I received a huge bonus today.

Although that sounds great and all, here I am lying on my bed watching the night view through my bedroom window. I just came back from the celebratory party for my team project, at which almost everyone was drunk and wasted.

I hear the sounds of night traffic and the wind fluttering my curtains. If you look at this, you might think that this is the life you want to live. A respectable salary, a decent position, a nice and cosy apartment in a decent neighbourhood, and a decent car. What else does a 26-year-old want? As far as I'm concerned, I look good enough and have a neutral standpoint.

The MC image has been added in the chapter comments.

"Sigh... I should be happy."

Looking out the window, I began to think about the past.My parents died in a car accident when I was five years old. My grandmother was the one who looked after me after that. Born in Canada to Korean doctor parents, I attended one of the best boarding schools until my grandmother died around the time of my graduation. Following that, I attended a good college in Korea before joining my current company, which specialises in game development and technology solutions.

I had some good friends and good colleagues, and I was successful in my first project of which I was the leader. I've had crushes and a failed short-term relationship. I love to draw and find quiet cafes to read in.

See, I was living a decent and peaceful life. I should be happy. But then I felt like something was missing in my life. As I contemplated and rethought, I fell asleep.

--------

The next day was just like any other.

It was late evening and I was waiting for the signal to cross to go back to my place as it was nearby, around a 10-15 minute walk. As usual, it was crowded in Seoul, and you could find many people making plans to hang out or gossiping. I was lost in my thoughts, watching the passing vehicles. I'm not sure why I started thinking about the meaning of my life, why I'm alive, and for whom I'm alive.I didn't have a family to go home to.

A commotion erupted behind me while I was waiting.I was turning around when someone slammed into me hard, causing me to fall backwards.

And then I felt nothing but pain...

"Ah ah."

While I was trying to open my eyes, a blast of shrill sirens and flashing red lights drowned out everything. I tried to keep my eyes open, but I was losing consciousness.

My last thoughts were, "I didn't want to die... I wanted to... live...m-yy.. dre..."

--------

Dream. We all have dreams. I had too.

I was a K-pop trainee for around a year and almost made it to the debut team. But, really, what can you expect from a mediocre talented trainee with less than a year of training? I was attractive but not unique. I was a good singer and dancer, but not the best. There was nothing about my presence that stood out.

I was 18 when I joined a famous but not top entertainment company, and I must admit that I was genuinely happy there until I received very harsh feedback from my mentors for the debut team and was fired. I didn't give up right away, but no one was rooting for me or my dream. Everyone said I was a good student who was always in the top 5, and that I should pursue a more "realistic dream."

I tried and tried until I finally gave up.

It was difficult for me to adjust to a normal life. It didn't seem "normal" to me. Anyway, I took the entrance exam, did well, and enrolled in a good engineering college with a specialisation in computers and graphics.

And now I'm dead.

.

.

.

Well, that's what I thought. All I saw when I opened my eyes and looked around was darkness. I was baffled because I couldn't see my own body.

"Hello?" "Helloo," I could only hear myself say.

Someone spoke (while scaring the sh** out of me) just as I was losing patience.

"Hello there, lady... I don't have much time, so let me brief you so you're ready to go! "

A neat and decent-looking man stood in a white suit, holding a notepad and speaking to me without looking at me. He was slightly glowing and frowning as he flipped through the pages.

"Ahhhhhh whatttt?" I was both confused and alarmed by this weird stranger.

"Huh? Ahhhhh, sorry you must be perplexed, thinking, "What are you doing here, and is it hell or heaven?" He said this in a very professional, salesman-like tone.

"..."

"Hello, Miss Kim Mihi! Let me introduce myself; my name is Park Dawon, and I am your assigned mediator for your new world."

"My WHAT!?" I was utterly confused.