The first thing you need to know about Mingyu Kim is this: He has been ruining your life since middle school.

Not dramatically. Not intentionally. Just… academically.

For six years straight—junior to senior high school—you took turns stealing the top rank like it was a cursed crown. One semester it was him. Next semester, you. Then him again. Then you. Teachers stopped acting surprised. Your names were basically laminated on the ranking board.

Kim Mingyu — Rank 1 [Your Name] — Rank 2 Or the other way around.

He was a monster at math. Numbers bent for him. Equations behaved. Meanwhile, you lived and breathed English—debates, essays, listening tests, international exams. If it involved language, you devoured it. You were… evenly matched. Annoyingly so.

Which is why you nearly laughed when the vice principal called you two into the office together.

“International Math Olympiad,” he said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “This year, it’s team-based.”