The campus bulletin board was crowded with students, all craning their necks to read the freshly posted midterm results. A nervous chatter filled the air, punctuated by groans, squeals, and sighs of relief.
Shelly stood in the back, her stomach doing somersaults. She clutched her phone like it was a lifeline, Aisha and Hana flanking her like bodyguards.
"Okay," Aisha muttered. "Moment of truth. You ready?"
"No," Shelly whispered. "But let's do it anyway."
They pushed through the crowd until they reached the Business Faculty section. Names and scores were printed in neat black ink, pinned under a clear plastic sheet. Shelly scanned the list, her eyes darting until—
International Business – First Year
Microeconomics – 84%
Business Communication – 91%
Marketing Principles – 87%
Accounting – 66%
Thai Culture and Society – 88%
Shelly's jaw dropped. "Sixty-six?"
Aisha winced. "Ouch."
"But the rest…" Hana pointed out gently. "You did amazing."
The Rich & Academic System pinged quietly in her vision:
[Midterms Completed.]
Average Score: 83.2%
Reward: 3,000 THB + Skill Point (Resilience).
New Trait: Tenacity – Failure does not define you.
Shelly exhaled shakily. "Okay. Not a total disaster."
"Girl, you crushed everything else," Aisha said firmly. "One subject doesn't ruin you. Besides, 66 is still a pass."
Shelly nodded slowly, letting the relief sink in. She took a photo of the results with her phone, already bracing for her family's reaction.
That evening, she sat cross-legged on her dorm bed, laptop open. Within seconds, the family group call filled the screen.
Caro leaned forward dramatically. "So, genius, how'd you do?"
"Tell us everything!" Nelia chimed in.
Clifton waved a toy car at the camera, then yelled, "Shelly's smart!"
Her mom appeared from the kitchen, apron still on. "Come on, let's hear it."
Shelly took a deep breath. "Okay. I passed everything. I got above 80 in most subjects. But…" She hesitated. "Accounting—66%."
The screen exploded with noise.
Caro gasped. "Sixty-six? Shelly, you're slipping!"
Nelia smirked. "Don't worry, Ohm Pawat won't judge you. He probably can't balance his ledgers either."
"Stop it!" Shelly laughed, covering her face.
Her dad's steady voice cut through the teasing. "Shelly, 66 is still a pass. More importantly, you averaged over 80. That's excellent."
Her mom nodded. "Exactly. We're proud of you. But remember—don't let the good grades distract you too much with… celebrity business."
"Mom!"
Caro leaned closer. "Speaking of celebrity business… Did you bump into Pond Naravit yet?"
"No!"
Nelia sang loudly, "Shelly and Ohm, sitting in a tree…"
"Guys!" Shelly groaned, burying her face in her pillow while the whole family cackled.
Even Clifton joined in: "Ohm! Ohm! Ohm!"
Shelly peeked at the screen, her cheeks pink but her smile wide. Despite the teasing, their pride shone through. And for the first time since arriving in Bangkok, she felt fully anchored—no matter the distance.
The next day, Shelly scrolled through her Instagram. Fans had somehow already found out midterms were over.
💬 "Hope you aced it, Shelly! Proud of you ❤️"
💬 "Don't stress over numbers. We love you either way."
💬 "So… Pond fanmeet soon?"
She laughed, shaking her head. Even my fans have joined my siblings in the teasing squad.
Her phone pinged again—this time with a reminder from the System.
[Upcoming Event: Fanmeet – GMMTV]
Date: Next weekend.
Location: CentralWorld Mall, Bangkok.
Special Note: Attendance recommended for narrative development.
Shelly's eyes widened. "Oh no. This is really happening."