I stood in front of my closet, staring at clothes I hadn't worn in ten years. Everything looked so... young. Bright colors, trendy patterns, the kind of stuff I thought made me look cool when I was seventeen but actually just made me look like I was trying too hard.
My school uniform was hanging there too - the navy blue blazer with the Myeongdong High School logo. I used to hate wearing it, but now it felt weird putting it on. Like I was playing dress-up or something.
The system screen popped up again while I was getting dressed.
"DAILY QUEST AVAILABLE"
"QUEST: MORNING ROUTINE" "DESCRIPTION: COMPLETE A HEALTHY MORNING ROUTINE (EXERCISE, SHOWER, HEALTHY BREAKFAST)" "REWARD: +1 STRENGTH, +1 AGILITY, 10 SYSTEM POINTS" "TIME LIMIT: 2 HOURS"
"ACCEPT? YES/NO"
I clicked "YES" without thinking. If I was going to change my life, I might as well start with the basics. In my previous life, I used to roll out of bed five minutes before I had to leave, grab some bread or instant noodles, and run to school. No wonder my physical stats were so low.
I did twenty push-ups, which was harder than I remembered. My seventeen-year-old body wasn't in great shape either. Then I did some jumping jacks and sit-ups until I was sweating. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
After a proper shower, I went downstairs to the kitchen. My mom was already there, making breakfast. She looked exactly like I remembered her at this age - still young, still healthy, still alive.
Seeing her again made my chest tight. I'd missed her so much after she died. All those years I wasted being angry at the world when I could have been spending time with her.
"Good morning, honey," she said without looking up from the stove. "You're up early today."
"Morning, Mom." My voice cracked a little. "What are you making?"
"Kimchi jjigae and rice. Your father already ate and left for work." She paused and looked at me. "Are you feeling okay? You look like you're about to cry."
I wiped my eyes quickly. "I'm fine. Just... thank you for making breakfast. I know I don't say it enough."
She smiled, but she looked confused. "Of course, sweetie. That's what moms do."
I sat down at the table and actually ate a proper breakfast instead of rushing out the door. The kimchi jjigae was exactly like I remembered it - spicy, warm, and perfect. I'd tried to make it myself a few times after she died, but it never tasted the same.
"DAILY QUEST COMPLETED"
"REWARD: +1 STRENGTH, +1 AGILITY, 10 SYSTEM POINTS"
"CURRENT SYSTEM POINTS: 110"
I felt a weird tingling sensation in my body, like I was getting stronger. It was subtle, but definitely there. This system was real, and it was actually changing me.
"I'm going to school now," I said, getting up from the table.
"Wait, take an umbrella. It looks like it might rain."
Rain. The same rain that was falling when I died. I shuddered and grabbed the umbrella from the stand by the door.
"I love you, Mom," I said suddenly.
She looked surprised. "I love you too, Jinhyuk. Have a good day at school."
The walk to school felt different this time. Everything looked smaller than I remembered, but also more vivid. The colors were brighter, the air smelled cleaner, and I could hear birds singing that I'd never noticed before.
Maybe it was because I knew I was getting a second chance. Maybe it was because I wasn't angry all the time anymore. Or maybe it was just because I was actually paying attention to the world around me instead of being lost in my own problems.
Myeongdong High School looked exactly the same. The same ugly concrete building, the same crowded courtyard, the same groups of students hanging out before classes started. But seeing it all again made me realize how much time I'd wasted here.
I was supposed to be learning, growing, preparing for my future. Instead, I'd spent three years being angry, getting into fights, and barely passing my classes. No wonder my intelligence stat was only 35.
"Jinhyuk!"
I turned around and saw Lee Mina running toward me. She was wearing the female version of our school uniform - a white shirt, navy skirt, and the same blazer. Her long black hair was in a ponytail, and she had that bright smile that used to make my heart race.
