Episode 1

by Muse · 2026-03-11

"So... what did you say your hobby is?"

The cafe lights were unnecessarily pretty and bright, while my heart was dark. The man repeated the same question for the second time.

"Oh, yes. My hobby is... sleeping."

When I answered, the man's expression slightly stiffened. Yeah, I messed up again.

My name is Yoon Ji-yoon, twenty-seven. My qualifications are average, my looks are average, and my life is also average. However, I often hear that I look like I have a strong aura.

"It's not a strong aura, I'm just tired, people..."

The man forced a smile and picked up his glass of water.

"What did you say you do for work, Ji-yoon?"

"I work in hospital administration. At a university hospital. I organize patient records, manage data... that sort of thing."

"Wow, a hospital... isn't it tough?"

"It is tough. That's why my hobby is sleeping."

The man laughed again but then fell silent. His effort to continue the conversation was commendable, but we were already uninterested in each other. The TV in one corner of the cafe was quietly playing the news.

"Another case of what is being called 'abnormal mutation' has been reported. Accompanied by rapid changes in appearance, abnormal fluctuations in hormone levels, and memory confusion..."

The man glanced at the TV and scoffed.

"Here we go again. There are so many scary stories on YouTube these days. They say a person can wake up with a different face overnight, or change gender... does that even make sense?"

"...Right. No way."

I smiled formally, but my fingers unconsciously brushed over my left wrist. There was a faint mark from an injection left there.

"Changing gender... well, it doesn't make sense."

Until this morning, I thought the same. I never imagined I would think about this again tonight. The blind date ended neatly with polite closing remarks.

"Yes, I had a good time today."

"Yes, me too. Please get home safely."

Neither of us smiled and we said the same words. And we didn't save each other's numbers. As we stepped outside, the spring night air seeped in coldly.

On the way to the bus stop, a new clinic sign caught my eye around the corner.

<Lumen Bio Clinic – Hormone Balance & Body Shape Management Center>

First consultation free

"Hormone balance...?"

I muttered absentmindedly, and the automatic door opened with a 'click.'

"Welcome."

Inside, a female doctor in a white coat looked up. Feeling like I was dragged into another blind date, I hesitantly stepped inside.

"Oh, I just saw the sign..."

"Consultations are free. These days, many women in their 20s and 30s have hormone imbalances. Fatigue, insomnia, weight fluctuations, irregular periods..."

"...I have all of those."

As I muttered, the doctor smiled brightly.

"I thought so."

This expression sounded a bit strange, but I was already thinking about my dull face and dark circles.

"The tests... are they simple?"

"Yes. Just a little blood draw and a simple scan. It's much less of a hassle than a hospital. However, the results are managed only in our database..."

"What about insurance?"

"Insurance doesn't cover it. But there is an event for the first treatment."

I hesitated at the word treatment, but the doctor's words flowed smoothly.

"It's an adjustment agent that balances hormones. It's very popular these days. It reduces fatigue, improves skin elasticity, and helps shape the body."

I envisioned my face reflected in the mirror. Fatigue that couldn't be covered by foundation, traces of late nights, and various social pressures.

"...Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to improve a little."

"Is the pain... severe?"

"It's about the level of getting a shot. However, you might feel a bit tired for a day or two after."

I eventually signed the consent form. Name, date of birth, address, occupation. And at the bottom, in small print. I have been fully informed and understand the explanation regarding experimental treatment, and I consent.

"...Experimental?"

"Oh, that's just a formal expression. Don't worry too much. Over 1,000 people have already undergone treatment, and there are almost no side effects."

The doctor's smile was excessively perfect. I dazedly exposed my waist and lay down on the treatment bed.

"It might sting a little. But it's bearable, so don't worry."

Behind the cold smell of alcohol, I felt a sensation that pierced through my flesh. The injection fluid seeped near my spine, and the feeling was strangely warm. Then, a sudden electric shock seemed to run down my spine.

"Ugh...!"

"Are you okay? Everyone is surprised at first like that."

My breath caught in my throat and then released. My vision went white and then returned.

"Don't overdo it today and go to bed early. From tomorrow, you will gradually feel a change in your condition."

I stumbled out of the clinic. As I walked to the bus stop, I still felt something crawling on my back.

When I arrived in front of my house, I heard a familiar voice from below the stairs.

"Oh, Yoon Ji-yoon."

I lifted my head.

Room 203, the guy next door. His name is Kang Ji-hoo.

Wearing a white t-shirt and training pants, with a convenience store bag in one hand. A local person + childhood neighborhood friend + someone who occasionally receives my packages.

"What’s wrong? Why does your face look so bad? Did your blind date fail again?"

"...If you don't know, then don't say anything."

"Your expression is telling me everything."

Ji-hoo approached with a smile and looked into my face. Up close, I could see dark circles under my eyes spreading like paint.

"Are you sick? Your face looks even paler."

"I got a shot."

