The competition hadn't even officially ended when Crownside High began trending.
At first, it was the main school group that caught everyone's attention. Then the photographs started circulating, followed by clips of Matthew answering questions before the host could finish reading them and Sophia pressing the buzzer with impeccable timing.
Within minutes, the internet had found its new obsession.
#CrownsideHigh
#MatthewAndSophia
#WitCompetition
#CrownsidePowerDuo
#SchoolPrincessAndTheHandsomeMonster
The last hashtag had been created by someone who apparently couldn't decide whether Matthew was a beautiful young man or a walking academic disaster for his opponents.
The comments were even worse.
@peachyblush: WAITTTT. DID YOU SEE HOW HE LOOKED AT SOPHIA BEFORE SHE ANSWERED??? I'M NOT OKAY. 😭😭
@crownsideupdates: They didn't even discuss anything! She pressed the button, he answered, and she just moved on. WHAT KIND OF TELEPATHY IS THIS???
@matthewsleftcheek: I came here to watch a competition. Why am I suddenly looking at wedding venues?
@sophiastan: Sophia is literally the school princess, beautiful, intelligent, rich, elegant, and NICE. And Matthew is THAT handsome boy who donated 24 BILLION CU without blinking. Please, the family backgrounds alone are enough to make me faint.
@notyourordinarygirl: The way Matthew corrected the answer and then let Sophia finish it herself??? He could have taken the entire question, but he gave her the moment. I'M SHIPPING.
@anonymousstudent: My friend said they aren't dating. I told her to stop spreading misinformation.
@delulucommittee: OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Matthew and Sophia have been married for six years, have three children, and are currently arguing over who will pick them up from school.
@mathisnotmyfriend: Meanwhile, I'm still trying to understand the first question, and Matthew has already answered the fifth. Is his brain connected to the school's server???
@prettyboydisorder: His FACE. His VOICE. His BRAIN. His MONEY. His EVERYTHING. What exactly are the rest of us supposed to do? Compete with God???
@sophiamatthewendgame: Sophia pressing the button and Matthew answering is the definition of a power couple. One sees the opportunity, the other executes. I'M ON MY KNEES.
@crownsidegossip: The school has finally found its queen and king. Nobody argue with me.
@justhereforthedrama: What if they aren't dating? What if they are secretly engaged? What if the families already agreed? WHAT IF—
@moderator: Please stop spreading unconfirmed relationship rumours.
@justhereforthedrama: NO.
The photographs only made matters worse.
One showed Sophia leaning slightly towards Matthew while he explained a question. Another captured Matthew looking at her just as she reached for the buzzer. In a third, Sophia was smiling at something he had said while Matthew appeared completely unbothered by the cameras surrounding them.
That last photograph became the most popular.
Someone cropped it, adjusted the lighting, added a soft filter, and placed a caption beneath it.
When the whole world is watching, but your attention is on each other.
It accumulated thousands of reactions.
And the competition hadn't even finished.
---
By the time the final round concluded, Crownside High had secured a commanding victory.
The scoreboard displayed the results for everyone to see, leaving no room for debate.
Crownside had won by a substantial margin.
The three remaining Orenthal contestants exchanged glances before standing alongside their teammates. Despite the disappointment of losing, none of them appeared bitter. They had faced difficult questions, competed against two exceptionally capable opponents, and pushed themselves through hours of demanding rounds.
When the host announced the final results, the Orenthal students stepped forward and bowed respectfully towards their opponents.
Sophia returned the bow with an elegant nod.
Matthew followed suit, his expression calm.
The audience applauded.
The officials from both countries then took their places for the press conference, where reporters immediately began asking about the competition's results, the students' performances, and the impressive coordination between Crownside's final two contestants.
Meanwhile, the students were directed towards the designated lounge areas.
For them, the competition was over.
And after spending hours under bright lights, answering increasingly difficult questions while being watched by officials and cameras, they were more than ready to do something other than think.
Anything else, really.
---
Crownside's five representatives gathered in their assigned lounge.
Sophia settled into one of the comfortable seats, crossing her legs elegantly as she accepted a bottle of water from a staff member.
Beside her sat the girl with stylish reading glasses. Her hair fell freely around her shoulders, and she occasionally pushed her glasses higher on her nose while checking something on her phone.
The freckled girl with the voluminous afro had claimed the seat opposite them. She looked considerably more energetic than someone who had spent hours participating in a demanding academic competition had any right to be.
The muscular boy sat nearby, stretching his shoulders and rolling his neck as though he had just finished a particularly intense workout.
Matthew occupied the end of the sofa, his attention fixed on his phone.
He had barely looked up since entering the lounge.
Across from them, the five Orenthal representatives were settling in as well.
Three boys and two girls.
One of the boys wore his hair in a neat bun, his features composed as he examined the refreshments arranged on the table. Another had his hair braided neatly, the style complementing his sharp features. The third boy possessed heterochromatic eyes, one a different colour from the other, making his gaze particularly striking whenever he turned towards someone.
