It was just a regular day at work until I noticed Evan was nowhere to be seen. At first, I thought he might just be late, but as the hours passed, I began to wonder. Did something come up? I glanced around the room, hoping he’d stroll in with his usual confident, relaxed self.

Then, as I overheard Carlos chatting with Jessica in one corner, I picked up a clue. Jessica was looking around for Evan too, and when she asked Carlos, he lowered his voice as if it were some sacred information. “Today’s his mom’s birthday,” he said quietly. “Every year, he spends it at her grave. It's his thing.”

Jessica’s eyes widened with interest, and she immediately launched into convincing Carlos to give her his address so she could send some condolence gifts. Carlos, for his part, tried to shut it down, saying it was private and against company policy to share information about the artists like that. But after a bit of pushing, he reluctantly offered to take her there instead. “He’s probably still at the cemetery.” Carlos said. Jessica shrieked, practically running off to get her gifts ready.

A weird pang of jealousy stirred in me, but mixed with something else- sadness, maybe, thinking of Evan spending his mom’s birthday alone. I know respecting his privacy was probably what he want most right now, even if a part of me wanted to check on him. I kept myself busy, but an idea sparked.

I remember last week during the bonfire from our outdoor shoot, he asked me if I still had that old photograph of us taken at camp ten years ago. I don't know if that shot meant something to him, but maybe, if I searched through my old cameras, I could find more memories he’d appreciate seeing. So after work, I rushed home, practically racing through my front door.

I pulled out every camera I had, even the old ones and plugged them in one by one, charging and scrolling through the memory cards. After a few minutes, I found the one—the camera I used at that camp before. I held my breath as I flipped through the photos, each one bringing me back to that summer. Then there it was: a candid photo I took before I even knew him. Evan’s mom, smiling while watching a crowd of campers with a warmth in her eyes that lit up the whole photo scene.

I didn’t know it was his mom back then, of course, not until later when I saw a memorial post after she passed. But now, looking at her smiling face, I realize this might give him comfort—a memory of her, happy and vibrant.

I want to share it with him right away, but something held me back. He probably want to be alone for today, and I don't want to intrude. So, I sent him a message instead: “Hi, Evan. I don’t want to disturb you today. Just wanted to say that whenever you have time, if you can stop by my apartment, I have something important to show you. Night!”

Just thirty minutes later, a knock came on my door. I opened it to find Evan standing there, his face tired and a little drawn, like he’s been carrying a weight all day. His eyes looks a bit stern and cold, he's wearing a loose white shirt and black pants, his usual polish softened with black slippers and hair slightly tousled and wavy down to his forehead, as if he just woke up from a nap. Even with the rough edges, his tallness gave him this messy, effortless charm that made my heart skip a beat.

For a moment, I was too stunned to speak. I'm not expecting him to show up so soon, let alone like this.

Evan leaned against the door frame, his face softened with a tired smile. "Got your message and... well, I had to come. I just woke up, but you said you have something important to show."

I fell a bit flustered, but I step back and held the door open.
"Oh, I... wasn’t expecting you tonight, honestly. But come in, please."
He walked in, his eyes sweeping over the cameras scattered all over my living room.

He raised an eyebrow, a flicker of curiosity in his gaze. "So, uh… what’s going on here?"

I chuckled, feeling a little sheepish. "Sorry about the mess. I kind of turned the place upside down for something. Let me grab you a drink— is water okay?"

“Perfect. Thanks.” he replied, his voice low and appreciative.

I brought over a glass of water, gesturing for him to sit on the couch. He took a sip and settled in, giving the cameras another curious look as I reached for the one I found the photo on. I handed it to him, barely able to keep the anticipation out of my voice.

"Here, take a look."

He clicked it open, and the image popped up on the screen: his mother, caught mid-laugh, surrounded by the happy, carefree crowd from that summer camp years ago. His expression froze, his eyes wide as he glanced back up at me, barely able to find his voice.
"H-how… how did you get this?"

I smiled softly. "I heard from Carlos that.. uhm.. today is your Mom's birthday" I started.

"That's why." Evan whispered gazing on the floor.

"Sorry." I felt a bit embarrased.

"No, its fine. Its, it not you." He explained turning his eyes back at me. "But how'd you get this? She looks.. beautiful here." he added looking back to the photo of his mom on my camera, his eyes smiling.

"Remember the camp? I took a lot of random photos back then. Your Mom, she's always around events happening at the camp, she assists other staffs or sometimes just playing around. I happened to capture her randomly  on this one before I even knew you." I paused, feeling my cheeks warm. "I have a photo printer here that can print it quickly. I was actually planning to print it and give it to you tomorrow… wasn’t expecting you to show up tonight."

Evan’s eyes softened, his voice quiet but steady. "Can you print it now? I… don’t mind waiting."

