St. Devonte College was loud that morning — except around one person.

Lorenzo Moretti.

Twenty years old.

Six-foot-seven.

Built like a weapon forged by gods.

One arm sleeved in black ink — a serpent winding through roses and Latin lines only he understood.

Purple-reddish eyes that felt like being stared at by fate itself.

He walked through the college gates in complete silence, ignoring the way people moved aside as if he were a storm passing through. Students whispered:

“Don’t make eye contact.”

“He doesn’t talk.”

“His family… you know… the Moretti mafia royals.”

Lorenzo didn’t care.

He never did.

Then she walked in.

A tiny girl, barely 5'4”, drowning under a new timetable and her backpack.

Aria Sen — seventeen, transferred from another city, wide doe eyes, soft features, and a very bad habit:

She loved backless dresses — tiny ones, ending above her knees —

And she loved Indian kurtis that were backless too.

Sweet face. Dangerous wardrobe.

Completely unaware of the effect she caused.

She entered the corridor at the exact moment Lorenzo was walking out of his department.

She didn’t notice him — no one ever ignored him — and she bumped into his chest.

She bounced back like she hit a concrete wall.

Her timetable flew.

Her hair fell over her face.

And she whispered the softest, tiniest—

“Sorry…”

No one apologized to Lorenzo Moretti.

No one even dared make contact.

His friends froze.

The entire hallway went silent.

And for the first time in a long time…

Lorenzo looked down.

At her.

And those terrifying purple-red eyes softened by a fraction so small no one would believe it if they hadn’t seen it.

Aria, still gathering her papers, completely unaware of who she just bumped into, looked up at him with an embarrassed little smile.

And Lorenzo Moretti — the boy who didn’t speak unless necessary — said nothing.

But something in his chest moved.

Later, in Class

Aria entered her new classroom and immediately saw a group of boys already waving at her.

One of them — Mateo — grinned.

“Hey! You’re the new girl. Sit with us?”

She nodded shyly and walked over.

The boys were friendly, loud, teasing each other. Aria felt comfortable, almost too quickly.

But then the door opened.

Lorenzo walked in.

Every chair shifted.

Every voice lowered.

He was always alone.

Always cold.

Always unreadable.

But when his eyes landed on Aria…

Mateo nudged her.

“You met him earlier, right? That’s Lorenzo. Don’t get scared, he doesn’t bite.”

Lorenzo sat behind her.

Directly behind her.

Aria’s backless white kurti ( Indian dress )exposed the soft curve of her back, her tiny shoulder blades, her tied ribbon-string.

For the first time in college history…

Lorenzo Moretti wasn’t looking out the window.

He wasn’t ignoring class.

He was staring—

At the little ribbon on the back of her kurti.

As if he wanted to untie it

— or protect it.

No one could tell.

But his friends exchanged looks.

Because the ice king had reacted.

To a girl.

A tiny girl with soft smiles and dangerous innocence.

Lunch break at St. Devonte’s was always chaotic — but not around Lorenzo Moretti’s table.

That corner of the cafeteria was its own kingdom.

Lorenzo sat there every day with his group:

Mateo, Rian, Zavian, and one girl — Elena, smart-mouthed, bold, the only girl who dared talk freely around the Morettis. She was like a sister to them.

Elena spotted Aria entering the cafeteria with her tray, looking around nervously, clearly not wanting to sit alone.

Elena’s eyes brightened.

“This way, sweetheart!” she called, waving her hand enthusiastically.

Aria blinked, surprised, then walked toward them with a shy smile.

Mateo whispered, “Bro, Elena never acts this sweet. Who is this girl?”

Rian replied, “I don’t know, but damn, she’s adorable.”

Aria reached them, and Elena instantly wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Guys, this is Aria! She’s new. She’s having lunch with us.”

Aria bowed her head politely, “Hi… I hope I’m not disturbing.”

Mateo grinned, “Disturbing? You’re the highlight of this grim table.”

Aria giggled softly — and Lorenzo, who was drinking water, paused for one second.

Because that laugh…

It landed too softly.

Too sweet.

Too close.

Elena looked around the table and realized something horrifying.

There was only one empty seat.

Right next to Lorenzo.

The One Spot.

The Forbidden Spot.

The Untouchable Territory.

No one ever sat there. Not even his friends. Not even by accident.

Lorenzo hated people entering his personal space, hated their scent touching him, hated their noise filling his quiet bubble.

Elena froze.

The boys froze.

Aria didn’t understand why they all stiffened like statues.

Elena whispered carefully,

“Uh… Aria… that seat is—”

Before she could finish, the impossible happened.

Lorenzo’s deep, low voice cut through the entire cafeteria:

“You can sit beside me.”

Silence.

Forks dropped.

Trays clattered.

One boy at a distant table literally choked on his juice.

Mateo’s jaw fell open so wide it should’ve hit the table.

Rian stared like he’d just witnessed the sun rising from the wrong side of the sky.

Even Elena slapped her own face lightly, wondering if she was hallucinating.

Everyone at the table stared at Lorenzo like he had grown a second head.

Aria blinked innocently, confused as ever.

She looked at him, then at Elena, then back at him.

