Bring Your A Game, Mr

“No way! Even though I was super quick, I couldn’t even secure any tickets!” Danny exclaimed in mild

disbelief.

After finishing with the payment process, Jack breathed a sigh of relief and waved his cell phone at

Mikayla. “I managed to get three tickets, but they’re not the VIP ones.”

“That’s good enough! H is so popular and has such tech-savvy fans, so the fact that you’ve managed to

get any tickets at all means you’ve surpassed the majority of them.” Following that, Mikayla looked at

Elise. “Come with us when the time comes.”

As Elise looked at them, an idea formed in her mind, so she answered, “Alright, but I might be a bit late

that evening. I have a surprise prepared for all of you.”

All at once, they stared expectantly at her.

“What’s the surprise? Tell us right now!”

“Yeah, don’t keep us in suspense!”

Nevertheless, she only gave a mysterious smile. As she glanced at Alexander, she noticed him with a

curious gaze before he blurted, “Can’t you at least tell me?”

Elise playfully shook her head. “I have already said that it was a surprise! If I tell any one of you now, it

won’t be a surprise anymore...”

Her answer was enough to placate them and they began to look forward to her so-called ‘surprise.’

After the banquet ended, the hosts saw the guests off at the door before returning to their respective

rooms.

It was just like that as Elise and Alexander were the only two people left in the spacious hall.

“Danny told me you have a birthday present for me in my room,” Elise started, to which he nodded

slightly with mild amusement. All of a sudden, she was a tad bit too eager to wait. “I’ll just pop in and

check it out then.”

With that, she raced up the stairs to her room.

The moment she opened the door, she noticed gift boxes of all sizes neatly arranged at one side of the

room—they were presents from Mikayla and the rest of her friends. On the other side of the room were

boxes of different shapes and sizes wrapped with the same kind of paper. After Elise earnestly counted

the presents one by one, she discovered that there were eighteen of them.

With that, she reached down to pick one at random and began disassembling the box.

Inside was a doll with a greeting card that read, ‘Hope you came into the world with eyes bright and full

of stars. Wishing you a Happy 1st Birthday!’

As she snorted out loud, she immediately began to tear open the second box where there was a pink

princess gown inside. Its card read, ‘The two-year-old you must have been tottering about as you learn

how to walk by now. You must have looked very cute!’

Then, there was the next—‘Did you like hogging the television to watch cartoons as well? I wish I could

have seen what you were like when you were three!’

‘Have you started preschool by now? Did you have many good friends? Once again, it’s your birthday. I

hope you had a good year!’

‘Did you like collecting toys? Being five years old must be a strange new world for you!’

‘Now that you’re six, you’re about to attend grade school! In the future, you must be brave and strong.’

‘Did the seven-year-old cutie pie have any hobbies? Can you tell me about them?’

There was more with similar messages.

As Elise tore the boxes open one by one, she found different presents and greeting cards in them. By the

time she finished reading the 17th card, tears were already swimming in her eyes.

‘Good day to you, 18-year-old Elise Sinclair. I am 24-year-old Alexander Griffith. It’s nice to meet you!

Even though I have missed your first 17 birthdays, I hope to be able to spend every future one with you!

Being 18 means that you’re all grown up whereby your life can truly begin. I hope you have nothing but a

beautiful life ahead of you and that I may be able to accompany you every step of the way.’

Signed, ‘Alexander Griffith.’

It was enough to make her weep in earnest. When she turned around, she discovered Alexander

standing behind her and gazing at her, so she threw herself into his arms without the hesitation to tightly

squeeze him.

As he gently looked at her, he cupped the back of her head and asked, “Have you finished looking at the

presents?”

Elise nodded.

“Do you like them?”

While meeting his gaze, she told him, “This is my first time receiving so many presents at once. I’d never

be able to tell from our daily life that you, Alexander Griffith, can be such a romantic. I love these gifts.

Thank you very much.”

