* * *

A narrow, long corridor.

Each room, packed closely together, had a piece of paper with a performer’s name on it.

This was the waiting room area of “Music City” that I’d only heard about.

“Music City” waiting rooms, the epitome of preferential treatment, furnished according to the fame and rank of the singers.

As expected, the glimpses of the waiting rooms seen through the occasionally opened doors showed that the atmosphere varied from room to room.

“Wow, hyung, did you see the K-MAX waiting room? It even has a vending machine and a game console.”

Jaewon, who was leaning against the wall, exclaimed with wide eyes.

Roa immediately chimed in.

“Yoo Nayeon’s waiting room even has a massage chair. DAS17’s waiting room has a whole buffet set up.”

“Roa hyung, even Mute7 has a waiting room.”

“Of course, their appearance was confirmed today after they released their song yesterday.”

“Exactly. We’re the only ones without a waiting room.”

As Jaewon got more excited, his words slipped into his Gyeongsang Province accent.

Siwoo, picking up on Roa and Jaewon’s exchange, added a comment.

“They belong to HS.”

HS. That one word seemed to explain everything.

“Aah,” the two boys, nodding their heads, soon fell silent and became sullen.

Siwoo continued, trying to comfort the disappointed boys with a gentle voice.

“We just need to perform on stage. Then we’ll get a waiting room.”

“We’re performing today.”

Jaewon’s voice shook with excitement as he trembled with his shoulders.

At that moment, Hanjun, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

“We only get to perform if someone else cancels. We’re the standby crew, literally fillers.”

Fillers. That one word made the boys’ faces freeze as if doused with ice water.

They had finished preparing their music, but without a chance to perform, they were still stuck as trainees.

They longed to appear on TV, even as stand-ins, pathetically guarding the backstage corridor.

This was the current situation of their idol group, LIT.

‘To think I’m grouped with these kids; I must be incredibly unlucky.’

I glanced sideways at the chattering kids and once again cast my gaze into the void.

Honestly, I wanted to put up a barrier right away.

Being mixed up with these kids made me feel pathetic too.

I sighed involuntarily.

“Yichan hyung.”

The youngest of the team, Jaewon, called me.

“Say something too, hyung.”

Jaewon, who had been sullen just a moment ago, was now smiling brightly and chattering again.

“For some reason, if you say something, everything seems to go well.”

What nonsense is he spouting now?

I didn’t need to hear the rest, but this seventeen-year-old brat insisted on speaking.

“You’re our team’s ‘lucky charm,’ ‘lightning in thunder’s Jujube Tree.'” (Jujube Tree is associated with themes of fertility, prosperity, and longevity, Lightning in Thunder is the name of the group LIT)

Lightning in thunder’s Jujube Tree? Who dares to call me that?

Hiding my irritation, I turned my head indifferently to the opposite end of the corridor.

Ignoring this brat is the best strategy.

Seeing this, Roa nudged Jaewon in the side.

“Hey, Kim Jaewon, don’t say stuff like that to Yichan hyung.”

Jaewon, now openly speaking in his Gyeongsang Province accent, grumbled.

“Why not? We always say it.”

“After the accident… can’t you see Yichan hyung has completely changed? He’s like a totally different person.”

A completely different person.

Yes, that’s the right answer.

I’m not who you think I am. I am the great 9th circle mage who has lived for 318 years.

The guardian of the Armania continent, Jeskier.

The revered 9th circle mage. The unparalleled hero who defeated the demon lord faction. The icon of sacrifice who threw himself into the demon king’s annihilation ritual.

Of course, due to the sacifice’s side effects, I fell into this damned world and possessed an unfortunate idol, but still.

At that moment, Jaewon, pointing his finger, called out brightly.

“Look, it’s Gyuhyeong hyung.”

From the end of the corridor, our manager, Gyuhyeong, was walking toward us.

His dark face, resembling a black bear, looked even darker, suggesting bad news.

Sure enough, Gyuhyeong, upon approaching, let out a long sigh and gave a sheepish smile.

“Guys, let’s go.”

“Why are we just leaving? What about the stage?”

This time, the ever-cheerful Jaewon was the first to ask. Hanjun then lightly tapped Jaewon’s beret.

“What’s there to ask? We got ditched again.”

Two weeks in a row. This was the second time it happened.

Other broadcasters wouldn’t even consider us, and only KBC, where we had connections, allowed us as stand-ins.

“Today, everyone showed up.”

With Gyuhyeong’s deflating words, the boys’ shoulders slumped.

Even the youngest, who had been cheerful, couldn’t remain upbeat anymore.

Seeing his drooping eyes made me feel a twinge of pity.

Why do we polish ourselves up from early in the morning, putting on makeup and wearing such flashy clothes?

I glanced at Gyuhyeong and clicked my tongue in annoyance.

“Let’s just go. Before the assistant director starts complaining about us blocking the way.”

I patted his shoulder and began walking.

The kids, who had been watching, followed me silently, their shoulders drooping.

As we reached the exit at the end of the corridor.

“Kang Yichan?”

A stranger who was just entering the exit called out to me.

