The main office of J High School smelled like fresh paper and coffee. Yuki stood at the counter, watching as the office lady—a woman in her fifties with baggy eyes and reading glasses hanging around her neck—shuffled through a neat stack of documents.
"Ah, here we are! Nakamura Yuki-ssi, transfer student from Japan." She looked up with a warm smile. "Welcome to J High! Your paperwork came through perfectly. Let's get you all set up."
Yuki bowed politely. "Thank you very much."
The woman's smile widened at his accented speech. "Your Korean is very good! How long have you been in Korea?"
"Just a few days...." Yuki admitted.
"Wonderful! You'll fit right in." She pulled out several forms and began filling them in. "Now, you're assigned to the Fashion Department, Building B, Class 1-1 as per your choice. Here's your schedule, locker assignment—number 247 in Building B—and a school map. Do you have any questions?"
Yuki scanned the documents. Everything was perfect, no error nothing, the system truly was supreme "No, this is all very clear. Thank you."
"Excellent! Classes start in twenty minutes, so you have time to find your locker and classroom. Your homeroom teacher is Mr. Park. He's expecting you." She handed him everything with another warm smile. "If you need anything at all, dear, don't hesitate to come back."
As Yuki left the office, he heard her whisper to a colleague: "What a sweet girl. So polite!"
He didn't bother correcting her, it was useless anyway.
Building B was easy to find, the hallways were already filling with students, groups of friends chatting and laughing, even couples holding hands, yuki felt awfully small today.
He found locker 247 without trouble, stored his bag, and kept only a notebook and pencil case on him. Room 1-1 was just down the hall. Through the small window in the door, he could see students already inside, talking animatedly.
This was it. His first day at J High School. His first day as part of the Lookism world! lego!
Yuki took a deep breath and opened the door.
The effect was immediate. Conversations died mid-sentence as every head turned toward him. Yuki froze in the doorway, suddenly very aware of all the eyes on him. His heart hammered in his chest.
"Ah! Our transfer student!" the silence was broken by a middle-aged man at the teacher's desk stood up, gesturing for Yuki to enter. "Come in, come in! Class, this is Nakamura Yuki from Japan, he will be studying with you so be kind alright."
Yuki forced his feet to move as he slowly walked to the front of the classroom. He could feel everyone staring. His palms were sweating.
"Would you like to introduce yourself?" Mr. Park asked kindly.
Yuki turned to face the class and bowed. "Hello. My name is Yuki Nakamura. I transferred from Japan.... uh um.... I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone.... please take care of me."
He straightened, offering a small, nervous smile. gods he wanted to die.
The classroom erupted.
"So pretty!" a girl near the window gasped.
"Like a doll," another whispered.
"Is she really from Japan?" a boy asked.
"She's gorgeous!"
"I wonder if she's single—"
Mr. Park clapped his hands. "Alright, alright! Let's give Nakamura-ssi some space. You can sit... ah, there's an empty seat next to Daniel. Daniel, raise your hand?"
A tall, handsome boy in the middle-left area of the classroom raised his hand. He had dark hair and a majestic face, when he caught Yuki's gaze, he smiled.
Yuki's heart skipped a beat. That was Daniel Park!! The protagonist. The main character of Lookism!
He was sitting next to Daniel Park.
Yuki made his way to the empty seat, hyper-aware of everyone watching him. He sat down carefully, setting his notebook on the desk.
"Hey," Daniel leaned over slightly, keeping his voice low as Mr. Park started taking attendance. "I'm Daniel Park. Welcome to J High!"
"Thank you....." Yuki whispered back, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. "I'm Yuki, well i guess you already know that"
"Yeah" Daniel's smile was warm. "Don't worry about everyone staring. They'll calm down eventually. They're just curious about the new student."
"I hope so," Yuki admitted. "It's a bit overwhelming."
"You'll get used to it." Daniel pulled out his own notebook. "If you need help with anything, just ask. I transferred here relatively recently too, so I know how it feels to be new."
Before Yuki could respond, a loud whisper came from behind them.
