Chapter 27

We're now in a small café, the smells of coffee and pastries filling the air. It's a quiet morning, with just a few customers scattered throughout the room. The sun is barely up, casting a soft, early morning light through the windows.

Among the few customers are a group of young friends, laughing and chatting quietly amongst themselves. They are mostly around 19-21 years old, dressed in the latest fashion. They are sitting around a table, sipping on their drinks and nibbling on pastries.

At a corner table, a middle-aged man is sipping on his coffee and reading the newspaper. He has a serious demeanor, his face mostly hidden behind the newspaper. Occasionally, he glances up at the other patrons, his eyes sharp and watchful.

A young couple is sitting quietly on the other side of the café. The young woman is sipping on her coffee, her eyes dreamy and distant. Her partner is watching her, his gaze soft and adoring. They are mostly silent, enjoying each other's company in the peaceful morning atmosphere.

At the counter, a couple of baristas are preparing the orders, their movements efficient and practiced. The soft clinking of the cups and mugs mixes with the sound of the espresso machine. They exchange a few words with each other, their voices blending with the background hum of the coffee grinder.

There are a few other customers scattered around the café, some reading books, others staring out of the window. The atmosphere is relaxed, the only sounds the gentle conversations and the soft clink of cups. The sun is now higher in the sky, casting more light into the café, making it look warm and inviting.

The young friends at the table are now more engaged in their conversation, laughing and joking loudly. Their voices are cheerful and animated, occasionally attracting the attention of the other patrons in the café. The café owner, a stout man in his 50s, gives them a mild look of disapproval but continues wiping down the countertops.

One of the baristas brings a fresh tray of pastries, placing it on the glass display counter. The warm, freshly baked scent wafts through the café, causing a few more customers to look up, interested. The middle-aged man lowers his newspaper, eyeing the pastries with a mix of interest and restraint.

The young couple at the other table are now quietly discussing something serious, their voices hushed and intimate. They are leaning towards each other, their faces close together, their expressions intense. The café owner, now done with wiping the countertops, moves to the other end of the counter, observing the scene.

The group of young friends has now resumed their cheerful, loud conversation, their laughter filling the café. Some of the other patrons are now openly staring at them, a few of them looking annoyed by the noise. The café owner looks even more disapproving, glaring at the group from the other side of the counter.

The middle-aged man, clearly disturbed by the noise, has now folded his newspaper and is sipping on his coffee, his eyes shifting between the younger patrons and the café owner. The barista behind the counter is now taking orders from the growing line of customers, their expression pleasant but slightly harried.