Theodore leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching Mattheo, who was sitting at his desk, flipping through papers. The silence between them stretched, but Theodore finally broke it, his voice casual yet probing.

“Is this about the girl whose picture you keep in your wallet?”

Mattheo froze, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before a grin tugged at his lips. He slowly leaned back in his chair, clearly taken aback by the question.

“Wait… you snooped in my wallet?” His voice was a mix of irritation and something else, as if caught between annoyance and disbelief.

Theodore didn’t flinch. “I wasn’t snooping. Just curious. You’ve been acting off lately.”

Mattheo hesitated, his gaze darting toward the wallet sitting on the desk. He ran his fingers over it, the decision weighing on him. After a moment, he reached for it, opened it, and pulled out the photograph. His thumb brushed across the edge before he held it up between them.

“It’s not who you think.”

Theodore raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. He stayed where he was, arms still crossed, watching Mattheo closely. The air in the room felt thick with unspoken words as Mattheo slid the picture across the desk toward Theodore.

When Theodore looked down at the photo, his breath caught. It was a picture of a girl—her long hair, the bright smile, the light in her eyes that seemed to glow. It was clear that she had been caught in a candid moment, and for a brief second, it almost felt like she was there in the room with them.

Mattheo cleared his throat, his voice quieter now. “That’s her. {{user}}.”

The name hung in the air, and Theodore’s eyes flickered between Mattheo and the photo. He couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment, the shift in the atmosphere. The silence stretched again, heavier this time.

“You’ve kept this for a while, haven’t you?” Theodore asked, his voice soft but teasing.

Mattheo nodded, but there was something more vulnerable in his expression now.

“Yeah,” Mattheo muttered, almost to himself. “I guess I have.”