Now it just made me sad. She looked so innocent, so happy to see me. She had no idea that in another timeline, she'd spend years lying to me and cheating on me.
"Good morning," I said, trying to sound normal.
"You texted me kind of weird last night," she said, linking her arm with mine like she always did. "Is everything okay?"
"We'll talk after school, remember? At the park."
She pouted. "Can't you just tell me now? I'm worried."
"After school," I repeated.
She looked hurt, but nodded. "Okay. But you're scaring me a little."
We walked to class together, but I didn't really talk much. I was too busy thinking about how I was going to break up with her. In my previous life, I would have been devastated to lose her. Now I knew it was the best thing I could do for both of us.
The system screen popped up again:
"SKILL OBSERVED: FUTURE KNOWLEDGE"
"USING KNOWLEDGE FROM PREVIOUS TIMELINE TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS"
"SKILL LEVEL UP: FUTURE KNOWLEDGE (LEVEL 2)"
"NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED: MINOR PRECOGNITION"
"DESCRIPTION: OCCASIONALLY SENSE IMMEDIATE FUTURE EVENTS"
Interesting. The system was recognizing that I was using my knowledge from the future. And apparently, I could level up my abilities by using them.
Our homeroom teacher, Mr. Park, walked in right as the bell rang. He was a short, balding man who always looked tired. In my previous life, I'd given him a lot of trouble. Today, I was going to try something different.
"Good morning, class," he said, setting his coffee cup on the desk. "Before we start, I want to remind everyone that midterm exams are in two weeks. I know some of you haven't been taking your studies seriously."
He looked directly at me when he said that. Fair enough - in my previous life, I was definitely one of those students.
"I'll be handing out study guides today. I suggest you actually use them this time."
After he distributed the papers, I actually looked at mine instead of shoving it in my bag like I used to. Math, Korean Literature, English, History, Science - all subjects I'd barely paid attention to the first time around.
But I was older now, even if I was in a younger body. I had ten years of life experience, and I knew how important education really was. Plus, I had that quest to get into the top 10 in the next exam.
"NEW QUEST AVAILABLE"
"QUEST: STUDY BUDDY" "DESCRIPTION: FIND A STUDY PARTNER TO HELP WITH EXAM PREPARATION" "REWARD: +2 INTELLIGENCE, +1 CHARISMA, 20 SYSTEM POINTS" "TIME LIMIT: 3 DAYS"
"ACCEPT? YES/NO"
I accepted the quest. Finding a study partner would be good for me, and it would help with my terrible charisma stat too.
I looked around the classroom. There were a few students who always got good grades. There was Park Sungjin, who was really good at math but kind of shy. There was Choi Yerin, who was the class president and always organized study groups. And there was...
Oh. There was Kang Sujin.
I'd completely forgotten about her. She sat in the back corner, always quiet, always reading. She had thick glasses and wore her hair in a simple bun. In my previous life, I'd barely noticed her because I was too busy following Mina around.
But I remembered now - she'd gotten into Seoul National University, the best school in Korea. She was probably the smartest person in our class, maybe even the whole school.
The only problem was, she was also incredibly shy. I'd never seen her talk to anyone except when teachers asked her questions. How was I supposed to approach someone like that?
"MINOR PRECOGNITION ACTIVATED"
Suddenly, I had a flash of the immediate future. I saw Sujin dropping her pencil case and all her pens scattering across the floor. It was going to happen in about thirty seconds.
I watched her carefully, and sure enough, she reached for her water bottle and accidentally knocked over her pencil case. Pens and pencils went everywhere.
I was already moving before they hit the ground. I quickly gathered up her supplies and handed them back to her.
"Here you go," I said quietly.
She looked up at me with surprise. "Thank you," she whispered.
"No problem. Hey, are you planning to form a study group for the midterms?"
She shook her head. "I usually study alone."
"Would you maybe want to study together? I know I'm not the best student, but I'm really trying to improve. And you're obviously really smart."
