The campus of Chulalongkorn University was buzzing with nervous energy. The pink-and-white walls of the main library seemed to glow brighter as students piled in with textbooks, laptops, and stacks of notes that looked tall enough to crush a human being. Shelly sat at one of the long wooden tables, her highlighters fanned out in a neat rainbow, her chemistry-thin patience already fraying.
It was the week before midterms.
She had always thought she knew pressure back in Chitungwiza, when O Levels consumed her life. But this was a different battlefield. Her International Business program demanded sharp focus, long hours, and the ability to think critically rather than just memorize. The Rich & Academic System hovered in her vision like a quiet supervisor, flashing reminders.
[Midterm Task Active]
Objective: Score at least 75% in all exams.
Subjects: Microeconomics, Business Communication, Marketing Principles, Accounting, Thai Culture and Society.
Reward: 5,000 THB + 2 Skill Points in "Academic Mastery."
Penalty: Reduced balance stat if performance dips below target.
Shelly stared at the glowing words, sighing. "No pressure, huh?" she muttered.
Aisha dropped into the seat beside her, a frappé in one hand and a stack of notes in the other. "Girl, you look like you're about to fight a dragon."
Shelly groaned. "I think the dragon is called Accounting."
Hana, who had quietly slid into the seat across from them, raised her eyebrows. "You're struggling with Accounting too?"
Shelly nodded vigorously. "It's like my brain refuses to balance those ledgers. Debits and credits keep dancing around."
Aisha leaned closer. "Don't worry. We'll handle it. Remember: study groups are our salvation."
The days blurred into a routine:
Wake up early, rush to lectures.
Study sessions with Aisha and Hana in the library or café corners.
Quick meals at the cafeteria, where she fueled herself with pad kra pao and mango sticky rice.
Late-night editing of short vlogs to keep her fans engaged.
Her YouTube comments piled up with both love and pressure:
💬 "Good luck with exams, Shelly! We believe in you."
💬 "Don't forget to vlog the student life stress 😂"
💬 "Are you still going to the next fanmeet?"
Shelly chuckled weakly as she scrolled. Her fans meant well, but they didn't see the circles under her eyes, the trembling hands when she flipped through pages of accounting exercises.
On Sunday night, Shelly video-called home. The screen filled with chaos: Nelia waving at the camera, Clifton trying to steal the phone, Caro showing off a new hairstyle from her salon.
"Shelly!" Caro beamed. "How's my international celebrity?"
"I'm not a celebrity," Shelly protested, though her smile betrayed her.
"Yet," Nelia said slyly. "Anyway, have you met Ohm Pawat on campus yet? Maybe he's auditing your class."
"Stop it!" Shelly laughed, burying her face in her pillow.
Even her mom joined in. "Just pass your exams first. Then you can daydream about Pond and Phuwin."
"Mom!"
Her dad, more serious, leaned closer to the camera. "We're proud of you, Shelly. Don't let pressure eat you alive. Remember, we're with you."
Her throat tightened. "Thanks, Dad. I'll do my best."
When the call ended, Shelly wiped her eyes and turned back to her books with renewed determination.
Day 1: Microeconomics
The exam hall was packed, air-conditioning blasting against the nervous heat. Shelly scribbled furiously, graphs and formulas spilling across her paper. Supply and demand curves felt like old friends, and when she handed in the paper, she actually smiled.
Day 2: Business Communication
A written exam about report writing and case analysis. Shelly's essays flowed, her words sharp and clear. She could almost hear her high school English teacher cheering from across the ocean.
Day 3: Marketing Principles
Shelly thrived. Questions about branding strategies and consumer behavior felt like second nature. She left the hall humming, even daring to treat herself to bubble tea.
But then came Day 4.
Accounting.
The thick exam paper landed on her desk like a death sentence. Shelly's palms grew slick with sweat as she flipped through the questions. Balance sheets, journal entries, trial balances. Her heart pounded.
Focus, Shelly. You studied this.
She began writing, slowly at first, then faster. The first two questions went okay. But then, the third asked her to prepare a detailed cash flow statement. Her mind blanked.
The numbers swam on the page. Debits and credits slipped like oil through her grasp. Her breathing quickened.
Around her, pens scratched steadily. Aisha, two rows ahead, looked calm and focused. Hana scribbled neatly.
Shelly's eyes burned. Why can't I do this?
The System flashed in her vision.
[Warning: Performance Dropping. Focus Required.]
She clenched her jaw, fighting tears, and forced herself to keep writing. But by the time the invigilator called, "Pens down," her paper was incomplete.
She walked out of the hall with her head bowed, shame pressing heavy on her chest.
Back at the dorm, Shelly collapsed onto her bed. "I failed," she whispered.
Aisha tossed a pillow at her. "You did not fail. Stop being dramatic."
"I left half the paper blank!"
"So what?" Aisha shot back. "You nailed the other three exams. And you still have Thai Culture tomorrow. Stop burying yourself alive over one subject."
Hana nodded calmly. "Struggling in one subject doesn't make you less brilliant."
Shelly stared at them, her vision blurring. "But the System—"
"The what?" Aisha asked.
"Never mind," Shelly muttered, brushing it off. She couldn't explain the System to them, not yet.
Later that night, as the dorm lights dimmed, the System finally updated.
[Midterm Results Pending]
Accounting performance below 75%.
Reward adjusted: 3,000 THB + 1 Skill Point.
Bonus: 'Resilience' unlocked – Learn from setbacks.
Shelly exhaled slowly. It wasn't perfection. But it wasn't failure either.
The last exam, Thai Culture and Society, was surprisingly enjoyable. She wrote about the wai, Songkran festival, and the importance of community in Thai identity. When she handed in the paper, she felt lighter, freer.
That evening, she and her roommates celebrated with street food near Siam Square. Pad Thai, grilled skewers, and mango sticky rice crowded their table as they laughed and teased each other.
Aisha raised her soda. "To surviving midterms!"
Shelly clinked her cup against theirs, smiling. "To balance. Even if it's messy."
Her phone buzzed with a message from Nelia: "Congrats on surviving! Now, back to your true mission—finding Ohm Pawat."
Shelly burst out laughing, almost choking on her rice.
And as neon lights shimmered over Bangkok, she realized something: she didn't need to be perfect to belong here. She just needed to keep showing up, one step at a time.