I woke up at 6 AM without an alarm clock, which was weird. In my previous life, I was always tired, always struggling to get out of bed. But now I felt... energized. Like my body was actually getting proper rest.
"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 accepted it automatically. This was going to be my new normal.
This time I did thirty push-ups instead of twenty. It was still hard, but not as hard as yesterday. My strength had gone up by 1 point, and I could actually feel the difference. I also did some squats and planks, trying to work different muscle groups.
The shower felt great, and when I looked in the mirror, I swear I could see a tiny bit of muscle definition that wasn't there before. It was probably just my imagination, but it made me feel good anyway.
Downstairs, my mom was making breakfast again. She looked up when I came into the kitchen.
"Good morning, honey. You're up early again."
"Morning, Mom. Is Dad still here?"
She nodded toward the dining room. "He's reading the newspaper. Why?"
"I want to talk to him."
She raised an eyebrow. "About what? You two haven't had a proper conversation in months."
That was true. In my previous life, my relationship with my father had been terrible. We fought constantly, mostly about my grades, my attitude, and my future. He thought I was wasting my potential, and I thought he was too demanding and never satisfied with anything I did.
Looking back, we were both right and both wrong.
"I want to apologize," I said simply.
My mom almost dropped the spatula she was holding. "Apologize? For what?"
"For being a disappointment. For not listening to him. For wasting the opportunities he's given me."
She stared at me like I was a stranger. "Jinhyuk, what's gotten into you? Two days ago you were complaining about how unfair he was being, and now you want to apologize?"
"I just... I realized some things. About myself. About what's important."
She smiled and patted my cheek. "My boy is growing up."
I walked into the dining room, where my father was sitting at the head of the table, reading the business section of the newspaper. He was wearing a dark suit and tie, already dressed for work. He looked exactly like I remembered him - tall, serious, with graying hair and sharp eyes that missed nothing.
Kim Taejun. CEO of a mid-sized construction company. A man who'd built his business from nothing and expected the same drive and ambition from his son.
"Good morning, Dad," I said, sitting down across from him.
He looked up from his paper with surprise. "Good morning. You're up early."
"I wanted to talk to you before you left for work."
He folded the newspaper and set it aside. "About what?"
This was it. In my previous life, I'd been too proud to admit when I was wrong. Too stubborn to apologize. Too angry to see that he actually cared about me, even if he didn't show it the way I wanted.
"I want to apologize," I said. "For my grades, for my attitude, for not taking my future seriously. You've given me every opportunity to succeed, and I've wasted them all."
He was quiet for a long moment, studying my face. "What brought this on?"
"I've been thinking about what you said last week. About how I'm not living up to my potential. You were right."
Last week. In my previous timeline, we'd had a huge fight about my report card. I'd gotten mostly C's and D's, and he'd told me I was disappointing him. I'd stormed out of the house and didn't speak to him for three days.
"I don't remember saying it quite like that," he said carefully.
"Maybe not in those exact words. But that's what you meant, and you were right to feel that way."
He leaned back in his chair. "So what are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to study harder. I'm going to get my grades up. I'm going to prove to you that I can be the son you deserve."
"I don't need you to prove anything to me, Jinhyuk. I just want you to reach your potential. You're a smart kid, but you don't apply yourself."
"I know. But I'm going to change that. Starting now."
He nodded slowly. "Actions speak louder than words, son. Show me, don't tell me."
"I will."
"QUEST PROGRESS: FAMILY FIRST (30% COMPLETE)"
"RELATIONSHIP IMPROVED: KIM TAEJUN (FATHER)"
My mom came in with breakfast - rice, soup, and side dishes. She looked nervous, like she was expecting us to start fighting at any moment.
"How's work going, Dad?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
He looked surprised again. "It's going well. We just got a contract for a new apartment complex in Gangnam. It'll keep us busy for the next year."
"That's great. Must be a lot of responsibility, managing a project that big."
"It is. But that's the nature of business. You take on responsibility, you deliver results, you build trust with your clients."
I nodded, actually listening to what he was saying instead of just waiting for my turn to talk or getting defensive.
"Maybe you could tell me more about it sometime. I'd like to understand your business better."
He smiled - actually smiled - for the first time in months. "I'd like that."
We finished breakfast in comfortable silence. When he got up to leave for work, he paused at the door.
"Jinhyuk?"
"Yeah, Dad?"
"I'm proud of you for coming to me with this. It takes maturity to admit when you're wrong."
"Thanks, Dad. Have a good day at work."
After he left, my mom grabbed my arm. "What was that about? You two haven't talked like that in forever."
"I just realized I've been acting like a child. It's time to grow up."
She hugged me tight. "I'm so happy. I've been worried about you and your father for so long."
