I opened my eyes and instantly panicked.
Everything felt wrong. Wrong height, wrong weight, wrong… everything. My arms felt lighter, my legs… longer? My chest… definitely longer in the front than I remembered.
"Uh… what the hell?" I muttered, voice higher and softer than I was used to. Why did it even sound like that? I didn't sound like me at all. I sounded like a woman.
I tried to sit up. My hair—way too long and impossibly soft—fell over my face. I swatted at it. "Okay, first problem: hair. Second problem: gravity apparently hates me now. Third problem: I'm in… someone else's body."
I caught sight of the mirror.
Oh. My. God.
A woman directly stared back at me, wide-eyed and probably traumatized if she'd been conscious for five minutes. Hazel eyes, delicate features, shoulders narrow enough that my old hoodie would've swamped them, and… curves. Curves in places I had no frame of reference for. My own curves. My new curves.
I froze. My hands went up slowly, like a frightened animal.
"Why does my waist… move like that when I breathe?" I whispered. "And… how is my butt… there?" I turned around, saw the shape from every angle, and instantly looked away. My face was burning hot.
"Rule number one," I told myself. "Do not panic. Do not faint. Do not run out naked into the street. Rule number two: do not die of embarrassment in this body. You already did that once."
My entire mind was screaming abort mission, but before I could formulate a plan, a soft, echoing laugh filled the room.
"Nervous already, Pure One?"
I jumped. Not literally, because my legs felt weird. Literally jumping would probably cause me to tip over.
A woman appeared near the window, shining softly. She wore long white and gold clothes that looked like shiny water. She looked half-amused, half-annoyed. Wings were folded up behind her back. Yeah. Wings. Heavenly. Totally normal in my afterlife now.
"You must be Seraphine," I squeaked, hoping my voice didn't show how confused I was.
"The one and only," she said, with a very smooth bow. "Heaven's teacher for love, feelings, and… how to act right." and… social grace."
I blinked. "How to act right? I don't even know how to walk without falling over."
She smiled, but just a little tho. "Exactly why I'm here. You're inexperienced — shockingly inexperienced — and now you get the bonus challenge of navigating life as Lena Hart."
"Bonus?" I growled. "You call this a bonus? My first assignment and I'm… a woman. Who thought this was a good idea?"
Seraphine floated closer, inspecting me like a teacher evaluating a hopeless student. "It's meant to teach you to see things differently. Empathy. Understanding."
"I see things differently, alright," I muttered. "I can feel every curve on this body that isn't mine. Gravity hates me, my back hates me, and I hate… well… everything."
Her eyes glinted with humor. "Yes. It's awkward. But you'll adapt. First, you need to understand the framework of your new existence.
Pay attention — this is your lifeline." A soft light glowed around her hands, and suddenly, golden words appeared in the air around me. They were circular symbols, pulsing gently. Some kind of… cosmic holographic manual.
"These," she said, voice calm but firm, "are your parameters. They will guide you through the cycle of intimacy. Without them, you will fail your missions — and fail yourself."
I squinted at the floating text. "Mission? Parameters? Fail? Great. I just woke up in a woman's body and now I'm being lectured by… a glowing Instagram model with wings."
Seraphine ignored my sarcasm. "Listen carefully. There are rules. You will need them."
The symbols rearranged themselves into words.
SYSTEM: CYCLE OF INTIMACY — ACTIVE
MISSION GOAL:
Guide incomplete souls toward emotional or romantic fulfillment. Only then can your essence be reborn.
POWERS (Do's)
Soul Entry: You can temporarily inhabit the body of a chosen host. Their memories and emotions become partially accessible.
Empathic Sense: Feel what your host feels — loneliness, fear, affection. Helps you understand them deeply.
Emotional Influence: Your sincere emotions can slightly affect others — calm, comfort, inspire.
Guidance Access: You can summon me once per host cycle for advice. Use wisely.
Time Dilation: Inside the host's life, time flows differently. Days for you may be hours in the living world.
LIMITATIONS (Don'ts)
No Direct Control: You cannot force the host to act against their nature.
No Exploitation: Actions without genuine connection reset progress. Intimacy must be sincere.
No Extended Possession: Exceeding longer than required time leads to "Soul Burnout" — permanent erasure.
No Self-Indulgence: You cannot pursue your own satisfaction. All actions benefit the host's growth.
No Rebellion: Defying Heaven's conditions triggers recall — immediate ejection and penalty in the Void.
I blinked. "So let me get this straight. I'm supposed to help people experience… connection… while in a body I don't even recognize. And if I mess up, I die… again?"
"Exactly," Seraphine said, smiling faintly. "Welcome to your second chance. Pay attention. Learn. Grow."
"I don't even know where to start from!" I groaned. "Can I at least practice walking first without tripping over my—everything?"
"You will learn by doing," she said simply.
"Also… your body has limits. Respect them. Observe before you act. Intimacy is about understanding, not panic or force."
My stomach twisted. "Observe… right. Great. Watching people for… connection." I felt the panic well up again. "What if I screw this up? What if I—ugh—fail before I even begin?"
Her glow pulsed slightly. "Mistakes are part of learning. That is why I am here. That is why you have rules. That is why you will survive."
I exhaled shakily. "Survive. Right. First mission. 72 hours. Learn intimacy in a woman's body. I was screaming very hard on the inside"
Someone knocked gently on the door, and my pulse jumped.
"Lena? You in there?" a deep, friendly voice called.
Seraphine folded her wings slightly. "Time to meet your first connection. Remember the rules: listen first, act second, and above all, pay attention. You cannot fail this assignment."
I gulped, staring at my own reflection one last time. "This… this is going to be a long 72 hours."
The door handle turned.
And my first mission — as Lena Hart — officially began.