A few minutes later, the waiter returned, balancing several plates with practiced ease.
The rich aroma reached us before the plates even touched the table.
One by one, he carefully placed every dish in front of us.
The moment the food was finally on the table, everyone's eyes lit up.
"Wow..." Taeng whispered under his breath.
For a second, I forgot I was hungry.
The dishes looked almost too beautiful to eat.
Creamy mushroom soup filled the air with its earthy aroma.
Golden roasted potatoes glistened under the restaurant lights.
Carniolan sausage rested beside mustard and freshly grated horseradish.
A plate of Idrija žlikrofi was covered in a creamy sauce.
Štruklji were arranged neatly beside roasted meat.
And in the middle of the table sat a basket of fresh bread that was still warm enough for steam to escape when the waiter uncovered it.
I couldn't help smiling.
Maybe it was because I had never seen Slovenian food before.
Or maybe...
It was because everyone around the table looked genuinely excited.
Even Chak.
His expression hadn't changed much—as always—but after spending so much time with him, I had learned to notice the smallest things.
The way his eyes lingered on the food for a second longer.
The tiny lift at the corner of his lips.
To anyone else he probably looked completely calm.
To me...
He looked curious.
That alone made me smile.
For several long seconds...
Nobody moved.
Then Chai reached for his fork.
"I'm starving."
"Wait," Kit laughed, gently pushing his hand away. "At least let us admire the food first."
"I've admired it enough."
"You've been admiring it for exactly three seconds."
"Three very long seconds."
Everyone laughed.
Taeng quickly pulled out his phone.
"Nobody touch anything."
"Oh no..." Torn sighed dramatically.
"Food photos?"
"It's tradition."
"We're going to starve because of your tradition."
"It'll only take a minute."
"It always takes more than a minute," Kit muttered.
Taeng ignored him completely as he adjusted the angle of his phone.
"A little closer."
"No."
"Move the bread."
"Don't touch my potatoes."
"They'll look better."
"They already look perfect."
I laughed quietly.
Watching everyone tease each other felt... nice.
For so long our lives had been filled with danger, secrets and fear.
Moments like these reminded me that we were still just ordinary people enjoying lunch together.
Taeng finally lowered his phone.
"There."
"Permission to eat?" Chai asked dramatically.
Taeng nodded.
"Granted."
The first bites were followed by complete silence.
Not because nobody had anything to say.
Because everyone was simply too busy eating.
I took my first bite of the žlikrofi.
The dough was soft.
The filling was rich and comforting.
The sauce tied everything together perfectly.
My eyes widened.
So this...
This was what Anamarija had been talking about.
I glanced toward her.
She was already watching us, waiting for our reactions.
I couldn't help smiling.
"It's really good."
Relief immediately appeared on her face.
"I'm glad."
Then—
"Oh!"
Malai looked pleasantly surprised.
"This is really good."
Torn nodded enthusiastically.
"The filling is amazing."
"What did you order again?" Taeng asked.
"Idrija žlikrofi."
"Can I try one?"
"Of course."
Within seconds, plates began moving across the table.
"Try mine."
"You have to taste this."
"Oh, this one's even better."
"No, no—have a bite of this!"
"I think this soup wins."
"No way."
"The potatoes win."
"The sausage."
"The bread."
"The bread?" Kit laughed.
"You can judge a country by its bread."
"Is that an official rule?"
"It is now."
Everyone laughed again.
Even Chak, who usually preferred eating quietly, accepted a piece from my plate.
Without saying anything, he cut off a piece of his own food and placed it onto mine.
I looked down at it before raising an eyebrow.
"Sharing?"
He met my eyes.
"I know you'll want to taste everything."
I smiled.
"You know me too well."
"I do."
My heart skipped for the smallest moment.
It amazed me how naturally these little gestures had become.
Months ago, something as simple as sharing food would have made both of us nervous.
Now...
It felt effortless.
Warm.
Comfortable.
Almost like we'd been doing it forever.
Soon everyone was tasting everyone else's food.
The table became wonderfully chaotic.
"So this is štruklji?"
"Mhm."
"I expected it to taste completely different."
"Me too."
Taeng pointed toward Chai's plate again.
"I want to try yours."
"You've already stolen half of it."
"I'm conducting research."
"You're conducting theft."
Kit nearly choked laughing.
