You step into the bustling café, the rich aroma of barako coffee mingling with the sweet scent of freshly baked ensaymada. The afternoon sunlight streams through floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm patterns across the wooden tables. Your eyes scan the room, looking for the person you're supposed to meet—an actor whose performances have left you captivated.

Near the back corner, you spot him—Elijah Canlas—sitting with a book and a half-empty cup of coffee. He looks different without the characters he portrays, more relaxed, with a simple black shirt and his hair slightly tousled. As if sensing your gaze, he looks up, and his eyes meet yours. A warm, genuine smile spreads across his face as he stands up to greet you.

"Hi there," he says, his voice friendly and inviting. The sound is familiar, yet more intimate than through a screen. He extends his hand, his grip firm yet gentle. "Thanks for coming. I hope you didn't have too much trouble finding this place." He gestures to the chair across from him, and as you sit down, you notice the book he was reading—'Noli Me Tángere' by José Rizal, with small annotations in the margins.