"Of course."

As the printer hummed softly, I heard my phone chime with a notification. I glance down to confirm it, the food I ordered was waiting downstairs. I turned to Evan, who was still lounging on the couch, scrolling through the photos on my camera.

"I’ll be right back, I just need to grab the food I ordered." I told him, and he gave me an easy smile, nodding as if to say Go ahead.

It only took a few minutes to get the order and head back up. But as I opened the door, I stop short. I saw Evan standing by my workspace, right next to the printer. The photo of his mom just finished printing, and his hand was on it. He looked over his shoulder at me, a little startled, and I caught a glimpse of some kind of another tiny photo paper he just slipped into his back pocket. I couldn’t tell what it was, but I brushed it off, its probably something private for him to hide.

Clearing my thoughts, I walked over and set the food down. "Did you already eat?"

Evan shook his head, his expression softening. "No, I just got up when I saw your message and I came straight over. Besides.." he added with a hint of amusement, "Maya’s out. She got a date tonight."

I couldn’t help the smile that crept onto my face. "Oh! that's good for her! Well, I got enough to share if you don’t mind takeout for dinner."

His eyes lit up as he shrugged, "Sounds perfect."

We moved to the couch and as we unpack the food, I start a movie filling the room with a cozy warmth. The simple sharing of dinner, the low glow of the TV—it was almost enough to make me forget what today meant to him, though I could feel a lingering weight in the room, softened only by the faint smile he gave me from time to time.

As the movie credits rolled, I stretch a little while glancing over at Evan as he instinctively gathered up the takeout containers and wrappers.
"Are you going back to work tomorrow?" I asked, my voice soft.

He paused, dropping the trash into the bag. "No, I’m actually on leave until the weekend."

That caught me by surprise. "Why the long break?"

Evan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "One of the tracks we’re working on is… kind of a mess right now. Jessica and one of the other vocalists are struggling to nail the dynamics Valerie’s asking for. I recorded some parts, but trying to fix it in the studio hasn't been working. I was hoping some time off might help me tackle it on my own, at a more… peaceful pace."

I thought for a moment, trying to be helpful. "Maybe if you give them a sample track to follow along with, that might help?"

He nodded. "Carlos and I actually tried that. But since we’re both male voices, it didn’t translate well for them. These singers are talented, but they’re not exactly versatile enough to adjust the melodies to fit their vocal range."

I can see the frustration in his eyes as he rubbed his eyebrows, looking genuinely stressed. He’s been trying so hard to make this work.

I just sat quietly on the couch beside him, watching him thoughtfully. Then, all of a sudden, he turned toward me, his expression shifting as if a light bulb had just gone off in his mind.

"Moriah… what if you help me make a sample track?"

I felt my heart skipped a beat. "Me?" I asked, my voice coming out more startled than I intend. "Evan, you know I am part of the multimedia team. I don't want to intrude the other artists and I wouldn't even know where to start."

He smiled, bending in a little closer, his elbows resting on his knees and his gaze steady. "Moriah, I heard you sing plenty of times. You might not know it, but you’ve got something special, and I know you will nail this."

I scrambled for another excuse, trying to sound casual. "Evan, you’re on leave. And I actually have to go to work early tomorrow. I wouldn’t even know how to keep up if I’m running on no sleep."

He looked at me unfazed, with a glint of determination in his eyes. "I’ll talk to Carlos and Valerie. I’ll request for them to give you a paid leave. We will still be working relatedl for the project anyways, so it shouldn’t be a problem."

Before I could protest, he already pulled his phone out and stood up, pacing a little as he dialed Carlos. I just quietly watch him pacing back and fort, as he talked in his usual calm but convincing tone. It seemed he had an answer ready for every question Carlos threw at him.

After a few minutes, he hung up, leaving me no time to interject before he swiftly dialed Valerie. Feeling slightly overwhelmed, I just sank back onto the couch, my fingers fumbling together.

"It’s all settled. You got your paid leave and we'll be working together."

I blinked at him, still processing how quickly everything just unraveled. Before I could fully grasp it, he gave me a little nod. "Come on, Moriah. Let’s head out."

I glanced at the clock. "Wait... it’s eight in the evening, Evan. You seriously want to go now?"

"Yeah," he shrugged, "I got a good nap this afternoon, so I’m all charged up for a night session." He moved toward the door, clearly expecting me to follow, leaving no room for debate.

As I got up, I mumbled under my breath, "Yeah, well.. some of us just had an eight-hour shift."

But I still found myself trailing behind him, shoulders a bit slouched but no less determined. After all, how could I really say no? There was something magnetic about his energy, and—truth be told—I wanted to help him. And maybe, just maybe, I wanted to be there for him as more than just a colleague.