A face I’d never seen before. I hadn’t encountered him, and he wasn’t on the recently acquired list of known individuals.

I stared blankly at the pale face that looked like it had been licked by a dog and asked.

“Who…?”

Not recognizing him seemed to shock him greatly.

He opened his mouth wide and furrowed his brows in confusion.

At that moment, Roa, behind me, whispered.

“It’s Wooyoung from Mute7.”

Mute7 Wooyoung? Is he famous? Do I need to know him?

“He was your trainee mate at HS.”

HS trainee…?

“So what?”

I looked at Wooyoung from Mute7 with a rather cold expression, and he stepped closer to me.

So close that our noses almost touched, he frowned and asked.

“They said you had an accident. Did you hit your head?”

I could faintly sense ‘contempt’ from him.

“A guy who was already sick got into an accident too? How worrying.”

He lifted the corner of his mouth and patted my shoulder.

This time, the ‘contempt’ grew stronger.

“But why are you leaving so soon? What about the stage?”

It didn’t seem like he was expecting an answer.

“Ah, failed as a stand-in again?”

Wooyoung from Mute7 seemed to have concluded on his own, and I could faintly sense ‘enjoyment’ from him.

This jerk, feeling enjoyment from contempt. Just what kind of relationship did Kang Yichan have with him?

“Mute7 Wooyoung.”

Roa called out the name of the guy who had been acting arrogant in front.

Wooyoung’s eyebrow arched crookedly in response.

This time, there was a faint sense of “expectation” in him.

Perverted bastard. Enjoying contempt, and now expectation? Does he want to fight?

But I can’t let him have his way.

I put on the brightest smile I could muster.

Then, placing a hand on his shoulder, I lightly tapped it twice with my fingertips.

“Do well on stage today.”

Kid, I have no intention of playing with wet-behind-the-ears rookies like you.

I’m enjoying an emotional vacation I got for the first time in 318 years.

So please, don’t provoke me. Okay?

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

I gave Wooyoung a bland smile and walked out leisurely.

“Hey! Dog Yichan.”

But the rookie just had to ruffle my feathers.

I tried to ignore him and walk past, but my body stopped on its own.

“Did you call me?”

Turning around, Wooyoung was standing with one leg propped up.

“Yeah. Dog Yichan. You.”

Then he snickered.

“Or should I say, puppy? A runt not even grown into a dog.”

With a rather sardonic smile, he swaggered closer.

“A dog running off its leash, thinking it’s grown big?”

Then he extended his index finger and pushed my chest.

Once, twice. Oh, three times.

“But in the end, you’re still a dog, you bastard.”

A dog, a bastard.

You shouldn’t be treating me like this…

I am a being so loved by mana that even self-destruction wasn’t allowed.

“Keep standing in the hallway like today and watch who comes by, alright?”

I caught his finger as it jabbed at my chest for the fourth time.

“Yeah.”

My response was plain. My expression calm.

“Got it.”

But my sharp irritation didn’t subside easily.

This bastard. Should I break his finger?

Swallowing the emotions I couldn’t voice, I instead made my smile even brighter.

“If I can, I’ll do that.”

I flicked his finger away and patted his shoulder.

“So, you be careful too. Don’t mess up on stage. Okay?”

I said it as kindly as possible. Couldn’t just curse him outright.

But it seemed to seriously ruffle his feathers. His eyes rolled back as he suddenly grabbed me by the collar.

“You crazy bastard…”

At that moment, someone grabbed Wooyoung’s arm.

“Wooyoung.”

A small guy with fair skin and a rather cute face despite his slanted eyes, spoke in a voice almost about to cry.

“Don’t. You shouldn’t do this to Yichan. Yichan too…”

He shook his head, looking quite pitiful.

“Is a victim, too.”

Then the grip on my collar loosened.

As Wooyoung stepped back, the cute-faced guy looked at me.

“I’m sorry, Yichan.”

With trembling eyes and a quivering voice, he tried to show his sincerity as much as possible.

“I’ll apologize on his behalf. Wooyoung is… just upset. You know we really liked you.”

What are these bastards doing now?

Do they think I’m a fool? How the hell did Kang Yichan live his life?

How could it all be marked by “contempt,” “scorn,” and “neglect”?

That smiling bastard is the dirtiest of them all. His words sound good, but he’s twisted inside.

With a sigh, I brushed off the crumpled clothes from being grabbed by the collar. Then I painted on another bright smile.

“Yeah, go ahead. Keep liking me.”

Barely holding back my anger, I turned my steps away.

Though I felt like breaking a finger or two, for now, patience was a virtue.

I haven’t figured out any clues about this mysterious phenomenon yet.

Why I, who opened the gate to another world, am still alive.

Whether I can go back.

Or if this is a punishment for choosing annihilation.

Until I find answers, I must be cautious.

I can break the fingers of that bastard who dared touch me afterward.

First, I need to find out why the great mage who protected the continent of light was reborn as the insignificant Dog Yichan.

Even in this incomprehensible, bizarre phenomenon, there must be divine providence.

Let’s go back to the beginning.

Yes, it all started 3 weeks ago.

* * *