---
A Month Before the Start
"Ah, geez!!!" Suhyeon yelled, glaring at his mom in frustration. "I told you to let me drop out of school! I don't learn anything there. I'd rather just start a YouTube channel!"
His mom looked unimpressed, hands on her hips. "What a load of nonsense. Drop out? Do you even know what that means?"
"Going to school is a complete waste of time," Suhyeon grumbled, crossing his arms.
His mom sighed, tightening her grip on the kitchen knife she was holding. "You're lucky I'm chopping vegetables, son. One more word, and I might lose my sanity."
"Yeah, whatever. I could be successful on YouTube!" he shot back, his voice rising.
From the living room, his younger sister, Kim Dahyun, barely looked up from the TV she was flipping through. "Ha! This loser thinks he's gonna be some viral hit," she scoffed, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Shut up, Kim Dahyun!" Suhyeon snapped.
She shrugged lazily, not even giving him a glance. "Face it, Suhyeon—you'd flop before you even started."
His frustration boiled over. "You don't know anything, Mom! None of you do!" He turned on his heel, storming to his room and slamming the door behind him.
"Suhyeon, don't you dare slam that door!" his mother shouted from the kitchen.
"It was the wind!" he muttered, though he knew she wouldn't buy it.
---
In His Room
Suhyeon flopped onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling in frustration. Why do I live like this? he thought. He could barely handle his family's criticism, and he certainly couldn't handle the jerks at school.
I can't even stand up to them…
He sighed, feeling a weight in his chest. "Quest Window!" he suddenly said aloud, almost without thinking.
To his shock, a glowing white panel appeared before him, floating in midair. Suhyeon's eyes widened in disbelief. If anyone else were there, they would've been just as stunned.
[System]
[Would you like to start the quest?]
[Yes] [No]
He blinked, rubbing his eyes as if he'd somehow imagined it. But no—the panel remained, floating there with a faint glow. "Is this… magic?" he muttered. It's been two days since this thing first showed up.
He glanced around, feeling a rush of excitement. I'm alone, right? So I can actually do this. Without hesitating, he pressed "Yes."
[Starting The Quest System]
[You will receive a [Card] by completing the quest]
"A card?!" Suhyeon gasped. His heart raced with excitement. What kind of quest is this? he thought eagerly.
[System: A Tutorial Quest Is Being Created]
[Quest: Apologize to Mom [0/1]]
[Reward: 1 Gold Card]
"Wait, apologizing to Mom is a quest?" he blurted out. He could hardly believe it. "And I get a Gold Card if I just do that?!"
Suhyeon took a deep breath. Okay, it's just a basic task, he thought, trying to calm his nerves. He stood up, straightened his shirt, and headed for the kitchen.
"Mom!" he called, finding her busy with dinner prep. She looked up, her face already set in a frown.
"I'm... I'm sorry for yelling earlier!" he stammered, his face flushing. "I didn't mean it. I got carried away. Anyway, I'm really sorry!"
Kim Dahyun, who had been watching the whole scene from the sofa, laughed out loud. "Mom, I think Suhyeon's finally lost it. Should we just admit him to the hospital?"
Ignoring her, Suhyeon turned back to the panel, thinking, Is this enough?
[System: Tutorial Quest Completed]
[Reward: You have received a Gold Card!]
Suhyeon's eyes sparkled as he stared at the shimmering card that materialized in his hand. Embossed in elegant letters were the words "Perfect Body." He could feel a surge of strength just holding it.
"Perfect Body? Does that mean…" he whispered, his mind racing with possibilities.
[System: "Perfect Body" must be trained to unlock full potential.]
"Training, huh?" he muttered, a bit deflated but still buzzing with excitement. Guess there are no shortcuts after all. Determined, he stepped outside, deciding that a walk would help him clear his head and think about how to start his training.
---
A Chance Encounter
As he wandered through the streets, he felt the card's weight in his pocket—a promise of power he was only beginning to understand. Suddenly, he heard footsteps and the rough voices of a group of gangsters nearby. His heart began to pound, but before he could turn back, the white panel popped up in front of him.
[System: Quest Generated – Punch a Gangster [0/1]]
[Reward: Silver Card]
"What?! All I have to do is… punch one of them?" he murmured, a smile creeping onto his face. Despite his nerves, the thrill of a new card was too tempting to resist.
With a deep breath, he stepped toward the group, doing his best to appear confident. "Hey!" he called out, his voice echoing in the alley.
One of the gangsters—a bulky guy with a cruel grin—turned, eyeing him with disdain. "You got a problem, kid?"
Steeling himself, Suhyeon threw a punch. His fist connected with the gangster's jaw, and the man stumbled back, clearly shocked. The other gangsters froze, staring at him in disbelief. Suhyeon barely had time to register the white panel flashing again.
[System: Quest Complete]
[Reward: Silver Card – Boxing Skill (F Rank)]
"Boxing skill?" Suhyeon muttered, feeling a sudden rush of knowledge. He instinctively adopted a boxing stance, and his fists felt lighter, more precise.
The gangsters quickly recovered and closed in on him, but Suhyeon's new skill gave him an edge. He bobbed and weaved, landing punches with a confidence that surprised even him. One by one, the gang members fell back, cursing as they retreated.
[System: Boxing Level Up – E Rank]
Breathless and exhilarated, Suhyeon stood alone in the alley, a newfound sense of strength coursing through him. He had won. He was different now.
---
One Month Later
Suhyeon strolled confidently down another dark alley, counting a thick wad of cash he'd taken off a gang of beaten-down thugs. They lay sprawled behind him, groaning in defeat. He barely even glanced at them.
"Why… why are you doing this to us?" one of them groaned.
Suhyeon slipped the cash into his pocket and shrugged. "Just for fun," he replied, smirking. "Besides, you guys make it way too easy."
The thug's face twisted in fear as he watched Suhyeon walk away. Suhyeon was taller, more muscular, and radiated a strength he hadn't known before. His boxing skill was now S rank, and every encounter made him feel more unstoppable.
As he neared home, his mind wandered. Tomorrow's back to school, he thought, a strange excitement building within him. School used to feel like a prison, but now he could barely wait to see the reactions of everyone around him.
When he arrived, Kim Dahyun was on the sofa, scrolling through her phone. She looked up, her eyes widening at his transformed appearance.
"Who do you think you are, Mr. Tough Guy?" she taunted, glancing at the faint bruises and dirt on his clothes. "Picking fights to look cool?"
Suhyeon laughed, brushing past her. "Maybe you should worry less about me and more about your attitude, Kim Dahyun."
She rolled her eyes. "Look at you, acting all mysterious. Don't come crying when you end up flat on your face again."
He flashed her a smirk. "Guess you'll have to wait and see."
She turned away, pretending to ignore him, though he could see the curiosity in her eyes.
In his room, Suhyeon lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow, he thought, feeling a surge of anticipation. This time, school's going to be different.
For the first time in his life, he couldn't wait to see what the new day would bring.