Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Isn't it a universal rule that if you wake up to an unfamiliar ceiling, you're in another world?
Not for me. I woke up in some moldy motel room.
“Ugh...”
My head felt like it was splitting open. I clutched my forehead and forced myself up. A blanket reeking of mildew slid down to my feet.
Now, let’s see... I remember checking that I’d failed the exam again, drinking alone, and then falling asleep.
Did I really crawl all the way from my studio apartment to a motel?
“Am I insane...?”
Cursing at myself, I stumbled into the bathroom. I figured I’d relieve myself and check out the state of my face while I was at it. I didn't need to look to know I’d see a pathetic civil service exam student soaked in booze.
Then, I caught sight of the mirror and fell over with a crash.
“Gah! ...Shit.”
The curse escaped me reflexively, but I gritted my teeth, unable to believe the situation.
With trembling hands, I brushed back my hair and stared into the mirror again.
The unfamiliar face was still there.
It was a scrawny, pretty-looking kid.
...I took a deep breath to keep from spiraling into a panic. I desperately craved a cigarette, even though I’d quit ages ago.
“...Ha.”
Only then did I realize even my voice was unfamiliar.
I felt like biting my tongue.
What the hell is going on?
Barely keeping my wits about me, I dragged this strange body back into the motel room to search it.
On the bed, I found a note that looked like a suicide letter and an empty pill bottle. It seemed this kid had tried to take his own life by overdosing on sleeping pills.
Scanning the note, the gist was that he was an orphan and a high school dropout; he felt wronged and hopeless, so he was leaving this world behind.
A bitter taste filled my mouth. Even after swapping bodies, I’m still an orphan?
I also found a wallet sitting on the cheap vanity. Rummaging through it, I found a few bills and this body’s ID card.
[Park Moon-dae 0X1215 - 3XXXXXX]
“The second half starts with a 3...”
So I’ve been rejuvenated. I let out a hollow laugh and looked at the photo on the ID. It looked better than the mess I’d seen in the mirror earlier, but the expression was incredibly dark.
Still, despite the gloomy vibe, it was a decent face—youthful, too. Is he twenty-three now? I thought he’d be even younger.
“…….”
No, now isn't the time for these thoughts.
I tried my best to think calmly.
I managed to settle down as I pieced the situation together. I started thinking I should figure out where my original body went and come up with a plan. Maybe the kid who tried to kill himself ended up in my body.
I grabbed the wallet and opened the motel door.
Then, I froze.
Through the window directly ahead, snow was fluttering down.
...It was July before I got hammered and passed out.
“My god.”
I swallowed hard. I scrambled back into the room and snatched up the desk calendar.
[December 202X]
...It was a calendar from three years ago.
My vision blurred.
It didn't take long to calm down again. After all, the body swap was a bigger shock than the time travel.
I sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. Why did this have to happen when I don't even remember any winning lottery numbers?
Then, a flash of nonsense crossed my mind, and I snapped my head up.
...Actually, maybe this isn't the past, but a different world entirely.
It was a crazy thought, but overwhelmed by the crazy situation, it sounded plausible.
I recalled seeing things like this quite often in the webtoons and web novels I occasionally read. Was it called a 'Hunter' story...?
I muttered softly in a dazed tone. I’m certain I looked quite pathetic.
“Status Window...?”
Naturally, nothing happened.
Dammit.
I pounded the bed in embarrassment.
As if one would actually appear, you dumbass—
[Name: Park Moon-dae (Ryu Gun-woo)]
Level: 0
Title: None
Singing: C
Dance: -
Appearance: C
Star Quality: -
Trait: Infinite Potential
It appeared.
I tumbled right off the bed.
“Oof!”
Groaning from the pain in my back, I thought to myself:
The contents of the status window... aren't what I expected?
“…….”
Once the status window appeared, I actually became as calm as I needed to be.
Since this was a situation that clearly defied the laws of physics, the reality that this wasn't a joke finally sank in.
I had left the motel and was now in a nearby PC cafe. I needed to check if there were any other variables besides the fact that it was three years in the past.
For the record, I asked the counter to call my original number, but the recording said it was a non-existent number.
I couldn't log into my university account, and the social media accounts I’d made for assignments were gone.
In other words, it seemed the original 'me' didn't exist in this world.
It’s not like I have any great lingering attachments.
My parents passed away in an accident when I was in middle school, and I’d lost touch with all my relatives by the time I entered college.
I didn't have much of a social circle to begin with, and what little I had vanished as my years as a civil service exam student dragged on.
Besides, considering the years I wasted as a student, I was essentially a person whose life was worth cutting ties with anyway.
“Here’s the ham ramen you ordered.”
“Ah, thank you.”
I finished my cold self-assessment and took the tray. Slurping the noodles, I scanned the search engine.
Hmm, three years ago was right when I was making a fuss about 'studying for real.'
Since that was the period when I’d canceled my smartphone plan and cut the internet cord, these pages didn't feel entirely familiar.
However, it didn't feel alien either.
It felt exactly like three years ago. Things that were popular back then caught my eye. Games, movies, songs... idols.
