Hooligan, Not Hooligan?

Sienna's frown deepened as she pondered whether she emitted an unbearable odor that prompted Brandon Myles to inexplicably distance himself from her. Just as these unsettling thoughts consumed her, Brandon exacerbated the situation by adding, "You won't secure interview opportunities from Walters with these qualifications," he remarked, glancing at the application files she held, "You aren't good enough."

"Hey, hey, Brandon Myles, mind your words," Joe interjected, stepping forward and blocking his path, "You can call me not good enough because I can admit that. It's true, I always come second after you in the grade ranking! But Sienna is the top student in her major and the only one who meets all the criteria for the application."

"Are you applying for the interview too?" Brandon inquired of Joe.

"No, why? Maybe, why?" Joe responded, puzzled by Brandon's abrupt and unrelated question.

"Okay, good." Brandon nodded and walked away.

Unconvinced, Joe gestured pointedly at Brandon's retreating figure, incredulously remarking to Sienna, "Sienna, he's unbelievable. Don't take his words to heart. He's always this arrogant, you know, never thinking about others. And it's very likely he's just bluffing to make you retreat!"

Sienna smoothed out her furrowed brow and said, "Never mind him. It is a fair competition, isn't it?"

"I hope so," Joe answered, appearing uncertain. Who didn't know about the Myles Family? Always at the top of the Fortune Rank, massively powerful. The Sullivan Family was also extremely wealthy, but they never surpassed the Myles, just as Joe never exceeded Brandon at school. Considering all this, Joe truly doubted if it was going to be a fair competition.

But...what was Brandon trying to get into Walters for when he could simply take over the family's business? 

Why would Brandon bother with the interview when he could simply ask his parents to initiate a project collaboration with Walters and gain direct entry?

While Joe pondered these thoughts, Sienna had already walked into the office, and the door closed in front of him.

-

Crammed between a wheelie chair was a chubby, middle-aged man, his back turned to Sienna as she walked in.

"Greetings, Mr. Brown," Sienna said politely. Upon hearing that, Mr. Brown attempted to perform a graceful, neat swiveling turn, resembling a head of the Mafia, but his excessive belly caused him to get stuck halfway through the circle.

"Okay, let me help you," Sienna said, preparing to walk up to Mr. Brown, but he raised his hands halfway to stop her. "I can do this myself. Watch!" He attempted to navigate the narrow space but ended up sinking even lower.

"Uncle Shane!" Sienna complained, groaning. "I dropped my test with the scooter and skipped going to the school clinic because you said you had good news to share and asked me to bring up my application files. Please, stop the circus show and tell me what's going on!"

"School clinic, what happened to you? Are you hurt? Bullied by those boys from the physics class?" Mr. Brown expressed genuine concern as he looked at his beloved, smart, precious niece.

"No, just a small slip on the feet, and it hurt my back."

"That is really serious!" Mr. Brown exclaimed. In a matter of seconds, he retrieved ten different-sized bottles from his secret drawer and placed them one by one on the table, providing an introduction, "Bee Venom, apply it twice a day on the injury, and it heals within three days. Serpent Tongue Liquor, either take it orally or apply it directly on the hurting spot, and this is Mint Plant Oil, excellent for smoothing out bruises, and this..."

"I'll take them all!" Sienna concluded the conversation, expressing what she assumed would please her dear Uncle Shane.

"Cool!" Mr. Brown appeared pleased, gesturing for her to sit down.

"I'd rather stand," Sienna replied, losing patience. "In case you're babbling some useless nags so I can dash off."

"Sienna!" Mr. Brown raised his voice. "I am your Vice Principal and your uncle! I... okay, hey! I know I love nagging, but you have to hear me out clearly this time."

As he noticed his niece starting to walk out of the office, Mr. Brown instantly spilled out, "You are not qualified enough for the interview."

Sienna froze, casting a confused and disbelieving look at her uncle. Mr. Brown quickly explained, "Sienny, you excel in everything – grades, ranks, school badges. But to secure an interview, you need more distinguished achievements at the societal level, not just in campus contests."

"It is an outside school company, after all," Mr. Brown expressed with a bitter smile. "But you are lacking experience in this area."

A prolonged silence hung in the air.

"I...uh...I am applying for my remote-controlled scooter pattern, and it will...it will be ready by the end of April," Sienna said in a subdued voice.

"Too late, dear," Mr. Brown responded with disappointment. "The recruitment for Walters ends in April."

"So what's the good news then?" Sienna asked, attempting to suppress her sadness.

"What? Oh, right! The good news is that I've helped you find a way out!" Mr. Brown sounded very proud. "If you can make it through that approach, you will surely be qualified for the interview."

"I don't want to rely on convenient contacts like Brandon Myles!" Sienna protested.

"Brandon Myles? How is he involved?"

"Didn't he secure the interview opportunity because he leverages his family's influence?" Sienna gradually realized it wasn't a fair game.

"Who said he got the interview opportunity?" Mr. Brown expressed confusion.

Suddenly, Sienna blushed out of embarrassment. She realized she had let her biases lead her to assume something that never happened. It was impulsive and rude. However, as she pondered on the words he had spoken the moment she walked into the office, she wondered if he, too, lacked the experience at a social level, which might explain why he could tell what made her unqualified.

Observing her flushed cheeks, Mr. Brown smiled, "He was here making the application too! Anyhow, come and meet me this afternoon at the campus' No.1 Lab, and I will tell you the way."

"The No.1 Lab?" Sienna's eyes lit up. "Holy Molly, I've never been there! Awesome! Thanks, Uncle Shane!"

"Thank me when you actually make it inside," Mr. Brown replied, massaging his belly with a slightly reassured expression.

"Can you guarantee that it works?" Sienna asked.

Mr. Brown beamed mysteriously, "It depends on you."

-

The campus' No.1 Lab, often referred to as the Room of Exquisiteness, held the status of a dream-lab for every City University student. Renowned for its state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge facilities, it stood adorned in exquisite decor within a serene, secluded section of the building. Access to this space was considered a blessing, with even a mere touch of its contents eliciting awe.

Sienna eagerly anticipated her meeting there and arrived ahead of Mr. Brown. Standing before the seemingly unassuming door, adorned with a precious painting from overseas, Sienna couldn't contain her excitement. To express her anticipation, she impulsively gave the door a warm hug.

Unexpectedly, the door wasn't locked, and as she leaned against it, the door swung open. Losing her balance, she staggered forward and landed in Brandon Myles' arms, catching him off guard and propelling both of them into the corner of the wall. Stuck in this close proximity, Sienna found her lips inadvertently meeting Brandon' s in this surprisingly swift "attack."

Startled, she was on the verge of giving Brandon a resounding slap for his hooligan behavior when she noticed something peculiar about him. He seemed to be boiling with intense heat, his face turning pale, displaying discomfort that went beyond what one would expect from a normal seizure. What astonished Sienna even more was the fact that, despite his apparent weakness, Brandon managed to muster just enough strength to utter, "Fetch...fetch...Professor Jason Marks."