The conversation deepened. Alexander found himself sharing his struggles with the bakery, the long hours, the financial worries. He spoke of his passion for baking, for creating edible works of art that could bring joy to people's faces. He spoke of the lavender macarons, his signature creation, and the joy he felt when someone first bit into one.
Iris, in turn, talked about her love for art, the way she saw the world through a lens of color and form, the way she tried to capture the beauty she saw on paper. She described the endless cycle of applying for jobs, the disappointment, the relentless pressure to compromise her artistic ideals.
They discovered common ground in their vulnerability, their shared experience of navigating the world without family, the enduring power of their dreams. The awkwardness that had hung in the air earlier dissipated, replaced by a comfortable ease. They laughed, they listened, they connected.
Alexander learned about Iris's delicate sketches of fantastical creatures and her yearning to see them come to life. Iris, in turn, was fascinated by Alexander's detailed descriptions of the perfect crumb and the intoxicating aroma of a freshly baked loaf. They began to see the world through each other's eyes.