Between Steps Episodes 9 and 10 Unpack Old Flames and Hidden Intentions

A time skip shakes up the dynamics in Between Steps as Min-jae returns to Seoul, confronting Yoo-jin with the real reason behind their painful breakup while Professor Lee confronts his growing jealousy.

Published 4 November 2026

A Familiar Routine and a Surprising Discovery

As the story picks up following a narrative time skip, Yoo-jin remains deeply comfortable within Professor Lee's personal space, taking care of his plants and handling his apartment with ease. During a conversation about mathematics, the professor hands her a slip of paper containing Min-jae's new telephone number from the United States.

Instead of keeping the contact information, Yoo-jin angrily discards it out the window, offering a bitter curse toward her former partner. This strong reaction heavily implies that Min-jae was the one who originally chose to end their relationship, leaving deep emotional scars that have yet to heal.

An Accidental Connection and Drunk Dialing

A drunken Yu-seong stumbles across the discarded telephone number outside Yoo-jin's house and decides to call the foreign digit. Operating without his usual mental filters, he bumbles through the conversation before learning a critical piece of information: Min-jae has completed his post-doc and is heading back to Seoul.

Realizing the magnitude of his mistake, Yu-seong scrambles to cover his tracks and seeks help from Soo-bin to keep Yoo-jin from discovering his late-night interference. Meanwhile, the perpetual eavesdropper Se-jin overhears the plans, setting off a chain reaction of gossip across the campus.

Professor Lee Gestures and Growing Affection

Professor Lee struggles to keep his professional boundaries intact as his feelings for Yoo-jin continue to deepen. Returning from overseas, he quietly stores a bracelet and a set of couple rings away in his nightstand, hinting at unspoken romantic intentions.

When Professor Ahn suggests a collaborative project between departments, he easily notices how the professor's demeanor brightens at the mention of Yoo-jin. Professor Lee quickly shuts down the conversation to protect her academic reputation, well aware that office gossip could severely damage her future career.

An Awkward Christmas Reunion

Seeking to bring formal closure to the unresolved chapter of Yoo-jin's past, Professor Lee orchestrates a Christmas dinner and intentionally invites Min-jae to join them. Yoo-jin is caught completely off guard when she realizes her ex-boyfriend is sitting across from her at the restaurant table.

When Professor Lee steps away to take a phone call, Yoo-jin follows him outside to voice her frustration over the ambush. He urges her to face the situation head-on so she can demonstrate to Min-jae that she has moved forward with her life.

The Truth Behind the Breakup

Reentering the restaurant for closure, Yoo-jin finally learns why Min-jae vanished without explanation. Medical professionals had discovered a lung tumor, and rather than burdening her with his health struggles, he chose to disappear as a misguided act of self-sacrifice.

Overwhelmed by the revelation and the lingering resentment of being left behind, Yoo-jin sarcastically doubles down on a misunderstanding regarding her supposed upcoming marriage. She storms out of the establishment, leaning heavily on Professor Lee as a sudden panic attack restricts her breathing.

Hospital Chapel and Knitted Gifts

Professor Lee directs a taxi toward the hospital, where Yoo-jin eventually slips away to the chapel to pray for Min-jae's recovery and happiness. Finding her there, Professor Lee playfully requests a prayer for his own well-being, easing the tension of the moment.

Yoo-jin presents him with a pair of handmade yellow gloves as a token of appreciation. Although he initially backtracks on his previous claim of buying her an expensive gift to avoid crossing professional lines, his resolve proves entirely short-lived.

Jealousy and a Bold Confession

Back on the street near the alley where Yoo-jin and Min-jae once shared intimate moments, Professor Lee finally lets his protective mask slip. Overwhelmed by jealousy and realizing the emotional hold the ex-boyfriend still maintains, he tells her to return to Min-jae if she cannot let go.

Moments later, he reverses course, retrieves the golden bracelet he had purchased for her, and delivers a direct romantic inquiry, asking if she would say yes to a formal date. Leaving Yoo-jin utterly blindsided by the sudden confession, he walks away without waiting for an answer.

News Overview

Episodes 9 and 10 of Between Steps explore the complicated fallout of Min-jae's return to Seoul and the medical secret that caused his past breakup with Yoo-jin. As Professor Lee grapples with his jealousy and eventually confesses his romantic feelings, campus gossip and accidental phone calls push the characters toward inevitable emotional confrontations.

Key facts

• Professor Lee traveled to the United States and returned with a phone number and a bracelet.
• Min-jae broke up with Yoo-jin because doctors discovered a tumor in his lung.
• Yu-seong found Min-jae's discarded phone number on the ground and drunk-dialed him.
• Yoo-jin knitted a pair of yellow gloves for Professor Lee.