Chapter 2
“$%^!”
The manager’s explanation flew past my ears like a rap.
Side effects? Extra charges? Money…?
Once I understood what he was saying, my eyes widened.
“Wait—this isn’t fair! It’s not like I chose to come here!”
“I’m truly sorry…”
“What kind of side effects? And how much is this ‘extra cost’ supposed to be?”
“…We’ll have to check the details first before explaining.”
The trembling staff led me to a sofa.
People rushed around the front desk, phones ringing nonstop.
The atmosphere was tense, and all I could do was sit there, fidgeting awkwardly.
I wasn’t the type to throw a tantrum, so I just stayed quiet — but time kept crawling by.
I just… want to lie down.
I couldn’t stand it anymore. Finally, I stood up and walked to the front desk.
As I approached, the staff started pretending to be busy — flipping papers, answering silent phones.
“Um, excuse me…”
One of them forced a smile. “Yes, ma’am. The manager will be here any minute. Could you wait just a bit longer?”
I’d already been waiting “just a bit” for quite a while.
“Would you like a drink?”
I was this close to drowning in all the drinks they’d already brought me.
“……”
The awkward smile didn’t leave their faces.
That’s it. I can’t take this anymore.
I clenched my fists and stood my ground. I couldn’t just sit staring at the carpet pattern forever.
I need to lie down.
Just as I was about to turn around and go back to my seat—
“Thank you for waiting!”
A loud, confident voice rang out. A man with stylish glasses appeared, and all the staff instantly looked relieved.
Tch. So much for lying down.
“I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting,” he said with a polished smile, holding out his hand. “I’m the manager here.”
He was clearly a professional — apologizing with the perfect tone and words.
“I can’t imagine how uncomfortable this must’ve been. This is our first time encountering such an issue, and we were trying to find the best solution for you.”
“I… see.”
“It seems the error came from a system glitch and a staff mistake. We’ll make sure this never happens again.”
He kept explaining smoothly, but I noticed something missing.
“So… how do I go back home?”
The manager’s smile froze for half a second. His tone became a little stiffer.
“I’m afraid returning directly to the real world isn’t possible. You’ll have to enter an original story world.”
“But you said there wasn’t one available!”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Then how am I supposed to go?!
My jaw dropped, and seeing my face twist in disbelief, he hurriedly added,
“However! Luckily, we’ve found one story you can enter.”
Before he even finished, the employees behind him exchanged nervous looks.
My inner office instincts kicked in immediately.
Oh, I know this scene. Someone’s trying to cover up a mistake before it explodes.
And if I’m not careful, I’ll get dragged into it.
So I asked cautiously, “Is it… a weird one?”
“Excuse me?”
“Like, a super tragic story where everyone dies? Or do I have to seduce some evil dragon-lord male lead? Or maybe I’m a locked-up villainess… or a dying background extra? Don’t tell me the fate of the whole world depends on me?”
I listed every worst-case scenario I could think of. The manager hesitated, eyes darting.
Oh no. That hesitation wasn’t good.
“Of course not,” he said finally, smiling again — too nicely. “It’s just… a returned story.”
“…What?”
Returned? As in… someone returned it like a product?
People transmigrate into stories where they die in a day all the time, but this one was so bad someone actually returned it?!
Seeing the panic on my face, he quickly added,
“Oh, don’t worry. There’s nothing wrong with the story itself. The previous guest just changed their mind. It’s a normal story — you’ll only play a minor supporting role. Nothing difficult.”
A normal story? As a side character? That sounded amazing.
My tired spine practically whispered, Go for it.
He continued, “I’d love to offer you a more important role, but otherwise, you might be waiting here for several years…”
No thanks, I’ll pass on ‘important.’
I tapped my chin, thinking.
If you can’t get a new product, a returned one will do.
There was no way I’d stay here paying mystery fees and suffering side effects.
Besides, waiting “a few years”? Absolutely not.
When I didn’t answer, the manager mistook my silence for reluctance and began speaking faster.
“I understand your concerns. We can let you customize your hair and eye color, if that helps you feel more comfortable!”
My eyes lit up.
As an office worker trapped in corporate life, I’d never had the freedom to dye my hair wild colors — and now I could?
What should I choose…?
While I was lost in thought, the manager, growing anxious again, added,
“We’ll also provide a guidebook — it includes a summary of the story and character introductions.”
“Huh?”
That got my attention.
A guidebook? That was basically a cheat item!
If I had that, I could easily avoid all the dangerous plotlines and just enjoy a peaceful homebody life inside the story.
I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.
If I stay quiet longer, maybe he’ll offer even more perks…
Unfortunately, he sighed and said, “That’s all we can provide. So — what will you decide?”
I didn’t want him to take back his offers, so I quickly asked, “When the story ends, do I get to go back to my world? What happens then?”
He smiled, relieved.
“Time in your world will remain frozen. You’ll return to the exact moment you left.”
That was all I needed to hear.
I nodded immediately. “Alright. Let’s do it.”
I just wanted to finally lie down somewhere.
As the manager led me away, all the staff bowed politely.
Among them, I noticed the young employee who’d caused the mix-up.
He looked pale and teary-eyed — clearly terrified.
Remembering my own early office days, I couldn’t help but speak up.
“Thank you for your help. And… please don’t be too hard on him. It all worked out in the end.”
I bowed lightly and followed the manager.
***
After Ji-yoon left, an uneasy silence fell over the front desk.
The manager sighed deeply, and the trembling staff member flinched.
“Elle.”
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“This isn’t your first time, is it?”
“W-what? No, last time wasn’t—”
“If the last customer had complained like this one didn’t, it could’ve been a disaster.”
“…”
“The customer asked us not to punish you, so I’ll let it go for now. But be careful. Keep monitoring her.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What are you waiting for? Go prepare her guidebook.”
Elle bit her lip and hurried away.
***
“Please come into the powder room.”
“Thank you.”
Inside, a beautiful woman in an elegant dress — like someone straight out of a fantasy comic — was waiting for me.
“Hello, miss. I’m Lila, your stylist. This way, please.”
She gently guided me to a dressing table.
In the mirror, there was her — graceful and glowing — and me, sitting next to her in bee pajamas.
Like… a honeybee and a fairy.
Do I even deserve to transmigrate?
Ignoring my self-conscious thoughts, Lila smiled and touched my hair.
“You’re lucky! Not many guests get to choose their hair and eye color.”
I nodded, and she brought out a large powder case, holding up a puff.
“Please close your eyes for a moment.”
I obeyed. The soft puff brushed across my skin — forehead, cheeks, chin — gentle and careful.
“You can open your eyes now.”
I opened them — and gasped.
“Whoa…”
The reflection staring back at me was stunning.
***
That night, under the dark sky, the moon slipped out from behind the clouds.
Its pale light spilled through the window of a huge mansion.
Inside, a man sat alone in silence.
His face looked like it had been carved by a master — flawless, sharp, and beautiful.
The moonlight brushed across his chiseled jaw and high nose, glinting off his lashes.
Then, his red eyes glowed faintly in the dark.
A deep, guttural roar echoed outside the mansion — the cry of a monster.
The man slowly opened his eyes.
