Lookism: What If

(Friday, April 19, 2024 – 7:52 AM)

The school hallways buzzed with the usual morning chatter. Students shuffled past each other, some half-asleep, others too excited for the weekend ahead.

Daniel Park moved through the crowd with his head down, gripping the straps of his backpack. His uniform, slightly too big for his frame, hung loosely around his shoulders, a pretty good reminder of his mother buying clothes he could "grow into."

Not that he ever did.

"Yo, fatass!"

Daniel flinched at the voice before he even saw the face.

Logan Lee.

The towering bully leaned against a row of lockers with his arms crossed. A group of students stood nearby, eager to see what he'd do next.

Daniel swallowed hard. He forced himself to keep walking, hoping, praying, that if he ignored Logan, he'd get bored.

No such luck.

A thick, meaty hand clamped onto his shoulder, yanking him back.

"Did you not hear me, pig?" Logan sneered. "Or are your ears as clogged as your arteries?"

Laughter erupted around them. Daniel clenched his jaw.

"I'm talking to you, loser."

Daniel forced himself to turn. "What do you want?"

Logan grinned.

"That's the attitude I like to see." He slapped Daniel's back, hard. "I was just thinking. You know how dogs do tricks for treats?"

Daniel's stomach churned.

"Yeah?"

Logan's grin widened.

"I wanna see you crawl under my legs like a real pet."

The crowd roared with laughter. Some students watched in amusement while others looked away uncomfortably, pretending not to see.

Daniel's hands clenched into fists.

"What's wrong?" Logan taunted. "You got a problem?"

Daniel inhaled sharply. He didn't move.

Logan's eyes darkened.

Without warning, his knee shot up, slamming into Daniel's stomach.

The air rushed out of him.

He doubled over, clutching his gut as pain pulsed through his body. His vision blurred for a second, and he barely registered Logan grabbing him by the collar, hauling him upright.

"You listening now, pig?"

Daniel gasped for air with his legs wobbling beneath him.

"Y-Yeah." he choked out.

Logan smirked.

"Good. Now, crawl."

Daniel hesitated.

Then, slowly, he dropped to his hands and knees.

The humiliation burned through him, hotter than the pain in his stomach.

As he shuffled forward, slipping between Logan's legs, the crowd erupted into cheers.

"That's right! Good little pig!"

Laughter filled the hallway, echoing off the walls.

Daniel clenched his teeth. He forced himself to move faster.

The moment he got to the other side, he scrambled to his feet and grabbed his bag, rushing into the nearest classroom before anyone could stop him.

....

(12:31 PM)

Lunch was the only time Daniel found any peace.

He sat alone at a small table near the back of the cafeteria, picking at the cheap meal his mother had packed. Rice, a few scraps of kimchi, and a single egg.

His stomach rumbled, but he had no appetite.

Across the room, Logan sat with his usual group, eating three trays worth of food like he owned the place.

Daniel kept his eyes on his tray.

"Yo."

A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

A student, someone he didn't recognize, stood beside his table. He looked nervous.

"You… You should stop letting Logan treat you like that."

Daniel blinked.

The student shifted on his feet. "Everyone sees it. But, uh… I dunno, man. You should stand up for yourself."

Daniel stared at him for a long moment.

Then, he laughed.

It was hollow, empty.

"Stand up for myself?" he muttered. "Against Logan?"

The student bit his lip.

Daniel shook his head. "Just mind your own business."

The student hesitated, then sighed. He walked away, blending back into the crowd.

Daniel stabbed his chopsticks into his rice.

'Like that would ever work.'

(4:15 PM)

P.E. class was hell.

Daniel hated it. The moment the uniforms came off and the gym clothes came on, he felt even more exposed than usual.

His chubby stomach stretched his shirt. His thick legs rubbed together uncomfortably in the shorts.

And Logan Lee? He loved gym class.

The teacher had barely finished setting up the soccer nets when Logan turned to his group with a grin forming.

