Zach was all chivalry at dinner<b>, </b>meticulously de–shelling seafood for Mirabe as if it were second nature.


    “So, where are you hitting the books these days, Mira?” Zach’s voice was gentle as he ced at peeled shrimp into Mirabe’s bowl.


    She nced up at him, her response unruffled, “Parkside High School.”


    Zach was genuinely surprised. “That’s ster! I missed getting into Parkside High by a whisker back in my day. Still stings a bit.” He let out a sigh that was almost too real.


    Delh chimed in from the side, not missing a beat, “You spent the night before the exams ying video games. You’ve only got yourself to me. No sympathy here.”


    Zach cleared his throat to mask a rare moment of embarrassment, muttering, “Everyone’s young and foolish at some point.”


    “Ha, you’ve got the most excuses. Look at your sister here, acing the BrainSpark Nationals prelims on her first try. She’s outshining all you boys by a mile.” Delh couldn’t help but beam when she mentioned her daughter’s achievements.


    “Is that so?” Zach could hardly hide his amazement.


    “Of course, why would <b>I </b>lie? Just this morning, Mira finished <b>the </b>city preliminaries. We’ll get the results tomorrow, and you can check them out then<b>,</b>” Delh snorted.


    Zach turned to look at Mirabe, feeling a bit defeated. “I knew about thatpetition when I was still in school. It’s held every couple of years, attracting whiz kids and prodigies from across the nation. You scored full marks on your first go…”


    t


    That was kind of insane, right?!


    Meeting Zach’s bewildered gaze, Mirabe’s lips curled into a timid smile, her reply cheeky enough to warrant a smack. “It’s no big deal.”


    Zach was in disbelief. Ah! He felt like he’s no longer the smartest kid in the house.


    After dinner, Mirabe prepared to head back to school. Shawn was supposed to drive her, but Zach took over the duty halfway through lunch.


    Throughout the drive, Zach asionally nced at his sister sitting in the passenger seat, internally sighing at the disparity between them. They were from the same parents. How could they be so different?


    Feeling his gaze, Mirabe tilted her head, a yful lock of hair falling over her shoulder, her eyes curious, “What’s on your mind, Zach?”


    He cleared his throat. “I was just thinking. I should pay a visit to the folks who raised my sister


    <b>12:27 </b>


    to be such a standout.”


    He had some idea of her background, knowing that she hadn’t grown up with the Gilberts but was raised in the countryside by her grandmother. Suddenly, he found himself quite curious about <b>this </b>olddy.


    Mirabe hadn’t expected him to bring this up. After a brief pause, she replied. “Task Grandma when we have our next meet.”


    “Mm,” Zach hummed in acknowledgment, letting the conversation fade.


    Soon, they arrived at the school.


    “Zach, I’m gonna head in,” Mirabe said as she unbuckled her seat belt.


    Rubbing his forehead, Zach replied softly, “Sure thing.”


    Noticing his repetitive gesture throughout the drive, Mirabe inquired, “Are you feeling okay?”


    Zach looked up, startled, before shaking his head with a smile. “upational hazard. It drains the mental energy.”


    Mirabe hummed thoughtfully, then as she opened the door and was about to step out, she turned back, “When are you nning to swing by home?”