The break time.
The cafeteria buzzed with chatter and clinking trays as students bustled between tables. Hazel sat comfortably at her usual spot, sipping her favorite drink, eyes occasionally scanning the room. Ethan sat across from her, one arm on the table, the other mindlessly scrolling through his phone.
Not too far away, Drake sat with his gang, tray untouched, his gaze unknowingly fixed on her. He wasn't listening to the conversation around him his eyes kept drifting back to Hazel, again and again, like some invisible thread kept pulling his attention.
Hazel took another sip from her drink, a calm expression on her face.
Suddenly, a student walked up to their table.
"Ethan, someone's asking for you," the student said.
Ethan looked up, puzzled. "Who?"
"I don't know, man. He said it's urgent. Oh—and take your bag with you." Without waiting for a reply, the student walked off.
Ethan blinked, confused but not wanting to waste time. "I'll be right back," he said quickly, grabbing his bag and jogging off in the direction the student had pointed.
Hazel sat there, straw still in her drink, blinking once. She looked around the now-empty seat across from her.
"What just happened?" she muttered under her breath, utterly confused.
Hazel grabbed her bag in a rush, footsteps echoing as she darted through the empty hallway. Her heart raced—she couldn't believe she had slept through the last bell. As she turned a corner a little too fast, she tripped on the edge of her shoe and nearly fell forward—
But before she could hit the ground, a hand reached out and caught her.
She looked up, and for a brief second, their eyes met.
A deep, unreadable gaze locked with hers.
Just silence—and the weight of that moment lingered.
---
Present
Hazel flipped through a thick folder, scanning the printed pages with sharp focus. The office was quiet, sunlight spilling through the blinds in neat stripes across the table.
A soft knock broke the silence. Her assistant stepped in.
"Ma'am, you have a guest."
Hazel looked up, confused. "Guest?"
She closed the file and placed it neatly on the table, brushing invisible dust from her sleeve. Her heels clicked gently as she walked toward the guest room. She turned the doorknob slowly and pushed the door open.
A man stood inside, his back to her, hands in his pockets, looking out through the tall glass windows at the city view.
Hazel hesitated, then cleared her throat.
"Excuse me?"
The man turned at the sound of her voice, a soft smile on his lips.
He was striking—clean-cut jawline, neatly styled hair, eyes that held both calm and something unreadable. The confidence in his posture, the quiet poise—it all felt familiar.
Hazel froze. Her lips parted slightly.
He raised an eyebrow, amused by her expression.
She quickly looked away, then back again.
"Axel?" she said, her voice a mix of surprise and disbelief. "What a surprise?"
Axel gave a light, amused laugh and stepped closer. "Mm, yeah. It's been years. I heard about you when I came into the city. So I thought—why not meet you? We were close, weren't we?"
Hazel laughed nervously, trying to mask the sudden tension in the air.
She shifted the subject, her voice a little too casual.
"So… how long are you in city?"
Axel leaned slightly against the edge of the window frame. "At first, I thought I'd have to leave quickly… but now"—his eyes met hers, steady and intent—"I've changed my mind."
Hazel shifted in place, her smile turning a little awkward. "Huh… you must have work, rig—"
"No," he cut her off gently but firmly. "I'm here to spend some time with you."
His words hung in the air, sincere and unshaken.
Hazel didn't respond right away. She looked down slightly, her hands folded together in her lap, a quiet stillness settling over her.
Axel's eyes didn't move from her.
Then, after a pause, she asked softly, "Axel… what are you saying?"
Axel's expression softened as he slowly knelt in front of her, his eyes searching hers with sincerity. He gently took her hand in both of his, holding it as if it was something precious he was afraid to lose.
"You know I have feelings for you, Hazel," he said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. "I… I just waited for you. All this time, I hoped."
Hazel sat frozen, her heart beating a little too fast. She didn't speak, didn't pull her hand away—just stared ahead in silence.
Axel's grip tightened just slightly, his voice trembling. "I'm sorry if I disappointed you. I'm sorry for everything I couldn't say… back then."
A moment passed.
Hazel gently slipped her hand out of his. She still couldn't meet his eyes.
"Axel," she said softly, almost like a whisper, "I'm sorry."
She finally looked at him, her eyes full of apology.
"I'm engaged."
Axel gave a slow nod, his eyes still fixed on her. "To whom?" he asked quietly. "Drake?"
Hazel's eyes widened, caught off guard. "No," she said quickly, her voice just a bit too sharp.
Axel raised an eyebrow. "Then who?"
There was a pause. And before she could stop herself, the name slipped out.
"Lucas."
Axel blinked, visibly confused. A flicker of surprise passed across his face, but he didn't question it further. He simply nodded again, slowly this time, as if absorbing it all.
Then, without another word, he turned around and walked away.
Axel walked toward the lift with a calm pace, then made his way down to the parking area. He reached his car, unlocked the door, and was about to get in when another car pulled in beside his.
Drake stepped out, followed by Kian.
Axel noticed immediately. He shut his door gently and walked over, his expression unreadable. "Welcome, Mr. Drake Damon. Long time no see," he said with a slight smirk.
Drake looked at him, replying only with a tight, fake smile, silent.
Axel's eyes gleamed. "I'm very happy for you," he said casually.
Drake raised an eyebrow, uncertain.
Axel chuckled lightly. "Whatever it is, you lost her too." He let the words hang in the air.
Drake's expression shifted, the smile dropping from his face.
"See you, Mr. Damon," Axel said smoothly, then turned, got into his car, and drove off without another word.
Drake stood frozen for a moment, anger and something heavier flickering in his eyes.
Kian gently stepped forward, lowering his voice, "Sir… the meeting with the development team is in ten minutes."
Drake nodded silently, and the two of them made their way to the meeting room.