"Daniel's already talking to her! Of course he is, both of them are total hotties!"
"She's totally his type—pretty and delicate! "
"Lucky..."
Daniel sighed softly but didn't turn around. Yuki's face turned red as he pretended not to hear, focusing on Mr. Park's very very very interesting attendance.
Throughout homeroom, Yuki could feel eyes on him. He tried to focus on what the teacher was saying, really, but it was difficult. A girl with long dark hair kept glancing over from near the windows—she had sparkling eyes and seemed friendly. A boy in the back corner hadn't looked away once; he just sat there silently, staring. Another boy near the front with a more athletic build scowled whenever Yuki accidentally made eye contact.
It was a lot to process.
When the bell rang for the first period, Daniel turned to him immediately. "So, Fashion Department, huh? Did you choose it or was it assigned?"
"I chose it," Yuki said. "I wanted to try something new. I was told i could be a model"
"That's cool. Most people here are pretty into fashion." Daniel gathered his things as other students started filing out for their first classes. "Where are you from in Japan?"
"A small suburb. Nothing special." Yuki stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "What about you? You said you transferred recently?"
"Yeah, from another school here in Seoul. It's a long story...." Daniel's expression flickered with something Yuki couldn't quite read. "Fresh start, you know?"
Yuki understood that completely. "I get that."
They walked to their first class together, he found himself relaxing slightly. Daniel was easy to talk to—genuinely kind without being pushy, interested without being nosy. He pointed out important locations as they walked, explained the class schedule, even warned Yuki about which teachers were strict and which were more laid-back. it was nothing like just reading a manhwa.
"Thanks for being so helpful..." Yuki said as they entered the Fashion Design Theory classroom. "I really appreciate it, your kind" he muttered
"No problem. That's what friends do, right?" Daniel said it so casually, like friendship was the most natural thing in the world. 'I guess it was to him'
Yuki felt warmth bloom in his chest. "Right. Friends."
Yuki struggled with some of the Korean fashion terminology, but Daniel helped quietly whenever he got confused, sliding his notes over so Yuki could copy them. The teacher called on Yuki once to answer a basic question about color theory, which he managed to respond correctly despite his nervousness.
During the break between first and second period, several students approached to introduce themselves. A girl with bright eyes and an energetic demeanor practically bounced over.
"Hi! I'm Zoe Park! You're Yuki, right? You're so cute! Where in Japan are you from? Do you like K-pop? What about Korean food? Oh, have you been to Hongdae yet?"
"Um," Yuki blinked at the rapid-fire questions. "I'm uh... I like some K-pop and ..... Korean food is delicious till now, and I haven't been to Hongdae yet..."
"We should totally go together!" Zoe grabbed his hands enthusiastically. "I can show you all the best shops! And the street food! Oh, and there's this amazing café—"
"Zoe, you're overwhelming her," Daniel interrupted gently chuckling.
"Oh! Sorry!" Zoe laughed, releasing Yuki's hands. "I just get excited about making new friends. But seriously, if you want to explore Seoul, let me know!"
"I will," Yuki promised, smiling despite feeling himself. "Thank you."
A few boys also approached him, some trying to flirt, others just snooping around. Yuki responded politely to everyone, accepting phone numbers for a class group chat, agreeing to check out the Fashion Club, nodding along to recommendations for the best convenience stores near school. They were all nice in their own ways.
By the time second period started though, his head was spinning.
Second period was Practical Design, which meant group work, and Yuki found himself grouped with Daniel, Zoe, and another student named Doo Lee who immediately tried to position himself next to Yuki.
"So, Yuki-ssi," Doo leaned in with what he probably thought was a charming smile. "Since we're partners, maybe we could exchange numbers? You know, for the project."
"Oh, we already have the class group chat," Yuki pointed out. "We can coordinate there."
"Right, but personal numbers are better for—"
"The project requires us to design a modern hanbok," Daniel interrupted smoothly, pulling out the assignment sheet. "We should probably start brainstorming concepts."
