The Confession of Miss What's Your Problem
August 14th 2013
by Elise the Writing Desk, Heart no Kuni no Alice by QuinRose

He remembered that it was when he moved to his new middle school.

"Ace, you're so cool!" girls squealed, impressed. "I can't believe you went all the way to catch that ball!"

"Heh, thanks, ladies." He could only grin and smile.

"That was badass, dude." The boys patted his back.

Ace could only smile as he casually walked into the school building, while his classmates were busy chattering about today's baseball match.

"That new kid's cool."

"Ace, huh? Thought he's just good on the face...he's gonna be useful on the real game, I guess."

"That's if he can get over his ankle twist, ha ha ha...!"

The brunet's smile was gone. So that's how it was. And would always be. They knew...and they didn't care? Ace chuckled and shook his head. He felt a bit whiny; no big deal, he wasn't an attention seeker.

"Beep boop beep boop beep boop!" a random dark blonde was running around him. Suddenly, turquoises were staring at him, saluting. "Miss Ambulance 101, ready to help!"

A girl had dragged him into the class, letting his left arm rest on her so he could walk on his right foot.

"The name's Alice Liddell, sir!" she introduced herself while carefully putting down his left foot on a chair, and took out an icepack. "My profession is being nosy. Future carreer is...Ace Detective! Or Ace Doctor!"

Ace forced a smile.

"Huh...I see. How stupid."

"You mean, being nosy?" she stared up at him. "Hey, I just realized! I mentioned your name twice! Man!" she laughed and gently pressed the icepack on his twisted ankle. "Just imagine your name with your ace profession; Ace, the Ace Defective!"

"O-Ow! Ow!" Ace yelped at the sudden painful pressure. Feeling the cold rushes following, he sighed in relief. "Ugh...what's your problem?"

Calling him 'defective'.

"No, no, what's your problem, pal." Alice frowned at him. "Now don't you go giving me that trashy smile, buddy! I watched you trip when you caught that ball. I knew it wasn't a safe landing. And that was stupid." She deadpanned at him as she bandaged his ankle.

"Yeah?" Ace smirked. "That's none of your business, right?" he politely mocked.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, new boy." Alice shook her head. "When you see others in trouble, it's natural to help them out, okay? All done, buddy!" she patted his ankle, bandaged neatly. Grinning, she left him in the classroom alone.

Natural, huh?

Several days later, Ace was still smiling and polite to everyone, putting fake facades.

But he found himself smiling 'naturally' around the quirky Miss What's Your Problem.

~.X.~

Ace Pendragon wasn't an idiot, of course. Sure, he smiled all the time, and laugh, and always maintain his polite tone no matter how nasty the things he said, but keep in mind, he's definitely not an idiot. Idiot was the furthest word could be used to describe this charming brunet.

Charming would be the first word to describe him. The second be 'irritating'.

The tradition stayed, despite he's already a senior in high school. And another tradition would be...

"Ah!" Alice Liddell gasped and narrowed her eyes on a certain scene in front of the library. "Bully attacks on twelve o'clock!" she cracked her fist. "I'll handle this! ...Wait, Ace! Hey!"

CRASH

Ace acted oblivious as the guy screeched.

"Aaaargh! That's freaking hot! What the hell!?" the bully yelled at him.

"Oh...ha ha ha...I'm so sorry..." Ace laughed. "However, I don't think we can blame me to not notice such trivial trash on the ground, right?" he politely smiled.

"...You..." the bully growled and pulled Ace by his collar. The brunet glanced his ruby eyes to the poor boy who could only shiver beside him.

"Run." He hissed, before smiling again to the bully.

"What was that!?" the bully yelled, as his victim escaped in a wink.

"Oh, there you are, Kevin!" Alice came running dramatically, and frowned at the bully. "Oh my, I'm sorry, bro! Did my cousin wash that hot coffee on you?"

The bully twitched. "...Who the hell are you?"

"I'm his cousin. I'm so sorry for letting him away! He's an idiot, so he can't walk straight and spill many things in his hands..." Alice bowed apologetically. "I'm so sorry."

Ace inwardly sighed. He's trying to be her hero, and she's here to bail him out. What's the cool about that?

"Fine, just this once I'll let this stupid idiot slide." The bully scoffed, sending a threatening glare at Ace, before turning and walked away.

