* * *

‘What is this tremor that feels like a magnitude 2 earthquake?’

It was too weak to be unpleasant but too strong to ignore, making it hard to open my eyes. However, the warmth of the blanket made it difficult.

I distinctly remember falling asleep while reading a rebuttal paper on knowledge theory last night.

So, I should be slumped over my desk, but this sensation of being wrapped in a blanket…

“Donghwa, are you okay?”

‘What now, this voice?’

Startled by the unfamiliar voice, I opened my eyes to see a boy’s face.

‘He’s handsome.’

His face had a peculiar atmosphere, somewhat resembling a rabbit.

Looking closer, he was not just handsome but more appropriately described as charming… Wait a second.

Who are you?

As I stared blankly, he sighed deeply and said,

“Donghwa, are you feeling more awake now?”

How does he know my name? I slowly opened my mouth.

“…Who?”

He seemed momentarily flustered but soon nodded as if understanding.

“…Well, it’s possible you wouldn’t remember. I’m Chae Hamin. I’m a trainee too. Is this the first time we’ve introduced ourselves?”

So, who are you again?

“Trainee?”

He nodded more vigorously, looking puzzled.

He seems too young to know me well. At most, he looks like he’s in his early twenties.

I’m twenty-nine, almost thirty, so if we were close enough for him to speak informally to me, I would definitely remember.

“Yeah, trainee. Donghwa, you had the debut team selection audition today. I was right before you, but you collapsed, so we came to the hospital…”

Chae Hamin, as he introduced himself, gently explained, but unfortunately, his words didn’t register.

My brain, just waking up, started working quickly.

Let’s summarize the current situation.

1. Last night, I fell asleep reading a paper, alone in my two-room apartment.

2. Judging by my surroundings, as Chae Hamin said, this is a hospital.

3. Chae Hamin says he’s a trainee at the same company, which means I am also undergoing the preliminary process to become a celebrity.

Therefore, the conclusion is,

‘This is a dream.’

Connecting last night’s situation with the current one is too much of a stretch. It must be a dream since nothing else explains it.

Having a dream about being a trainee, this is such a ridiculous dream.

As I reached this conclusion, Chae Hamin finished explaining. I didn’t really catch what he said, but it’s a dream, so who cares?

This guy is just a result of electrical stimulation in my brain.

‘I never knew I could have such a vivid lucid dream just by sleeping.’

Satisfied with this new discovery, I nodded slightly.

“…Do you not remember anything?”

Chae Hamin asked, looking concerned. So, he’s asking if I’ve lost my memory.

Not wanting to bother with an explanation, I nodded slightly. He sighed deeply and muttered something.

It sounded like he was talking about debuting and how serious this situation is.

“I’ll go talk to the doctor.”

I just nodded.

* * *

‘This is strange.’

I couldn’t understand.

After leaving with Chae Hamin, the process went roughly as follows.

We had a lengthy consultation with the doctor about my supposed memory loss.

Since I didn’t actually lose any memories, the memory loss talk was nonsense, but I didn’t want to argue and wasn’t sure what would happen if I revealed it was a dream, so I kept quiet.

Then, I followed Chae Hamin to the company I supposedly belong to. It was quite close to the hospital, with a sign reading ‘GoD Entertainment.’

In the practice room, Chae Hamin gathered my belongings, which were called my stuff, and inquired at the company before bringing me to a place he said was my home, but wait, isn’t this my original two-room apartment?

Upon entering, Chae Hamin saved his number in my phone and said he’d head back to the company, asking me to call if anything happened.

Considering I didn’t have his number before, it seems we weren’t that close, but isn’t he being overly attentive?

Moreover, it turns out we’re the same age. Then what’s the reason for looking after me?

So I was left alone in my house.

The problem occurred then. Out of boredom, I slumped over the desk and fell asleep.

‘Is it possible to sleep in a lucid dream?’

This is strange. After waking up, my mind cleared up, and I realized other oddities.

All my senses are too vivid. According to a book I read, lucid dreams make it hard for all five senses to be sharp; when one sense is vivid, the others tend to be blurry.

Therefore, my current situation is contradictory. Could it be? Or maybe…

‘…Is this not a dream?’

That’s when it happened. With a sound, something appeared in front of my eyes.

Ding―!

[Quest condition met.

※Condition: Recognize this as reality.

Upon waking up, you encountered a strange situation. Initially, you suspected it was a dream, but this is undoubtedly reality. A quest will commence to help you grasp the situation. Proceed with the following quests.

Reality Check 1

※Completion condition: Look in the mirror.

※Reward: Proceed to Reality Check 2]

What is this? This development feels like a cheap fantasy novel!

I pride myself on classic fantasy, so even if it’s a dream, I wouldn’t dream such nonsense.

This must be reality. I refuse to acknowledge that my subconscious has been contaminated with cheap tropes.

‘So, the remaining question is, why is this happening? For now… I’ll have to complete that quest.’

I entered the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. There I saw myself, but not the twenty-nine-year-old me.

My rough skin was as clear as a child’s, and my eyes, which used to be lifeless, now sparkled.

Even my poor eyesight seemed to have improved, as I could see clearly without glasses.

A slightly cold-looking, cat-like face. This was too much of a rejuvenation for just one night.

Notably, my scarless, smooth cheeks indicated I was younger than twenty-one, possibly twenty or nineteen.

