Wishing for Salvation (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15
The next day, Kang Hyun paced the hallway again, waiting for Ji An, who had said she’d come early.
“Good morning, Director.”
And so, he finally got to have a meal with Ji An, who greeted him cheerfully.
All the cold, stale food was gone. Steam rose gently from the glossy white rice and the fragrant beef soup, its rich aroma filling the air.
Even with just the soup, he could easily eat two bowls of rice—and now the table was heaped with delicious side dishes.
“I’ll dig in.”
“Eat plenty.”
After eating some rice, she’d scoop out the beef from the soup. Then a sip of broth, followed by one of her favorite braised quail eggs.
Then, chopsticks hovering over the golden-brown grilled mackerel, she’d hesitate again while taking another bite of rice and soup.
She wanted to eat it, but knowing she couldn’t properly remove the fish bones, she’d likely give up.
Watching Ji An’s spoon move slowly and deliberately as expected, Kang Hyun felt inexplicably pleased.
Visiting Seo Yoon, who remained in Ji An even after losing her memory, was a small but genuine joy.
Kang Hyun took the thick mackerel onto a small side plate and skillfully removed the bones from both sides, separating the tough spine from the tender flesh.
“Ms. Seo Ji An.”
“Huh? Thank you.”
On the side plate Kang Hyun offered her lay a generous portion of neatly deboned mackerel, ready to eat.
Had he always been this considerate?
Puzzled by such unexpectedly kind treatment, Ji An quickly realized it must be because of Han Seo Yoon—and gladly accepted it.
After that, Kang Hyun kept subtly sliding dishes closer to her side of the table whenever he could.
When the meal ended, the side dishes had all drifted to Ji An’s side, as if the tray had been set aside just for her.
That’s enough, he told himself—to soothe his own conscience.
“I’d like to visit the tree burial site once more.”
“Yes, once we’re back at the office, we won’t have much time.”
Ji An, sipping the coffee Kang Hyun had made, said she wanted to visit Seo Yoon’s tree burial site again that day.
He’d expected her to readily agree, but surprisingly, Kang Hyun hesitated before replying.
“How about we go later?”
She’d spoken those words wanting to ease his mind a little more, seeing how much better he looked now compared to their first meeting.
She had a vague wish—to somehow erase even a small part of his sorrow.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Though the person had changed, Seo Ji An was still, without a doubt, truly Seo Yoon’s family.
It felt right to show this much, at least.
As she got into the car with Kang Hyun, who’d dressed and come out ready, Ji An felt strangely uneasy.
Last time, he’d just been a stranger—but now things were different. She kept wondering how she should treat this blood relative, born from the same womb yet raised apart their whole lives.
“You two must have shared so many memories.”
Ji An murmured, glancing again at the photos of Kang Hyun and Seo Yoon she’d seen last time.
Aside from the fact she’d lost her memory, she couldn’t help feeling a little envious—she herself had no proper photo albums except for a few childhood pictures.
“Now it’s a memory only I carry.”
Kang Hyun looked not at the tree where the real Seo Ji An slept, but at Seo Yoon.
His beloved, who’d left after erasing all the long years they’d shared together.
“I don’t remember anything about my childhood either.”
Maybe it was the cool breeze on her face, or the sunlight glinting off the green leaves above—or perhaps it was standing beside Kang Hyun, who grieved so deeply for someone’s entire life.
Or maybe it was simply seeing the twin sister who’d left this world far too soon.
Whatever the reason, words she hadn’t meant to say spilled out suddenly.
“My parents and friends keep telling me to forget the past and live in the present—it makes me wonder if I did something terribly wrong back then.”
“Do you want to remember?”
“I’m not sure. Part of me wants to know, but if it’s something unpleasant, I’d rather not. What about you? If you were to forget Han Seo Yoon, wouldn’t you want to remember?”
“No.”
