IWUC 01

Chapter 01

“Take your shirt off.”

…What?

I stared at the pig-like CEO grinning nastily at me.
Hey. What did you just say? Take off my clothes? At an audition?

“Didn’t you hear me? Take it off. Student.”

The smile slowly disappeared from my face.

Ahh… I see. So this is pressure tactics, huh? Sure. A normal middle schooler would be completely flustered right now.

But unfortunately for you—

this is my second life.

I quietly stood up and unbuckled my pants. As the leather belt came loose, murmurs broke out among the judges.

“H-Hey, wait! Why are you taking off your pants?!”

I smiled brightly.

“I’m more confident down there than up top.”

“Don’t take them off! Did I seriously tell you to strip and you actually do it?!”

I tossed the belt aside.

“If you tell me to take it off, I will.”

“What is this, some cheesy old erotic movie line?! Don’t do it! Hey, stop him! If he really strips, our company’s reputation is done for!”

At the pig CEO’s shout, two judges rushed over and grabbed me. I raised my hands like it was a shame.

The CEO wiped his forehead with a tissue and grumbled.

“Kids these days are scary… Listen, student. Just because someone tells you to take it off doesn’t mean you actually should.”

I smiled.

“Cha Dowon.”

“Huh?”

“That’s my name, sir.”

The CEO stared at me blankly.

A student? Come on now. Don’t be like that. We’ll be seeing each other often from now on.

I didn’t break eye contact. After a long moment, he suddenly smirked.

“Kids these days really are something. So—Cha Dowon, was it?”

“Yes. Second year, Class 2, Number 22, Jeongsol Middle School.”

“Interesting kid. You’ve got guts for a middle schooler. So, Dowon—what’s your nickname? What do people call you?”

The judges released my arms, and I sat back down.

“It’s a bit embarrassing…”

“What is it?”

I slightly turned my head, pretending to blush.

“…Crazy.”

Of course, that wasn’t real. If anything, people called me a pretty boy.

But truth doesn’t matter here.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the pig CEO’s tiny eyes widen slightly.

What’s wrong, sir? Surprised?

I knew exactly what he needed.

You needed a character.

Idols at Friends Entertainment were all about character branding.

That’s why you’re holding auditions in the first place.

The crazy youngest member.

The CEO covered his mouth for a moment. I waited leisurely.

How does it feel? Found the perfect one?

Soon, he burst out laughing.

“Puhahaha! This kid’s something else!”

I casually swung my legs under the chair. He couldn’t stop laughing.

I should act shy now, right?

That’s what they want—
a crazy but slightly bashful youngest.

I scratched my cheek awkwardly and avoided eye contact.

That’s when it happened.

My eyes met Kang Minjae’s, who was staring at me.

What are you looking at, you bastard?

I wanted to glare at him with everything I had—but right now, I was just an innocent second-year middle schooler.

So I lowered my gaze shyly. Minjae gave me an awkward smile, as if to reassure me.

Why are you being nice all of a sudden?

Trying to look harmless?

Don’t try that with me. I remember everything you did to me.

But I can’t show it.

Right now, I’m a “crazy but shy” 15-year-old.

Endure it.

I lowered my head even more bashfully. The CEO was still laughing.

I passed.

I took a small breath.

Yeah… it’s nothing big. Not even the starting line—just barely made it into the waiting room.

Still—

it’s a start.

“Dowon, don’t drink.”

That’s what my father said.

“Listen to your mom. Always.”

Funny, coming from someone who never listened to her his whole life.

Still—

he grabbed my shoulders and said it seriously.

“If you listen to your mom, good things will come. You don’t want to end up like me, right?”

Well… that last part is the key.

Not that I could live like him even if I tried.

Anyway—

in our family, the sun, the pillar, the one who worked herself to the bone earning money—

my mother always told me:

If you drink, you’ll die.

I didn’t think she meant it literally.

I looked down quietly.

My face was buried in vomit.

Pathetic. Miserable.

I muttered at the empty air.

“…Idiot.”

The first thing that came to mind was life insurance.

Should’ve taken out a bigger policy.

If I had, my sister’s life might’ve been easier.

“Should’ve put in more… then she could’ve gone to med school like she wanted…”

Though she’d have to retake the college entrance exam in her 30s.

I’m dead.

I nudged my own corpse with my foot.

Yep. Dead.

No sensation.

Definitely dead.

It was unsettling—but reality.

I stretched my shoulders.

If there was an angel or grim reaper, I wished they’d show up already.

A sigh escaped me.

Honestly—

I was furious.

This is so unfair.

