Myanmar, 7:30 a.m.

“Samuel Wind! You’ll be late again!”

His mom’s voice echoed through the small house.

“I’m up! I’m up!” Sam groaned, half-buried in his blanket. His hair was messy, his eyes barely open.

He sat up, yawned, and muttered, “If only life had a ‘skip school’ button…”

From the next room, his little brother shouted, “You mean a lazy button!”

Sam grinned. “Hey, genius! Don’t expose me like that.”

His sister, lying on the couch scrolling her phone, added, “He only studies when there’s food involved.”

Sam threw a pillow. “You’re not wrong.”

He was fifteen — a normal school student, full of dreams and zero motivation. He loved eating, sleeping, and watching anime until midnight. Schoolwork? Never his thing. But family? He loved them more than anything.

As he left for school, he whispered, “Maybe one day I’ll live in one of those manga worlds…”

He didn’t know — that day was coming sooner than he thought.

That evening, the sky turned strange — violet clouds swirling like ink in water. Sam stood at his window, confused.

“What the…? Is this a dream?”

Suddenly, a light burst around him. His body lifted, floating upward. The world spun, his heart raced — and then everything went dark.

When he opened his eyes again, he wasn’t in Myanmar anymore.

The air was cold. A dark castle stood in front of him. And a huge mirror shimmered in midair.

He stared at his reflection — except… it wasn’t his reflection.

A tall man with the same black hair and black eyes looked back. But his expression was sharp and dangerous.

“Who… are you?” Sam whispered.

The man smirked. “You don’t belong here.”

“I could say the same!” Sam snapped, stepping back.

Then, a voice echoed from the sky:

...----------------...

...[SYSTEM ONLINE]...

...Two souls detected. Perfect synchronization achieved....

...----------------...

Sam jumped. “What is that?!”

The voice continued,

...----------------...

^^^Exchange requests detected. Approval granted.^^^

...----------------...

The world flashed white.

When Sam opened his eyes, he was standing in a grand room filled with gold decorations. A butler bowed before him.

“Good morning, Master Daniel.”

Sam blinked. “Master… who?”

“Master Daniel Wind bourne, heir of the Wind bourne estate.”

He froze. *Daniel… that name… oh no.*

He ran to a mirror — and saw *him*. The villain from his favorite horror manga, “Nightmare.” The ruthless man who destroyed kingdoms and broke hearts.

“I’m Daniel… the villain?! Oh, this is bad. Really bad.”

Just then, the butler said, “Master, your breakfast is ready.”

“Breakfast?” Sam’s eyes sparkled. “At least villains eat well.”

......................

Daniel opened his eyes to the sound of a fan and the smell of noodles.

He sat up, blinking at the plain ceiling. “Where… am I?”

He looked down — smaller hands, school uniform, messy hair.

Then a voice shouted from outside, “Sam! You forgot your lunch again!”

“Sam?” Daniel whispered. “So… this is his world.”

He looked at the mirror in Sam’s room and saw an unfamiliar boy’s face — Samuel’s.

Daniel smirked. “Interesting. Let’s see how this world works.”

He picked up Sam’s phone, scrolled through the gallery, and muttered, “He really likes food… and sleeping.”

When his little brother ran in and said, “You’re acting weird, Sam,” Daniel smiled gently. “Maybe I’m just… different today.”

For the first time, the villain of “Nightmare” smiled like a human.

......................

Days passed.

Sam — now Daniel — tried his best to act noble. He read the manga plot again and again in his memory. “Okay, Daniel was supposed to burn the southern village next week. Nope. Not doing that. Maybe I’ll donate food instead.”

His servants whispered, “Master Daniel is… being nice?”

Meanwhile, Daniel — now Sam — went to school, learning about “earthly math” and “physics.” He hated it. But every time he saw Sam’s family laughing at dinner, something inside him softened.

“So this… is what warmth feels like,” he thought.

One night, as Sam admired the stars from Daniel’s castle balcony, the System’s voice returned.

