A moment of love

Of all I've watched about my favorite drama, Will It Snow For Christmas, with a lot of sweet moments together with tragic clichés, don't know why I've always felt so thrilled each time replaying this scene:

 

 

 

 

This is when Ji Wan was still pretending not to recognize Kang Jin, after eight years of separation due to a tragic accident which killed her beloved brother in his attempt to help Ji Wan find Kang Jin's treasured pendant under the cold river. Overwhelmed with grief and guilt, Ji Wang ran away from home and disappeared from Kang Jin's world all of a sudden. Eight years later, when fate led their paths to cross again, no matter how vivid and clear their memories about each other were, Ji Wan tried her best to the deny the truth of Kang Jin's identity. Either for her or for Kang Jin's sake, she kept pushing him away, claiming not to know who he was even though just hearing his name was enough to make her body tremble, and suffocate her heart. But still, stubbornly and hurtfully, her answer always was "I don't know" when asked "Do you know who I am?" by Kang Jin. We, however, all know that in their hearts, the right answer was already done, but buried deep down under a lot of complex and messy emotions.

To me, this very short moment, which on the surface appeared not to be very important or emotion-packed, was when Ji Wan, in some way, confessed her recognition of her childhood Kang Jin for the very first time. As she was trying to hide the scratches on her hand from Kang Jin's eyes, my mind asked on the spot "Why does she have to do that?". It was totally not something so serious to hide. Would anybody else mind some scratches that much?  And my answer is: because it was Kang Jin who was standing there, HER Kang Jin, not anybody else with the same name, she knew that he would mind. She knew that only her Kang Jin would get mad seeing her acting foolishly trying to save a man who had left her alone in an engagement ceremony. Yes, she knew it. Because in her heart, she knew this simply was her "Kang Jin-oppa".

And then, only Kang Jin, in his turn, could be the one who realized what Ji Wan was hiding and pull it out of the dark in fury. The moment he grasped her arm and stared at her wound, I felt an overflow mixed of love, anger, frustration and pity bursting out from his eyes as well as repressed in his strong grasp. Because he knew it was HIS Ji Wan, the foolish, stubborn yet adorable girl whose name he had screamed out loud in the past. This Ji Wan, who liked to interfere with people's business, she'd rather hurt herself than see others getting hurt. Yes, this is the Ji Wan whom he has been searching through the last eight years. How come he didn't mind those scratches she bore for the sake of a worthless person? How come he didn't get mad at her stupidity? This very moment touched me so deep as in Kang Jin's eyes, I found no jealousy, instead I could feel how much his heart ached seeing the one he loved and treasured get hurt, mentally and physically.

Love appears in many forms. Some are colorful and bright. Some hides under a shadow. Some are intense. Some are just as gentle and soft as spring water. Some go with kisses and embraces. Some glow in eyes meeting each other. I just love the way Kang Jin loves Ji Wan, like a long piece of music with all the rise and fall of its notes, he's always there trying to protect her against any storms and get her sunlight afterward. The ways he cradles her face, strokes her hair, looks at her in the eyes, embraces her in comfort or against danger... in silence they speak a thousand words. All of that, simply the way love should be.

" I dreamed a dream. In that dream, I met Ji-wan. In the dream, I promised Ji-wan never to let her go again. That I wouldn’t be foolish like before, in our Sancheong days."

Don't let go of your dream, Kang Jin. Don't let Ji Wan cry again...