The Next Day.
Elara opened her shop at the usual time. She said on the bench watching the passers-by. She saw some students of Davenport School of Music having coffee at Whisper Café.
It was a very small cafe across her shop. Their special hot chocolate and cinnamon coffee attracted a lot of customers, mostly students. But shockingly there were mismatched chairs all around.
She stood up, organising all her paper art. While arranging the new pastel coloured origami birds near the window, her thoughts struck by the strange quite man from yesterday. A soft breeze blew.
"I wonder what is he up to!! Why is he so silent? Can't he talk? Is he like this since his childhood? How does it feel to be silent all the time?? What makes.." and before she could finish what she was thinking about she stopped.
Here comes him again.
He moves forward and notices the new birds. Then he chooses a paper. I slightly larger one with a music note pattern.
She just observed in silently. Though she was a bit shocked still she stood quite and then gave him what he wanted: a simple sketch of a bird in mid-flight with faint musical notes.
She thought to herself, "Why does he need a paper?"
But then she smiled, sensing his attempt to communicate and connect, though she didn't fully understand him yet.
This time he doesn't hands her a note either. He just go then it's quietly near the window. She continues her work.
Suddenly she he heard a humming sound. She looks up and GOD!! She got awestruck. It was him humming softly - almost imperceptibly.
"Am I dreaming??", she thought, "Is this a dream? I just can't believe!! I never thought I could hear a bit of sound from him. Or, am I mistaken?" She looked around the searching if there is someone else around.
He noticed her. Even though he didn't look at her directly he understood that. He looked up and suddenly their eyes met. It continued for some seconds. There was warmth but no words.
She went nervous and broke the eye contact. He grinned, head bowed down towards his lap.
After a minute or two, he got up and started walking towards her. She didn't seem to notice at first. He then put a small origami bird on the counter and left.
She was surprised to see this. She kept looking at him, or more probably his back, untill he was out of sight.
Then she picked up the bird wandering why he left it here. She also became a little curious because she once glanced at him and saw him writing something on it.
She searched if she could find anything and found a small message inside. It said, "Keep Flying".
She smiled. She felt unexpectedly touched. It made her realise his way of saying something meaningful without speaking.
She sat back and started folding more birds. But in her mind she was reflecting on the encounter again and again. She thought, who is he and why he comes back everyday.