren't that great but this one moment is... That being said my lord I've survive syndrome! It's awful but they my trash couple!
I think everyone had their brains and morals tucked away if you made it this far, we can take them back out. We did it! But before you do, enjoy this beautiful moment a little longer
Stockholm syndrome