Although his expression had softened even further, Alexander couldn’t help asking her with a tease, “Is it

enough simply to say ‘thank you’?”

Without any hesitation, Elise tiptoed to kiss him on his lips.

For a moment, Alexander froze before he closed his eyes and took the initiative to deepen the kiss.

It was only when he felt aroused that he pushed her away to maintain his distance from her. “It’s getting

late. You should get some rest! I’m heading back to my own room now.”

With that, he departed and left Elise to stand there, flummoxed. As if she thought of something, her face

suddenly reddened and she couldn’t help giggling.

Once again, she looked around at the gifts in her room and smiled brightly. As her heart filled with

gratitude for Alexander’s kindness, she vowed to search for the right opportunity to tell him the things

that she had yet to tell him.

Her college entrance examination began to grow near after her birthday party.

In the final days before their examination, all of the twelfth graders worked especially hard. Since even

Danny was up early on a daily basis to cram for his Chinese exam, it was a given that Elise would

dedicate all of her time for her revision.

The day before the entrance examination, Elise retrieved her exam pass and decided to take a look at

the examination hall with Mikayla before heading home. Much to her surprise, Danny had appeared out

of nowhere and inquired, “Exams are tomorrow, Boss! Are you nervous?”

Elise shook her head. “No, you?”

With some embarrassment, he rubbed the back of his head as for the weirdest reason, he had been

restless and uneasy for the past two days. “To tell you the truth, I am a bit nervous. That is, I feel tense

and at a loss.”

As she observed Danny, she commented, “You’re suffering from a case of the nerves because you didn’t

spend enough time preparing for your exams. These are symptoms that you’ll only experience if you are

highly nervous and they won’t disappear completely until the exams are over.”

“Oh no. What should I do then?”

While patting his shoulder, she consoled, “Do you trust me?”

Without any hesitation, Danny nodded. “You’re my boss. Of course I trust you!”

“Then, don’t pick up any more books when you arrive home. Jog around the neighborhood to relax

instead before you wash up and head to bed.”

Danny was somewhat doubtful when he clarified, “Are you sure that will work?”

An earnest Elise nodded. “You’ll find out once you try!”

Now that he had placed his entire faith in her, he returned home, changed into a tracksuit, and went

jogging. By the time he arrived home, dinner was ready and Alexander happened to return as well.

“Why are you back so early today?” a surprised Elise asked.

A second later, Alexander suddenly walked up to her and pulled a bouquet of sunflowers out from behind

his back. “Good luck with your exams tomorrow. I hope you come out on top!”

As she looked down at the bouquet of sunflowers, she beamed and accepted the bouquet while

answering, “Thank you! I’ll try my best.”

“I have exams tomorrow as well, Alex. Why don’t I have a present?” Danny, who was standing behind,

queried..

As he glanced over his shoulder to look at Danny, Alexander replied, “I have low expectations for you. I’ll

give you a Maserati if you enroll in a second-rate university!”

And just like that, Danny’s eyes widened. “Are you being serious?”

“Yes,” Alexander replied. “Cross my heart and hope to die!”

An excited Danny then hopped. “Are you sure you’d be fine with a second-rate university? Why do I feel

like that’s too surreal?” After all, he wouldn’t have any difficulties with getting into a second-rate university

with his current grades and even a first-rate university would barely be a challenge for him.

However, Alexander seemed to think Danny would have already given it his all by managing to enroll in a

second-rate university, which was why Alexander nodded and affirmed, “Yes, I’m afraid you’ll be stressed

if I aim any higher.”

Danny responded in his exhilaration, “Just you wait!”

After dinner, a sly Elise pulled Alexander aside to ask, “Will you be going to H’s fan meeting?”

He raised his eyebrow as he answered, “I might not be able to make it since I didn’t manage to obtain

any tickets.”

Much to his utter surprise, she pulled out a VIP ticket from behind her back and handed it to him. “This is

for you.”

A stunned Alexander then stared at the ticket. “How did you manage to get a VIP ticket?”