The two girls were twins, both sporting pink hair. Although their matching hairstyles and similar features made their relationship obvious, their expressions and mannerisms differed enough to distinguish them once they began speaking.
The freckled Crownside girl suddenly clapped her hands.
"Since we've survived that competition, why don't we go to a restaurant and hang out for a while?"
She leaned forward, her eyes bright with enthusiasm.
"We've been sitting around answering questions for hours. I want proper food, comfortable seats, and absolutely no one asking me to calculate anything."
The boy with the heterochromatic eyes laughed.
"Sure. Why not? You can be our tour guide."
He glanced around the lounge.
"We're spending two days here anyway. It would be nice to see something other than the competition hall."
"Exactly!" the freckled girl exclaimed.
She immediately turned towards Sophia.
"What do you think, Sophia? You have to come. Pretty please!"
She clasped her hands beneath her chin, giving Sophia an exaggerated pleading look.
Sophia smiled.
Before she could answer, the girl with the reading glasses spoke.
"Matthew, won't you attend too?"
The question drew everyone's attention towards the end of the sofa.
Matthew was still scrolling through his phone, one thumb moving lazily across the screen.
He didn't seem to have noticed that six pairs of eyes had turned towards him.
The two Crownside girls exchanged glances.
Then they looked at Sophia.
Their expressions were almost identical.
They were Sophia's friends, after all, and they had been pairing her with Matthew for quite some time.
It wasn't as though they were the only ones.
Sophia was widely regarded as Crownside's school princess—or, as some students preferred to call her, the school queen.
She was beautiful, intelligent, skilled, and kind. Her family background was exceptional, her wealth unquestionable, and her upbringing evident in the effortless elegance with which she carried herself.
She was the sort of girl people admired without needing a reason to justify it.
Then Matthew had arrived.
And Crownside had collectively lost its mind.
His appearance alone had made him popular almost immediately. His intelligence had only intensified the fascination, and the fact that he could spend twenty-four billion CU on a donation without so much as blinking had left students wondering just how powerful his family really was.
He belonged to the same world as Crownside's most influential students, perhaps an even more powerful one.
And then there was his voice.
Damn it.
Some students had openly admitted that hearing him speak was enough to make their knees weak. Others insisted that a single look from him could make practically anyone blush, regardless of gender.
He didn't even need to flirt.
He could glance at someone, speak a few words in that relaxed voice, and leave them wondering why they had suddenly forgotten how to behave normally.
Naturally, everyone wanted him.
But with so many people interested in Matthew, students had eventually begun wondering who actually suited him best.
And without any formal discussion, many had subconsciously settled on Sophia.
She was beautiful enough to stand beside him without being overshadowed, intelligent enough to match him, and confident enough not to become nervous simply because he looked in her direction.
Their family backgrounds were impressive, their social standing comparable, and their abilities undeniable.
Today's competition had only strengthened the argument.
The way Sophia and Matthew had worked together had been almost unnervingly natural.
She knew when to press the buzzer.
He knew when to answer.
He corrected her without embarrassing her, and she trusted his reasoning without needing lengthy explanations.
They made an excellent team.
At least, that was what their friends—and practically everyone on the internet—believed.
Sophia glanced towards Matthew.
He was still occupied with his phone.
"Matthew," she called gently. "Are you attending?"
He finally lifted his gaze.
For a moment, he looked as though he intended to decline.
Then he paused.
"Sure," he said. "If I can invite some of my friends."
Sophia smiled.
"Of course."
Matthew lowered his eyes to his phone again.
The two girls exchanged another look.
Their smiles widened.
Neither said anything, but the message between them was clear.
He's coming.
And he's bringing friends.
This evening might actually be interesting.
Matthew, entirely indifferent to their silent conversation, opened his group chat.
---
[Matthew's Dorm Room Group]
Matthew: Free food.
Matthew: [Location pin]
Matthew: [Time]
V: Stingy.
Philip: Yeah, anytime you want to offer us something, it's always free.
Matthew: Then don't come.
Philip: Wow, chill. I'm coming.
Rick: Nothing beats free food.
Philip: ❤️
Kai: You're trending.
Jay: Worth it. That's the price of being handsome.
V: No sense of pride. All of you licking up to free food.
Derek: Shut it and face your girlfriend, bro.
V: Big talk from you.
Derek: At least I have a girlfriend to face.
Philip: OHHHHHH.
Rick: He's not recovering from that one.
Matthew: Yeah, V. You'll be eating luxury food without paying. Think about coming back to school. It's resuming next week not like you can come since you are still with your girlfriend In another country.
V: You invited us to eat, not to remind us that our holiday is almost over.
Matthew: Both are important matters.
Philip: I'm screenshotting this. Our generous host is concerned about our education.
Matthew: I'm cancelling your invitation.
Philip: I'M SORRY. EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT. FREE FOOD IS MORE IMPORTANT.
Rick: At least he's honest.
Felix: Matthew, send the menu too.
Matthew: Why?
Kai: So I can decide what to wear.
Jay: You're going to a restaurant, not a fashion show.
Kai: You say that like people won't be taking pictures.
