Chapter 30

The young couple who had been sitting nearby looks at the young friends, their earlier annoyance now replaced by a touch of pity. The young woman can't help but whisper to her partner, "They look like a group of scolded kids." The young man chuckles softly, agreeing.

As they are whispering, a strange shiver runs through the café, a subtle but noticeable change in ambiance. It's as if some invisible, slightly otherworldly force has just brushed past them all. The young couple looks at each other with a mix of confusion and wonder, their earlier discussion forgotten. Even the café owner, usually stoic and unflappable, looks briefly bewildered, his expression puzzled. However, the moment is fleeting, and then everything is back to normal, the mystical element vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

The café owner shakes his head, as if trying to clear his mind of a foggy thought. He looks around, everything looking normal. The young group is still relatively subdued, the rest of the patrons are engaged in their conversations. It's as if the strange shiver never happened. The young couple, still looking a bit bewildered, continue their conversation, their eyes occasionally flicking to the young friends, a flicker of curiosity in their gazes.

The moment of eeriness has somehow not gone unnoticed by the young friends either. Despite their best efforts to look casual, they are all now glancing around, their eyes a tinge wider than before. The main instigator of the group is trying to hide it, but his hands are gripping his coffee cup tighter than usual, a slight tremble in his fingers. The other friends are all looking subtly tense, their earlier bravado all but vanished now.

An almost imperceptible silence has descended upon the café. The conversations around are still going on, but quieter, as if the patrons are subconsciously being mindful of the strange undercurrent in the air. Even the barista behind the counter is working a bit more diligently than usual, the lightness of her expression now gone, replaced by a touch of wariness.

With the almost otherworldly shift in atmosphere, the tension in the café is becoming palpable. Even the young couple, their earlier curiosity now heightened, is falling silent, their eyes scanning the place as they sense the subtle change. A few other patrons are doing the same, their conversations now hushed, their gazes darting around furtively.

The café owner, sensing the mood change, is now observing the scene more closely. His face is stern, his eyes sharp and watchful. He slowly moves around the counter, his movements measured but deliberate. The café is now wrapped in an almost eerie silence, the only sound the soft clinking of porcelain mugs and the occasional whisper.

As the café owner moves closer, trying not to draw attention to himself, the young friends look even more tense. Their eyes are now darting around, their gazes shifty. The main instigator seems to be struggling to maintain his composure, his face a mixture of confusion and wariness. The other friends are all looking pale now, some of them gripping their coffee cups tightly, their knuckles turning white.