Kang Hyun gave the opposite answer—hoping she wouldn’t try to recover those lost memories.
“Live without ever looking back. The past is just the past.”
How could someone’s words and actions differ so much?
She never imagined the man clinging so tightly to the past would think this way.
“Are you serious?”
Startled out of her thoughts, Ji An quickly caught up to Kang Hyun as he walked ahead.
“You once said it’s lucky if even one of two people sitting across from each other is happy.”
“That’s right.”
“So let’s make a deal—one of the two walking together won’t remember.”
Thinking he was playing with words, Ji An narrowed her eyes in annoyance and couldn’t take another step.
But then, like his black hair fluttering gently in the wind, the slight upward curve of his lips formed a smile she’d never seen before.
It was sad, yet not entirely sorrowful—somewhere between cold winter and warm spring.
She quietly placed a hand over her chest, watching Kang Hyun slowly walk away.
Her heart, which had always raced uncontrollably around him, was now boldly announcing its presence.
It was a feeling she couldn’t understand at all.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Seo Yoon’s tree burial site was quite far from Kang Hyun’s house. Feeling awkward about sitting idly while her boss drove, Ji An casually suggested they have a meal.
“I’ll treat you to dinner.”
Kang Hyun’s stiffened shoulders, tense from driving all day, relaxed instantly.
Since the weekend was only two days away, he’d been deliberately driving slowly to extend their time together.
“Is there anything you’d like to eat?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll treat you next time?”
“No, no—it’s fine. I’ll think about it.”
Flustered, Kang Hyun shook his head and quickly added,
“I eat anything without trouble.”
“I avoid foods that aren’t good for me. I try not to eat anything too spicy or salty.”
“I don’t usually like spicy or salty food… though I do love spicy Cheongyang peppers. Kind of an odd taste, right?”
“How about Chinese food, then? I know a place that makes great soup without any MSG.”
“Oh, great! Did you used to hunt down good restaurants back then?”
Expecting a decades-old jjamppong place run by three generations of a family, Ji An scratched her neck as they entered a lavish Chinese restaurant on a hotel’s upper floor.
The upscale ambiance screamed high prices at first glance.
… I haven’t even gotten my paycheck yet.
“My goodness, Director! It’s been such a long time!”
The restaurant manager rushed over to greet Kang Hyun. Though the place was so popular that reservations were needed a week in advance, exceptions always existed.
“It’s been a while seeing you too, Ms. Seo Yoon.”
“Oh, I’m—”
“I’ll add a bowl of jjamppong to the dinner course. Anything else you need?”
Interrupting mid-sentence, Kang Hyun turned to Ji An.
“No, I’m fine.”
“I’ll get it ready right away.”
Ji An wanted to check the prices listed, but the ever-charming manager left with the menu tucked under his arm.
“A place that makes great soup without MSG…”
“That’s right.”
How could he describe a high-end hotel Chinese restaurant like some neighborhood seolleongtang place?
“If it doesn’t suit your taste, we can go somewhere else.”
Worried that Ji An looked uncomfortable—perhaps because the meal had been chosen only for the Seo Yoon he knew—Kang Hyun quickly stood up.
“It’s not that. I’m just… a little awkward since it’s my first time.”
“If something bothers you, don’t hold back—just tell me.”
“…Okay.”
His expression remained blank, yet somehow seemed gloomy.
She wished he’d keep smiling like he had earlier—wished he wouldn’t be sad, and wouldn’t feel lonely.
The more she got to know Kang Hyun, the more these thoughts kept swirling in her head.
No matter how hard she tried to steady her heart, her eyes kept drifting back to him—
as if pulled by a magnet toward a different pole.
Silence stretched between them. Their only sounds were sighs of amazement as they tasted dishes they’d never seen before.
Kang Hyun, wanting to give Ji An his share of the lobster she liked, noticed sauce smudged at the corner of her mouth and smiled softly.
“You always end up getting it all over your face when you eat.”
