After finishing his shower, Ji Hyo stood in front of the mirror, towel draped over his shoulders, rubbing his damp hair lazily.
His gaze, of course, inevitably landed on his reflection again.
And once more, a stupid grin crept onto his face.
"God, this body is ridiculously pretty."
He dropped the towel down to his neck, standing completely bare as he turned sideways, then flexed an arm—though there wasn't much muscle to show off. His build wasn't bulky or muscular, but it had a refined leanness, smooth and balanced.
"Not a single abs, but still aesthetically beautiful… how unfair is this?"
He flexed again—this time dramatically, pretending to be in some idol photoshoot or fashion commercial.
"Toned collarbones, long limbs, glowing skin... This is peak visual, baby."
[Host, please stop. You are currently 100% naked and 200% embarrassing.]
Ji Hyo: "…Shut up."
[Initiating secondhand cringe sequence…]
He rolled his eyes and finally began dressing up, chuckling at himself for having that ridiculous moment. But as he buttoned up his shirt, a thought crossed his mind.
His fingers paused.
"…Hey, System."
"What happened to… my original body?"
There was a beat of silence.
[...]
"Hello?"
Still, no answer came.
"Hey, don't go mute now. What happened to my old self? My body… where is it now?"
Finally, a dull chime echoed in his mind.
[Access Denied. Host's current level is too low. Information regarding the Previous Self is classified and unavailable.]
Ji Hyo frowned. "Too low-level? What kind of MMORPG nonsense is this?"
"So you're saying I need to level up just to find out what happened to myself?"
[Correct. Raise your progression rank to unlock more background data.]
"Wow. You really gamified my existence."
[Consider it motivation.]
He scoffed softly but didn't push further. Still… it bothered him. Where was his old body? Was he still lying unconscious somewhere in his old life? Was he dead? Lost? Erased?
The thought lingered, but he shook it off—for now.
Just as he finished putting on his clothes, a soft chime echoed again, and a new screen floated in front of him.
[Character Panel – Ji Hyo Hyun]
Bio:
Name: Ji Hyo Hyun
Age: 20
Rank: E
Stage Class: Rookie Trainee
Primary Mission: Fulfill the Original Body's Wish – Become a Top Idol
Skills:
Stage Presence [E+] , Vocal Flow [D]
Talents:
Vocal Talent – R&B Soul [C-] , Expressive Acting [D] , Photogenic Aura [B-]
Special Abilities: 🔐
Credit Points: [System synchronization still in progress]
[System Note: Your current standing is that of a 'Rookie Trainee.' Progress through quests, training, and performances to increase your stage class and unlock system features.]
Ji Hyo stared blankly at the screen.
"So you're telling me I'm at the bottom of the idol food chain?"
[Statistically, yes. But at least you're prettier than most of them.]
"…Thanks? I guess."
[You're welcome. You'll need to use every advantage you have.]
Ji Hyo sighed and tossed the towel aside, now fully dressed.
Ji Hyo raised a brow at the screen. "What are all these letters? What's with the E+, D-, C-, B- thing? Is this some kind of grading system?"
[Correct. The letter system corresponds to your current level of proficiency in each area. The lowest starting rank is F-. It then progresses upward from there.]
"Oh, so I'm like… middle-low tier now?"
[You are slightly below average in most areas but have potential in others. Your photogenic aura, for example, is already above standard trainee level.]
Ji Hyo's eyes narrowed. "Wait—so what's the highest grade I can reach?"
[.....]
The system remained quiet.
Ji Hyo grumbled, "Why won't you tell me?"
[Insufficient access level. Host's inquiry is not within the current data disclosure threshold.]
"Tch. You're so stingy."
"Anyway," he continued, "what's the difference between Skills and Talents?"
[Skills are performance-based proficiencies. They reflect your current stage-related capabilities such as singing, dancing, and stage presence. They improve with training and task completion.]
[Talents, on the other hand, are innate qualities or latent potentials that influence how others perceive you or how fast you can grow in a certain field. Talents determine your long-term growth rate in specific domains.]
"So talents are like natural gifts, and skills are the things I have to grind for?"
[Exactly.]
Ji Hyo then pointed at the "Special Abilities" section. "And what's this? Looks important."
[Special Abilities are locked. Host's level is too low to access or receive further information at this stage.]
"Figures," Ji Hyo muttered. "Another mystery to unlock."
"And what about this Credit Points thing?"
[Credit Points are your currency within the system. You can earn them through mission completions, system rewards, stage performances, or milestone achievements. They are used to purchase items from the system shop, unlock boosters, and most importantly—upgrade your talents.]
"Wait, talents only?"
[Correct. Skills grow naturally with practice, but Talents require Credit Points to evolve beyond their baseline potential. Since Host is… how should I phrase this… extremely lacking in raw talent, credit utilization will be essential.]
Ji Hyo looked offended. "Excuse me?!"
[Observation confirmed by system algorithm.]
Ji Hyo clicked his tongue and muttered under his breath. "Seriously… you're lucky you're just a voice in my head."
He glanced at the Credit Points again, curiosity bubbling. "Still, my family seems pretty rich now. Maybe I can just—"
[Real-world currency cannot be converted into Credit Points.]