She blushed and looked down at her desk. "I... I don't know. I'm not good at explaining things."
"That's okay. Maybe we could just study in the same place? Sometimes it helps to have someone around, even if you're working on different things."
She thought about it for a moment. "Maybe. We could try it."
"Great. How about we meet at the library after school today? I mean, after I take care of something else first."
She nodded shyly. "Okay."
"QUEST PROGRESS: STUDY BUDDY (50% COMPLETE)"
"RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED: KANG SUJIN (ACQUAINTANCE)"
The rest of the morning classes went by quickly. I actually paid attention for once, taking notes and asking questions. Some of my classmates looked confused - they weren't used to seeing me participate in class.
During lunch, Mina sat with me like always. She kept trying to get me to talk about what was bothering me, but I just told her we'd discuss it after school.
"You're acting so weird today," she said, picking at her food. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No," I said honestly. "You haven't done anything wrong. Yet."
She frowned. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing. Just... eat your lunch."
The afternoon classes were more of the same. I took notes, participated in discussions, and actually tried to understand what the teachers were saying. My intelligence stat was only 35, but I had the benefit of an adult mind in a teenage body.
"SKILL DEVELOPMENT OBSERVED"
"NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: ACTIVE LEARNING (LEVEL 1)"
"DESCRIPTION: IMPROVED ABILITY TO ABSORB AND RETAIN INFORMATION"
"INTELLIGENCE +1"
Finally, the last bell rang. It was time for the conversation I'd been dreading all day.
"Ready to go?" Mina asked, packing up her things.
"Yeah. Let's go."
We walked to the small park near our school in silence. It was the same park where we'd had our first kiss, where we'd spent countless afternoons talking about our dreams and plans for the future. In my previous life, this place held so many good memories.
Now it was just going to be the place where I broke her heart.
We sat on the same bench we always did, under the cherry tree that would be beautiful in spring but was just bare branches now.
"So," she said, turning to face me. "What's going on? You've been acting strange all day."
I took a deep breath. "Mina, I think we should break up."
Her face went completely white. "What? Why? What did I do?"
"You didn't do anything. That's not... this isn't about you doing something wrong."
"Then why?" Her eyes were filling with tears. "I thought we were happy. I thought you loved me."
"I do love you," I said, and it was true. Even knowing what she would do in the future, I still loved the seventeen-year-old girl sitting next to me. "But I don't think we're right for each other."
"How can you say that? We've been together for three months. We never even fight."
Three months. In my previous life, this relationship would last three years. Three years of her lying to me, cheating on me, and eventually breaking my heart in the worst way possible.
"Sometimes not fighting isn't a good thing," I said. "Sometimes it means you're not being honest with each other."
She stared at me like I was speaking a foreign language. "I don't understand. Are you saying I'm lying to you?"
"I'm saying that we're both young, and we don't really know what we want yet. I think we should take some time apart to figure ourselves out."
"But I know what I want," she said, grabbing my hand. "I want to be with you. I want us to graduate together, go to college together, get married someday..."
Married. In my previous life, I'd dreamed about marrying her too. I'd even bought a ring, though I never got the chance to propose before I found out about Seunghoon.
"Mina, you don't really know me. And I don't really know you. We're just... we're playing at being in love because it's what we think we're supposed to do."
She was crying now, tears running down her cheeks. "That's not true. I do love you. I love you so much."
"If you love me, then you'll understand that this is what I need to do."
I stood up from the bench. She grabbed my arm, trying to pull me back down.
"Please don't do this," she begged. "We can work through whatever's bothering you. Just don't leave me."
"I'm sorry," I said, gently pulling away from her grip. "I really am. But this is for the best. For both of us."
I walked away, leaving her crying on the bench. It was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. In my previous life, I would have done anything to make her happy. Now I knew that breaking up with her was the kindest thing I could do.
