NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor

I have felt this way before, haven’t I?

Is it déjà vu once again?

I inhale the wind fully and catch the scent.

Sometimes, when I catch the scent of the wind,

Memories from the past suddenly arise.

Living false lives, changing disguises,

A spy who has lived multiple fabricated lives.

“Now, I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

Crackle.

“Team leader, what did you say? I didn’t hear it properly.”

Yoo Hyun’s voice came through the radio,

“No, I was just talking to myself.”

Jeon Su-hwan, stationed in the Middle East for information gathering,

Intercepting communications at a designated point based on intelligence from above.

“Baek Yoo-hyun, you better support the office again before it’s too late. a guy with family.”

“I’m cut out for fieldwork. Speaking in front of the team leader is like straightening out wrinkles in front of a caterpillar, but it suits my aptitude.”

Jeon Su-hwan chuckled.

“If you stay in the field for too long, someday you’ll be devoured.”

“Alright.”

“Hey, don’t be scared.”

For hours, I’ve been quietly observing from the hill,

But the desert night is no joke, it’s really cold.

“Should I put on another blanket?”

In the moment of trying to move, a rustling sound was heard,

Snap.

And belatedly, a distant gunshot was heard,

Bang.

However, Jeon Su-hwan didn’t hear it.

A bullet had already flown faster than the sound,

Piercing through Jeon Su-hwan’s head.

Crackle.

“Team leader! It’s the team leader!”

Yoo Hyun’s voice came through the radio, But there was no one left here to respond.

****************

During the mission, the noble sacrifice of the agent who fell in the line of duty cannot reveal their name. To honor their selfless death, a nameless star is engraved on the central shrine of the National Intelligence Service headquarters. Jeon Su-hwan also became a nameless star, but when he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the body of a boy he had never seen before.

“Will the weather improve next month?”

Yeon-woo briskly ascended a hiking trail near his home, blowing warm breath into his hands due to the still chilly weather. It was a morning routine he had maintained since his days as an agent. Now living as Ryu Yeon-woo, Su-hwan looked back on the past two months. During the first week, he had been perplexed by why he died. However, uncovering the secret of his death, let alone his very existence, proved nearly impossible.

Why was he brought back to life, and how did he end up in someone else’s body? The ponderings about these matters are less important now. He concluded that some higher power had given him a chance to make amends for the lonely, devoted life he had led. Whether it was the deity of some religion, an extraterrestrial being, or something else entirely, he decided it didn’t matter. He was granted a second chance at life.

“It’s only been two months, but I’ve lost a lot of weight.”

Two months had passed since his discharge from the hospital after a suicide attempt. The original inhabitant of Yeon-woo’s body, who he had displaced, had struggled with obesity due to a medication mishap with his father’s insomnia treatment. Yeon-woo marveled at the newfound clarity of his distinct facial features as he dried his hair. Despite still having some weight left, the reflection in the mirror was considerably different from the triple-digit measurements he had been used to. Though he couldn’t predict how his appearance would change with further weight loss.

“You’re definitely becoming handsome. You could even become an actor.”

On the other hand, in his previous life, Jeon Su-hwan had possessed a relatively ordinary appearance. Paradoxically, this normalcy had been an advantage for a National Intelligence Service agent who needed to blend in. However, always living nameless and faceless as a third party had cultivated a desire for recognition and a more glamorous life. So, he had taken up hobbies such as watching movies and dramas even in remote locations, eagerly supporting the arts. While on overseas assignments, he even attended musicals and performances, going multiple times when a production visited his host country.

Over time, he developed an admiration for actors and a yearning for the kind of attention-filled life they led. Sometimes, he had daydreamed about what it would be like to be an actor in his next life.

“To be honest, not all conditions were in my favor.”

His appearance, social status, and everything else had been far removed from the dream he pursued in his previous life. Yet, his passion for the secret dream he held within had not wavered. Eventually, he broke the organization’s rules against revealing his identity and took a leave of absence. He even participated as an extra in commercial films, merely passing by on screen but finding immense satisfaction in seeing his face in the film. Now, looking at Ryu Yeon-woo’s reflection in the mirror, he couldn’t help but think:

“To be honest, with a face like this and being reborn at this age, I could fulfill my vague dream from my past life.”

The noble sacrifice in his previous life had certainly been a radiant star, but this time, could he become a slightly different kind of star?

****************

ring-ring.

“Oh, a call.”

Rummaging through the discarded branches, a message appears on the smartphone screen as Yeon-woo pulls it out of his pocket. It reads “Mother.” Given that he lived his past life as an orphan, this title feels quite awkward.

