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# After the Divorce, I Became Handsome – Chapter 1
## 1. Pigs Grow Wings
I was what people commonly called a web novel author.
My debut work, Solo Max-Level, became a massive hit on a website called Dalpia. Various other works based on its intellectual property also achieved tremendous success, allowing me to unexpectedly make a fortune at a young age.
However, I was an idiot who didn't even know how to spend all that money properly.
That was understandable, considering I was a shut-in.
A pig with a body as huge as a mountain.
My parents loved me, but I was an ugly man with a face that other people found repulsive. I had never imagined that I could make money with nothing but my writing talent.
Once I started earning a lot of money, my life changed.
People began approaching me, claiming they were interested in me. As a loner, I mistook their attention for warmth. I thought I was overcoming the bullying I'd suffered as a child and starting my life anew.
That was how I finally managed to step outside.
And it was during that time that I met her.
A beautiful woman with cat-like features. She was someone I'd met at a small party organized by my publishing company, where writers and creators gathered to meet after the company established a relationship with a web media platform.
She was an internet broadcaster named Kim Ji-young, a variety-game streamer who went by the nickname Goyangjjang.
“Oh my! Author! I'm a fan of yours!”
“Huh? Yes? Ah, y-yes…”
“You're even cuter in person. Hehehe. Could you give me your autograph later?”
“Of, of course…”
My work had become successful enough to be adapted into webtoons and movies, so many people were interested in me. However, she approached me with particular warmth and showed me an especially strong interest.
A woman was talking to me…
Was I dreaming, or was this real?
Honestly, I was a complete loser, so I hadn't wanted to attend a party full of popular, outgoing people.
I'd only gone because my editor had desperately begged me to come just this once. But this was the first time a woman had approached me so familiarly and smiled at me with such charming eyes. I was glad I'd come.
And just like that, I lost my heart completely to Kim Ji-young, the variety-game streamer known as Goyangjjang.
It was the first time a woman had ever shown me this much attention…
After all, I'd never even had a girlfriend.
From that encounter onward, our relationship progressed rapidly.
She actively pursued me, saying that she loved me, and I fell deeply for her.
Eventually, we got married, and I believed that all I had left to do was live happily ever after.
To think I'd met a woman who loved me this much. I wouldn't let her go. I'd live for her.
Honestly, where else could an ugly man like me find a woman who would love him?
I truly believed it was fate, and I vowed to do everything I could for her.
“Honey, buy this for me.”
“Of course. If Ji-young wants it, I'll get you anything.”
“Really? I love you! Mwah!”
“Hehehe.”
I bought her whatever she wanted. Expensive handbags, cosmetics, and imported cars.
Furthermore, whenever she wanted to start a business or pursue something else, I used the money I'd saved in my bank account to make it happen.
Because I loved her.
But money eventually runs out when you keep spending it. And then…
“Author… Sigh. I think you've been going through a slump lately.”
“…”
“Why don't you take a break?”
“But…”
“To be honest, people aren't really reading the works you've been uploading lately.”
“…”
“I'm sorry for being so blunt, but that's the reality of the situation. I think it would be better for you to recharge and start writing again afterward. We'll always be waiting for you.”
My writing had deteriorated, too. I wanted to write good stories, but I couldn't seem to manage it.
Perhaps it was because I'd written a work that had become an enormous hit overnight. Honestly, I was so anxious that I couldn't write properly anymore.
Whenever I uploaded a new work and the view counts or the number of readers who added it to their favorites failed to increase, I'd abandon it and start something new. Then I'd abandon that one, too, and repeat the process over and over.
I really enjoyed Solo Max-Level, but this work is kind of…
Sorry, Author Manseok, but I can't keep reading this. It's so cringe-worthy.
Author, you can't take the story in that direction.
Ugh, this is so frustrating.
I'm dropping this story here. Good luck.
As my writing continued to suffer, my readers turned away from me. Even the people who had once shown interest in me gradually drifted away.
But the most painful thing was…
“Let's get divorced.”
“What?”
“I can't live with someone who can't even earn a proper living.”
“Ji-young, what are you talking about…? Can't you wait just a little longer? Just a little more?”
“Sigh. I'm sick and tired of living with you. What can you even do for me? Nothing! It's already embarrassing enough that we've had to leave our apartment and live in a villa, and now…”
My wife, Kim Ji-young, was asking for a divorce.
She said she couldn't live with a husband who had no financial ability, and I desperately tried to persuade her otherwise. I told her not to make such jokes because they weren't funny.
But her relentless demands and the pressure from her family became a source of stress for me.
“What good does it do for someone without any ability to keep holding our daughter back?”
“But, Father-in-law…”
“We have to think about our daughter's future, too. I agreed to your marriage because I believed your promise that you would treat her like a princess. But look at the situation now. You have no home of your own and keep moving between rental villas. And now I've heard that even that house has been auctioned off because you were scammed. Tsk, tsk.”
