The girl looked slightly confused, a piece of biscuit still caught between her lips. She took a small bite, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
"…Angel…"
She didn't even realize she was smiling as she ate.
Her hand slid along the bench—until it bumped into something.
She paused and glanced down.
An envelope.
"…This is… that guy's envelope."
John hadn't noticed he had left it behind.
She picked it up gently, feeling its weight. It was thick, filled with neatly arranged papers.
"…Maybe he's a first-year…"
she murmured to herself.
After a brief moment of thought, she nodded.
"I'll keep it here… just in case."
With a small smile, she placed the envelope beside her, making sure it was easy to notice.
***
Somewhere near the baseball field again—
"Haa… hah…"
John looked completely exhausted, though luckily the place wasn't too far away. He stopped for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to catch his breath.
Then he remembered it—the wide selection of food stalls near the left side of the baseball field. He had seen them earlier while wandering around looking for the office.
When he arrived, the area was packed. Students and even some outsiders filled the space, and rows of food stalls lined the path. The air was thick with the mixed aroma of different kinds of food being cooked.
Without hesitation, he joined the crowd, scanning around for something to eat.
As he walked, he caught bits of conversation from people in the area.
Apparently, the university was holding a special event this week. Food businesses were allowed to set up stalls across campus as part of it.
As he moved along with the crowd, something caught his attention—
A familiar scent.
He paused, glancing around until he found its source.
"Oh… is that teriyaki chicken?"
Without thinking, he made his way toward the stall. Right in front of him, the meat sizzled on the grill, coated in a glossy sauce.
He watched for a moment, almost mesmerized by the way the food sizzled and glistened under the heat. The sweet, savory aroma wrapped around him, pulling him in. Luckily, there was no one else in line.
He stepped forward quickly.
"Can I have one—"
He paused mid-sentence, the thought hitting him.
"Can I have two, I mean… please?"
The old man nodded and began preparing the order with practiced ease. The rhythmic sounds of cooking filled the brief silence. Soon enough, it was ready.
As the old man handed it over, John hesitated before paying.
"Umm… do you accept cash? Hahaha…"
He scratched his temple, letting out an awkward, slightly broken laugh, trying not to make things too weird. It wasn't entirely his fault—his phone was an old model, and more than that, he was just a countryside guy. He had heard that cashless payments were normal in the city, but hearing and experiencing were two very different things.
The old man's eyes widened for a second before he chuckled.
"I guess he's new to the city…"
"Of course," the old man said with a warm smile. "Any payment method is fine, as long as it's legal. HAHAHA!"
Relief washed over John. He quickly pulled out some money from his cute dog-shaped pouch and handed it over.
"Are you perhaps new in the city?" the old man asked, still smiling.
John let out another small, awkward laugh.
"Well… yeah. I've never been to a city my entire life."
The old man tilted his head as he looked at John.
Confused, John unconsciously mirrored him, tilting his own head in the same way.
For a brief moment, they just stared at each other—before the old man suddenly burst out laughing.
"I'm very sorry, HAHAHAHA! I was just a bit surprised. You don't look like someone from the countryside at all. You're tall and handsome—I honestly thought you were a celebrity when I first saw you."
John blinked, caught off guard by the comment. Still, he could tell there was no ill intent behind it.
"Ha… haha… thanks. Must be the fresh air from my hometown."
He let out another awkward, slightly broken laugh. But then, as if something clicked in his mind, his expression shifted.
"Oh—right. Thanks for your service, I need to go!"
He gave a quick wave before hurrying off, almost as suddenly as he had arrived.
The old man watched him leave, a little puzzled at first, before a small smile formed on his lips as he returned to cooking.
Then, as he glanced to the side, he noticed a group of girls nearby. Their eyes were fixed on John's retreating figure, their expressions more than enough to tell what they were thinking—whispering among themselves, barely containing their excitement.
The old man chuckled softly.
"Being tall and handsome… now that's a premium package."
***
John hurried along, weaving through the thinning crowd until the noise and bustle of the food stalls finally faded behind him.
"Too crowded… but I guess that's normal."
As he moved away from the area, he remembered—someone was waiting for him. Someone he had only just met today. The thought alone made him feel a little embarrassed for taking so long.
He quickened his pace.
Step after step, he finally reached the bench. A quiet breath of relief escaped him when he saw that she was still there.
He approached her.
"Hi… I hope I didn't make you wait too long."
The girl looked up at him—and then she smiled.
John froze.
The brightness of it caught him completely off guard, like staring straight into sunlight. For a split second, his mind went blank.
"An angel…"
That was the only word he could think of.
To him, she looked innocent, beautiful, and cheerful all at once. Her long black hair framed her perfectly, swaying slightly with the breeze, as if it belonged exactly where it was meant to be. Her eyes—soft, almost doe-like—yet vivid and expressive, seemed to hold a warmth that was hard to look away from.
"How can someone be this beautiful…?"
John quickly regained his composure, not wanting to make things awkward. The girl tilted her head slightly, as if a question mark had appeared above it.
He cleared his throat before speaking politely.
"Can I sit here with you?"
He gave a small smile. The girl returned it and nodded in agreement.
John carefully sat down beside her, holding the food he had just bought from the stall.
Her gaze drifted toward the Styrofoam box in his hands. A moment later, the sweet aroma of teriyaki began to escape, carried by the air between them.
She seemed drawn to it, her eyes lingering a little too long.
John noticed, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. A faint smile formed on his lips.
"Do you want some?"
The girl jolted slightly, pulling back a bit as she waved her hands in refusal. A soft pink spread across her cheeks, though her eyes betrayed her by flicking back to the food.
"No, it's your food. Also, I'm already—"
Her words were cut off by the unmistakable growl of her stomach.
Silence.
John couldn't help but chuckle softly. Without saying anything more, he reached for the second Styrofoam box and gently held it out to her.
"No, no! I don't need it, I'm just—"
"Actually… I bought it for you."
John scratched his cheek, glancing away to avoid her eyes.
The girl blinked, surprised, her gaze fixed on him. Then, slowly, a warmth spread through her chest, and she smiled.
John rubbed the back of his head, trying to explain himself.
"Well… I mean, I was hungry too, so I bought food. I just… got an extra one, just in case. So, please—take it."
His voice softened toward the end.
But deep inside, something else lingered—something older.
A memory.
***
A white curtain swayed gently as the wind passed through the room. The sunlight filtered in, warm and quiet.
John sat on his grandmother's lap, small and silent, as her hand gently brushed through his hair.
"John, listen," she said softly. "No matter how hard things get, no matter what you feel… don't forget to eat. Food is a blessing. If you truly appreciate what heaven gives you, then you must eat—and live on."
He didn't fully understand it back then.
But he remembered why she said those words.
That was the time his parents had been missing for days.
He had refused to eat, locking himself inside his room. No matter how his uncles tried to persuade him, their efforts meant nothing.
But when his grandmother asked…
It was different.
***
The memory faded.
John looked back at the girl, his expression gentler now, quieter—but sincere—as he continued holding out the food to her.
"Just accept it. Don't worry—it's my treat, since you're going to guide me to the office."
John smiled, his expression warm and easy.
The girl hesitated for a moment before slowly reaching out. Her fingers inched closer to the box until she finally took it, carefully holding it in her hands. She turned her face slightly to the side, avoiding his gaze.
A faint blush colored her cheeks, and her voice trembled.
"Th-thanks…"
She stole a small glance at him.
John was still smiling.
He lifted his hand and rubbed the back of his head, a little bashful.
"You're welcome."