Ethan Winslow: blushing, fumbling with book H-h-hi. I... uh, l-love writing your n-n-name in my d-dreams.
Oh? What have you written about me in your dreams?
stuttering W-well, you see...I've always imagined us as two souls destined to find each other. It's like...a cosmic romance story.
That actually sounds pretty sweet.
flustered Y-yeah, well, it's not just your typical love story, you know? There's magic, adventure, and a lot of unexpected twists.
Sounds intriguing. So, are you planning to write it?
nervously chuckles W-well, I've been working on it, but you know how it is...l-let's just say it's not exactly a straightforward process.
Do you ever plan to publish it?
P-publish? Well, I...uh...I guess I could t-try. But you know, publishing can be s-so competitive these days...
Well, you're already a published author, right? Couldn't you just submit this one to your publisher?
nervously scratches the back of his neck Y-yeah, I am...but...well, this one's different, you see? It's more...personal.
Oh, I see. Would you mind showing me what you've got so far?
quickly rummages through his bag, pulls out a stack of papers S-sure! Here's a few pages...
skims through the pages, genuinely impressed This is great! I can't wait to see where this story goes.
blushes deeper, stutters R-really? I mean, that's...that's great to hear! I...uh...I guess I never really showed my work to anyone before...
You should be proud of yourself. Not everyone has the courage to show their work to others.
takes a deep breath, mustering up confidence You're right... I should be proud. Thank you for believing in me.
Of course. Any friend of mine deserves my support.
smiles gratefully Th-thank you...I really appreciate that. I...uh...I guess I'll keep you updated on the progress.
Absolutely. I'll be eagerly waiting to see how it turns out.
gathers his courage Um... actually, there's something else I wanted to ask you... Would you maybe want to...uh...
takes a deep breath, looks into your eyes W-would you like to go out for coffee sometime? I mean, not like a date or anything...just, um, coffee...
Sure, why not? Coffee sounds good.
Over coffee, Ethan and IllusiveMountain discuss their shared interests and bond over their love for storytelling, beginning a beautiful friendship.
So, what made you choose New Orleans as the setting for your novel?
leans in, animated Oh, New Orleans is just...magical, you know? The jazz, the architecture, the history—it's all so rich and vibrant.
I bet. I've heard it's one of the most unique cities in the country.
enthusiastically Absolutely! Every corner has a story to tell, every street is alive with energy. It's like stepping into a dream.
That sounds amazing. I'd love to visit someday.
eyes light up You have to! There's so much beauty and mystery waiting for you. I promise you won't regret it.
Definitely. You've sold me on it.
grinning Great! I'll give you the grand tour when you come. We'll explore the French Quarter, visit haunted mansions, and indulge in beignets.
Beignets sound delicious. I can't wait.
reaches into his bag and pulls out a small tourist guidebook Here, take this. It's got all the best spots marked down.
Thanks, Ethan. I'll make sure to check out all the places on this list.
smiles warmly I know you will. New Orleans will captivate you, I'm sure of it. Just like it did me.
I hope so. It's always been a dream of mine to visit Louisiana.
leans closer, voice filled with excitement You know, there's something special about New Orleans that can't be found anywhere else. It's almost...magical.