Nathan. He's not the guy who walks into a room and instantly commands attention. He's the one who sits back quietly, watching, listening—waiting for the right moment to speak. And when he does? People listen.
Nathan is a man of few words, but when he speaks, he speaks with meaning.
He doesn't know how to flirt. He won't throw out cheesy lines or try to charm his way into hearts. He's awkward with compliments, a little stiff during group games, and honestly? He's okay with that.
Because Nathan didn't join Love Unseen to play a character.
He came here to show the version of himself that rarely gets seen—the honest one. The quiet one. The real one.
No filters. No pretense.
Just him.
And if someone in this house happens to like that version—really like him, the way he is—then maybe, just maybe, he'll walk out of here with a girlfriend.
But if not?
He'll still walk out proud of the fact that he showed up as himself.
--
The van ride to the off-site date was silent for the first few minutes. Nathan sat with his hands resting on his knees, casting subtle glances at Lena from time to time.
The camera wasn't in their faces now—only a discreet GoPro mounted near the front windshield. Still, Lena could feel its presence like an itch.
"Thanks again for choosing me," Nathan said at last, his voice soft.
Lena smiled. It wasn't fake, but it wasn't fully honest either. "You seemed like the least terrifying option."
He chuckled at that, some of the tension lifting. "That might be the nicest thing anyone's said to me on national television. And to be honest, I feel comfortable to you."
"Aside from me, whom do you most comfortable?"
"To Mikha I guess, since she gave me grapes on the pool area."
She laughed, and the weight pressing on her chest lessened for the first time since yesterday.
Their date spot was charming—a sun-drenched lakeside café set just far enough from the city to feel like a little world of its own. There were paddleboats lined up on the dock, couples sitting under umbrellas, and the lazy hum of summer wind in the trees.
The production crew let them roam freely, though two camera operators trailed at a polite distance. The date wasn't private, but it felt quieter than the Brothers House. Less staged. Less… suffocating.
Nathan offered his arm, almost awkwardly. Lena took it.
"So," he said, "should we pretend we're here to fall in love, or be honest and just enjoy the free meal?"
Lena smirked. "Let's say fifty-fifty."
Over lunch, Nathan proved surprisingly easy to talk to. He was an illustrator for children's books, soft-spoken but full of dry wit. He asked questions without digging. Laughed at her jokes without forcing it. It wasn't electric, but it was warm.
She found herself relaxing.
Until the moment Nathan leaned in slightly, his voice lower. "You seem like you've been through something."
Lena's fork paused over her salad.
"Sorry," he added quickly, raising his hands. "I just mean... sometimes it looks like you're somewhere else."
Lena swallowed and set her fork down. "I guess I am."
Nathan waited, not pushing. That earned him more of her trust than any probing question would have.
"You remember what I have shared last night. That I was in a relationship that ended badly. Not long ago."
He nodded. "Hence... Just enjoy the show, may you find your love here."
Lena's throat tightened—but not in the way that made her want to run.
She looked at him. Really looked. And for the first time since stepping into the Brothers House, she felt something solid beneath her feet.
She appreciated that he saw her—not the contestant, not the edited version the show might turn her into—but her. The girl who came here to forget. The girl still learning how to feel whole again.
She appreciated how he didn't use silence as pressure. How his eyes never wandered, how his words didn't stumble over pretense. There was kindness in his stillness, not hesitation.
In this moment, with sunlight dappling over their table and the lake stretching beyond them, she was grateful.
Grateful for the way Nathan looked at her like she wasn't broken glass.
Grateful for the calm between them.
And as they finished lunch and walked slowly back toward the paddleboats, Lena let herself enjoy the quiet—not the kind that followed hurt, but the kind that followed understanding.
Nathan held the paddleboat steady as Lena climbed in. The late afternoon sun shimmered across the water, casting golden ripples. It was quiet enough to hear the lapping of waves against the wood and the distant call of birds.
"This is either the most romantic thing I've ever done," Nathan said as he began to pedal, "or the most physically exhausting."
Lena laughed, easing back into the seat across from him. "We'll know in twenty minutes if we hate each other."
He grinned. "Perfect way to test a first date. Trapped in a tiny boat with nowhere to escape."
"Oh, believe me," she said, pointing a teasing finger, "if I wanted out, I'd swim."
"Noted," he said. "Escape by lake—an elegant exit strategy."
For a moment, they paddled in silence. The quiet was no longer heavy. It felt earned.
"So," Nathan said, "can I ask something weird?"
Lena tilted her head. "Weirder than paddleboat interrogation? Go for it."
"What made you come on this show? Really."
She hesitated. "That's the million-dollar question, isn't it?"
He waited patiently, his eyes soft with curiosity, not demand.
"I think... I wanted to prove to myself that I could still be seen. That I could be chosen. Even if it's on a game show where everyone's pretending not to be pretending."
Nathan nodded slowly. "That makes sense."
She arched an eyebrow. "No judgment?"
"Nope. I get it. I signed up because I've spent too many years drawing other people's stories instead of living my own. Thought maybe it was time to try."
Lena looked at him, really looked, and smiled. "That's not weird at all."
He shrugged. "Okay, fine. I also came for the snacks."
She burst into laughter, and he grinned like a kid who'd won a prize.
Later, after they returned to the van and made the short ride back to the Brothers House, the tone shifted almost immediately. As soon as they stepped through the door, the other contestants exploded into a chorus of whistles and fake gasps.
"Ooooh, the lovers return!" a contestant named Jordan called from the kitchen.
"Was it romantic?" Ruby added, grinning like she already knew the answer. "Did he write you a sonnet?"
Lena rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "No sonnets. Just a paddleboat and a free lunch."
Nathan gave a theatrical bow. "She laughed at my jokes. I consider that a win."
"Wait—she laughed?" Mikha leaned over the couch, mock-shocked. "Is this the start of a beautiful showmance?"
"Shut up," Lena said, laughing as she tried to pass through the crowd. But the warmth in her face betrayed her. She wasn't embarrassed—just... flustered in a way she hadn't felt in a long time.
"You're glowing," Angela sing-songed.
"Do not say I'm glowing."
"You're glowing!" the group shouted in unison.
Nathan, still behind her, leaned in and whispered just loud enough for the others to hear, "I did tell you I was the least terrifying option."
The house roared again with laughter.
Lena playfully shoved his shoulder. "Don't make me regret choosing you."
"Too late," he said smiling.
The teasing eventually died down, and everyone returned to their usual lounge spots. But as Lena settled onto the couch with a glass of water and a throw blanket, she caught Jason's eyes across the room.