He woke up because his alarm was singing. not ringing. singing. he opened one eye.
Huh?... Why is my alarm so enthusiastic today?"
The song was painfully upbeat. It was the kind of song that sounded like it was smiling at you.
Stretching his hand and entire body forward, he slapped at the phone.
Missed.
Slapped again.
Missed. He stared then suddenly giggled almost tipping over.
".... Did I get shorter?" He thought as he sat up and shook his head like that will somehow make him understand better.
That was when he noticed the room he was in.
A high ceiling. Extremely high. Higher than at his dorm in Paris. Glancing around the room, he noticed more details, like, that the room looked far cleaner than his dorm room and IT WAS A SINGLE PERSON ROOM. He noticed a desk absolutely buried in textbooks.
Then he saw... His childhood teddy bear, it seemed he was back to his childhood room.
Bai XingYue blinked.
Then he looked down at his hands.
They were... Small.
Definitely smaller than his original eighteen year old ones.
He stared for a solid ten seconds searching for what he could use to describe what he was experiencing. After searching, what came to his mind was
"...Cool."
It was definitely cool.
He shuffled as fast as he could towards the nearest mirror, his vanity mirror. Of course he doesn't have a mirror on top of his bed, he is not that vain.
His younger self stared back at him.
A rounder face, softer eyes, hair sticking up in three different directions and the height was definitely gone.
Bai XingYue tilted his head as far down as it could go and leaned in closer to the mirror.
"Ah, did I always look this cute?" He thought and then made different cute poses, pouting, making dogs eyes like pressing his two index fingers against his two cheeks, after that pose, he winked and made an aegyo heart.
"Wah so cute" he nodded (mentally), while smiling extremely satisfied.
He had hardly digested his newly diagnosed rebirth when a voice came from outside his room, probably the staircase.
"Xingxing! Hurry up! You will be late for school, The driver is waiting for you downstairs."
His mother's voice floated in from the kitchen bringing him to a pause.
"...Mom?"
Same voice. Same tone, same impatience when he took too long to get ready. He exhaled, the breathe he didn't know he was holding finally releasing. He had been afraid that his parents would change after all, this was a very strange occurrence but they didn't thankfully. He pushed off the blankets and wore the slippers by his bed side, rushing towards the door.
When he came out of his room, he saw his beautiful mama.
"Yes?"
"...I think I had a really long dream."
He said with a sprinkle of tears in his eyes but since he was not facing his mother, she didn't see it.
" You always say that when you grow an inch."
He blinked.
"Oh."
That made sense. Thankfully.
Bai XingYue nodded seriously.
Bai XingYue padded out and met that breakfast had already been spread out on the table, at the head, was his father. The CEO of one of the largest conglomerates in China but one who always made sure to be present to have breakfast with his family.
"Baba," he called out, tears welling up in his eyes. He missed them so much even though he only spent a year in Paris away from them and they even made sure to video call him at least once every three days, he still missed them.
Turning over to the side where his Baba was seated, he hugged the old man drawing a laughter from the both of them, then he went over to his mama to hug her.
" Hey so you finally remembered me ba... " She teased as she ruffled his hair. He immediately jacked his head away from her.
This was why I didn't want to hug you" he grumbled with a pout.
The whole family burst into laughter as the mother and son seated, side by side. There was a whole round table with at least ten dining chairs but the members made sure to sit together. He looked at his parents and the happiness in his heart was overflowing.
Halfway though the soup, the digital alarm on the dining table rang showing the time was 7:30 am just one hour to start of school.
Picking up speed, he chugged down the soup and took three pieces of bread and a few cookies from the set on the table, hugged his parents before rushing back to his room to brush and dress up.
Of course he puts makeup on, so he was only done twenty minutes to start of school.
***
The drive to the school was over in the blink of an eye.
From a parking lot, the school already sounded loud students where everywhere
Bai Xingyue adjusted his backpack strips and got out of the car, accidentally bumping into someone.
A boy brushed past him muttering under his breath, "watch it."
Bai Xingyue turned and bowed with a smile "dui bui qi (sorry), have a nice day!"
The boy froze then turned his head mechanically thinking, what? but Bai Xingyue had already bounced away humming
Standing in front of the students lecture building, he realized that one he doesn't know the classroom he was at or the timeline because he didn't even know his age! And second, he didn't take any book with him but had only grabbed the backpack so if auntie Zhang didn't help him with it then he was done for today.
Checking his backpack he sighed happily, both his schedule and his school books were packed in his bag and in the schedule, contained directions to his classroom, 'yay'
He scurried into the classroom trying to avoid the door but falled with a shout, "Yelp"
"Hey Bai Xingyue, why do you always try to avoid the door? I think at this point, you should just be after either protecting your head or learn how to properly massage it" a boy chirped as he replaced Bai Xingyue's fingers massaging the head with his while another boy helps in arranging his scattered things back into the bag
"If I do that, what about my legs ah?" he asked jokingly while shaking his legs, drawing laughter from the classroom.