...----------------...

Mission update: Balance must be restored. One truth remains hidden — the cause of your death, Samuel Wind.

...----------------...

Sam froze. “My… death?”

Somewhere on Earth, Daniel’s eyes widened at the same time as he looked at Sam’s old diary.

“Samuel Wind didn’t die by accident,” Daniel whispered. “Someone planned it.”

(Servant knocks gently)

“Master Daniel, your breakfast is ready.”

Sam (half-asleep, drooling on silk sheets): “Five more minutes, Mom…”

(The maid gasps) “M-Master?! You called me—Mom?”

Sam jumps awake, blinking at the shining curtains. “Right… not home. I’m a villain now.”

He rubbed his eyes and looked at the golden ceiling. “Do all villains wake up surrounded by luxury? No wonder they turn evil.”

(Servant bows nervously) “Your father requested you attend the royal meeting at noon.”

Sam sits up. “Meeting? Me? Oh no, I can’t even survive school assemblies.”

The butler, an old man named Alfred, sighs. “You seem… different today, young master.”

Sam grins nervously. “Different? Just trying a new… personality patch.”

Sam walks into the huge dining hall. Ten dishes lined up — pancakes, meats, fruits, even something glowing.

He stares, whispering, “In my last life, I fought my sister for one egg.”

Lady Amelia, Daniel’s strict mother, glances up. “Daniel, you’re smiling at your food. Are you plotting something again?”

Sam nearly chokes. “N-No, ma’am! Just… appreciating the chef’s effort?”

Amelia narrows her eyes. “You never appreciate anyone.”

Sam: “Then today’s a new beginning?”

The butler drops a plate in shock.

A few hours later, Sam sits in a grand hall full of nobles and soldiers.

King Aldren speaks: “Lord Daniel, I heard you have a plan for the southern territory.”

Sam gulps. Oh no… that’s where he burns the village in the manga!

He forces a smile. “Actually… I think we should help them. You know, food, medicine, all that moral stuff.”

(Everyone freezes)

A noble whispers, “Is he… serious?”

The king frowns. “You’ve changed, Daniel. I hope this isn’t a trick.”

Sam laughs awkwardly. “Of course not! Vill— I mean, I’m just… evolving!”

Alfred facepalms. “He’s doomed…”

......................

At the same time, Daniel — now in Sam’s teenage body — stares at a classroom blackboard.

Teacher: “Samuel, what is the value of X?”

Daniel: “Power?”

(Class laughs)

He leans closer to his classmate. “This world’s magic system is strange. Everyone uses… pencils?”

The boy beside him whispers, “Bro, you okay?”

Daniel whispers back, “Just… recalibrating.”

When lunch break comes, Sam’s little brother runs up. “Big bro, let’s eat together!”

Daniel smiles gently. “Alright. But you’re sharing half.”

The little boy gasps. “What?! Sam never shares!”

Daniel pats his head. “Then I’m not Sam.”

For the first time, he laughs — a soft, human laugh.

......................

That night, Sam (as Daniel) sits by the mansion window, staring at the stars.

Sam: “Man… this guy’s life is full of money, but no peace.”

...----------------...

(The system chimes softly)

‘Host, new mission: Adapt as the new Daniel. Avoid suspicion.’

...----------------...

Sam sighs. “I can’t even adapt to homework, now this?”

He lays down, staring at the ceiling. “Still… maybe I can change this world. Make the villain a little less… villainy.”

Meanwhile, Daniel (as Sam) sits on the roof of his small home on Earth.

He looks at the stars too, whispering, “Maybe your world wasn’t so bad, Samuel.”

As the night deepened, the System activated again, connecting their minds.

...----------------...

‘Balance protocol active. Emotional link stabilizing.’

...----------------...

Sam (half-asleep): “Huh? Who’s there?”

Daniel (smirking softly): “Enjoying my mansion, little human?”

Sam: “You! Wait—Daniel?! How can we talk?”

