Ji Hyo was soon escorted by a butler toward his apartment, riding in a sleek black car that made him feel a little too fancy for someone who just got out of the hospital.
As they drove through the city streets, Ji Hyo leaned his head against the window, watching the familiar buildings pass by.
"Yep… Still Seoul."
Even though things felt surreal, at least this confirmed he hadn't been thrown into another dimension—or worse, an alternate universe.
His mother had wanted to accompany him all the way, fussing and insisting on making sure he settled in properly.
"Eomma, I'm fine," Ji Hyo had said with a small smile, trying to sound confident. "I'm not a kid."
She had reluctantly agreed, though not without one final hug and an emotional, "Call me the moment you arrive! And don't skip meals! I'll send you soup every day!"
Now, as the car came to a stop in front of a high-rise condominium, Ji Hyo blinked in surprise.
"Wait… This is my apartment?"
The building looked way too upscale. A pristine lobby, automatic glass doors, a clean marble reception desk—it wasn't the kind of place he ever imagined himself living in.
[According to the system record, this apartment was purchased by the original owner using his personal savings.]
"Purchased?" Ji Hyo echoed mentally, following the butler inside.
[Yes. The Host used all his life savings to buy this unit. After his father drastically reduced his financial support, his monthly allowance was barely enough for food and essentials.]
Ji Hyo was speechless. He had expected a tiny studio apartment with cracked tiles, not a premium condo three streets away from Glint Entertainment, as the system mentioned earlier.
Inside the elevator, he suddenly remembered something. "Right… My bank account."
He pulled out his phone and opened the banking app.
Balance: ₩500,000
"Only this much left…?" he muttered.
[That amount was the unused portion of last month's allowance. You were in the hospital for a week and had no opportunity to spend it.]
Still… ₩500,000 was already a lot by his old standards. In his previous life, he'd celebrate just having ₩10,000 in his wallet.
Just as he was about to sigh in relief, another notification popped up on his screen.
[₩10,000,000 deposited.]
Note: "Here's your allowance for this month. I tried to increase it, but your father wouldn't allow it." - From: Mom
Ji Hyo stared at the screen, stunned.
"…More than a million won?"
That was more money than he'd ever seen in his old life. His heart almost burst from joy.
"So this is how the rich live, huh?"
He chuckled to himself as the elevator dinged at the 16th floor. Stepping out into a bright, clean corridor, he walked toward his door, key in hand.
Just as he unlocked the door, another system notification popped up.
[Notice: Host must be discreet about their background. Although you will stay in this apartment, the original owner took great care to avoid letting others know about his family's wealth or connections.]
[Revealing your background may result in backlash or favoritism accusations. It is advised to maintain the image of a self-made trainee.]
Ji Hyo sighed, leaning his forehead briefly against the door.
"So basically, no flexing."
[Correct. Host must avoid being labeled as privileged or having special treatment. Your growth should be seen as based on talent, not inheritance.]
"But I don't even have talent!"
[That's why you'll have to work even harder to fake it until you make it.]
"Great. Thanks for the encouragement."
He stepped inside and took a deep breath. The apartment was cozy, stylish, and neatly furnished. Wooden flooring, modern lighting, and a balcony view that screamed "luxury." This wasn't just a home—it was a dream come true for someone like him.
"If this is my starting line… then I'm gonna make this count."
He placed his bag down and looked around. His new life was truly beginning now.
After taking some time to familiarize himself with his new apartment—checking every cabinet, marveling at the bathroom that looked like it belonged in a luxury hotel, and even testing the softness of the couch—Ji Hyo finally decided to head out.
He stepped out of the building and into the bustling streets, the crisp air brushing gently against his skin. The neighborhood was lively but not overly crowded, with cafes, boutiques, and convenience stores neatly lining the streets. It had the cozy charm of a residential zone but still carried the energy of youth and ambition—unsurprising, considering Glint Entertainment was just three blocks away.
"So this is where the dream begins, huh?" he mused to himself as he leisurely walked down the street.
His eyes instinctively flicked toward the faint screen hovering in front of him.
[Objective: Participate in and complete the Monthly Training Evaluation.]
