Chapter Text
To say Ace is stressing out or going through something is a serious understatement, after all this is the boy who has been through a lot ever since he was just a child. Years went by in a blur yet here he is standing at the railings of the roof with his head hung high as he took a step towards the edge. 'Finally, I'm free,' Ace thought as he closed his eyes and was planning to end it all when his feet found themselves on a soft carpet floor. With a disappointed sigh, he looked around and found himself standing in a lounge room with every single people he has befriended or interacted ever since his first day in NRC. Deuce and Yuu were looking around with a confused gaze plastered on their faces, while the others like the housewardens were trying to figured out why are they here and how. 'Guess today isn't my lucky day again, maybe next time,' that is the last thought of Ace before he put on his usual mask and walks toward his friend group.
In the midst of discussion and accusation, a voice cut through the crowd like a sharp knife and silence fell upon the group of students. "Hello and welcome all fellow students of NRC to my humble reaction room, you guys are just here to react to a simple video regarding some of your acquaintances so have no fear as I mean no harm. My name is Lilac Kurehai and I am your host for this remarkable event, now if you guys want to leave as soon as possible then please just take a seat and watch the video in silence. If have any questions, please feel free to ask." Lilac said to the speaker in a professional voice that carries nothing but confidence. Riddle, always ever the responsible one raises his hand for a question, "May I ask what are we reacting to?" the question has started a bunch of heads nodded in agreement to his question. "That is for me to know, and for you to find out so just sit back and enjoy this video," Lilac answered with a hint of mischief that most likely sent a spine of suspense to majority of the first years in this room. Still just wanted to get this over with, everyone took a seat and waited for the video to start, not knowing the terror and sadness that will befall them is approaching with caution in every step.
~3~
~2~
~1~
Let's begin the journey of a young boy who had save many lives and learn many unknown secrets unexpectedly...
~~MY R by Rachie~~
Just as I was about to take my shoes off, on the rooftop there I see.
The video shows Ace arriving at the rooftop with an expression that shows determination and a mix of regret as he crouched down and take out his shoes. That's when he saw a figure standing at the edge of the railings. The figure has a headdress on his head and was about to climb across the railings.
A girl with braided hair here before me, despite myself, I go and scream, "Hey, don't do it please!"
With a panicked look on his face, Ace quickly sprints to the figure and held on his shoulder, stopping him from his actions as he said, "Wait, don't do it please!" The figure turned around and a pair of red eyes with his short, white hair blending with the evening sky met Ace's. Ace found himself shocked as the person standing right before his very eyes is the resident sunshine that everyone knew and love -- Kalim Al-Asim.
Everyone looked shocked as they could not believe that Kalim was about to kill himself, especially Jamil and Silver, who looked at Kalim with a bewildered expression while Kalim just stood there as he remembered that day as clear as day and the secrets that he spilled out to Ace that day was about to be revealed to everyone who had fallen for the act he had put up for so long. Before they could questioned him, the video continues and everyone's gaze is back on the black tv screen, awaiting for what was going to come next.
Whoa, wait a minute what did I just say? I couldn't care less either way.
To be honest, I was somewhat pissed. This was an opportunity missed.
Ace soon retracted his hand and was wondering why is he acting like this, acting like he actually cared as he should feel mad that Kalim has ruined his chances of ending the nightmares he was put through but seeing the residence sunshine's eyes turned moist, he felt the rage in his heart calmed down as he listened to what Kalim has to say. "Sorry, Kalim-senpai. But if you don't mind, I don't mind lending an ear to your problems if it helps that is," said Ace as he mustered his most kindest smile he can mustered at that time. Kalim looked shocked at first but it didn't took long for him to start crumbling and ranting to Ace.
The girl with braided hair told me her woes. You probably heard it all before.
I really thought that he might be the one. But then he told me that he was done.
"I really thought that the friendship between Jamil and I will last forever. Ever since he entered my life when I was five, he's the one guiding me through my nightmares and he's also the one who never judge me or mocked me for being dumb or being a slow learner." Tears flowed down Kalim's ruby-red eyes as flashbacks of when he was just five and had just recovered from a kidnapping that took place two weeks ago, he was sitting at the edge of the staircase when suddenly a boy with shoulder-length brown hair entered his peripheral vision, that boy was Jamil Viper, who has then become his servant and his only friend from then on. For the first time, the heir never felt alone or invisible, instead he felt seen and wanted. "Yet, ever since his overblot and his true feelings about me had come to life, I felt like my entire life was a lie from the start. The one and only friendship that I leaned and relied on just turns out to be nothing but an illusion, and it's all my fault that he was driven to the edge and overblotted." Kalim's tears got even more uncontrollable as he recalls Jamil admitting that he had hated Kalim from the start and wish he was never born during his overblot, Kalim's eyes widened with shock as he realize his entire friendship is gone and it is all his doing.