In truth, everything had happened because of my wife's excessive spending, which I could barely keep up with. On top of that, she seemed to have a knack for ruining every business or venture she touched. She was practically a walking disaster when it came to money, and eventually, we had no choice but to sell our house.
“At least we're fortunate that you don't have any children. Let's divorce cleanly and each go our own way.”
“…”
We had no children. While we were dating, she had continually avoided physical intimacy, claiming that she wasn't feeling well. Our wedding night had been the first time we'd been intimate.
Actually, should I even call it that? It had been my first experience, and I finished so quickly that the entire thing became a humiliating disaster. I still couldn't forget the cold expression on my wife's face afterward.
The constant stress, her tears, and her shouting…
In the end, I signed the divorce papers for her sake.
I couldn't bear to see the woman I loved suffer because of me.
That was all I thought about back then. So we parted ways.
I believed that was the truth.
But it wasn't.
[Streamer Goyangjjang, who belongs to the same agency, develops a romantic relationship with Choi Go-Cheonjae, a major YouTuber!]
[Goyangjjang ♥ Choi Go-Cheonjae, the million-subscriber YouTuber, announce that they will be happy together.]
Wow! Congratulations!
I always thought the two of you were a great match when you played games together. I can't believe you've become a couple!
This is exactly what I was hoping for. You two are perfect together.
Congrats, congrats!
I hope you two get married!
“Huh?”
As soon as we divorced, an article appeared announcing that she was dating someone else.
Choi Go-Cheonjae was someone I knew very well.
He was a YouTuber who frequently collaborated with my wife on broadcasts.
Memories from the past suddenly flashed through my mind.
Honey, now that we're married, can't you stop doing those virtual-couple streams on your broadcasts? And maybe you could post an announcement about our marriage, too…
What are you talking about, honey? Virtual-couple content gets so many views. I can't give up the broadcasts I love.
I'm not asking you to give them up… It's just that we're married now, so I feel uncomfortable seeing you with other men.
Ha. Honey, how are we supposed to live together if you can't even understand something like this? It's all staged anyway.
Even so…
Don't worry. You know I love you, right? You know that, don't you?
Y-yeah…
My wife had never announced to her viewers that she was married to me.
I didn't know how she'd managed it, but not a single article about our marriage had appeared, even when we got married.
I don't want too much attention. Let's just love each other quietly.
She had said that, and I'd naturally believed her.
She'd even insisted on having a small wedding, so we'd held the ceremony with only our families present…
But it seemed that none of it had been true.
My head rang as if something had struck me hard. I immediately called her.
I demanded to know what was going on and why an article like that had appeared immediately after our divorce.
“Sigh.”
“…Ji-young?”
“Ah, let's just end things cleanly, okay?”
“What?”
“I never wanted to live with a pig like you in the first place. Didn't you know that?”
“W-what are you talking about…?”
“Do you still think that a beautiful woman like me flirting with an ugly man like you was some kind of romantic destiny? Hahahaha. You're such an idiot. An absolute idiot. How are you supposed to survive in this world when you're so naive?”
“…Ji-young?”
“Since we've agreed to a divorce, I'll tell you the truth, Baek Man-seok.”
“…”
“You were being used.”
Her voice was sharp and cold, unlike anything I'd ever heard from her before. My mind went completely blank.
“Why do you think I married an ugly, smelly, fat pig like you, with a tiny dick? It was simply because you had money. You should've become even more successful. Oh, and I was seeing other men even after we got married.”
“…”
“What? Are you angry? Are you going to take it out on someone? But you can't do that, can you, Baek Man-seok? Because you love me. You're so hopelessly in love with your first love, Kim Ji-young, that you can't bring yourself to do anything, right?”
“…”
I had no idea gaslighting could be this terrifying.
She was right. Even after hearing her say those things, I still loved her.
You might think I was insane, but her constant declarations of love and her pleas for me to protect her kept echoing in my head. Her requests for me to trust her had distorted my perception of the truth.
Even now, a part of me thought that the things she was saying might be lies.
“Don't make this pathetic. Let's each live our own lives. I guess it was a good thing we tried so hard not to have a child.”
“…Ah.”
“From now on, don't call me. It's better for your mental health if you forget about me and move on. And…”
“…”
“Just so you know, don't even think about telling anyone about this. Do you think people in this world will believe me or you? Hehehe.”
That was how things ended between us.
After the divorce, all I had left was my parents' home in Gyeonggi-do, my parents, and my laptop.
I didn't tell my parents the truth about the divorce.
I thought they'd collapse if they heard what had really happened. I simply told them that we'd separated because our values didn't align. Fortunately, they weren't familiar with the internet broadcasting world and didn't know much about her situation. If they'd known…
Sigh. I didn't even want to think about it.
