Emily slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times to dispel the lingering fog of sleep. Soft light shone on her face, and there, right in front of her, was Daniel. Not just Daniel, her boss who always looked serious, but Daniel, who was laughing in a low voice that was warm and gentle even though Daniel’s soul was still trapped in her body.
Daniel, who was surprised to see Emily awake, immediately stopped his laughter. There was an unexpected sparkle in his eyes, a flash of excitement that was fleeting.
Emily’s consciousness returned, and she realized her head was resting on Daniel’s palm, so she quickly fixed her seat again.
“Sorry, sir. I fell asleep,” Emily said, her voice trembling slightly with embarrassment.
“We’d better continue the lesson tomorrow,” Daniel said in a soft, yet authoritative voice.
Emily, still fixated on the subtle change in Daniel’s expression, asked curiously. “This is the first time I’ve seen you laugh like that. What were you laughing about?” she asked, with sparkling eyes.
“Just something a little funny,” Daniel replied, his smile still tucked into the corners of his lips.
“You should laugh like that more often, so you can relax, and I hope I can see you laughing more often when your soul returns to your real body,” Emily added in a hopeful tone.
“By the way, what time is it?” Emily’s eyes fell on the watch adorned on her wrist, which glittered quietly under the dim light.
“Oh my! It’s nine o’clock at night. Dad’s going to be worried.” Emily was about to stand up, but a moment later, she realized that her soul was now in Daniel’s body, causing her to pause and sit back down.
“I gave him a text message not to worry about you,” Daniel said in a soothing tone.
Emily furrowed her brow, confusion clear on her face. “When did you do it? Why don’t I know? You’ve been here with me, teaching me, but I didn’t know you sent a message to Dad,” Emily said, her voice full of unhidden curiosity.
Daniel looked at her with a soft yet sharp gaze. “Why do I feel you don’t believe a word I say?” he asked.
“That’s not what it means, sir. It’s just that…” Emily tried to explain, but her words trailed off, choking in her throat.
“I sent her a message before you finished your schedule earlier,” Daniel explained.
“Oh, I see. Thank you, sir,” Emily said, her gratitude felt in every word she spoke.
“I have to tell your father before he thinks anything else,” Daniel explained.
Hearing Daniel’s words made Emily remember Fred, who thought that Daniel had impregnated her that day.
“Sorry, sir. Dad is overprotective of me,” Emily said, her voice soft, but with a slight tremor that couldn’t be hidden.
“You’re also an adult. Surely you and your ex-boyfriend have as well…” Daniel began in a hesitant tone.
Before Daniel could continue, Emily shook her head firmly. “No, sir. I’ve never had a relationship with my ex-boyfriend like you’re thinking,” she explained, her eyes looking at Daniel with undeniable honesty.
Instantly, the atmosphere around became awkward. No one spoke. And then, in the silence, the sound of Daniel’s stomach inside Emily’s body suddenly went ‘krukk’.
“Are you hungry?” asked Emily with a smile, her eyes sparkling with a tinge of humor.
“I’m not hungry. You are,” Daniel replied, pointing at the body that should have belonged to Emily.
“Oh yeah, right,” Emily laughed. After a day of stress and exhaustion, there was finally something to cheer her up.
“Just a moment, sir,” Emily said in a hurried voice. Without waiting for an answer, she rushed into the kitchen, her steps quick and purposeful. There, she found a box of instant oatmeal. Emily opened the package, poured the powder into the two bowls in front of her, and added hot water. The aroma of warm oats soon filled the room.
Emily soon returned to Daniel’s room, her steps light but sure, with two steaming bowls of hot oatmeal in her hands. The light from outside the window shone on the falling snowflakes, creating a soothing scene. She offered one bowl to Daniel; her smile soft and their eyes meeting in warm understanding.
“I hope this will warm you up and fill you up,” Emily said, her voice flowing softly over the sound of the snow hitting the ground.
