Unwritten Melodies

Chapter 1

Offroad stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his shirt. The reflection staring back looked composed. But beneath the polished surface, exhaustion coiled in the corners of his mind, a reminder of how draining the day had been.

It had been an exhausting day. Six hours of back-to-back meetings, relentless checklists, final calls for approvals—all of it leading up to this last stretch. Now, as evening settled in, he was readying himself for the event that would cap off the day: a high-profile appearance, his first in almost two years. Tonight, he'd step back into a world he'd intentionally distanced himself from, a whirlwind industry he'd once been part of but left to chase something more personal.

The morning had belonged to Chasing Echoes, his perfume line, nearly two years in the making. It was more than just a business—it was a project deeply woven from memories, emotions, and fragments of moments that had stayed with him. Every detail—from the subtle shade of the packaging to the specific notes in the fragrance—had been meticulously chosen by him. Each decision carried a piece of his past, even if he didn't say it aloud. He wanted Chasing Echoes to be a tribute to the fleeting, intangible moments that define life.

Why perfume? Fragrances are ephemeral, lingering in the air but fading gradually over time, like people, like memories. A scent might be potent and consuming at first, but it always softens, eventually disappearing. People come and go, relationships shift, sometimes with an intensity that feels unbreakable—until it fades, like perfume worn through a long day. And when they drift away, all that's left is a faint echo, a reminder of something once vivid.

Now, staring at his reflection, he took a deep breath, grounding himself in the present. The day had been full, and his mind was still processing fragments from the morning—the final signatures, the subtle excitement of seeing the project come to life, the countless details he'd double-checked, even down to the shade of amber in the bottles. Everything had been accounted for.

After finalizing the details, there was barely time to breathe before he was whisked off to tonight's commitment. The event, hosted by YSL to unveil their latest collection, drew a crowd of industry insiders and trendsetters. It would be his first appearance in almost two years—an intentional hiatus he'd taken to focus entirely on building Chasing Echoes, free from the distractions of his modeling career.

As he adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, he felt a pang of ambivalence. Stepping back into the public eye meant facing the very world he'd put on pause, a world of flashing lights, eyes that once sought him out, expectations to dazzle. And he had dazzled—once. But tonight, he felt different. This time, he wasn't here to perform; he was here representing his vision, the brand that had become his world.

Taking a steadying breath, he met his eyes in the mirror, summoning the old Offroad—the one who thrived in these spaces. That part of him still lurked beneath the surface. But tonight, he was here as the person he'd grown into. He wasn't just Offroad the performer; he was the man who'd crafted something meaningful, of a piece of himself.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

Nu, his manager and friend, entered with a clipboard. "Ready for the outfit check?" she asked, her eyes bright with excitement. She looked at him with a mix of pride and relief, as though she were seeing her own kid stepping back into the world he'd left behind. Her joy was visible; after all, she'd been fielding calls and messages for almost two years, from people hoping to see Offroad at their events, to witness him on the runway once more. Brands, designers, and old fans all asked for him, wanting just a glimpse, just one more appearance. And here he was, finally stepping back into that light.

Nu knew Offroad's heart better than most. He wasn't someone who did things halfway—if he committed, he committed fully. When he'd decided to pour his focus into his brand, he'd done it with every ounce of his being, and while it had been challenging for her to turn down all those requests on his behalf, she had respected his choice completely. It was never about disappointing others or defying expectations for him; it was about following a path he truly believed in. And she had supported him every step of the way, not only as his manager but as his friend.