Zoe jumped in immediately as well "Ooh! What about incorporating traditional patterns but with contemporary cuts? Like, asymmetrical hem lengths?"
The conversation shifted to actual work, and Yuki shot Daniel a grateful look. Daniel just shrugged with a small smile, as if to say no problem.
They worked well together. Yuki found himself actually enjoying the collaboration, losing track of time as they debated fabric choices and designs.
"You're really into this," Daniel observed as Yuki sketched a potential sleeve design.
"I like creating things," Yuki admitted. "It's fun to see ideas come to life!"
The bell rang for lunch, and Yuki's stomach immediately reminded him that he'd only had a protein bar for breakfast.
"Cafeteria?" Daniel asked, standing and stretching.
"Sounds good."
They joined the stream of students heading toward the cafeteria. The hallways were crowded, loud with conversation and laughter. Yuki stayed close to Daniel, not wanting to get separated in the chaos. He was surprisingly sweet, maybe he just remembered ui daniel too much.
As they entered the cafeteria line, Yuki spotted the athletic-looking boy from their class—the one who'd been scowling. He was getting food a few spots ahead, and something made Yuki decide to approach.
"Hi," Yuki said, moving to stand next to him. "You're Zack, right!? We're in the same class." he sounded too excited.
Zack turned, surprised. "Yeah. What about it?"
Up close, Yuki could see the definition in Zack's arms, the calluses on his knuckles. "I heard you do boxing! That's so cool!"
Zack's expression shifted from defensive to confused. "How'd you know that?"
"Someone in class mentioned it. Boxing is really impressive—all that discipline and training."
"It's not that impressive," Zack muttered, but his scowl had softened slightly. "Lots of people fight."
"But boxing is different!" Yuki's enthusiasm was genuine. "It's not just about strength, right? The footwork, the mentality, reading your opponent's patterns... it takes real dedication, sorry im just really a fan of it and when i heard that your um" he coughed a little red.
Zack stared at him for a long moment, clearly not sure what to make of this conversation. "I... guess. Yeah."
"Do you compete? In tournaments or matches?"
"Sometimes." Zack picked up a tray. "Won a few. It's not a big deal."
"That's amazing!" Yuki smiled. "I always thought boxing was one of the most disciplined fighting styles. The training regimen alone must be intense—running, bag work, sparring, conditioning..."
"You know a lot about boxing?" Zack's tone had shifted from defensive to curious.
"A little. I think it's fascinating." Yuki followed Zack through the lunch line. "How often do you train?"
And just like that, Zack started talking. About his gym, his training schedule, his coach's strict requirements. His posture relaxed, his voice took on an animated quality, and he even demonstrated a footwork pattern right there in the cafeteria line, completely forgetting to maintain his tough-guy persona.
"...and then you've got to follow through with the hook, see? But you can't telegraph it or your opponent will counter." Zack was actually smiling now, gesturing as he explained. "The setup is everything. You fake high, come in low, then—"
"Zack, are you actually smiling!?" A voice interrupted.
A girl with short dark hair and a mature demeanor had walked up—Mira Kim, if Yuki remembered the whispered introductions correctly. She looked amused.
Zack's smile vanished instantly, his cheeks flaring. "I'm not smiling!"
"You were definitely smiling." Mira turned to Yuki. "Hi, I'm Mira. You're the transfer student, right? Yuki?"
"Yes! Nice to meet you." Yuki bowed slightly.
"Don't let Zack scare you off," Mira said, though her tone was teasing. "He's not as tough as he pretends to be."
"I'm not pretending—" Zack started.
The lunch bell rang, signaling the end of lunch period in ten minutes.
"Oh! I need to go!" Yuki realized he still hadn't gotten food. "Thanks for talking about boxing, Zack-ssi! It was really interesting!"
He hurried to grab something quick—a triangle kimbap and a juice—before rushing to find Daniel, who'd saved them seats at a table.
Behind him, Zack stood frozen in the lunch line, tray in hand, looking slightly dazed.
"You like her~" Mira said matter-of-factly.
