Chapter 5

Half an hour later, Dad pushed open my bedroom door with a huge grin still plastered on his face. "Henry's results are out, so we'll be hosting a celebratory dinner for the relatives and his teachers tonight. Go change into something nice for once and stop wearing clothes that look so worn out, Gavin."

He glanced at my washed-out shirt and jeans with a frown. He didn't say anything more about it and just turned around to get back to his planning.

Henry walked out of his room looking sharp at 4:00 pm. He was dressed in high-end streetwear with his hair styled, sporting a new watch on his wrist. He looked very youthful and stylish in his fit. He glanced at my plain outfit with a hint of dissatisfaction and asked, "Why haven't you changed yet, Gavin?"

"I'll go change now," I said. I returned to my room and pulled a somewhat old blue shirt from the closet. It was the only new piece of clothing Mom and Dad had gotten me last year.

Henry said the color made him look older, so he didn't want it. That was how it ended up with me.

I put on the shirt and looked at myself in the mirror, noticing that my complexion and lips were pale, and my eyes were completely devoid of emotion. I looked like a plant that had grown in the shade—dull and lifeless—compared to Henry, who was all youth and sunshine.

Upon reaching the restaurant, the private room was already filled with relatives, as well as a few of Henry's teachers.

Henry made his way around the room like a social butterfly, smiling as he greeted everyone and accepted their compliments and congratulations.

Dad stuck right beside him, completely unable to hide his pride. He patted Henry's hand every so often, painting a picture of a loving father and son. Mom sat with a few female relatives, talking animatedly with a glowing complexion while looking visibly delighted.

Henry had just posted a new update on his social media, showing two money transfers from Mom and Dad—each for 750 dollars.

It was obvious that one of the relatives nearby had seen the update as well. He turned to Dad and exclaimed, "You two are really generous! You actually gave Henry 1,500 dollars in one go!"

Dad laughed heartily and exclaimed, "Henry earned it for making us so proud! He has always been such a good kid, so we never had to worry about his grades!"

Just then, Henry sat down beside me. He looked at me expectantly and said, "I did so well on my SAT this time, Gavin. You didn't forget to get me a gift, did you?"

I hadn't even had the chance to say anything before Mom and Dad walked over and responded without hesitation. "Your brother's been working part-time, hasn't he? He can just send you his wages from the past few days as your congratulatory gift."

Dad naturally leaned over to glance at my phone screen, probably checking how much money I had in my bank account.

Just then, a notification for a high-speed train booking popped up on my phone instead. His expression instantly shifted as he asked, "What's this, Gavin? Where are you off to?"

Henry also noticed the notification, his expression instantly souring. He pouted and asked, "You aren't trying to tag along on my graduation trip, are you, Gavin? You still have to repeat a year before retaking the SAT, you know?

"I get that losing your admission ticket and missing the SAT is embarrassing to talk about, but you don't have to tag along just to put on a show in front of outsiders, Gavin."

Just as Henry finished speaking, a teacher sitting nearby suddenly frowned and asked with a look of total confusion, "Why would Gavin have to retake his SAT? Didn't Gavin secure a guaranteed spot at Crestvale University a long time ago?"