"Ace?"
When the blindfold slipped off, Fire blinked at the light—then saw him.
Standing beneath a cascade of golden fairy lights was Ace, dressed in a midnight-blue suit laced with gold trim, the silk catching the light like moonlight on water. His presence commanded the room, tall and statuesque, his every movement smooth and deliberate. His foreign features were sharp—angular jawline, high cheekbones, eyes like dusk-lit embers.
And that smile—soft and radiant—was meant only for her.
"Surprise," he said, stepping forward with a bouquet of deep crimson roses.
Fire's breath caught.
Behind him, the room looked nothing short of a royal gala. Red and gold draped across the ceiling in shimmering fabric, glass chandeliers hung like upside-down gardens, flower arrangements bloomed on every surface. The table was set with porcelain plates, gold-rimmed glasses, and dishes presented like edible art.
It was extravagant. No—regal.
A fantasy pulled straight from the pages of a romance novel, and Ace had set the stage perfectly.
"You should've told me!" Fire ran to him, laughing as she threw her arms around him.
"That would've ruined the surprise, wouldn't it, Flamemy?" His fingers brushed her cheek as if she were made of porcelain.
The dinner table overflowed with decadence: freshly seared wagyu, lobster glazed in gold leaf, delicate towers of sushi, and desserts that shimmered under the lights. Even the champagne in crystal flutes seemed to sparkle more here. Ace had never done simple—this was his signature.
But behind the glitter and glam, something else pulsed—tension.
Fire felt it, cold and sharp, like someone watching from behind a mirror.
She turned slowly.
Ice.
His blindfold had just come off, but instead of waiting for help, he shrugged off the ropes like they were threads. When someone moved to untie his wrists, he slipped away, brushing the man's hand off with a silent glare.
His face was unreadable, but his body said everything: rigid shoulders, clenched jaw, steps too measured.
Fire winced. He's going to hate this.
She tried to take a step toward him, hand halfway raised.
"Ice—"
"I'm leaving," he said flatly, already turning.
"Wait! At least stay for dinner—my assistant can take you ho—" Ace began, trying to catch his stride, but the sentence faded. Ice didn't look back.
He walked straight to the door and left without another word.
Fire bit her lip, watching his figure vanish.
"He really didn't like that," she mumbled.
"He doesn't like drama," she added more to herself, then looked back at Ace with a small smile. "But he's not a bad guy. Maybe someday, we can all meet properly."
Ace gave her a half-smile, then handed her the bouquet with a slight bow.
"Of course, Flamemy. But for tonight—let's enjoy what's ours."
As he took her hand, the lights brightened slightly. One by one, staff stepped out from behind velvet curtains, applauding. Flashbulbs burst. A camera clicked. A photo was taken of Fire and Ace at the center of it all—elegant, untouchable, perfect together.
Another post. Another headline. Another piece of their story curated for the world.
Meanwhile...
Ice sat at the back of the nearly empty bus, hunched against the window.
The streetlights passed in slow rhythm, streaking across the glass like faint memories. A soft, melancholy love song played low over the radio—ironic, considering how silent the night felt.
His phone buzzed.
Mom:Are you home already?
Ice:Almost, Ma. Good night.
He closed the chat. Normally, that would be it. But something itched.
On a whim, he opened Fire's public fan page.
A new post.
There it was: the same restaurant from earlier. The same glittering lights. The same over-the-top luxury. And in the center—Fire and Ace, beaming like royalty. She looked like she belonged there.
Tagged: Blaze 'Ace' Saito.
Ace. Ice barely knew the guy. But now, curiosity won. He tapped the name.
A public profile.
Page after page—award shows, brand campaigns, charity galas. Ace was everywhere. Fire showed up often, always beside him. Confident. Stunning. Unreachable.
He scrolled to a recent post.
A photo from just weeks ago.
Fire, dressed in a sleek black suit, hair short, lips curled in a quiet smirk. Androgynous. Elegant. Beautiful.
Caption: "It's been a while. Flamemy is so handsome."
Ice's thumb hovered. Then he locked the screen.
He leaned back, letting out a long sigh, jaw tightening. He stared out the window again as the lights passed him by, one after another, like questions he didn't want to ask.
This is irritating.
Next Chapter:Secrets are best served cold.
Fire never expected her fake relationship with a superstar to feel so real—or for Ice, her aloof and infuriating classmate, to start haunting her thoughts. As whispers stir over who's really in her heart, a surprise encounter at the university gate sets emotions ablaze.
One friend, one almost-boyfriend, and one person she can't quite forget.
It was supposed to be simple. It never is.
Love gets complicated when truth and timing don't agree.