Chapter 1

1: 1

When the placement exam scores came out, I became the enemy of my whole family.

All because two years ago, my dead grandfather had come to my father in a dream.

"The Harpers will produce a prodigy."

Everyone assumed it had to be my younger brother, Hunter Harper.

He always delivered. His grades were excellent.

But no one saw it coming: the worst score of his life landed on the placement exams.

Looking at my acceptance letter from the National Defense University, my parents couldn't muster any joy.

"You got into an elite university, so what about your brother? The Harpers can only produce one prodigy."

My brother stared at the notice that had knocked him down below his cutoff, and slammed his phone down in a fury.

"Sis, you stole my good luck for school. You owe me!"

I stayed silent. I only waited for our parents to weigh in.

They thought it over for a long time, and finally made up their minds.

"Valerie Stewart, go change your surname. The Harper prodigy can only be your brother."

My mother tried to comfort me.

"Take my maiden name, Cox. You'll still be our good daughter."

Something inside me went cold, and colder.

I'd gotten into an elite university. Everyone said I'd brought honor to the family name. And my own parents wanted to strike me from the family register.

I nodded without any expression.

"All right."

But I didn't say the rest.

I wouldn't be a Harper. And I wouldn't be a Cox.

From here on, across all the distance ahead of me, in the Harper family and the Cox family alike, that person would not exist.

1.

At six in the morning, my mother knocked on my door.

"Val, when are you going to change your name?"

I rubbed my eyes.

"I made an appointment for this morning."

She nodded.

"Good. We're taking your brother to look at exam-prep academies, so we won't be able to go with you."

She turned and knocked on Hunter's door.

From inside came the sound of something heavy hitting the floor.

Hunter was throwing another fit.

Since the scores came out, he hadn't quieted down for a single moment.

"I'm not going! What garbage exam-prep academy! I could've gotten into Riverside High!"

"It's all her fault! Nothing's gone right for me since she came back!"

My mother tidied up carefully, not even daring to raise her voice.

"Hunt, calm down, that's your sister's laptop—"

"That's exactly why I'm smashing it!"

Hunter was still shouting.

"You should've just let her die back in the countryside. Why did you bring her back at all! She ruined my whole future!"

I quietly closed my door.

The sound was fainter now, but I could still hear every word.

Hunter and I are three years apart.

After he was born, my parents used the excuse that "the rental was too small, we couldn't look after two kids," and left me with Grandma Abbott.

"Val, your brother's little, he needs Mom and Dad more."

"Just wait a while. Once we buy a place in the city, we'll bring you over."

That wait lasted twelve years.

I went through preschool, elementary, and middle school back in the countryside.

My brother lived in the city with our parents.

Even after they'd long since bought the place, they never thought of me.

Then, the year I turned fifteen, Grandma died, and only then did my parents bring me to live with them.

I was so happy back then. I thought the family could finally be together.

But once I walked through the door, I realized no one else saw it that way.

My parents would cook good food for my brother, and when they looked at me, there was always that distance.

"Val, we don't know what you like to eat. Just make do."

They bought my brother nice sneakers and clothes. All I had was my school uniform.

"Val, don't compare yourself to others. Getting good grades is what matters most."

I was obedient. I didn't hold it against them.

But even when my grades were excellent, they still didn't see me.

Because the "prodigy" they kept talking about could only be my brother.

Hunter was still going at it, and something crashed against my door.

A loud bang, then it dropped to the floor.

My mother's voice was urgent and careful.

"Hunt, don't be angry. You just had an off day. Next year you'll definitely—"

"I don't want next year! I want this year! Grandpa Harper said the prodigy was me, and now she's stolen it!"

My father finally came out of his room.

His voice was low.

"Enough! Valerie's already agreed to change her name. What are you still making a scene about?"

"She stole your luck? Why not blame yourself for not beating her?"

Hunter wanted to argue back, but he was afraid of angering our father, so he swallowed it.

He turned and shut his door, and then came the sound of a video game, and he refused to come out again.

When I opened my door, my mother was picking things up off the floor.

I looked, and my pupils shrank.

What Hunter had thrown was my pencil case.

Inside was an iron medal. It was something Grandma had given me.

"Val, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Young as I was, I hadn't figured it out yet.

I looked at the medal she kept in her drawer.

"Grandma, I want to be like you. Go to the battlefield, defend the country."

Grandma smiled.

"Times are different now. Your generation builds the country through science."

She stroked my head.

"Study hard. Go to the best school someday, and make your dream come true."

I knew of a lot of good schools, but I didn't know which one Grandma meant. Still, I nodded.

Before she died, Grandma left me that medal.

And I'd kept it with me ever since.

Every time I slacked off in my studies, or the pressure got to me, I'd take it out and look at it.

Grandma's words steadied my resolve.

But now, that medal had been smashed.

It had broken into three pieces, and the thimble cap had fallen off.

I couldn't stop my eyes from stinging.

My father sensed something was wrong. He cleared his throat.

"Don't blame your brother. He's upset about slipping below his cutoff. He didn't mean it."

My mother had seen the few scraps of metal in my hand too.

"That's the thing Grandma left you, isn't it? An old thing, not worth anything. If it's broken, just let it go."

I said nothing. I only picked up the pieces one by one.

In their eyes, nothing of mine was ever worth anything.

Back in my room with the door shut, the girl in the mirror had red eyes.

But I held back the tears.

Eighteen years old. I was an adult now. I couldn't cry anymore.

Another knock came from outside.

My mother was calling.

"Val, it's time. You should get to the records office to change your name."

I answered, and packed a few clothes and daily necessities into my suitcase along the way.

It was time to go.

No.

Just like Hunter said, I never should have come.