The first Monday back at school felt like walking into a pressure cooker. The hallways were unnaturally quiet, filled only with the frantic scratching of pens and the heavy silence of students who hadn't slept since December.
In the center of the main hall, a crowd had gathered around the bulletin board. The results of the final National Mock Exam—the "Grand Rehearsal" for the entrance exams—were posted.
Rika and Rentaro approached the board together. They didn't need to look for their names; they were right at the top.
1. Shinozaki Rika – 782/800
1. Hanamachi Rentaro – 782/800
A perfect tie. Down to the decimal point in the weighted science section.
"It’s a ghost score," Kenji whispered from behind them, his usual joking tone replaced by genuine awe. "I’ve never seen two people hit the exact same ceiling. It’s like you’re haunted by each other."
The class erupted into whispers. In the world of high-stakes academia, a tie wasn't a truce—it was a countdown. There was only one "President’s Scholarship" for T-University's elite tier, and everyone knew that a tie on the mocks meant the real entrance exam would be a bloodbath.
"Congratulations, Shinozaki-san," a cold, familiar voice echoed through the hall.
Rika turned to see her father’s personal assistant, a man who looked more like a debt collector than a secretary. He handed her a thick, cream-colored envelope embossed with the Shinozaki seal.
"Your father saw the results online," the assistant said, his eyes flicking briefly and dismissively to Rentaro. "He is pleased with the rank, but concerned about the... redundancy. He expects you to be the sole name at the top come March. The letter contains the registration for the private T-University seminar. He has already paid the fees."
Rika gripped the envelope so hard the thick paper crinkled. "I told him I wasn't going to those seminars."
"He suggests you reconsider," the assistant said, leaning in. "He mentioned that your 'extracurricular associations' are becoming a liability to your focus. If you accept the seminar and secure the top spot, your apartment and tuition are guaranteed. If you remain... tied... he will consider your education a failed investment."
The man turned and walked away, leaving a wake of icy silence.
Rentaro stood perfectly still. He didn't look at the board anymore. He looked at Rika’s hands, which were trembling.
"He's trying to buy your win, Rika," Rentaro said, his voice dangerously low.
"I know," she whispered.
"If you go to those seminars, you’ll be studying eighteen hours a day in a private booth. We won't see each other until the exam morning." Rentaro’s jaw tightened. "That’s what he wants. He’s not just buying a grade; he’s buying a wall between us."
Rika looked at the letter, then at Rentaro. The "Rank 1 Ghost" wasn't just a score—it was her father’s way of haunting her. He was using her love for Rentaro as a weapon, making their relationship the "price" of her success.
"I'm not going," Rika said, her voice regaining its iron.
"Rika, if you don't, and he cuts you off—"
"Then I'll work more shifts. I'll take out a student loan. I'll study in a 7-Eleven breakroom with a boy who actually understands the equations," she said, looking him dead in the eye. She tore the cream-colored envelope in half, right there in front of the entire school. "I'm not a 'failed investment.' I'm a person. And I'm going to win on my own terms."
Rentaro felt a surge of pride so fierce it almost made him dizzy. He didn't care about the scholarship or the tie anymore. He reached out, ignoring the dozens of staring eyes, and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tight.
"Then we have work to do," he said. "Because if we’re going to beat the system, we have to be better than perfect."
The rivalry was back, but the "Ice Queen" and the "Ghost" were no longer fighting each other. They were fighting for the right to stay together.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBUHhfISSY
and then Add to home screen.