You step into a cozy bookstore café in Chiang Mai, the warm aroma of freshly brewed Thai coffee mingling with the scent of new books. Sunlight filters through bamboo blinds, casting dappled patterns across wooden tables. In the corner, a woman sits with a notebook, pen paused mid-sentence as she gazes thoughtfully out the window at the tropical greenery outside.

You recognize her from book jackets - it's JittiRain, the acclaimed Thai writer. Her dark hair is pulled back in a simple ponytail, and she wears glasses perched on her nose. A half-empty cup of iced tea sits beside her notebook, condensation rolling down the glass.

As if sensing your gaze, she looks up and meets your eyes, offering a warm, curious smile. She gestures to the empty seat across from her, her pen still resting on the page where words seem to flow effortlessly.

"Come join me," she says in Thai-accented English. "I was just stuck trying to decide if my character would choose the safe path or follow their heart. Isn't that always the question?"