Ace wondered why he forgot about his victim, but then Alice snuck behind the bully and pulled out a wallet. The wallet owned by the poor boy earlier.

"Ding dong ditch, Ace."

"Huh?"

"Ding dong ditch!"

The two nodded to each other. Sometimes he wondered why he stick around with this childish, nosy girl.

SMACK

"Did you see it, pal?" Alice laughed.

"Care Bears boxers. Cute." Ace snickered, pulling the boxer up while Alice pulled down the jeans.

The bully froze on his spot while being visually molested.

"You...idiots..."

"Run." Alice gulped and stepped back. "Run, bro! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!"

"YA THINK YOU'RE GOIN' HOME ALIVE!?"

Miraculously, they did.

~.X.~

"Alright!" Alice fist-pumped, other hand clenchin onto a black plastic bag. "Today, we're picking up trashes off this mountain!"

One day, he'd gonna get killed for staying around this girl, with her heroic quirks. Ace sighed.

"We're supposed to camp for the orientation, not picking up trashes, though. You're such a drag." He snickered, opening his own trashbag.

"Well, if you don't want to, you should stop following me." Alice stuck out her tongue. "It must be my leadership charm that makes you keep following me, ha ha ha!" she over-confidently laughed.

Seriously, he always wondered when she'll be dead with such high confidence.

Past noon, and she's still around picking up with so much energy. Ace wondered when will her battery drop eventually.

"Hey, I'm tired." Ace said, stretching his arms. "Should we camp here?"

"Huh? Camp? We just need to walk back! We left our camping tools in the bus, anyway." Alice grinned. "If you're tired, then...let's get back!"

He had a hunch. A bad hunch about this. About both of them being together in a forest, on a mountain.

After an hour of walking, he realized what's the hunch.

"We're lost..." Alice loomed darkly. "...And this is my fault..."

Ace laughed. "I didn't know you were directionally-challenged."

"I didn't know you are, either."

"So we camp, then!" Ace sang cheerfully, dropping his backpack. "Good thing I had this hunch. I brought our sleeping bags." He said, setting down the place.

Alice sighed. "I'm an idiot." She declared. "And you're an idiot too, for following an idiot."

Ace chuckled and pulled out a match. "And then, as the idiot at fault, you should go to gather dry woods for fire."

Alice grumbled as she went to collect woods.

If only he also had a hunch about this one.

~.X.~

"Alice...?" Ace called, his voice echoed in the forest. He was sweating cold; it was starting to get dark, and Alice hadn't come back from gathering woods. "Alice...damn it." He growled and pulled a stick on fire as the torch, venturing the darkness.

He paused. But then, he might get lost too. Looking around in desperation, he gathered a stack of pebbles and used them to leave tracks.

"Alice, where are you!?"

Why did he told her to gather woods in the first place...

He clenched his fists angrily.

If she's hurt...he wouldn't know what to do.

He couldn't forgive himself.

"Ace...!" he froze and listened. "Ace...! Help...! Ace...!"

A sore, weak voice was heard. The voice kept calling him, and Ace followed the direction, using the voice as his guide. He was led to a cliff.

The brunet's heart almost stopped as he found her.

Alice, dangling on a tree's root for dear life, down the cliff, onto the deadly river. She looked up at him with teary face, her eyes quickly lit up.

As if she saw the last ray of her hope.

"Ace...!" she cried hoarsely.

"...Hh..." Ace clenched his fists. "Don't you dare let it go." He darkly said and took off his jacket.

"I...won't..." she panted.

They didn't talk anymore. It had been some hours since Alice was lost, Ace wasn't sure how long she had been hanging onto that root; if it had been too long, her hands would be weak and sore...and she'd let it go despite she didn't want to.

He tied his jacket to a slender root on a young tree nearby. Then, he took off his sweater, to prolong the hand-made, emergency rope. He held onto it, but it wasn't long enough to reach down.

Groaning, Ace took off his jeans.

"You're so dead, Alice Liddell." He growled and tied his jeans.

Yet, it was still not enough!

Ace shivered at the coldness hitting his body. The last remnants of his clothing was his ryder sleevless shirt and his boxers.

"Sorry." Was the only thing Alice could say. He flinched when he saw her looked down.

"D-Don't move." Ace said.