Idols, huh.
“Hmm.”
I set my chopsticks down on the empty ramen bowl and crossed my arms.
No matter how I looked at it, the contents of that status window were specific to being an idol.
I don't know why I ended up in this body, but could it be related to that status window?
Did the original owner of this body, 'Park Moon-dae,' make a wish because he wanted to be an idol?
...Or was it because of what I did during my college days?
I have no idea. But I should use what I can.
“Status Window.”
When I whispered it barely above a breath, the translucent window popped up in my field of vision again.
Singing is Grade C, Appearance is Grade C. The rest are blank.
Is it because I haven't tried them yet?
The thought suddenly occurred to me, but I decided to set it aside for now. There was no way I wanted to start dancing or showing off my star quality right this second.
Then, should I check the other contents of the status window?
I remembered the karaoke sign I’d seen on my way to the PC cafe.
“Oh.”
To start with the results, it seems Grade C isn't a low grade.
I could sing quite well. First of all, the tone was good, and the vocal volume was decent. The vocalization was clean, giving off a 'solid fundamentals' vibe. I realized the kid definitely had talent.
And more surprising than that was the fact that this window appeared.
[Achievement Unlocked! 〈First Attempt〉]
Level 0 -> 1
Gained 1 Point!
“Achievement?”
I only asked the question to myself, but another window popped up.
[Achievements in Progress]
10 Attempts (0/10)
100 Attempts (0/100)
First Experience (0/1)
10 Experiences (0/10)
…….
The scroll bar continued endlessly at the bottom. ...So it’s a grind. The units even jump up shamelessly as it goes on. Plus, half of them are blank, as if they can't be confirmed yet.
My excitement cooled slightly, and I closed the window.
Still, since I received something called a point, should I try using it like in a game?
I brought up the status window.
At the bottom, 'Remaining Points: 1' was newly displayed.
“Allocate 1 point to Singing.”
Immediately, the contents of the status window changed.
[Name: Park Moon-dae (Ryu Gun-woo)]
Level: 1
Title: None
Singing: C+
Dance: -
Appearance: C
Star Quality: -
Trait: Infinite Potential
Singing immediately became C+.
Did this actually take effect?
I immediately selected the same song I’d just sung. Then, I sang it the exact same way.
“...I’m good?”
There was a definite difference. It was easier to listen to, and the sound was more refined. It felt as if my throat instinctively learned the way to sing like that.
And the 'Trait' shown on the status window.
“Infinite Potential, huh.”
Usually, a person's results relative to their effort vary based on innate talent. And even with effort, there are limits. A maximum growth potential, a limit to one's potential.
But this status window was showing that my efficiency was absurdly high compared to my effort, and that there was no limit to my growth.
Moreover, I’d confirmed that my skills actually improved when I tried it.
I stroked my chin, thinking.
An idol...
Does it mean I should take this as the career path for this new body?
And at that moment, a pop-up flashed over the status window.
“...!!”
[Sudden!]
Status Effect: ‘Death if Not Debut’ occurred!
Red text bled into a string of sentences below.
[‘Death if Not Debut’]
If you do not debut as an idol within the specified period, you will die.
Remaining Period: D-365
“What?”
The content was absurd, but I had an ominous feeling.
The fact that I was in someone else's body was already a crazy situation, so there was no guarantee that something even weirder wouldn't happen.
As soon as I finished reading, the bizarre pop-up vanished.
And sure enough, a strange entry had been added to the status window.
[Name: Park Moon-dae (Ryu Gun-woo)]
Level: 1
Title: None
Singing: C+
Dance: -
Appearance: C
Star Quality: -
Trait: Infinite Potential
!Status Effect: Death if Not Debut
Is this for real?
“Shit...”
I cursed and clutched my forehead. Cold sweat broke out.
I had already confirmed that the status window worked. I couldn't ignore the possibility that this god-awful sentence would also come true.
Why the hell did this pop up? Because I thought about being an idol?
A hollow laugh escaped me in disbelief. But at the same time, a thought occurred to me.
...Am I being punished for being a data seller all that time?
Right, idols.
Actually, it was a field I was familiar with for personal reasons.
Back in my college days, I’d made a decent living by taking photos of idols as a proxy. In the process, I’d done some... pretty money-hungry things.
I’d seen all sorts of sights and heard all sorts of rumors.
Besides, environment makes the man; because I spent so much time taking photos, I’d even been unnecessarily over-invested in the field at one point.
Since I’d voluntarily looked into various things back then, I actually had a fair amount of knowledge in the area.
I rubbed my face to wipe away the cold sweat. Then, I crossed my arms and glared at the status window.
I don't know what’s what. It’s ridiculous, and it pisses me off.
But I have no intention of dying.
So, let’s stay calm.
Fine, my life was trash anyway, so it’s basically giving me a fresh start. And with such advantageous conditions, too.
Besides, if I want to trace how I ended up in this body, I’ll have to use and investigate this unrealistic status window further.
“Hmm.”
My self-justification was complete. I let out a crazed smirk.
...Around this time, wasn't there an idol survival program that became a massive hit?