The Crimson Tigers won by one point.
Not pretty.
Not dominant.
But honest.
The kind of win that left jerseys soaked, shoes scuffed, and breathing uneven.
Lucas watched the buzzer-beater drop from the tunnel entrance—arms folded, jaw set, his face unreadable as the crowd erupted behind him. The scoreboard flashed, the buzzer echoed, and the bench exploded.
They didn't sprint around like champions.
They exhaled like survivors.
He waited until the post-game adrenaline thinned and the press started peeling away.
Then he walked into the locker room.
The players were halfway through their cooldown routine—some still peeling off tape, others chugging electrolyte drinks, a few just slouched with towels over their heads.
Heads turned when he entered.
Conversations stopped.
He didn't smile, just walked to the center of the room, hands in his pockets, and said:
"Ugly win."
No one disagreed.
"But," he added, "still a win."
A few of the guys gave tired nods. A couple cracked faint grins.
Lucas looked around the room.
"I've seen this before. Tight games. No rhythm. A million mistakes. And you still found a way."
He paused.
"That's what tells me who I'm building around. Not a highlight reel. Not one clean quarter. But how you grind when everything goes sideways."
He locked eyes with the forward who missed two free throws in the third. "You kept your head up."
Then the rookie guard who took a risky shot early. "You didn't panic after the miss."
Then finally, the team captain. "You held the floor when everyone else was gasping for air."
Lucas took a beat. Let it breathe.
"Don't let anyone tell you one point isn't enough. It's more than most people ever get."
The room was still.
Somewhere behind him, a shower sputtered on.
He turned toward the bench, grabbed a towel, and tossed it toward a center who'd barely played.
"You're on the next rotation," he said. "I don't care about your minutes. I care about your impact."
The center nodded hard, like it meant more than it should've.
ATHENA chimed softly in his earpiece. "Emotional engagement spiked. You've increased internal loyalty by approximately 19%. They now refer to you less as 'the owner' and more as 'our guy.'"
Lucas said one last thing.
"Rest up. We're not here to impress. We're here to make people uncomfortable."
Then he walked out.
Outside the locker room, the hallway was quiet—just the hum of overhead lights and the smell of sweat and hardwood.
That peace didn't last long.
"Coach-Pan-Slash-Media-God," Julius called out, walking up beside him with a grin and a phone in one hand. "You always know how to walk out of a room like it's the season finale."
Lucas gave him a sidelong look. "You're not calling me that in public."
"Relax. I only trademarked it internally." Julius tucked the phone away and clapped a hand on Lucas's shoulder. "Listen, you've got an unofficial social thing tonight. Low-pressure."
Lucas frowned. "What kind of thing?"
Julius smirked. "The rich kids are circling."
Lucas stopped walking. "Meaning?"
"I got a text from Leo Shen. He and Adam Xi are having a private dinner with their usual group—and you've been added to the list."
Lucas folded his arms. "I haven't seen them in months."
"Exactly," Julius said. "Which is why it's now. They're checking the temperature. You're finally the guy who made noise on the court and in the boardroom."
Lucas hesitated.
Julius leaned in. "You're not walking into a trap. You're walking into a mirror. These are the people who play with dynasty chips and never show their hands. Frances hates how much access they have. You? You could sit down at their table and make them ask you for moves."
Lucas narrowed his eyes. "And what's your role in this?"
"I'm your wingman," Julius said. "You talk power plays. I talk fashion and rumors. You charm their trust. I analyze who's real."
Lucas exhaled, slow. "Fine. But I'm not there to impress anyone."
Julius raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well... too bad."
Lucas stopped walking. "What now?"
Julius tried not to grin. Failed. "I may have scheduled a ten-minute segment with Hot Search Daily. Pre-dinner. Super casual."
Lucas stared. "Are you serious?"
"Ten questions," Julius said, holding up both hands like it was nothing. "That's it. Quick, clean, semi-flirty. It's practically speed dating with a better photographer."
"I agreed to dinner. You didn't say anything about a public roast."
Julius clapped him on the back. "It's not a roast. It's a warm-up. You answer some softballs, trend on the right hashtags, and then we slip into the private room with Leo and Adam. By the time dessert lands, you're not just a guest—you're the headline they quote at brunch tomorrow."
Lucas muttered, "You're exhausting."
"And you're welcome," Julius replied, already texting the producer. "You want to play this game your way? Good. But I'm gonna make sure you have the microphone when it counts."
They barely made it twenty steps before a sharp voice called out from the end of the hall.
"Lucas Pan?"
A woman with platinum-blonde hair and high-gloss boots approached, tablet in one hand, comm link in the other. Two camera techs followed like shadows.
She didn't wait for introductions.
"I'm Mei Yan, segment producer for Hot Search Daily. You're scheduled for a ten-question flashfire. One camera. One mic. No script."
Lucas blinked. "I thought this was casual."
Mei smiled—polished, unreadable. "Casual format. Intense reach. We don't do fluff. We do traction."
