Jason stood in front of the mirror one last time before he left his dorm room. His reflection stared back at him, still a little hard to believe. The changes were undeniable. His face, once marked by awkwardness and self-consciousness, now radiated a quiet confidence. His jawline was sharp, his eyes clearer and brighter, and his posture—stronger. He felt like a completely different person. But did he feel like a different person?
He exhaled slowly, trying to calm the fluttering in his chest. Today was the first day of classes. The first day since the system had granted him this new life. He was about to step into a world where no one knew him as the awkward, invisible Jason Brooks. But who would they see now?
He shook his head, trying to push the doubt away. Focus on the quest. You're ready for this.
Jason grabbed his backpack and walked out the door. The campus was bustling with students, the air filled with chatter, laughter, and the soft hum of excitement. He had always been an outsider, watching from the edges of the crowds, blending into the background. But today... today felt different.
As he walked across the quad, he couldn't help but notice the stares. It started small, just a glance here and there. Then a few more. His steps slowed as he felt the weight of the gazes on him. Girls, mostly. But some guys too. They didn't seem to be looking at him in the way people usually did—disinterested, indifferent. No. This was something else. Their eyes lingered. They didn't just glance and look away. They watched him, like they were trying to figure him out. Some smiled shyly, others outright stared, and a few whispered to each other as he passed.
Jason's heart raced, and he found himself growing self-conscious. The attention felt... overwhelming. He wasn't used to it. Not in this way.
What's happening?
He couldn't remember the last time people had looked at him like this—girls blushing, students glancing over their shoulders. But as Jason walked across the campus, he realized the change was more than just looks. His presence had shifted. His transformation wasn't just physical. There was something else—something he hadn't fully expected.
A group of girls was standing near the fountain, chatting and laughing. As Jason approached, the conversation paused. One of the girls, a blonde with a bright smile, nudged her friend and pointed at him.
"Isn't that the new freshman? The one who's always so quiet?"
Jason looked down, hoping they wouldn't notice him. But it was too late. One of them, a petite brunette, took a few steps toward him.
"Hey, you're new here, right?" she asked with a playful grin. "I haven't seen you around before. I'm Emma."
Jason opened his mouth to respond, but his voice faltered slightly. "Uh, yeah. I'm Jason. Just moved in this week."
Emma's eyes twinkled as she gave him a once-over. She clearly wasn't just interested in his name. "I thought I'd seen everyone around here. You're... different. You're not from around here, are you?"
Jason felt a flush rise to his cheeks. Is this happening?
Before he could respond, the other girls stepped forward. They all seemed eager, curious, and... interested. They started asking him questions: where he was from, what major he was taking, what his interests were. The conversation was rapid-fire, and Jason found himself caught in the middle of it, suddenly the center of attention in a way he had never been before.
"Are you sure you're a freshman? You look older," one of the girls remarked, eyeing him closely.
"Yeah, you're way more... put-together than most guys around here," another said with a giggle.
Jason's face reddened, but he managed a weak smile. "I guess I just got lucky."
But they weren't listening to his words. Their eyes were too busy scanning him, lingering on his now-defined features, his sharp jawline, the subtle strength in his posture. Jason was no fool. He knew the look in their eyes.
The bell rang, signaling that it was time to head to class. The group of girls seemed disappointed to be breaking up the conversation, but one of them, the blonde from earlier, threw him a quick wink before walking away.
"We'll see you around, Jason. You're gonna be hard to miss!" she called, and her friends followed suit, leaving him standing there, still processing what had just happened.
Jason shook his head, trying to clear the fog in his mind. The system had done something to him. It had changed him.
But it wasn't just about how he looked now. There was a new energy around him, a new presence. He wasn't invisible anymore.
As he made his way to class, he felt more eyes on him. Some students were still staring as he passed by, whispering to each other. It was as if the entire campus had shifted, and now, Jason Brooks was no longer the unnoticed, awkward boy he used to be.
When he reached his classroom, his heart skipped a beat. There, sitting at a desk near the front, was Lily. His childhood friend. The one person who had always been there for him. She was looking down at her phone, unaware that he had entered the room.
Jason froze in the doorway. There she was, the same Lily he had known for years, but something felt different now. His pulse quickened. He hadn't seen her since that moment outside when she had rejected him. He hadn't expected this.
He swallowed hard and walked into the room. As soon as he sat down, he could feel the weight of her gaze. She wasn't looking at him, but he could sense that something had changed. It was like the whole classroom had gone quiet, even though the chatter around him didn't stop.
It wasn't until the professor entered the room that Lily looked up. Her eyes skimmed across the class, landing on Jason for a brief moment. She blinked, her gaze lingering on him for a second longer than he expected, but then she quickly looked away, focusing back on the front of the room.
Jason's heart sank. Had she... not recognized him?
He couldn't believe it. She had to have noticed. He had changed so much. How could she not?
But Lily didn't say anything. She didn't greet him, didn't even give him a smile. Just... nothing.
And as if on cue, the moment was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a few more girls. They walked into the classroom with wide eyes, their attention immediately drawn to Jason as they passed by. They looked him up and down, whispered excitedly to each other, and then made their way to empty seats. They kept sneaking glances at him, and Jason couldn't help but notice the way they looked at him.
He could hear snippets of their conversation.
"Isn't he the guy from the fountain earlier?"
"Yeah, he's new, right? He's so cute now!"
Jason felt his stomach churn. Was this what it felt like to be constantly seen?
The bell rang, and the class began. But Jason couldn't focus. His mind kept returning to Lily. How had she not recognized him? Was she pretending not to see him?
The thought kept him restless throughout the entire lecture.
But what was he supposed to do? He wasn't the same anymore. Was this all just a game to her? Or had he really changed so much that she didn't even recognize him anymore?