"QUEST COMPLETED: BREAK THE CYCLE"
"REWARD: +5 CHARISMA, +10 ANGER CONTROL, 50 SYSTEM POINTS"
"CURRENT SYSTEM POINTS: 160"
"RELATIONSHIP ENDED: LEE MINA"
"FUTURE TIMELINE ALTERED: MAJOR CHANGE DETECTED"
I felt the same tingling sensation as before, but stronger this time. My anger control had jumped from 3 to 13, and my charisma had gone from 8 to 13. I could actually feel the difference - I felt calmer, more in control of my emotions.
Now I had to get to the library to meet Sujin. Despite everything that had just happened, I had a study session to get to.
The library was quiet when I arrived. Sujin was already there, sitting at a table in the corner with a stack of textbooks. She looked up when I approached.
"I wasn't sure if you'd come," she said softly.
"I keep my promises," I said, sitting down across from her. "Thanks for waiting."
"Are you okay? You look upset."
I was surprised she'd noticed. "I just had to take care of something difficult. But I'm okay now."
We studied in comfortable silence for about an hour. She was working on advanced math problems while I reviewed my Korean Literature notes. Occasionally, she'd glance over at what I was doing, and I'd catch her looking.
"Can I ask you something?" I said finally.
She looked up from her textbook. "Sure."
"Why do you sit in the back corner all the time? You're obviously really smart, but you never participate in class discussions."
She blushed. "I don't like attention. And most people think I'm weird anyway."
"Why would they think you're weird?"
"Because I'd rather read than talk about boys or makeup or whatever else girls my age talk about."
"That doesn't make you weird. That makes you focused."
She smiled a little. "You're different than I thought you'd be."
"Different how?"
"I always thought you were just... I don't know. Loud. Angry. But you're actually kind of thoughtful."
"I'm trying to be better," I said honestly.
We went back to studying, but the atmosphere was more relaxed now. After another hour, she started packing up her books.
"Same time tomorrow?" she asked.
"Definitely. And Sujin?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for giving me a chance. I know my reputation isn't great."
"Everyone deserves a second chance," she said simply.
"QUEST COMPLETED: STUDY BUDDY"
"REWARD: +2 INTELLIGENCE, +1 CHARISMA, 20 SYSTEM POINTS"
"RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED: KANG SUJIN (FRIEND)"
"CURRENT SYSTEM POINTS: 180"
I walked home feeling better than I had in years. I'd broken up with Mina, which was painful but necessary. I'd made a new friend in Sujin, who could help me with my studies. And I'd actually participated in class for the first time in my life.
It was just one day, but it felt like I'd already changed more than I had in three years of my previous life.
When I got home, my mom was in the kitchen again, preparing dinner.
"How was school?" she asked.
"Good. Really good, actually. I think I'm going to start studying harder for my exams."
She looked surprised but pleased. "That's wonderful, honey. Do you need any help?"
"Actually, yeah. Could you help me set up a study schedule? I want to make sure I'm using my time efficiently."
She beamed at me. "Of course! I'm so proud of you for taking your education seriously."
We spent the evening working on a study plan, and for the first time in years, I felt like I was actually moving forward instead of just drifting through life.
"NEW QUEST AVAILABLE"
"QUEST: FAMILY DINNER" "DESCRIPTION: HAVE A PROPER FAMILY DINNER WITH YOUR PARENTS WITHOUT FIGHTING" "REWARD: +2 CHARISMA, FAMILY RELATIONSHIP IMPROVED, 25 SYSTEM POINTS" "TIME LIMIT: TOMORROW"
"ACCEPT? YES/NO"
I accepted the quest without hesitation. Tomorrow, I'd work on fixing my relationship with my father. But tonight, I was going to enjoy this moment with my mom, planning for a future that looked brighter than it had in ten years.
The bastard I used to be was slowly disappearing. In his place, something better was beginning to grow.