Dawn Of Twilight

Chapter 19 : The Friends We Made (Part 2)

The bell above the café door gave a soft chime as the evening breeze slipped in. Adam's café was calm, wrapped in warm amber light, the quiet hum of conversation echoing against wood-paneled walls. Outside, the street lanterns were flickering to life, painting the glass in a golden glow.

Dawn leaned forward in their corner booth, eyes sparkling with the rush of her ideas. A steaming mug sat forgotten between her hands.

"First—food stalls," she began eagerly. "Not random vendors, but ones rooted in shrine traditions. If people can taste the culture, they'll remember why it matters."

Erevin nodded. "That's manageable. We can do that."

She lifted a second finger. "Second—performances. Music, dance, maybe even small plays retelling the myths of Zaraya and Azarath—"

"No." Erevin cut in, his tone steady but gentle. "A play is too much to prepare for in two weeks. It would fall apart under the pressure. A traditional community dance is possible though—something simple but meaningful."

Dawn paused, then smiled faintly. "Alright. A dance then."

She lifted her third finger. "Third—an art wall. Paintings, poems, even kids' sketches. Something interactive, something that makes people feel like it's theirs."

This time Erevin only nodded, his expression softening. "That's good. That will work."

Her grin widened as she raised her last finger. "And fourth—the finale. Lanterns. Hundreds of them rising into the night sky—"

"Too expensive." Erevin's voice cut across her enthusiasm. "We can't waste money we don't have." He leaned back, folding his arms, gaze fixed on her. "Instead, Rui and I will handle the outreach. We'll hand out flyers, speak to people face to face, try to pull whatever donations we can. You and Ruoxi should work with the shrine elders—prepare the grounds, set the traditions in motion, make sure the festival feels alive."

Dawn tilted her head, almost teasing. "So you're giving me all the hard parts."

He allowed himself a rare, small smile. "No. I'm giving you the parts only you can do."

Her lips pressed together, caught between laughter and the weight of his trust. Finally, she gave a little nod, her fingers intertwing with his. "Then we'll make it work."

Dawn rose from her chair, brushing crumbs from her skirt. "What do you want?" she asked, already halfway turned toward the counter.

"Anything will do," Erevin said, still scanning the notes they'd been scribbling.

At the counter, Dawn leaned forward with her usual bright smile. "Hi. Where's Chloe today?"

The woman behind the register adjusted her apron. "I'm Phoebe. Chloe's on leave—medical reasons."

Concern softened Dawn's expression. "Oh, I hope she gets well soon."

Phoebe chuckled. "She will. In about nine months."

It clicked in Dawn's mind, and her lips parted in surprise before a laugh bubbled out. "Ohhh! I see!"

Their shared laughter spilled warmly into the little café.

Dawn leaned forward on the counter, scanning the chalkboard menu. "Hmm... I'll take two croissants, a slice of chocolate cake, one of those blueberry tarts—oh, and two strawberry sundaes." She smiled, satisfied. "That should do."

Phoebe nodded, ringing it up, then slid two sundaes across the counter. "Ice creams first—rest will take a few minutes."

Dawn carefully took the sundaes. Phoebe balanced a tray of pastries, turned toward the kitchen—but her foot caught on the edge of the rug.