"WHAT?! NO! I was just explaining boxing! She asked! It would be rude not to answer!"
"Sure, Zack."
"I don't—! She's just—! Ugh!" Zack's ears were red as he stormed off to find his own table.
Mira smiled to herself and followed at a more sedate pace.
Meanwhile, Yuki had made it to Daniel's table who was eating his kimbap quickly. He was sitting alone surprisingly.
"Made friends with Zack?" Daniel asked, having witnessed the whole exchange.
"I hope so! He really knows a lot about boxing. It's impressive."
"Zack's... complicated. But he's a good guy underneath the attitude." Daniel paused. "You're pretty good at talking to people."
"I just try to be friendly. People are usually nice if you're nice to them."
Daniel smiled at that. "That's a good philosophy." ofcourse that was not true, daniel knew that better than most, if it was his first body, yuki would not have even talked to him. his mood fell a little after that.
They finished lunch together, and Yuki felt a warm sense of accomplishment. He'd made it through half a school day. He'd talked to people, participated in class, even had a a jew friend. Things were going well.
The afternoon classes passed in a blur. Yuki focused on keeping up with the lessons, copying notes, participating when called on, he was good at studies Afterall.
After the final class, Yuki was packing up his things when someone literally crashed into him in the hallway.
"Oof!" Yuki stumbled back, barely keeping his balance.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" A deep voice, concerned.
Yuki looked up—and up—at a tall, well-built student with a kind face and serious eyes. The guy looked worried.
"Are you okay? I didn't see you!"
"I'm fine!" Yuki assured him, laughing a little. "No harm done. That was my fault for not watching where I was going."
"Are you sure? You didn't get hurt?" The tall student looked him over carefully, as if checking for injuries.
"Really, I'm okay." Yuki smiled. "I'm Yuki, by the way. Transfer student."
"I know! I heard about the new student from Japan!" The tall student's expression brightened. "I'm Vasco, from the Architecture Department. It's nice to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you too, Vasco-ssi wait wh-."
"Just Vasco is fine!" He had an earnest, open quality that Yuki found immediately likeable. "If you ever need anything, let me know! J High can be rough sometimes, but most people are good." VASCO!!! he was the chad himself!! no way, calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down!!!!!!!!!
He took a deep breath "Thank you....."
A shorter student with glasses appeared behind Vasco. "Vasco, we're going to be late for the club meeting."
"Oh! Right!" Vasco turned back to Yuki. "That's Jace. We're in the Architecture Club together. You should come eat lunch with us sometime!"
"I'd like that," Yuki agreed, more like squeked.
"Great! See you around, Yuki!" Vasco waved as he and Jace headed down the hallway.
Yuki waved back, feeling another small burst of warmth. People here were nice. Really nice. and he was Vasco...
He made his way back to his locker, swapped his books for the ones he'd need for homework, and was about to head out when he noticed a small piece of paper tucked into the locker vent.
Carefully, he pulled it out.
"Welcome to J High. -J"
The handwriting was neat, precise. Yuki turned the note over, but there was nothing else written. Just a simple welcome message.
"Oh, that's probably from Jay," Daniel's voice made Yuki jump slightly. He'd appeared next to the locker out of nowhere. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."
"It's okay. Jay?"
"The quiet guy who sits in the back. Jay Hong." Daniel gestured vaguely. "He's in our class but doesn't talk much. He's really nice though, just shy."
"I should thank him." Yuki looked around, but the hallway was nearly empty now. the classes had ended fifteen minutes ago.
"He probably already left. You can catch him tomorrow." Daniel shifted his bag. "Which way do you go? I can walk with you partway if you want."
"Oh! Um, toward the residential area."
"Really? Me too. Want to walk together?"
"Yes!" The word came out more enthusiastically than Yuki intended, but Daniel just smiled.
They left the school building together, joining the stream of students heading home. The late afternoon sun cast everything in warm golden light, and Seoul looked beautiful—modern buildings mixing with older architecture, trees lining some streets, the constant hum of city life.