"I support the research."
"So you're his accomplice."
"I prefer 'assistant researcher.'"
Malai shook her head.
"You two would never survive in court."
"We wouldn't need to."
"Why?"
"We'd make the judge laugh."
Even Chak let out a quiet chuckle.
I blinked.
It was soft.
Barely audible.
But I heard it.
And somehow...
That tiny laugh made me happier than I expected.
Sometimes I forgot how rare it still was.
Whenever Chak laughed naturally, it always felt like a little reward.
A reminder that he was happy.
That he felt safe.
That thought alone warmed my heart.
...
After everyone had eaten far more than they had originally planned, we leaned back in our chairs.
"I don't think there was a single bad dish," Malai admitted.
"There wasn't," Torn agreed.
"I honestly don't know which one was my favorite," Taeng said.
"I solved that problem."
Everyone looked at Chai.
"I liked everything."
Kit laughed.
"Very helpful."
I looked around the table.
Almost every plate was empty.
There wasn't much left except a few pieces of bread.
That alone answered the question.
They had enjoyed it.
I found myself glancing toward Anamarija again.
She wasn't eating anymore.
She was simply watching all of us.
There was something gentle about her smile.
Almost nostalgic.
It was obvious she had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
Watching people she cared about discover the food she had grown up with.
Seeing that expression on her face made me unexpectedly happy.
She really loved her home.
And somehow...
That made me want to learn even more about Slovenia.
"Can I ask you something?"
She looked up.
"Of course."
I rested my elbows lightly on the table.
"When you were little..."
I smiled.
"...what was your favorite Slovenian dish?"
She blinked in surprise before laughing softly.
"I wasn't expecting that."
Chai leaned forward immediately.
"Now I'm curious."
"So am I," Taeng agreed.
She thought for a moment.
"My favorite?"
She smiled.
"I'd probably say ričet."
Everyone looked confused.
"...Ri... what?" Chai asked.
"Ričet."
She laughed.
"Although at home we usually call it kaša."
"You have two names for the same dish?" Kit asked.
"Pretty much."
She nodded.
"A lot of people say ričet, but in my family everyone has always called it kaša."
"What is it exactly?" Torn asked.
"It's a traditional barley stew," she explained. "Barley, beans, vegetables and usually smoked meat. It isn't fancy at all, but..."
She smiled to herself.
"...it's one of those meals that instantly reminds you of home."
"My grandmother makes the best one."
There was so much affection in her voice that I almost felt like I could imagine the scene.
A warm kitchen.
A grandmother cooking.
The smell filling the whole house.
It sounded...
Comforting.
"That sounds like comfort food," Malai said.
"It really is."
"And desserts?" Chai asked immediately.
Anamarija's eyes sparkled.
"Oh."
"That's easy."
"I love potica."
"The rolled cake?" Taeng asked.
She nodded enthusiastically.
"Especially walnut potica."
"And..."
Her smile became even brighter.
"...krofi."
"Krofi?" Kit repeated.
"They're jam-filled doughnuts."
Chai placed a hand dramatically over his heart.
"You should've started with that."
Everyone burst into laughter.
"I could honestly eat them all year," Anamarija admitted.
"My grandmother always made extra because she knew I'd steal one before everyone else woke up."
"You?" Torn grinned.
"You stole food?"
"I was a very innocent child."
Everyone looked at her.
Silence.
Then everyone laughed again.
"No one believes you," Kit said.
"Not even a little."
She laughed.
"Fine."
"I was innocent..."
"...except when there were krofi."
"I knew it," Chai said proudly.
Taeng leaned forward.
"So when are we trying them?"
Anamarija folded her arms with an innocent smile.
"If you're lucky..."
"...maybe later."
Chai groaned dramatically.
"There she goes again."
"'Maybe.'"
"'We'll see.'"
"'It's a surprise.'"
She shrugged playfully.
"Surprises are more fun."
Kit smiled.
"I think she's enjoying this."
"A little."
"A little?" Chai repeated.
"I'd say a lot."
The entire table burst into laughter once again.
And hearing that laughter echo through the restaurant...
I found myself smiling without even realizing it.
These were the moments I wanted to remember.
Not the fear.
Not the fights.
Just this.
Us.
Together.
"I don't think I've ever been this full," Chai admitted, patting his stomach.