Suddenly, the room went silent as they slowly absorbed the information that has revealed right in front of their eyes. Jamil, shocked by the revelation as he did not expect Kalim to actually blamed himself for his overblot. Although Kalim was one of the reasons, yet he knew deep down he just does not want to be bound to slavery his entire life and just wanted to be free to do whatever he wants, and unfortunately Kalim was the easiest person to blamed as he was the person who he was destined to served his entire life. Without a word, he wrapped his hands around Kalim, who started tearing up, as a sign of comfort and an unspoken apology as the video continued.
For God's sake, please! Are you serious I just can't believe.
That for some stupid reason, you got here before me.
Are you upset cause you can't have what you wanted? You're lucky that you've never gotten robbed of anything!
"Are you serious!! That's it, you came all the here to end your life just because you have experienced a once in a lifetime broken friendship!! You should be lucky you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth and a bunch of loving family that loves you unconditionally. Like, you must have never gotten robbed of anything at all in that lucky life that you lived in. And more importantly, there are other people out there who cares about you as well, so stop being ungrateful and oblivious to your surroundings," The words hit Kalim like a brick as he did not expect Ace to have this kind of reaction towards his woes as he does not even know what he has actually been through his entire life.
"ACE TRAPPOLA, THAT IS NO WAY TO SPEAK TO A SENIOR LIKE THAT AND DISREGARDING HIS PROBLEMS LIKE IT WAS NOTHING!!" Before Jamil could stood up from his seat and scold Ace for his attitude towards Kalim's problems, Riddle stood up and started lecturing the auburn-haired first year who face spoke a thousand words before he even opened his mouth to speak, eyes filled with regret and guilt towards his previous actions. As Trey and Cater calmed Riddle down, the video continued like it didn't witness the war just now, snapping all their attentions back to the screen.
Although Kalim know he should not tell an outsider what he had been through, something inside him just snapped and endless rage told over him. "Excuse me, I'm the ungrateful one? I'm the one who has never been robbed of anything? Well, let me tell you a fact that I've been robbed of my innocence, my childhood and my hope towards family. After all, why wouldn't I? I've been poisoned by one of my distant relative when I was just one and that time I was lucky. When I was two, I was put to a coma for three entire years as I had consumed a deadly poison that turned out to be my dearest aunt who was planning this ambush, it took two whole months for my recovery. Yet, not long after, I was kidnapped and tortured for two entire week straight before my family finally found me, took another two weeks to recovered from that trauma. And despite everything I've been through, I still have to keep up my bubbly nature towards everyone around me, especially my siblings so they won't lose their hope for this family and for this world. The friendship between Jamil and I is the only thing that was not robbed from me, the only thing keeping me afloat and see the good things of the world, yet even that has been robbed from me! So, don't think you know anything when you don't even know what I have been through the entire time!!" Soon, Kalim found himself crumbling on the floor as he felt a huge rock has been lifted off his shoulders, years of kept secrets was finally release. Meanwhile, Ace just put his hand around Kalim and pulled him into an embrace as tears fell down his eyes. "I'm sorry for judging you so soon. I understand what it felt like as I have been robbed my childhood and my view towards the world as well. My family treated me like I'm invisible and only remembers me when they need to release their stress on someone. After that, I stopped caring anymore, stopped thinking that I matter nor think that I deserve a place in this world so I understand it very well and you are not alone, I'm here when you need to rant again."
"I'm feeling better thank you for listening." The girl with braided hair then disappeared.
Kalim looked at Ace's warmth smile that has filled his heart with the kindness he had longed for but never received it. He immediately hug Ace once more, "Thank you for helping me, maybe next time I can come to you again if I feel like this once more if that's okay with you?" Ace just nodded his head as a sign that he is welcome anytime. Kalim's face brightened up and he's back to his usual bubbly self again, " Come on, let me treat you to a meal at the Monstro Lounge, Azul said he had planned a menu just for me when I get tired of Jamil's food. Let's go try it together, shall we?" As Ace was being dragged back into the building, he looked back at the rooftop once more before a thought landed on his mind. 'Maybe next time, I'll succeed for sure!' The door to the rooftop slammed shut and a picture of Kalim and Ace in the Monstro Lounge sharing pastries together and laughing with bright smiles on their faces displayed on the screen before it turns to black.
~~Second video will played shortly, but first please take a break to conceal your thoughts~~
The moment the video ends, everyone besides Ace and Kalim were left speechless as no one expected Kalim to experience this many trauma ever since he was a child and for Ace to have experienced nearly the same thing just not as detail as Kalim's one yet. Cater and Silver immediately rushed to the seat where Kalim is currently resting his worn eyes on Jamil's chest while the said teenager just wrapped a protective arm around the boy who has grew up too fast. Meanwhile, Ace was lying on the corner where all his friends are looking at him with concern and worry in their eyes. That is when he felt an urge to be invisible, like how his parents treated him like he does not exist, but he can not this time as now he has friends who had placed him in their hearts and see him for who he was. He just hope that they would not reveal too much otherwise he is doom.