Not far from where Aria and the stranger stood, three boys were chatting nearby. "Hey, do you think Luck will win her over?" one of them asked.
"Who knows?" another boy replied. "I don't know what got into him since we saw the girl earlier. He said he must ask her out. Let's see what the result will be."
Luck, the stranger, turned his attention back to Aria. "Can I have your number?" he asked.
"No, sorry," Aria replied bluntly.
"Why?" Luck pressed, not backing down.
Aria took two steps away from him, but Luck followed, standing right in front of her again.
"Why?" he asked again, as Aria remained silent, looking away.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Luck asked, his tone slightly aggressive.
"Yes, and since you've already guessed, it's only fair you should leave now," Aria said with a stiff smile.
Just then, Ace drove up in his car, spotting Luck standing in front of Aria. From her expression, Ace could tell she didn't want to talk to him. His face darkened as he wondered who was bothering his Aria.
Aria, sensing Ace's arrival, looked up and spotted his car. She started walking toward it, but before she took three steps, Ace had already parked the car and gotten out.
"Is everything alright?" Ace asked, pushing Luck slightly away with his broad shoulders and standing protectively in front of Aria.
"Yeah, everything's alright. Let's go," Aria said, intertwining her hand with Ace's and giving him a sweet smile.
Luck, pushed aside, looked on in dismay, his eyes fixed on Aria's smile.
Meanwhile, one of Luck's friends, Darrell, watched in surprise. "What is Ace doing here?" he wondered.
"She has a boyfriend," Ace said smugly, looking Luck straight in the eye before following Aria, who was walking away with their hands intertwined.
As they walked to the car, Ace quickly opened the door for Aria, who got in before he closed it.
"She turned you down," one of Luck's friends said, chuckling.
Luck's face fell, his eyes still fixed on Aria's retreating figure.
Luck's friend patted him on the shoulder. "No wonder the atmosphere seems tense when the other guy showed up. Woah, this is the first time you've been turned down. Sorry, man."
Darrell, still patting Luck's shoulder, wondered to himself, "What is Ace doing here, and with a girl? His girlfriend, hmm?" He sighed, careful not to reveal that he knew Ace.
"She's beautiful," Luck muttered under his breath.
Ace turned to Aria and asked, "You're annoyed?"
Aria nodded. "He's too pushy."
She then asked, "What's wrong with some boys? The more you show them you're not interested, the more they feel thrilled to keep trying?"
Ace smiled. "You want an answer from me?"
Aria hummed, "Ehm."
Ace explained, "They think you want it but are trying to show you don't, so they become pushy, thinking they have a chance to win you over. For some, it's just their nature to be persistent until you accept them."
Aria's eyes widened in surprise, forming an "O" shape with her mouth. "Oh."
As they drove, Aria asked, "Now, where are we going?"
Ace smiled mischievously. "Wait and see for yourself, love."
Aria's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Okay, so it's another surprise."
Ace confirmed with a nod. "Yeah."
After twenty minutes of driving, they arrived at MX Park. Aria's eyes widened as she stepped out of the car.
"PARK!" she exclaimed, hardly believing her eyes.
Ace chuckled, looking at her with a warm smile. "Yes, park."
As they walked through the gate, Ace asked, "Do you know what today's date is?"
Aria tilted her head, confused. "No."
Ace's smile grew wider. "This is the day I realized I'd fallen in love with you, same day last month, May 14th."
Aria's eyes locked onto Ace's, her heart skipping a beat.
Ace continued, his voice filled with promise, "And I'll be happy every 14th day of every month because of you, Aria."
Aria smiled, looking down, feeling shy under Ace's intense gaze.
Ace's smile softened as he pulled Aria into a gentle hug, taking her by surprise.
For a moment, they stood there, lost in their own world, oblivious to the people around them.
As they walked to buy tickets, Ace quickly let go of Aria, remembering they were in public.
They slowly followed the line, enjoying the atmosphere, until they finally boarded the Ferris wheel.
As they reached the top, Ace broke the silence. "Hey, you've been quiet for a while now."
Aria smiled, pointing to the distant tall buildings. "I don't think there's anything to talk about. Just enjoy the scenery."
Ace moved his head, trying to follow her gaze. "I didn't see anything."
Aria chuckled and pulled Ace closer, trying to show him the view. Suddenly, Ace found himself crashing into her, his eyes widening in surprise.
Aria's heart skipped a beat as she turned to look at Ace, their faces inches apart.
Ace's eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, they just stared at each other.
Then, Ace looked away, focusing on the view Aria had pointed out. "Oh, I see. It's nice."
Aria's voice trailed off, her heart still racing from the sudden closeness.