They passed through the city center, where Mateo saw cafes with outdoor seating despite the cool weather, their patrons wrapped in jackets and scarves but determined to enjoy the afternoon sun and each other's company.
Street musicians played on corners while shoppers moved at a leisurely pace that suggested they had time for life beyond work, stopping to chat with friends or simply to appreciate the moment. It was a rhythm of life that felt sustainable rather than frantic.
"Very different from Barcelona, I imagine," Thomas observed, following Mateo's gaze as they stopped at a traffic light next to a small square where teenagers were playing pickup football with makeshift goals. "Less glamorous, perhaps, but more authentic. People here care about substance over style, about character over image. They'll judge you not by your marketing value but by how hard you work and how you treat your teammates."
Mateo typed on his phone: "It feels honest. I like that."
