Things get even more dramatic in episode 13 of Absolute Value of Romance as Eui-ju struggles to reconcile her feelings for Woo-su, while keeping her biggest secret under wraps. While the episode does move the central story forward, much of the drama is focused on misunderstandings, jealousy and the increasing danger of Eui-ju’s web novel being revealed.# Eui-ju Fails to Confess Once Again
The episode starts off with Eui-ju finally finding the courage to tell Woo-su how she feels. But when her time comes, fear gets the better of her. Instead of admitting it, she tells him, to his surprise, that she wants to stop their extra study sessions.
Woo-su is surprised at the decision and encourages her to go on. He comments on her progress with school work and reminds her of the promise she made at the beginning of the school year. Ha-su overhears their conversation and immediately senses that something strange may be happening between them.# Making Feelings into Fiction
Later that evening, Eui-ju confesses to Go-ya that she can’t bring herself to speak honestly to Woo-su. So she decides to channel her feelings into her current BL web novel and find another outlet.
She starts to write a confession scene that draws upon her own feelings, with characters that are very much like herself and Woo-su. It is difficult in the beginning but in the end she finds a way to say what she can not say in real life.
The next day she nervously asks Woo-su what he thinks of the latest chapter. His answer was not the answer she wanted. He criticizes the character for acting in an unrealistic manner, accidentally hurting her feelings. It gets worse when he lectures her for not keeping up with her school work after she confesses to forgetting an assignment.# Seeds of Suspicion
At lunch, a few students complain about Woo-su being too strict. Eui-ju immediately steps up to defend him, which immediately makes her friends ask questions. Her unexpectedly fierce response suggests she might have stronger feelings for him than she admits.
At the same time, Ha-su finds out about the trending BL story, We Were Friends. She read it and knew the author was probably a student from Murim High School. Ha-su then starts putting things together, as Eui-ju is one of the few students she knows who regularly reads web novels and spends extra time after school.# Eui-ju’s Jealousy Overwhelms Him
Not only is hiding her feelings difficult enough, but Eui-ju also sees Woo-su smiling as he talks on the phone. She gets jealous immediately not knowing who he is talking to.
The view doesn’t help her spirits, and she feels emotionally drained. She later tells Go-ya that she no longer has the confidence to confess and decides that keeping her feelings to herself might be the safest option.
Meanwhile, elsewhere tension builds as Da-ju teases Woo-su about Deul-i. The jokes start innocent and escalate into arguments and frustration from those around them.# Ha-su Draws Nearer To The Truth
Eui-ju’s secret identity is threatened when she reads a comment on her latest chapter asking if the author goes to Murim High School.
Back at school, Ha-su confronts Eui-ju directly about the novel, strongly implying that she knows who the real author is. Eui-ju denies all, but grows increasingly anxious that her secret may be discovered at any moment.
She doesn’t express her worries for a few days, and she won’t open up even when Go-ya tries to help.
Ha-su continues her interrogation and asks Jennie about web novels but Jennie refuses to betray her friend. Ha-su is determined to find the truth even with this setback.## One Small Gift Leads to a Bigger Problem
Following one of the extra study sessions, Ha-su gives Woo-su a drink. An act that appears innocent soon becomes another source of friction.
Soon after Eui-ju talks to Woo-su in private and tells him that she will be taking a break from writing to focus more on her studies. Instead of backing her decision, Woo-su tells her to go ahead with her dream and not quit so easily.
Before leaving he casually offers Eui-ju the same drink Ha-su had given him.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, Ha-su sees the exchange from afar. Seeing her gift go to Eui-ju, she is immediately filled with anger, setting the stage for more conflict to come.# Summary.
Episode 13 is more of a setup episode and doesn’t really advance the main plot. But the most interesting part is finally seeing other students learn about Eui-ju’s BL novel. The storyline of her secret identity has always been one of the show’s strongest points, which makes this revelation surprising so late in the season.
If she had found out earlier, it could have led to more entertaining situations with Eui-ju juggling school life while trying her best to protect and continue her writing.
The episode also pushes Ha-su’s character in a frustrating direction. In the earlier part of the series she often looked like one of the more grounded and sensible characters. Now, her feelings for Woo-su, which are growing, have made her more and more jealous and self-centered. The love triangle is making her less likeable, rather than adding depth.
Episode 13 is more of a stepping stone to larger story developments than a standout episode on its own, but the romantic tension continues to simmer. However, with Eui-ju’s secret hanging by a thread and Ha-su’s frustration boiling over, the series seems to be setting up a more dramatic payoff in the episodes to come.