10. Oh no.

Neo stepped up to the table, his heart pounding in his chest. As he grasped the paddle, the blonde girl flashed him a confident smile, her purple eyes gleaming with a mix of challenge and amusement.

"So, you want me to call you 'brother,' huh?" she teased, her voice light but with a hint of seriousness. "Be careful what you wish for." She tilted her head slightly and asked, "Do you play table tennis?"

'Not since I was five,' Neo thought, but he shrugged, trying to keep his cool. "Kinda," he replied, not wanting to reveal his inexperience.

The match began. The girl served first, her movements fluid and graceful. She was fast—every swing of her paddle was calculated, each return a precise strike. Neo quickly realized she wasn't just playing; she was trying to throw him off balance. She varied her shots, switching between powerful smashes and delicate spins, trying to confuse him and force mistakes.

She curved the ball, and Neo managed to deflect it, leaving his flank wide open. She grinned and smashed toward the gap. Neo scrambled to reach it and, thankfully, made the return.

It was clear she was aiming to embarrass Neo, but he wasn't about to back down. "I have to find a way to win," he thought.

He focused on her rhythm, watching how she shifted her weight and positioned her paddle. The match dragged on, and the entire court grew silent, captivated by Neo's performance. The students, who had initially marveled at the seniors' appearances, were now engrossed in the game itself.

"I have to win," he repeated in his mind. "She's trying to confuse me, trying to force me into making mistakes." He had nearly fallen for her tricks multiple times. "But I can't let her get into my head. I need to stay focused and find a way to turn this around."

Then, during an intense rally, Neo decided to take a risk. As she sent a fast, spinning shot his way, he pretended to stumble slightly, letting his body appear off-balance. The black-haired girl, thinking she had caught him off guard, prepared for an easy return.

At the last second, Neo twisted his wrist in an unexpected direction, sending the ball at a sharp angle just out of her reach.

Her face contorted in confusion as she tried to adjust, losing her footing. The ball skidded past her paddle, hitting the table's edge before dropping out of bounds. The point was his.

The crowd gasped in surprise. To the onlookers, it seemed Neo had won by sheer luck. Murmurs of protest rose from the juniors, some claiming it wasn't a fair win.

"That's impossible!"

"I want a do-over."

"How could he make our beloved senior Sophie lose face?"

"This is unacceptable."

"He must have won by mistake. Did you see that fluke at the end?"

"That fluke was definitely a mistake."

Neo stood there, catching his breath, still processing what had just happened. He hadn't expected to win, especially not in such a dramatic way. The blonde girl straightened up, her expression unreadable for a moment before she let out a soft laugh, clearly amused by the outcome.

"Well, looks like you got me," she said lightly.

"Yeah, I was lucky," Neo replied, scratching the back of his head.

"My name's Sophie. What's yours?" she asked, extending her hand for a handshake.

"It's 'big bro,'" Neo grinned as he shook her hand.

"What?!" the black-haired girl grinned and teased, "I didn't know Sophie, who was so good at table tennis, would fall victim to a junior's tricks."

The pink-haired girl burst into laughter as Sophie's left eye twitched in anger.

"Shut up, Mia!" Sophie snapped, trying to hide her embarrassment as she frantically attempted to cover Mia's mouth.

Neo smiled, watching the two seniors bicker playfully. It reminded him of his twin brother, Leo. Neo and Leo had been left at the orphanage by their parents, but Leo was adopted by a different family who wanted to make a musical star out of him. Leo had been exceptionally talented with musical instruments, even at a young age. Neo was only eight years old when they were separated, and it was one of the things that fueled his determination to work harder. Maybe one day, with the right connections and wealth, he could find his little brother.

Neo walked out of the court as the seniors continued their playful argument. He felt good about himself as he headed back to his residence.

When he reached his room, it was already noon, almost time for his next class. He opened the door to find his belongings neatly arranged on his bed, in contrast to the chaos of Alex's scattered luggage and the careless placement of two new bags on the other beds.

"And here I thought girls were tidy by nature," he muttered, shaking his head. He quickly grabbed his notebook and iPad, ready to leave the room, but something made him pause.

Two new bags were resting on the beds that hadn't been occupied before. Were these his new roommates' bags? And more importantly, were his new roommates… girls?

The thought made his heart skip a beat. Living with one girl had already proven more complicated than he'd expected. Could there really be two more?

He hesitated, glancing at the luggage again. If they were girls, their clothes would confirm it. The idea of rummaging through their things crossed his mind—a quick check to satisfy his curiosity. "But if I get caught, I'd look like a total creep," he reasoned with himself. If his new roommates were girls, he needed to be prepared.

"It's only creepy if I get caught, right?" he muttered.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he found himself moving toward the nearest bag. His hands felt clammy as he unzipped it, his breath coming in shallow, nervous puffs. He rifled through the contents, trying to be quick and discreet.

And then he saw it—a G-string, bright red and unmistakable. Neo's heart thudded in his chest as he held it up, the reality of the situation hitting him like a ton of bricks. They were girls.

Great. Just great, he thought sarcastically. I already have trouble dealing with one, and now I've got three?

But before he could fully process the implications, a sound snapped him out of his thoughts. The door creaked open, the noise sharp and sudden in the quiet room. Neo's eyes widened in panic as he realized he was still holding the G-string. He froze, every muscle in his body tense as he slowly turned his head toward the door, dreading what—or who—he would see.