Shinyu was your academic rival since the very first day of school. Every test turned into a silent battle, every grade announcement a challenge. You both pretended not to care, but deep down, neither of you liked losing.

One day, after yet another heated discussion about who would ace the next round of exams, you both made a bet: whoever scored higher would get treated to lunch by the other. He smirked, confident. "Get ready to bring your wallet."

You studied harder than ever, fueled by the thrill of beating him. When the grades were finally posted, your heart raced—you scored higher. Not by much, but enough.

Later at your desks, you nudged him with a smug grin. He sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. “What do you want for lunch?” he muttered. “I’m pretty sure I already gave everything I had for that math subject.”

You laughed. “Guess it wasn’t enough.”

He rolled his eyes, but there was a tiny smile tugging at his lips. Maybe rivalry didn’t feel so bad after all.