Chapter 3 – The Thought That Doesn't Leave
School didn't suddenly become worse.
That was the problem.
It stayed the same.
Daniel Park realized this halfway through the day, sitting in the back of the classroom while the teacher explained something he half understood. The bullying wasn't dramatic. No punches. No shouting.
Just small things.
Someone pulling his chair back a little too late.
Someone stepping on his shoe and not apologizing.
Someone laughing when he stood up to answer a question.
Small things added up faster than pain.
Daniel kept his eyes on the desk.
A faint system window appeared at the corner of his vision.
Today's Skill Assigned
Emotional Regulation – Lv.0
Task: Identify emotion before reacting (3 times)
Daniel swallowed.
Emotion.
He didn't like that word. Emotions were messy. They made him weak. They made him cry when he didn't want to.
Still, he tried.
When someone laughed behind him, his chest tightened.
Anger, he thought.
No. Fear.
No. Both.
That was one.
During PE, things got worse.
"Line up."
The gym smelled like sweat and rubber mats. Daniel moved slowly, already dreading it. Physical education always exposed him. His body didn't listen to him properly.
The system reacted.
Today's Skill Assigned (Secondary)
Body Coordination – Sports Basics – Lv.0
Focus: Balance and timing
Task: Complete activity without rushing
They were told to play a simple passing game.
Daniel dropped the ball.
Once.
Twice.
Someone groaned loudly. "Why is he even here?"
Daniel felt heat rise to his face. His hands shook.
Emotion identified: shame.
Second count.
He didn't rush the next catch.
He still failed.
But he didn't panic.
That was new.
After class, he locked himself in a bathroom stall and waited for the shaking to stop.
No reward appeared.
No praise.
Just a quiet confirmation.
Task Progress: 2/3
The last count came during lunch.
He sat alone, as usual.
A group nearby talked loudly about transfers. About moving schools. About starting over.
Daniel's chopsticks froze.
Emotion identified: hope.
That scared him the most.
Third count completed.
That evening, at home, the system assigned something gentler.
Basic Cooking – Lv.0
Task: Prepare one simple step independently
Daniel peeled potatoes while his mother cooked. He focused on not cutting himself. On doing one thing properly.
She watched quietly.
"You've been helping a lot lately," she said.
Daniel hesitated.
His heart started beating faster.
He remembered the whispers.
The gym.
The laughter.
The thought that hadn't left him all day finally surfaced.
"Mom," he said, voice low, "what… what would it take to change schools?"
Silence.
His mother turned to him slowly.
"What happened?"
Daniel shook his head. "Nothing special. I just… can't do this anymore."
She didn't interrupt. She listened.
That night, after dinner, Daniel lay on his futon staring at the ceiling.
The system appeared one last time.
Daily Summary
Emotional Regulation: Complete
Body Coordination: Partial
Basic Cooking: Partial
No level-ups detected
But another line appeared beneath it.
Mental Load Noted
Sustained stress detected
Long-term solution required
Daniel closed his eyes.
For the first time, running didn't feel like failure.
It felt like planning.
And that thought stayed with him until sleep took over.
End of Chapter 3