It’s not like I had no attachment to life.

Anger welled up, barely escaping through my breath.

“Damn life…”

What a joke.

I didn’t even get to live as an entertainer.

“All I got was ending as a stage actor.”

At least I did get to act.

If that low-budget film I shot before dying somehow succeeded—maybe.

Otherwise, I left behind nothing.

Not even my name.

A dry laugh escaped.

Seriously… what a life.

No one wrote me a role, so I just… ended.

“If I had another chance…”

I wouldn’t let it go.

No—

I’d cling to it like a dog, bite down harder than anyone—

and succeed no matter what.

I shook my head.

What am I doing? Even in death?

I swallowed my bitterness and looked around.

Then—

I saw something.

“…What’s that?”

In my familiar room, something unfamiliar glowed faint orange.

I walked closer.

It wasn’t anything special.

Just an old-looking smartphone lying on the floor.

“…Did someone leave this here?”

I picked it up.

“…No charging port?”

Weird.

Then—

“…Wait. Can a dead person even hold a phone?”

The phone suddenly slipped from my hand and rolled across the floor.

“…Great. It’s probably broken now.”

As I bent down to pick it up—

“Why is it doing that?”

The screen started flickering wildly.

Black. White. Black. White.

Like faulty wiring.

A strange thought crossed my mind.

I need to touch it.

Even if I got electrocuted—

I had to.

Something behind me pulled at me, as if resisting—

but I reached out anyway.

My finger touched the screen.

Smooth—

but burning hot.

Then something yanked me hard from below.

The world went black.

I grabbed the phone tightly.

Everything disappeared.

My room. My corpse.

Gone.

Only me—

and the phone.

The screen turned white.

Words appeared.

— cheat mode

“…Cheat mode?”

The text faded.

Silence.

Then—

I was pulled again at terrifying speed.

Like falling from a ride.

I clenched my teeth and endured it.

Then—

a message appeared.

— I told you not to drink!

My mind went blank.

“…Who…?”

There was only one person who would say that.

“…Mom?”

That was my last thought.

When I opened my eyes—

everything had changed.

“I shouldn’t drink.”

I muttered and shot up.

Cold sweat drenched my body.

“…Where am I?”

Voices filled the air.

“…This place…”

I knew it.

“…The audition hall?”

People everywhere.

Denim jackets. Denim jeans.

“…Was that a trend?”

I looked down.

“…At least not me.”

I was wearing black mourning clothes.

In my pocket—

a hemp armband.

“…Right.”

Now I remembered.

Ten years ago.

I had left a funeral midway to come audition.

And I failed.

I laughed lightly.

“…What an idiot.”

If I really wanted it, I should’ve kept trying.

Instead, I gave up after one failure.

Well… I was young.

But—

that’s not what matters.

“…Why am I back?”

I looked at my smaller hands.

Fifteen years old.

Then—

something fell onto my lap.

The phone.

“…You again.”

I turned it on.

Black screen.

White text.

[cheat mode 0/3]

“…Cheat?”

I typed:

[Cha Dowon – Bank balance]
[400,000 won. Change?]

“…Let’s try.”

[Change to 20,000,000 won]

Then—

[You will be pursued by the Financial Supervisory Service. Proceed?]

“…Nope!”

Cancel.

Back to:

[cheat mode 0/3]

“…What kind of cheat is this?”

I frowned.

“Fine. Then this.”

[Cha Dowon – Dance skill]
[C grade. Change?]

“…C?!”

Unbelievable.

[Change to Michael Jackson level]

[Impossible with current body]

“…Then A!”

[Impossible]

“…Then what is possible?!”

[Change to B]

[…]

[Change complete. Body will be modified.]
[Side effect: foaming at the mouth for 5 minutes.]

“…Wait—what?!”

Too late.

My body convulsed violently.

Pain surged everywhere.

Foam filled my mouth.

“Damn it…!”

Forget the pain—what if people see this?!

Don’t look. Don’t call 911. Not here. Not now!

After what felt like forever—

it stopped.

I checked the time.

Five minutes.

Then—

I moved my fingers.

“…Huh?”

Light.

Fast.

Different.

“…It worked.”

I smiled.

“…B-rank is insane.”

I gripped the phone again.

[cheat mode 1/3]

“…There’s a limit?”

I looked around.

The audition hall.

Hundreds of teens.

A banner:

<Friends Entertainment Quarterly Audition>

I smirked.

“…This time…”

I brushed my hair back.

“I’m passing.”

I clenched the phone.

I didn’t know why I was given this chance.

But—

I wasn’t going to live the same way again.

So… what should I do?