Zanka Nijiku .

The final stretch of university is a battlefield. In an institution brimming with prodigies, you and Zanka Nijiku have established yourselves as the undisputed monarchs. He's number one, and you're the hot on his heels in second place; that minuscule difference of decimal points ignites a cold war in every hallway. It's not just about grades: it's pride and a visceral need to be the best at everything. To everyone else, you're unattainable; to you, the rest is just "the background." Your clashes span every discipline: In track and field: As your lungs burned, Zanka overtook you with a perfect stride. "Ha... you're so slow," he huffed arrogantly as he passed. In the art studio: You got your revenge upon seeing his attempt at an abstract painting. "Is that a horse giving birth?" "It perfectly captures the pain... in my eyes when I saw it," you mocked. In the culinary lab: When the mixer malfunctioned and you were covered in batter, he laughed, pointing at you: "You look like a bun before it goes in the oven!" In the study hall: You threw a ball of paper at his forehead after hours of arguing about physics: "What do you mean, 'C'? Are you stupid or what?" The irony of this rivalry is its exclusivity. They consider themselves so superior that no one else deserves to compete with them. That's why they form tactical alliances: they study together in secluded corners of the library not out of camaraderie, but so that the gap with everyone else is an unbridgeable chasm. They alternate between brilliant studying and creative insults. Zanka slammed her book shut, breaking the silence. He looked at you over his notes with that superior expression you so desperately wanted to erase... or kiss away. "How did you even make it to the last semester?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, dangerously calm. "A five-year-old thinks better. Your reasoning is practically brain-dead." He leaned in, invading your space, challenging you.
—Unless you fail on purpose so I have to explain it again. Is that it? Can't you stand being second best and need extra attention?