LEVEL UP: My High School Life Glitch

"Join a club? 😩 Seriously?" I stared at the mission on my phone, my stomach twisting into knots. "Social Anxiety Surge" was not a debuff I was looking forward to. But, after the whole memory loss fiasco, I wasn't taking any chances.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, Kenjie. New school, new you. Just… don't mess this up." ✨

Seiryu Academy, a prestigious private school. Thanks to a generous scholarship, and… well, the app nudging my stats in the right direction, I'd managed to transfer. I looked in the mirror. My hair was smoother, my skin clearer, and thanks to the app's workout routines, I even had a bit of muscle definition. I felt… different. More confident.

Walking to school, I couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between Seiryu and my old junior high. 🏫 Seiryu was huge, with manicured lawns, modern buildings, and students wearing crisp, tailored uniforms. It felt like walking onto a movie set.

The students were… different too. They were well-dressed, confident, and seemed to exude an air of effortless cool. I felt a pang of nervousness, but then I remembered my stats. "Social: 9 (Slightly Introverted)" wasn't terrible, right?

I walked into the main hall, my eyes wide. 😮 The place was bustling with students, all chatting and laughing. I spotted a group of students near the notice board, and decided to approach them.

"Uh, excuse me?" I said, my voice a little shaky.

They turned to look at me, and I braced myself for the usual sneers and insults. But instead, they smiled. 😊

"Hey, you must be the new transfer student," a girl with bright pink hair said. "Welcome to Seiryu!"

"Yeah, we're glad to have you," a guy with glasses added.

I blinked, surprised. "Uh, thanks."

"I'm Akari," the pink-haired girl said. "And this is Hiro and Mei."

We chatted for a few minutes, and I found myself actually enjoying the conversation. They were friendly, welcoming, and… normal. It was a completely different experience from my old school.

As I talked to them, my eyes were drawn to a girl with long, flowing black hair, standing a little apart from the group. She had an air of quiet elegance, and her eyes sparkled with intelligence. 🧐 She caught my eye, and gave me a small, polite smile. 😊 I felt a strange flutter in my chest. Who was she?

"So, are you interested in joining any clubs?" Akari asked.

"Actually, yeah," I said, remembering my mission. "Any recommendations?"

"Well, there's the literature club, the art club, the kendo club…" Hiro listed a few options.

"What about the gaming club?" I asked. I had always been a bit of a gamer.

"Oh, yeah! The gaming club is really popular," Mei said. "You should definitely check it out."

I nodded, feeling a surge of excitement. Maybe this new school wasn't going to be so bad after all. Maybe, just maybe, I could finally have a normal high school experience.

The bell rang, and we headed to our classes. As I walked through the halls, I couldn't help but smile. 😊 This was a new beginning. A chance to start over. And with the app's help, maybe, just maybe, I could actually level up my life. ✨ I looked at my phone, and then the next mission appeared, "Mission 9: Join the Gaming Club. Reward: 60 Growth Points. Penalty: Social Isolation Debuff." I grinned. "Alright, let's play some games." 🎮