"Again? What kind of shot?"

"Hormone... balance? Something like that..."

As I answered ambiguously, Ji-hoo's eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Where?"

"At the newly opened... Lumen Bio Clinic?"

"...I’ve never heard of that place. Hey, I told you not to get shots anywhere, right? You only have one body..."

"Stop nagging me. I can think for myself."

Ji-hoo sighed and shook the bag.

"Do you want ramen? They have a new rice cake ramen today."

"Not really. I just want to sleep."

Really, my eyelids felt as heavy as sandbags. Each step on the stairs felt like climbing a mountain.

"You look really unwell... Don't collapse, okay?"

"Yes, Dad."

As I replied and turned around, I suddenly heard a 'wing~' sound inside my ear. I felt a slight tilt in the world.

"Uh, wait a minute..."

"Hey, are you okay?"

Ji-hoo's hand grabbed my arm. At that moment, a shiver ran down my spine. My heart raced wildly. Sweat burst out all at once.

"I... feel... dizzy..."

Before I could finish my sentence, the positions of the stairs and ceiling switched. And everything went completely black.

‘Beep, beep.’

A rhythmic mechanical sound pierced my ears. My eyelids felt incredibly heavy.

‘...Hospital?’

When I finally opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a white ceiling. The smell of disinfectant, the rough texture of the bed sheets.

"Oh? You're awake."

A familiar voice came from beside me. I tried to turn my head, but felt a heavy pain in the back of my neck.

"Ugh..."

"Take it slow."

Ji-hoo stood up from the chair and leaned on the bed railing. The dark circles under his eyes were now on him.

"Where... am I?"

"Emergency room. You collapsed on the stairs. I called 119 because you were out of it. Don’t you remember?"

"A little..."

My voice sounded different in my ears. I definitely spoke, but... it felt like my tone was a half step to a full step lower.

‘...It must be my imagination.’

"The attending physician said there are some unusual readings, but for now, you can go home and monitor it. Come back for a detailed examination tomorrow."

Ji-hoo handed me a cup of water. As I reached out to grab the cup, the veins on the back of my hand looked more prominent.

"...Did my hands always look this big?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

After hearing a brief discharge explanation at the hospital, we took a taxi home. My body felt heavy, but strangely, there was a tightness in my muscles from the inside.

"I really can't leave you alone today..."

"It's okay. I'm just going to shower and go straight to bed."

"Make sure to answer your phone. If something feels off, call me instead of texting."

"Got it, Dad number two."

The moment I closed the front door and stepped inside, dizziness hit me again. With the sound of the door closing behind me, I almost crawled to the bed. I couldn’t even change my clothes properly and just collapsed onto the bed.

It felt strangely vivid, as if something inside me was rearranging.

My heart thumped,

as if the rhythm was changing.

‘Tomorrow... hospital... again...’

Consciousness plunged into darkness above that last thought.

It was not morning, but noon. Strong sunlight poured in through the gap in the window.

‘What time is it...’

As I fumbled for my phone, the touch of the device felt strangely small at my fingertips.

When I turned on the screen,

it was 11:42 AM.

"This is crazy..."

A hoarse voice slipped out. I spoke as usual, but the voice I heard in my ears was that of a man.

"Wait a minute."

As I tried to sit up halfway from the bed, the blanket slipped down.

"..."

My chest felt much flatter than usual. The weight that should have been there was gone, and instead, I felt a strange firmness in my shoulders and chest muscles.

"No way..."

It must be a dream. I probably haven’t woken up yet. I staggered to the living room. I stood in front of the full-length mirror next to the entrance. A strange man stood in the mirror. His black hair was slightly messy, and his eyes were sharper than I remembered. His nose was a bit higher, and his jawline was definitely more angular.

But the eyes... were undoubtedly Yoon Ji-yoon's eyes.

"......"

I opened my mouth.

"Hey."

A low, deep voice came out.

"No way..."

I cautiously tried to speak longer.

"I am... Yoon Ji-yoon...?"

The man in the mirror smiled with the same words and tone. Electricity shot up my spine.

"What is... this?"

I reached out and pinched my cheek. It hurt. My skin was hot, and my heart was pounding strongly. My phone rang at that moment.

Sender: Kang Ji-hoo.

"...I don’t want to answer."

But I needed someone who could see me right now. I didn’t know if this was a dream, if I was going crazy, or if it was really the **'strange mutation'** that had been talked about in the news. As soon as I answered the call, Ji-hoo's voice poured out.

"Hey, are you okay? Why haven’t you checked your texts..."

"Ji-hoo."

My voice cut off Ji-hoo's words. A brief silence.

"...Who is this?"

Of course. Hearing this voice and seeing this face, no one would think of me as Yoon Ji-yoon. I spoke while looking into the eyes of the strange man in the mirror.

"It's me."

I swallowed once and continued speaking.

"Yoon Ji-yoon."

The silence on the other end of the phone was much longer this time.