The Academy
The Tokyo Imperial Medical Academy stood like a monument to brilliance—its towering glass façade reflecting the morning sun, its gates guarded by stone lions with eyes that seemed to judge every applicant who dared to enter.
Liu stepped through those gates with her head high, her heart steady. She wore a crisp white blouse tucked into a navy skirt, her ID pinned neatly to her chest. Her heels clicked against the marble floors as she followed the signs toward the examination wing.
Behind her, Don trailed silently, hands in his pockets, sunglasses still on. He looked more like a bored celebrity than an escort, but his eyes never left her.
> "Why am I even here?" he thought. "She doesn't need me. She doesn't want me. And yet…"
He watched the sway of her ponytail, the way her shoulders squared with every step. There was something magnetic about her defiance—something that made his blood hum.
> "She's dangerous," he muttered. "And I can't look away."
---
Inside the Exam Hall
The exam hall was a vast, echoing space filled with rows of desks and students in white coats. The air buzzed with tension and the scent of fresh paper and nerves.
Liu found her seat—Row 3, Seat 17.
Next to her sat a girl with short, choppy hair dyed a soft rose gold. She wore round glasses and had a nervous energy that made her bounce her knee under the desk.
> Girl (whispering): "Hi. I'm Nari. You look terrifyingly calm."
> Liu (smiling faintly): "I'm Liu. And I'm just good at pretending."
> Nari (grinning): "Fake it till you make it. Got it."
They shared a quiet laugh, the tension easing just a little.
At the front of the room stood a tall man in a gray suit, his salt-and-pepper hair neatly combed, his eyes sharp but kind. He tapped a folder against the podium.
> Man: "Good morning, applicants. I'm Professor Takeda. I'll be supervising today's written exam. No phones. No talking. No second chances."
He scanned the room, his gaze pausing briefly on Liu. Something flickered in his eyes—recognition, perhaps—but he said nothing.
> Professor Takeda: "You have two hours. Begin."
---
The Exam
Liu opened the test booklet and froze.
There it was.
Professor Hoshino. His name stamped across the top of the page like a curse.
The man who had once promised to mentor her. Who had praised her brilliance, only to later block her recommendation—silently, without explanation. She had never known why.
> "He's here. He's still here."
Her hands trembled for a moment. Then she took a breath, steadied her pen, and began.
The questions were brutal—case studies, biochemical pathways, ethical dilemmas. But Liu's mind was sharper than ever. Every answer she wrote was a strike against the past. Every page turned was a step toward reclaiming what had been stolen.
Beside her, Nari scribbled furiously, muttering under her breath.
> Nari (whispering): "If I fail this, I'm becoming a florist."
> Liu (without looking up): "You'd kill the flowers with your stress."
> Nari (grinning): "Fair."
---
Outside the Hall
Don leaned against the car, arms crossed, watching the students trickle out. He lit a cigarette, ignoring the disapproving glances from passing faculty.
> "She's been in there for two hours. What's taking so long?"
He didn't care about the exam. Not really. But he couldn't stop thinking about her. The way she'd looked in the bathrobe. The way she'd smiled at Xia. The way she'd humiliated him—and somehow made him want more.
> "She's not like the others," he admitted. "She's fire. And I want to burn."
---
After the Exam
Liu stepped out of the building, her face flushed, her blouse slightly wrinkled. She looked exhausted—but triumphant.
Don straightened.
> Don: "Took you long enough."
> Liu (dryly): "Sorry. I was busy rewriting the curriculum."
> Don: "You passed?"
> Liu: "I don't know. But I made sure they'll remember my name."
> Nari (running up): "Liu! Wait!"
Liu turned as Nari caught up, panting.
> Nari: "You were amazing. I peeked at your answers. You're a machine."
> Liu (smiling): "You're not supposed to peek."
> Nari: "Sue me. Anyway, I'm rooting for you. Let's get in together, yeah?"
> Liu: "Yeah. Let's."
They exchanged numbers. Nari waved and ran off.
Don watched the exchange, his jaw tight.
> Don (mocking): "Making friends now? How cute."
> Liu (getting into the car): "Jealous?"
> Don (getting in after her): "Of what? Your fan club?"
> Liu (smirking): "Of anyone who gets my attention."
Don didn't answer. But his silence said enough.
---
Meanwhile, in the Faculty Lounge
Professor Takeda sat at his desk, flipping through the first batch of exam scripts. His eyes scanned the names, pausing at one.
Liu Lingin.
He remembered her. The girl who had once submitted a research paper so advanced, it had been flagged for plagiarism—until they realized it was entirely original.
He flipped to her answers.
And smiled.
> Takeda (to himself): "Still brilliant. Still dangerous."
He picked up his phone.
> Takeda: "Yes. I need to speak with the Dean. We may have found our top candidate."
[End of chapter 6]
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