Then it was Mike's turn.
He lazily walked to the center, adjusted the violin on his shoulder, and raised his bow. The moment his fingers moved, the air changed.
His bow danced—fast, slow, then faster again. The melody was chaotic and elegant, a storm of notes followed by stillness so graceful it felt like silence could cry. He played classical, jazz, and even snippets of anime theme songs, blending them seamlessly into one explosive performance. It wasn't just music—it was storytelling through strings.
A child was playing, yet masters would sit in silence just to study the movement of his fingers.
Midway through, he opened a lollipop with one hand, popped it in his mouth, and continued playing with the other. His face looked slightly bored, as if the performance was just an afternoon warm-up. When he was done, he gave a short bow, then casually returned to his seat, his lollipop now tucked into his cheek as he began kicking his feet gently against the chair leg.
The hall was silent.
And then—
"Are you guys not going to say anything?" Mia tilted her head, lips curling in amusement. "Or are you too stunned?"
She sipped her tea innocently before flashing a soft smile.
"I made sure Mike gets the best of the best—his outfit, his violin, his education. I may have nothing but money, but I'll use it all on my son. If he wants it, I buy it. That's all."
Mimi Cruz clenched her fingers around her mother's hand, her previously sweet expression flickering.
"Who taught you how to play like that?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Mike tilted his head, the lollipop stick poking out the side of his mouth.
"I don't have a teacher. I just learn whenever I get the chance. Different teachers from different countries. We travel a lot—vacations every weekend. It's kinda tiring."
He yawned.
Aiden chuckled and clapped slowly. "Well, it seems Miss Mia really doesn't hold back when it comes to raising her child. That's why she's the owner of Rose Fashion and Beauty Empire—queen of music, fashion, art, and now… genius parenting."
The camera panned to Lyla, whose smile stiffened like a mannequin. Mimi Cruz's eyebrows twitched slightly. Yuri Song tightened her grip on Takahashi's hand. The tension was silent but crisp like glass.
---
📲 Comments Section Explodes:
"DAMN Mike just beat a child genius on live TV."
"This what you call a prodigy fr."
"With a mother who draws, sews, writes music, scripts, AND manga?? Bro of course her son's cracked."
"Lyla: I want my child to be talented like Mimi Cruz 😍 — Reality: Her face went dark 💀."
"Mimi Cruz got humbled respectfully by a 7-year-old eating candy."
"How do y'all know Mike is better tho?? Maybe he's just good at piano?"
"NAH bro check his page. Mike's won awards for singing, acted in films, and is a brand ambassador for his mom's fashion line."
"Mike is what happens when money meets talent and zero chill 😭."
"Mia and Mike are not just mother and son—they're the FINAL BOSS."
"I want to be his lollipop 😭😭😭"
"Dude he is a child "
"This ain't even a variety show anymore. This is survival of the most aesthetic."
--
Later that afternoon, the camera followed Mimi Cruzi as she walked down the soft-carpeted hallway and pushed open a bedroom door.
Inside, Mike sat on a beanbag, legs crossed, casually eating shrimp chips while his fingers danced across his laptop keyboard. A colorful strategy game was open on one side of the screen, and on the other, a pre-recorded lecture played in split-screen—his eyes flickering between both with eerie calm.
The room had a chill vibe—soft lights, sleek decor, and music humming faintly in the background. The camera panned slowly, catching the edge of his violin case beside a set of polished trophies on the shelf.
"Brother Mike~" Mimi Cruzi called sweetly as she stepped inside, her pastel dress fluttering slightly. "I want to play with you."
Mike didn't look up. "I'm studying," he said calmly, clicking his mouse with quiet precision.
Mimi blinked, stepping closer. "Studying… while gaming?"
Mike's eyes stayed on the screen. "It's a chess competition. Online. My school signed me up. I'm in the semi-finals—nationwide. You wouldn't understand."
There was no hint of arrogance in his voice, just cold truth spoken with clinical disinterest.
The camera zoomed in on Mimi's face. She was smiling, but her lower lip trembled slightly.
"How can someone read and play like that?" she asked, voice softer now, laced with frustration. Tears welled in her eyes as she hugged her bunny plush tighter.
Mike finally glanced at her with a lazy look. "Well, I'm different."
That silence echoed.
She pouted. "Which school are you attending then?"
He gave a tiny smirk, then turned back to his laptop.
"Private. You'll find out later… or you won't."
---
🎥 Comments Section:
"BRO DID HE JUST DROP A WHOLE 'I'm different' ON HER?? 💀💀💀"
"Mike treating Mimi like a pop quiz he already passed 😭"
"The way he's flexing mid-chess semi-finals is insane 💅."
"Mimi: 🥺 Mike: 📚🎮🍤"
"The bunny plush ain't saving you now Mimi 🐇💔."
"'You won't understand' is WILD coming from a 7-year-old."
"This is the most savage kid I've ever seen—he's studying, snacking, and shading all at once."
"That 'Which school do you go to?' question was personal 😭."
"Mike out here playing chess in real life and online. Mimi just lost two rounds at once."
---
Mike didn't even glance up as he spoke, his tone calm but dismissive, every syllable a clean strike:
"Yuanlan Elementary School. Grade 3, Class One. Top of my grade. I'm already studying six schemes of work above my level, competing in high-level national competitions. I also attend part-time art school—tuition covered by my own earnings—and I have tutors I call when I feel like it. My parents pay for that. Anything else you want to ask?"
He paused, shifted slightly, and popped another shrimp chip into his mouth.
"If not, I'd appreciate some private time."
He said it like a gentle rejection, but it sliced through the air like a sword.
Mimi Cruzi stood frozen, her eyes wide as the weight of his words sank in. The cameraman slowly turned the lens toward her face, catching the tremble in her lower lip and the way her hand tightened around her bunny plush.
Mike didn't even look her way. The laptop glowed faintly in front of him, the only sound now the click of his mouse and the soft chime of an incoming move in the chess game.
A heavy silence settled before Mimi whispered, dazed:
"Yuanlan… Elementary School…"
Her steps were small at first, then faster—running as she turned back down the hallway, her soft slippers making no sound as she disappeared toward her parents' suite. The cameraman followed hesitantly, leaving Mike alone in the serenity of his genius world.
A second later, the door creaked open.
"Park."
Mike turned.
Mia stood at the door, sunglasses on her head, her arms crossed casually.
"We're heading to the next destination soon. Pack up."
Mike nodded and finally shut the laptop with one hand—calm, composed, unbothered. His lollipop stick was now dry, resting between his lips like a silent mic drop.
---