Thegirlpushesopenthegssdoorandstepsintothecafé,breathinginthefragranceofcoffeebeansandpastriesasitenfoldsherinafamiliarembrace.Herhighheelsslightlywobbling,shewalksovertoatablebythefloor-to-ceilingwindowsandsits.Thesntedsunlightofmid-afternooncastsherawashile,inspicuousspotlight,herdarkhairabsitswarmth,ashawloverherbareshoulders.

    Shewearsawhitesleevelesstunidtealcroppedpants.Apairofnavy-rimmedgssesrestsonthebridgeofhernose,andtinyptinumcrestsdanglefromherears.

    “Goodafternoon,”saysthewaiterpleasantly.Heholdsalittlenotepadandapencil,preparedtojotdownherorders.“Whatwouldyouliketodrinktoday?”

    Thegirlsmilesupathim,hereyesglittering,andpointstwotablesawayatanotherwaiterservingatall,kinggssoficedmatcha:abeautifulpaletterepletewitharegalemeraldatthebottomthatfradientuptothefrothing,sea-foamwhiteatthesurface.

    Herwaiterfollowshergaze,givesheraknowingsmile,andscribblessomethingdownonhisnotepad.Heasks,“Wouldyoulikeanythi?”

    Thegirlshakesherhead,sayingnothing.

    Thewaiternods,says,“Wonderful.Yourdrinkwillbereadyshortly.”Heleaves.

    Thegirlturnshereyesoutthewindow,gazingabsentlyatdragonfliesflittingaboutovertheregurfountainoutside,butterfliesflutteringfromtheflowersofoedpnttoanother,smallchildrenchasingasmalldog,mouthsagapeindelightfulughter.

    Whenherdrinkes,shetrailsafingerdownthesideofthegss,swipingthroughthesheenofdensationonthecoldsurface.Shebringsthestrawtohermouthandsips,eyeswanderingbackoutthewindow,atthefilmrenderedsilentbyaninvisiblewall.

    Suddenly,somethingsmsintothegss,aartles,mouthpartinginsurprise.It’sabird,sherealizes,watgitdroppatheticallyontotheground,twitgthenstill.

    Shereachesout,andthistimetrailsherfingerdownthewindowgssfromwherethebirdhadhit.Sheliftshergazefromthebird’smotionlessformandwatchesasdragonfliesflittimetersoverthewater’ssurface,asbutterfliesdanceuponstagesofvariousblossoms,assmallchildrenarechased,gigglingwithglee,byasmalldog.

    Theotherpatronsofthecaféchatterinhushedtones,siptheirmyriadofdrinks,nibbleuponmasandwafflesandpannacottas.

    Thegirlpushesopenthegssdoorandstepsintothecafé,breathinginthefragranceofcoffeebeansandpastriesasitenfoldsherinafamiliarembrace.Herhighheelsslightlywobbling,shewalksovertoatablebythefloor-to-ceilingwindowsandsits.Thesntedsunlightofmid-afternooncastsherawashile,inspicuousspotlight,herdarkhairabsitswarmth,ashawloverherbareshoulders.

    Shewearsawhitesleevelesstunidtealcroppedpants.Apairofnavy-rimmedgssesrestsonthebridgeofhernose,andtinyptinumcrestsdanglefromherears.

    “Goodafternoon,”saysthewaiterpleasantly.Heholdsalittlenotepadandapencil,preparedtojotdownherorders.“Whatwouldyouliketodrinktoday?”

    Thegirlsmilesupathim,hereyesglittering,andpointstwotablesawayatanotherwaiterservingatall,kinggssoficedmatcha:abeautifulpaletterepletewitharegalemeraldatthebottomthatfradientuptothefrothing,sea-foamwhiteatthesurface.

    Herwaiterfollowshergaze,givesheraknowingsmile,andscribblessomethingdownonhisnotepad.Heasks,“Wouldyoulikeanythi?”

    Thegirlshakesherhead,sayingnothing.

    Thewaiternods,says,“Wonderful.Yourdrinkwillbereadyshortly.”Heleaves.

    Thegirlturnshereyesoutthewindow,gazingabsentlyatdragonfliesflittingaboutovertheregurfountainoutside,butterfliesflutteringfromtheflowersofoedpnttoanother,smallchildrenchasingasmalldog,mouthsagapeindelightfulughter.

    Whenherdrinkes,shetrailsafingerdownthesideofthegss,swipingthroughthesheenofdensationonthecoldsurface.Shebringsthestrawtohermouthandsips,eyeswanderingbackoutthewindow,atthefilmrenderedsilentbyaninvisiblewall.

    Suddenly,somethingsmsintothegss,aartles,mouthpartinginsurprise.It’sabird,sherealizes,watgitdroppatheticallyontotheground,twitgthenstill.

    Shereachesout,andthistimetrailsherfingerdownthewindowgssfromwherethebirdhadhit.Sheliftshergazefromthebird’smotionlessformandwatchesasdragonfliesflittimetersoverthewater’ssurface,asbutterfliesdanceuponstagesofvariousblossoms,assmallchildrenarechased,gigglingwithglee,byasmalldog.

    Theotherpatronsofthecaféchatterinhushedtones,siptheirmyriadofdrinks,nibbleuponmasandwafflesandpannacottas.