Cindy leaned into York’s arms, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m just scared my results are going to be so awful that people will say I’m not good enough for you.”
York nudged her gently, a wry smile on his lips. “Where do you even get ideas like that?”
He spent time comforting her, soft words and warm reassurance, and it was only then that Cindy’s gloom began to lift a little.
On the other hand, Claire was positively brimming with energy. After the celebrations, she went straight back to her apartment, unfazed by the stress that had wrung out everyone else.
The next morning, she was up at sunrise. She washed her hair, dried it, slipped into clean clothes, and headed out to school.
She looked casually put-together, almost effortlessly stylish—not at all like someone who had just slogged her way through the ordeal of exams.
With a purple backpack slung over one shoulder, she strolled leisurely to campus.
Outside the gates, banners were strung up everywhere, and there was even a life-sized cutout of Claire herself.
Silverpeak High had produced the top student in the city. Of course they were shouting it from the rooftops.
A board displaying exam results stood just by the entrance. Claire’s name stood proudly at the very top, followed by several of her classmates.
“Claire!” Sophia arrived at nearly the same time. She bounded toward Claire and threw herself into her arms.
Claire pried Sophia’s arms away. “Jeez, you’re heavy!”
Sophia immediately wilted. “Oh, come on…”
She’d been indulging a little too much lately—either sparring with her friends from the dojo or spending her days eating and drinking with her grandparents.
She’d gained some weight, sure, but her arms had really bulked up from all the training.
She’d even sprouted abs.
Sophia caught Claire’s hand and pressed it to her own stomach. “Go ahead, feel it. Well?”
Claire shook her head as she pulled her hand away. “Not bad, I suppose.”
Honestly, this girl had zero sense of boundaries.
It was broad daylight, and here was Sophia making her touch her stomach for all the world to see. Anyone passing by might think the two of them were up to something scandalous.
“Come on, let’s get to class.” Sophia was beaming now.

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