"DAILY QUEST COMPLETED"
"REWARD: +1 STRENGTH, +1 AGILITY, 10 SYSTEM POINTS"
"CURRENT SYSTEM POINTS: 190"
The walk to school felt different again. I was noticing more details - the way the morning light hit the buildings, the sound of traffic, the smell of coffee from the convenience stores. It was like I was seeing the world with new eyes.
At school, I looked around for Sujin but didn't see her in the courtyard. She was probably already in the classroom, reading like always.
"Jinhyuk!"
I turned around and saw Park Sungjin jogging toward me. He was one of the smart kids in our class, the one I'd considered as a study partner yesterday.
"Hey, Sungjin. What's up?"
"I heard you and Mina broke up," he said, trying to sound casual but obviously curious.
Word traveled fast in high school. "Yeah, we did."
"Are you okay? You guys seemed really happy together."
"I'm fine. It was the right decision."
He nodded, but I could tell he wanted to ask more questions. "Well, if you need someone to talk to..."
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
We walked to class together, and I noticed some of the other students looking at me differently. Some seemed curious, others sympathetic. A few girls were whispering to each other and glancing in my direction.
Breaking up with Mina had definitely changed my social status somehow. I wasn't sure if it was good or bad yet.
In the classroom, Sujin was indeed at her desk, reading a thick book. I walked over to her.
"Good morning," I said quietly.
She looked up and smiled. "Good morning. How are you feeling today?"
"Better. Thanks for asking."
"I brought some extra notes from last semester," she said, pulling out a neat folder. "I thought they might help you catch up in math."
I took the folder gratefully. "You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to. Besides, it's nice to have someone to study with."
"RELATIONSHIP PROGRESS: KANG SUJIN (FRIEND → GOOD FRIEND)"
The morning classes went by quickly. I continued to pay attention and take notes, which was still weird for my classmates. During Korean Literature, I actually raised my hand to answer a question.
"Mr. Kim wants to know the main theme of the poem we read last night," the teacher said.
I stood up. "I think it's about the passage of time and how we don't appreciate what we have until it's gone."
The teacher looked surprised but pleased. "That's exactly right. Good analysis, Jinhyuk."
Some of my classmates were staring at me like I'd grown a second head. I'd never voluntarily participated in class before.
"SKILL LEVEL UP: ACTIVE LEARNING (LEVEL 2)"
"INTELLIGENCE +1"
"CURRENT INTELLIGENCE: 39/100"
During lunch, I sat with Sujin instead of my usual group. She'd brought a homemade lunch that looked way better than the cafeteria food.
"My mom always makes too much," she said, offering me some of her kimchi. "Want to share?"
"Sure, thanks."
We ate in comfortable silence for a while. I was thinking about how different this was from eating with Mina. With Mina, I'd always felt like I had to entertain her, keep the conversation going, make sure she was happy. With Sujin, I could just be quiet and it was okay.
"Can I ask you something?" she said suddenly.
"Of course."
"Why did you break up with Mina? Everyone's talking about it, but the stories keep changing."
I thought about how to answer. "We just weren't right for each other. Sometimes you can care about someone but still know that being together isn't the best thing for either of you."
She nodded thoughtfully. "That's very mature of you."
"I'm trying to be more mature about a lot of things."
"I've noticed. You're different than you were just a few days ago."
"Different how?"
"Calmer. More focused. Like you figured something out that you didn't know before."
She was perceptive. "Maybe I did."
After lunch, I had a free period, so I went to the library to study. Sujin came with me, and we worked on math problems together. She was incredibly patient, explaining concepts I didn't understand without making me feel stupid.
"You're actually pretty good at this," she said after I solved a particularly difficult problem. "You just needed someone to explain it properly."
"I had a good teacher," I said, and she blushed.
"SKILL ACQUIRED: MATHEMATICS (LEVEL 1)"
"INTELLIGENCE +1"
"CURRENT INTELLIGENCE: 40/100"
The afternoon classes were more of the same. I participated when I could, took detailed notes, and actually tried to understand what was being taught instead of just memorizing it for tests.
After school, Sujin and I walked to the public library together. It was bigger than the school library, with more quiet study spaces and better resources.
"I usually come here every day after school," she said as we found a table. "It's quieter than studying at home."
"Why? Are your parents loud?"
"My mom runs a small restaurant, so there are always people coming and going. And my little brother is seven, so he's always making noise."
"That sounds nice, actually. Having a family business, I mean."
"It is, but it's also stressful. My parents work really hard, and they're counting on me to get into a good university so I can have better opportunities than they did."
"That's a lot of pressure."
"Yeah, but it's also motivation. I want to make them proud."
I understood that feeling. My parents had different expectations, but the pressure was still there.
We studied for two hours, taking short breaks every thirty minutes. Sujin was amazing - she seemed to know everything about every subject. But she wasn't condescending about it. She genuinely wanted to help me improve.
"I should probably head home," she said, packing up her books. "My mom needs help with the dinner rush."
"Of course. Thanks for studying with me again."
