Step By Step – Season 1 Episode 9 Recap & Review

I Like You, “It Makes Sense to Me”

Episode 9 of Step by Step starts with Pat in his house the morning after thinking about his recent realization that Jeng likes men. He fails to go to work and when Chot asks he says he will be taking some time off. Jeng approves with a response to the group chat saying Pat can take as much time as he needs.

Downstairs, Pat’s mother pays him a surprise visit and is making breakfast. For a minute Pat forgets about the night before but his mother reminds him of just how wrecked he was and he rushes to the bathroom to barf.

When having breakfast, Pat’s mom asks him about Jeng. He had dropped him off the night before and had told the mom that he was Pat’s friend. The mom wanted to confirm that they were friends. She says that Jeng is handsome and polite, which makes Pat want to change the topic.

Elsewhere, Jeng is beating himself up due to the agreement with his father. He is to leave the digital department if the team does not make any considerable progress. Also, Pat is ignoring him since his confession the night before and telling him that he likes men. Pat keeps avoiding Jeng and even takes more days off without informing him.

Pat’s dad visits in the middle of this. Pat wonders why he’s arrived after his mother and believes they planned it. However, it is almost Pat’s birthday and his father always visits around the same time. Pat seems to have forgotten it’s his birthday though! His father makes him a meal after Pat burns the noodles he was making before his father arrived.

Pat is back to work and Jeng avoids him in return by asking Chot to fill up for him at work. Chot opens up to Pat about him and Krit. He tells Pat that since Krit’s parents are not so acceptant of gay people, Krit is forced to keep their relationship a secret. Pat admires that Krit is straightforward in showing his feelings.

Jeng invites his friend as a consultant to overlook the digital department. The department has been operational for a while since he set it up but due to poor management, it has no tangible performance to show. The friend declines since he had not worked in a salaried position for long. Jeng asks him to refer someone but knowing Jeng’s perfectionist nature, the friend knew that no one would be good enough for Jeng.

He offers a different approach; Jeng could train someone in the department to take over, someone he trusts.

Jeng joins Chot, Pat, Jen, and Jaab in watching a recently produced advertisement. The room is too cold and noticing Pat shivering, Jeng offers his jacket. Pat instead gives the jacket to Chot saying that he was more cold. Afterwards, Jeng asks to speak with Pat. He asks Pat if he had made him uncomfortable since he has been avoiding him and not answering his texts. Pat asks Jeng to not text him if it is not work-related and not to care about him. Jeng confesses that he liked him but Pat thinks it does not make any sense.

Back home, Jaab forces Jeng to tell him about what happening between him and Pat. Jeng tells Jaab that Pat only thought of him as a co-worker and he breaks down. He is unable to stop his feelings which are more than that. He likes Pat and he does not know what to do since it seems like their love would never happen.

Later, Pat joins a going away party for Jen. Jen is sad and Ae mentions that the reason he was like so was because of Jaab. Pat brings him a drink and asks when Jen thinks he would be back. Jen says he was not sure but he knew that he needed to go since he could not concentrate at work. Pat wishes he had a home in another city he could escape to and Jen invites him to visit his hometown.

While talking to Jen, Pat confides in him that he thought Jeng is too good to be true and might be playing with his feelings. Jen asks Pat not to sell himself short. If Jeng likes him, he would find a way to open up and if he was playing with his feelings, he was no better than Jaab. They toast to the two brothers giving them heartache.

Jeng does not show up to work for a few days after his confession was rejected. Chot tells Pat that Jeng might be resigning and was looking for someone to replace him. Pat is shaken by the news and rushes out. At the office, his colleagues give him a surprise birthday cake baked by Jeng. Pat and Jeng lock their eyes for some time before Pat blows out the candle.

Back home, Pat’s mom and dad have another celebratory cake waiting but they notice Pat is disturbed. They urge him to open up and he tells him that he has a type of feeling filled with memories that he does not know how to react to. His parents encourage him to be strong and that they will always be there for him even if they were separated.

Next, Ae and Pat head back from shopping, when their van breaks down. Kanun and Jaab are stuck at work trying to shoot a commercial but are stuck at finding the right costume. Jaab is still stuck on Jen.

The van had braked hard which made Ae have an early delivery. They could not get her to the hospital and she was forced to have her baby at the back of the van with other passengers taking a video. She calls Kanun and sends him her location. Jaab accompanies Kanun, and luckily there is a doctor among the passengers who helps Ae with the delivery. Later, they call an ambulance, and Ae, Kanun, and their new baby are taken to the hospital. Ae uploads the photo online and their friends like and comment on it.

Pat’s dad informs him of a big package in his room. He finds that Jeng has sent him a big box of snacks they had had together as a birthday present. Elsewhere, Jeng is still heartbroken and is drinking up alone in his condo. He wants to ask Pat how he was feeling but does not instead he texts him that “it makes sense to me.”

The Episode Review

This episode is full of conflicting emotions and takes viewers on a rollercoaster of feelings. First, Jeng is brokenhearted by Pat’s avoidance and stressed out about work. Pat is mean to avoid Jeng just because he found that he likes men and might have feelings for him. Pat told off Jeng felt so mean. It felt like the heart was shattered into a million pieces and Jeng’s reaction made it even more heartbreaking and Jeng crying afterwards adds to the ache in the heart.

Ae and Kanun finally have the baby it was a wild experience. The birth gave a glimpse of where everyone is at when they all liked and commented on Ae’s post. At the end of the episode Jeng texts, “It makes sense to me.” This is clearly a response to the one Pat made regarding Jeng’s confession when he said that Jeng liking him made no sense. Well, we’re certainly curious to see what happens next. Will Pat’s rejection make Jeng finally give up?