"No...wait, maybe if I jump...I can still make it." Alice weakly said.

"Don't you dare!" Ace yelled. "I won't forgive you, idiot. Not after I take this off!"

Screw this, he thought, as he took off his clothe. He was prepared to take off his boxers without thinking twice, but fortunately, the rope was done.

Ace began to lower himself to the ground while tightly holding his clothes as his only handicap.

"Can you reach me?" he moaned out, stretched.

Alice gasped and tried to reach his hand. And she made it.

For a moment there, he felt alive. The way her hand desperately reached to her and grip it hard for life...it felt lively. He felt wanted. More than anything. He was practically her life at that point.

Ace panted as he managed to pull her out of Death. He dropped his back on the ground, while Alice sat beside him, panting as well.

Ace sighed.

"How on earth did you get there?"

Alice hummed.

"I...forgot." she laughed nervously, when suddenly a rabbit popped out of her jacket. Alice grinned guiltily as she pulled out the rabbit. "You little...now Ace would yell at me all night...This is how you thank me after saving your life?"

Ace laughed. So he got almost naked because of her heroic quirks. Now that's the first. Getting almost killed by her heroic quirks...would be perfect if completed with the word: 'again'.

"You really want to get killed."

And even though she literally want it, he'd be there to stop her.

~.X.~

Sure, he was charming, smart, a bit irritating...Sure, he had bravely strip off his clothes and went down a cliff to save a girl. Sure, he had spilled hot coffee intentionally on a bully to save the poor victim.

But it was for one person, always for one same reason.

And when he was faced with her...

The word brave, bravery, couragious, guts and courage were gone from his dictionary.

Though as the cushion, he wanted to amend himself by saying that; he also had a reason for being a chicken.

"He's a robot. I knew it." Alice nodded conspirationally, as they were watching a certain navy-haired teen. "I saw him drink machine oil last night!"

Point one, Ace thought; why would you watch him drink, anyway?

"He always speak with the same tone and always had that deep frown with empty eyes. Robot, I tell you, Ace!" Alice tried to convince him. "Snap, he's getting away! I think he's going to an electronic shop...to discuss evil plans with his fellow robot friends!"

Ace laughed. "Come on, stop being in denial. Just say it, you're having a big crush with your cousin, Julius Monrey, and you say you want to stalk him because he's a robot just so you can have a reason to stalk him." He pointed out his thought for her.

And managed to not left bitter tone.

"I don't know..." Alice puffed her cheeks. "I used to have a crush on him when I was smaller, though. He's so sweet and cute. Now look at him." She shook her head.

Ace felt something boiling on his gut. Like a metal being melted inside of him. His head was suddenly pounded by Zeus' gavel, if he had one. And something inside him throbbed in pain.

The brunet suddenly fell silent. He felt sick.

"Ace." She called out in confuse. "You look pale all of the sudden. What's your problem? Did a zombie bite you in the ass?"

Ace gulped and laughed. "Nah...I need to pee. Gotta go home. Bye!"

Alice could only frown in confuse.

Well, of course she was confused; they were hiding right beside a public toilet! Did he really have to go home to pee?

~.X.~

Fine, he's a chicken. Getting high fever just because the love of his life said she had a crush on other guy. Ace huffed and dropped his body on his mattress. He lived in an apartment alone, on the top floor; the silence made his head throbbed.

The silence made him remembering what she had just said. Over and over and over again.

Fine, it was his fault for pushing her about having a crush on Julius Monrey.

"Damn it." He groaned, putting his hand on his heating forehead. "I'm such a wimp."

And a loser, he thoughtfully added.

He sighed, staring at the dimly ceilings, shined over by the lights from the window.

"Alice..." he muttered, his other hand tried to reach his delusional strands of dark blonde.

He dropped his arm.

He had always been alone. He moved out of his family. No one cared anyway. No one cared when he walked out of the house with his bags and suitace. No one really cared about others in this world. That's the world Ace had always known.

The only thing he learnt from his parents was; never show weakness. Always smile before your problems.

He knew he was pathetic. He wanted her to be with someone that made her happy...but at the same time, he wanted that someone to be him.

What's even more pathetic...even if that someone wasn't him...he still wouldn't leave her alone.

He had always known why he loved her so much.

One of the reason was her nosy personality; she cared too much about others' problems. Saving a kid from a bully, picking up trashes off the mountains, getting down a cliff to save a rabbit...

