Arc 2 : 2.1

A splitting headache greeted Joey as he regained consciousness, his mind sluggish and his whole body dully aching as if he had been hit by a truck. A groan escaped his lips as he slowly opened his eyes, only to find himself staring at the sterile white ceiling of what was unmistakably a hospital room. The scent of disinfectant and medicine mixed in the air, making his nose wrinkle.

Before he could process anything further, a familiar cold mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

[System Initialization… Complete.][Welcome, Host, to the second mission world.]

Joey let out a resigned sigh. "Right. A new world. A new mission."

He forced himself upright, rubbing his temples as he tried to gather his thoughts. His body felt both foreign and familiar, as it always did after transmigration. He was accustomed to the strange feeling by now, but what truly mattered was the identity he had assumed this time.

[Mission: Ensure the happiness of the target character, Ethan Sullivan.]

The name clicked instantly. Joey's brows knitted together as fragments of the story flooded his mind.

Ethan Sullivan. The true young master of the Sullivan family. Switched at birth, he had only been returned to his biological family at sixteen. Like the usual dramatic stories, Ethan wasn't welcomed with open arms. Though the Sullivans acknowledged him as their son, clearly treating him as a guest .Even after knowing the truth they never stopped treating Noah—the boy they had raised carefully—as their beloved child.

Ethan,who felt expectations and excited, struggled to find a place in a home that should have been his. Though the Sullivans provided for him, they never truly embraced him lovingly, always comparing him to Noah, who seemed effortlessly perfect in their eyes.They seem to have forgotten that Noah learned all this from childhood while Ethan had to struggle to live for another day.

In the original story, Ethan was constantly overshadowed. Isolated and burdened by his own inferior emotions, he eventually distanced himself, leaving the family for good.

And Joey's new identity?

[The body you have taken over belongs to Joey Miller, Noah's childhood friend. The original Joey was a notorious playboy, arrogant and dismissive, especially towards Ethan.The only person he was loyal to was Noah]

Joey inhaled sharply. Fantastic. His role wasn't just to make Ethan happy; it was also to fix the damage this body had already caused.

Before he could think more about it, a loud knock interrupted him. Joey barely had time to compose himself before the door swung open.

A nurse walked in, clipboard in hand. "Mr. Miller, you're awake!. How are you feeling?"

Joey cleared his throat. "Dizzy. What happened?"

"You fainted at a party," the nurse replied. "Your friend brought you here."

Joey blinked his big eyes. Friend?

Just then, another figure entered the room. A tall boy with cold eyes and a face that was expressionless.

Ethan.

As soon as their eyes locked, Joey felt wariness and hostility towards him. Ethan wasn't overtly aggressive, but his gaze was sharp, as if he were sizing up an annoyance he didn't want to deal with.

"You finally decided to wake up?" Ethan's voice was casual, but the disdain beneath it was unmistakable.

Joey felt a headache. He sigh helpless. This was going to be a challenge.

But challenges were nothing new for him.

Straightening up, Joey forced a small, sheepish smile. "Guess I had too much fun," he said lightly, trying to gauge Ethan's reaction.

Ethan remained impassive, his arms crossed over his chest.

Joey knew he had to be careful. In the original story, Joey Miller had never been kind to Ethan. He couldn't let his sudden change in attitude be too obvious. If he overdid it, Ethan and other would become suspicious.

"You brought me here?" Joey asked.

Ethan scoffed, looking unimpressed. "Noah did."

Joey winced internally. Right. He and Noah were supposed to be best friends. That meant Noah was likely around.

As if on cue, another voice called from the hallway. "Joey! You're awake!"

Noah walked into the room, radiating the same effortless charm that endeared him to so many. His face had a worried expression, the kind that suggested he truly cared about him.

"Man, you scared us," Noah said, settling into the chair next to the bed. "What were you thinking, drinking that much?"

Joey managed a cocky grin, leaning into the persona the original Joey. "What can I say? Life of the party."

Noah chuckled, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable."

Ethan, on the other hand, stayed quiet, his eyes darting between them before finally resting on Joey. There was a clear wariness in his gaze.

Joey held his stare, feeling the pressure of the gaze on him. Ethan was already on edge, it was more difficult than making Rael happy.Thinking of Rael , Joey felt a discomfort on his chest but why?. Throwing this out of his mind,he placed his thoughts on his current mission.

Ethan's wariness would not go away from a single gesture of kindness. Joey would have to show, step by step, that he wasn't the same person Ethan had known before.

And this time, he wouldn't allow him to feel isolated.