"Ok, Ok we get it" the class monitor interjected "but the teacher is most likely on the way, don't get into trouble" she waved her hands towards their seats and they rushed forward.
Luckily Bai Xingyue didn't trip this time. Upon sitting, The three friends exhaled settling in just in time for class
His sit was by the window just like before, he thought as the sunlight poured into the classroom adding an extra glow to his face.
The teacher called roll.
"Bai Xingyue"
Suddenly hearing his name made in jump
"Yes!"
Too loud.
The teacher paused, probably shocked by the volume while the remaining attentive students chuckled along.
"You seem extremely energetic today"
He smiled happily "I slept very well" while he said that, he thought 'I am really back. Everything is so beautiful, I am so happy'
That night after training Bai Xingyue laid on his bed staring at the tall ceiling I am really younger now he stretched his arms.
"Nice"
Then—
[Hello, hello can you hear me? it's the idol architect system]
Hearing a sound from his head, he first blinked a little surprised then relaxed. After all nothing could be more surprising then being reborn.
"Yes"
[Good, good. You are still here] That, along with a sigh of relief seemed to echo in his mind.
"Where would I go?" The system's idiotic host asked.
There was a strange pause as the system searched for words.
[You are responsive] the voice sounded strangely surprised.
"Thank you." He responded happy to have a friend to converse with even though it was an odd friend.
[...Wait] the voice suddenly sped up, panicking [Gender confirmation required. Ta...]
Bai Xingyue waited patiently while a sad, crowing bird seemed to fly across the sky.
"... Is ta my name?
A small, yellow cute figure appeared looking like a character from Pokemon, however the frowning character was on his forehead. [No, no that's... that's a pronoun] it said as it put hiss chubby hands on his forehead.
Poor Bai Xingyue wasn't even in the loop.
"Oh"
[Why is the pronoun wrong?] it whispered wondering>
Bai Xingyue tilted his head, "is it?"
Another pause.
Longer.
Sharper, the system looked like it was about to throw hands.
[Visual confirmation required]
"You cannot see me?" he asked "I can see you though."
The system rolled it's eyes
"Do you need a mirror?"
[ No, not your visuals confirmation. Visual confirmation is being pulled from the database set for host]
[Why are you a boy?] After being asked that, Bai Xingyue looks down at himself as if just realizing he is a boy
"But I have always been like this"
[And why are you speaking out while talking to me? You can speak to me mentally like I am to you]
"Oh I didn't realize that" Bai Xingyue's eyes were glowing in amazement, as though he finally realized the magic happening.
There was another pause and then a voice sounding distressed came out
[This system got the wrong host, this was calibrated for a female host, why didn't you think that you shouldn't have actually died when you woke up earlier then I wouldn't have picked the wrong host!] The system wailed tragically sounding like an old man.
"Ah, what should we do now?"
[Maybe grow out your hair?] it thought. sarcastically
"Eh? okay."
[Stop being so cooperative] the Pokemon character disappeared before frantic clicking was heard. Then beeping and imaginary screens flipping.
[Binding check– 70% completed]
[Soul signature– mismatch]
[Wish origin– error]
Yep an error
Bai Xingyue laid back down feeling the system's sorrow wash towards him.
"Are you okay?"
[No]
he nodded seriously, "I hope you feel better soon"
[You are alarmingly calm] the system spoke with the air of impending doom lurking around.
[Listen carefully]
He sat back up, "yes"
[This system was not meant for you]
"Oh." He waited while the system felt like slapping it's host
Was "oh" the only thing in his dictionary. It prayed it wouldn't develop brain rot too soon. After waiting for something productive to come out of it's host's mouth and noticing that it's host was taking a bystanders pov, it almost felt like giving up and imploding.
[You're not going to ask why]
"Oh. Why
[No need, I don't have time to explain. Moving forward.] The system sighed.
[The host is probably gone by now] (it was euphemistically saying dead and cannot be reborn again but our MC did not get it)
His smile softened.
[Her wish didn't disappear though, it transferred]
"Huh to me?"
[unfortunately] system-san was already losing hope not because he thought the host wouldn't take it but because the host didn't have an iota of idol-like character even after three years of training.
However our innocent Bai Xingyue didn't know anything neither did he know the stress he was signing up for as his smile brightened, "then I'll take good care of it!" He said making a Jiayou hand posture (a strong fist facing upward to say let's do this or fighting!)
The system felt incredulous almost laughing a the stupidity of it's host [You don't even know what it is about]
"But you said Idol architect though."
It was the system's turn to be puzzled, 'was his host really that smart?' Okay, whatever, you are going to be carrying to dreams.
"Two?"
[The same thing though. But because of the original host's contrasting gender with yours, you have to become the best idol or at least the top idol transcending gender and all obstacles.]
[Are you ready for it?]
"Yes of course, I love working hard!" Bai Xingyue shouted his conviction rising to the heavens.
The system was speechless
[ You accepted way too fast]
But a consent was a consent so no matter if he regretted it...
[BINDING COMPLETE]