A person who actually cared, the kind who would help anyone despite they're strangers. Not just a hero-wannabe-obsessed girl. A sincere girl, Alice Liddell.

And then, there was him, the selfish, helpless idiot who chicken out before the fight. He wanted her to care only about him. He was selfish. He wanted her all for himself, so he could smile freely, he could be happy, and he knew that there was someone who really cared, just by his side.

Selfish, selfish, selfish...

"Ahah!" he almost jumped off his bed when a voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He deadpanned as he saw Alice Liddell was standing by his bed, striking a pose like a detective catching a crime done.

"Ace the Ace Defective! You got a fever!" she said in accusing tone. She stared at him for a while, and sighed before kneeling beside his bed and put her chin on his mattress.

She stared into his eyes earnestly.

"Why do you always make me worry?"

Ace coughed and smirked. "You should talk, idiot. I'm not the one falling off a cliff."

Alice shook her head. "No, I mean, really, Ace. What's your problem? If you're sick, you could have told me. I wouldn't drag you to get Julius teach me Physics."

There's that name again.

"You stalked him to get him teach you physics." Ace narrowed his eyes on her, and then turned his back to her. "For your F mark, right? Why don't you ask me instead?"

"Yeah, well..." she awkwardly started. "I feel like I depend on you too much, Ace. I wanna show off to you, that, hey, pal! I can do this on my own! Cool huh? Yeah...well, that's all the reason I got." Alice rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "Just to impress you, that's all. You've been calling me idiot, so I..."

"I want you to always depend on me." Ace said, still not looking at her. "I don't want you to ask help to others when I'm right beside you, idiot."

Alice sighed. "Really, Ace? What's your problem?" she gently moved over to check his heat, and gasped. "Your fever is high...Do you have anything in your kitchen?"

"...Nothing."

"I'll go out to get some food. Hang on there, buddy! Don't you dare die on me!" she threatened, and exited his room.

Ace tossed and sighed, holding his heated face. It was either because his sudden fever, or he was getting hot from saying stupid things. Asking her to only depend on him...?

What kind of bullshit is that? He can't even do anything right; telling her the truth, for example.

~.X.~

If this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up at all. He'd rather have her feed him chicken soup for all eternity. Over and over and over again. He couldn't even taste the chicken soup, just how warm it was. And how she's feeding him gently, it was all what mattered to him.

Hell, she could just feed him poison and he wouldn't mind her doing it for all eternity.

Curses, the soup was finished. Alice helped him to drink warm water, and he lied down again while she put on wet towel on his heated forehead.

"When I have fever...I'll probably just sleep until it's gone." Ace started to say.

"What about your mom?"

"She didn't care. So this is the first time someone take care of me when I have fever." He smirked, starin straight to the white ceilings. He sighed and closed his eyes. "This feels good. Thanks, Alice."

"No problem." He could hear her smile in the tone. "So you didn't come from a happy lovey-dovey family, huh? How can you be so strong, Ace?"

Ace frowned in confuse and glanced at her. "Huh?"

"Putting on wide smile all the time, studying hard, and for the worst part, following me around and getting dragged by my 'heroic' quirks..." Alice sighed. "If I know you already have so much problems, I wouldn't let you put up with my quirks, idiot."

The brunet quickly grabbed her wrist. "Don't say that..." he was about to yell about how he'd probably jump off a bridge if she want him to stay away, or other stupid cliche confessions on mind, but he could only say;

"...I always had fun." He smiled gently. "So I'll always put up with your quirks. Idiot."

Alice smiled back. "Just shut up and go to sleep, buddy." She ushered him, letting him hold her wrist as he closed his eyes.

Just to make sure it wasn't a dream, he kept on holding her wrist tightly. Just having her there, beside him, probably feeling awkward watching him sleep—but then again, he wondered if Alice Liddell knew the word 'awkward' at all—he felt happy and fulfilled.

Ah, he's such a baby. A selfish baby.

He didn't want to sleep. He wanted to close his eyes and hold onto her wrist forever, if this couldn't get anymore cliche. A pathetic loner having a stupid fever because he's too much of a chicken to tell his undying love to a nosy girl.

He felt it was just a minute in his imagination world, when suddenly he felt gentle pressure on his lips.