"Thank you for asking me to. I never thought I'd enjoy studying with someone else, but this is really nice."
"Same time tomorrow?"
"Definitely."
"QUEST PROGRESS: STUDENT LIFE (25% COMPLETE)"
"STUDY SESSION COMPLETED: +1 INTELLIGENCE"
"CURRENT INTELLIGENCE: 41/100"
I walked home feeling good about the day. I'd made progress on my relationship with my father, continued building my friendship with Sujin, and actually learned something in my classes.
But the real test was still coming. Tonight was the family dinner quest, and I had to make it through without fighting with my parents.
When I got home, my dad was already there, which was unusual. He usually worked late.
"Hey, Dad. You're home early."
"I wanted to have dinner with my family," he said simply.
My mom was in the kitchen, cooking something that smelled amazing. "Perfect timing," she said when she saw me. "Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes."
"Need any help?" I asked.
She looked shocked. "You want to help cook?"
"Why not? I should probably learn how to make something besides instant ramen."
She laughed and handed me a knife. "Here, you can cut the vegetables."
We worked together in the kitchen, with my mom teaching me basic cooking techniques. It was nice, doing something productive with my hands while we talked.
"Your father told me about your conversation this morning," she said quietly. "He's really happy about it."
"I meant what I said. I want to do better."
"I know you do. And I'm proud of you for recognizing that you needed to change."
When dinner was ready, we all sat down at the table together. It was the first time in months that we'd eaten as a family without any tension.
"How was school today?" my dad asked.
"Good. I raised my hand in Korean Literature class, and I've been studying with a classmate named Sujin. She's really smart."
"That's great. What about your other classes?"
"I'm working on catching up in math. I realized I've been behind for a while, but I think I can get my grades up before the midterm exams."
He nodded approvingly. "Hard work pays off. If you need any help with your studies, let me know."
"Actually, I was wondering if you could tell me more about your business. I'm interested in understanding how companies work."
His eyes lit up. "Of course. Business is about solving problems for people. In construction, we solve the problem of people needing places to live and work."
He spent the next thirty minutes explaining how his company operated, from getting contracts to managing workers to ensuring quality control. I listened carefully, asking questions when I didn't understand something.
"You know," he said finally, "if you're really interested in business, you should consider studying economics or business administration in college."
"I'd like that. Maybe I could work with you someday."
"I'd like that too. But first, let's see those improved grades."
"Deal."
"QUEST COMPLETED: FAMILY DINNER"
"REWARD: +2 CHARISMA, FAMILY RELATIONSHIP IMPROVED, 25 SYSTEM POINTS"
"CURRENT SYSTEM POINTS: 225"
"RELATIONSHIP IMPROVED: KIM TAEJUN (FATHER)"
"RELATIONSHIP IMPROVED: PARK YEONHEE (MOTHER)"
"FAMILY HARMONY RESTORED"
After dinner, I helped my mom clean up, which surprised her even more than my offer to help cook.
"You're really changing," she said as we washed dishes together.
"I'm trying to be the son you both deserve."
"You already are, honey. You just needed to see it yourself."
Later that evening, I was in my room reviewing my notes when my phone buzzed. It was a text from an unknown number.
"Hi, this is Sujin. I got your number from the class directory. I wanted to thank you for studying with me today. I really enjoyed it."
I saved her number and texted back: "Thank you for helping me. I learned more today than I have in weeks."
"You're a good student when you put your mind to it. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I looked the same on the outside, but I felt completely different on the inside. More confident, more focused, more... hopeful.
"DAILY SUMMARY"
"QUESTS COMPLETED: 2"
"RELATIONSHIPS IMPROVED: 3"
"SKILLS GAINED: 1"
"STATS INCREASED: INTELLIGENCE +3, CHARISMA +2, STRENGTH +1, AGILITY +1"
"CURRENT STATS:"
"STRENGTH: 15/100"
"AGILITY: 17/100"
"INTELLIGENCE: 41/100"
"CHARISMA: 16/100"
"LUCK: 5/100"
"ANGER CONTROL: 13/100"
"SYSTEM POINTS: 225"
"OVERALL PROGRESS: EXCELLENT"
"NEW QUEST AVAILABLE"
"QUEST: WEEKEND WARRIOR"
"DESCRIPTION: USE YOUR WEEKEND TO PREPARE FOR MIDTERM EXAMS"
"REWARD: +3 INTELLIGENCE, STUDY EFFICIENCY SKILL UPGRADE, 40 SYSTEM POINTS" "TIME LIMIT: THIS WEEKEND"
"ACCEPT? YES/NO"
I accepted the quest without hesitation. Tomorrow was Friday, which meant I had the whole weekend to study. With Sujin's help and my new motivation, I was going to ace those midterm exams.
For the first time in either of my lives, I was excited about the future. I was excited about becoming the person I was meant to be.