This means at least a nine-year regression.

‘Fine, let’s admit it.’

As soon as I confirmed I was nine years younger, I could accept it.

‘My subconscious must have been tainted with cheap fantasy tropes. Going back in time? How absurd. This is a dream.’

Ding―!

[※Warning! This is not a dream. Persistent doubt may cause dangerous events.]

Come on.

Isn’t it common knowledge that time travel is scientifically impossible? And what’s this dangerous event they’re talking about…

[Residual effects of the space-time transfer remain. If you do not accept this as reality, the space-time rift will worsen. In extreme cases, deletion of existence may be necessary to stabilize the rift.]

‘This is full of things I can’t understand.’

But since I know nothing, I decided to accept it. It still feels like a dream, but what if it’s reality? It’s not that I’m scared.

I looked at the younger ‘me’ in the mirror and spoke.

“I’ve completed the quest. I acknowledge this as another world.”

[Quest Completed! Proceed to Reality Recognition 2.

You have recognized the situation with remarkable calmness and rationality. However, there is still much to accept. Perform Reality Recognition 2.

Reality Recognition 2

※ Completion Requirement: Turn on the laptop and check the trainee’s journal.

※ Reward: Reality Recognition 3 initiated]

Hmm, saying it’s another world rather than the past and completing Reality Recognition means… Is this a parallel universe?

[Warning! It’s too early to be certain.]

‘…I know that too.’

* * *

Following the quest instructions, I started to learn about the ‘me’ of this timeline.

The ‘Jidonghwa’ here had the same basic personal details as me but some major differences.

First, the current age is 20, a body nine years younger. Like me, an orphan with no relatives, but unlike me, who only studied hard, he was an idol trainee.

He’s been a trainee for three years, training at a company with a bizarre naming sense called God Entertainment.

According to the records, he has a talent for producing, but his singing and dancing skills are average. Additionally, he suffered quite a bit of severe bullying among the trainees.

‘This part is similar to my past.’

The exact reason for the bullying is unclear, but it probably isn’t anything rational. Bullying usually stems from a desire to show off and indirectly express anger about one’s situation.

Judging by the trainee journal, ‘I’ seemed to not care much about the petty bullying of the other trainees, just like in my school days.

Anyway, this is the information I could gather about ‘me.’

‘All sorted. Please give the reward.’

Reality Recognition 4 has a reward listed as ‘???’. I wonder what it will be.

Ding―!

[Reality Recognition 4 completed! You will receive the final reward of the linked quest.

Reward: Knowledge Synchronization

You have achieved spatial-temporal stabilization much faster than expected. As a reward, ‘Knowledge Synchronization’ will be provided. Do not resist the strange sensation and accept it!]

‘Knowledge Synchronization?’

As I wondered what nonsense this was, a literal strange sensation started flowing in. It felt like bugs were slowly crawling in my brain.

Damn, it’s more unpleasant than I expected.

To accept the sensation as instructed, I grabbed my head and fell onto the bed.

And just as the sensation ended, my consciousness started to black out like a computer overheating…

Ding―!

[Main Quest, ‘Encounter!’ initiated.

The main quest will provide clues to understand your current situation. Why did you experience spatial-temporal travel? You are curious about this unprecedented event. Complete the quest by meeting the following conditions!

Main Quest ‘Encounter!’

※ Completion Requirement: Establish close relationships with four people, including Chae Hamin! (You will be informed of the other three as you meet them.)

※ Reward: ???]

* * *

Waking up again, I sighed as I looked at the quest window while sitting on the bed.

‘It seems to have figured out how to handle me.’

Mentioning intellectual curiosity.

And as I suspected earlier, it seems that the entity writing this quest window can read my thoughts.

To test it, I requested quest completion twice verbally and twice mentally. Both times, the feedback was similar, so… it’s a bit creepy.

Since interaction is possible, it must be an intelligent entity. I wonder if conversation is possible?

‘Respond.’

[Warning! Personal conversations are prohibited as they might expand spatial-temporal rifts. However, questions related to the quest are allowed.]

So firm. I then checked the completion conditions of the quest. …Form close relationships with four people?

‘How do you confirm that I have formed close relationships?’

[It depends on your subjective judgment.]

So I just need to perceive that I have become quite close.

I sighed deeply, lying back on the bed.

To understand this situation, I have to follow the quest?

What’s happening to my ordinary life?

Reluctantly, I picked up my phone and called Chae Hamin.

―Hello? Donghwa, are you feeling better? Did your memory… come back?

…He seems to have a wide circle of care. His voice was full of concern.

“I don’t remember what happened yesterday, but I know I’m a trainee.”

Chae Hamin let out a deep sigh.

―It might be a long story to explain, shall we meet up?

A question, but essentially a command. Did something big happen to ‘me’ yesterday?

“Where?”

―I’ll come to your house. Since you’re not feeling well. Can you meet me at the cafe in front of your house in 30 minutes?

“Okay.”

Ending the call, I flopped back onto the bed. Gah, having to get close to him.

For someone like me, who handles most things online and writes novels from my room, it’s too harsh a task.

Close relationships? I can’t even hold a proper conversation with someone this extroverted.

‘By the way, what is knowledge synchronization?’

I couldn’t help but frown as I remembered the unpleasant sensation from earlier. I’ll have to conduct some experiments before Chae Hamin arrives.

* * *