Chapter 18

‘No matter how much I think about it, this is the worst. I’m just as guilty for having strange thoughts.’  

Even though it was what she had wanted, the thought that it was disappointing had crossed her mind in that moment. Hazel blamed herself for her indecisive attitude and kept walking. If she didn’t, she felt like strange feelings would keep surfacing.  

Unlike Hazel, who was sweating profusely, Enoch looked perfectly fine, save for his hair being slightly tousled by the wind.  

When they arrived at the spot with the best view of the sunset, Enoch’s gaze immediately fixed on one place.  

“So this is why you wanted to come here.”  

Enoch, quietly observing the city bathed in red from the sunset, suddenly sat down. Taking out a handkerchief from his pocket, he spread it out beside him. Then, he looked up at Hazel.  

Hazel, after hesitating for a moment, moved the handkerchief slightly further away before sitting down.  

For a brief moment, she felt his gaze on her, but soon he turned his attention back to the view.  

“It’s beautiful.”  

“It’s quiet and nice, isn’t it?”  

A silence settled between them. Apart from the occasional breeze brushing their cheeks and the chirping of birds, there was nothing else to hear.  

Hazel tried to force herself to focus on the scenery ahead, redirecting her attention away from Enoch.  

She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen this view. During her years striving to become a professor, she had often come here whenever her mind felt cluttered.  

“The sun will set soon, so we’ll have to head back shortly. Even if it’s a shame, there’s no helping it. Once it gets dark here, you can’t see anything.”  

Feigning nonchalance, Hazel spoke to Enoch. The only issue was that Enoch was looking at her with a gaze that carried a strange warmth.  

“True.”  

His low voice resonated in her ears. Despite merely locking eyes with him, her heartbeat began to quicken.  

“That’s a bit of a shame.”  

She hadn’t thought much about what would happen afterward. She had merely ended up accompanying him and invited him to this secret spot she knew to ease the awkward atmosphere.  

Now, she wasn’t even sure what she wanted anymore.  

She met Enoch’s gaze, which had grown deeply serious. His eyes drifted downward, and it didn’t take long for her to realize what he was looking at.  

Her lips suddenly felt dry, and Hazel instinctively licked them with her tongue. Something flickered in his eyes.  

In that moment, a certain premonition flashed through her mind.  

* * *  

As Hazel glanced at Enoch, who was looking around as if wondering how such a secluded pub could exist, she had to admit it to herself.  

‘No matter how ridiculous it is, how could I have imagined something like that?’  

That Enoch Meyer would kiss her.  

The mere fact that their gazes had intertwined and the atmosphere had grown peculiar had led her to imagine such a thing, and the thought embarrassed her to no end.  

‘…It was all just my delusion.’  

The atmosphere had been so ambiguous, yet Enoch had casually stepped back with a nonchalant demeanor.  

Then, he had suggested they have a drink together. Although some time had passed, he mentioned wanting to reconnect as old classmates.  

Hazel forcefully shook off her foolish daydreams and ordered drinks and food. She was too hungry to settle for something light, as she hadn’t eaten dinner.  

After the server took their order and left, an awkward silence lingered between them. Hazel felt the need to say something, but no words came to mind.  

“Isn’t it strange that we ended up here?”  

Enoch, who had been looking around, turned his gaze to Hazel. His lowered eyes made her flinch, but she forced a bright smile.  

“We were seventeen back then, and now we’re sitting here in a pub together.”  

“True. Back then, we couldn’t have imagined we’d be doing this now.”  

Hazel flinched at the subtle weight in his words. At that moment, the server placed their drinks on the table.  

Hazel immediately brought her glass to her lips. The fizzy carbonation burned her throat, but she deliberately gulped it down.  

“Ah, that’s refreshing!”  

She let out a satisfied sigh and set the glass down with a clink, only to meet Enoch’s gaze. He was looking at her with an indescribable expression, holding his glass halfway up as if he had intended to clink glasses with her.  

Realizing what she had missed, Hazel hurriedly raised her empty glass to clink with his. However, his face remained indifferent, as if he wasn’t satisfied.  

But that didn’t last long. After a few drinks, the mood lightened, and Enoch returned to his usual self. Hazel listened to his stories about his experiences at the border, exclaiming in awe.  

“Is that really so fascinating?”  

“Of course! I’ve spent my whole life studying, so I don’t know much about what happens outside. All I know are rows of numbers, while you’ve seen things with your own eyes.”  

“Well, it’s just a matter of doing different things. Haven’t you had any interesting experiences?”  

His casual tone made Hazel shrug. Then, pointing at her, he gestured for her to share her story.  

When he asked if anything special had happened to her, Hazel rubbed her temples as if she had a headache.  

Her face, which had been smiling moments ago, suddenly darkened, leaving Enoch momentarily taken aback.  

“There’s been a lot.”  

Her voice carried a mix of emotions, though most of them seemed negative.  

Raising her hand, Hazel called the server and ordered more drinks. As soon as the glasses were placed on the table, she downed them in one go.  

Enoch, alarmed by her behavior, grabbed her wrist.  

“Wait, Hazel, slow down. You’re going to get yourself into trouble.”  

But the alcohol seemed to give her strength, and she stubbornly resisted. Left with no choice, Enoch let go, and Hazel immediately finished the remaining drinks.  

She must have gone through something tough to act like this, Enoch thought, trying to stay positive as he waited for her to speak.  

However, what came out of her mouth wasn’t what he had expected.  

“Why are kids these days so rebellious? Back when I was at the Academy, it wasn’t like this!”  

Enoch stared at her, bewildered.  

It was strange to him that someone would get so upset over kids being rebellious.  

Well, kids could be like that, couldn’t they? Even back then, there were students who broke the rules…. 

In his mind, “having a hard time” meant things like unfair treatment from a superior, being robbed of credit, or struggling with difficult tasks.  

But here she was, upset because kids were too rebellious. Naturally, he found it perplexing.  

Yet, Hazel’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears, as if she were about to cry.  

Thinking he couldn’t let this continue, Enoch reached for her glass, only for her to snatch it back with a glare.  

Still fuming, Hazel’s behavior made Enoch let out an exasperated laugh. Trying to calm her down, he spoke gently.  

“That’s such an old story. You’re drunk, so stop drinking. I’ll take you home.”  

“No! I’m still mad, so I need to drink more.”  

Perhaps his words had provoked her, as Hazel raised her hand again to call the server.  

“Do you need anything else?”  

“Three more of the same!”  

Hazel confidently held up three fingers as she made her order, while Enoch sighed and told the server,  

“We’ll be leaving soon, so no more orders, please.”  

The server glanced at Hazel, who was clearly drunk and slumped halfway over the table, before nodding and moving on to another table.  

Hazel, now mumbling incoherently, lay sprawled across the table.  

As Enoch thought about waiting for her to sober up before taking her home, a peculiar glint appeared in his eyes as he considered other possibilities.