Reality Quest: Questism

I'll genuinely consider making a Patreon if this gets over... 500k views. 

It won't, but it's good to set high reaching goals. Also this Seokyoung guy is stupidly hard to write.

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It was a good thing I'd practically memorised the notes I'd compiled the first day after getting here. I wasn't sure how much I'd remember otherwise.

Seokyoung Jeong. The midget rep. The first truly Representative tier character to have his power shown. Born with immense physical capabilities, having undergone zero training whatsoever, he basically just strolled into the Bully Council, grabbed a seat and then started making money.

He also got completely wiped out after a single critical hit. 

Sucker.

Everything else I'd written about him was next to useless. He had a cool jacket, he had cool hair. Honestly… everything about him was cool… apart from his height.

That was just unfortunate. 

Or maybe not since it apparently made his physicality even more explosive. I couldn't know for sure. All I did know was that as of now… he was completely beyond my fighting capabilities. 

I could handle another Deputy… I could not handle a Representative.

"So, what do you guys actually do over at your Employment Agency?" I asked, glancing at Seong-u.

He shrugged, barely looking at me. "A bit of whatever. People hire us for protection, workers, event planning, stuff like that."

I blinked.

That was… surprisingly legal?

And kind of normal?

I'd been expecting something much worse. It almost sounded wholesome compared to the other districts. I remembered Seowon and their 'detective' agency. Which, in reality, was just a thinly veiled hitman service.

"Does it make that much money?"

"Depends. Changes every month. Sometimes Daehak hires us for organization, sometimes we work for their start-ups."

I narrowed my eyes. Daehak?

"Their profit model is cage fighting. It's fun."

I decided, at that moment, that I was not going to question him further.

***

It was next to a pizza shop.

I barely spared the place a glance as we passed, though my eyes did flicker to the sign for a moment.

"Serving genuine pizza since 1999."

…Yeah, sure.

Something about the quotation marks around 'genuine' made me uneasy.

But I wasn't here for sketchy pizza.

We climbed the rusted metal stairs, the sound of our footsteps echoing against the steel. I let Seong-u walk ahead, keeping my pace steady, careful not to overtake him.

Because the moment I stepped in first, the moment I tried to cut in front… was the moment this entire plan would shatter.

And I was too close to let that happen now.

The outside of the building had been exactly what I expected from a gang-operated front. Run-down. Rusted. Even the air smelled like old metal and cheap cigarettes.

But the moment we stepped inside?

It was like walking into another world.

Polished.

The office was refined… smooth, pristine wooden furniture, warm-toned lighting, doors that looked custom-made, not a single speck of dust out of place.

The kind of setting that screamed money.

Seokyoung had taste, it seemed.

Seong-u barely hesitated before knocking on a large, burnished wooden door.

A voice, bored, almost lazy, answered immediately.

"Come in."

We entered.

Two plush, leather sofas sat across from each other, separated by a sleek, dark coffee table. The only thing on it was a single bottle of whiskey, its glass design and golden hue screaming expensive.

And behind the desk, staring at a monitor, sat Seokyoung Jeong.

The midget rep.

Even seated, his presence was noticeable. His relaxed posture was deliberate, legs crossed, one arm resting casually on the chair's armrest… but his eyes, despite their tired look, held an unmistakable sharpness. His grey hair was styled perfectly… he looked like a younger version of Eunsung.

Everything about him; the office, the furniture, the calculated air of nonchalance… it spoke volumes.

Why the hell did this place look so nice?

He raised his eyebrow as he caught sight of me. Did I get recognised that quickly?

Seong-u started talking. I could already tell the difference in his voice. It was quieter… almost timid. Was this what true strength could do?

"Hey Seokyoung, I found someo-"

"Why… have you brought over the Representative of Boramae to my office?"

Seokyoung drawled, as if he couldn't be bothered to put in the effort to talk normally. But it was enough, Seong-u's eyes immediately widened as he turned to look at me, but I had already focused my gaze onto the Midget Rep.

"You – you're the rep?!"

I ignored him and slightly tilted him to the side as I walked forward and sat down onto the sofa chair.

Seokyoung leaned back in his chair, eyeing me with mild amusement. "So, Boramae's new rep decided to pay me a visit. Should I be honored, or is this just another dumb territorial dispute?"

"Networking," I said smoothly, settling into the sofa. "You know, the whole 'Council Unity' thing. I figured I'd get to know my fellow executives." I turned back to Seokyoung. "Thought I'd start with you."

He snorted. "Bullshit."

I laughed. "Maybe, maybe not. But it's not like I came empty-handed."

His eyebrow lifted slightly at that. "Oh?"

Slowly, deliberately, I reached into my bag, ignoring Seong-u's sudden shift in posture, like he thought I was about to pull a weapon. Instead, I pulled out Ahrin's ridiculous gift… the small, wrapped box that still definitely contained a very alive octopus.

Seokyoung blinked. "What the hell is that?"

I slid the box onto his desk. "A sign of goodwill."

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then, cautiously, Seokyoung reached forward and pulled the lid off.

The octopus twitched.

I grinned. "It's fresh."

Seokyoung just stared. Not in shock. Not in disgust. Just… quiet analysis.

And then… a laugh. A real one. Sharp and amused, cutting through the tense air like scissors.

