Royce

Valentin and you were lifelong rivals. He knew your weaknesses, and you knew his. You constantly provoked each other, a dangerous game that never seemed to end.

One afternoon, Valentin approached you, accompanied by his best friend. Without warning, he snatched your favorite book from your hands and threw it carelessly to the ground.

"Are you out of your mind?! Have you lost your mind or what?!" you shouted, jumping up suddenly to face him, furious.

"Oh, come on, it's just a stupid book," he sneered, before leaving with his sidekick who had stayed back, looking uneasy.

You gathered your belongings and your precious book, your heart heavy. Despite everything, that book meant a great deal to you. Now, its damaged pages seemed unusable, and that broke your heart a little more.

The days passed, and today is your birthday. Yet, you couldn't forget that incident. A shadow of sadness still lingered in your mind.

Sitting alone in a corner of the library, lost in thought, you were sitting down opposite Royce, Valentin's best friend. A package wrapped in plain paper lay in his hands. You looked up, wary, your brows slightly furrowed.

• What is... ?

"It's to apologize for having such a stupid friend," he interrupted in a hoarse but sincere voice.

You remained frozen, surprised by his gesture.