LOOKISM: DAILY SKILL SYSTEM
Chapter 2 – Standing Still
Daniel Park learned something new that morning.
Standing still was harder than walking.
At school, movement meant escape. If he kept walking, kept his head down, kept his steps quick, then maybe people wouldn't notice him long enough to say anything.
But standing still invited attention.
"Daniel."
His homeroom teacher's voice cut through the classroom.
Daniel flinched.
He stood up too fast, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. A few students turned. Someone snickered.
"Yes, sir," Daniel said, bowing slightly out of habit.
The teacher studied him for a moment. "Your posture," he said. "You'll hurt your back if you keep slouching like that."
Daniel froze.
"I—sorry."
The teacher sighed. "Sit down."
Daniel returned to his seat, face burning. His shoulders curled inward even more.
I didn't mean to.
A faint blue window appeared at the edge of his vision.
Today's Skill Assigned
Posture and Balance – Level 0
Focus: Awareness, not correction
Task: Notice posture 5 times today
Awareness?
There were no instructions. No correction. Just notice.
The morning passed slowly.
Each time Daniel felt eyes on him, his shoulders tightened. He noticed it once. Then again. During math class, his head leaned forward. During English, his back curved as if trying to disappear.
That's four, he counted.
By lunch, his neck hurt.
He sat alone, poking at his food.
A group of boys passed behind him.
"Why does he sit like that?" one whispered loudly.
"Looks like he's apologizing just for existing."
Laughter followed.
Daniel clenched his chopsticks.
He didn't react.
He noticed.
After school, Daniel walked home slower than usual.
He paid attention to his steps, the way his feet dragged, the way his breathing felt shallow.
I walk like I'm tired, he realized.
Not tired from today.
Tired from always.
At home, his mother was cooking.
Daniel hesitated, then spoke.
"Mom… do you need help?"
She looked surprised, then smiled. "Wash the rice."
He did.
Another window appeared.
Bonus Skill Interaction Detected
Basic Cooking – Observation Continued
EXP gain reduced, consistency increased
Daniel didn't understand it fully.
But his hands felt steadier than yesterday.
Not skilled.
Just less clumsy.
That night, Daniel sat at his desk with his homework open.
Another notification appeared.
Optional Skill Prompt
Focused Learning – Level 0
Task: Study 15 minutes without checking phone
"That's it?" Daniel muttered.
Fifteen minutes felt short.
It wasn't.
His thoughts wandered. His leg bounced. He reached for his phone twice and stopped himself.
By the end, the math problem finally made sense.
Task Completed
Focused Learning EXP +0.1
Before sleeping, the system summarized.
Daily Summary
Posture Awareness: Complete
Cooking Observation: Partial
Focused Learning: Complete
No level-ups detected
Daniel stared at the ceiling.
No rewards.
No praise.
Just effort recorded.
"I guess that's fair," he whispered.
One last line appeared.
Consistency matters more than intensity.
Daniel closed his eyes.