The next day was Tuesday, according to Park Soo Jin, Ji Hyo knew his mother would go shopping at Apgujeong and Cheongdam so she had been waiting there from the morning and looking around for his mother. As soon as she spotted his mother, she quickly walked that way.

“Omo, eomoeni, what are you doing here?” – Ji Hyo asked his mother, pretended to be surprised.

“I am shopping here. How about you?” – His mother asked, dazed from surprise.

“I have a day off today so I want to go shopping. I like shopping here a lot. Are you shopping here often too eomoeni?” – Ji Hyo brightly asked.

“Yes.” – His mother answered

“That’s great. Let’s go together next time, eomoeni. It will be more fun to have someone to shop with right?” – Ji Hyo offered with smile

“I prefer to shop by myself.” – His mother coldly stated even though she also preferred someone accompany her to go shopping as well.

“It will be fun shopping with another woman eomoeni.” – Ji Hyo said and followed his mother around.

His mother coldly kept walking, didn’t acknowledge Ji Hyo existence but didn’t chase her away neither.

Ji Hyo helped his mother carry the shopping bags and paid for the products before his mother was even able to take out the wallet. Even though his mother kept saying she didn’t want Ji Hyo to pay but Ji Hyo insisted on doing that. Of course, his mother was delight, who didn’t, having a generous daughter in law like that. But still, she kept her cold and arrogant attitude toward Ji Hyo.

His mother really enjoyed shopping that they hung out at the mall for more than 5 hours. Ji Hyo didn’t expect the shopping last that long so she wore high heels by mistake and they were killing her. Even though she was used to wearing high heels, 5 hours straight on them was still too much to take. She had to sneakily wait for his mother go to the changing room, then took out her heels and massage her feet.

By the time they had done with shopping, night already fell.

“Are you hungry eomeoni? I know a really good French restaurant around here.” – Ji Hyo sweetly offers

His mother couldn’t ignore hearing French food. She loved French food but because Jong Kook’s father didn’t like it so she didn’t have much chance to eat her favorite cuisine.

“Is that restaurant good? I am very picky when it comes to French food.” – His mother asked, arrogant.

“Of course it is good eomeoni. Let’s go together alright?” – Ji Hyo brightly asks.

“Fine.” – His mother coldly answered even though she was very excited.

They arrived at the 5 stars famous French restaurant in Seoul. His mother was definitely happy from the inside knowing how good that restaurant was. She only went there once and she never could forget the wonderful flavor of their special Coquilles Saint-Jacques. She always wanted to come back to that place but it was never easy to get a reservation.

 “Let’s go in eomeoni.” – Ji Hyo told

“Do you even have reservation? This place never have space for walk in.” – His mother said.

“Really? It’s ok eomeoni. Just go inside first.” – Ji Hyo confidently said.

The hostess and even the manager quickly welcomed Ji Hyo as they saw her from afar.

“Isn’t it actress Song Ji Hyo? Such a pleasure! How may I help you?” – The manager happily greeted.

“I don’t have reservation but do you think you can accommodate two of us?” – Ji Hyo politely asked.

“We normally required advance reservation but since it is you, we will make space. Please give us some good comment on your Weibo later. Is it too much to ask?” – The manager said.

“Not a problem at all. As long as my mother in law like it. I will make sure to give you a good endorsement.” – Ji Hyo answered.

“We understand.” – The manger happily said.

His mother had to try hard to hide her smile. She was surely proud to be treated as VIP everywhere going with a celebrity daughter in law.

The hostess led them to a VIP private room where they had the head chief personally came out and introduced the special dishes to them. Some dishes were even off the menu. Ji Hyo observed her future mother in law the whole time. Despite how hard her future mother in law tried to hide, Ji Hyo could tell his mother was extremely pleased with the meal.

Ji Hyo only went home after patiently dropped his mother off. The first thing she did when she reached her house was taking off her painful high heels and sat down on the couch, tired.

“Oh, you are home already yeobo? How is today?” – Jong Kook asked, walking out from their bedroom.

“Really tired! Your mother enjoyed shopping very much. I had to walk around with those painful high heels for 5 hours. My feet are all swollen now.” – She complained, kittenish.