Daniel accepted the bowl, his fingertips touching Emily’s hand for a moment, an unexpected contact that made both of their heartbeats race, and they both looked away.
Daniel ate the hot oatmeal in front of him.
“Be careful, sir. It’s still hot,” Emily warned Daniel.
“You’re not eating?” asked Daniel, his confusion clear on his face as he looked at Emily, who hadn’t touched her food at all.
“I wanted to make sure you ate first,” Emily replied with a smile, her eyes sparkling with warmth.
But as Emily brought the spoon to her lips, she couldn’t help but let out a small exclamation. “Ah, hot,” the surprise of the still-too-hot oatmeal made her smile in embarrassment.
“Why are you always so careless in doing things? You should be more careful, even with small things like this,” Daniel said in a stern tone.
Emily lowered her head, feeling a little embarrassed and guilty. “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll be more careful,” she replied, her voice barely audible. She realized that even a small faux pas could still give the wrong impression, especially in front of Daniel, who always seemed perfect in every way.
Unlike Emily, Daniel seemed unperturbed by the heat of the oatmeal. Calmly, he spooned the oatmeal into his mouth, as if the intense heat was nothing more than a cool breeze. Emily watched wide-eyed, amazed by Daniel’s resilience.
“Do you not want to eat and just want to watch me eat like this?” asked Daniel, his voice containing a hint of annoyance at Emily’s persistent stare.
“I’m just admiring how you can hold the heat of the food in your mouth,” Emily replied in a tone full of admiration.
For a moment, Daniel was silent, his mind drifting to the distant past. He was reminded of his childhood, when he ate with his grandfather, aunt and uncle. The uncomfortable atmosphere made him want to finish quickly his food and get out of the situation. Her aunt and uncle always looked at her with a cynical look, as if he was trash that didn’t deserve to be in that house. These experiences have shaped him into an independent person, who always makes his own decisions without relying on others.
“Life doesn’t always give us the warmth we want. Sometimes, we have to learn to endure the heat and cold of this world alone. That’s what makes us strong,” Daniel said.
Emily looked at Daniel, there was warmth and understanding in her eyes.
“Hurry and eat. We’ll be home soon,” Daniel said, breaking Emily’s reverie.
After finishing the oatmeal that provided warmth in the middle of the cold night, Emily and Daniel prepared to leave the study. They stood up, wearing thick coats to protect themselves from the cold, snowy night. They exited through the company’s spacious and quiet lobby.
After they both got into the car, the driver started the engine and the car sped out of the parking lot. Emily, sitting next to Daniel, was captivated by the beauty of the snowy night. With a spontaneous movement, she rolled down her window, letting the cold night air wash over her face. Her hand reached out, catching the falling snowflakes. The falling snowflakes danced on her fingertips, making her laugh like a happy child.
Daniel caught the sparkle of happiness in Emily’s eyes through the rearview mirror. “Is it nice to see snow?”
Emily pulled her hand back inside and closed the window quickly. “Are you good at snowboarding or skiing?” she asked, curiosity filling her voice.
“I’m no expert, but I can snowboard and ski pretty well,” Daniel said.
Emily looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. “Really? I’ve always wanted to try it. It looks like fun!” she exclaimed, a look of excitement on her face.
“Would you mind teaching me?” Emily asked.
Daniel turned his head, looking at Emily with a look that was hard to interpret. “Why should I do it for you?” he asked.
“Can’t you?” Emily asked again.
“Get an expert to teach you,” Daniel said finally.
Emily gave Daniel a mixed look. “What a cheapskate,” she muttered, her small voice barely audible.
Daniel turned his head, his eyebrows raised. “What did you say?”
“No, it’s fine,” Emily replied quickly.
Emily’s gaze shifted out the window, and suddenly, she saw a couple who looked so happy in the falling snow. The man, a very familiar figure, was laughing freely, but the face of the woman he was with was hidden from view. The pain in Emily’s heart grew, her eyes glazed over, and unconsciously, a cry escaped her lips. “Please stop!”