Alex Kim's life was perfectly average.
In fact, it was so average that if you asked anyone about him, they'd probably just shrug and mumble something about how he was the guy who always sat in the back of class, never said much, and spent his weekends binge-watching whatever was trending on Netflix.
Nothing special. Nothing memorable.
And Alex liked it that way. Mediocre was comfortable. No surprises. No expectations.
It was the life he'd gotten used to, and the world could keep turning without him, as far as he was concerned.
But everything changed on a rainy Tuesday afternoon when Alex was scrolling through his phone, still in his pajamas, with his fourth cup of coffee in hand.
The rain outside pattered against the window, the perfect excuse to stay indoors, wrapped up in blankets.
Alex, having no particular desire to do anything productive, was mindlessly scrolling through his social media feed.
Memes, viral videos, and endless discussions about the latest online drama. The usual.
Then, an ad popped up, taking over his screen.
It was bright, obnoxious, and promised rewards for doing something as simple as... well, anything.
"Tired of wasting your life? Start your journey today with Quest App. Get rewards for doing simple tasks! Download now!"
Alex was about to swipe it away—he'd seen ads like this a thousand times before. Useless motivational apps promising to make you feel better while doing nothing.
But then the phrase "simple tasks" caught his attention.
Something about it seemed oddly inviting.
"Simple tasks? That's my kind of thing," Alex muttered to himself, still holding his coffee cup.
Maybe it was worth a shot. After all, he wasn't exactly living a fast-paced life.
Without much thought, he tapped the ad.
The app's interface was surprisingly basic.
Bright green buttons, cartoonish icons, and the kind of design you'd expect from a free app that doesn't care about its aesthetic.
A single button blinked at him: Start Your Journey.
He hesitated for a moment.
Was it a scam? Probably.
But it was worth checking out. He tapped the button.
It asked for his name.
He typed "Alex" and hit submit.
A quick flicker on the screen, and then... the first task appeared:
First Task: Make your bed.
Alex blinked. Make my bed?
He glanced at the mess of blankets and pillows he'd buried himself in that morning, but the task seemed so simple it almost felt like a joke.
Still, there was a part of him that was intrigued. Maybe this was some motivational app that tricked people into doing tiny chores by giving them rewards.
"Fine," he muttered, shoving himself out of bed.
"I'll make my bed."
He straightened the blankets, fluffed the pillows half-heartedly, and then crawled back into bed, feeling ridiculous.
His phone buzzed.
"Task Complete: You have received +1 Charisma."
Alex stared at the notification, eyebrows furrowed.
'Charisma?'
He looked at his bed—nothing special about it, just a mess that he had "fixed" in the laziest way possible.
Was the app messing with him? Probably. But... Charisma? What was that even supposed to mean?
Before he could contemplate it further, another task popped up.
Next Task: Drink a glass of water.
Alex scoffed.
Water? Sure, he probably should drink more of it.
His body was perpetually dehydrated, but it wasn't like he was actively trying to be healthy.
He grabbed a glass from the kitchen and filled it with water.
The whole process felt mechanical, as if he was following instructions from some strange, overzealous personal assistant.
As soon as the water touched his lips, another buzz from his phone.
"Task Complete: You have received +1 Health."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
Health? Really? Drinking water gave him health points now?
What was this app, some weird RPG for lazy people?
He didn't feel any different.
In fact, his body still felt sluggish, as it usually did after a morning spent in bed with coffee and chips.
But then something unexpected happened.
As he set the glass down on the kitchen counter, Alex suddenly felt... better.
It wasn't dramatic, like a sudden burst of energy, but it was enough to notice.
His muscles, which had felt stiff and sore from lying around all morning, seemed to loosen up a little.
The dull headache that had been nagging him for the last hour disappeared.
He felt a slight warmth spread through his body, like a small dose of relief had just hit him.
Huh. That's... weird, Alex thought, rubbing his temples.
Maybe it was the water, or maybe it was just the app's ridiculousness, but he didn't feel as sluggish. His body felt a little more awake.
He glanced at his phone again.
Health +1, it said.
Was it possible the app was somehow making him feel better?
To test it, he decided to do something else.
He stood up from the kitchen chair and stretched, slowly at first, then a little more.
Normally, his back would have creaked and popped, but today—nothing. No pain. No stiffness.
Okay, this is... strange, he thought.
But before he could reflect too much on it, another notification appeared:
Next Task: Go outside and sit in the rain for 10 minutes.
Alex groaned.
'Seriously?'
He didn't want to go outside.
The rain was cold, and the idea of standing in it for ten minutes seemed like the most pointless thing ever.
But then again, this app had already surprised him.
He was starting to feel... different.
Maybe there was something to it.
He checked his phone again, and sure enough, it was still showing his +1 Health bonus.
"Fine," he muttered, deciding to test it further.
"Let's see what happens."
He grabbed his sneakers and reluctantly stepped out into the rain.
The moment the cool droplets hit him, Alex couldn't help but feel irritated.
It was cold. He was wet.
The weather had been miserable all day, and now he was supposed to sit in it?
But he stayed out there, staring up at the sky, trying to ignore the uncomfortable wetness.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he didn't check it right away.
The rain soaked him through his clothes, but he stood there, watching the droplets fall.
After what felt like an eternity but was probably only ten minutes, Alex finally trudged back inside, his clothes damp and heavy with rainwater.
Task Complete: You have received +1 Luck.
"Luck?" Alex said aloud, squinting at the screen.
What did standing in the rain have to do with luck?
But then, something odd happened.
As soon as he returned to his room, he checked his phone for his next task—and found a message waiting for him.
We've refunded a recent overdraft fee on your account. Please check your balance for the update.
Okay, this is starting to get freaky, Alex thought.
He shrugged it off, though, figuring he'd take it as a good sign.
The next day, Alex began paying closer attention to the changes in his body and life.
He was drinking more water, taking small breaks to stretch, and even getting more sleep.
By now, he'd completed a few more tasks—taking a walk outside, eating an apple instead of chips—and each time, the app rewarded him with something.
But it wasn't just the stats that were changing.
Alex found himself walking taller.
He was more aware of his posture, of how people were interacting with him.
The days of sitting in the back of the room, invisible and detached, seemed like a distant memory.
He could feel his body's changes in subtle ways: when he walked, he didn't feel the usual fatigue creeping in, when he spoke, people were listening.
And the most unexpected part? The app's rewards seemed to be real.
He could feel the +1 Health boost, not in some immediate, flashy way, but in a deeper, lasting sense.
His energy was more consistent throughout the day.
His mind was clearer.
He was starting to feel like someone who was alive in a way he hadn't before.
The more tasks he completed, the more he noticed the improvements.