“Really? Let’s me see?” – He quickly walked to the couch and checked on her feet. – “They really look swollen.” – He concerned.

“Of course, try to walk in my shoes for an hour and you will get the feeling.” – Ji Hyo frowned.

“Poor my yeobo. Let’s me make up for you ok?” – He said and lifted her up on his arms, taking her to the bedroom.

He gently put her down on the bed -  “Sit here” – He said then disappeared to the bathroom.

“What are you doing oppa?” – She asked.

He didn’t answer then comeback with a big bowls of warm water and the towel on his shoulder. He gently putted her feet in the water – “Is the water warm enough?” – He looked at her and asked

“N-ne” – She softly answered with a smile.

“Warm water will help to release swollen. I putted some sea salt in that too.” – He looked at her, gently, then washed her feet carefully in the water.

After 10 minutes, he took her feet out of the bowl and gently dried them with the towel on his shoulder.

“Now lay down to the bed nicely.” – He demanded, put her leg straightly on the bed then sat on the end of the bed, laid her feet on his lap. – “Thank you for suffering for us, yeobo.” – He gently said and started massaging her feet.

“Not at all. I had a lot fun with your mother.” – She softly said with a smile, looking at her beloved fiancé.

He kept massaging her, one toe at a time, smooth and gentle. Who could image a manly angry tiger could have a moment of gentle like that. He only did that for his woman, the one he loved.

 She stared at him for the longest time. Her heart kept beating hard as the first time they kissed. At that moment, she knew all her suffer and struggle were worth it. He always appreciated her, went beyond his duty to take care of her. It would never be easy to find a man that could be willing to wash and massage his woman’s feet without being asked. He was one of the kinds. There was no second him, only one Kim Jong Kook in this world and that man belonged to her.

She was happy.   

Ji Hyo kept being persistent for a month. She visited his mother pretty much every day. She accompanied his mother to go shopping every Tuesday. She made research on all famous French restaurants in Seoul and took his mother there often. His mother was still unfriendly toward her but they could have conversation more often.

That day, Ji Hyo decided to ask for the permission to marry Jong Kook. She was ready for the rejection but she was still hoping for the best. She got to his parents’ house in the morning and asking his mother for a conversation.

“What do you want to talk about?” – His mother asked.

Ji Hyo abruptly kneed down on the floor, in front of his mother.

“Eomoeni, please give us your approval to get married.” – Ji Hyo begged, bowed her head down low.

“I already told you I will never accept a girl like you to be my daughter in law. Don’t think that you can buy me off with all your gifts.” – His mother coldly stated.

“I never thought that I can buy you with gift eomoeni. I just want to show my appreciation for the one giving birth to a wonderful man like oppa. I know I am not the best girl but please accept our marriage. I promise to make oppa happy for the rest of his life.” – Ji Hyo said, desperate.

 “I already told you no. I will not change my mind despite how consistent you are.” – His mother firmly stated, looking away.

Ji Hyo got quiet and then she busted out of tears. She cried and sobbed like a 5 years old that got her candy taken away from her. “Eomoeni, why are you treating me like this? Don’t you have any sympathy for me? I got stabbed, in coma for more than 6 months, woke up and lost 19 years of my life. I am very pitiful eomeoni. Oppa is the only one treats me well. Why do you want to take him away from me too?” – She kept on crying, didn’t even bother to wipe out her tears.

His mother was surprised and flustered from Ji Hyo’s sudden reaction. She didn’t even know how to comfort that girl. Ji Hyo was like a kinder garden crying kid in the body of a 34 years old actress. His mother felt bad, guilty, and frustrated at the same time. It liked seeing a crying kid asking for something and the adult just couldn’t say no. “Fine, go ahead and get married. Do whatever you two want. You better make him happy or I will teach you a lesson.” – His mother stated, frustrated

“Really?” – Ji Hyo immediately stopped crying, ran to his mother and gave her a big hug – “I will make him happy for the rest of my life eomoeni. Thank you. Thank you very much.” – She happily said.

Even though his mother still felt annoyed but she let Ji Hyo hugged her and secretly smiled delightfully. It was not too bad having a generous and pretty daughter in law anyway – his mother quietly thought