A Wish in the Midnight Hour

The soft glow of a computer screen was the only source of light in Jake Garcia's small, neatly-cleaned room. Posters of various anime and manga adorned the walls, and stacks of books and notes were organized across his desk.

The clock on the wall ticked closer to midnight, but Jake was too engrossed in the final chapters of "Solo Leveling" to notice the passing of time.

His eyes, though tired from a long day of classes, were wide with anticipation as he read the thrilling conclusion. Sung Jin-Woo, the protagonist, was more powerful than ever, but Jake's thoughts were elsewhere.

As much as he admired the strong and resolute Cha Hae-In, his heart had always leaned towards the gentle and caring Lee Joo-Hee. It was her quiet strength, her unwavering support, and her healing touch that captivated him.

Jake sighed deeply as he closed the final chapter. "If only Lee Joo-Hee ended up with Sung Jin-Woo," he muttered to himself, the thought lingering in his mind. "If I were Lee Joo-Hee, I'd make sure to pursue him, no matter what, considering that I was there for him when he was at his lowest."

A soft chuckle escaped his lips at the absurdity of the idea. But, somewhere deep inside, he couldn't shake the feeling that she deserved a happier ending.

He glanced at the clock—11:59 PM. As the minute hand ticked closer to twelve, Jake stretched his arms, feeling the fatigue of the day settling in.

"Sigh... I better rest soon, I still have Automata classes tomorrow," he muttered, closing his eyes. But moments later, he opened them again with a grunt. "But, for real, why did they even abandon Joo-Hee and make her a side character? This is so frustrating. If I were her, I would have continued to pursue my friendship with Jin-Woo. How wasteful. Tsk." He murmured the words, half-joking, half-serious. It was a fleeting thought—a wish made in the silence of his room, with no expectation of it ever coming true.

And then, it happened.

As the clock struck midnight, a sudden, blinding white light filled the room. Jake's heart raced as he was engulfed in the brilliance, his surroundings fading into nothingness.

Panic set in as he tried to comprehend what was happening, but the light was too intense, too overwhelming. He tried to move, to scream, but his body felt like it was being pulled apart, piece by piece.

The last thing he remembered was the sensation of falling—falling endlessly into the white void—before everything went black.

When Jake opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the ceiling. It wasn't his ceiling. The white, sterile tiles were unfamiliar, as was the soft beeping of medical equipment in the background. He blinked, trying to clear the fog in his mind, but the disorientation only grew.

His body felt… different. There was a strange heaviness on his chest, and when he tried to move, he realized with a shock that something was missing—his intimate part. Panic flared in his chest as he looked down and saw the truth: his body was no longer his own.

A slender hand, delicate and smooth, reached up to touch his face. Jake gasped, his breath catching in his throat as he felt the unfamiliar contours of soft skin and delicate features.

He bolted upright, only to be greeted by the sight of a hospital room, with machines monitoring his—or rather, her—vitals.

"Is my mind tripping, or am I just high from not sleeping early?" he whispered, his voice trembling. But the sound that came out was higher-pitched, softer—definitely not his own.

He scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping over the unfamiliar legs that felt weak and shaky. A mirror hung on the wall opposite the bed, and with a sense of dread, Jake forced himself to look.

Lee Joo-Hee's face stared back at him.

"Yeah, my mind must really be tripping or either high! No way... this is possible. Not in a million years!" he muttered, his voice—her voice—barely above a whisper. He touched her face, fingers tracing the smooth skin, delicate nose, and soft lips. It was all real, far too real. He—or she—felt an unsettling yet familiar sensation, as if perfectly embodying someone else.

Then, Jake remembered: orange hair that shimmered like a sunset, framing a heart-shaped face, and striking blue eyes that sparkled with kindness and determination. Her complexion was fair, almost porcelain, accentuating the vibrant colors of her hair and eyes. It was Lee Joohee's appearance as described in the light novel.

Somehow, Jake had become the very character he had once wished for. Trembling, he covered her mouth with both hands, his mind racing in disbelief while asking himself.

'Oh dear lord... I was just joking when I said that. I didn't mean to become her! And this slight body pain—it's way too real. So, am I really isekai'd right now? But why in a woman's body, for goodness' sake?!'

In just a while, memories flooded his mind, memories that weren't his. They were of battles, of healing, of fear—fear of dungeons, of the monsters within, of losing those she cared about. He staggered back, clutching her head as the memories mixed with his own, overwhelming him with their intensity.

"No way... no freaking way... Lee Joo-Hee… she died," he whispered, his mouth agape and tears streaming down her cheeks as the realization sank in. He recalled the hospital scene from the light novel—it had only shown Jin-Woo recuperating, and they eventually met outside the hospital later on. But in this reality, it seemed she hadn't survived, unlike in the light novel or the manhwa. Her soul had departed, leaving behind an empty vessel for Jake to inhabit.

"But why me?" he asked aloud, though there was no one to answer. "Why am I here? Who did this?"

A soft chime echoed in his mind, interrupting his thoughts.

A translucent blue screen appeared before his eyes, filled with text that seemed to float in the air.

_______________________

[ Sage Enlightenment System Activated ]

Bestowed Class: [ Sage of Eternal Leaf ]

Welcome, Jake Garcia! You have been chosen to become the first Sage of Earth, a planet within the Abandoned Star Region. Complete your trials, master your abilities, and you may return to your world… or forge a new destiny here.

_______________________

Jake stared at the screen, his mind racing with both excitement and fear.

The words felt both familiar and alien, echoing the systems he had read about in countless novels and games.

But this wasn't a game—this was an another reality.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves.

"Damn it... what about my family on Earth? When they woke up and saw my body lifeless and unconscious... I-I didn't even get to ask for forgiveness..." he muttered, biting her soft, delicate lips.

Shaking her head, he added firmly, "Jake, no time to be so down! I'll figure out a way—no matter how many years it takes—I'll go back home. Before that, I better familiarize myself with her memories."

He processed his thoughts while looking into the mirror, sighing heavily.

For now, he needs to slowly accept that he be living as Joo-Hee, and only God knows how long he will remain in her body.

His thoughts turned to Sung Jin-Woo, the protagonist of Solo Leveling, as he recalled the wish he had made before sleeping, closing her eyes.

"Sigh, why did I even make such a wish? If I became Sung Jin-Woo myself, that would be even greater!"

But remembering all the pain and suffering Jin-Woo had been through to get his power, he shook his head in slight dread.

He then devised a long-term plan, centered around Sung Jin-Woo.

'As long as I don't screw up, I can ride on his coattails and become strong enough to survive. With the system's help, I'm pretty sure I can at least close some of the gaps between us.'

While thinking, his gaze once again turned to the mirror.

He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Sigh... this is really ridiculous. It really feels like I'm a protagonist in some gender-bender novel..."

He could only laugh in frustration.

"Before anything else, I better find Jin-Woo and talk to him," he said.

"Though I'm quite curious if the characters from the manhwa look the same in real life. At this point in time, Jin-Woo should look like a teenage guy," Jake added curiously.

"I'll just follow a common trope and tell him I lost some of my memories… except for him. That should buy me some time to figure this all out."

This was a new beginning, a chance to rewrite Lee Joo-Hee's story.

But it was also a dangerous world, filled with dungeons, monsters, and the unknown.

And so, with a deep breath and a determined heart, Jake took his first step into the world of Solo Leveling, ready to face whatever trials awaited her.