Hyacinth gave a small smile, remembering those moments.
"It was obvious they liked each other... I'm envious."
She sighed, then looked at Aurora. "Weren't you going to say something? Sorry I didn't have time last week. I couldn't reach you properly."
Changing the subject so smoothly was one of Hyacinth's many talents.
Aurora shot her a side glance, then looked straight ahead. "No big deal. Shall we go somewhere quiet?"
Hyacinth nodded. Since they were still standing in the hallway, they decided to head to the bar's back door to talk in private.
When they reached it, there was no one around. Only a few late shift workers occasionally passing through.
Hyacinth pulled out a box of cigarettes from her pocket and gestured to Aurora, offering her one. Aurora politely declined. Hyacinth didn't insist and lit one for herself.
Aurora noticed that, although Hyacinth held herself like someone experienced, the way she handled the cigarette said otherwise.
Judging by how she held it in her mouth, she had probably only picked up the habit recently.
There was still a certain clumsiness in the way she smoked—something immature in how she handled it
Aurora wasn't here to judge—she was here to get Hyacinth to invest in her business. But before she could even bring it up, Hyacinth beat her to it.
"I've heard that you're starting your own business," she said.
Aurora was stunned for a moment, but then again, it wasn't surprising. Hyacinth probably had her sources. Aurora didn't deny it—she simply waited for Hyacinth to continue.
"I heard it from Sora," Hyacinth went on, "that you're planning to start something in the food industry. No one dares touch that sector anymore. Even the big investors won't go near it, since it's been declining for years."
Aurora knew that already. She had done her research. The food industry had been on a steady decline for a long time, likely due to rapid technological advancement. People had stopped paying attention to food, and restaurants had become dull, uninspired—practically lifeless.
Hyacinth wasn't trying to stop her, just pointing out the reality. After all, investors didn't want to take risks in sectors with no promise. Like Hyacinth said, food wasn't even on the radar anymore. It was at the very bottom of the investment chain.
Hyacinth: "No one focuses on the food industry anymore. Technology is advancing so quickly that investors are swarming to it—they have no interest in putting their money anywhere else. VR is already dominating its own sector, and phones, laptops, and computers are evolving faster than ever."
Hyacinth looked at Aurora. Aurora met her gaze directly. Hyacinth's expression was serious as she asked, "Are you sure you can handle it?"
Aurora smiled. "Of course." She radiated confidence.
Hyacinth's serious expression faded instantly. She grinned and threw an arm around Aurora's shoulder, even though she was a bit shorter. "Alright! I'll support you."
Seeing that Hyacinth agreed, Aurora put her arm around Hyacinth's shoulder as well. "If that's a yes, then you should make a bank account for me! After all, I'm still a minor—unlike you, a full-fledged adult. I'll triple your money in return!"
Hyacinth gave Aurora a look—this girl... First, she'd already given her land, and now she wanted her to open a bank account too?
Hyacinth sighed. "Alright, alright."
Truth be told, Hyacinth didn't expect Aurora to pull it off. She was treating it more like giving her a monthly allowance—no pressure. If the company failed, it wouldn't be a loss for her. That kind of money was nothing to someone like Hyacinth.
Little did Hyacinth know that her future self wouldn't regret this decision at all. In fact, she'd be grinning in her sleep because of it.
Hyacinth told Aurora that she would stay outside to finish her cigarette, since Aurora doesn't smoke.
Aurora didn't argue—she just told Hyacinth to be careful and then headed inside.
As Aurora entered the building and began climbing the stairs to the second floor room where the group was gathered, she suddenly felt like someone was watching her.
She looked up and saw a figure wearing a long sleeved dress shirt under a coat, with a black pencil skirt.
Aurora was stunned for a moment. Those black pencil skirts—it was one of the reasons she used to like the cold, elegant beauties in teacher x student or teacher x teacher girls' love stories.
Every time she saw the professor wearing one, it felt like a perfect match—no doubt about it. She was the reason Aurora's old tastes were starting to resurface.
That skirt! Why did the author have to make the teacher look so damn good?!
Every woman teacher she'd seen so far was ridiculously good looking—some with a masculine charm, others with a soft femininity.
They all looked so delicious... I mean, they looked really good.
If even one of them were just six years older than her—or if she were already 27 in this world she would've absolutely gone after her math teacher from one of her subjects!
Why couldn't she have been reborn as an adult in this world instead of a child???
She stood frozen for a little longer until Freya spoke.
"What are you doing here?"
Aurora blinked twice but didn't respond.