Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Another World.
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Unable to resist the crashing waves of sleepiness, I collapsed onto the bed.
It was unavoidable.
This frail body might just melt away if it got overloaded.
It looked as fragile as a snowman—I couldn't help but worry.
When I opened my eyes, dawn had arrived.
And 2 a.m. was a time when magic happened.
A time that could make even the most steadfast person drown in sentimentality.
This was the hour that always plunged me into depression, so I'd gotten into the habit of drinking myself to sleep every night just to avoid it.
Of all times, right when my thoughts were swirling the most, 2 a.m. magic came crashing in.
I lay in bed, lost in contemplation.
Looking back, I'd always been sensitive.
My life itself had been a constant source of anxiety.
After twelve years of obscurity—or pretty much unemployment—it was only natural that I'd turned out that way.
Chasing the dream of becoming an actor had slowly eroded my inner self.
I kept doubting if this was the right path, but I couldn't give up.
I believed that someday, I'd become a recognized actor.
I wanted to be the lead in a famous production.
But the only roles I ever got were bit parts. I never stayed on screen for more than ten seconds.
My pay was minimum wage, barely enough to scrape by.
That instability had seeped into my life, turning sensitivity into a permanent fixture.
Was that the reason? Or was it just the misfortune destined for me?
My YouTube channel, which had 200,000 subscribers and was cruising along with interviews from various professions, started stagnating the moment I appeared on it. It eventually shut down.
Whenever I started a part-time job, customers dwindled until the place closed its doors.
Even popular eateries.
Famous franchise cafes.
Hip bars buzzing on Instagram.
My luck was so rotten that everything I touched seemed to crumble.
If that was my fate?
If misfortune was what awaited me?
"What about the current me—Jeong Gyeowol the woman?"
Does changing bodies mean my fate has changed too?
With this body, maybe I could chase my acting dreams again.
Hopeful thoughts started spinning in my head again, but honestly, I had no confidence.
After going all-in for twelve years and still failing, could a simple body swap suddenly lead to success?
Appearance-wise, I looked like I could succeed even with terrible acting.
But years of failure were more than enough to turn a tough guy into a coward.
Jeong Gyeowol.
The 2005-born woman Jeong Gyeowol, whose body and face—even now that I'd accepted them—made me feel like I could fall in love at first sight.
And the 1995-born man Jeong Gyeowol, whose twisted fate had led only to misfortune.
In this life, whose destiny would prove stronger?
Gurgle—
The signal from 2005-born Jeong Gyeowol's stomach shattered the 2 a.m. magic.
I needed to put something in my stomach first.
I opened the fridge, but it was empty.
My staples were triangle kimbap or lunchboxes.
The neighborhood convenience store owner, who always pitied me, would occasionally pack up food headed for disposal...
But I'd devoured all the previous batches, leaving the fridge spotless inside.
When the owner loaded me up with disposals, it freed me from food worries for at least a week.
He'd been a true blessing to me... but now I might never see him again.
This was a different world from the one I'd known.
There was no guarantee the current owner was the same as before.
For that matter, the convenience store I remembered might not even be a convenience store anymore.
There were plenty of convenience stores around the neighborhood anyway, so it didn't matter... but meeting a owner like that had been the one stroke of luck in my rotten fate.
If my old store was gone, I'd have to hit up another one.
"Can I really feed triangle kimbap to a face and figure like this?"
I hesitated for a moment, but sadly, my life wasn't luxurious enough for gourmet meals.
The same went for 2005-born Jeong Gyeowol, who'd inherited almost my exact circumstances.
So I set aside the guilt and headed for the convenience store.
I was about to slip out in my slippers when I caught sight of the mirror on top of the shoe rack and froze.
A stretched-out T-shirt riddled with holes. Baggy sweatpants with more holes.
It was straight out of male Jeong Gyeowol's wardrobe.
That might've flown before, but not now. I couldn't go out like this.
It felt like committing a sin.
Feeding her triangle kimbap seemed less criminal than sending this body out in such rags.
I threw open the closet to grab any old outfit...
"Whoa..."
All my clothes were gone, replaced by ones clearly sized for a woman.
Thankfully, my tastes hadn't changed— it was all neutral colors and comfy stuff.
The 400,000-won suit I'd splurged on had become a women's two-piece set.
Same with the audition outfits I'd carefully picked out.
Even amid this bizarre sight, my broke-ass thoughts couldn't help but intrude.
"Women's clothes are usually cheaper than men's—do I get a refund for the difference?"
Gurgle—
Like it was telling me to quit the stupid thoughts and eat already.
Another rumble from my stomach.
I threw on a hoodie and jeans, about to head out.
Then a cliché from TS webnovels popped into my head.
The ones where you go to the convenience store for something, and the part-timer drools while staring.
With my gender identity already in chaos, that kind of gaze might hit me hard.
I grabbed a hat and mask.
"Look at you, Miss Bigshot Actress."
A self-mocking laugh escaped... but one look in the mirror, and I had to pull the hat brim down lower.
How was I supposed to handle this aura bursting out past the hat and mask?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In the end, it was uneventful.
Maybe it was just novel stuff after all.
Thankfully, no convenience store cliché triggered.
Triangle kimbap and cola in hand, I headed home.
No matter how broke I was, I could never give up cola.
I'd gone hungry to buy and drink cola before.
At this point, maybe the government should classify it as a narcotic...
But then I couldn't drink it, so absolutely not.
Still...
How was I supposed to handle living expenses from now on?
Food was manageable—even 100,000 won could last a month—but this month's rent was the real issue.
With this face, any bar, restaurant, or cafe would hire me on the spot. But waiting for payday was the problem.
I couldn't exactly go work construction either.
If I showed up on site with this scrawny body, some pro laborer might mistake me for a nail and hammer me flat.
As I pondered living expenses and part-time jobs, I locked eyes with a middle-aged man with a gleaming bald head.
"...Feels like he's been tailing me."
I'd seen him going into the convenience store, and now here he was on my way home.
Up to that point, I chalked it up to coincidence.
But he kept glancing my way. When I sped up, he matched pace.
Slowed down, and he slowed too.
This was the main road, so plenty of foot traffic. Pace was personal freedom—no grounds to complain.
I figured the mirror-induced narcissism was playing tricks, so I ducked into a side street.
It meant a detour, but better than carrying that creepy feeling home.
But damn.
I turned at the persistent footsteps—yep, the guy was still behind me.
He even grinned when our eyes met.
I quickened my pace home, scanning for weapons, but nothing useful.
The neighborhood was usually littered with soju and beer bottles. Of course, the street was spotless right now.
No choice—I gripped my phone tight in my pocket and bolted.
I didn't look back.
By the time my lungs burned, I reached home.
I passed through the villa's security gate and glanced back—thankfully, no sign of him.
Might've been my imagination, or maybe he was bad news.
Either way, nothing happened, so that was a relief... but it left a bitter taste.
Back when I was male Jeong Gyeowol, I'd half-wished for a mugging—land in the hospital, score some settlement cash.
Now here I was, fleeing in panic from one random guy.
Some things had changed, some hadn't—this world felt subtly off-kilter.
I'd thought a gender swap wouldn't alter much beyond my inner world and mindset. I'd still navigate the same reality.
But it seemed like a lot would be different from male Jeong Gyeowol's days.
No—things were already different.