Page 199 of A Solid Guide to Surviving a Situationship

Then sighed softly.

“This bookstore is so beautiful.”

The voice startled me slightly.

I turned my head toward the sound and realized someone had been standing two feet away the entire time.

And God, my heart skipped embarrassingly fast.

For a second, all I noticed was his side profile that glowed beneath the string lights above us.

Sharp jawline. Soft mouth. Dark hair slightly messy like he had stopped caring about fixing it halfway through the night.

Then he turned toward me fully.

And somehow, he looked even better.

Is this what they call organic encounter?

He wore a deep blue shirt, his expression relaxed and thoughtful in a way that immediately made him feel familiar despite being a stranger.

I smiled faintly.

“Yeah,” I said softly. “My favorite place in the city.”

He smiled back.

And his eyes smiled too.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

We just stood there, side by side, looking at the bookstore while the city hummed quietly from behind us.

Then I glanced toward him again.

“I haven’t seen you around before.”

He looked at me briefly before letting out a small, amused breath.

“I’m from Manila,” he said. “And Cebu is large, though.”

I chuckled immediately, warmth creeping embarrassingly into my cheeks.

“Of course,” I muttered.

His smile widened slightly at that.

Then he extended one hand toward me.

“I’m Justin,” he said.

I looked down at his hand for half a second before smiling again.

“James.”

Our hands met briefly.

Warm.