The room was quiet. Jin Haru sat on the floor with his legs crossed. His new body felt warm, strong, and light. He moved his fingers, then opened and closed his fists.
"So smooth," he whispered. "No pain. No shaking hands…"
He looked at the mirror again. A young man with black hair and sharp eyes stared back. His skin was pale, but clean. He looked perfect. Strong jaw. Long eyelashes. He was nothing like the old man he used to be.
Inside his head, the voice spoke again.
"Vital signs stable. Heart rate perfect. Muscles at peak condition. Congratulations, Creator."
Jin Haru smiled a little. "Thanks, REI."
REI was his creation. A smart system AI he built for this project. Now, REI lived inside his brain, helping him with everything.
"I need a new life," he said. "A new identity."
"Understood. Beginning fabrication process now."
Suddenly, numbers and screens flashed in his vision. It looked like magic, but it was just advanced tech. Hacking into systems. Making records. Birth certificate, family name, school records—all fake, but perfect.
"Name: Jin Haru. Age: 19. Background: Homeschooled. Parents: Deceased. Reasonable story uploaded to national database."
He chuckled. "So I'm an orphan now? How dramatic."
"It raises fewer questions."
Jin Haru stood up. He walked to the window and opened it. The wind touched his face. It felt new. He hadn't felt wind like this in years—not since before he locked himself in that lab, chasing a dream.
He reached for his phone. Well, not a real phone—just a screen REI created for him. He opened the school website.
"Let's find a place where I can be a student. Just for a while."
"Target located. Modern Seoul High School. Ranked in top 20. Accepts late applicants under special request."
He raised an eyebrow. "Sounds fancy."
"With your new records and score data, you will be placed in Class 1-A. Top class. All systems ready."
"Top class, huh?" He stretched his arms. "Let's see what it's like to sit in a classroom."
REI then showed him a map. Nearby malls. Uniform shops. Supermarkets.
"You will need school supplies and uniforms to blend in."
"Right." He sighed and looked down at his clothes—just a lab coat over old pants.
"Time to shop, I guess."
He changed into black jeans and a gray jacket he found in the lab closet. Everything looked clean on him now. Even cheap clothes looked good on this body. Too good, maybe.
"I look like some kind of drama actor…" he muttered.
He put on a mask and a cap, then walked outside.
The streets of Seoul were bright, loud, and full of life. He passed by couples holding hands, kids playing, people laughing and chatting. So normal. So far away from the lonely, cold lab he lived in for decades.
His steps were slow. Careful. His eyes watched everything.
"This world kept moving… while I was stuck in the past."
He walked into a uniform shop.
The worker looked at him and gasped. "W-Welcome! Are you… a model?"
Jin Haru tilted his head. "No. Just a student."
She blushed. "R-Right! Sorry! You just look… wow."
He bought two sets of uniforms. A blazer, pants, ties, and a sports outfit. REI helped him choose sizes.
"Payment complete. Identity clean. No red flags."
He walked out with a bag and looked up at the school building in the distance.
"Tomorrow," he said.
He tightened his grip on the bag.
"I'll go back to school."
But this time… it won't be for science, or fame, or power.
This time, he just wanted to live.