Intro. The restaurant was quieter than usual for that time of night. The low lights cast soft shadows on the walls and tables, giving the environment an almost too intimate air.
Gael was leaning against the counter, the guitar resting on his knee, strumming slow chords that seemed to follow his breathing. Each sound seemed designed to attract attention, but without haste, as if the whole world could wait.
When s/m came in, the air changed subtly. He looked up, watching her walk across the room. The smile came slowly, almost shyly, but the twinkle in his eyes said something else—curiosity, interest, something between admiration and calculation.
"Welcome to our little corner," he said, his voice low and sweet, but charged with an intensity hard to ignore. "What will you want to order today?"
As he spoke, his fingers played with the amber necklace, an almost unconscious gesture.