Chuncheon city was alive, as it always was.
Cars moved in steady streams along the roads, their engines humming in the background. People filled the sidewalks—students, office workers, shopkeepers—all moving with purpose, all wrapped in their own routines.
And among them—
Park Jison walked alone.
Out of place.
His steps were uneven, his posture stiff, his eyes constantly shifting as if someone might suddenly grab him from behind.
Sweat clung to his face despite the mild weather, sliding down from his forehead to his jaw.
His first time.
Skipping school.
Damn it…
He ran a hand through his hair, gripping it in frustration as he kept walking.
What if my parents see me?
His chest tightened.
What if the school calls them…? What if they find out I was absent…?
His breathing grew heavier with each thought.
"This is fucked…"
He muttered under his breath, his voice low and strained.
Every passing adult felt like a threat.
Every glance felt like suspicion.
He couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't belong out here—not like this.
But then—
Something cut through his spiraling thoughts.
A realization.
His steps slowed slightly.
Wait…
His eyes widened just a little.
Isn't my quest completed already?
The moment the thought formed—
The crimson holographic screen appeared again in front of him.
Sharp.
Clear.
Unavoidable.
Jison stopped walking immediately.
His eyes locked onto it.
Text began to appear.
---
[Congratulations!]
[Login Quest Completed]
[Reward Granted: (Random Skill ×1)]
[Wanted To Receive (Random Skill ×1)?]
[YES] [NO]
---
For a second—
He just stared.
Then—
A grin spread across his face.
Slow at first.
Then wider.
"...I did it…"
His voice carried a hint of disbelief.
Then suddenly—
He jumped on the spot.
Actually jumped.
"Holy shit, I did it!"
Excitement burst out of him uncontrollably, completely overriding the fear that had been suffocating him moments ago.
A few people passing by turned their heads.
Some frowned.
Some stared.
One man even slowed down, giving him a weird look.
Jison froze mid-celebration.
His smile stiffened awkwardly as he noticed the attention.
"…uh…"
He forced a small, embarrassed smile, scratching the back of his head.
"Nothing… just… yeah…"
The stares didn't help.
"Fuck…"
He muttered, quickly turning away.
Without wasting another second, he broke into a run.
Away from the crowd.
Away from the eyes.
After weaving through a few streets and turning corners at random, he finally slipped into a narrow gap between two buildings—another quiet, hidden place where no one bothered to look.
He stopped there, bending slightly as he caught his breath.
"…hah… hah…"
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
But despite the exhaustion—
He was smiling.
His eyes lifted again to the crimson screen still floating in front of him.
Excitement burned in his gaze.
Slowly, he raised his hand.
And pressed—
[YES]
The screen flickered instantly.
The previous text vanished, replaced by something new.
---
[Random Skill Obtained — Peeking (Lv-0)]
*For More Information Say "Skill Info"
---
Jison blinked.
"…Peeking?"
He tilted his head slightly, confusion replacing his excitement.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean…?"
His eyes scanned the text again.
Then paused at the line below.
"For more information say 'skill info'… huh."
He read it out loud, his tone thoughtful.
"…alright then."
He straightened slightly and said clearly,
"Skill info."
The screen reacted immediately.
It shifted, transforming into a different interface.
---
[Skill Window]
1. Peeking (Lv-0) (Active Type)
*Click On Skill For Skill Information
---
Jison stared at it.
Then his expression twisted.
"…seriously?"
He frowned, irritation creeping in.
"Damn it, are you trying to piss me off or what?"
Still, he didn't hesitate.
He lifted his finger and tapped on the only skill available.
The screen changed again.
---
[Peeking (Lv-0)]
[Peeking skill can be used to know the information about the targeted person. It also can be used on user. It can't show the info of the target much more stronger than user.]
[Use (0/10) To Upgrade The Skill Level.]
---
Jison went silent.
His eyes moved slowly across the description.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then—
"…oh."
The irritation faded.
Replaced by something else.
Interest.
"So… I can see information about people…?"
His voice lowered, thoughtful now.
A slight grin began to form again.
"…that's actually… kinda crazy."
He leaned back slightly against the wall, crossing his arms as his mind started racing.
A skill…
A real fucking skill…
And it was his.
Jison leaned back against the wall for a moment, letting the excitement settle.
Then, almost instinctively, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
The screen lit up.
12:23 PM.
He stared at the time for a few seconds before letting out a long breath.
"…shit…"
School would be ending soon.
Classes wrapping up.
Students heading home.
So I really skipped the whole day…
The realization hit differently now.
Not panic.
Not fear.
Just… a strange, lingering tension.
He locked his phone and slipped it back into his pocket.
"…whatever."
Muttering under his breath, he pushed himself off the wall and stepped out of the narrow gap between the buildings.
The city noise greeted him again.
Cars passing.
People talking.
Life moving forward like nothing had changed.
Jison adjusted his posture and began walking toward his house.
At least… that was something normal.
Something safe.
As he walked along the footpath, his eyes wandered absentmindedly—still processing everything that had happened.
Then—
A man jogged past him.
Steady pace. Controlled breathing. Focused expression.
Jison's gaze lingered on him for a second longer than usual.
And then—
A thought crossed his mind.
Let's try it…
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
Without hesitation, he focused on the man.
[Peeking]
The moment he activated the skill—
The jogger suddenly slowed down.
Then stopped.
His head turned slightly, scanning left and right.
His face flushed red, an oddly bashful expression creeping in.
I feel like someone is staring at me…
His lips twitched slightly as a ridiculous thought formed in his mind.
…it looks like she loves me.
Completely unaware—
That the one staring at him wasn't some admirer…
But a skinny guy standing a few steps away with a devilish grin.
