Dragon-eating Mist Forest, Zithen family complex, State Zhyphrese, Draconian continent Voldage, and the Year 2041, Planet Grimoire.
"This is so ironic," Tae-Jun muttered in exasperation as he wandered through the forest. On the one hand, he had no idea where he was going. Still, on the other hand, it didn't bother Tae-Jun to wander in silence, which felt welcoming rather than threatening, which was quite comforting to him right then.
"I suppose I had some skill when I was a child in my former life." While Tae-Jun knew about the entertainment idol life, he hadn't even dreamed of becoming one. A sigh escaped him. "Hah, I don't know what I'm doing now. So how am I supposed to become some kind of expert?" Not disillusioned but frustrated, Tae-Jun stopped by a small, clear, rippling pool. "Huh, what's this?" He inspected the blurry form in the reflection and sucked in his breath. "What the hell, this isn't what I remember?"
He looked friggin' weird. One part of his head was shaved close to bald. Some kind of inked color ran from the side of his face to his body. He only had a pair of loose-fitting black pants covering his lower body. They were practically falling off his hips. "Damn, when did I become this...bulked up?"
Well, that wasn't a fitting description. Tae-Jun realized he was muscular, but not so much that he couldn't move. Tae-Jun tried a few basic moves that he recalled from idol choreography and discovered that he executed them perfectly. "Hmm, this might not be impossible after all." He murmured with a sigh.
"Hey, Tae-Jun! Where are you?" A voice bellowed, shattering the pleasant silence.
"Err," Tae-Jun stiffened warily when he saw a figure in the distance.
The man wore billowing robes, concise white hair, and scars crisscrossed his nose and eyebrows. He had earrings with gems glittering that matched his ebony eyes. A short biography popped into Tae-Jun's mind of who the person was.
Cili Midda was around twenty years old, two years older than Tae-Jun. They were milk brothers since Tae-Jun's mother was an actress and Cili Midda's father's mistress. Oh great, should I expect some underhanded crap going on right off the bat? Tae-Jun surveyed Cili warily. "I'm over here."
Cili Midda approached Tae-Jun and stared at him in silence. His expression turned suspicious and wary. "You aren't the little cowardly creep I remember." Cili folded his arms and stared at Tae-Jun hard. "Though I suppose this should've been expected. Weird shit has been going down lately."
Tae-Jun exhaled slowly. "For what it's worth, that is my first name." He shrugged when Cili stopped and stared at him.
"Well, at least you're not denying that you're not the original freak." Cili scowled in disgust. "Now come on. We have a photo shoot to get ready for." He looked over at Tae-Jun very carefully. "Well, at least you look the part of an idol now." He spun on his heel and made Tae-Jun sigh.
Now he had to become an expert and introduce showbiz to a culture that knew nothing about it? Well, that had been better than Tae-Jun expected. At least he wasn't totally hated in this life, maybe. He would reserve an opinion on what to expect from everyone else. Not only that, but his siblings also came into this world. So where were they? Tae-Jun remembered the guide's warning and grimaced. "What else should I be prepared for, Midda?"
Cili glanced at him. "Just call me Cili, like you always have. We're brothers in name only. That hasn't changed." He sounded hurt that Tae-Jun wouldn't call him by his first name.
Tae-Jun sighed and grumbled behind him. "I'm sorry, I just got dumped here without an explanation other than the 'Welcome, and good luck, you'll die if you don't succeed' message."
At that point, Cili glanced at him. "Huh, you're the last of them who arrived with similar wild tales." He rolled his eyes. "We have an idol type of entertainment, just so you know."
Well, that was encouraging to hear. "Good, I just was given the notion that nothing existed," Tae-Jun told him. "I wasn't looking forward to what might've happened if I and others were doing this from scratch."
Cili laughed and relaxed finally. "Eh, just wait and see what happens first," he cautioned. You might think twice while we're dealing with the photo shoot." He sighed. I think you'll look good in the black and red combination."
Hmm, Tae-Jun felt a residual resistance when he heard that. "I'd like to see the clothing I'd be wearing." He ignored it because, unlike the body's original owner, "So long as I'm mostly clothed, I won't mind taking risks." Tae-Jun had little opinion on clothing.
Cili blinked at him. "You are definitely interesting." He acknowledged at last. "I was testing you, and you passed." He gave a faint smile. "Now come on, we'll be late if we tarry any longer."
Tae-Jun grunted and lapsed into silence.
*
This was the worst time for Tae-Jun to hide in the Misty Forest, notorious for killing young dragons who hadn't undergone their first transformation from human to dragon. Yet, he'd chosen to come out here? Why did he have to be such a cowardly bastard right now? Couldn't he have waited to pull this until after the photo shoot? Huh, wait a second. Was Tae-Jun over there?
That was a tall young man by the reflection pool of dreams. Crap, that was dangerous! He had to warn him to get away from there. "Or not. He doesn't seem inclined to fall in." Cili was utterly shocked at the change that came over Tae-Jun when he spotted him in the distance. The lean-bodied male was the epitome of draconic elegance. Not only that but it was done perfectly when he'd executed a complicated choreography that no one had ever displayed.
The former Tae-Jun couldn't dance worth crap. Not only that, but this new version seemed completely confused about this world, too. Cili sighed. It could have been better timing for his arrival because he had zero knowledge of this world. However, it might work out in his favor since he seemed disinclined toward remaining in the shadows.
"Here we are," Cili gestured in front of him. There is the family complex." He watched as Tae-Jun's face paled. What's wrong?"
"Uh," Tae-Jun swallowed hard. "I'm nauseous." He admitted. "I don't know when this body last consumed anything to eat and drink."
Oh, good grief, well, that could be remedied. "If you don't mind eating one of these," Cili handed him an energy bar. "It'll at least keep you from passing out from hunger." There wasn't much he could do as far as liquid was concerned.
"Thanks," Tae-Jun accepted it cautiously. He sniffed at it warily, and then, after unwrapping it, he bit off a small piece and chewed it. "I won't ask what this is, but it seems fine."
Cili smiled in relief. "All right, time for us to proceed."