Unwritten Melodies

Chapter 16

"The main actor is here!" Ter called out when he saw Daou.

Daou paused in the doorway, his heart racing. He still couldn't believe what he was seeing. Offroad was really here. 

He cleared his throat, trying to keep his cool, but the smile creeping onto his face gave him away. He couldn't help it—how could he, when Offroad had surprised him like this?

As he walked toward the group, his gaze locked onto Offroad's. Offroad looked startled for a moment but quickly smiled back. That warm, familiar smile made Daou's chest feel tight, and for a second, it was like no one else in the room existed.

Offroad stood up, brushing his hands on his jeans awkwardly. "Hey," Daou said softly, his smile widening. "You didn't tell me you were coming."

Offroad scratched the back of his head, avoiding Daou's eyes for a moment. "Uhm, yeah... I was near your shooting location, so I thought I'd drop by," he said, his voice a little unsure, as if he were trying to make it sound casual.

"Near my location?" Daou raised an eyebrow, his smile turning playful. He could tell Offroad was nervous. "You should've texted me. I would've met you outside."

Before Offroad could reply, Rinda chimed in with a knowing grin. "Near the location? Yeah, right. He was sitting in his car outside for like, i don't know, 20 minutes? Good thing I spotted him and told him to come in!"

Daou's eyes widened slightly as he turned back to Offroad. "You were waiting outside?" he asked.

Offroad's cheeks turned faintly pink. He rubbed his neck and let out a small laugh. "Well, I didn't want to bother you while you were working," he admitted.

"Bother me?" Daou repeated, shaking his head with a soft chuckle. "You could never bother me."

For a moment, the room seemed to go quiet, the buzz of conversation around them fading into the background. 

It wasn't just the surprise—it was the fact that Offroad had cared enough to be here, even if he'd been hesitant. That thought made Daou's chest feel warm, a quiet happiness spreading through him.

Ter, sensing the shift in the air, leaned back with a smirk. "Alright, alright, you two. Don't forget the rest of us are still here," he teased, cutting through the moment.

Daou shot him a pointed look, silently warning him to stop interrupting, but Ter wasn't one to back off that easily.

Ter laughed and turned his attention to Offroad. "So, Offroad, I heard you're back to modeling? Davika mentioned something about a photoshoot with her. Is that true?"

Daou blinked at Ter, he didn't tell me that earlier when we talked.. Phi Ter... he thought.

Offroad nodded politely. "Yes, phi. We'll be working together next week," he said with a small smile.

Ter raised an eyebrow and grinned wide. "Oh, really? You know, she likes you, right? Hahaha! Back when you worked together three years ago, she'd always talk about wanting to grab a meal with you. But you two were so busy, it never happened. Schedules were crazy packed, right?" Ter rambled on, clearly enjoying himself.

Offroad let out a soft chuckle, "Yeah, I remember. And I've been pretty tied up with my business too," he replied casually.

Daou listened quietly, forcing a small smile. It wasn't bitter exactly, but it didn't reach his eyes. He wasn't sure what to feel—jealousy didn't seem like the right word. Envious, maybe.

He realized, with a pang, that he didn't know much about Offroad's life anymore. Not like he used to. Five years ago, he would have been the first person to hear about everything—the photoshoots, the collaborations, even the smallest details about Offroad's day.