Chapter 1

Everyone dreams of standing at the pinnacle.

"Thank you for your patience. The winner of this award is,"

But there can only be one at the pinnacle.

"An artist loved not just by a generation, but by an era, and who, as always, shone brightly this year—"

And the moment I stood at the pinnacle—

"Baek Nokha!"

I was not at all happy.

***

"Big sister! Congratulations on winning the grand prize!"

"Nokha, you really did a great job! Thank you for mentioning us Greenies!"

On my way out of the awards ceremony, in the parking lot, fans were waiting for me.

Such kind people. They waited for me even in the cold.

I greeted them from inside the car and sent a final thank you.

"Thank you, Greenies. I'll come back and greet you soon."

Under normal circumstances, I would have greeted them for longer and expressed more gratitude, but today I didn't have the energy.

In fact, I couldn't even remember how I got here.

As soon as I rolled up the car window, my manager turned to me.

"You did great, Nokha. Really. I know it must have been hard for you... but you didn't show any of it, and you did really well. Your acceptance speech was perfect—just the right amount of nervousness. Everyone is reacting positively, saying it was touching."

My manager, who has been with me for ten years, comforted me.

But at this moment, her words of congratulations and comfort didn't register at all.

The grand prize trophy was sitting on the seat next to me, but I couldn't see it.

"Big sister, thank you... but let's go to the hospital first."

"Ah, right. Of course. I'll get there as quickly as possible."

"Thank you."

The reason was,

"Mom... How is Mom?"

It was because of a phone call I received just before winning the grand prize.

"Nokha, don't be too shocked. Right now, Mom... there was a fire at home..."

The content was simple.

But it wasn't simple at all.

There was a fire at Mom's house, and she was caught in it while watching the awards ceremony alone.

The fire has been extinguished, but Mom is in critical condition.

But I couldn't go to the hospital right away.

Because in just five minutes, I was about to receive the grand prize.

The third grand prize.

Three consecutive grand prizes.

It was an incredible title just to hear.

Not only was I waiting for this award, but everyone who supported me was waiting for this moment.

Just thirty minutes. Just receive the award, give the acceptance speech, and come down. Then go straight to the hospital. I couldn't refuse the persuasion of the company's CEO.

"Nokha, I'll go to the hospital first. I'll keep you updated on Mom's condition, so you just come out after receiving the award."

It wasn't for the CEO.

It wasn't for myself either.

It was for the fans in the audience, holding up my slogan.

As soon as I came down from the stage after receiving the grand prize, I rushed out in a daze.

The thought of the negative comments for leaving early already crossed my mind, but I didn't care.

"CEO will push out an article explaining why you left early. Mom is in critical condition—"

"Big sister. I'm fine. Really. Let's just... go quickly."

"Ah, right, of course."

My manager awkwardly looked forward again.

Honestly, nothing else mattered to me right now except for Mom.

Then,

Our spring will come again—

The ringtone of my song, which won me the grand prize, made my heart sink.

The song I cherished so much, but now it sounded so terrifying.

'Foolish CEO'

The caller was... the CEO of my company, Seo Changwoon.

The person who went to the hospital for me.

With trembling hands, I answered the call,

"I'm sorry, Nokha... I'm really sorry..."

I had to hear the news I never wanted to hear.

At that moment, I don't know what I was thinking.

"Big sister."

"What? What did CEO say?"

"Can you stop the car?"

"Huh? We're in the middle of the road? I'll stop it a little further ahead."

"Just... just stop the car somewhere quickly. I feel like I'm going to throw up."

With the nausea rising, I asked her to stop the car.

My manager, flustered, stopped the car as quickly as possible on the side of the road.

As soon as the car stopped, I opened the door and vomited.

I hadn't eaten much due to the busy schedule over the past two days, so only a little stomach acid came up.

Feeling a mix of emptiness and despair, I just sat on the ground and laughed bitterly.

What is this?

Why is God playing a cruel joke on me?

Today should have been my best moment, so why did it turn into my worst?

I worked so hard for this day, and I wasn't alone. So many people, my fans, supported me.

Why did it turn into my worst moment?

In a moment of mixed anger and injustice,

-Feeling wronged?

A really... strange being appeared.

"...What are you?"

