“If you join there, your life will be downhill from that day. They believe they’re doing good things, but the truth is…”

“Shut up, you’re a meat eater.”

“When did I only eat meat? I eat vegetables too.”

Anita chose not to get involved in that conversation or argument. She quietly slipped away from the two arguing individuals. Luckily, they didn’t seem to notice her absence because they were too busy badmouthing each other.

Watching students leisurely lounging around, spending their afternoon, made Anita feel inexplicably gloomy. She wondered why, after making the effort to come all the way here, she couldn’t enjoy it.

To get to the trail, she has to cross the lawn. Anita walked carefully, looking down to make sure she didn’t step on anyone or any of the scattered artwork.

There were still papers with not fully dried paint, spread across the grass beneath small rocks. Alongside, students who seemed to be from the art department were drawing with canvases and sketchbooks in hand.

As Anita walked along, a sudden thought flashed through Anita’s mind.

‘Wait a minute. I just realized that Rutger is a….’

“Stay still. Don’t turn your head.”

Anita stopped walking at the unmistakably familiar voice. She had forgotten that Rutger was from the art department; it seemed foolish.

Anita turned her head in the direction of the voice, wondering how she was going to get out of this one.

“Still, it’s boring to sit still.”

An unfamiliar voice interjected.

Anita’s face turned red in an instant. Oh, such misunderstandings!

Why did she think Rutger was continually following her?

It was Rutger, with his shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms and a pencil in his hand, but he was talking to another girl, not Anita.

Her head was turned so she couldn’t see her face, even from the back, it was evident that she was quite pretty.

Rutger’s hand was constantly drawing something, but his eyes were fixed on the girl sitting across from him.

Anita tightly grasped the book she held in her hand. How ironic. It felt like just the day before yesterday when she made the commitment to come all the way to Aberdeen to set aside her feelings for Rutger, and How could she already feel unsettled by him being with another female student?

“Oh, Anita?”

Kicking herself for forgetting to walk, Anita forgot to walk and ended up catching Rutger’s eyes, However, this time, Anita decided not to run away.

The fact that she was running away from Rutger was proof that she still liked him, and it was times like these that she needed to be brazen.

She tried to smile, but feeling the stiffness in her facial muscles, Anita opted for a neutral expression.

There’s nothing as awkward as a forced smile.

“Hey. Long time no see.”

Rutger’s eyes turned brighter as he thought she might run away again this time.

“Uh, yeah.”

This time it was Rutger’s turn to stutter.

As Anita walked toward him, the woman behind him turned her head. The woman was beautiful, as Anita had expected. A light rosy flush covered her cheeks and her brown eyes sparkled with life.

“Rutger, do you know her?”

“Yes.”

She wondered what Rutger would say in response to her question.

Anita didn’t expect much. It would probably be the typical hometown connection, or mother’s friend’s daughter type of answer.

“This is Anita Rodel, and this is Liliana.”

“Wait, why is my name chopped?”

“Sorry, I forgot.”

Rutger laughed lowly at the woman’s appeasement. They seemed quite intimate. At best, she had come to say hello, but Anita regretted her plan of just a few minutes ago.

She felt like an idiot, standing awkwardly between two people who seemed to be in a world of their own.

“I have an assignment to submit today, so I should head back. It was nice meeting you too.”

“Ah, sure. Goodbye, Anita.”

The woman smiled and waved, and seemed quite friendly.

“Anita, wait, I have something for you.”

Rutger said this and rummaged through the bag placed next to him. Of course, Anita wasn’t in the mood to stand there and wait for him like a statue in an art museum, so she pretended she didn’t hear him and started walking away.

“Hey, Anita, please wait.”

While Rutger continued to rummage through the large bag without pause, Lilliana urgently called out to Anita. However, Anita briskly continued walking.

Rutger was rummaging through the unnecessarily large travel bag. An array of items – short pencils, charcoal, brushes, and various things – were piling up next to him. After almost taking everything out of the bag, he finally found what he was looking for.

“Anita. Huh? Where did she go?”

Rutger’s gaze swept left and right. He even checks the ground and the sky. As if Anita might be buried in the earth or flying in the sky.

“She left.”

“What?”

“Exactly, you should tidy up and live properly. It’s not like you’re kidnapping someone. What’s with this bag, anyway?”

“…….”

“Rutger, you’re interested in her, aren’t you?”

“How do you know?”

Rutger asked suspiciously, and Liliana shrugged.

“I know all about it, If you’re curious, then just do me the favor I asked earlier. That’s it…”

“Never mind.”