( 𝐫 𝐨 𝐜 𝐤 𝐬 𝐭 𝐚 𝐫 ! ) 𝑵𝑨𝑵𝑨

𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝟖.

MY BAD CHAT FOR THE WAIT, I didn't know what to write for this episode 😪😪

times changed were different...- CUCO

Kaiyah sat in her living room, her mind finally starting to settle after Zahria's whirlwind visit. The apartment felt quieter now, almost too quiet. She had spent the morning pacing back and forth, staring at her phone, debating whether to reach out to Yasu about the band.

"Blast... I mean, it's just a band, right?" she muttered to herself, chewing on her bottom lip. But deep down, she knew it wasn't just a band—it was a chance to reconnect with something she had lost.

Just as she picked up her phone to type out a message, it buzzed in her hand. A text from Yasu.

"It's been 4 days. You still in?"

Kaiyah's stomach turned. The words stared back at her, carrying a weight that felt heavier than they should.

She sighed, plopping onto the couch. "Of course he's keeping track," she mumbled, scrolling back through their earlier messages for context. Yasu always had a way of being straightforward without coming across as pushy, but this text hit differently.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, her mind racing. Did she even want to do this? Part of her felt like she was still that high school girl, tangled up in unresolved feelings and messy friendships. But another part—a smaller, braver part—was curious to see if this could be something new.

After a deep breath, she finally typed back:

"Yeah, I'm in. When's rehearsal?"

She hesitated before hitting send, her thumb hovering over the screen. But then she pressed it, and the message was gone.

Seconds later, Yasu replied:

"I figured we should all catch up over dinner before we go into the rehearsal part yet"

"The dinner is at the diner we went at last time just at 5 this time, hope to see you there."

Kaiyah groaned, tossing her phone onto the couch. "Well, guess I'm doing this."

Her heart felt heavy with nerves, but also... excitement. For better or worse, she was about to see where this road led.

TIMESKIP

Kaiyah spent an hour rummaging through her closet, overthinking every option. She wanted something casual but not too casual—something that said effortlessly cool but wasn't trying too hard. After cycling through outfits that either felt too formal or too plain, she finally settled on the perfect look.

She pulled on a purple Ed Hardy zip-up jacket with bold graphic details, pairing it with a ruffled denim mini skirt that added just the right amount of flirtiness. To cinch the look, she added a thick D.I.A belt, giving it that edgy, punk vibe . For a cozy yet stylish touch, she slipped on thick white leg warmers and faux raccoon fur boots.

To top it all off, she layered multiple gold jewelry pieces—stacked bangles jingling softly on her wrists, oversized gold hoops catching the light, and a delicate cross necklace resting at her collarbone. Kaiyah gave herself one last look in the mirror, liking the way she looked outfit wise but she still had another priority, her hair. But she got her hair done by Zahria so she didn't have to do a whole bunch

Kaiyah settled on a sleek half-up, half-down hairstyle that perfectly balanced casual and chic. The bottom half of her hair flowed smoothly, with the ends flipped outwards to add that vintage touch, giving it a polished yet effortless feel. The top half was pulled back into a loose, messy bun, allowing a few strands to frame her face for a relaxed look. It was the ideal hairstyle—laid-back but stylish enough to make a statement. She smiled at her reflection, feeling ready to embrace the night.