Chapter 52: My Name is Su Yizheng

The plane landed at Incheon Airport, and as Ryu Hee-jin moved with the crowds toward the exit, she marveled at how much Seoul had changed in the five years she’d been away—even the airport now exuded grandeur and might.

Stepping into the brilliant sunlight outside the terminal, she had to squint against its dazzling radiance, yet her mood lifted with it. She took out her phone, intending to call her close friend, but the first thing her eyes fell upon was that familiar number.

It was always the very first entry in her contacts, yet in five years she hadn’t dialed it once. Night after night of pain and longing, she had spoken to those digits in silence, as if her words could cross the distance.

She lingered in melancholy for a moment, until a gentle tap on her shoulder drew her from her thoughts.

Startled, Hee-jin turned and, when she saw who it was, broke into a delighted smile. “Ah, Ari-young, I was just about to call you!”

Ari-young and Hee-jin had met in America. Hee-jin was undergoing surgery at the time, while Ari-young had just finished her cosmetic procedure; their shared hospital days quickly forged a friendship that endured. Later, Ari-young returned to Korea to pursue her revenge, while Hee-jin, her health gradually restored, finally came home as well.

Ari-young’s return was driven by revenge, but Hee-jin’s was for love. They knew every detail of each other’s stories—their lives laid bare, their secrets entrusted.

If, in a lifetime, one can meet a friend who is completely loyal, it is enough—such a bond is rarer and more precious than love itself. Ari-young seldom held hope for either friendship or romance, but there were two exceptions: one was Lee Won-jae, whom she had wronged, and the other was her best friend, Ryu Hee-jin.

So, in truth, she didn’t feel her life was so bitter. In the darkest of nights, there was always some faint glimmer of light.

Ari-young looked Hee-jin up and down, her face brightening. “You look so much better now!”

Hee-jin had always been thin—largely because, after stomach cancer, most of her stomach had been removed. She had to eat much less and avoid many foods, but these hardships seemed trivial compared to losing her life.

Ongoing complications meant Hee-jin needed to rest and recover for a long time. Only in the past two years, with her health somewhat restored, did she dare dream of returning home. In truth, her parents were utterly opposed to her returning to Korea to seek out Hyun Jin-hyun.

Ari-young had warned her more than once that, after five years, things would hardly be as she hoped. After all, when Hee-jin left Seoul in secret, it was at the lowest point in Hyun Jin-hyun’s life.

There was a vast misunderstanding between them, but Hee-jin’s faith in Hyun Jin-hyun remained unshaken.

She had spoken to Ari-young often on the phone lately, and now, clutching her friend’s hand, she asked eagerly, “How is your mother’s eyesight?”

She’d heard that Ari-young had recently accompanied Han Kyung-hye to New York for surgery, but at that time, Hee-jin had been undergoing her final stage of rehabilitation and hadn’t been able to visit them.

“She can sense light now—faint glimmers of brightness.”

Ari-young looked radiant, more beautiful than ever; people passing by couldn’t help but glance her way.

“That’s wonderful!” Hee-jin said, her joy genuine.

She had never supported Ari-young’s quest for revenge. From the outset, Ari-young had targeted taking away Eun Yeo-yeong’s boyfriend, and Hee-jin found that unsettling—as if history were repeating itself. But after Ari-young declared her revenge half-accomplished, Hee-jin was finally able to let go. She hoped Ari-young would not only see those people punished, but more importantly, would reclaim her own life, to enjoy living rather than wallow in pain.

Back then, she’d told Ari-young as much, and she still remembered her reply clearly:

“If my mother regains her sight, I can let go of my hatred completely.”

Holding Ari-young’s hand, Hee-jin smiled. “Everything will get better from here.”

For Ari-young, and for herself.

Hee-jin was not an especially beautiful woman, but her smile possessed an infectious warmth. Ari-young had grown fond of her in those hospital days, for whenever Hee-jin smiled, it seemed that hope was possible.

Hee-jin used to say she was once Hyun Jin-hyun’s “Queen of Smiles,” and now, she wanted to reclaim that title by his side.

But Ari-young did not dare tell her this: that time, relentless, can wash away all traces of love.

—

After her revenge, Ari-young took a break from work. Her last drama had good ratings and the pay was generous, so she focused on caring for her mother, and also paid a visit to Hee-jin’s boyfriend. To be honest, Ari-young didn’t care for him—he had a bad temper, was too brash, and acted as if nothing in the world really mattered.

More than once, she’d seen Hyun Jin-hyun dining with a chubby young woman. Their manner was ambiguous—close, yet awkwardly so. Eventually, Ari-young got busy and stopped paying attention, but now that Hee-jin was back, she felt it was time to tell her the truth.

Between friends, there should be no secrets. So, on their way to Ari-young’s house, she told Hee-jin everything she’d observed, emphasizing once more, “I keep saying this, but it’s been five years with no contact. In his eyes, that’s as good as a breakup. And…” She squeezed Hee-jin’s hand. “He thinks you abandoned him.”

When Hyun Jin-hyun was in a coma after his car accident, Hee-jin was summoned by his mother. The two of them had been together since high school, with both families’ blessings—it was a perfect match. But then, Hee-jin was diagnosed with cancer. The prognosis was grim.

