Reality Quest: Lookism

I patted away the dust on my clothes, ignoring the soreness in my muscles. Pulling up my Stats Panel, I glanced at my progress.

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CHARACTER INFORMATION

Name: Jin Lee

Class: Normal Student

CURRENT STATS

HP: 1000/1000

MP: 100/100

Attack Power: 4

Defense: 4

Agility: 4

Mentality: 14

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A faint smirk tugged at my lips. 'Not bad.' I thought. It wasn't much, but for someone who started at rock bottom, every improvement counted.

I continued walking, and soon, I came close to the familiar group standing under the streetlight: Dowan, Jaemin, and three girls. Jaemin was laughing obnoxiously, gesturing wildly as he tried to impress them. The other two girls giggled at his antics, but my attention wasn't on them.

My eyes locked onto Siyeon. Even from this distance, her presence was magnetic. Her sharp features, confident posture, and cold gaze gave her an aura that set her apart.

'Hehe.' I thought, slowing my pace. 'She looks even better in real life.'

I couldn't miss the opportunity. I approached them, ignoring the rest of the group as I walked straight toward her.

When I was close enough, I gave her a confident smile and stopped just a few steps away. "Hey there." I said, keeping my tone casual but inviting. "I'm Jin. What's your name?"

She turned her head slightly, her eyes flicking over me like I wasn't worth her time. "None of your business." she said flatly, her tone colder than ice. "Now fuck off."

Her bluntness hit me harder than I expected, but I kept my composure. I chuckled softly, nodding to myself as I glanced at my reflection in a nearby window.

'Skinny. Short. Weak-looking.' I thought. It was obvious why someone like her wouldn't give me the time of day.

Before I could step back, a hand clamped down on my shoulder, squeezing hard. Turning my head, I saw Jaemin glaring at me, his face red with rage and veins bulging along his forehead.

"Bastard…" he hissed, his voice trembling with fury. "I finally found you."

I stared at him blankly for a moment before shrugging and turning my attention back to Siyeon. "No need to be so cold." I said casually. "It's just a name."

"Don't ignore me!" Jaemin roared, yanking my collar with both hands and pulling me closer.

"You humiliated me, you piece of shit." he spat, his voice rising. "Do you think you're getting away with that? Today, you're going to pay."

I tilted my head slightly, meeting his glare with an indifferent expression. "Do I know you?" I asked, my voice calm and dripping with mock curiosity.

Jaemin's face turned darker, his lips curling into a snarl. "You little-!" he yelled, pulling his fist back, ready to slam it into my face.

I smirked, my mind already racing. 'Perfect opportunity.' I thought.

As his punch came flying toward me, I shifted slightly, stepping into his blind spot. My fist shot out, connecting cleanly with his jaw before his attack even landed.

Jaemin's head snapped back violently, and he staggered, clutching his chin with both hands. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he stumbled, his earlier rage now mixed with confusion and fear.

The group froze, their expressions mirroring Jaemin's shock.

Dowan blinked rapidly, looking between Jaemin and me like he couldn't believe what just happened. "What… what just happened?" he muttered, confused.

Siyeon raised a brow, her sharp eyes lingering on me. For the first time, there was a flicker of interest in her expression, as though she'd decided I might be worth noticing.

Jaemin clutched his chin, his bleeding mouth trembling as he looked at me with a mix of disbelief and fear. "Y-you… you bastard." he stammered, his voice shaky.

I rolled my shoulders and took a step closer, my smirk widening. "What's wrong, Jaemin?" I asked mockingly. "You were so confident a second ago. Where'd that go?"

He took a shaky step back, his bravado crumbling as the fear set in.

Jaemin wiped the blood from his mouth, glaring at me cautiously. His expression was still a mix of confusion and fear, but he mustered enough courage to speak. "Didn't you say… you didn't know me? Or something like that?"

I scratched the back of my head, pretending to struggle with the question. "Well… I don't know you." I said with an exaggerated shrug, "I just know your name."

His face twisted in irritation, but I barely paid him any attention. My mind wandered to the moment I'd used Blind Spot Strike without activating it. I hadn't consumed any mana.

'This is the advantage of learning it instead of just acquiring it.' I thought, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. 'I wonder… if I activate the skill with mana, will it be even stronger?'

Jaemin was still staring at me, wary and unsure. I sighed, losing interest in him entirely.

Turning away, I muttered, "Not worth it." and walked past the group. Siyeon ignored me completely, her attention elsewhere, but I didn't care.

'There are billions of girls in the world anyway.' I thought, smirking to myself as I walked away.

"Wait!" Jaemin's voice called out, stopping me in my tracks.

"Huh?" I turned, raising a brow as I glanced back at the group.

Jaemin had a cunning glint in his eye, a fake smile plastered on his bruised face. "Why don't you join us for a drink? It's on me."

I stared at him for a moment, my expression blank. I could feel the tension in the air, and I knew he was up to something.

"Nah." I said simply, turning back around. "Not interested."

I had no intention of sticking around or following Siyeon like a lost dog. But just as I took a step away, a notification appeared in front of me.

[Quest: Clean the Nest

Objective: Beat up the bully kids in the local area.

Reward: 10 Credits per enemy defeated.]

I stopped dead in my tracks, my eyes narrowing as I reread the panel. 'Credits?'

"It's on me!" Jaemin shouted, trying to sound cheerful but failing miserably.

I turned back to the group, this time with a grin on my face. Not for Jaemin or his pathetic offer, but for the credits. "You know what?" I said, my tone suddenly warm. "Why not?"

I walked back toward them, my smirk widening as I fell into step with the group.

….

Inside the room, the atmosphere was lively. The table was packed with food and drinks, and the sound of laughter filled the air.

I took a seat near Siyeon, not for her, but because the spot had the best access to the food. Without hesitation, I began devouring the spread like a starving Saiyan, piling my plate high and tearing through it without restraint.

Siyeon glanced at me briefly, her brow raised slightly at my lack of decorum, but she said nothing.

Jaemin, still bruised and clearly faking his smiles, raised his drink and spoke loudly to everyone. "You know, my friend's older brother works here." he said, gesturing at the room. "The kids who play around the area come here often to drink. Real tough guys, you know?"

His words were met with polite nods from the girls, but I didn't even glance his way. I was too busy finishing another plate of food.

'Damn, this is good!'

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1230 words