Episode 1
As I fell, the sky seemed to be showering with stars.
The emotion I felt in that moment was not relief or disappointment, but rage.
I didn’t wish for death. I just wanted to exact the greatest revenge I could.
***
“Excuse me.”
What woke me up was the touch of a stranger’s hand. The noisy sounds of the city suddenly flooded in.
The honking of cars, the exhaust fumes, even the footsteps of people. Surely, these weren’t sounds that would reach someone who was supposed to be dead.
“…Yes?”
“Are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere? You were standing in daze…….”
A woman with a worried expression tapped my shoulder.
“Oh, I’m fine.”
Even in this absurd situation where my habits from idol life seemed out of place, laughter escaped me. The calm tone, as if nothing was wrong, was an added bonus.
“Wow.”
The woman let out a strange exclamation. I didn’t have the leisure to think about its meaning at the moment, so I started to rack my brain to understand the current situation.
‘What on earth is this? Is this a dream? With so many people around, nobody recognizes me………’
Possibility 1: This body isn’t originally mine.
Possibility 2: This world is one where I didn’t exist.
Possibility 3: Maybe I was just a non-celebrity with an inflated sense of self, and, naturally, people don’t recognize me.
Option 2 is disrespectful, and option 3 is embarrassing.
Looking down at my arm, I couldn’t see the tattoo I had deeply engraved.
‘Thankfully, option 3 seems unlikely since there’s no tattoo.’
Then, I touched around my head and felt a mask on my face and a hood on my head.
‘…It’s odd, For an ordinary person, the face is covered very well.’
The closest memory of my body was crashing into the asphalt.
Struggling to grasp my bewildered mind, I raised my head and saw the familiar streets of Seoul right in front of me.
Surrounding me were tall buildings with several large screens attached to them, all broadcasting the same news.
“Once again, it’s heartbreaking news. Famous idol Seo Yoo-tae was found dead yesterday evening at 8:45 pm in front of a high-rise building in Seoul.”
“….”
It was me.
On the screen, the scene was overlapped with police lines to prevent the view of the crime scene, white sheets, and crying fans. It was only when I saw that I finally realized I was dead.
‘I guess it’s fortunate it’s option 1, relatively speaking.’
While looking at the screen, I heard people passing by stop and murmur as they looked at the advertisement board.
“Why are there so many incidents lately?”
“That’s really unfortunate. He was doing so well. Why would he die like this?”
“Well, did he die because of that scandal that broke out last time?”
“Even if I were him, I’d die. His celebrity life was ruined. That’s impossible to recover from.”
“….”
As my exclusive contract neared its expiration, I had a huge conflict with my agency. The agency, wanting to renew the contract, resorted to a false scandal when I refused to change my mind about termination, making me the most slandered celebrity in South Korea.
“If I were as rich and famous, I wouldn’t die. Haha!”
I was accustomed to hearing insensitive remarks. But hearing them now, my numb heart trembled anew.
Choosing death wasn’t due to despair from my shattered career or depression.
My death was not resignation but revenge. I wrote down all the truth in my will, believing it to be the maximum revenge I could achieve in that situation.
‘After all, if my will is made public, the truth about the scandal will be explained.’
The public doesn’t care about the words of a controversial celebrity. The downfall of a successful life is just another piece of gossip, and the guilt for those actions only surfaces when faced with the death of the subject.
That’s what I hoped for.
I sacrificed my life so the truth wouldn’t be dismissed as mere spiteful antics.
‘I wonder if the story in my will hasn’t spread yet since my death.’
It was fortunate that I could witness the realization of my revenge with my own eyes.
“So, if you’re interested, please consider it.”
Lost in thought, I heard the woman’s voice again.
‘What did she say?’
The woman had been talking to me all along. Of course, I hadn’t heard most of it, so ultimately, I had no choice but to make an arbitrary decision.
‘Let’s go.’
“Sorry. I’m busy right now……………”
Seeing me about to walk away in a hurry, she grabbed my arm. Then, she hastily handed something to me.
“Oops! Hold on, at least take this!”
‘Is she a cultist?’
It was rare for someone to persist so stubbornly in conversation. I appreciated her concern, but I couldn’t help but suspect if she was a member of some cult.
“Yeah, yeah,I got it.”
I showed that I had taken it, but the woman still sent me a strong gaze. Then, with a confident face, she said each word firmly.
“Please think about it and definitely get in touch. I mean it.”
“…Sure.”
In the end, overwhelmed by the woman’s confidence, I clenched the item tightly in my palm. Finally seeming satisfied, the woman nodded her head and stepped aside.
‘I won’t be able to return to the house I originally lived in with this situation… Should I wait for news here?’
As the person who had awkwardly initiated the conversation disappeared, there was no need for me to move from my spot.
‘There’s nowhere to go back to anyway.’
I wanted to avoid the worst-case scenario of being arrested as a murder suspect while going back and forth to a wobbly house.
Sitting on a bench scattered along the street and melting my frozen hands with my breath, a new breaking news finally came out.
“No will has been found, and the police are investigating to determine the cause of death.”
“…What?”
No will was found?
‘What did Kang Hyuk-woo do?’
Thinking of the name of the person who had irritated me throughout my previous life, my head throbbed suddenly.
– Hiding a piece of paper was nothing. I disposed of it.
It was a familiar voice. I stood up abruptly and looked around, but I didn’t see any familiar faces.
