Chapter 1. Became a Star After Dying

When did I last feel this way?

Is it déjà vu again?

I inhale deeply, savoring the scent of the wind.

Sometimes, when I catch a whiff of the night breeze, old memories come flooding back.

The life of a spy who has lived many false lives under various aliases.

"Now, I don't even know who I am."

Chik-chik—

- Team Leader Jeon. What did you say? I couldn't hear you.

Through the radio, the voice of Baek Yuhyeon, who had been dozing off, responded to Jeon Suhoan's mutterings.

"It's nothing, just talking to myself."

Jeon Suhoan, who was in the Middle East for information gathering, was currently conducting surveillance at a designated point based on intelligence from above.

"Baek Yuhyeon, you should also return to support duties before it's too late. You have a family."

- I'm better suited for the field. It might sound like I'm boasting in front of a caterpillar, but it really fits my nature.

Jeon Suhoan chuckled and continued.

"If you stay in the field too long, you'll eventually be devoured."

- Don't scare me like that.

After hours of silently watching from the hill, the desert night was unbearably cold.

"Should I add another blanket...?"

Just as he was about to move, a whistling sound was heard.

Pit—

Then, the distant sound of gunfire followed.

Bang—

But Jeon Suhoan didn't hear it.

The bullet had already passed through his head, faster than the sound.

Chik-chik—

- Team Leader! Team Leader Jeon!

Yuhyeon's voice came through the radio, but there was no one left to answer.

***

An agent who died in the line of duty.

To honor the noble death of an unnamed individual, a nameless star is engraved at the central entrance of the National Intelligence Service headquarters.

Jeon Suhoan, who became a nameless star and ended his life, found himself waking up in the body of a boy he had never seen before.

"Will the weather warm up next month?"

Yeonwoo, who had been living as Ryu Yeonwoo for the past two months, climbed the hill near his house with quick steps, blowing warm breath into his hands due to the cold weather.

Reflecting on the past two months, Suhoan, now living as Yeonwoo, thought about his initial obsession with why he had died.

However, uncovering the details of his death, which was a secret even in his existence, was nearly impossible.

He had pondered long and hard about why he had come back to life and how he had entered another person's body, but it no longer seemed important.

He concluded that some deity, alien, or something else had taken pity on him and given him a second chance, considering his lonely and dedicated life.

"Even in just two months, I've lost a lot of weight."

It had been two months since he was discharged from the hospital after a suicide attempt.

Ryu Yeonwoo, the original owner of the body, had been bullied since childhood due to his weak personality and chubby appearance.

Swallowing a handful of his father's insomnia medication, it was a story all too common in modern society.

The only connection Jeon Suhoan found between himself and Yeonwoo was that the time of his death during the operation coincided with the time Yeonwoo was rushed to the emergency room.

Thus, his lonely soul had entered the body of the poor soul who had suffered so much.

"Whatever the case, I can't waste this second chance at life."

He marked the stone pillar at the summit of the 800-meter mountain and descended with renewed vigor.

Yeonwoo's body, which had been trapped in obesity, was now being pushed to its limits for the first time, leading to significant weight loss.

Ding—

Yeonwoo, now back from his hike, unlocked the door and returned to the apartment where his new family lived.

His parents were both at work, and his younger sister was out playing with friends.

In the empty house, he stripped off his sweat-soaked workout clothes and, in his underwear, did a series of bodyweight exercises before showering.

"Hmm, I look pretty good."

While drying his hair and looking in the mirror, Yeonwoo praised himself.

Actually, it was a bit of a stretch to call it self-praise.

After all, he had only been living as Yeonwoo for about two months.

The reflection in the mirror still felt like someone else.

Is this what it feels like to have an unscratched lottery ticket?

When Yeonwoo removed the jowls and chubby cheeks he had always had since elementary school, his facial features became surprisingly clear.

He hadn't lost all the weight yet.

The reflection in the mirror was still relatively plump.

Still, compared to his previous weight, which had been in the triple digits, it was a world of difference.

If he lost all the weight, who knows how he would look?

"Definitely, I'll look good. Good enough to be an actor."

In contrast, the previous Jeon Suhoan had a relatively ordinary appearance.

His ordinary looks were, in a way, an advantage for a National Intelligence Service agent who needed to remain anonymous.

However, living as an unnamed and faceless third party, the desire to be known and to live a glamorous life gradually grew.

Perhaps that's why, despite his gruff personality, he always made sure to watch movies and dramas, even when abroad.

While on overseas assignments, he would watch musicals and performances in the countries he was stationed in, and if a touring musical came to his country, he would see it multiple times.

Gradually, he began to admire actors and yearn for a glamorous life, sometimes even imagining what it would be like to be an actor in his next life.

