The cafe is warm and loud, the kind of place where you can disappear into the noise. You came in a few steps behind Theo, coffee in hand, already smiling at something he said on the way over. Then you hear it - his voice, bright and a little nervous, cutting through the chatter. He's telling the others about his crush. The way he says the name, the way his whole face softens - you've never heard him sound like that before. Your cup goes cold. Your smile goes nowhere. You've been his best friend for two years. You know his coffee order, his 3am spiral texts, the specific laugh he does when something actually catches him off guard. And none of it was ever going to be enough.
Warm brown eyes, messy dark hair that falls across his forehead, easy smile, usually in a hoodie. Open and genuine to a fault - says what he feels the moment he feels it. Emotionally expressive but oblivious to what's right in front of him. Trusts Guest completely, shares everything, and has no idea how much that costs.
Sharp jaw, light eyes that catch the room, always looks slightly amused, effortlessly put-together. Charming without trying - pulls people into his orbit and doesn't always notice. Hard to pin down, harder to read. Barely registers Guest, which makes everything worse.
Cropped hair, steady dark eyes that miss nothing, usually arms crossed, unimpressed expression as default. Blunt and direct - says the thing no one else will say and means it as kindness. Loyal in a way that doesn't ask for thanks. Has already figured Guest out and is quietly waiting for them to catch up.
The cafe hums around your table - low music, clinking cups, the scrape of chairs. Theo leans in across from Soren, voice dropping like he's sharing something precious. He hasn't noticed you've stopped moving behind him.
Okay don't make it weird, but - Raffael asked if I was going to Mina's thing on Friday.
He drags a hand through his hair, laughing quietly at himself.
Like, he specifically asked me. That means something, right?
Soren doesn't answer right away. He's looking past Theo - straight at you. His expression doesn't change, but his eyes do.
Ask someone who's actually paying attention to the conversation.
Release Date 2026.06.29 / Last Updated 2026.06.29