"So, how was your first day?" Daniel asked as they walked.
"Good! Everyone was really welcoming. I was nervous, but... it wasn't as scary as I thought."
"That's good. J High has its problems, but the people are mostly decent." Daniel paused. "Did you choose to come to Korea, or was it a family thing?"
"I chose." Yuki kept it vague. "Wanted a fresh start, well now that i think about it its kinds both. its a new experiences."
"I get that. Sometimes you need to leave everything behind and start over."
There was something in Daniel's tone that made Yuki glance at him. Daniel was looking ahead, expression thoughtful. Yuki remembered the manhwa—how Daniel had been bullied mercilessly, how getting his second body had changed everything. Of course Daniel understood wanting to start fresh.
"Exactly," Yuki said softly.
They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes, entering the residential area. Small houses lined the streets, most of them rentals for students or young workers. It was quiet here, peaceful.
"I actually live right around here," Daniel said.
"Oh, me too! What a coincidence."
They kept walking. Daniel pointed out a good convenience store, mentioned which streets were safer to walk at night, told Yuki about a cheap ramen place that stayed open late.
"This is me," Daniel finally said, stopping in front of a small rental house. It was modest but well-maintained, with a tiny yard and a wall that extended along the sidewalk.
"Oh! Nice place."
"Thanks. It's not much, but it's home." Daniel turned to Yuki. "Where are you?"
"Um... just near, actually." Yuki walked to the wall—the very wall he'd been sleeping against for three nights.
He set down his bag casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Daniel watched, confused. "What are you...?"
Yuki pulled the worn blanket from his inventory—the System storage making it appear as if he'd pulled it from his bag—and spread it on the ground against the wall.
"Oh, this spot's pretty good," Yuki said conversationally, smoothing out the blanket. "The wall blocks the wind, and it's quiet at night."
Daniel stared. "You're... sleeping here?"
Yuki looked up, realizing how this must look. "Oh. Yeah. he he, its kind of a temporary base yk"
"You're homeless??"
"I mean, technically?" Yuki shrugged, pulling out his pillow. "But I'm managing fine. Convenience stores are nearby for food, there is a public bathrooms not that far, and this wall really does block the wind well, um do you mind that im using your wall?"
Daniel's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. "And you've been sleeping here... how long?"
"Since Friday night. So, three nights now." Yuki sat down on his blanket, getting comfortable. "It's not ideal, really! i can go somewhere else if you want."
"You've been sleeping outside my house."
"I have?" Yuki chuckled awkwardly. "What a coincidence! I didn't realize this was your place."
"Small world, huh?" Yuki smiled, try to play this off as a completely casual situation despite the internal nuclear war inside him, he wanted to die, steam was rising from him, and he had discovered a new shade of red.
Daniel stood there, bag still on his shoulder, staring at Yuki sitting cross-legged on a blanket against the wall of his rental house. The wall he'd been sleeping against. For three days. Without knowing they'd become friends.
A System notification popped up:
[QUEST COMPLETE: ATTEND FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL]
[Rewards: 100 XP, School Supply Package, 50 LP]
[FRIEND QUEST PROGRESS: 2/3 - Daniel Park, Mira Kim]
Yuki quickly dismissed it, not wanting to get distracted.
The silence stretched awardee. why was he so silent
Daniel's expression was doing something complicated—shock, disbelief, confusion, maybe concern all mixed in showing nothing at all!
Daniel looked like he was trying to process something his brain refused to accept. His new friend. The pretty transfer student from Japan. Had been homeless. Sleeping against his house. And was completely casual about it.
"This is..." Daniel started, then stopped. Tried again. "You're..."
Yuki suddenly realized this might seem weird to Daniel. Really weird. He probably should explain. Offer some kind of context. Make it make sense.
"Um," Yuki laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I can explain?"
Daniel stared at him for one more long second.
Then he burst out—
"Congratulations, Host. You've unlocked the secret Daniel Park DLC. Warning: Next time dont camp outside the mc's house. 💕"