Chapter Fourteen: Confrontation

Jiwon barely had time to recover from the seven-day fast when his parents cornered him in the living room. They had been watching him for weeks, their concern growing with every pound he lost. Now, his transformation was undeniable, and it had reached a point where they couldn't stay silent any longer.

"Jiwon," his mother's voice cracked as she spoke, her eyes filled with worry. "We need to talk."

He froze, knowing this was coming, but not knowing how to face it. He had been avoiding them as much as possible, too wrapped up in the system's demands and the constant grind of his new routine. His parents had noticed the rapid weight loss, but they hadn't pressed him until now.

His father stepped forward, his arms crossed. "This has gone too far. You've been losing weight at an unhealthy rate, and you look... you look exhausted. What's happening to you?"

Jiwon's pulse quickened. His mind raced, searching for a way to explain, but the system interrupted his thoughts with its cold, mechanical voice.

[Reminder: Confidentiality Agreement in Effect.]

The words flashed before his eyes like a warning shot. He remembered the consequences all too well—the system had made it clear from the start. He wasn't allowed to talk about the system, not even to his family. If he broke the agreement, the penalties could be severe, and after everything he'd been through, he couldn't afford to risk it.

His mother's hand reached out, touching his arm gently. "You're barely eating. You're always so tired. And you've lost so much weight, too quickly. What are you doing to yourself?"

Jiwon's throat tightened. He wanted to tell them everything—the system, the endless exercises, the fasting—but the warning blared in his mind again.

[Confidentiality Breach: Severe Consequences Apply if Agreement is Broken.]

His heart pounded, a lump forming in his throat. His parents stared at him, waiting for answers, but he had none he could give.

"Jiwon," his father's voice softened, but the sternness remained. "We're worried about you. This isn't normal. You can talk to us. Please."

His eyes darted to the floor, guilt and fear swirling in his chest. How could he explain without breaking the confidentiality? How could he make them understand without putting himself in jeopardy?

"I'm fine," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You're not fine!" his mother snapped, her voice trembling with emotion. "Look at you! You're wasting away in front of us. We can't just stand by and watch this happen."

Jiwon clenched his fists, the weight of the situation crashing down on him. He hated lying to them, but the system had him trapped. His hands were tied.

"I'm just... trying to get in shape," he said, forcing the words out. "I've been exercising a lot, eating healthy. That's all."

His father's eyes narrowed. "This isn't healthy, Jiwon. We've seen you barely touch food for days. You're exhausted all the time. This isn't just exercise. What's really going on?"

Jiwon opened his mouth to say something—anything—to calm them down, but the system's voice boomed in his mind, louder than ever.

[Confidentiality Breach Detected. Risk of Consequence: 70%.]

He swallowed hard, his entire body tensing. The system wouldn't allow him to break the agreement. The consequences... he didn't even want to think about them. What would it do to him? More fasting? More endless exercise? Or worse?

"I... I can't..." he stammered, struggling to find words that wouldn't cross the line.

"You can't what?" his mother asked, her eyes widening in alarm. "Jiwon, you're scaring me."

His father stepped closer, his voice low but filled with urgency. "Son, whatever this is, you need to tell us. If you're in trouble, we can help."

The sincerity in his father's voice was almost too much to bear. Jiwon wanted nothing more than to collapse in their arms and confess everything. But the system wouldn't let him. The rules were absolute.

"I'm fine," he repeated, his voice hollow. "I just... need to focus. It's for my future. I can't mess it up."

His parents exchanged a glance, their concern deepening. His mother shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "We love you, Jiwon. We don't care about any of that. We just want you to be okay."

Jiwon felt like he was suffocating under the weight of their worry, his own guilt gnawing at him. He wanted to scream, to tell them everything about the system's demands, the fasting, the exercises, the punishments. But he couldn't.

[Final Warning: Disclosure Will Result in Punishment.]

The threat hung over him like a noose. He couldn't disobey. He had come too far to lose everything now.

"I have to go," Jiwon said abruptly, stepping back. His legs felt shaky, and his chest tight as he fought to maintain control.

"Go? Where?" his father demanded, stepping forward. "Jiwon, we're not done talking about this!"

But Jiwon had already turned away, his heart pounding in his ears. He couldn't stay. Not with the system breathing down his neck, ready to punish him at the slightest slip. He had to get out. Away from their questions. Away from the truth he couldn't share.

As he hurried to his room and closed the door behind him, the system's voice rang in his head once more.

[Confidentiality Maintained. Task Progress Uninterrupted.]

Jiwon collapsed onto his bed, his body shaking with exhaustion and fear. His parents were right—he was losing weight too fast, pushing his body beyond its limits. But the system didn't care. It wouldn't stop. And neither could he.

His phone buzzed with a new notification.

[Reminder: 10 Hours of HIIT Training Scheduled Tomorrow.]

He buried his face in his hands, feeling trapped between the system's impossible demands and the love of his parents. He was caught in a nightmare, and no matter how much weight he lost, or how far he pushed himself, the finish line kept moving further away.