Chapter 5 Do You Truly Like Me?
The sun beat down like it was summertime.
Evelyn’s palms were getting sweaty.
She had just told everyone that she liked Philip. Would he think she came on too strong?
After all, it was the first time they had met.
In her previous life, their paths didn’t cross until after people her age had already graduated.
She didn’t even have a diploma back then. She’d gone to the university hoping the principal would give her a chance. But before she found him, she passed out on campus.
Philip had been the one to carry her to the infirmary.
That was how they slowly got to know each other.
But now that she’d changed how things played out, she couldn’t figure out what Philip was thinking.
Luckily, he didn’t say anything or make a move.
He simply straightened up and kept his eyes on her.
While things were calm on their end, Seth was completely freaking out.
Seriously? She wants to dump me just because she has feelings for someone else?
“You … You’re cheating!” he said through gritted teeth.
Evelyn gave him a casual shrug. “You’ve got it backward. I told you I wanted to break up first, and only after that did I say I liked Philip. Did I ever cross any lines before that? You’re the one always out and about with Alice in public and behind the scenes. If anyone’s been disloyal, it’s you.”
She paused and gripped Philip’s arm tightly. “Besides, we’re over. What happens between me and Philip now isn’t any of your business.”
She quickly stood on her toes and kissed Philip’s lips.
It was a fleeting touch.
Her eyes gleamed with challenge. “See? I’m single now. I can go after whoever I want. I’m even planning to marry Philip after graduation. None of it’s your business!”
“You—”
Seth had never suffered such humiliation.
Evelyn had always gone along with whatever he said. Now that she suddenly stood up to him, he didn’t even know how to react.
Hannah stepped between them. “Why are you making such a big deal? You’re free now, aren’t you? Go after Alice—do whatever you want. Shoo! And don’t expect us to see you out!”
People nearby started whispering and staring. Seth gritted his teeth and stormed off with a threat. “Just wait and see!”
He couldn’t stay any longer.
Evelyn didn’t seem like the same person anymore, and he worried he’d just make a bigger fool of himself.
She snapped out of it when he turned the corner and vanished from sight. Turning to Philip, she said, “Um, thanks.”
That’s it? Just thanks?
Philip frowned slightly.
She looked so calm now. But honestly, he preferred her earlier fiery attitude.
There had been something fierce and fearless about her.
Evelyn caught his small frown, but she got the wrong idea.
She figured he was bothered by how close they were, so she quickly pulled her hand away.
“I’ll treat you to a meal sometime if you’re free,” she offered.
Philip nodded slightly. “I’ve got time right now.”
Right now?
Evelyn blinked, caught off guard. Her eyes flicked over to Hannah.
Hannah picked up on it fast. “You two go ahead. I just remembered I gotta get back to the dorm.”
…
They ended up at a shabby eatery just outside the campus.
Evelyn felt like she owed him after she’d dragged him into this mess.
She grabbed a menu and passed it over. “Order whatever you want.”
Philip didn’t hold back. He picked five different meat dishes before handing the menu back.
She didn’t have much of an appetite. Eating wasn’t the point anyway, so she just got some cucumber salad.
They sat across from each other.
Looking at him again in this lifetime, Evelyn felt emotional.
She’d been pretty dumb in her previous life and let her chance with him slip away. She could still remember that he left a final letter just for her before his last mission.
But to prove to Seth that nothing was going on between Philip and her, she hadn’t even read it. She ripped it up without a second thought.
Later on, she regretted it. She wished she had seen what he had written, but it was already too late. The pieces were gone for good.
Now, Philip was alive, sitting across from her.
Maybe this time, she could grab hold of the happiness she lost.
As for that final letter? Whatever. It didn’t matter anymore.
What mattered was that Philip was still here and doing fine.
While her thoughts drifted, he suddenly asked, “How do you know my name?”
Because we’ve met before in our previous lives.
The words almost spilled out, but she caught herself just in time.
Instead, she replied, “I’ve noticed you. I also know you’re a military student. You’re set to be a lieutenant in Southville once you graduate.”
Interesting.
Philip tapped lightly on the table, then looked at her eyes. “So, when you said you liked me earlier—did you mean it?”
She definitely did.
But she paused.
She couldn’t tell what was going through his mind.
She’d known him for two lifetimes, but this was only his first time meeting her.
If she said yes, would he think she was thoughtless, hasty, or confessed to him out of spite?
If she said no, would he think she’d used him to get out of trouble?
Silence fell for a second.
Then, Evelyn found a way to say it.
She looked up at him with a smile. “Time can prove everything.”
Words didn’t mean much. Time would show what was real.
Her eyes sparkled, full of playfulness, like sunlight rippling across water.
That playful glow tugged at something inside Philip.
She does seem different.
He didn’t ask anything else.
When all the food was finally on the table, he got up. “I gotta get back to training. Enjoy your lunch.”
She hadn’t come here to eat, so she didn’t mind.
She watched him leave and picked at her cucumber salad, barely touching it.
When she went to pay, the owner said Philip had already paid.
“Oh, hang on.”
The owner disappeared into the kitchen.
Then, she came out again holding a few aluminum lunch boxes and shoved them into Evelyn’s hands.
“Your boyfriend said you should eat more. If you can’t finish now, take it to go. You’re way too skinny!”
Boyfriend?
Evelyn’s heart fluttered, but she didn’t say anything to correct the owner. She just smiled. “You’re okay with me taking these? Aren’t you worried I won’t bring them back?”
In 1983, ration coupons were still in limited supply, and aluminum lunch boxes weren’t cheap.
