As Leroy walked away with Mandy, Ariel watched them until they disappeared from view, swallowed up by the swirling crowd of dancers re-taking the floor.

"Shall we?" Mr. Warner's pleasant voice cut through the music as the first notes of a mid-tempo song drifted through the air.

Reluctantly, Ariel turned to her new partner. She took his hand, forcing a strained smile while desperately trying to maintain as much distance as possible. They began to move, and although the pace was slower than before, Ariel found herself almost entirely absorbed in the task of watching her feet. Mr. Warner didn’t seem to mind her silence; he had plenty to say for both of them. He chatted about almost every couple they passed—“acted with him last year,” “donated generously to the theater,” “had a nasty breakup.” For the most part, Ariel was able to tune out the gossip. However, her attention was abruptly caught by something intriguing.

"...of course, he had plenty to think about this morning at the meeting."

The meeting?

Ariel seized the opportunity. "Oh, I’m sure," she said, picking up where Mr. Warner had left off. "It’s a thoughtful time for everyone."

"Indeed... giving a Magnolia is a great responsibility," Mr. Warner agreed, his tone thoughtful.

Ariel frowned slightly. They seemed to be drifting off-topic.

"Are the meetings the same every year?" she asked, glancing at Mr. Warner to show her genuine curiosity. He nodded thoughtfully.

"It's all quite similar each year, but with a mix of old and new festival-goers in attendance... it certainly keeps things interesting," he said, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief.

Ariel smiled inwardly. Now we’re getting somewhere.

"Interesting...?" she encouraged, careful not to sound too eager.

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Mr. Warner looked at her, blinking in surprise before breaking into a smile. "Well, my dear, it can change the dynamics a bit. Sometimes people do things differently. I recall a few memorable meetings, one of which was today, actually—" He trailed off, distracted by the dancers around them. "Uh, so you see, they’re just different—"

"Today, there was something interesting?" Ariel pressed, her curiosity piqued.

Mr. Warner’s gaze shifted from the whizzing faces on the dance floor back to Ariel. "It's nothing really... it might bore you—"

"Bore me, right," Ariel said, her tone light but persistent. "I could use a good story."

Mr. Warner adjusted his hold on her, uncomfortable, and glanced over his shoulder at the far end of the dance floor where Mandy and Leroy were chatting.

"Well... it kind of... involves you, actually," he mumbled, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Ariel raised her eyebrows in feigned surprise. "Me?"

Mr. Warner leaned in, lowering his voice. Ariel instinctively leaned back as the playwright’s cologne filled her senses, but she remained where she was, eager to hear more.

"Yes. It’s rather strange—I don’t quite understand it myself, but some of the men at the meeting were discussing proposals and your name came up. It was implied, of course, that Noah would be proposing to you—" Mr. Warner cleared his throat, giving Ariel a bit more space.

"That’s when Evans-san stood up. I was sitting behind him, so I couldn’t see his face, but he seemed troubled, more brooding than usual, and then he just left—right in the middle of the meeting! I was so surprised to see him walk away that I didn’t catch everything, but he muttered something under his breath—"

Mr. Warner, now fully engaged in recounting the juicy details, spoke animatedly. Ariel’s heart raced with anticipation.

What did he say?

A loud note from the band caused Ariel to glance over, and to her dismay, she realized they were nearing the end of the song.

No, not again!

"What did he say?" Ariel urged, as the other dancers began to slow their steps.

Mr. Warner blinked, momentarily coming down from the excitement of sharing his gossip. "Oh, is the dance over already? It feels like we just started..."

"Mr. Warner," Ariel said, her voice steady as they came to a stop. She could see Leroy waving her over past the couples near them. "What happened next?"

The playwright released her, looking thoughtful. "It’s a shame it’s over. Well, he left, and that was that. Different, huh?"

Ariel opened her mouth to press further but was met with an odd look from Mr. Warner.

"Is something wrong?"

Ariel quickly shut her mouth and shook her head. "No, everything is... just fine," she said, forcing a brief smile.