THUG REBORN TO BE AN IDOL!!! •EPISODE 8•

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NEXT DAY

? ? ?

Vin wakes up, feeling a mix of exhaustion and unease. He opens his eyes, blinking at the bright light streaming into his hospital room. He looks around, expecting to be greeted by the empty silence but instead, he spots a unexpected guest sitting beside his bed.

？？？

(looks at the stranger questioningly)

？？？

And... who might you be? (voice tinged with a hint of confusion and defensiveness)

? ? ?

(undeterred by his guarded reaction, smiles warmly at latter)

? ? ?

(extends her hand for a friendly greeting, her eyes sparkling with curiosity)

? ? ?

Hi there! Sorry for popping up unexpectedly.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

I'm Mae.

？？？

(eyes flickering between Mae and her outstretched hand)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

I'm a friend of Arlo's. (smiles)

The mention of Arlo's name catches his attention, but he doesn't immediately reach out to shake her hand.

？？？

Arlo... I see. (voice a bit tense)

？？？

So, you're... a friend of his, huh?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(nods, her smile never wavering)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(lowers her hand, sensing his guarded attitude)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Yup, I've known Arlo for quite some time now. We met through our shared love for stories and books.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Well, Do you like stories??

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

？？？

(still somewhat skeptical about this unexpected encounter, replies with a shrug)

？？？

Stories? Yeah, I guess they're okay.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(chuckles) Just okay?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Come on, I bet you secretly love getting lost in a good story, don't you?

？？？

I never had time. (rolls his eyes)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(raises an eyebrow) Never had time?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(leaning slightly forward) Don't tell me you've been too busy being a tough guy to enjoy a good book.

？？？

(caught off guard by Mae's playful comment)

He hadn't expected this cheerful stranger to guess his tough demeanor so accurately. He looks at her for a moment, his guarded expression faltering briefly before returning to its usual stoicism.

？？？

Being a tough guy takes a lot of time and energy, y'know.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(tilts her head teasingly, a smirk playing on her lips)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

You know if you were a bookworm, you'd have figured out by now that you're living in someone else's body~

？？？

(eyes widen fractionally at her words, a mix of surprise and skepticism crossing his face)

？？？

Wh-What are you talking about?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Have you seen yourself in mirror?

？？？

(furrows his brow, a bit taken aback by her question)

？？？

See myself in the mirror? Yeah, what about it?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(shakes head) I meant after waking up, have you seen yourself in mirror?

？？？

(shrugs, his expression still puzzled) No, I haven't checked myself out in the mirror yet. Why?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(lets out a soft sigh) Well, you might want to take a look at yourself in the mirror.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

You'll see what I mean then.

？？？

(raises an eyebrow, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice) I don't see what you're getting at.

？？？

Why do I need to look at myself in the mirror?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(gives him a small mirror)

He takes the mirror reluctantly, still not understanding why Mae is making such a fuss about him seeing his reflection.

？？？

(looks at the mirror, holding it up to his face)

Vin stares at his reflection in the mirror, his tough exterior cracking as he takes in the sight before him. He sees his own face looking back at him, but it's different—no scars, no tattoos. It's a clean and softer version of himself, a stark contrast to the rough edges he's used to seeing every day.

？？？

(eyes widen as he slowly lowers the mirror, his expression filled with a mix of shock, confusion, and disbelief)

？？？

(looks up at Mae, his voice barely above a whisper) What... How...?

？？？

(mutters) Am I... Arlo? Not Vin...?

The realization slowly sinking in, he looks up at Mae, seeking some kind of confirmation.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(gives a little smile)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

You definitely aren't Arlo.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Your personality is definitely polar opposite. Well from my experience of writing and reading many novels you can say you are kinda reincarnated...

？？？

(eyes widen) Reincarnated? Like...in someone else's body?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(nods, a solemn expression on her face)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

It sounds crazy, I know, but bear with me.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Your personality, your demeanor, everything about you screams ‘I don't belong here’ through and through.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

You're nothing like Arlo. It's almost like you're a completely different person.

？？？

(looks up at Mae, a hint of desperation in his eyes)

？？？

But... our faces... they're literally the same. It's just a younger version of my own face as Vin.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Well haven't you heard that tale? There are at least 7 people around the world with same face.

？？？

...

•

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(looks at Vin with a mixture of determination and compassion in her eyes)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

The doctor mentioned Dissociative Identity Disorder, but I don't fully agree. I think there's another explanation.

Vin is still trying to wrap his mind around the situation...

？？？

If I truly am reincarnated, then why aren't you worried about your friend Arlo?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(gazes at Vin for a moment, her expression serious)

She pauses before responding, collecting her thoughts.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Well, I'm not panicking because I believe in the possibility of reincarnation.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

After all, we can't really be sure what happens after we die.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

And if you are indeed reincarnated, well, that means my friend Arlo isn't exactly gone, is he?

Vin listens silently, absorbing Mae's words. He nods slowly, a hint of fascination in his gaze.

？？？

I suppose... that makes some sense. But it's all so hard to believe, you know?

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

I know it's a lot to take in. But sometimes, reality can be stranger than any novel, right?

？？？

(chuckles faintly, a hint of a smile playing on his own lips) Yeah, I guess you're right.

？？？

This whole situation is straight out of one of those weird fantasy stories that little tubelight used to love so much.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

(laughs softly, her eyes gleaming with amusement)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Little tubelight? Sounds like we're talking about someone close to you.

Vin's expression suddenly becomes tense, his shoulders straightening as if a dark memory had hit him like a bucket of cold water. Mae notices the change in his demeanor and furrows her brow in concern.

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Hey, Vin... is everything okay? (her voice filled with concern)

Mae [MC's Best Friend]

Did...did I say something wrong?

？？？

(shakes his head curtly, his expression still tense)

？？？

No, it's nothing. Just... a memory. (mutters, his gaze distant)

Mae regards Vin with a mixture of curiosity and concern, sensing that there's more to the story than he's letting on. However, she decides not to press further, respecting his boundaries. Vin, still haunted by the memory that had surfaced, tries to push it aside and returns his focus to the present. The atmosphere in the room feels heavy now, the tension evident in the air.

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