As the first light of dawn crept across the stateside sky. Zach was rudely awakened from his deep slumber by the persistent buzzing of his phone. With a scowl, he grabbed the device and saw it was his kid brother calling. Taking a deep breath, he reined in his annoyance. “Nick, what’s up?”


    Nick was nervously twirling his ss, taking a two–second pause before finally speaking up. “I ran into Mira today.”


    Zach, face buried in his pillow, mumbled in a nasal voice, “Hmm? Spit it out if there’s something. on your mind.”


    “You know Mira pretty well, don’t you?” Nick asked, dragging out the words.


    Zach’s eyes, which had been closed, snapped open. “Of course. Nobody’s tighter with her than I


    am.”


    Nobody was taking his ce in her heart!


    “That’s great. So, do you have any clue what she’s into?” Nick had been racking his brain on the couch, thinking hard. It was his first time meeting his biological sister, who turned out to be quite empathetic. It felt wrong not to offer a gift.


    Zach instantly replied, “She’s all about hitting the books!”


    Nick let out a puzzled “Ah,” as it dawned on him, “A bookworm?”


    “Yep. When she’s not buried in a textbook, she’s got nothing else going on. Didn’t shee off as a total nerd when you met her today? She’s not cute at all, right?” Zach said, keeping a straight face.


    Nick pondered for a moment. Mira did seem to carry an air of academia, but… not cute? She seemed alright to him.


    “Is there anything else she likes?” Nick probed further.


    “That’s it!” Zach asserted. After a pause, he remembered Mira’s reluctance to ept cash gifts and slyly added, “Oh, and she loves getting cash gifts.”


    So, she was a bit of a money lover. Nick was taken aback but quickly responded, “Okay, got it. Thanks, Zach.”


    “Yeah, I’m going back to sleep. Don’t bother me again.” With that, Zach hung up. He tossed his phone on the nightstand, a mischievous smile ying on his lips. The irritation from being woken up had mysteriously vanished.


    Still holding his phone, Nick sent a message to his assistant, instructing him to gather all the study materials for Mirabe’s senior year of high school. The more, the merrier, as it was urgent.


    After sending the message, he opened Messenger and started a chat with Mirabe. His finger hesitated over the digital cash gift option, then paused. A $200 gift seemed a bit stingy.


    After a moment’s thought, he went for a direct transfer instead, sending a hefty $9,999.


    LIN: [A little something for our meeting.]


    LIN: (Zach mentioned you like cash gifts.)


    So when Mirabe, fresh from the shower and ready for bed, checked her phone, she was once again floored by therge sum.


    Here we go again. This confirmed the family’s odd habit of hefty transfers.


    But when had she ever shown a preference for cash gifts? Mirabe’s expression darkened. Zach was up to his tricks again.


    The next day, a group from Prestige College, led by their teachers, arrived at the Olympic Center building.


    Stepping out of the bus, the students looked up at the towering edifice before them, knowing that only the truly skilled and gifted were allowed topete within its walls. The pressure was palpable even before they entered the arena.


    Given the global nature of the event, with participants from over twenty countries, the area outside the building was already teeming with students from all around the world.