ONE DAY, WE MET

Off Camera

Kanani Marie Pov :

        
                          BEHIND THEE SCENE
The studio was still buzzing after the shoot wrapped crew members packing up, contestants chatting, and Myheir laughing with his team about another successful video. But for Kanani, everything else faded into background noise.

She held the napkin Sevyrn had given her, running her thumb over the ink like she needed to be sure it was real. A small bookstore downtown. No date, no time. Just an unspoken "If you want to."

Kanani looked up. Sevyrn stood a few feet away, hands tucked into the front pocket of her hoodie, watching her.

"You don't have to come," Sevyrn said, her voice calm but her eyes searching. "No pressure."

Kanani swallowed, then surprised herself by saying, "What if I want to?"

Sevyrn's lips quirked in the slightest smirk. "Then I'll see you there."

She turned to leave, moving through the crowd effortlessly. Before Kanani could second guess herself, she called out, "Wait!"

Sevyrn paused.

Kanani took a breath. "What time?"

Sevyrn tilted her head, considering. "Seven. Tomorrow."

Kanani nodded, gripping the napkin a little tighter. "Okay."

Sevyrn held her gaze for a beat longer before giving a small, almost imperceptible nod. Then she was gone.

                                THEE NEXT DAY

The bookstore wasn't flashy, and that was exactly why Kanani loved it. Warm lights glowed from inside, casting a soft amber hue onto the sidewalk. The sign above the door read Pine & Page, and the faint smell of old books drifted into the night air as she pushed the door open.

She spotted Sevyrn almost immediately, sitting near the poetry section, a book open in her hands. She looked so at ease, like she belonged there.

Kanani hesitated, suddenly unsure what to do with herself. This was different from standing in front of cameras, answering Myheir's rapid fire questions. This was real.

Then Sevyrn looked up and, just like before, everything else faded.

"You came," Sevyrn murmured, closing her book.

Kanani nodded, stepping closer. "You sound surprised."

Sevyrn leaned back in her chair. "A little."

Kanani sat across from her, slipping her hands under the table to keep herself from fidgeting. "I don't really do stuff like this."

Sevyrn raised an eyebrow. "Bookstores?"

Kanani huffed a small laugh. "Dates."

Something flickered in Sevyrn's eyes, something unreadable. "Me neither."

That made Kanani pause. "Really?"

Sevyrn shrugged, fingers tracing the spine of her book. "I don't like small talk. Or people who talk just to fill the silence."

Kanani knew what she meant. She wasn't great at fast-paced conversations or witty banter. That's why she made quiet, cozy videos. That's why she liked reading comments instead of responding in real time.

"Silence isn't bad," Kanani said softly.

Sevyrn's lips twitched. "No. It's not."

They didn't fill the air with unnecessary words after that. Instead, they browsed. Kanani picked up books she loved, recommending them in hushed tones. Sevyrn listened, nodding along, occasionally tilting her head like she was memorizing every word.

At some point, Sevyrn picked up a book and held it out. The Night Circus.

Kanani's eyes widened. "That's one of my favorites."

"I know," Sevyrn said, and Kanani's stomach did a weird little flip.

She took the book from Sevyrn's hands, feeling the warmth where their fingers had barely brushed.

Maybe she wasn't the only one who had been watching from afar all this time.
                      LATER ON THAT DAY

An hour later, they stood outside the bookstore, the night air crisp around them. Sevyrn had her hands in her pockets, rocking back on her heels. Kanani held her new book, gripping it a little too tightly.

"This was nice," Kanani said, voice quieter than she meant it to be.

Sevyrn nodded. "Yeah."

A comfortable silence stretched between them. Kanani wasn't sure if she wanted to say goodbye yet.

Sevyrn glanced at her, then exhaled softly, like she was making a decision. "There's a café a block from here. Open late. We could go. If you want."

Kanani's heartbeat picked up.

It wasn't a grand gesture. Not some dramatic, cinematic moment.

It was an invitation.

And Kanani wanted to say yes.

So she did.

A/N: So what do y'all think let me know in the comments and don't forget to vote !