V: He's trending, and you want to dress up for a meal. Shameless.
Kai: You're coming too.
V: Obviously. I'm not missing free food.
Matthew: Pathetic.
Philip: Look who's talking. You're the one inviting us.
Matthew: I can still uninvite you.
Philip: You wouldn't dare.
Matthew: Try me.
Philip: Matthew, my beloved friend, my brother, the light of my life—
Derek: Disgusting.
Rick: Someone take his phone away.
Matthew read the last few messages, his expression unchanged.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, afternoon had arrived.
Matthew and the others had returned to their dorm after the competition. Jay and Philip were still cleaning the room, Rick and Kai had gone to take their baths, and Derek was lying on the lower bunk, scrolling through his phone. On the upper bunk, Felix had his takeaway open beside him while reading gossip stories on his laptop.
Matthew stood by his wardrobe, slowly unbuttoning his shirt as he prepared to take a bath.
"Are you going to stay in the dorm next week?" Derek asked, glancing at him.
"Yeah. One week in the hostel, one week in my apartment. Isn't that what I've always done?" Matthew replied.
Jay stopped sweeping for a moment. "You spent last week in your apartment. This week is almost over, too, and you still stayed there. Today is Friday, Matthew."
"Last week and this week were holidays, weren't they? Was I supposed to spend my holidays in the hostel?"
"Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night," Philip said, continuing to clean.
Jay chuckled.
Matthew rolled his eyes and continued unbuttoning his shirt.
"Stop teasing him. Give the guy a break," Derek said with an amused smile.
Felix, who had been scrolling through his laptop, suddenly let out a deep sigh.
"Wow, Matthew. You're trending again."
He tapped his trackpad a few times, then looked down at his takeaway as if the news had somehow ruined his appetite.
"'Dream Couples Having a Comfortable Day at the Restaurant,'" he read aloud.
He raised his head and looked at Matthew.
"Seriously, if we hadn't been there, we'd think you were actually in love with Sophia. The editing is crazy. Look at how close they made you two look!" He turned his laptop slightly so the others could see. "And look at us! We're practically background characters in our own pictures."
Matthew glanced at the screen before returning his attention to his clothes.
"They need something to write about," he said indifferently.
"You're just sad nobody mentioned you," Philip replied.
Felix slowly turned towards him, fork in hand.
"Philip, you wouldn't die if you kept quiet for once. Why don't you try using that mouth to talk to your crush?"
Philip dropped the broom.
"Felix!"
He rushed towards the bunk, and Felix barely had time to move his takeaway out of the way before Philip climbed up and grabbed him.
"Get off me!" Felix shouted, pushing at his shoulder.
Philip wrapped one leg around Felix's waist to keep him from escaping, then ruffled his hair while reaching for the takeaway he'd been trying to protect.
"Stop touching my food!"
Jay burst out laughing, leaning against his broom. Derek laughed along with him, watching Philip steal another piece while Felix struggled to free himself.
"You two are going to break that bed," Derek remarked.
"Tell him to get off me, then!" Felix protested.
"Give me your food and I'll consider it," Philip said.
"Dream on!"
Matthew shook his head at the commotion.
"But Sophia and Matthew do look good together," Jay said, still grinning as he resumed sweeping. "If you end up dating her, take us out again. And help us find girlfriends while you're at it."
"Two cousins want our boy," Derek added lazily from his bunk. "We need to see who's offering more."
Matthew turned towards him and flicked a handful of water from the basin onto Derek's table.
"Hey! What's wrong with you?"
"Not for sale," Matthew replied, picking up his bathing equipment. "I'm not here to date anyone. They can fight over me if they want."
He walked out before Derek could respond.
A moment later, the door opened again, and Rick and Kai entered after their bath.
Rick took one look at the upper bunk, where Philip was still holding Felix down, and started singing.
"La la la la la..."
He twirled towards the bunk he shared with Felix, climbed onto the lower bed, and settled down comfortably.
"Philip, feed me," he said, opening his mouth.
Philip, who was still busy stealing Felix's food, picked up a piece of meat and popped it into Rick's mouth before taking another bite himself.
Rick chewed happily.
Felix stared at them in disbelief.
"Damn it! Are you two dogs? The hell! Feed me too! Don't finish my food!"
He struggled harder, trying to get Philip off him.
Rick chuckled as he chewed, then sat up on his bed while Philip finally held a piece of meat towards Felix's mouth.
"Here. Open up."
"Give me my food, you thief!"
"Then don't eat."
"Philip!"
Philip laughed and fed him anyway, taking another piece for himself afterwards.
Kai glanced at them while putting his things away, then quietly went about his business.
The room was back to its usual noise, with Felix complaining about his stolen food, Philip refusing to let go of the takeaway, and Rick happily eating whatever was offered to him.
On Sunday so that last week close here so the next one would be on Monday and again ohhhhhh I would post one chapter per day for this week from Monday to on Saturday on Saturday I would post two for that day and on Sunday so don't excpect on Sunday then I'm going on break for test I would start posting around 30 of November yes 30 of November wish me luck in my test