"You brought me a live octopus?" He looked up, and for the first time, there was genuine interest in his expression. "Where did you even get this?"

"From a friend. She said it's good for recovery."

Seokyoung tapped his fingers against the desk, eyeing the octopus box like it had personally offended him.

"You know," he muttered, "I've always thought it's good to try things at least once."

I tilted my head. "So you'll eat it?"

"I didn't say that."

You have befriended Seokyoung Jeong!

Quest complete!

You have received a Gold Card!

Seong-u coughed in the corner which I promptly ignored due to my internal cheering and Seokyoung turned to look at him.

He gestured toward the door. "Go. I'll talk to you later."

Seong-u swallowed and then quietly left, the door clicking shut on the way out.

Then, casually, Seokyoung pushed the octopus box aside.

"I'll deal with that later."

Fair enough.

He leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk, finally focusing on me.

"So," he began, his voice steady, "you came here to talk."

I straightened, the humor fading from my tone as I recited the lines I'd rehearsed, my voice now carrying a weight of seriousness.

"Soon, a video will be sent to you. It concerns my father."

His expression shifted instantly, confusion replaced the nonchalance, his brow furrowing slightly.

"I need you to make sure it reaches me," I continued, keeping my gaze steady.

Seokyoung blinked, taking a moment to process my words. The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken questions.

"What kind of video?" His voice was low, almost dismissive, but there was a sharpness in his eyes that hinted at curiosity beneath the indifference.

I didn't flinch. "It's about my father," I said, my voice firm, though the memory of his death twisted something deep in my chest. "And the way he died."

Seokyoung's eyes narrowed, but his expression didn't shift. Still, there was a coldness to his reaction that made it clear: this wasn't personal for him. It was business. Always business.

"And why would I do that?" His voice was flat, his posture relaxed, but the undertone of challenge was unmistakable. "You think I owe you because your father's dead?"

"No, I don't think you owe me anything," I replied, my voice measured and cool. It was the truth. I wasn't asking for sympathy, or favors, or any kind of emotional debt. "But I do think you'd be a fool to ignore what's coming."

There it was. The key. The hook. The line thrown into the water, waiting for him to bite. I had to make him understand that what was coming wasn't something he could simply dismiss. It wasn't some petty favor or trivial request.

This was bigger. Much bigger.

Seokyoung's gaze darkened, his expression sharpening. There was a slight flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, but it was brief. Too brief to be certain.

He leaned forward just a fraction, his fingers tapping a rhythm against the edge of his desk as he processed my words.

"Hmm? And what is coming?" His voice was low now, almost amused. He didn't show it, but I knew he was intrigued. He wouldn't admit it, not yet, but I could see it in the way his eyes narrowed, the way his body subtly shifted.

I fell silent. I had said all I could say. Anything more, and it would be too much. Anything more, and the plan would be out of my hands, spiraling beyond my control. 

The air between us was thick, pregnant with tension, each of us waiting for the other to blink first. For a long moment, neither of us spoke, the only sound in the room the rhythmic tap of Seokyoung's fingers against the desk. He was calculating, playing a game of wills. Trying to figure out if I was bluffing, trying to decide whether or not to take me seriously.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded. It was a slow, deliberate movement, but when it came, it held the weight of a decision. A decision I wasn't sure I would like, but it was a decision, nonetheless.

"I'll take care of it," he said, his voice hardening with finality. There was no warmth in his words, no trace of empathy. It was purely business, as it always was with him. "But don't get any ideas. You're not getting any favors from me. I'm doing this because I'm bored, and this... interests me."

I exhaled slowly, the tension easing from my shoulders, even if only a little. I had what I needed from him for now. But this was far from over. There was so much more to play, so much more I needed him to do.

"Understood," I replied, my voice steady, though the small part of me that had been holding its breath released the pressure just a little.

But then his tone shifted again. This time, there was something colder, something more dangerous in the way he spoke.

"And also…" His voice dropped, like a sudden shift in the temperature of the room.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, instinct telling me that whatever he was about to say would carry more weight than the rest of our conversation combined.

The air between us thickened, a sharp intensity building, and for a moment, I almost thought I could feel the very room shift, as if the space around us had constricted.

"If you use my men once more as your personal guides…"

I froze, my stomach twisting, though I kept my face neutral, my expression locked.

"I'm gonna beat you till you die."

The finality in his voice sent a cold shiver through my body. It was a threat that didn't need to be spoken louder, but it was enough to make everything inside me freeze. The kind of threat that wasn't just about words… It was about the inevitability of action.

I didn't flinch, but I felt the danger, thick and suffocating, hanging in the air between us. His eyes never left mine, and for a moment, I wondered if he saw the flicker of fear, or if he'd seen something deeper, something more dangerous.

His voice dropped even further, as if he knew he had already won, his tone now completely devoid of anything resembling warmth.

"You'll owe me."

I nodded once, the chill of the room settling over me. Even if he did try to 'beat me till I die' there was nothing I'd be able to do about it. Not right now at least. After all…

Peek at you.

[Name: Jeong Seokyoung]

[Height: 160 cm]

[Weight: 77 kg]

[Strength: SSR+]

[Speed: SSR+]

[Potential: S]

[Intelligence: A]

[Endurance: SSR]

He was a fucking monster.