I rarely used informal speech. After my debut, I always used formal speech out of compulsion, afraid of making a mistake.

But the thing in front of me...

-It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is what you want right now.

It was definitely not a person.

It was something like a small ball of cotton, black and floating.

"...Am I hallucinating because of the shock?"

I instinctively looked for my manager. If I was hallucinating, it meant I wasn't in my right mind.

"Big sister, big sister?"

But the answer that usually came in a second didn't come at all.

I barely managed to stand up and look inside the car.

Something was off.

My manager was gone.

Not only that, there were no cars on the road, and no people on the street.

"...Am I really hallucinating?"

-Not a hallucination.

Then, the cotton ball came to my side and flickered.

"Boo!"

-We don't have time, so let's get straight to the point.

"Who are you...?"

-Do you want to bring your mother back to life?

"…!"

The cotton ball's words, which pierced my heart, made me stop and couldn't say anything.

-I'll turn this worst moment back into your best moment.

The cotton ball had no face, so it had no expression.

Still, I could feel it.

This ball of cotton was smiling.

"...How?"

-It's simple. I'll make the fire never happen. You'll receive the grand prize, and your mother will be safe at home, watching you.

The cotton ball flew around in front of my eyes.

-Then, voila! You can enjoy the grand prize completely.

"…"

It was definitely a perfect offer.

I was so sure that I was dreaming, so desperately wishing for it.

I just smiled. If it's a dream, I might as well go along with it.

After all, when I wake up from the dream... it will be hell again.

"So, what do you get out of this?"

-That's not so simple.

The cotton ball drooped its fur.

-But you can definitely do it.

"…I can?"

What is this?

I looked at the cotton ball skeptically.

Is it trying to trick me in a dream?

-Baek Nokha. A singer-songwriter and idol in her tenth year. Swept awards from the rookie award to the grand prize. Won the grand prize, the only one given each year, twice. A recognized top female solo artist. Highest recognition, fandom, preference, and image. Truly a born idol, a born top star. Of course, you're more of a hard worker than naturally talented.

...Suddenly, what praise?

I heard this a lot, but it felt awkward coming from the cotton ball.

-And finally, today! You were about to win the grand prize for three consecutive years! Fulfilling everyone's wishes. How cool. Reaching the peak as an idol!

That's right.

I laughed bitterly.

-But, there's a soul who wants to be like you.

"Like me?"

I muttered without thinking.

-Yes. A soul who wants to reach the peak like you. If you help that soul, I'll help you.

The cotton ball regained its energy and flew around.

But I was puzzled.

"How can I help? I'm an idol, not a god. I don't know how to help a soul."

-That's why I'm here.

The cotton ball bristled.

-Don't worry about the method. Just decide whether to accept my offer.

I couldn't answer easily.

Even though it was a dream, I had a feeling that the cotton ball was avoiding the answer.

-If you promise to help that soul, I'll help you. I'll make the fire that happened to your mother completely disappear.

But it was an offer I couldn't refuse.

To bring Mom back... how could I not accept it?

"…I accept."

To save Mom, who lived her whole life for me.

-Excellent choice!

The cotton ball made a strange laugh and instantly grew huge.

-Oh, by the way, Baek Nokha.

"…Why?"

While the cotton ball grew crazily, it spoke to me.

-If you could take just one thing from your body to the next life, what would you take?

"…?"

-Answer quickly.

"…My voice…?"

-Excellent choice!

The cotton ball laughed strangely again.

Then, it suddenly opened a huge mouth and swallowed me.

Before I could react, I was engulfed in darkness.

***

"Damn."

I was definitely tricked.

"What's wrong with my overworked vocal cords?"

I sat in the practice room, muttering to myself.

"What's wrong with this body that has no muscles?"

The practice room had a wall entirely covered in mirrors.

But it was definitely not our company's practice room.

This was the practice room of one of the major companies in Korea, 'Colors.'

And I was a trainee of Colors—

"And what's with all these unbelievable things?"

I had become 'Yoon Cheong.'

A member of the girl group 'Still Blue,' which debuts in a year and disbands two years later.

Ding!

Congratulations! You are now 'Yoon Cheong.'

From now on, you must save the doomed girl group, 'Still Blue'!

Damn.