Chapter 5

Ethan’s POV

The apartment was quiet in a way that felt… easy, instead of awkward.

I sat on the couch, holding the coffee cup carefully, sipping from it every now and then, while Adrian leaned back in the chair across from me. The sunlight coming through the window made the room look warm. It didn’t feel like the home of someone famous.

“You’re calm now,” Adrian said suddenly.

I looked up. “calm?”

“Yea, not nervous like when you came in or yesterday,” he replied.

I smiled a little. “It’s because of this.” I said raising the coffee cup slightly.

Adrian laughed softly. It wasn’t loud or dramatic, just a quiet sound that made the room feel lighter.

“I think you were more nervous than me yesterday,” he said.

“That’s because I was photographing someone the whole world knows,” I replied.

Adrian looked down at the floor for a second before answering.

“I don’t like when people say that,” he said quietly. “It makes it feel like I’m not a real person anymore.”

I frowned slightly. “You are a real person.”

Adrian looked at me again, his expression softer now.

“Not to most people,” he said.

The words felt heavier than they sounded. I didn’t know why, but hearing that made me feel closer to Adrian in a way I couldn’t explain.

“You weren’t like that yesterday,” Adrian continued. “You looked at me like you were trying to understand something, not like you were trying to impress me.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just shrugged slightly.

“I didn’t think you needed to be impressed,” I said.

Adrian smiled slowly at that.

“No one has ever said that to me before,” he replied.

The silence that followed didn’t feel uncomfortable. It felt calm, like both of us were thinking about something we didn’t want to say yet.

After a few seconds, Adrian stood up and walked toward the window.

I watched him quietly. Without the stage lights and cameras, Adrian looked more real.

“Do you ever regret anything?” Adrian asked suddenly, still looking outside.

I thought for a moment.

“Yes,” I said honestly. “I regret being afraid of too many things.”

Adrian turned around slowly. “Like what?”

“Like talking to people. Like taking risks. Like believing something good might actually happen to me.”

The words surprised me as soon as I said them. I wasn’t used to being that honest with anyone.

Adrian walked back slowly and stopped in front of me.

“I don’t think you’re weak,” he said quietly. “I think you just don’t trust easily.”

I looked up at him, my heart beating faster again.

“How do you know that?” I asked.

Adrian hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Because I’m the same.”

The words hung softly in the air between us.

It felt like something important was getting closer.

[ ]

Two days had passed since I left Adrian’s apartment, and the quiet of my studio felt heavier than usual. The photos on the walls, the cameras on the table, even the soft sunlight coming through the window—all of it seemed duller somehow. My thoughts kept drifting back to him -the way he smiled, the calm in his eyes, the effortless way he made me feel… seen.

Then my phone buzzed.

A message from Adrian: “Found a place you might like. Pick you up at 8. See you soon”.

I stared at the screen, heart skipping. Adrian, always direct and always leaving me a little breathless.

I typed back quickly, trying not to let my hands shake.

Ethan: Okay. I’ll be ready.

The black car pulled up exactly at eight. Adrian leaned casually against the door, that calm, infuriating smile of his in place.

“Ready?” he asked.

I grabbed my bag and nodded, suddenly aware of the warmth in his gaze. “Yeah. Lead the way.”

The ride was mostly quiet. City lights streamed past the windows, painting fleeting patterns across his face. I kept stealing glances—how relaxed he looked behind the wheel, the way he hummed softly to a song playing quietly on the stereo. He caught my eyes once and gave me a small nod, teasing and my stomach did that thing I hated and loved.

“Quiet ride, huh?” he said finally.

I smiled nervously. “I’m… trying to behave.”

He laughed softly. “You? Behave? That’s a first.”

The café was small, hidden between taller buildings. Warm light spilled from its windows, painting the wet pavement in gold. The moment I stepped inside, I felt a sense of calm I hadn’t realized I’d missed. The place was nearly empty. A soft jazz track played in the background, the faint smell of coffee and baked goods filling the air.

Adrian led me to a small table by the window. “Sit,” he said, gesturing to the chair across from him. “I picked this spot because it’s quiet. No one will bother us.”

I sat, taking a deep breath. “You… really plan these things?”

“Sometimes,” he admitted, leaning back in his chair. “When I find something worth it.”

Worth it… me? The thought hit me harder than I expected, and I tried to focus on the warm café, the low hum of conversation, the way his gaze lingered on me constantly, memorizing every detail.

“This place… it’s nice. I’ve never noticed it before,” I said quietly.

“I just found it,” he replied. “Thought it would be perfect for… talking. Without all the distractions.”

Heat rose to my cheeks. Talking. With Adrian. Alone. This wasn’t just coffee—it was intentional. Something he had chosen for us.

We shared stories quietly, laughing softly over little things, exchanging glances that lasted a little too long. Every accidental brush of hands over the table, every subtle lean toward each other sent sparks racing through me. I wasn’t sure if he felt the same—or if it was all in my head—but I couldn’t deny the thrill.

At one point, Adrian reached across the table to grab a napkin, and our fingers brushed. Just briefly but was enough to make my chest tighten.

His eyes met mine, calm but intense. “I’m not going to pull away,” he said quietly.

I swallowed, my voice barely coming out. “Neither am I.”

Then Adrian leaned closer slowly, his gaze never leaving mine, and whispered softly—