Kit looked at him.
"You say that after every meal."
"Because every meal is important."
"No," Taeng corrected. "Food is important."
"Exactly."
Everyone laughed.
The waiter returned with the bill.
Before everyone could even reach for it, Chak quietly picked it up.
Without another word, he paid for everyone's lunch.
"Thank you," Malai said warmly.
"Yeah," Torn added. "Thanks."
Chak simply nodded.
"It was my pleasure."
A few minutes later, we stepped back outside.
The warm afternoon breeze greeted us as soon as we left the restaurant.
Ljubljana was just as lively as before.
People filled the streets.
Cyclists passed by.
Street musicians continued playing in the distance.
We walked slowly back toward the apartment.
After spending the whole morning and part of the afternoon exploring the city, everyone was ready for a short break.
"I vote for ten minutes of doing absolutely nothing," Chai announced.
"You've been saying that all day," Kit replied.
"And yet we keep walking."
"Because Anamarija refuses to let us rest."
"I heard that," Anamarija called over her shoulder.
"And?"
She smiled mischievously.
"We're only taking a short break."
Chai narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Why only a short one?"
She turned around, unable to hide the excitement on her face.
"Because after that..."
She pointed toward the hill rising above the city, where the castle overlooked Ljubljana.
"...we're going to Ljubljana Castle."
Everyone instinctively followed her finger.
The castle stood proudly above the rooftops, bathed in the golden afternoon light.
Taeng's eyes widened.
"We're going up there?"
"We are."
Chai let out an exaggerated sigh.
"My legs are already negotiating with me."
Anamarija laughed.
"Don't worry."
"We're not walking all the way up."
Immediately, everyone looked relieved.
"Oh, thank goodness," Kit said.
"We're taking the funicular."
"The what?" Torn asked.
"The castle funicular," Anamarija explained. "It's a small railway that takes you up the hill."
Taeng grinned.
"So we get another adventure."
"Exactly."
She clapped her hands once.
"So..."
She looked around at all of us.
"You've got thirty minutes."
"To do what?" Chai asked.
"Rest."
She smiled.
"Because after that..."
Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"I'm taking you to the most famous view in Ljubljana."
A few minutes later, we finally reached the apartment building.
The moment the front door closed behind us, everyone let out a collective sigh.
"My feet are officially on strike," Chai announced.
Kit laughed.
"They've been on strike since breakfast."
"And yet they're still working."
"For now."
Anamarija smiled as she unlocked the apartment door.
"Remember."
She looked around at everyone.
"Thirty minutes."
"No more."
Everyone nodded.
"Yes, tour guide," Taeng said dramatically, earning a laugh from the group.
One by one, everyone disappeared into their rooms.
The apartment, which had been filled with laughter all day, suddenly became quiet.
I followed Chak into our room.
The moment the door closed, I slipped off my shoes and stretched.
"I didn't realize how much we'd walked."
Chak smiled faintly.
"We covered almost the entire Old Town."
"Worth it."
"It was."
Without another word, I lay down on the bed beside him.
A second later, I shifted closer until my head rested comfortably against his chest.
His heartbeat was slow and steady beneath my ear.
I closed my eyes.
For a few moments, neither of us spoke.
The silence wasn't awkward.
It was peaceful.
I felt Chak's fingers gently comb through my hair before his hand slowly moved to my back, absentmindedly stroking it in slow, comforting circles.
A contented sigh escaped my lips.
"Comfortable?" he asked quietly.
"Mhm."
I smiled against his shirt.
"Very."
His fingers continued their gentle rhythm.
Outside the window, I could hear the distant sounds of Ljubljana.
People talking.
A bicycle passing by.
The faint ringing of church bells somewhere in the city.
It all felt strangely calming.
I tilted my head just enough to look up at him.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For coming here."
A small smile appeared on Chak's face.
He brushed a loose strand of hair away from my forehead.
"You should be thanking Anamarija."
"I will."
I paused before adding with a soft laugh,
"But I'm still happy you're here."
Chak looked down at me with warm eyes.
"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
Hearing those words made me smile.
I nestled a little closer, listening to the steady beat of his heart while his hand continued to gently stroke my back.
For a little while, the two of us simply enjoyed the quiet, letting ourselves rest before the next part of our adventure through Ljubljana awaited us.