Meanwhile, Professor Kim confronts Dean Hwang about his acceptance of Chi-ang and Shi-woo. He figured out that the opening of the seal wasn’t done by Dean Hwang himself, and suspects that it was one of the boys — but Hwang doesn’t know which, so he allowed them both to stay. Hwang admitted that it’s out of character for him, but now he hopes that his instinct wasn’t wrong.

Shi-woo takes the meditation class seriously, but Chi-ang takes advantage of everyone’s closed eyes to sneak glances at Soon-deok. Professor Beop asks the students what they see, and when Sun-ah says she sees a fire, it appears to bother Shi-woo. He remembers a fire again, and sees a baby screaming next to an apparently dead woman. He wakes violently, sweating and gasping for air, but when Professor Beop asks about what he saw, he denies seeing anything.

Not wanting Shi-woo to get all the attention, Chi-ang says that he saw something too. He describes a group of thugs, and leaving a girl behind to run away. He makes the students laugh, but Sun-ah tells them all to knock it off. Shi-woo looks furious, and Soon-deok notices his anger.

All the way in China, Chi-ang’s father pulls an ornate box from his desk, and opens it to stare at the tiny metal charm inside. Back in Korea, his mother visits Soon-deok’s family to offer payment in return for saving her son’s life, though Soon-deok’s father won’t hear of it.

Soon-deok’s aunt follows Chi-ang’s mother out to try to get her to hand over the envelope of money anyway, but Chi-an’g smother is just dim enough not to get her hints. Aunt seems to recognize her and asks if she’s from Masam, which seems to give Chi-ang’s mother a fright. Regardless, Aunt determines to marry her niece off to Chi-ang, and get herself a better place in the world.

Nothing could be further from Soon-deok’s mind, as she fumes over Chi-ang’s assey behavior in meditation class. Chi-ang grins that she must be staying mad at him because he said she was pretty when she’s angry, but Soon-deok tells him to scram. She’s not the only female he’s pissed off, and Sun-ah threatens him not to bother her Shi-woo Oppa again.

Frustrated, Shi-woo packs to leave, but Dean Hwang’s words that he could train and help heal himself weave through his mind, making him hesitate. He shows up at martial arts class, where the students watch Soon-deok and Sun-ah expertly spar with wooden staves. Soon-deok wins the round and when Chi-ang starts to approach her, Jeong warns him venomously that this class isn’t for beginners and useless idols.

He directs them to the beginners’ class and Chi-ang bristles, but a word from Soon-deok has him smiling again. Jeong digs at him (in English, for some reason), telling him to show off his money somewhere else. Chi-ang retorts that he’s not here by choice anyway, so Jeong tells him to leave.

Sun-ah has had about enough of Chi-ang as well, telling him that they all have hopes and dreams they’re here to pursue. Chi-ang and Shi-woo aren’t skilled enough for this class, so they’re wasting everyone’s time here.

Chi-ang is ready to verbally spar some more, but Shi-woo takes action. He deftly kicks a stave into his hand and asks if he can stay if he proves he’s skilled enough. Sun-ah warns they’re not trying to exclude them arbitrarily, it’s just that he could get hurt.

Shi-woo executes a few basic moves, asking if this is what they’d learn in beginner’s class, and it becomes clear that he may actually know how to handle himself. Chi-ang also claims to know a few moves, so Jeong proposes that they spar each other, and defend their right to be at this school.

But the rules of the school say that fighting means expulsion, except in competition. He finds a loophole to make it a competition to earn the right to stay — loser goes home. Soon-deok tells them not to do it, that Jeong is just provoking them, but Shi-woo goes to the center of the circle and Chi-ang quickly joins him.

They face off, and at the beginning they seem surprisingly skilled, and equally matched. Chi-ang’s style, to exactly nobody’s surprise, is pretty straightforward and relies on brute strength, while Shi-woo displays an acrobatic ability that impresses even Jeong.

It’s not long before they grapple face to face, and both boys throw a punch simultaneously, determined to be the winner and earn their right to stay at Moorim School.