Two years ago, 2019

“Hey, hey, where do you think you’re going?”

Jihyo quickly walked to the bed and stopped the moving person. “It’s only been five days since the surgery, you need rest.”

Even under layers of bandages, Jihyo could see the annoyed and frustrated expression on her friend’s face. Her friend’s brand new face.

How will she look like?

Will she really be ok with it?

The anchor’s voice came into her ears, the TV was on, and Jihyo saw the headline of the news. Her heart sank as two certain figures showed on the screen, she grabbed the remote and turned the TV off.

Nayeon’s getting married. Jihyo already heard that months ago but dared not to tell Jeongyeon. From the look in her recently recovered eyes, Jihyo knew she had been watching the news for entire morning. Not only physically, but also mentally agony she had to suffer.

“Don’t tell me you don’t have to rest.” She gently pushed her back to the gurney intending to drift her attention away. “I swear I’m gonna kick your if you don’t stay still.”

Jeongyeon laid back without a word, if fact she couldn’t speak or make any sound for a while already. Bandages and gauzes covered her torso, only her legs that weren’t burned so bad were in better condition. Jihyo had never thought there would be days that Jeongyeon could not fight her strength and could not even talk back. She remembered couple months ago when they heard from an old criminal that there was a doctor---well, not a real doctor since he never had the licenses and certificates, had done facial surgeries for many fugitives who wanted to prevent themselves from being caught. It was definitely tough and against the law, but they found him after two months. Jihyo thought she had seen enough people in her life, she thought she was well-prepared to be shocked, but a freak like him was way out of her expectations.

“I only changed partial features before, such as making their noses bigger, cheeks slim down or even pump up…”

“So you can’t cure her.”

“Are you challenging me?” He quirked his brows and smirked. “She’s the most interesting patient I’ve ever had. I’m gonna take this, I will fix her. In my way.”

Things turned out that all of them had to admit, sometimes the geniuses are maniacs, and some true experts are living underworld because their talents are not accepted by earthlings. Jihyo also remembered the day when she took off the bandages on her friend’s head, she could never forget the feeling when staring at that face and the way Jeongyeon stared at herself in the small mirror. It felt like meeting someone for the first time yet she had known her enough to know how many square sugars she would put when drinking a cup of coffee, like knowing exactly who she was but hesitated if she should call her by the name.

Jeongyeon’s appearance was completely different, she turned into another person and nobody would question her true identity by simply looking at her or talking to her, but Jihyo knew she was still the same by gazing into her eyes, the only feature on her face which didn’t change. Her soul, her personalities and emotions stayed right there, whether if she did it well or far from well, she chose to conceal them and Jihyo understood why. Everybody started calling her Jaehee or agent Ryu after that day, Jihyo also did, but not when there were only the two of them. Helping her keeping this name alive at that time was all she could to do and insisted to do, and she will continue no matter what.

The following year was more monotonous because Jeongyeon frantically doing rehab and working out almost every day. It took them seven months to make her look normal again, and it took herself over a year to restore to her past physical strength plus becoming even stronger.

Her past features were good but not stunning, her features now are actually quite delicate. Her toned physique matches her pretty look and with her height, many people thought she was an actress or an idol since they had no chances to witness the way she chases and fights others, just like…

“What kind of prosecutor you are you son of a —“

“Bang”, Jaebum’s back hit on the wall hard, he fell forward and landed on the muddy lane like a basket case. Before he could lift his head, another punch on his face knocked him down again. Jeongyeon clenched her bruised fists, kicking him in the stomach and made him groan in pain.

“Tzuyu, don’t let her kill him, stop her!”

Jihyo exclaimed to the youngest, the crush sounds were loud even from the earphone.

“I will.” Tzuyu stood aside and said peacefully: “In one minute.”

“”W-What? Why one min…”

“He deserves it.”

As if she was checking the clock, after nearly 60 seconds, Tzuyu walked to the still furious girl, locking her arms from behind.

“That’s enough, unnie. We don’t want to waste the time on dumping his body, right?”

“I can light a fire right here and burn him down.”

“No, you won’t do that.” Tzuyu pulled her back a little. “Please, calm down.”

A series of scoffs caught their attentions, Jaebum supported his back on a trash can and sat up, glaring the girls from a low angle. “Tell me, agent.”

He obviously wasn’t talking to Tzuyu. “Why are you here?”

Jeongyeon glared back. “Why am I here? You’re asking me this?”

“Yeah.” He panted heavily, small drops of blood shedding down his cheekbones and mouth. “Answer me, will you?”

“You betrayed someone who trusted you.” Her ears heated up because of rage. “She saw you as her friend, she helped you without a second thought!”

“So you’re saying that I was wrong to investigate? You think I shouldn’t make sure justice is served?”

“Do you know how much she suffered because of you!?” Jeongyeon stepped closer and Tzuyu had to grab her in case she wanted to punch him one more time. “You are a prosecutor, a law-executor! Since when using a civilian and put dangers on her is allowed? You said those residents deserve justice? Fine, give them through ing proper ways!”

“You think I never tried proper ways!?” Jaebum also yelled and coughed as the pain hit his chest. “The Jung bribed all kinds of official and media, what would I become if I kept using those so called proper ways? What would those residents’ life end if they trusted the ing laws? The laws are right there, but the Jung made them turn into a piece of just by spending some money.”

He tried two times to stand up but failed. “Those residents…My sister was one of them.” His jaw clenched. “I wouldn’t be qualified to be called a brother nor a prosecutor if I didn’t reveal their crimes. The Jung owed them, and owed me. As for Nayeon…I’m sorry, I have no choice, I have to use her. Blame her bad luck that makes her both the wife of Jung Taein and a junior of mine.”

Jaebum winced slightly when Jeongyeon almost launched herself to him. “Don’t be so savage, we’re the same, agent.”

“What!?”

“We are both cowards, just the people we care are different.” He coughed and sneered. “I cared for my sister, but I could do nothing when she told me she lost everything, I couldn’t save her from suicide. I worked my off to let the public understand the truth but…Nothing can bring her back. She’s gone. And you…” He looked into Jeongyeon’s eyes while trying hard to restrain his tears. “You care for…You care A LOT for her, but you can’t help her get away from these messes. It’s her husband and her father-in-law that you should hate, not me, I think you know that. Wow, you can’t even go straightly to the Jung who really make her suffer so instead you’re here beating me up…”

“Shut up.”

Tzuyu hissed, Jeongyeon’s body stiffened then lost the strength. “Let’s go, unnie.”

They left Jaebum who was snickering bitterly in the alley, Jeongyeon let Tzuyu dragged her all the way back to their car. After the door slammed closed, silence took over, none of them had the intention to talk.

“He’s right.” After god knows how long, Jeongyeon muttered: “I don’t have guts to face her. I don’t even have guts to face myself.”

“What’s matter is, are you gonna face her now? You know you should go talk to her.”