Last Twilight 1×02 Review: Episode 2

It’s Mhok’s first day on the job in the second episode of Last Twilight, and neither he nor Day are what the other expects. But all they need is some time and understanding – and a little bit of help from goldfish!

Mhok and Day got off to a rough start in last week’s episode, but I thought they both saw something in each other that called out to them. I guess that’s just the romantic in me! While last week I talked about how Day likely appreciated the way Mhok treated him like a regular person, unlike all of the other applicants for the caretaker position, in episode 2 we find out that the main reason he wanted Mhok for the job is because he doesn’t want a caretaker at all. He’s hoping that Mhok will be so bad and unfit that Day’s mother will stop looking.

And to be honest, for a while, it looks like it may be headed that way. Mhok shows up for his first day in ripped jeans and a t-shirt. He cleans Day’s room, making it so that he can no longer find anything important. He forgets his key and needs to use the spare. And Day refuses to let him help with anything, choosing instead to stay sequestered in his bedroom. He doesn’t even come out for meals.

Mhok is finally able to convince Day to come downstairs and watch a movie, and the two are having a nice time. Until Night comes home with some friends, not realizing that Day is not in his room. It’s clear that the friends have no idea what has happened to Day, asking him questions about his visit to America. Day panics and tries to leave, but he causes a bit of incident by spilling first the popcorn, then his drink, and falling to the floor several times. When Mhok goes after him to check on him, Day fires him.

The movie scene gives us a lot of insight into the family situation while not really providing us with concrete answers. Night having friends over without alerting Day was actually kind of rude; I know he wasn’t expecting Day to be out of his room, but it’s still polite to give a heads up when you’re having a bunch of people over. Is Night generally this inconsiderate to his brother, or is this something that’s cropped up since Day’s accident? I really hope we get to see what their dynamic was like before.

Also, Night’s friends (who may also be Day’s friends? Unclear) have no idea of his condition. How do they not know? Day was a nationally ranked athlete, so I assume that the car accident made the news. Also, the match where he lost his vision was televised – even Mhok was watching – so there would have been speculation about what was happening. It makes me wonder if Day’s mother is suppressing the news. And is the story about Day going to America what Night told his friends, or what the family is telling everyone?

Likewise, the following scene – where Day won’t let Mhok into his room, so Mhok kicks the door in – tells us a lot about Mhok as a person. He was all ready to leave Day alone when it was clear that he had no intention of opening the door… Until he remembered what happened to his sister, when Porjai found her in the bathroom. Mhok likely saw something similar in Day – someone struggling and not reaching out for help – and let his emotions take over.

Their conversation about each of their struggles was a good way to show what both of their problems are. Mhok sees the fancy house and the caring family and can only think about the fact that he doesn’t have either. He sees Day willingly secluding himself and thinks about how he doesn’t really have a support system anymore. But he isn’t thinking about what Day has lost; it isn’t just about one of his senses failing him. He’s lost his sense of purpose and his independence. 

What this does is lead Mhok to try to understand Day more. So he blindfolds himself and wanders around the market, to experience what Day experiences every day. He even tells Day that he is in that market all the time, so he should know it better, but it’s like he’d never been there. I think it’s about more than Day, though. Mhok is remembering how he wasn’t able to be there for his sister. But this is something he can do.

Unfortunately, this heavy emotional scene is kind of undercut by the fact that Mhok is wearing a shirt that says “Fart proudly”. Like, how do I even begin to take that seriously?

I like what Last Twilight is doing, though. Mhok and Day have vastly different experiences, but they both deal with a world that looks down on them. (Even Night asked Mhok to make him coffee, even though that’s so not his job.) Obviously, they are going to help each other through their various traumas, and in order to do that, they need to understand what each of them is going through. Mhok is already on his way, so hopefully soon it’s Day’s turn.

And you can see how considerate Mhok is of Day, even from the start. Day makes a comment that Mhok smells like smoke, so Mhok takes off his shirt so he doesn’t smell anymore. (He could just not smoke at the house, but you know, baby steps.) When Day asks if the jasmine is blooming, Mhok plucks a blossom and brings it to him so he can see it better. And of course, the slippers.

I felt that their reunion was a little soon, but I think it shows how much Mhok is already helping Day even though he hasn’t been there long. Just look at Day’s expression when Porjai rings the doorbell; he clearly thought it was Mhok, coming anyway.

Last Twilight is giving us a lot of little, sweet moments to coo over. I loved Mhok’s slow exploration of Day’s room, like he was trying to learn more about him. (A little creepy to do it while he’s sleeping, but what are you gonna do?) The Romeo + Juliet homage with the fish tank scene was also great. “No more loneliness, Little Day.” (I know that Day was probably putting in his eye drops to see the fish better, but it could have been a little bit about Mhok, too.)

And I didn’t think we were going to get the one span scene so soon, but I guess it makes sense, given it’s going to be the gesture of this series. (Even other BL ships are doing it! I know JoongDunk did it but for the life of me I cannot find the video.)

Things like that make me wonder if Day was already a fan of The Little Prince (he listens to the audiobook throughout the episode) and Mhok just so happening to pick it to read was an amazing, soulmate kind of coincidence. Or, was Day choosing to listen to that audiobook because it’s the one Mhok picked?

Now Mhok and Day have come to an understanding, we’re going to see Day coming out of his shell more. I think he and Mhok are going to try to work on his spatial awareness so that he can be more independent. And as I said before, I hope we see Day try to learn more about Mhok and what’s going on in his life.

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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