With a single sentence, the lady forced Hee-jin to leave Hyun Jin-hyun.

“Leave him. Our family doesn’t need a daughter-in-law with cancer.”

When Hyun Jin-hyun awoke, his mother never admitted she’d driven Hee-jin away. She simply claimed Hee-jin had left for America with her parents, refusing to stay for his sake.

That became a thorn in Hyun Jin-hyun’s heart, turning him cold and distant—no longer the naive, foolish boy he once was.

Hearing Ari-young’s words, Hee-jin fell silent. All the confidence she’d felt upon landing drained away in an instant. She wanted to resent Ari-young, but she knew every word was true.

“No matter what, I have to see him.” Hee-jin had made up her mind; this was the reason she had come.

Ari-young would not stop her. She simply wanted Hee-jin to know the reality of things, for each person’s path is their own to walk.

Ari-young and Han Kyung-hye had moved into a better apartment—not fully paid for, but Ari-young was content, even planning to buy a car on loan in a few years.

Han Kyung-hye was overjoyed to hear Hee-jin had come. She hurried to greet her; though her eyes were still bandaged, she could just make out Hee-jin’s silhouette. For someone blind for years, this was an immense blessing. Han Kyung-hye knew she had been wrong in the past—she’d lost her sight for a man who didn’t deserve it, and dragged her daughter into the abyss of revenge.

But at last, those days were behind them.

Han Kyung-hye learned of Ari-young’s revenge plan in the end, and took the chance to properly guide her daughter. The two of them made detailed plans for their future. Han Kyung-hye intended to find a simple job now—not for money, but as an attitude toward life.

Since Hee-jin no longer owned a place in Seoul, she stayed with Ari-young for the time being. After settling in, she decided to visit Hyun Jin-hyun’s restaurant. Ari-young offered to accompany her, but Hee-jin refused.

“Let me go alone. I don’t want you to see me embarrassed.”

This time, however, she didn’t meet Hyun Jin-hyun. Instead, she encountered the girl Ari-young had shown her in photos.

—

She wasn’t pretty—plump, with chapped lips and an oily sheen on her face.

That was Hee-jin’s first impression of Kim Sam-soon. She noticed the name tag on the girl’s chest, which read: Kim Hee-jin. (Kim Sam-soon thought her own name sounded old-fashioned, so she’d changed it for her employee badge.)

Seeing they shared the same name, Hee-jin smiled awkwardly. She didn’t judge people by appearances, but she couldn’t understand why Hyun Jin-hyun would be drawn to such a girl—what was it that set her apart?

Kim Sam-soon eyed the customer uncertainly and spoke in a tentative voice, “We’re closed for the morning. We don’t open again until four.”

Hee-jin smiled politely and glanced around the restaurant.

Hyun Jin-hyun and his mother had never been close. Long ago, he’d told her he didn’t want to inherit the hotel but dreamed of opening a restaurant—just for her, so he could cook whatever she wanted.

Love, at its sweetest, is like fragrant wine—one whiff and you’re intoxicated.

“Miss?” Kim Sam-soon called again, uneasy.

Hee-jin came back to herself. “Is your manager here?”

“He went to Jeju Island. He’ll be back tomorrow,” Kim Sam-soon replied.

Hee-jin was a bit disappointed, but smiled. “Thank you. I’ll come by again tomorrow.”

She left, thinking that perhaps this Kim Sam-soon wasn’t so unlikable after all.

Hee-jin wandered the city alone. So much had changed that the places she remembered seemed unfamiliar. Driven by nostalgia, she visited all the spots that once held memories for the two of them. By the time she finished, it was past five. She’d missed two calls from Ari-young, who, when she finally called back, simply invited her to dinner. Hee-jin, however, thought she might as well eat at Hyun Jin-hyun’s restaurant and declined.

Perhaps it was the anticipation of a delicious meal that buoyed her spirits—but she forgot about her stomach’s condition. Soon, a wave of pain seized her. Leaning against a wall, sweat broke out on her forehead.

She’d walked too much, her stomach ached terribly, and she was still tired from her flight.

This is bad.

Hands trembling, she reached for her phone to call Ari-young, but at that moment it slipped from her sweaty grasp, falling just out of reach. Slowly, she crouched down against the wall.

She’d had episodes like this before—if she waited it out, the pain would pass. It was agony, but she had no choice but to endure.

Just then, someone picked up her phone and crouched in front of her.

“Jane?”

Hee-jin looked up, vaguely recalling his face. “You’re… Su…?”

“Su Yijeong. We met last year in America—on a blind date.”

Author’s note: At this point, Su Yijeong is twenty-five. They’ve both graduated and started their own businesses; that’s all!

Actually, I hadn’t planned to give Hee-jin a romantic pairing, but for some reason, when I looked back at Su Yijeong’s photo, I realized he looked a bit like Hee-jin…

So there we have it. There was a second male lead who liked Hee-jin in the original series, but he wasn’t memorable, and Hee-jin didn’t care for him, so I decided to skip him altogether.