Ji Hyo sighed. The looming deadline didn't exactly scream "relaxing stroll," but he figured he had time to explore for a bit before heading into the lion's den.
As he passed a bakery, he caught his reflection in the glass—his ethereal face, glowing skin, and those striking heterochromic eyes. He sighed again.
"How did I end up like this… again?"
A thought suddenly struck him, and his brows furrowed.
"Hey, System."
[Yes, Host?]
"Why don't I have any memories of the original owner? I mean, shouldn't I at least have something? A fragment? A faint memory?"
There was a slight pause before the system replied.
[The Memory Sync function is currently locked. The host's synchronization rate is insufficient.]
"So I have to work hard just to remember someone else's life?!"
[Correct. Memory Sync progresses based on performance milestones, mission completion, and system integration level. Please work hard to access past data.]
Ji Hyo groaned. "I can't even cheat through this system."
[Would you like me to remind you again that you were the least likely choice for this mission but got selected purely out of pity?]
"Please don't."
Just then, as he neared the familiar stone wall bordering the Glint Entertainment compound, he paused in awe. The sleek building towered ahead, modern and proud, its logo glinting under the winter sun.
"So this is it… Glint Entertainment."
He was still admiring it from across the street when—suddenly—a heavy arm dropped over his shoulder.
"Ji Hyo!! You punk, I missed you so much!"
Ji Hyo nearly jumped out of his skin.
A bright, energetic voice was chattering excitedly in his ear, and before he could even react, the stranger was already patting his back like an old friend at a reunion party.
"W-What the—"
The person turned, laughing with a beaming smile. "Man, you're finally back! I thought you were gonna disappear for good! Did you just get discharged from the hospital today or something?"
Ji Hyo blinked awkwardly, his eyes scanning the stranger's face. He looked to be around the same age, maybe a little older, with light brown dyed hair and a lively aura.
"Uh… sorry," Ji Hyo said carefully. "Who… are you again?"
The world froze.
The stranger's smile faded. His arms dropped slowly from Ji Hyo's shoulders.
"…Huh?"
Ji Hyo winced. "I-I don't mean to be rude. It's just… The doctor said I'm experiencing short-term memory loss. I… can't remember much."
There was a long pause, followed by a dramatic gasp. "WHAT?! Memory loss?!"
Ji Hyo nodded sheepishly. "Yeah… sorry."
The guy was frozen in place for a second, before grabbing his own head in a melodramatic fashion. "I… I thought that only happened in dramas! You're telling me it's real?!"
Ji Hyo gave him a small smile. "Apparently so."
"But—but—we trained together! We entered Glint on the same day!" He pointed to himself, almost offended. "I'm Mojin Choi! Remember? Mojin!"
Ji Hyo squinted slightly, trying to appear as if the name was sparking something in his head. It wasn't. At all.
Mojin groaned, "Seriously… you don't even remember my name? Not even my voice? What about my glorious cheekbones?"
Ji Hyo chuckled. "Sorry. Still drawing a blank."
"Well, this sucks." Mojin pouted, then sighed, shaking his head. "But I guess it's not your fault. Man, of all the things that could happen, you had to go full K-drama amnesia mode."
"I'll try to remember soon," Ji Hyo offered.
"Nah, it's fine." Mojin gave him a warm grin. "You'll catch up eventually. In the meantime, I'll reintroduce myself every day if I have to."
…This guy's weird, but kind of funny, Ji Hyo thought.
"Anyway," Mojin continued, "are you heading to the company soon?"
Ji Hyo nodded. "Yes."
"Perfect. I'll walk in with you if you want. Everyone's been wondering where you've gone. The team thought you were ghosting us or ran away."
"Guess I did, technically," Ji Hyo mumbled under his breath.
Mojin didn't hear him. "Well, let me know if you need help catching up on anything. I'll fill you in. We've got a lot of new faces since your… incident."
Ji Hyo smiled genuinely this time. "Thanks."
Mojin winked. "That's what friends are for, right?"
As they stood outside the Glint building chatting, Ji Hyo realized that maybe… just maybe… this new life wouldn't be so bad after all.