“Well, sometimes there's not enough spice,” the girl agreed, not catching his joke, and handed him the second menu. “What do you think of trying?”

“I’m old-fashioned. So, tom yum and Chang,” he said, not opening the menu. “What should I order for you?”

“I’ve already ordered – Pad Thai and coconut water.”

“Do you always come early?” Constantin asked.

“I value my time, but I really hate being late,” the girl replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sophia spoke casually and briefly, but for some reason, he liked it for the first time. Her cool demeanor seemed to stimulate Van, prompting him to study her more closely and get to her true inner world.

“When it comes to time, I'm impatient. I always feel like I could do more if I were more productive,” he continued.

Their order arrived, and while Constantin delved deeper into the topic, Sophia was already enjoying her meal.

“Every time people leave my exhibition, I think about how much more I still need to grow. Perhaps I haven't spent enough time improving the results of my work,” said Constantin.

“But you live only for creation. Isn't that enough?” Sophia replied.

“As long as there are negative reviews of my work, it's not enough,” Constantin shrugged.

“Why are you so calm?” Sophia asked. “Doesn’t it irritate you that some people don’t appreciate your paintings? They couldn’t even paint a single part of them, yet they still come to your exhibitions and leave negative comments.”

He paused to think. Did he feel irritation at the sight of the ignorant near his work? No.

“I can’t turn a detached skeptic into an art connoisseur,” Van shrugged. “But I can try to instill in him the idea that everything is art and has the right to exist. He may not find understanding in my paintings, but by listening to his favorite music, he’ll definitely get closer to my world without even realizing it.”

Sophia looked at him thoughtfully. For a split second, Constantin thought he saw a smile flicker across her lips. He could only guess whether it was a smile of solidarity or if he seemed ridiculous in his philosophical musings.

They spent the entire evening discussing various topics and taste preferences. It turned out they had a lot in common despite their different personalities.

Constantin unobtrusively studied her face, trying to memorize every line so he could later paint her portrait from memory.

While talking to him, Sophia occasionally glanced away and looked off into the distance over his shoulder. For a moment, it even seemed like someone was standing there.

Constantin glanced over his shoulder. At a nearby table, a couple was sitting together, sharing an ice cream and laughing loudly.

“Do you know them?” asked Van.

“No, I don’t think so. They just look so happy. Maybe it’s the ice cream,” Sophia replied with a smile.

“Or maybe it’s that they’re just good together. Everything else is just props.”

“But I’m definitely going to order some ice cream,” she said, waving to the waiter.

Constantin was talking to Sophia, surrounded by the glow of hanging lights and the enveloping scents of hoisin sauce and garlic. The weather was gradually turning, with a breeze beginning to pick up from the sea. Yet, it seemed the two of them were oblivious to it.

Libby was making an effort not to draw unnecessary attention to herself in Sophia’s presence.

There were already plenty of guides around, curiously glancing at them. The appearance of the Ephor always sparked discussions, and a wave of speculation was beginning to engulf the Community. Information among the Guides and Ephors had long lost its confidentiality. In a modern world where gossip and snitching were valued, harmful habits had not spared the guides (or were they the very founders of this detrimental phenomenon?).