Noodle and Ace

Rain tapped softly against the apartment window as Noodle lay across her couch, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. She wasn't really paying attention—just flicking through old messages, news posts, and photos.

Then her phone buzzed.

Tinder Notification

"Ace has liked you."

She blinked.

"...What?"

She frowned. She hadn't opened Tinder in years, let alone used it. Curiosity got the better of her as she tapped the notification.

There it was.

Ace.

His profile looked older, rougher around the edges, but it was unmistakably him. The same green skin. The same familiar grin she'd once known so well.

For a long moment, Noodle simply stared at the screen.

Without thinking, she opened her gallery instead.

Old photos filled the display—laughing together after a concert, sharing late-night takeout, blurry selfies, quiet moments that neither of them had expected to become memories.

Years had passed since they had last spoken.

She wondered if he still remembered those days.

Her thumb hovered over the screen before she quietly sighed and opened the chat.

The cursor blinked, waiting.

Finally, she typed.

Noodle: "...Hey, Ace. It's been a long time."

A message sent after years of silence.