Julius started to interject, but she was already spinning her tablet around to show the format.
"Here's the setup: ten rapid-fire questions. No prep. All designed to trigger opinion, charm, or mild scandal. The better your answer lands, the more reactions you pull from live viewers. Top answers get a gold card."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Gold card?"
Mei nodded, all business. "A digital vote from the live feed. Five gold cards across any combination of our media verticals and you get invited to our influencer reality slate."
Lucas blinked. "Wait—you're offering me a reality show?"
"Only if you're interesting," Mei said, smirking. "But right now? You're trending. And gold cards trend harder."
Julius looked far too pleased with himself.
Lucas muttered, "Aren't we supposed to go to a quiet dinner."
Julius clapped him on the back. "Do career-defining algorithmic gauntlet first. Go be likable."
Mei turned, already motioning the crew to start setup near a neutral backdrop.
Lucas sighed and stepped into frame, mic clipped, eyes steady.
Across from him, Mei Yan reviewed her tablet once more, then looked up—her smile polite, her gaze calculating.
"Ten questions," she said. "No prep. No retakes. Just reactions. You ready?"
Lucas nodded. "You sure you are?"
That earned her first real grin. "Let's find out."
The red light blinked on.
Stream Live: 1.2 million viewers.
Timer started. Ten minutes.
Question 1: "You went from PE teacher to CEO in - four days. Cinderella, but make it male. What do you say to people calling you a fairytale fluke?"
Lucas didn't blink. "Flukes don't file termination notices or sign off on budget audits before breakfast. I didn't fall into power. I walked into a burning building, and I didn't flinch."
LIVE FEED:"Okay king.""Not a fairytale if he earns the throne."| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
Question 2: "You're now one of the most Googled men. Are you ready for that level of attention—or do you still buy your own groceries?"
"I can still pick my own produce," Lucas said. "But now someone takes pictures while I do it."
Mei raised a brow. "And you don't mind?"
"I mind when people pretend it's not a performance. The trick is to choose your own script."
LIVE FEED:"HE KNOWS.""Smart AND humble???"| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
Question 3: "You're running a company your father built. Do you ever feel like you're performing in someone else's shadow?"
Lucas looked right at her. "Only when people forget I cast one too."
Mei paused, smile tightening. "That's a power line."
Lucas: "I don't say things I don't mean."
LIVE FEED:"HE'S HIM.""That was stone cold. I'm scared."| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
Question 4: "Let's talk wealth. You weren't born broke, but you weren't billionaire-tier. What does money mean to you now?"
Lucas leaned forward slightly.
"Money's a tool. Power's a consequence. But control? Control is the only thing worth chasing."
Mei nodded slowly. "You sound like you've been rich for years."
"I sound like I've had time to think. Money just gave me a louder mic."
LIVE FEED:"why is this interview HOT???""no notes. 10/10."| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
Question 5: "Who's the most dangerous person in your life right now?"
Lucas didn't miss a beat.
"Myself. Always."
Mei blinked. "Not your stepmother?"
Lucas smirked. "She's playing chess. I'm designing the board."
LIVE FEED:"he didn't have to SNAP like that "| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
Question 6: "What's one thing people keep getting wrong about you?"
Lucas exhaled. "That I'm new."
Mei tilted her head. "You're four days in."
"I've been underestimated for years. The cameras just showed up late."
LIVE FEED:"Male Cinderella but he's already the king""quiet confidence is ruining my life respectfully"| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
Question 7: "Be honest. Are you single?"
Lucas smiled for the first time.
"I'm in the dating phase. If it ever becomes serious, you won't need to ask. You'll know."
Mei raised both brows. "Is that a promise or a threat?"
"Depends who's watching."
LIVE FEED:"this man is flirting with 1.2 million people"| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
Question 8: "What scares you?"
Lucas paused.
Not long.
Just enough to feel real.
"Becoming so powerful I forget what got me here."
Mei didn't respond for a second. Then just nodded.
LIVE FEED:"genuine answer alert ""he's self-aware too???"| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
Question 9: "Legacy or reinvention?"
"Both," Lucas said. "You can't rewrite a story without first knowing how it was told."
LIVE FEED:"print that on my forehead"| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
Question 10: "Why should anyone believe in you?"
Lucas didn't move.
Didn't blink.
"Because I do."
Mei sat back. "That's all you've got?"
"That's all that ever mattered."
LIVE FEED:"GIVE HIM A SHOW NOW."| GOLD CARD ISSUED.
.
.
.
After the red light went dark, Mei unhooked her mic and gave him a look—equal parts impressed and unsettled.
"Did you practice that in front of a mirror?"
Lucas stood. "No. I practiced by surviving people who didn't want me here."
She laughed. "Then I hope they're watching."
Julius popped in with a drink in hand. "We're trending in five countries. You're officially too hot for a quiet dinner."
Lucas handed back the mic and gave Mei a small, real nod.
"Thanks for the questions."
Mei smirked knowing the next step.