She is older? I don't believe it!

That day Ace pays attention to the class more than usual. Ace keeps waiting for the teacher to tell them that they would have a transfer student to join in their class. But to Ace disappointment, even after the bell for lunch break rings, the teachers never mentioned anything about a transfer student. Ah, too bad she is not in my class. He thinks to himself as he went to the cafeteria to buy his lunch.

"Yo!" His friend, his only friend Tsubaki Sai who is in a different class with Ace greeted as he meets him on his way.

"I thought you said you're not going to be at school today?" Sai continued.

"Ryou-nii is going to be home tonight" Ace answers.

For anyone it might be something unrelated but for Sai who has known Ace since middle school and knew exactly how his brothers treat him, it was a very reasonable reason.

"Ah, I see" Sai said in understatement.

"You are welcome to have a sleepover, by the way" Ace said offhandedly as they paid for their food and went to look for an empty table to have lunch.

"I didn't say that I want to have a sleepover" Sai answers, already understanding why Ace told him that.

"You didn't but I know you want to" Ace said again as they still looking for an available place to sit. Somehow the cafeteria was very packed today.

"And why do you think that?" Sai rolled his eyes as he following Ace to find a place.

"Well, I can find several reasons but one of them maybe because my Ryou-nii who you always admire and have a crush on is going to be home tonight? I just trying to be a good friend by inviting you, so you won't need to make up any reason on your own?" Ace teases.

"Because even though you're a good student at school, you're dumb when making up a reason. Especially if it was a lie and just a reason to meet your crush." Ace adds.

"I don't have a crush on Ryou-san" Sai said, but contrary to his words, his face redden even to the tip of his ears which just make Ace laughed in reply.

"Shut up, you!" Sai said without malice.

Ace was about to reply back to him when a sound of his name reached his ears. He looks around to see who was calling him. Because Ace is a loner, people think Ace is a delinquent. Usually nobody besides Sai will dare to call out to Ace. When he found the source of the voice, Ace's heart soar in delight. It was the Angel. Erm, it's Shieru. Ace means it was Shieru.

Sai look at Ace and Shieru with a questioning gaze.

"You know her?" he asked Ace

"Yeah, we met this morning. She is a transfer student and was lost, so I helped her to find the administration office." Ace answers as he goes to Shieru's table.

"Hi, Ace." Shieru greets cheery as Ace arrived.

"Hi..." Ace greets back awkwardly, face turns slowly without his permission.

Sai who was standing beside Ace and was observing him made an 'Oh' sound of understanding as he witnessed the change of Ace's exspresion which makes Ace aware that he was there.

"Ah, this is Sai, my friend. Sai, this is Shieru. We met this morning." Ace said as he introduced them.

"Hi, nice to meet you! Ace was very helpful this morning. I am really thankful to him" Shieru said cheerfully to Sai.

"It's my pleasure" Sai answers politely.

"Were you perhaps looking for a place to have lunch? We can share a table if you don't mind..." Shieru continues as she saw the tray in both Ace and Sai hands.

"We do. but are you sure you don't mind? I don't want to impose... " Ace starts looking at the other try beside Shieru's. The owner is absent but ace is sure that she or he will be back and Ace thinks that Shieru has already made friends and don't want to scare them because of his reputation, but Shieru convinced them that her friend wouldn't mind so both Ace and Sai gracefully sat on their table.

Halfway of they conversation while having lunch, Shieru's friend come back. Both Ace and Him looks starlted for a moment. Ace doesn't really knows the person but everyone at school recognize him, different from Ace's own reputation, his reputation is really good and he is very popular among the students and teachers after all. Verdinand Shu, has been student council president since his second year of school, currently a third year student here.

"How did you know him?" Ace and Shu asked Shieru at the same time while Sai looks at the three at them back and forth.

"Oh, this is Ace, the one that I told you this morning. He helped me when I was lost" Shieru told Shu.

"And Ace, this is Shu, my friend. We are also classmates. Isn't it good? with him in the same class as me, at least I won't get lost while finding my classroom." Shieru told Ace next.

Ah, Shieru is also a third year. Ace though in realisation... Ace nods to Shieru in an understanding. "I see" he said and then continuing to savour his lunch.

Shu blinks his eyes for a moment then shakes his head as if to get rid of the bizarre situation. A delicate girl like Shieru eating lunch with a ruffian like Ace, before he also sat down to have his lunch.

Meanwhile Sai rolled his eyes at Ace and waiting. He knows that soon Ace will realize the other important things. And sure enough, not long after that Ace stopped himself. Stilled at a moment and turned to Shieru.

"Wait... you're older than me?" he asked. At Shieru's nods, he opened and closed his mouth in amazement "No way!" he said.

Ace turns to Sai and whispered disabeliefly.

"She is older? I don't believe it!"

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