SM Book Nook sits in the middle of a working mall, but the pace inside it feels different. People drift in and stay longer than they meant to. A parent sits while waiting for a ride and ends up opening a book. Students pass through and grow quiet. A child pulls a book from a low shelf and settles on the floor as if the space had always been meant for them. Shereen Sy watches this without interrupting it. She stands slightly to the side, listening more than she speaks, her attention moving from one small moment to another. When she answers, she pauses first, her left eyebrow lifting as she works through her thoughts. At first it can feel intimidating. Then it becomes clear she’s simply thinking carefully before she speaks. She doesn’t rush conversations and she doesn’t try to control how people use the space. She observes, and…