Emily, who was in Daniel’s body, finally sat down in front of one of W Company’s business partners. Emily, who was still adjusting in Daniel’s body, felt nervous. She knew Mr. Tanaka as a smart and sharp partner. As a secretary, she was only used to administrative tasks, not executive decisions.
Mr. Tanaka with his neat appearance and firm demeanor opened the conversation. “So, how will we improve our cooperation in the coming year?” he asked.
Emily felt a light vibration in her ear, a sign that Daniel was speaking through the earpiece. “We need to focus on integrating our AI systems with existing logistics infrastructure,” Daniel whispered calmly. Emily repeated his words confidently, trying to correct herself so as not to make mistakes like before. Emily again added in her own words. “This way, we can predict market trends and adjust our distribution in real-time.”
Lunch was an intense discussion between Emily and Mr. Tanaka. With Daniel’s help, Emily managed to conduct a Q&A session with their business partner. The conversation then flowed into lighter topics.
“Can you recommend some delicious New York food?” asked Mr. Tanaka.
Emily smiled, feeling more comfortable with the more casual topic. “Of course,” she replied. “New York is famous for its thin-crust pizzas, bagels that are perfect for breakfast, and of course, cheesecakes that are soft and rich.”
The two of them continued their conversation with casual topics. Light laughter and interesting stories filled the space between them, creating a warm and familiar atmosphere.
“I’m glad we could enjoy this time together, Mr. Daniel. I had no idea that behind your usual professional demeanor, you are someone who can be so warm and friendly. I am fortunate to have gotten to know a different side of you,” said Mr. Tanaka.
***
After a long day filled with a busy schedule, Emily, still trapped in the body of Daniel, the CEO of W Company, returned to the office. Her steps felt heavier than usual, her mind filled with the meetings and decisions that had been made that day. She was about to move towards the executive elevator to return to her office but she had to pass through the lobby.
Several employees bowed their heads respectfully to him. It just so happened that it was W Company’s employee dismissal time. In the crowd, she saw a familiar figure. Her gaze fell on a beautiful woman he knew well. She was Mia, her friend from school. Her heart was beating fast as she managed to pass Mia without being stopped.
How could she be here? Emily thought to herself, and immediately quickened her pace.
However, before she could go far, a woman’s voice stopped her in her tracks. “Wait!” she shouted.
Emily stopped, her breath catching. She turned around slowly, and her eyes met Mia’s doubtful gaze.
There’s no way she knows me, right? Emily thought.
Mia walked slowly towards Emily with sure steps that made Emily hold her breath even more and her body tensed up.
Calm down, Emily, Emily thought again.
Every step Mia took towards Emily made her heart beat faster, as if every beat was an echo of her uncontrollable nervousness.
“Sorry, sir,” Mia said in a barely audible voice. Her hand shook slightly as she pulled something out, “I think you dropped this,” she continued, indicating a pen in her hand.
Emily, who felt cornered, was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank you,” she said in a tone that sounded forced, then turned to leave, leaving Mia who was still silent staring at her departure with a complicated look.
“Why are you daydreaming like that?” the voice of Mia’s coworker snapped her out of her reverie, her voice full of confusion and curiosity.
“Ah, no,” Mia replied, trying to hide her emotional turmoil with a forced smile.
“Are you enamored with our CEO’s charms?” the coworker asked again, her voice seductive.
Mia gulped, shock still hanging in the air. “So he’s the CEO of this company?” she asked, her voice trembling with unconcealed surprise.
“Yes, he is,” the colleague replied, nodding vigorously. “Are you attracted to him?” she continued, her tone full of jest yet curious eyes challenging Mia to admit her feelings.
Mia laughed, refuting her coworker’s joke. “Of course not. What are you saying? Never mind, let’s go home,” Mia invited as she took her coworker’s hand, pulling her away with light steps.
On the other hand, Emily’s face was still full of shock. She hadn’t expected to meet Mia at the company where she worked. It was like her peace would be disturbed by her presence. When the sound of the elevator chimed to signal that she had arrived, it took a long time for her to realize it and get out of the elevator. Her mind was still drifting on the incident earlier.
She daydreamed until she didn’t realize that she had passed her own office, where Daniel was in her place.
“What’s going on?” Daniel’s voice broke into his reverie.
“What?” Emily still looked confused to answer.
“What happened to you? Did you make a serious mistake?” Daniel asked.
“No,” Emily replied.
“Why do you have such a confused look on your face?” asked Daniel.
Emily lifted her face and answered. “It’s okay, sir,” she replied hoarsely. “I’m just… a little tired. But why are you still here?” she asked, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
“I still have a lot to teach you,” Daniel said in a low voice.
That afternoon, the sky outside the CEO’s office window had begun to change color, indicating that time was passing into dusk. Inside, Emily sat attentively in front of Daniel, ready to absorb every lesson that would be given.
“We’ll start with the basics,” Daniel said, flipping to the company’s growth chart on the big screen. “As CEO, you need to understand every aspect of this business, from operations to long-term strategy.”
Emily nodded, her eyes not leaving the changing graphs. She felt the weight of the responsibility now on her shoulders, a burden she had to carry because of their swapped souls.
Daniel continued to explain, his voice echoing in the quiet room. “You must always be aware of market changes, ensuring that we are always one step ahead.”
The wall clock ticked, marking the passage of time, from afternoon to evening. Emily took notes, asked questions, and learned-not a single detail was missed. However, before she knew it, fatigue began to creep into her bones.
As the clock struck nine o’clock in the evening, the fatigue that hit Emily could no longer be contained. With heavy eyes, she succumbed to the exhaustion that enveloped her entire body. Her head slowly tilted and came to a halt, supported by her own shoulders, while Daniel still continued to explain vigorously. However, the soft snoring sound coming from Emily signaled that she had fallen into a deep sleep.
Daniel stopped talking, looking at Emily’s peaceful sleeping face. “How could she sleep in this state?” he muttered in a tone full of astonishment. He watched Emily who had fallen asleep sitting up.
Outside, snowflakes began to fall gently, adding beauty to the late night. Inside, the silence of the room was only broken by the ticking of the clock and Emily’s soft snoring.
With orderly movements, Daniel began to reorganize the stack of documents they had studied together. He turned off the computer and let the light of the desk lamp be the only source of illumination.
While Daniel moved quietly, the sound of his footsteps triggered a response in Emily’s subconscious. In her deep sleep, she felt the subtle vibrations and her body reacted instinctively. Her head that had been comfortably resting on her own shoulders began to lose its balance. Her head shifted to the side, slowly tilting and almost falling from its original position.
Daniel immediately noticed the subtle change in Emily’s posture. He approached quickly, his hand outstretched to catch Emily’s head that was about to fall. His warm palm supported Emily’s head, preventing it from falling to the side. Amidst the silence of the room, Emily began to delirious in her sleep.
“I… can… I have to be ready,” Emily mumbled in a low, indistinct voice, the disjointed words pouring out of her trembling aunt. Despite her unconscious state, her mind was still awake, struggling with the new responsibilities she now carried.
Emily murmured again, this time with greater vigor, “Focus… you have to focus!”
Daniel, who had been supporting Emily’s head from falling, couldn’t help but laugh softly, marveling at Emily’s imagination even in her sleep. As Daniel’s soft laughter echoed in the room, Emily woke up from her sleep. With her head still supported by Daniel’s palm, she opened her eyes and found Daniel’s face just inches away from hers.