Chapter 10 – [Ace]

December 21st, Sunday – The Day of the Competition

I have to reach the venue by 10:30 AM, even though our turn isn’t until 12:15 PM. I still don’t understand why we need to get there so early.

Or at least, why I do.

It’s not like my role is significant. All my tasks were digital-based, and I’d already completed them. There’s nothing left for me to do.

But whatever.

At 10:45 AM, Ace arrived at the hall.

Annie, Rosh, and Nalani were already there, waiting. He scanned the venue quickly—everyone was present except for Dav.

"Hey, Ace! I didn't expect you to arrive so early," Annie greeted him with a smile.

Ace raised an eyebrow. "Annie, you were the one who told me to come early. And look, I’m here."

Before she could respond, Nalani chimed in. "Dav isn’t here yet."

To that, Rosh simply shrugged. "It’s Dav. Don’t worry—he’ll show up."

Ace nodded but didn’t miss the way Annie’s expression shifted ever so slightly. It was subtle, but she seemed… different from the last time he saw her.

Something happened in his absence. He was sure of it.

Turning to her, he asked, "Annie, is there something wrong? Are you facing any kind of trouble?"

She shook her head. "No, not at all. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing," he said, though he didn’t quite believe her answer. "So, do I have any tasks left to do?"

"Nope, nothing for now."

"Then I’ll find something else to kill time."

With that, Ace wandered off, making his way to the main hall. He spent the next hour casually reading through the various projects displayed on the billboard.

Thirty minutes before their turn, tension started to rise.

Dav was still nowhere to be found.

Everyone was trying to call him, but he wasn’t picking up. Panic started to set in.

Then, ten minutes before their scheduled debate, they received news—

Dav had been in an accident.

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere shifted. Worry replaced their previous excitement. No one could stay calm.

But time wouldn’t stop for them.

Five minutes later, they had no choice but to begin their debate without Dav.

Ace walked back into the room and saw the panic written on their faces. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"I trust you guys. I know you can do this. After all the preparation and hard work, I won’t let this effort go to waste. I’ll help you out. So calm down… and have faith in me."

His words grounded them.

With newfound determination, they stepped onto the stage.

Ace took Dav’s place.

As they began, everyone was surprised. Ace was never supposed to be in the competition—Dav was.

But the moment Ace spoke, their worries faded. His confidence, his ability to improvise—it was as if he had prepared for this all along.

During his segment, he delivered his points flawlessly, adapting to the situation in real time. By the time his part ended, the rest of the team had already gathered their composure.

One by one, they presented their arguments.

And by the end of it all—

They placed 3rd in the competition.

After the event, Annie found herself standing beside Ace.

"How did you even know what to say up there? That was supposed to be Dav’s part."

Ace smirked. "Well, I was bored, so I listened to the other teams’ debates. I picked up a few points here and there and added a couple of my own while I was on stage."

Annie laughed softly. "An interesting way to pass the time… but it ended up saving us."

She smiled, genuine and warm. "Thank you, Ace. You didn’t just save me—you saved all of us today."

Ace looked at her for a moment before replying, "I wanted to help you this one time… since you helped me too."

As the evening settled in, Annie and the others were getting ready to leave.

Ace watched as she walked ahead before calling out to her.

"Annie..."

There was something different about his voice. A hesitation.

She turned around. "Yes?"

For a second, he debated whether to say it. But then, he took a breath and asked—

"Can I become your friend too?"

A moment of silence.

Then, Annie smiled—bright and sincere.

"Sure, why not?"