Gulp. Gulp.
“Sigh. Should I just die…?”
I wasn't much of a drinker, yet there I was, gulping down soju.
Looking at the deep lake near my house, I even began having dark thoughts.
But I couldn't bring myself to do anything. Quite a few people had gathered to enjoy the night scenery. Besides, a huge, ugly man holding a bottle of alcohol in one hand was enough to make the people around me look at me suspiciously.
Whisper, whisper.
“What's with that guy…?”
“Ugh, his face is terrifying…”
“Let's stay away from him.”
How bitter.
My life.
When I thought about how I had nothing left, I felt unbearably sad. Surprisingly, even at that moment, I found myself thinking about my ex-wife, Kim Ji-young.
“I'm insane… After everything she did to me.”
If this were a novel, readers would have torn me apart in the comments, calling me a complete idiot.
They would've been pointing fingers at me, asking why such a frustrating, spineless character even existed.
But I'd spent my entire twenty-five years without a girlfriend, living as a loner. She had been my first love.
Even if it was a miserable, rotten kind of love, it was still love to me.
A pure, devoted love.
That was why it hurt so much. Instead of feeling angry at her, I had ended up blaming myself.
I knew it, too. I knew I was an idiot.
Let's take it slowly… I'll sort out my feelings and start living a new life.
Still, don't worry.
I'll forget about her now. I don't want to make my parents worry about me anymore.
Let's start writing again. Even if I'm going through a slump, I'll overcome it by continuing to write. I'll forget about my past glory and start over from scratch.
It was while I was making that resolution that I heard something.
“Hahahaha!”
“Hehehe. Honey, you look just like an idol!”
“Right? This is pretty fun. How much is it?”
“Five thousand won.”
“?”
At a street stall in the lakeside park, a crowd had gathered, laughing happily.
Normally, I wouldn't have approached a place like that so openly. But driven by half curiosity and half drunkenness, I slowly walked over to take a look.
After the people gathered around the stall moved on, I watched the owner at work with interest.
You, too, can become an idol!
You, too, can become a celebrity!
An AI experience just for fun.
AI?
I'd heard that AI was becoming popular lately.
It could gather various kinds of data and provide information, and it could even use that information to draw pictures and create realistic images of people…
The owner of the stall was making active use of that technology.
He took pictures of passersby, used AI to make them look more attractive, and printed the results on the spot. Couples passing by would try it for fun and burst into laughter.
It certainly seemed like something that would make a date more entertaining.
And then…
“Would you like to give it a try?”
“Huh?”
My eyes met the stall owner's.
I'd been watching so intently that, before I knew it, I was the only customer left.
I scratched my head and licked my lips, but then I remembered something my ex-wife, Kim Ji-young, had said.
Why do you think I married an ugly, smelly, fat pig like you, with a tiny dick?
“Um, well…”
“Yes, sir?”
“Is it possible for someone like me, too?”
The young male owner hesitated slightly.
It seemed he hadn't gotten a proper look at my face because of the darkness. When he finally saw it, he flinched in surprise.
My ugly face.
“O-of course! It's possible. AI is invincible!”
“Hahaha. How much does it cost?”
“Five thousand won!”
I wondered whether he had permission to do this, but I didn't know. Curious, I decided to give it a try.
If I'd been handsome…
Would my life really have turned out this badly?
The school days when I'd been looked down upon for being ugly and fat. The marriage in which I'd merely been used. All those memories piled up inside me, making my emotions surge.
“Now, look at the camera.”
“…Okay.”
Click.
“Now, let's transfer this to the laptop…”
“…”
He moved his hands skillfully, as though he'd done this many times before.
But…
It was taking quite a while. It hadn't seemed to take this long for the others.
Muttering to himself, he said, “Tsk. Why is this taking so long? Is the AI having a hard time, too…?”
“…”
“Ah! S-sorry. It'll be ready soon. Very soon.”
After about ten minutes, the machine finally whirred and printed out the photograph.
“Oh! This is one of the best results I've ever gotten! Wow, you look incredibly handsome!”
“Ah, yes…”
He was making such a fuss that I wondered whether he was just trying to make up for keeping me waiting for ten minutes.
But when he handed me the photograph, I realized he wasn't simply exaggerating.
He was ridiculously handsome.
“Wow.”
A man so handsome that I couldn't help exclaiming in amazement was staring back at me from the photograph.
His messy, greasy hair had been neatly arranged. His face, which had been covered in blemishes, had become clear and fair. His small, unattractive eyes, nose, and mouth had been reshaped to suit his facial structure perfectly, creating a harmonious appearance.
Even his fat body had become slim, transforming him into someone who looked just like a model.
This is insane…
Would you call it a decadent kind of beauty?