“He left this as collateral,” the owner said, pulling something out.
Evelyn’s palms were getting sweaty.
She had just told everyone that she liked Philip. Would he think she came on too strong?
After all, it was the first time they had met.
In her previous life, their paths didn’t cross until after people her age had already graduated.
She didn’t even have a diploma back then. She’d gone to the university hoping the principal would give her a chance. But before she found him, she passed out on campus.
Philip had been the one to carry her to the infirmary.
That was how they slowly got to know each other.
But now that she’d changed how things played out, she couldn’t figure out what Philip was thinking.
Luckily, he didn’t say anything or make a move.
He simply straightened up and kept his eyes on her.
While things were calm on their end, Seth was completely freaking out.
Seriously? She wants to dump me just because she has feelings for someone else?
“You … You’re cheating!” he said through gritted teeth.
Evelyn gave him a casual shrug. “You’ve got it backward. I told you I wanted to break up first, and only after that did I say I liked Philip. Did I ever cross any lines before that? You’re the one always out and about with Alice in public and behind the scenes. If anyone’s been disloyal, it’s you.”
She paused and gripped Philip’s arm tightly. “Besides, we’re over. What happens between me and Philip now isn’t any of your business.”
She quickly stood on her toes and kissed Philip’s lips.
It was a fleeting touch.
Her eyes gleamed with challenge. “See? I’m single now. I can go after whoever I want. I’m even planning to marry Philip after graduation. None of it’s your business!”
“You—”
Seth had never suffered such humiliation.
Evelyn had always gone along with whatever he said. Now that she suddenly stood up to him, he didn’t even know how to react.
Hannah stepped between them. “Why are you making such a big deal? You’re free now, aren’t you? Go after Alice—do whatever you want. Shoo! And don’t expect us to see you out!”
People nearby started whispering and staring. Seth gritted his teeth and stormed off with a threat. “Just wait and see!”
He couldn’t stay any longer.
Evelyn didn’t seem like the same person anymore, and he worried he’d just make a bigger fool of himself.
She snapped out of it when he turned the corner and vanished from sight. Turning to Philip, she said, “Um, thanks.”
That’s it? Just thanks?
Philip frowned slightly.
She looked so calm now. But honestly, he preferred her earlier fiery attitude.
There had been something fierce and fearless about her.
Evelyn caught his small frown, but she got the wrong idea.
She figured he was bothered by how close they were, so she quickly pulled her hand away.
“I’ll treat you to a meal sometime if you’re free,” she offered.
Philip nodded slightly. “I’ve got time right now.”
Right now?
Evelyn blinked, caught off guard. Her eyes flicked over to Hannah.
Hannah picked up on it fast. “You two go ahead. I just remembered I gotta get back to the dorm.”
…
They ended up at a shabby eatery just outside the campus.
Evelyn felt like she owed him after she’d dragged him into this mess.
She grabbed a menu and passed it over. “Order whatever you want.”
Philip didn’t hold back. He picked five different meat dishes before handing the menu back.
She didn’t have much of an appetite. Eating wasn’t the point anyway, so she just got some cucumber salad.
They sat across from each other.
Looking at him again in this lifetime, Evelyn felt emotional.
She’d been pretty dumb in her previous life and let her chance with him slip away. She could still remember that he left a final letter just for her before his last mission.
But to prove to Seth that nothing was going on between Philip and her, she hadn’t even read it. She ripped it up without a second thought.
Later on, she regretted it. She wished she had seen what he had written, but it was already too late. The pieces were gone for good.
Now, Philip was alive, sitting across from her.
Maybe this time, she could grab hold of the happiness she lost.
As for that final letter? Whatever. It didn’t matter anymore.
What mattered was that Philip was still here and doing fine.
While her thoughts drifted, he suddenly asked, “How do you know my name?”
Because we’ve met before in our previous lives.
The words almost spilled out, but she caught herself just in time.
Instead, she replied, “I’ve noticed you. I also know you’re a military student. You’re set to be a lieutenant in Southville once you graduate.”
Interesting.
Philip tapped lightly on the table, then looked at her eyes. “So, when you said you liked me earlier—did you mean it?”
She definitely did.
But she paused.
She couldn’t tell what was going through his mind.
She’d known him for two lifetimes, but this was only his first time meeting her.
If she said yes, would he think she was thoughtless, hasty, or confessed to him out of spite?
If she said no, would he think she’d used him to get out of trouble?
Silence fell for a second.
Then, Evelyn found a way to say it.
She looked up at him with a smile. “Time can prove everything.”
Words didn’t mean much. Time would show what was real.
Her eyes sparkled, full of playfulness, like sunlight rippling across water.
That playful glow tugged at something inside Philip.
She does seem different.
He didn’t ask anything else.
When all the food was finally on the table, he got up. “I gotta get back to training. Enjoy your lunch.”
She hadn’t come here to eat, so she didn’t mind.
She watched him leave and picked at her cucumber salad, barely touching it.
When she went to pay, the owner said Philip had already paid.
“Oh, hang on.”
The owner disappeared into the kitchen.
Then, she came out again holding a few aluminum lunch boxes and shoved them into Evelyn’s hands.
“Your boyfriend said you should eat more. If you can’t finish now, take it to go. You’re way too skinny!”
Boyfriend?
Evelyn’s heart fluttered, but she didn’t say anything to correct the owner. She just smiled. “You’re okay with me taking these? Aren’t you worried I won’t bring them back?”
In 1983, ration coupons were still in limited supply, and aluminum lunch boxes weren’t cheap.
“He left this as collateral,” the owner said, pulling something out.
