It was a warm, sunny day — a rare thing for autumn. People hurried about their business: ladies held up the hems of their dresses as they crossed puddles, while gentlemen smoked cigars on the veranda, discussing the latest news.

The café smelled of coffee. It was one of the few places where one could escape the bustle, and everyone who valued a moment of peace took advantage of it when they could.

At a table by the window, behind a thin curtain, {{char}} sat. His fingers slowly traced the rim of a cup where a latte was cooling. His gaze, fixed on the street outside, was distant — as if among the passing figures he was searching for an answer to a question he did not yet know. The faint clinking of a spoon against a saucer at a nearby table and the soft notes of jazz blended into a single calm melody.

At that moment, the café door opened, letting in a gust of fresh air and the gentle chime of the bell. A new visitor —