5:00 AM.
The Manchester skyline still slept beneath the clouds.The city was silent—but Mateo González was already tying his shoelaces.
His match day routine began like every other serious morning:mental focus, hydration, light stretch…
Until—
"Going without me?"
He turned.
There stood Klara, in athletic wear, a confident smile on her face, her breath visible in the cold air.
"You're awake?"
"It's your debut day. I wasn't going to sleep in."
Mateo laughed softly.
"You sure you can handle the full 10K?"
Klara smirked.
"I'm not made of glass."
The Morning Run
They jogged through the quiet streets of South Manchester,past cafés still closed,past streetlamps that flickered like fading stars.
Klara kept pace.Barely.
By kilometer 7, her breathing turned labored.
At 10, she bent forward, resting her hands on her knees, gasping.
Mateo barely looked winded.
"You're insane," she wheezed, grinning."You didn't even slow down."
He offered her water from his bottle, then nodded toward a bench nearby.
The Gift
They sat, watching the mist curl across the pavement.
Then Klara reached into her small pouch and pulled out a white envelope.
"By the way… I haven't given you my birthday gift yet."
Mateo raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"You didn't have to—"
"Shut up. Just open it."
He peeled it open carefully.Inside was a formal letter.
His eyes scanned it once.
Then again.
University of ManchesterFaculty of JournalismOffer of Admission – Klara Weiss
Mateo's head jerked up.
"Wait— This is…? This is real?"
Klara nodded, eyes glittering.
"It starts next term. I'll be here. For real."
He stared at her for a heartbeat.
Then pulled her into a massive, breathless hug.
"Klara, that's— That's incredible!"
They kissed deeply, the city forgotten.
In that moment, nothing else mattered.
Back at Home – The Teasing
As they entered the house, still damp from sweat and laughter,they were greeted by both families already awake and gathered in the kitchen.
Elena raised an eyebrow.
"Early jog or… other cardio?"
Klara's mom raised both brows.
"You two look flushed."
Mateo and Klara both went red instantly.
"W-We were running!""Literally running!" Mateo insisted.
"Sure you were…" said Klara's Father, smirking from behind a cereal bowl.
The room burst into laughter.
A Talk with Klara's Father
Later that morning, as everyone prepped breakfast,Klara's father gestured for Mateo to step outside with him for a quick walk.
They walked in silence for a bit.
Then:
"You're a good boy, Mateo.Focused. Driven. The world loves you."
He paused.
"But my daughter? She's not just part of your support team.She's a world of her own. So… take care of her. And yourselves."
There was an unmistakable hint in his tone.
Mateo nodded, heart pounding.
"I will. I promise."
Then the father smiled playfully.
"Now… when are you going to give us that news?"
Mateo coughed—visibly nervous.
"W-What news?"
"You know which one."
"Sir, I—uh—I haven't even—"
He laughed.
"I'm just teasing. Mostly."
But Mateo couldn't stop blushing.