He looked languid, almost seductive, yet beautiful all at once.
Those red, cherry-colored lips practically begged to be kissed. They were worlds apart from my own rotten-looking lips.
Was this really AI?
Was AI a god?
“This is seriously one of the best results I've ever gotten! Hahaha!”
“I-is that so? Anyway… this is amazing. Here's the five thousand won.”
“I'm sorry for making you wait so long, sir. I'll even give you a case for free.”
“Oh! Thank you.”
“Haha. I should be the one thanking you.”
For the first time in a while, I'd had an enjoyable experience.
I stared at the photograph.
If I'd looked like this, my life really would've been different. Hehehe.
My mind began to brighten, and a new idea came to me.
What about a novel in which an ugly person like me gradually became handsome?
Someone who keeps getting more and more handsome…
Right! How about calling it Getting Handsomer and Handsomer? Hehehe.
Lost in these pleasant thoughts, I slipped the palm-sized photograph, sealed inside its case, into my pocket.
That was when it happened.
“Fire! There's a fire!”
“?”
The shout immediately brought me back to my senses.
Fire? A fire?
With a bewildered expression, I looked toward the place the shouting was coming from.
“Huh?”
For a moment, I staggered.
The place on fire was none other than my parents' home.
My memories of what happened next were incomplete. I had lost my senses and was running as fast as my heavy body would allow.
The flames blazed fiercely, and people tried to stop me from running toward them.
I pushed past them and rushed inside.
“Mother! Father!”
An unfamiliar ceiling.
That phrase had long since become a cliché in web novels, but when I opened my eyes, it turned out to be an accurate description of my situation.
An unfamiliar ceiling.
And a body that refused to move easily.
“Ugh… Ngh…”
For some reason, I couldn't even speak properly.
Just then…
Crash!
“Oh my! Man-seok!”
“?”
Along with the sound of something shattering, a familiar voice reached my ears.
My eyes widened in surprise.
It was my mother, her hands trembling.
Something about her appearance seemed slightly… different.
“Doctor! Doctor, our Man-seok…”
“Uh, ah…”
My mother hurriedly rushed outside.
What was going on? What had happened?
But I understood everything much sooner than I expected.
“Mr. Baek Man-seok, I know this must be shocking, but you ran into the burning house…”
Ah. I remember now.
I ran toward the burning house.
I'd rushed inside to save my parents.
And I had saved them back then. I remembered.
I'd definitely pushed both of them outside.
Three years had passed since then.
I'd been unconscious and lying in a hospital bed for three years, and now I'd finally opened my eyes.
“Sob, sob. We survived thanks to you, but you inhaled so much smoke that you couldn't get out of there yourself.”
“That's right. Fortunately, the firefighters managed to rescue you, but you suffered severe burns over much of your body. Especially your face…”
“Ah.”
“You may find it quite shocking.”
The doctor who had come with my mother bowed his head deeply toward me. The nurses standing nearby also whispered among themselves while sneaking glances at my condition.
Ah. So I'd been an ugly man, and now the burns had made me look even worse…
Bow.
“I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we couldn't restore your original face. My skills and my overconfidence as a doctor ended up leaving your face in a terrible state.”
“…”
He must have been the one who had personally performed my burn treatment and reconstructive surgery.
Just how shocking was my appearance that he would even bow his head and apologize like this?
“Doctor… It's okay. Thank you for saving my life.”
“…”
“If it's all right, could I see my face for myself?”
“…Man-seok…”
“It's okay, Mother. I can handle it.”
I was simply grateful that my parents were alive.
Besides, I'd already been ugly. How much worse could I possibly look now? Would drawing another line on a watermelon really make much difference?
Thinking that, I accepted the mirror someone handed me.
“Phew…”
When I let out a quiet breath, everyone held their breath and swallowed nervously.
It seemed they were all tense.
Here goes nothing.
I steeled myself and raised the mirror, prepared to accept whatever I saw.
And then…
“AAAAAAAH!”
I screamed.
My whole body trembled.
“Th-this…”
“We performed the surgery using the best technology available in 2030. As it happened, our hospital was also conducting procedures involving artificial skin. Ahem, and I was one of the leading specialists in this field, so…”
“My face…”
“You must be shocked. Your face has changed completely from what it used to be. It's my fault. At the time, your family members were also receiving treatment at the hospital, and I thought we needed to deal with the most urgent matters first. So I used the photographs you had with you as a reference. Although they had been damaged, the clothes you were wearing matched those in the pictures, so I used them as a guide while performing the surgery.”
I…
My head suddenly began to spin.
Why?
“Oh! This is one of the best results I've ever gotten! Wow, you look incredibly handsome!”
“Holy crap…”
Because the man reflected in the mirror was unbelievably handsome.
He looked just like the AI-generated man in the photograph I'd made out of curiosity three years ago.