From December to February, Chiang Mai is with tourists. Travel bloggers had discovered the café and called it a gem. Every morning, visitors arrived with questions, and Mint’s English was now enough to answer most of them. A couple from Japan asked for directions to an old temple, and Ben drew them a map on a napkin. The café was profitable, but Ploy noticed a problem. Regular customers could find a seat, and some neighbors felt that the café no longer to them. Ploy faced a choice. More tourists meant higher , but the café’s depended on its regulars. She reserved three tables for locals every morning. Tourists accepted the rule, and some even found it . The noodle seller told Ploy that she had made the right decision. Ploy learned that growth without can destroy what made a place special. When the high season ended, the lane returned to its rhythm.