“Hey, you son of a bitch, what did you do with the will?”
If he was nearby, I was ready to beat him until he bled. Unable to contain my rage, I started running aimlessly. As I ran for a while, the voice echoing in my head grew louder and louder.
‘It’s getting closer.’
– Oh, there were some guys who smelled fishy. For now, try to calm things down a bit. I’ll try to refrain from any external activities until things settle down a bit, so tidy up the company atmosphere and send out an announcement. Try to calm that person down a bit.
When I arrived at a back alley away from the downtown area, my legs finally stopped. Then, instead of the voice echoing in my head, I heard an actual voice.
“Oh, sorry! What can I do? He’s already dead!”
I turned my head in the direction of the voice. That bastard was there. The one who ruined my life. Kang Hyuk-woo.
“The company is in ruins anyway. Well, to make up for the losses, we’ll need to recruit some good people.”
He continued to vent his frustration over the phone to someone on the other end.
“….”
Our eyes met.
“Hey, hold on a second. I found something.”
The guy who hurriedly hung up the phone approached me. And with a gleam in his eyes, he spoke. It was the same look he had when we first met.
The eyes of someone who had found a gem.
Flashes of old memories swept through my mind.
“How old are you?”
– Look at those eyes. They’re fierce. How old are you?
“You know RH Entertainment, right? I work there.”
– I’m the newly appointed casting manager at RH Entertainment this time.
“Ever thought about becoming an idol?”
– Ever thought about becoming an idol?
My teeth were chattering. The person in front of me reminded me of my foolish past, not knowing what he would do to the future me.
“Wanna take off the mask and hood?”
As his hand reached to remove the hood without permission, my senses and reason returned instantly. I wasn’t Seo Yoo-tae anymore. Beating up Kang Hyuk-woo would only make me a criminal, not a victim of crime.
Stepping back to convey my refusal, I closed my eyes tightly. Then I exhaled.
‘It seems the will wasn’t found. This guy still seems to be living life as if nothing happened.’
There was no need to dwell on failure. What I needed to find out was what I could do now. Clenching my fist, I felt something rustle.
Opening my hand, I found the business card the woman had given me earlier.
‘This is…….’
Until now, my memories were jumbled and I couldn’t recognize her. But now, it all came back to me. The woman I met was Lee Yuri, a casting director renowned in the industry, working for SU Entertainment.
‘Kang Hyukwoo may have a trashy personality, but his eye for talent was sharp. He even discovered me at a festival when I was young. A mask or hood wouldn’t have hidden me.’
It started to dawn on me. Why Lee Yuri from SU Entertainment had been so eager to recruit me? Why did the arrogant Kang Hyuk-woo approach me?
‘No wonder the mask and hood felt so big.’
“Oh, sorry. I just received a casting offer from another company.”
Suppressing a smirk, I deliberately waved the business card.
Kang Hyuk-woo frowned as he noticed the clear logo of SU Entertainment printed on the card.
SU Entertainment was an entertainment company with the largest scale and history in the industry.
It was incomparable to RH Entertainment, which had barely managed to drag along by the collar.
“This is a shame, what should I do?”
I turned his attention towards an advertising screen nearby. The screen was also broadcasting news about me.
“It’s better to go to a company with a promising future. I also know what the benefits are.”
With intent dripping from every word, I expressed my desire not to go to his company, where someone died.
My smirk seemed to sour Kang Hyuk-woo’s face.
“….”
Taking my own life was the maximum revenge I could do in that situation.
But now?
‘I can do it. This time, I won’t fail.’
RH Entertainment was a company I had built from scratch. So destroying RH Entertainment would also be my doing.
With the experiences, talents, and dirty secrets I had accumulated to the extreme, coupled with a mind that knew every detail and a past with a clean slate, the perfect revenge I had hoped for was possible from the closest distance.
‘And as expected, this body will…’
I removed the hood and mask.
‘See what you missed. And regret it.’
Kang Hyukwoo’s expression changed as he saw my face.
“Well, well, the young man is bold. If you want something, just say it. I’ll accommodate you. Want to be put in a debut group? Or perhaps a maintenance fee?”
Passersby hesitated, some even stopping or turning back to glance at my face.
“I’ve already made up my mind. I’ll be on my way then.”
“Just wait a moment!”
Would I be crazy enough to crawl back into that company?
Swallowing the words that almost escaped my throat, I smiled calmly. Ignoring Kang Hyuk-woo’s continued outbursts, I left the space, feeling the taste of blood on my tongue from where I had bitten it in frustration.
As an ordinary high school student, there was no way I could compete with the giant of the entertainment industry, Kang Hyukwoo. Therefore, my first task was already decided.
My abilities, then and now, remained the same. Dancing and singing. That was all I had.
But it was enough.
‘While seeking revenge, might as well aim for the top idol.’
I would climb to the top and trample him. I would become someone worthy of facing him.
Emerging into a sparsely populated area, I stopped in front of a building with mirrored walls. Gazing at my reflection in the mirror-covered surface, I contemplated.
– If you want something, just say it.
What did I want?
“…Hyung.”
As I lifted the corners of my mouth, revealing a dazzling smile and gleaming white teeth, I, who had encountered countless beautiful men and women in the entertainment industry, could confidently say:
“I hope you die, hyung.”
This body possessed the most beautiful appearance in this country.
