Cheating way through to Stardom chapter 2- Regression

“Dowon, don’t drink.”

Was that mother’s voice?

I remember back then when my father would always tell me.

‘Listen to your mother.’

I thought it was ironic coming from someone who never listened to her, but anyway.

Dad held my shoulders firmly and said, ‘Dowon, be loyal to your mother. If you listen to her, good things will happen. You shouldn’t live like me.’

‘Well, that last part is the key.’

I couldn’t live like him even if I wanted to, so let’s skip that.

Anyway, the pillar of our family, who always worked hard to make money, always said to me,

-If you drink, you’ll die.

I never thought I’d actually die.

I looked down quietly. I looked pathetic and dirty with my face buried in vomit.

I mumbled into the air, “You idiot.”

The first thing that came to mind was the life insurance money.

I wish I had more of it.

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

“I should have put in more effort. If I did, my sister could have gone to med school…”

Of course, she’d have to take the college entrance exam again in her 30s.

‘I’m dead.’

I gently kicked my corpse.

‘I’m dead.’

There was no sensation.

‘I’m dead.’

It was unsettling, but it was reality.

I stretched my shoulders and did some stretches.

I hoped someone would show up soon, be it an angel or a grim reaper.

A sigh escaped.

Honestly, I was boiling inside.

‘This is unfair.’

It wasn’t that I had no attachment to life.

Annoyance bubbled up, and I barely held back my feelings with a breath.

“Damned life.”

It was really messed up. In the end, my dream of becoming a celebrity was blown away like dust.

“Ending as a theater actor.”

I got to act to my heart’s content.

Unless the low-budget movie I worked hard on became a hit, I’d die without leaving a name.

A chuckle escaped.

Ah, really, life is nothing.

“No one was there to write for me, so my life ended.

‘If I had another chance…’

I wouldn’t let it slip away.

No, I’d be more relentless.

I’d fight tooth and nail, even if it meant crawling like a dog, to succeed no matter what.

As these thoughts swirled in my mind, I shook my head.

Am I stupid?

Even after dying, I’m like this.

Swallowing my frustration, I looked around.

I wished for a reaper or an angel to appear.

Then it happened.

‘What is that?’

Something unfamiliar was in my familiar room, glowing softly with an orange hue.

Intrigued, I walked toward it.

As I got closer, I realized it was just an old-looking smartphone lying on the floor.

‘Did someone leave this here?’

Puzzled, I picked it up and examined it.

Something unusual caught my eye.

‘No charging port?’

What the…?

I looked at the smartphone from every angle.

‘Can a dead person even touch a smartphone?’

At that moment, the phone slipped from my hand and rolled on the floor.

Watching the screen scrape against the ground, I sighed and shook my head.

‘Is it completely broken now?’

I bent down slowly.

‘Please, don’t let the screen be cracked.’

How ridiculous.

Why am I worrying about a broken smartphone screen in the afterlife?

Just as I reached for it, the phone suddenly started to glow brightly.

I stared at the screen in a daze.

The display alternated between black and white like a flickering lightbulb with a faulty voltage.

A strange thought crossed my mind.

‘I need to touch it.’

Even if I got shocked, I had to do it.

Despite a force pulling me back from behind, I reached out quietly.

My fingertip touched the screen’s surface. It felt smooth, familiarly so. But it was strange.

Why was it so hot?

Something yanked me hard from below my waist.

In an instant, the world turned black.

I reached out further and grabbed the smartphone fully.

Nothing was visible.

My familiar room and the corpse lying in its vomit disappeared from sight.

All I could see was myself and the smartphone.

I quietly looked at the screen in my hand. It was black but soon turned white.

Then, text appeared.

[Cheat mode]

‘Cheat mode?’

The words slowly faded from the screen.

What was this? I stared at the blank screen for a long time, waiting for more text, but nothing else appeared.

Then, I felt a sudden push again.

The speed was dizzying, and I clenched my teeth.

My body shook uncontrollably as if I were on a free-falling ride.

Holding the phone tightly, I endured the pressure.

How long did it last?

Suddenly, my hand vibrated.

Squinting, I saw a message blinking on the screen.

‘Didn’t I tell you not to drink?’

My mind went blank.

Who would say that to me…?

Just as I was about to say something, the pressure intensified again.