“Are you… sure?” she asked softly.

Lorenzo didn’t look at anyone else. Only her.

“Sit.”

Not rude.

Not cold.

Just… firm.

As if he was making a decision no one else had the right to question.

Aria nodded nervously and slipped into the seat next to him.

And that’s when the cafeteria erupted into whispers.

Because beside Lorenzo, she looked impossibly tiny — like a little doe sitting next to a giant bear.

Her feet barely touched the floor.

Her head reached only his shoulder.

Her arm looked like a delicate feather next to his tattooed, muscled one.

Elena whispered to Mateo, “Oh my god… this is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Rian was biting back a laugh, “She looks like his baby brother’s toy sitting there.”

But Lorenzo’s eyes snapped to them, and instantly every boy shut up.

His gaze was sharp, dangerous, territorial.

And Elena noticed something no one else did.

Lorenzo wasn’t staring at Aria like people looked at someone cute.

He was staring like something inside him had just… clicked.

Like he’d found something that belonged to him.

Like he didn’t want anyone else to even breathe near her.

Aria, completely unaware, simply smiled at the group and started eating her food.

When she swung her little feet under the table, almost hitting Lorenzo’s long leg, the boys’ faces melted.

“She’s too adorable,” Mateo whispered.

Lorenzo heard it.

And he felt a strange heat in his chest — irritation? Jealousy?

He didn’t know.

All he knew was that he didn’t like the expressions on his friends’ faces.

Not one bit.

He didn’t want them finding her cute.

He didn’t want anyone looking at her for too long.

And that realization — that burning, possessive feeling — hit him harder than anything ever had.

Lorenzo Moretti, the cold king, the silent ruler…

Wanted to keep her close.

After lunch, everyone stretched and started packing their trays.

Aria stood up, brushing crumbs off her kurti, preparing to slip away quietly.

But Elena stopped her.

“Aria, what’s your next class?”

Aria checked her timetable.

“Uh… Business Management.”

Mateo coughed on his drink.

Rian whistled softly.

Elena’s grin widened.

“That’s Lorenzo’s class.”

Aria blinked. “Really?”

Before she could process it, Elena turned toward the giant sitting beside her tiny body.

“Lorenzo,” Elena said casually, “can you take Aria with you?”

The boys all stared at Lorenzo, waiting for the typical cold answer:

“No.”

“Find someone else.”

“I don’t babysit.”

But instead—

“Yes.”

Mateo dropped his phone.

Rian choked on air.

Elena grabbed the table.

“WHAT—”

“Did he just—”

“Bro???”

Aria looked confused again, not understanding why everyone was behaving like she had just tamed a wild beast.

Before anyone could question him, Lorenzo stood, grabbed his bag, and simply said:

“Come.”

Aria nodded, hurrying behind him like a little duckling following a very large, intimidating swan.

They were late.

By the time they reached the Business Department door, the teacher inside had already started.

Aria panicked.

“Oh no… oh no… we’re late… I—I didn’t know where the class was because I’m new—”

Lorenzo pushed the door open without hesitation.

Aria entered first, clutching her books nervously.

The entire class stared at her — the new tiny girl entering late on her first day.

The professor narrowed his eyes.

“Miss, you’re late. That’s not acceptable—”

And then Lorenzo stepped in behind her.

The entire room froze.

He filled the doorway, shadowing her small frame completely.

Before the teacher could utter another word, that deep cold voice echoed:

“She’s with me.”

Silence.

Instant silence.

The professor’s scolding evaporated like smoke in wind.

Suddenly he was smiling like he’d just seen an angel.

“Oh! Mr. Moretti. Welcome. No problem at all, no problem! Please… take your seats.”

Aria stared wide-eyed.

She whispered,

“What just happened?”

Lorenzo didn’t respond.

He simply started walking to the very back of the room — his territory.

Aria followed him immediately, holding her books tightly, steps small and quick to match his long strides.

She looked like a lost puppy trying hard not to lose her giant wolf.

The entire class melted.

A chorus of—

“Awwwwwww…”

“So cute!”

“Look at her!”

“She’s so tiny behind him!”

Even the boys in class couldn’t help smiling.

But then Lorenzo stopped walking, turned his head slightly, and gave the entire class one look.

One.

Everything died.

The “awwwwww” died in everyone’s throat.

Pens dropped.

Even the air held its breath.

He sat at the last seat — the one no one dared touch.

Aria stood beside him, unsure.

She whispered softly,

“W-Where should I sit?”

His eyes flicked to the empty chair next to him.

“Here.”

Aria nodded and sat next to him, adjusting her backless peach kurti, unaware of how much attention she drew from the boys in the room.

But Lorenzo’s jaw tightened.

He leaned slightly closer — not touching her — but his presence was enough to warn everyone silently:

Mine to watch.

Mine to protect.

Stay away.

Aria smiled at him shyly before opening her notebook.

She didn’t notice the way Lorenzo’s fingers curled slightly on the desk, or how his gaze softened when she swung her legs again, unable to reach the floor.

But the class noticed.

And everyone silently wrote the same thought in their minds:

The ice king had chosen his person.

And it was the tiniest girl in the room.