"Alright, listen up!" he announced loudly. "I got a bet for y'all."

Students turned to look. Even the teacher raised an eyebrow.

Logan pointed at Daniel.

"This fatass is gonna stand right there." he gestured to the middle of the field, "and I bet he won't be able to dodge my shot."

Murmurs spread through the class.

Daniel's blood ran cold.

He opened his mouth to protest, but the teacher shrugged. "Just don't take it too far, Logan."

Daniel's fists clenched. 'Are you serious?!'

Logan grabbed a soccer ball, rolling it under his foot. "Alright, pig. Get in position."

Daniel hesitated.

"Unless.." Logan drawled, "you're scared."

Laughter rippled through the class.

Daniel exhaled sharply.

Screw it. He stepped forward, standing exactly where Logan wanted.

Logan grinned.

"Try not to cry too much."

He stepped back, lined up his shot..

And kicked.

Daniel reacted on pure instinct.

He twisted to the side.

The ball flew past him, slamming into the goalpost with a thud.

The field went silent.

Logan blinked.

Daniel blinked.

No one had expected that.

For the first time in his life, Daniel had dodged Logan's attack.

And Logan hated that.

His expression darkened.

"You little...!"

Before Daniel could react, Logan was on him.

A fist crashed into his face, knocking him to the ground. The class gasped, but no one moved to stop it.

Logan grabbed Daniel by the collar, lifting him up.

And bam.

A knee to the stomach.

Daniel choked, spit flying from his mouth.

"Think you're funny, huh?" Logan growled.

Another punch.

Daniel's head snapped back. Blood dripped from his nose.

"Logan, stop!" someone finally shouted.

But Logan didn't stop.

Fists rained down on Daniel as his vision blurred while his body screamed in pain.

Then!

"STOP!"

The voice rang out, sharp, panicked.

Logan's fist froze mid-air.

Everyone turned.

Daniel's blood ran ice-cold.

Standing at the edge of the field, eyes wide and unsteady breath, was his mother.

Seonhui Park.

She must've arrived early to pick him up.

She must've seen everything.

Daniel's stomach twisted.

Her hands trembled as she took a step forward.

"Stop hurting my son!"

The field fell silent.

Logan slowly turned to face her.

And then, he laughed.

"You his mom?" he sneered. "Figures. No wonder he's such a weak little bitch."

Daniel barely had time to think before Logan grabbed a handful of his hair, yanking his head up.

"You hear that, pig?" Logan taunted. "Your mommy came to save you!"

Daniel's heart pounded in his chest.

His mother was still standing there, frozen in place, horror written all over her face.

And for the first time in his life…

Daniel wished she hadn't seen him like this.

---

Name: Daniel Park

Height: 160 cm

Strength: |-{E}

Speed: |-{E}

Potential: |-{SSS}

Intelligence: |-{D}

Endurance: |-{D}

---

Logan's grin widened. His grip tightened on Daniel's hair, yanking his head back painfully.

"Guess I should send you home with something to remember me by."

Daniel barely had time to register the words before Logan's fist crashed into his face.

Crack.

Pain exploded through his skull. His vision spun. The muffled gasps of the students blurred into nothing but a dull ringing in his ears.

Another punch.

His body went limp as his legs gave out beneath him.

And then, darkness.

"Daniel!"

Seonhui Park rushed forward, dropping to her knees beside her son's crumpled form. Her trembling hands cupped his bruised face, feeling the warmth of fresh blood staining his skin.

Tears welled in her eyes.

"Daniel, wake up… Please!"

Her voice broke.

She gently shook him with her breath coming in sharp, panicked gasps.

"Somebody help! Please, help my son!"

But no one moved.

No one dared.

Logan scoffed, rolling his shoulders as he stepped back. "Tch. Pathetic."

He turned and walked away with his lackeys following behind.

Seonhui clutched her son tightly with her shoulders shaking.

Tears fell onto Daniel's swollen face as she sobbed into his shirt.

----

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