Shaking off various thoughts, he pushes the screen and answers the call.

“Yes, it’s Yeon-woo, Mother.”

His name still feels a bit strange, and so does the title “Mother.” If the original Yeon-woo hadn’t consistently kept a diary, Yeon-woo might still be pretending to have amnesia, trying to remember his own name. The influence of the original Ryu Yeon-woo’s emotions seems to make it easier to accept the existence of his newfound family.

“At home?”

“Yes. I finished exercising, came home, and took a shower.”

Yeon-woo deliberately replied brightly and confidently. His son had completely changed since the incident two months ago, from a gloomy and timid boy to a completely transformed young man. He could sense the hidden happiness in his mother, Lee Sun-ok, voice.

“What would you like to eat for dinner?”

“Oh, I’m watching my diet these days.”

“Right, I forgot. Okay then. What’s So-hyeon up to?”

Momentarily pausing, Yeon-woo responded naturally.

“She went to the convenience store just now. She’ll be back soon.”

“Is that troublemaker out again?”

“So-hyeon probably wants to hang out with her friends. I’m really okay now. I’ve been so happy lately.”

Despite wanting to stay close to her son’s side after his suicide attempt, Lee Sun-ok had to go to work due to her responsibilities. Her concern led her to insist that her daughter stay close to her brother during the school break, resulting in a somewhat exasperated but happy daughter.

“Okay, got it. Mom believes in her son, you know?”

“Yes, Mother. See you for dinner.”

Click.

Originally, Yeon-woo’s family had lived in Seoul, but after the incident, his family learned of the torment he had endured and they moved to Daejeon, where his maternal grandmother lived. While some students faced punishment or forced transfers depending on the severity of the incident, in order to support Yeon-woo’s fresh start and because she had been assigned as a civil servant to Sejong last year, they relocated to his adoptive father. The new parents were hardworking and while not wealthy, their home was comfortable. Growing up with his diligent younger sister, they formed a modest but harmonious family. Yeon-woo soon made another call.

“So-hyeon.”

“Yep, Oppa! Should I come home now?”

His younger sister had likely been shocked by her older brother’s predicament. She might be eager to come home immediately, but her voice betrayed her desire to continue having fun. Hearing singing in the background, it seemed she might have gone to a karaoke room with new friends.

“No, I’m sorry you transferred schools because of me.”

Again, again! Saying sorry. I’m fine. The kids here seem to be nicer than those in Seoul.

“Sure. Why are you so nice? You have a kind heart.”

Oops! I heard that! Stop the verbal abuse! While Yeon-woo and So-hyeon had a good relationship, her candid expression of affection made the teenager embarrassed. So-hyeon thought her brother had been through a lot and had become more fatherly in his demeanor. Yeon-woo, an orphan who had grown up in the dark, had no idea how physical affection worked between siblings in the K-world.

In fact, to his previous life’s standards, a younger sister had suddenly appeared. She was cute, lively, and chubby, which was a pleasant contrast for Yeon-woo. As someone who had lived a dark life, the bright and cheerful presence of his sister felt like it was neutralizing his own darkness.

“Okay, then. Don’t be a middle schooler trying to act all grown-up. Have fun and come back.”

“Okay. Got it.”

Thud.

‘Not to mention, I don’t even recognize my parents’ faces.’

Ending the call, Yeon-woo felt a pang of sadness for his bright and cheerful present life. The fence of his new life seemed so bright and joyful that it made him mourn for the lonely and dark past life of Jeon Su-hwan.

Wouldn’t things have been less lonely if he had at least one family member in his past life? Suppressing such thoughts, he tried to shake off the gloomy thinking.

****************

As time passed, the winter vacation came to an end, and Yeon-woo started his first day at his new school in Daejeon. He believed that since he had entered a new body, he needed to live a new life. However, when he actually put on the school uniform and headed to school, he felt a different sensation. In his previous life, wasn’t he around forty years old?

“Hmm, a school uniform at this age.”

“Huh? What did you say, son?”

As Yeon-woo opened the passenger door of the car, his new father, Ryu Cheol-woong, asked.

“Oh, nothing. I’m going to school, Father.”

“Such a bland kid. Are you really okay going alone?”

“I’m a high school student, you know.”

Ryu Cheol-woong was torn between the urge to follow Yeon-woo to school on his first day and the fear that doing so might provide an opportunity for others to tease his son again. However, at that moment, as Yeon-woo passed through the school gate, he was already confident and determined, ready to climb the hill and face his new life.