Lee Dong Wook opened his eyes to a sterile white ceiling, one that felt oddly familiar. He blinked, the persistent hum of fluorescent lights overhead echoing the subtle thrum of distant machinery.
A VVIP hospital ward.
He'd frequented these hallowed, hushed halls enough times in his old life, either visiting a recuperating associate or, more often, orchestrating quiet deals.
He tried to push himself up, and the immediate, staggering weakness of this body shocked him. His muscles felt like jelly, his limbs barely responding to his will. A thin IV drip snaked from his arm to a stand beside the bed.
With a grimace, he yanked it free – a familiar, dismissive gesture, though it sent a surprising jolt of pain through his new, frail veins. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, the hospital gown feeling flimsy and alien, and stumbled towards the attached bathroom.
The mirror on the wall reflected a stranger. A young face, certainly no older than seventeen, stared back at him. Dark, shoulder-length hair fell across a lean, somewhat delicate frame, attempting to obscure a face that was unfamiliar, yet undeniably his own, in this new reality.
He wasn't sure how to feel about any of this. A few hours ago, he'd been cruising through the city, utterly in control. Then, that bizarre encounter with... whoever that was. And now this. Without a doubt, this was the work of that enigmatic man.
He surveyed the pristine, clinical bathroom, a sigh escaping him. "Come out," he said aloud, his voice soft, almost a whisper, yet holding a residual edge of his old command. Silence. He sighed again. He didn't have the strength for games right now.
He brushed the long hair from his face, studying the unfamiliar features. Lean, not malnourished, but certainly not the powerful physique he was used to. From the slight slump in the shoulders, the hesitant posture, he guessed this boy was the type who preferred to be invisible.
Why this boy, of all people? What was the connection?
Just then, the distinct click of the ward door opening echoed in the quiet room. Footsteps, light at first, then heavier, followed. He silently counted: six people.
A woman's voice, saccharine sweet and utterly fake, drifted in. "Please, take it easy on him. He's had it rough since the Chairman passed away. We should have taken more care of him. Who would have thought he'd want to take his own life?"
Dong Wook let out a low, humorless chuckle. He had no idea what had truly happened to this body, but he could identify a fake when he heard one.
Upon seeing the empty bed,the woman's voice sharpened, rising to a shriek. "No way! Is he still trying to kill himself? Somebody call the doctor!"
Before more chaos could erupt, Dong Wook stepped out of the bathroom. "What's with all the noise?" he asked, his voice still soft from his throat, but laced with an undeniable, chilling coldness.
The woman, a stout figure in an expensive suit, froze mid-shriek. Dong Wook furrowed his brow as he looked at her. Her face, even through the thin veil of his new identity, looked awfully familiar.
Behind her, the six people he'd counted became clear. Three burly men in cheap suits acted as makeshift bodyguards. The other three, however, were unmistakable: one gripping a camera with a flash attachment, another holding a microphone, and the third scribbling furiously on a notepad. Reporters.
The reporter with the microphone, a young man with eager eyes, immediately pushed forward. "Mr. Lee, is it true you attempted to take your own life after your grandfather's death? Can you confirm the rumors of instability within the Lee Group leadership?"
Dong Wook didn't bother to feign shock or sadness. He simply looked the reporter straight in the eye, his expression unreadable, and stated, "Get out."
The words, delivered without inflection but with absolute authority, seemed to freeze the air in the room. The reporters, Ko Eun-suk, and even her hired thugs stared. The original owner of this body was known to be meek, quiet – a pushover. This was not the response anyone expected. Nobody moved.
Dong Wook tilted his head, a faint sigh escaping him. He really hated having to repeat himself. "Yaa, Old lady." His gaze shifted to Ko Eun-suk, who was still gaping. "Take your pets out."
Ko Eun-suk actually stuttered. "Old... old lady? Me?" She blinked, then her face contorted. "Are you crazy? Who are you calling an 'old lady'?" Her voice rose to a shrill shriek that grated on Dong Wook's ears.
He groaned internally. He felt too weak to deal with this mess, and her voice was making it harder to think.
He turned his attention back to the reporters, his gaze steely. "Don't you have basic manners? A patient is being hospitalized, and you have the audacity to walk in here with those?" He gestured dismissively towards their cameras and microphones. "If you don't leave in the next thirty seconds, you'll be having a very happy, sweet conversation with my lawyer."
The reporters froze, looking from Dong Wook to Ko Eun-suk. They knew the orphan heir was supposedly powerless, a convenient target. They wouldn't move. Not yet. But as soon as they saw him reach for the phone on the bedside table, something in his cold, unwavering gaze made them hesitate. Thirty seconds was too short to argue. They quickly backed away, mumbling apologies as they retreated from the room.
"Hey! Come back!" Ko Eun-suk shrieked after them, but it was too late. The door clicked shut, leaving only Dong Wook.
He sighed and sagged back onto the bed. He had said "my lawyer," but honestly, he had no idea who to call. He didn't even know who he was, not truly. He turned on the phone, the screen lighting up. He didn't know the password, but luckily, his face opened it with a quick scan.
He went online. He didn't even have to search. The top headline screamed: "Two Icons Lost in a Month: A Conspiracy or Coincidence?" He tapped the article. His breath hitched – there it was, a picture of his own mangled, wrecked car.
After reading the first article, he devoured more. No wonder the woman, Ko Eun-suk, looked familiar. He'd met her a few times in his old body. She was Chairman Lee's second daughter-in-law.
In the business world, before he had ascended, the Lee family had been at the very top. After he came into power, their empires clashed.
First because they had the same surname and second,they had different methods. He had always had the upper hand, because he was willing to do whatever it took, while Chairman Lee had stubbornly insisted on going the legal way, through and through.
To think he had somehow become his grandson. He sighed, sinking deeper into the soft hospital mattress. He had wanted to escape this business life. Was that so hard to ask?