Before she could stop him, his finger reached out and gently brushed her lips.
Instinctively tilting her chin to meet his touch, Ji An dropped her fork—dipped in sweet-and-sour pork—onto the plate with a clatter.
What am I doing? Did I just stick out my chin for him to wipe it? Or… did I lean forward with my lips?
You’re insane, Seo Ji An. You’ve lost your mind.
Seeing Kang Hyun’s approaching finger, her chin had moved on its own to meet it.
She’d only meant to offer him a reassuring smile—after all, this was likely a place he often visited with Han Seo Yoon, and he must have reached out habitually, seeing her face.
But before she could manage even that, Kang Hyun went pale and abruptly stood up.
“Sorry—sorry. Just for a moment.”
He rushed away, leaning over the bathroom sink with his head bowed.
Maybe it really was impossible. Was he supposed to be satisfied just knowing she was alive—and keep his distance?
“I can’t do that.”
Not even that much.
He pressed his wet hands—drenched in cold water—to his burning eyes. All he wanted was to escape back to his bedroom and hide.
“Hahaha—sorry! I startled you, didn’t I? Must be the delicious food—my jaw’s moving completely on its own.”
Having reined in his fleeting emotions, Kang Hyun returned with a stiff expression—only for Ji An to offer an awkward smile and apologize first.
“Why are you apologizing, Ms. Seo Ji An? I’m the one who touched you without asking.”
“I suppose that’s understandable—you two look so alike. This must be a place you often came with her, right? The staff recognized you earlier too.”
“You can say her name. It’s okay.”
Should he feel relieved she was so simple-minded?
Ji An naturally linked Kang Hyun’s strange behavior to Seo Yoon—making it easy for him to accept without offense.
Reassured by her casual attitude, Kang Hyun finally placed the lobster onto Ji An’s plate—though he regretted not cutting it into bite-sized pieces for her.
“…Do you have a shellfish allergy?”
“No.”
“Then why aren’t you eating it? It’s so delicious.”
“I got tired of eating too much of it.”
“Oh, I see. Then I, who can’t have it because there’s none left, will gratefully enjoy it.”
Each time he finished speaking, he deliberately sealed his lips tight—afraid he might accidentally call out Seo Yoon’s name—and a quiet chuckle escaped through the gap.
Watching Ji An, who now shone with the light once belonging to Seo Yoon, filled him with endless sorrow—yet simply being with her was pure joy.
When they arrived back at Ji An’s apartment complex after dinner, she stepped into the restroom to wash her hands—only to find Kang Hyun had already paid when she came back.
“Next time, I’m treating you. Absolutely no sneaking the bill again.”
“Alright, go inside.”
“Then I’ll see you at the office on Monday.”
He’d planned to watch her enter the building, but seeing Ji An wave from the front entrance after saying goodbye, Kang Hyun finally pressed the accelerator and drove off first.
The moment he turned away, his eyes—fixed straight ahead—trembled restlessly with longing.
He’d already given Ji An time off tomorrow—he had someone else to meet. But then… how would he get through the weekend?
Back home, Kang Hyun stood silently before Seo Yoon’s photograph until dawn broke.
It was a cruel, consuming heartache.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Most Commented This Week
The Villain Has Gone Mad For Me (Completed Main Story)
I’m The Lowest-Ranking Daughter Of A Martial Arts Villain (2 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Became the Assassin Family’s Foster Daughter (Completed Main Story)
The Duke Only Needs My Child (Completed Main Story)
Men of the Harem (137 Chapters Left to Complete)
At the End of Ruin, There You Are (56 Chapters Left to Complete)
She’s a Villainess but her Husband is Handsome (Completed Main Story)
People Aren’t Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete)
My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story)
Summer Must Die (16 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Received The First Time Of My Extraordinary Superior (9 Chapters Left to Complete)
Regret With All Your Might (Completed Main Story)