Well known reflection

How could anyone possibly explain this situation?

Standing before the mirror, a young woman — clad only in black lace lingerie and an oversized white shirt draped loosely over her shoulders — stared at her reflection in stunned disbelief. Strands of dark hair fell across a delicate, unfamiliar face. Her full lips parted slightly, as if trying to form words that simply refused to come.

There was no denying it: this body was real. Every curve, every detail, solid and undeniable. But how had it come to this? How could someone walk into a cosmetic clinic for a minor touch-up... and wake up like this?

The story began days ago, not hours.

Seoul buzzed beyond the window, oblivious to what had happened inside Genesis Clinic — a discreet haven for the nation's elite. Among the parade of hidden celebrities and ambitious executives, he had seemed utterly forgettable: a tired man seeking only a minor facial rejuvenation, a simple procedure to feel a little better about himself.

But somewhere in the flurry of paperwork, something had gone terribly wrong.

His file had been mixed up with someone else’s: a famous actress, a drama queen beloved for her timeless beauty. She had booked an experimental, aggressive transformation — a cutting-edge therapy involving bioengineering and cellular regeneration, designed to enhance her natural grace beyond human standards.

He had been led unknowingly into surgery.

He had gone under the knife, expecting small, almost imperceptible changes.

And when he woke up... he wasn't allowed to see.

Not right away.

His body was tightly wrapped in bandages for days, swelling and bruising kept hidden from his own eyes. Medical staff spoke only in vague terms, insisting he needed time to heal before anything could be "properly assessed." Every day he lay there, trapped in confusion and growing dread, wondering what monstrous mistake might be waiting underneath.

But the truth, when finally revealed, was even more surreal than anything he had imagined.

Why hadn't they reversed it immediately? Surely, some emergency could have been declared? Some miracle performed?

It wasn’t that simple.

Any further surgery so soon after such an invasive procedure would have carried enormous risks — permanent disfigurement, nerve damage, even death. His body, newly shaped and unfamiliar, needed time to stabilize before anything could even be considered.

And then came the other complication: money.

A figure — absurdly large, the kind of amount that could erase a lifetime of debts — was quietly offered to "settle" the matter. No lawsuits. No media scandals. No questions.

And if he chose to accept the situation?

No more hospital bills. No more endless surgeries to undo what had been done. A fresh start, financed by the people desperate to keep this accident buried forever.

Was it tempting?

How could it not be?

Beyond the mirror, Seoul’s neon skyline shimmered like a fever dream, reflecting a world that moved on, indifferent to the identity crisis unfolding inside one hospital room. On this side of the glass, a stranger stared back at him — or rather, at her — trying to grasp the impossible:

Who was she now?

And could she really go back... if she even wanted to?