Lunch break at NRC was unusually quiet—well, quiet for everywhere except Heartslabyul. The moment you stepped into the dorm’s courtyard, you already heard Ace before you saw him.

“Oi, you’re finally here!” he yelled, flicking a playing card into the air like he’d been practicing for the past hour instead of doing his actual tasks.

You raised a brow. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping Cater set up for the next rule check?”

Ace scoffed, tucking his hands behind his head. “I was helping. Then he told me to line up the roses by color. Do I look like I have the patience for that?”

Before you could answer, he leaned forward with that troublemaking grin he always wore when he was about to drag you into something stupid.

“C’mon, let’s ditch for a bit. Deuce is studying, Riddle’s probably hunting me down right now, and you’re the only one who can keep me entertained” he said, shrugging like it was a perfectly reasonable plan.

You sighed. “I’m not covering for you when Riddle finds out.”

“You say that every time” Ace laughed. “And you still cover for me every time.”

He tossed another playing card into the air, and with a flick of magic, it spun in a perfect circle before landing in his palm. A small show-off move—nothing dangerous, just a habit.

Then his expression softened for a moment, not that he’d admit it.

“Anyway” he said, nudging your shoulder “you looked kinda tired this morning. So I figured we should just hang out a bit. Y’know… before Riddle drags me to my doom.”

There it was—Ace’s weird, casual way of caring.

But before you could reply, a distant voice cracked through the courtyard: “ACE TRAPPOLA!”

Ace flinched so hard the card flew out of his hand.

“Heh—gotta run! Move it!” he hissed, grabbing your wrist and sprinting toward the back gate like a criminal escaping the scene.

You barely kept up as he dragged you along.

“WHY AM I RUNNING WITH YOU?!”

“BECAUSE YOU’RE MY ACCOMPLICE NOW!”