There she was, Bella. A girl who seemed to carry a constellation in her soul. Every time she walked into a room, something shimmered in the air, like the world was holding its breath just to see her smile. She had that quiet kind of magic, the kind that didn't scream to be noticed but still never went unseen. People adored her. They always did.

But Bella felt like she was living inside someone else's enchantment.

The glow that others saw didn't reach her. It was as if some invisible spell wrapped around her, casting joy upon everyone else but leaving her untouched. She went through her days like a melody stuck on a single, hollow note.

Until he arrived.

Noah.

Noah wasn't just another face in the crowd, nor was he dazzled by glitter or grace. He sought storms and stories. He craved meaning, not appearances. And Bella - well, she was so used to people loving her for her light, she never knew what it felt like to be seen in her shadows.

But fate, clever and quiet, wove its magic the way it always does. Through the simplest thread.

Badminton.

Bella loved it. It was the one place where she could breathe without pretending. The shuttle, the court, the rush, it made her feel whole. And Noah? He happened to be the best in it. So naturally, they collided.

It wasn't dramatic. Not fireworks or stardust.

Just a glance across the court.

A shared smile after a rally.

A silence that felt oddly familiar.

In that moment, Bella didn't feel like magic. She felt something deeper.

She felt... home.

And perhaps, just perhaps, Noah did too.

But the story of magic is never told in one breath.

Some stories take time to unfold.

Some spells take longer to break.

To be continued...