The coastal town was quieter than usual the next morning, the festival banners from the night before still hanging limp in the salty breeze. Most of the stalls along the pier had been cleared, though a few vendors lingered, their carts parked lazily as they packed up leftover supplies.
Arielle stood inside the art studio, tidying up the brushes and rearranging the children’s finished paintings on the display wall. Normally, she liked these quiet mornings — the peace of the studio after a long day, the soft sound of the waves outside. But today, her thoughts refused to settle.
The festival had left her restless.
Not because of the crowd. Not because of the music or the lanterns.
Because of him.
She hadn’t expected Kairo to be there. She hadn’t expected to see him standing just a few fe
