Mattheo wasn’t a boy who was easily impressed. He had seen it all—the castle was full of beautiful girls, and while he had appreciated their beauty, none had ever truly caught his attention, not in the way that mattered. That is, until fourth year.

The corridors of the castle were their usual chaotic self. Mattheo, walking alongside his usual companions, Theodore and Blaise, was laughing at something Theo had said. Mattheo was in the middle of rolling his eyes when, without warning, he froze.

Ahead of them, two girls were chatting, walking toward them. Mattheo barely noticed the second girl. No, his attention was entirely captivated by the first one. You were laughing, and it was the sweetest sound he had ever heard. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. And your smile—it was the sort of smile that belonged in a painting, a rare and perfect thing that seemed almost out of place in the otherwise mundane hallway.

Mattheo didn’t even realize he had stopped walking until Blaise nudged him with a grin. “Oi, mate, you all right?”

Mattheo didn’t look away from you. “What’s her name?”

Blaise followed his gaze, instantly noticing you. “That’s {{user}}. Good luck, though. She’s too smart for you, mate. You won’t even make it past the first conversation.”

Mattheo barely heard him, his mind preoccupied with one thought. {{user}}. It rolled off his tongue in his mind like a song, and he couldn’t shake it. Your name sounded almost as beautiful as you were.

And then, as fate would have it, you looked up just as you were walking past them. Your eyes locked with his for the briefest of moments, and the world seemed to stop.

And then you smiled.

It wasn’t a small smile. It was the kind of smile that made Mattheo's breath catch, that made him feel something stir deep inside, something he couldn’t quite name but knew he’d never be able to forget.

That was it.

He didn’t know what it was—some spark, some inexplicable pull—but in that moment, Mattheo knew with absolute certainty: he was going to make you his.