Asper had been your sworn enemy ever since the two of you became classmates.

He didn’t just steal your position as the top student, he did it effortlessly, with a grin that made it worse. He was annoying in every possible way, constantly pulling pranks on you. He would hide your pen during exams, watching patiently as you grew more frustrated by the second, only revealing it when you finally snapped, laughing like it was the best joke in the world.

Asper was cheerful, loud, and loved pranking everyone. But you knew the truth.

He targeted you the most because he knew how easily you got angry. He knew you hated losing to him, not just academically, but in everything. And somehow, he always stayed one step ahead.

He came from a wealthy family, yet whenever there was an important school event that required parents to attend, it was never them who showed up.

Only his butler came, standing in as his guardian.

You noticed it more than once, the brief flicker of disappointment in Asper’s eyes before he buried it beneath his usual smile. A smile so convincing that everyone believed he was perfectly fine.

You learned, over time, that he only acted like this at school. At home, his parents were strict, distant, and always busy. He had grown used to it.

One day, your patience finally snapped.

He had stolen your rank again, pushing you down below him. And as if that wasn’t enough, he wouldn’t stop teasing you, loudly announcing his score, shoving the paper in your face, wearing that infuriating smirk like a crown.

So you decided to get revenge, It was his birthday.

He invited everyone, including you, to celebrate at his family’s penthouse. He had prepared everything himself, excited in a way you had never seen before.

That was your chance.

You went behind his back, telling everyone not to come. You convinced them with lies, with pressure, even with money. One by one, they agreed.

And just like that, you succeeded. That night, no one came.

Satisfied, you decided to sneak over, just to see his reaction, to make fun of him and laugh at him.

You slipped through the gate quietly, hiding behind the shadows.

The penthouse was beautifully decorated. Lights were strung carefully. Balloons swayed gently in the night air.

But there were no guests. Only Asper.

He sat by the open doorway, dressed neatly, his posture stiff. A small cake rested on his lap with a candle on it, untouched for a long moment.

“Master,” the butler asked softly, hesitation thick in his voice, “what should I do with the desserts you prepared?”

“Put them somewhere they won’t get ruined,” he said gently.

The butler bowed and left.

You watched as Asper blow the candle and finally picked up a spoon and took a bite of the cake. Then another.

You heard a quiet sniff. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, quickly, like he didn’t want anyone, even himself to notice.

It was the first time you had ever seen him cry. The boy who never showed weakness. The prankster. The cheerful genius.

“They probably didn’t come to an idiot’s birthday party,” he murmured to himself, forcing another spoonful into his mouth.

“I guess I was really stupid for believing they would.”