At the same time—
The crimson holographic screen appeared in front of Jison once again.
Text began to form rapidly.
---
LIM JI-HO
HEIGHT: 156 CM
WEIGHT: 68 KG
STRENGTH: B
SPEED: B-
POTENTIAL: C
INTELLIGENCE: D
ENDURANCE: C+
---
Jison's eyes scanned the information carefully.
"…oh…"
His grin widened slightly.
"So it shows the target's name… and stats…"
He glanced at the jogger again, now with a completely different perspective.
B rank strength… not bad…
The realization settled in.
This wasn't just some random ability.
This was information.
Useful information.
Dangerous information.
"…this is actually fucking insane."
By the time he looked up again, the jogger had already continued on his way, still occasionally glancing around as if expecting someone to call out to him.
Jison chuckled softly.
Then resumed walking.
---
A few minutes later—
He stood in front of his house.
It wasn't anything flashy.
Not too big.
Not too small.
Just… normal.
A two-floor modern Korean house, clean and structured, with a small parking space in front. The kind of place that quietly spoke of a stable, middle-class life.
Jison stood there for a moment, staring at it.
Then walked up to the door.
As he stepped inside, he slipped off his shoes automatically, placing them neatly near the entrance.
His thoughts drifted.
This house…
It was grandpa's…
Memories surfaced faintly.
He liked living in Chuncheon… so he bought this place for himself…
The quiet rooms.
The stillness.
After he died… the property got transferred to dad…
But they hadn't lived here.
Not back then.
It stayed empty for years… abandoned…
Unused.
Silent.
Until—
Dad got transferred here…
And everything changed.
So now… we live here.
Jison stepped further inside, the familiar interior wrapping around him like something distant yet grounding.
But today—
Nothing felt entirely normal anymore.
Not after what he had gained.
And definitely not after realizing…
That his life had already started to change.
Jison had barely stepped further inside when—
Something moved.
Fast.
A blur from the side.
Before he could react, a figure launched straight at him.
"Wha—?!"
His body tensed instantly, panic surging through him as he instinctively stepped back.
But it was too late.
The figure collided with him head-on.
"Ugh—!"
The impact knocked him off balance, and he fell backward onto the floor with a dull thud. His eyes shut tightly for a moment from the sudden shock.
When he opened them again—
"…huh?"
A face hovered above him.
Familiar.
Grinning.
His younger sister.
She sat right on top of him like it was completely normal, her expression bright and mischievous.
"Bro, you're back earlier than usual," she said cheerfully, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Jison let out a long, tired sigh.
"Yeah… I got nothing to do, so I came early," he replied flatly. "Now get up already."
Min-ji giggled softly before pushing herself up and stepping off him.
Jison sat up, rubbing the back of his head as he watched her.
She's my younger sister…
His thoughts flowed naturally.
Middle school right now… next year she'll be in high school…
Fourteen years old.
Park Min-ji.
Energetic. Annoying. But… family.
As she stood, Min-ji turned casually and began walking toward the hall.
"Oh, by the way," she said over her shoulder, "Father and mother both went on a business trip today. They'll be gone for a month."
Jison paused slightly.
"…is that so…"
He got up and followed behind her, his steps slower now, more thoughtful.
They entered the hall together.
For a moment, everything felt… quiet.
Empty.
Then Jison turned toward his room.
"I'll change," he said casually. "Then we'll have lunch."
Without waiting for a response, he walked off and entered his room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
The moment he was alone—
His expression changed.
…woo.
A faint grin crept onto his face.
Nice.
He tossed his backpack onto the study table in the corner of the room without care.
Father and mother aren't here…
His shoulders relaxed slightly.
That means I can finally skip school without worrying… and figure out what the fuck this system really is.
He exhaled slowly and dropped onto his bed, lying flat on his back as he stared up at the ceiling.
For a few seconds, he just stayed like that.
Silent.
Thinking.
Then, in a low voice, he muttered—
"Skill info."
Immediately—
The crimson holographic screen appeared in front of him.
---
[Skill Window]
1. Peeking (Lv-0) (Active Type)
*Click On Skill For Skill Information
---
Jison didn't hesitate.
He raised his hand and tapped on the only skill available.
The screen shifted instantly.
---
[Peeking (Lv-0)]
[Peeking skill can be used to know the information about the targeted person. It also can be used on user. It can't show the info of the target much more stronger than user.]
[Use (10/10) To Upgrade The Skill Level.] [Upgrade]
---
Jison's eyes narrowed slightly as he read the updated information.
"…oh…"
A slow smile spread across his face.
On my way home… I used peeking on a lot of people…
He recalled the random pedestrians he had casually glanced at.
The unnoticed activations.
The silent accumulation.
So that's how it filled up…
His gaze shifted to the glowing option.
[Upgrade]
His smile deepened.
"…then it's time."
Without hesitation—
He pressed it.
The moment his finger made contact—
The screen flickered.
A faint crimson glow pulsed outward, like a ripple spreading across water. The interface distorted for a split second before stabilizing again.
New text appeared.
---
[Peeking (Lv-1)]
[Peeking skill can be used to know the information about the targeted person. It also can be used on user. It can't show the info of the target much more stronger than user.]
[Use (0/50) To Upgrade The Skill Level.]
---
Jison stared at it.
Level 1.
Upgraded.
Real.
His fingers curled slightly as a strange thrill ran through his body.
"…so it actually works…"
His lips slowly curved upward.
Not a normal smile.
Something sharper.
Something darker.
An almost… predatory excitement.
"This is getting fucking interesting…"
He let his arm fall back onto the bed, still staring at the floating screen as possibilities began to flood his mind.
And that smile—
Didn't fade.