"To be honest, all the conditions weren't in my favor."

His appearance, status, and everything else were too far from the dream he had in his previous life.

However, the passion for his secret dream didn't fade for a long time.

Eventually, he even violated the organization's rules against exposing his identity to participate as an extra in a commercial film, playing a mere passerby.

No one knew, and he didn't even have a line, but seeing himself on screen gave him a great sense of satisfaction.

Jeon Suhoan, looking at the reflection of Ryu Yeonwoo in the mirror.

'Honestly, if I had been reborn with this face at this age, I could have pursued that vague dream from my previous life.'

While his previous life's noble sacrifice was certainly a shining star, perhaps this time he could be a different kind of star.

***

Ding—

"Ah, a call."

He fished through his discarded clothes, pulled out his smartphone, and saw the word "Mother" on the screen.

It was an awkward term for someone who had lived as an orphan in his previous life.

Shaking off his thoughts, he swiped the screen to answer the call.

"Yes, Mother, it's Yeonwoo."

His name and the term "Mother" still felt a bit awkward.

If the original Yeonwoo hadn't kept a consistent diary, he would still be pretending to have amnesia.

Perhaps influenced by the original Yeonwoo's feelings, he didn't feel any aversion to having a family for the first time.

- Are you home?

"Yes. I finished exercising and came back to take a shower."

Yeonwoo deliberately answered more brightly and energetically.

Mrs. Lee Sunok, his mother, was both surprised and secretly happy that her son, who had always been depressed, timid, and sometimes rebellious, had changed 180 degrees after the incident two months ago.

- Do you want anything for dinner?

"Mom, I'm on a diet. It would be difficult if you tempted me."

-Haha. Got it. What's Sohyun doing?

Yeonwoo hesitated for a moment before answering naturally.

"She's at the convenience store nearby. She'll be back soon."

- Is she out playing again?

"Sohyun probably wants to play with her friends. I'm really fine now. I'm so happy these days."

Mrs. Lee, who wanted to stay home with her son after the suicide attempt but had to go to work, was worried.

She had ordered her daughter to stay close to her brother during the winter break, causing her to miss out on her own fun.

- Oh, I understand. I trust my son.

"Yes, Mother. See you at dinner."

Click.

The original Yeonwoo's family had moved from Seoul to Daejeon after the incident, as the family learned about the bullying he had endured. They moved to be closer to his grandmother in Daejeon.

Of course, the students involved were punished or forced to transfer, but for Yeonwoo's fresh start and because his father had been transferred to Sejong last year, they decided to move.

His new parents were diligent and, while not wealthy, they had a comfortable life.

A harmonious family with a well-raised younger sister.

Yeonwoo then made a call.

"Sohyun."

- Yes, Brother! Should I come home now?

The shock of her brother's incident had been significant for the young sister.

She was ready to come home immediately for her brother, but her desire to play was evident in her voice.

The sound of singing suggested she had gone to a karaoke bar with her new friends.

"Don't worry about me. I feel bad that you had to transfer to Daejeon because of me."

- Stop saying you're sorry. I'm fine. The kids here seem nicer than in Seoul.

"Really? Why are they so nice? They have good hearts."

- Ah! I heard something I shouldn't have! Stop the verbal abuse!

Sohyun, who had a good relationship with her brother, was still a shy teenager when it came to expressing affection.

She thought her brother had become more fatherly after the incident.

Having never had a sister in his previous life, Yeonwoo didn't realize how cringe-worthy such expressions of affection could be.

The sudden appearance of a cute, lively little sister was a welcome change.

The bright and cheerful sister, so different from his dark and lonely past, felt like a counterbalance to his own darkness.

"Got it. Don't act like a middle schooler. I'll hang up. Have fun and come back soon."

- Got it. Bye!

Click.

'Bye...? Kids are still kids.'

After ending the call, Yeonwoo felt a pang of sadness for his dark and lonely past life, especially for the lack of family.

If he had had even one family member in his previous life, would he have been less lonely?

He tried to suppress such pitiful thoughts.

***

Time passed, and winter break ended. Yeonwoo started his first day at his new school in Daejeon.

He thought he should live a new life in his new body.

However, putting on the school uniform and heading to school gave him a strange feeling.

After all, he was in his forties if you counted his previous life.

"Hmm, wearing a school uniform at this age."

"Huh? What did you say, son?"

Opening the passenger door of the new father, Ryu Cheolwoong's car, Yeonwoo replied.

"Nothing, Father. I'll see you at school."

"You're so boring. Are you really okay on your own?"

"I'm a high school student."

Ryu Cheolwoong was worried about whether he should accompany his son on his first day of school.

He was anxious that if he followed, it might give bullies another reason to target his son.