Jake spent the rest of the day in the hospital, carefully navigating his new reality. The more time he spent in Lee Joo-Hee's body, the more he realized how different everything felt. It wasn't just the physical changes—though those were certainly challenging—but the emotional and psychological shifts that came with them.
As he sat by Sung Jin-Woo's bedside, watching him sleep, Jake's thoughts drifted back to his old life. The life he had left behind when he made that impulsive wish.
Back then, everything had seemed so simple: he was Jake Garcia, a college student, an inquisitive man with dreams and goals. But now, in Lee Joo-Hee's body, everything was complicated.
He still thought of himself as Jake, but the body he inhabited was undeniably female. The way people interacted with him, the way he saw himself in the mirror, the way he felt—it was all different.
Jake felt that something changed and he was being influenced by this foreign body. And then there were the emotions. The subtle, creeping feelings that he had started to notice, especially when he was around Sung Jin-Woo—a tingling sensation that Jake never felt before.
Jake's mind raced as he tried to make sense of the emotions flooding through him. This must be because I'm inside Joo-Hee's body... I'm feeling all her emotions.
Then, a sudden thought hit him. Wait a minute—Joo-Hee wasn't described as liking Jin-Woo in the novel. So why do I feel this way? He covered his mouth, shocked by the realization. Could it be that Joo-Hee actually liked Jin-Woo, even if it wasn't explicitly written? She should have expressed it!
Frustration surged within him. I'm inside Joo-Hee now, but it annoys me—they should've been together in the first place.
Jake's thoughts spiraled. Does this mean I'll have to feel this way every time I see Jin-Woo? The idea unsettled him. I'm a guy, and now I'm feeling this way toward a man? He shook his head, trying to shake off the confusion.
"No," he whispered firmly to himself. "I'm still me. I'm still Jake. This is just… a side effect of inheriting Joo-Hee's body. I'm straight. I've always been straight."
But as he looked at Sung Jin-Woo, sleeping peacefully despite everything he had been through, Jake couldn't deny the warmth in his chest. It was the same warmth he had felt when Sung Jin-Woo had first recognized him as Lee Joo-Hee. A warmth that was slowly becoming harder to ignore.
"Focus," Jake muttered, pushing those thoughts aside. He couldn't afford to get distracted. He had a plan—a plan that required him to stay sharp and focused.
Jake reached into the pocket of his hospital gown and pulled out a small notebook he had found in the room earlier. It was blank, but it would serve as the perfect place to start planning his next moves. He opened it to the first page and began writing, his thoughts flowing quickly.
Step 1: Integrate into this world as Lee Joo-Hee.
That meant continuing to pretend that he had lost most of his memories, relying on the vague recollections of the original Lee Joo-Hee to fill in the gaps. It also meant strengthening his healing abilities and getting used to the Sage Enlightenment System. He needed to be ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.
Step 2: Build a relationship with Sung Jin-Woo.
This was the most crucial part of his plan. Sung Jin-Woo was the key to everything—surviving in this world, growing stronger, and eventually becoming a part of his life in a way that Lee Joo-Hee never had in the original story. But Jake had to be careful. He couldn't rush things or make Sung Jin-Woo suspicious. He had to approach this slowly, carefully, and naturally.
Step 3: Explore the Sage Enlightenment System and its potential.
Jake had no idea what this system was truly capable of, but he was determined to find out. The class "Sage of Eternal Leaf" suggested a connection to nature, perhaps even plant-based magic. He needed to test these powers, understand their limits, and find ways to use them to his advantage.
Step 4: Survive the dungeons and grow stronger.
Lee Joo-Hee's body had an innate fear of dungeons, a fear that Jake would have to overcome if he wanted to survive in this world. He would need to train, to build his confidence, and to push through the fear. The Sage Enlightenment System would help with that, but Jake knew it would take more than just power—it would take courage.
Jake paused, staring down at the list he had just written. It was a start, but he knew that this plan was just the beginning. The world of Solo Leveling was dangerous, filled with powerful enemies and deadly challenges. He would need to be smart, resourceful, and adaptable if he wanted to survive.
Closing the notebook, Jake looked at Sung Jin-Woo again. He was still asleep, his breathing slow and steady. Jake felt a pang of something—an emotion that was becoming all too familiar. He quickly pushed it down.
"I'll be by your side, Jin-Woo," Jake whispered, his voice barely audible. "No matter what happens, I'll make sure you will still be the main character of this world. And maybe… just maybe, I'll find a way to fulfill my abrupt wish for Lee Joo-Hee, too."
With that, Jake stood up and quietly left the room, determined to start putting his plan into motion.
The following days later, passed in a blur of activity. Jake, still adjusting to his new identity as Lee Joo-Hee, focused on recovering physically and mentally. The nurses and doctors continued to check in on him, but he managed to avoid any awkward questions about his past by sticking to his story of memory loss.
Meanwhile, he spent as much time as possible with Sung Jin-Woo, slowly building a connection with him. At first, their conversations were brief and filled with awkward silences, but as the days went by, they began to talk more—about the incident in the double dungeon, about their lives before the tragedy, and about their hopes for the future.
Sung Jin-Woo, still recovering from his injuries, seemed to appreciate Lee Joo-Hee's presence. He was kind, gentle, and protective—traits that Jake found increasingly appealing, much to his confusion and frustration.
But Jake kept those feelings buried deep, focusing instead on his plan.
One evening, as the sun began to set, Jake sat by Sung Jin-Woo's bed, flipping through the notebook where he had outlined his plan. Sung Jin-Woo was dozing, his face relaxed and peaceful. Jake glanced at him, then back at the notebook, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
He was making progress. The relationship with Sung Jin-Woo was slowly but surely developing. He had started experimenting with the Sage Enlightenment System, discovering that it granted him control over plants and natural healing abilities far beyond what Lee Joo-Hee had originally possessed. And while the fear of dungeons still lingered, Jake was determined to confront it head-on.
But there was still so much he didn't know—about this world, about the system, and about the future that awaited him. He would need to be careful, strategic, and above all, patient.
As he closed the notebook, Jake made a silent vow to himself. Things might get difficult, but I'll see this through to the end—as a reader who knows portions of the future of this world. And maybe, just maybe, find a way back to my own world.
But until then, he would continue to live as Lee Joo-Hee, embracing the challenges and opportunities that came his way.