"…Seriously?"
[System economy is isolated from real-world monetary systems. Your family's wealth has no impact on your system's progression.]
Ji Hyo sighed, defeated. "Of course it doesn't."
"Alright then. Let's see what this Top Idol path looks like."
[Initiating Beginner Task: First Performance Potential Assessment.]
[First Task: Complete This Month's Evaluation Performance]
[Objective: Participate in and complete the Monthly Training Evaluation.]
[Reward: Beginner Bundle]
[Time Limit: None]
Ji Hyo groaned.
"Didn't even get to eat breakfast yet and you're already assigning me quests?
[Welcome to Idol Life, Host.]
After finishing his breakfast—which, by the way, felt like a feast fit for royalty—Ji Hyo leaned back in his chair, feeling full for the first time in forever.
Jun Ji Hyun had personally cooked way too much food, piling his plate with steaming rice, bulgogi, kimchi stew, and side dishes that could feed an entire filming crew.
"How did I survive before this?" Ji Hyo thought as he wiped his mouth.
Just as he was about to stand up, he cleared his throat and said, "I should probably head back to my apartment now."
The clinking of chopsticks stopped.
His mother froze mid-bite, blinking in confusion.
His father looked up from his phone, already looking annoyed.
"…Apartment?" Jun Ji Hyun repeated, setting down her spoon.
"Yeah, according to the system, the original… I mean, I rented an apartment near Glint Entertainment," Ji Hyo explained.
His mother's expression brightened. "You remembered?"
Ji Hyo hesitated. "Kind of. Just a little."
And just like that—chaos.
"WAAAAAH—MY BABY REMEMBERS SOMETHING!"
Jun Ji Hyun threw herself onto him, dramatically sobbing into his shoulder as if he had just come back from the dead.
"Finally! Finally, some progress! I was so scared! What if my son forgot his family forever and became a lost, wandering soul?! What if he became an amnesiac beggar?! What if—"
"Eomma—!!" Ji Hyo coughed. "I can't breathe—!!"
Meanwhile, Nam Su Hyun, his father, sighed heavily and rubbed his temples.
"Tsk. And here I thought he was finally cured."
Jun Ji Hyun suddenly gasped, gripping Ji Hyo's face. "NO. YOU'RE NOT GOING BACK."
"What?" Ji Hyo blinked.
"You're not going back to that horrible, exhausting company!" she wailed. "Just quit! Stay home! Do something else! Anything! I don't care—start a business! We'll fund you!"
Ji Hyo was caught off guard. "Start a business?"
"Yes! We'll give you a huge investment! You can open a café, or a clothing brand, or even a gaming company if you want!"
She was so desperate, it almost sounded tempting.
Ji Hyo thought for a moment. "Wait… We're this rich?"
And just before he could entertain the idea of an easy, luxurious life, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously and asked the system:
"Hold on—why did the original owner go through all the trouble of auditioning for Glint Entertainment when he could've just asked his parents to create a company and guarantee his debut?"
[Answer: The Original Owner wanted to prove himself.]
[He did not want to rely on his parents' wealth. His dream was to succeed as an idol on his own terms.]
Ji Hyo paused.
[Being an idol was his biggest dream. He would rather struggle and fail than take an easy, artificial path.]
A strange feeling settled in Ji Hyo's chest.
That level of stubbornness… It was admirable, in a way.
But before he could reflect on it any further—
"Hah! See? Even his old delusions are returning!" Nam Su Hyun scoffed, shaking his head.
"This idiot still thinks he can be an idol?"
"Yeobo!" Jun Ji Hyun smacked her husband's arm.
"What? Am I wrong? He has no talent, and he's already twenty! Do you know how many kids start at sixteen?! He's already behind! What company would want him now?"
Ji Hyo flinched at that one.
He hadn't thought about that before.
"He's got a point… I'm already twenty. Even if I go all in now, can I even catch up?"
But before doubt could sink in—
[Host, do not forget. Your body already has some level of training. You are not starting from zero.]
[Besides, are you going to let a middle-aged man with a receding hairline be the reason you give up before even trying?]
Ji Hyo almost choked on air.
"System. Did you just diss my dad?"
[Affirmative. Analyzing parental figure's current emotional impact on Host's motivation… Conclusion: Unnecessary Negativity. Solution: Ignore.]
"YAH, what's with that look? Are you ignoring me?!" Nam Su Hyun narrowed his eyes.
Ji Hyo coughed, hiding a smirk as he quickly composed himself. "No, no. I'm listening. Loud and clear."
His father clicked his tongue. "Tch. Whatever. If you want to waste your time chasing some dumb dream, go ahead. Just don't come crying when you fail."
Ji Hyo inhaled deeply. This guy was really testing his patience.
"Whatever. I don't need his support anyway."
He looked over at his still emotional mother, who clearly didn't want to let him go.
"Eomma, I promise I'll visit. But I really need to head back."
Jun Ji Hyun sniffled dramatically, wiping a nonexistent tear. "Fine… But if you ever get tired of this idol nonsense, just call me and I'll personally set up your business empire!"
Ji Hyo laughed, shaking his head. "I'll keep that in mind."
And with that, he stood up, ready to face whatever this "idol life" had in store for him.