The sun was shining softly over Seoul. The streets were busy, filled with people going to work, shops, and school. Jin Haru walked alone, holding a bag in one hand. His heart was beating fast.
"So this is it… my new life," he whispered.
Just yesterday, he was an old man. A mad scientist, alone and dying. But now, thanks to his experiment, he had become young again. A 19-year-old student with a perfect body, sharp mind, and a system living inside him. REI, the AI he created, was now his only friend.
> "Everything is prepared, Creator," REI said in a calm voice inside his head.
"Your identity is fully registered. Student ID, records, medical files—all clean."
Haru nodded. He wore a simple black jacket, white shirt, and jeans. His dark hair was a bit messy, and his eyes looked calm but deep. People glanced at him as he walked past.
"Whoa… he's handsome."
"Is he a model?"
"Maybe he's a transfer student?"
Haru felt nervous. He didn't like too much attention. He looked around. There were couples laughing, friends talking, students running to school. It was a normal day for them.
"I never had this when I was young," he thought. "I was always in the lab… always alone."
He passed by a shop that sold school uniforms. He went inside.
"Welcome!" the shop lady said with a smile. "Are you a new student?"
Haru nodded. "Yes. I need a school uniform for Hyunhwa High."
She helped him pick the right size. Haru tried on the uniform and looked in the mirror. White shirt, blue tie, and a black blazer with the school's gold emblem.
"I look… normal," he thought. "Is this what being a student feels like?"
> "You look sharp, Creator," REI said. "Though I suggest fixing your tie."
Haru smiled slightly and fixed the tie.
After shopping, he walked around the city. He passed a park where kids were playing soccer. He stopped and watched them. One of the boys fell and scraped his knee. The others helped him up, laughing.
"This kind of life… I missed it."
He continued walking and bought a sandwich from a food stand. He sat by the river and watched the water flow.
> "Tomorrow is your first day of school," REI reminded him.
"I know," Haru said quietly. "I'm not sure if I'll fit in."
> "You are not trying to 'fit in,' Creator. You are here to live. To experience. You chose this."
Haru took a bite of the sandwich and looked up at the sky.
"Yes… I chose this. This time, I'll live differently."
That night, Haru sat in his small apartment. It was neat and quiet, with a single bed, a desk, and bookshelves.
He stared at the school uniform hanging by the door.
> "Any last checks?" REI asked.
"Yeah," Haru replied. "Let's review the identity."
> "Name: Jin Haru. Age: 19. Background: Transferred from overseas due to family matters. Grades: Average. Behavior: Quiet but polite."
"And the documents?"
> "Uploaded and accepted. Tomorrow, you are officially a student."
Haru took a deep breath. He lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
"Will I make friends? Will I stay normal? Or… will my past find me again?"
He closed his eyes.
REI's voice echoed softly.
> "Good night, Haru."
The room fell silent. The moonlight touched the corner of the bed, and for the first time in many years, Haru dreamed—not of labs, wires, or failures—but of walking down a school hallway, laughing with friends he hadn't met yet.
Tomorrow, his new life would begin.