Juwon felt weightless as if he was drifting into an endless void. His consciousness swam through the darkness with deafening silence. Then suddenly, a flock of memories quickly came rushing out of his brain.
A speeding van, the impact, his frozen body, and the frantic shouts around. Everything flashed briefly before the darkness consumed him again.
Then suddenly there was light.
Juwon's eyes fluttered open, but the light wasn't harsh or overwhelming. It was soft and natural as if the morning sunlight was streaming through the curtains of his room.
"Am I dead?" He blinked as his senses gradually returned.
He was immediately struck by how strange everything felt. Beneath him lay a strange bed, rougher and smaller than his own. And there was no pain in his body. It was actually lighter in some way.
Juwon tried to sit up, and the moment he did, a sharp realization hit him.
This wasn't a hospital or his own room.
"Is this heaven?"
Juwon's heart pounded. He swiftly turned his head to look around the tiny white room he was in. The sunlight peeked through a half-closed curtain, casting golden light on his walls. There was also a simple desk, a single chair, and a few scattered clothes that were messily laid on the floor.
He couldn't believe that heaven looked like a cheap apartment.
However, confusion settled in as Juwon swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He looked down, expecting to see his usual tall and muscular build but instead saw thin and pale legs. His hands, resting on his lap, were smaller, the skin much rougher.
'What is happening?' Panic shot through Juwon's eyes.
"What the hell—" Even his voice sounds unfamiliar. It was softer and younger. He quickly looked for a mirror and when he saw one beside his bed, he quickly took a hold of it.
That's when Juwon's face turned pale.
The reflection that stared back at him was a stranger's face. He blinked repeatedly, hoping it was some sort of hallucination, but the unknown face remained.
Now, he has dark brown hair, a youthful but boyish face, and a pair of blue eyes. It was drastically different from the black hair and mature features he used to have at the ripe age of 40.
His looks tell that he could have been no older than 21 or 22. The reflection mimicked his every movement, and that was when it truly sank in.
This wasn't his body.
"W-what the fuck is this?" he whispered as he touched his face. His fingers trembled as he traced unfamiliar features. His mind raced, desperately trying to make sense of the situation.
"This can't be real. H-how is this even possible?"
Then suddenly, a soft robotic voice echoed in his ears, making him flinch. It was followed by a holographic screen with words glowing faintly in the air.
[System Integrating…]
Juwon's eyes became wide open, his heart racing faster as the words danced before his eyes. He waved his hands, trying to dispel the strange holographic words, but it stayed firmly in place.
[Welcome, Host. Initializing Body Transfer Protocol.]
"Body transfer? What the hell does that mean?" Juwon's forehead creased in confusion as his heart beat even faster.
- - -
[Previous body: Park Juwon (Status: Deceased)]
[New body: Nam Minjae (Status: Alive)]
- - -
Juwon stared at the floating text.
"Wait, deceased? I'm... dead?" Juwon's eyes widened. He swallowed hard while his hands gripped on the edge of the bed to support himself as he read the words on the screen one more time.
"Nam Minjae? I'm in someone's body?"
Nam Minjae… that name sounded vaguely familiar, but Juwon couldn't remember where he first heard it. He glanced around the small room again, feeling the weight of the situation sinking in.
He was inside someone else's house.
How was this even possible?
[Congratulations, Host! You have been given a second chance in life.]
Juwon let out a shaky breath. Is he high? And what second chance? For what?
He had already reached the pinnacle of success with over a hundred awards and global recognition.
What could he possibly achieve more?
Juwon sank back onto the bed, rubbing his face.
"A second chance…" he uttered in a low voice, the word sound foreign on his tongue.
Juwon closed his eyes, thinking of the years he had spent in the limelight, the exhaustion of always being in the public eye, and the crushing pressure of maintaining his popularity.
"I don't want this…"
Yet, sespite his refusal, more text appeared before his eyes.
[Talents Initializing…]
- - -
Acting: [Park Juwon: Master (3/3)]
Screenwriting: [Park Juwon Master (3/3)]
Directing: [Park Juwon: Master (3/3)]
- - -
~
- - -
Acting: [Nam Minjae: Novice (1/3)]
Screenwriting: [Nam Minjae: No Data]
Directing: [Nam Minjae: No Data]
- - -
[Talents Averaging…]
Talents Unlocked:
- - - - -
Acting: Intermediate (1/3)
Screenwriting: Beginner (1/3)
Directing: Beginner (1/3)
- - - - -
[System Integration Complete.]
[Ding!]
[System: Become a Legendary Superstar!]
"..."
"Are you kidding me?" Juwon ran a hand through his hair. He was in complete disbelief. He glanced at the floating text again, squinting his eyes to stare at the talent levels that were displayed before him.
Just when he thought that this life right now was intended for him to rest, the system just really had to destroy all his hopes.
"What about my talents? Intermediate? Beginner? And what's the weird number after it?" He scoffed. "Is this a joke? I've won more awards than I can count, and now I'm back to being average?"
[Host, your current talents reflect the average of your own and the body you now inhabit. You can unlock new talents as you gain experience in this new life.]
"Experience? What experience do I need more?" Juwon stood up, pacing back and forth in the small room.
"I didn't ask for a second life. I was fine. I was at the top. I had everything. So why?" Juwon groaned as his hands clenched into a fist,
[Aren't you glad that you have been given a second chance, Host?]
The robotic voice asked.
"I don't want this second life," Juwon snapped. "I was happy with my first one. Or at least... I knew I was."
The system remained silent for a moment before responding again, its tone almost understanding.
[The System understands. As a token, the System will allow you to make a choice. You do not have to decide immediately. You have until tomorrow to make your choice.]
"What choice?" Juwon frowned, clearly not expecting it.
[The choice to continue in this new life or to reject it.]
Juwon stared at the air, surprised by the system's response. Could he really just... reject it? Go back to being dead?
The thought of returning to that darkness and the emptiness that had swallowed him after the crash seemed scary. But at the same time, this wasn't his life. He didn't want to live as someone else, start from nothing, and fight through the grind of the industry all over again.
"And if I reject it?" he asked quietly.
[Your soul will rest peacefully, and this body will also cease to exist.]
"What do you mean?"
[The soul of this body had already departed in this world, Host. It's only your soul that's keeping it alive.]
"..." The answer sent a shiver down Juwon's spine. However, before he could ask more questions, the system talked one last time.
[More information about the system will be revealed once you accept it. However, before you make your decision, please visit your wake first, Host]
Juwon blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion.
"My... wake?"
[Yes. It may help the Host decide. The wake will be held until tomorrow morning.]
Juwon's heart skipped a beat in joy. That means it wasn't long since he died!
"How long has it been since I died?"
[It has already been a week, Host.]
'A week?' the thought made him uneasy,
His family, friends, and colleagues were all probably mourning his body right now. He wasn't sure if he could handle seeing them grieving, knowing he was alive in a different body.
But if he rejects this life, then might as well take this as an opportunity to see his loved ones for the last time.
[That's all host. For now, take the time to reflect on what you truly want.]
The floating text faded and so did the automated voice, leaving Juwon alone in the room. The weight of the system's offer pressed down on him. He sat back down on the bed while his mind was spinning in circles.
Juwon's fingers gripped the edge of the bed tightly as he tried to make sense of his emotions.
"Hah… what should I do?".