Two months had passed since Park Dong Hoon and Lee Ji An, each on their own yet simultaneously, decided to fight for their happiness. Despite the exceptionally difficult circumstances, they resolved to take small steps toward fulfilling the promises they had made before Ji An’s departure to Busan.

Rightly so, there was no time to waste. The marriage between Park Dong Hoon and Kang Yoon Hee was but a facade, known only to those closest to them—excluding his mother and son. There was no chance to reverse or forget her betrayal. Such things might be forgiven, but one cannot reconcile with the fact that she was in the arms of another man—in this case, Do Joon Young, despised intensely by Dong Hoon. This was insurmountable. Thus, their feelings flatlined on the barometer of love, and Dong Hoon recognized that maintaining this pretense was futile.

This decision unleashed the potential of dormant feelings towards Lee Ji An, yet the dilemma was that complications arose, not only from the age difference but also because his appearance had been marred by an accident, and there was no guarantee he would still look presentable, let alone resemble his former self.

Despite these new circumstances, he did not give up. He allowed Ji An to draw closer and himself took tentative steps towards her. He had undergone several grafts on his face and neck which, for now, aimed to restore some mobility and mimicry, the ability to speak and eat. Therapists were impressed by his determination to improve these abilities.

As for his appearance… It was not good, unfortunately. This was no longer the face once beloved by family and friends. All that remained were his eyes; the rest was a vast scar from the injuries sustained. No one spoke of it, but Dong Hoon did not recognize himself in the mirror. Every morning, as he looked at his reflection, he had to repeat several times:
„It’s not a big deal! It’s not that important…”

His mother sometimes wept because of this, his brothers tried to ignore it, as did his friends. It was harder for his son, who struggled to accept his father’s new look. Yoon Hee had even enrolled him in therapy to deal with the evident trauma, without telling her husband. She decided never to cause him any more sorrow or trouble, and she adhered firmly to this resolution. However, it did not change the fact that she looked at his unfamiliar, deformed face with sincere pain.

Park Dong Hoon had already undergone initial consultations for facial correction through plastic surgery. Yoon Hee had found and scheduled him with the best clinic specializing in such traumatic corrections. The first of these surgeries was set to take place in a week, and everyone awaited it with hope yet tinged with apprehension, as is common with the anticipation of surgery.

Dong Hoon himself maintained a positive outlook. He believed the worst was behind him and that from now on, things could only get better. Ji An effectively supported him in this belief, completely disregarding his appearance. For her, what mattered was his personality, his heart, gentleness, and sensitivity, which she had long cherished. And the face… Well, it was just a shell. She valued more his gaze, which could express such deep feelings, and now it was even stronger since he no longer had to maintain the previous distance.

Yes, our Dong Hoon had learned to openly show her what he felt, and with this transformation, he felt truly wonderful. But we shall write more about this transformation a little later.