I gripped the smartphone and closed my eyes tightly.

The world turned white, then black again.

‘Mom?’

That was my last thought. When I opened my eyes, everything had changed.

***

“I shouldn’t drink.”

I muttered this as I sprang up.

Cold sweat drenched my body.

I searched my pockets for something to wipe it off and then realized.

‘Where am I?’

My hearing was sharper than my sight.

Amid the murmuring of people, I blinked.

‘So…’

This place looked familiar.

‘An audition hall?’

It wasn’t a small space, but it was crowded.

I looked around calmly. Most people wore blue denim jackets and jeans.

‘Was that a trend?’

It was funny seeing everyone dressed the same.

Was I dressed like that too?

I looked down at my clothes.

‘Should I be thankful?’

I was wearing black mourning clothes.

Reaching into my pocket, I felt something stiff.

I pulled it out slightly to reveal a hemp arm band.

‘Ah, I remember.’

Now I knew where I was.

‘It’s ten years ago.’

After attending a funeral, I had rushed here for an audition.

‘The result was laughable.’

I had come with a desperate determination, but I was rejected.

‘I cried and gave up on becoming an idol…’

A chuckle escaped me.

What a fool.

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

I gave up after one highly competitive audition…

‘Well, I was young then.’

Not anymore.

But that wasn’t the important thing.

‘Why am I suddenly back ten years?’

I looked at my hands.

They were smaller than I remembered.

I clicked my tongue.

I was only about 160 cm tall at fifteen.

I started growing after this age.

I sighed deeply.

The image of my corpse in the vomit flashed and disappeared.

Damn.

‘Was it a dream? Then what was that smartphone?’

I hurriedly looked around.

As if waiting, something dropped from my chest to my thigh.

I quietly picked it up.

‘What is this, really?’

Why was I back ten years? And what’s with this smartphone?

I pressed a button to turn on the screen.

There was no wallpaper. Just black with white text.

[cheat mode 0/3]

‘What does it mean by cheat?’

I tilted my head in thought.

The only cheat I remembered was modifying money in an old RPG game.

‘No way?’

It wouldn’t be like that, right?

How do I even use a cheat?

It was a no-lose situation. I wrote in Korean on my smartphone.

[Cha Dowon’s bank balance]

[400,000 won. Would you like to change it?]

Wow, I really saved up my New Year’s money well.

Ten years ago me.

I propped my chin and stared at the screen.

After a moment, I smirked.

There was no need to hesitate.

I tapped the screen right away.

[Change to 20 million won]

Not too greedy, huh.

‘Not 2 billion, but 20 million.’

The screen filled with dots again.

‘Wait a minute. With this, can I become a global conglomerate?’

I quietly took a deep breath, my heart pounding with expectations of a bright future.

Then, the screen changed.

[Changing this value will make you pursued by the Financial Supervisory Service. Do you still want to change it?]

I was startled. I hurriedly pressed the cancel key.

[Cancelled.]

The screen returned to the beginning.

[cheat mode 0/3]

I stroked my chin.

“Isn’t this supposed to be a cheat?”

Why is the Financial Supervisory Service so realistic?

My face twisted automatically.

Fine, how about this?

I angrily tapped the cheat again.

[Cha Dowon’s dance ability]

[Grade C. Would you like to change it?]

Excuse me?

Grade C?

‘Of dance, singing, and acting, dancing was my best skill!’

Am I a C?

‘This is depressing and absurd.’

Is this why I failed the audition?

I couldn’t leave it like this.

I quickly tapped the screen.

[Change to Michael Jackson level]

Why Michael Jackson?

I didn’t know either.

[Impossible with the current physical condition.]

Oh, really?

I wasn’t ready to give up.

[Change to Grade A]

[Impossible with the current physical condition.]

Hey! Then what is possible?

I stared seriously at the smartphone.

‘What can you do?’

Why is it so picky?

Excuse me, cheat.

‘Did you think I’d be so disappointed I’d give up?’

No way. I’m the type to use up everything if I can.

I immediately typed.

[Change to Grade B]

[…]

[Changed to Grade B. Your body will be altered.]

I looked at the screen filled with dots.

The basics of cheats are balance and stats, though.

[As a side effect, you will foam at the mouth for 5 minutes.]

I squinted.

‘What? Seriously?’