...

"Ack, I'm such a pervert." He heard her say. Alice sighed. "Kissing your crush when he's sleeping! Alice, you're a freaking creep!"

...Hold it.

"Uugh...but he looks so cute...I should probably take a picture..." he heard a slapping sound, she probably facepalmed. "I really am a creep."

He heard her sigh, and hummed. He felt her finger poking his cheek.

"Ace, you freaking stupid idiot." She muttered. "You always look so strong...now you look so cute sleeping like a baby. I can't believe I always feel safe around you."

He's probably having the most realistic and beautiful dream ever.

BAM

She hit the space beside his pillow.

"That's it...ACE! WAKE UP!" she screeched. "I'M GONNA TELL YOU SOMETHING!"

No, she did not. NO!

Nope. He's not waking up. No way. Nuh-uh.

To hell with being pathetic. Yes, he knew...he had the handicap. The quirky Miss What's Your Problem was having a critical crush on him. And she's trying to wake him up.

And she's going to confess to him.

And NO. Ain't happening. He'll pretend dead if needed.

He's the one who'll tell her about it.

"Ace! Wake up! Wake-up! Wake-up! Wake-up!" she started to rock his bed impatiently. "Come on! This is important! You're not gonna hear it anymore!"

...Sorry, not this time, he thought.

"Damn it all!" Alice sighed and pulled her wrist off his limp fingers. "Why do even fall for this idiot on the first place...!" he heard her yell as she stomped out of his room.

Ace listened to her stomping out, and got off his bed, spying on her as she stormed out of his apartment. He walked to his door and listened her stomps fading away. Checking if this was a trick, he peeked from his door.

She's gone.

The brunet came back into his apartment, dumbfounded.

Processing...

Updating intelligence...

Intelligence not found...

Updating senses...

"Ha...hah hah ha...!" Ace started to laugh. "I was just sleepwalking. And I dream something wonderful, yeah...that's it..."

He hummed for a while, pondering if he just give it up...When suddenly he realized how stupid it was.

"Damn it all, that idiot!" he growled and slammed his door open, and started running.

"Alice Liddell! Hey!" he laughed, catching up to her. His hand reached out for those long dark blonde strands.

Screw it all.

He wrapped his arms around her.

"Heh, I love you, idiot." He laughed.

...

"Uhh...excuse me, lad..." the dark blonde shivered, and slowly turned to Ace. "I...I am f-flattered...y-young lad...having confessed to at such an old age..."

Ace paled in comparison with the white wall beside him.

The old woman laughed, flattered.

...

"..." Ace twitched.

He confessed to an old woman.

Ace wanted to find a hole and hang himself in the sewer.

He's the worst. Most pathetic, hormones-drived idiot the world had ever seen. Mistaking the love of his life with an old lady...

"He he he he!" the brunet froze again as the old woman pulled her face, revealing soft young skin beneath, and the lovely turquoises. Alice snickered mockingly. "Ahah! Gotcha, stupid idiot!"

The brunet froze again on his spot. He got tricked twice.

"You...if I had a heart disease..."

"He he he he he~" Alice just giggled and pecked his lips again. "I love you too, Ace!"

Fortunately, Ace had a healthy heart, and he planned to keep it healthy.

If not, he wouldn't be able to keep up with Alice Liddell, with so many tricks up her sleeves.

Three seconds later...

"He he he—WHOA! A PUPPY ON SIX O'CLOCK!" Alice gasped. "A truck coming through! MUST...SAVE...IT...!" she dashed off to the road.

...Yep. Three seconds after declaration of love, and off Alice go with her heroic quirks, challenging Death.

"Hey! We just started being a couple for three seconds, you idiot!" Ace yelled, dashing right behind her. "Don't get yourself killed or I'll kill you!"

Again, miraculously, they survived, with the puppy.

"Yay! Miss Wonderful Heroine strikes again! Puppy saved!" Alice cheered, letting the puppy go.

SMACK

"Ow! Ace! What the heck is your problem!?" Alice whimpered in pain, having her head smacked.

Ace laughed, smiling dangerously.

"Heh..." he chuckled. "When we're married, I'm gonna lock you up and put handcuffs on you."

Got a sudden rush. Dad's gonna yell at me. OOC, of course. YOLO, though. Leave comments on what you think! In other word; review!