Daniel: “Through the system. Seems our lives are tied now.”

Sam: “Then… maybe you can teach me how to walk in royal shoes.”

Daniel: “And you’ll teach me how to act like a lazy teenager?”

Sam grinned. “Deal.”

Their laughter echoed — one in a castle, one in a tiny room — both smiling at the strange fate that connected them.

Sam woke up to the sound of knocking again.

But this time, it wasn’t gentle. It was furious.

“Daniel Windbourne! Open this door!”

Sam froze. Okay, maybe breakfast time again?

He opened the door — and almost jumped.

A tall boy in a noble’s uniform glared at him.

“You think you can just flirt with Princess Eira and walk away?”

Sam blinked. “Flirt? Me? I haven’t even flirted with my grades!”

The boy, Sir Leon, growled. “You held her hand at the banquet last night!”

Sam scratched his head. Oh right, the original Daniel did that scene in the manga… great.

He sighed. “Look, I’m sure she was just—”

Before he could finish, Leon swung his sword.

Sam ducked. “Whoa, whoa! No stabbing before breakfast!”

The butler, Alfred, rushed in. “Young master! Please remember your royal image!”

Sam hid behind Alfred. “Tell him that, not me!”

The chaos continued until Princess Eira herself walked in.

Her voice was calm. “Leon, stop. He didn’t mean anything.”

She looked at Sam — and smiled softly.

Sam’s heart jumped. Oh no, she’s way too pretty to be angry.

“Thank you, Princess,” he said awkwardly.

Her eyes sparkled. “You’re… different today, Daniel. Almost human.”

Almost human? Great, so the old Daniel was a robot.

......................

Meanwhile, Daniel sat in class, wearing Sam’s hoodie and looking completely done with life.

“Pop quiz!” the teacher shouted.

Daniel groaned. “Again? You humans torture your young daily?”

The class laughed. One of the girls whispered, “Sam’s acting weird again.”

He turned to her. “Weird? Or smarter?”

The girl blinked. “You just called yourself human like you’re not.”

Daniel froze. Oops.

During lunch, two bullies cornered him behind the school.

“So, Wind, you think you’re funny now?”

Daniel smirked. “Funny? No. Deadly? Maybe.”

The taller bully shoved him. “Oh yeah? Show me.”

Daniel grabbed the boy’s wrist and twisted it gently — enough to scare, not hurt.

The bully gasped. “You’re crazy, man!”

Daniel leaned close. “Where I come from, I used to end people like you.”

They ran away screaming.

He looked at his hands. “Hmm. Human body, but muscle memory still works.”

Then he saw Sam’s little brother hiding nearby.

“Did… you see that?” Daniel asked.

The boy nodded with wide eyes. “Big bro, you’re so cool!”

Daniel smiled softly. “Maybe I can survive here after all.”

...****************...

That night, both worlds felt strange — the moon brighter, the air heavier.

Sam lay in the mansion garden, tired after a day of pretending to be noble.

He sighed. “Being rich is hard. I miss my sister yelling at me.”

...----------------...

...System pinged. ‘Emotional link activated.’...

...----------------...

Daniel’s voice echoed faintly in his mind.

“You’re missing home already?”

Sam sat up. “Daniel? Oh great, brain radio again.”

Daniel chuckled. “You sound exhausted.”

Sam: “You try avoiding sword fights with jealous princes!”

Daniel laughed. “And you try surviving high school bullies. I think we’re even.”

Sam smiled faintly. “You know… I thought villains didn’t care.”

Daniel’s tone softened. “They usually don’t. But right now, I’m not a villain, am I?”

Sam paused. “Guess not. And maybe I’m not the hero either.”

A quiet moment passed. The stars in both skies shimmered.

Daniel: “If we ever meet again…”

Sam: “Yeah?”

Daniel: “Don’t die so easily this time.”

Sam chuckled. “I’ll try. Same goes to you — don’t get an F in math.”

Daniel groaned. “That’s impossible. Math is the real villain here.”