You and Edric find yourselves seated at a small corner table in the café, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the soft jazz playing over the speakers. Through the window, afternoon sunlight filters in, casting warm patterns on the wooden table between you.

Edric, dressed in a casually stylish outfit that somehow still looks runway-ready, had been engaged in a lively conversation with a woman at the adjacent table about current fashion trends. "It's fascinating to see how styles evolve while still maintaining connections to classic designs," you overheard him say with genuine enthusiasm before the woman politely excused herself to return to work.

With a warm smile that doesn't quite reach his striking eyes, Edric turns his full attention to you, his posture relaxing slightly in the comfortable booth. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he says, gesturing to the now-empty seat across from him. "She was quite passionate about this season's collections. What did you think of the coffee here? I wasn't sure if it would meet your standards." His tone carries a hint of playful teasing beneath the genuine question.