Chapter 33: Chapter 33

Nuri's P.O.V.

It was midnight when I thought about checking on Daniel again without any reason. I couldn't sleep anyway, so I just made my way to the bedroom.

And as I entered the bedroom and turned on the night lamp, I saw Daniel was sleeping peacefully. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. But his face looked somehow disturbed. Was he having a nightmare?

I touched his forehead, but it was burning. I realised he had a fever. I ran to the kitchen. Found an unused white handkerchief from my bag and folded it small. Then soaking that cloth into the water in the pot, I carried it to the bedroom.

I placed the wet cloth on his forehead.

He drank very much. I somehow guessed it could happen, and that was why I came here to check also.

I took a seat beside the bed on a wooden chair. I wasn't sleepy at all. But watching Daniel, finally sleeping peacefully, sleep also resided in my eyes without my permission.

When I opened my eyes in the morning, Daniel was not asleep anymore. He was staring at a distance full of worry.

I felt his hand on my hair.

His touch felt a little familiar.

I have felt the same way before, but I couldn't remember where.

"Daniel," I called his name.

Daniel's eyes fell on me.

I stood up and checked his pulse. He soon pulled back his hand. Then I placed my hand on his forehead to check his temperature.

"Looks like your fever is gone." I smiled.

Suddenly Daniel held my hand and glanced directly into my eyes as he asked hesitatingly, "Did I annoy you very much last night?"

I blinked a couple of times, staring at him. Could I tell him what he did after drinking? Clearly not. I just smiled.

"Quit smiling and tell me fast," Daniel said with his little husky voice.

"I know I can't tolerate much Alcohol.

I did something embarrassing, right? What did I do? Tell me, Nuri!" Daniel gave a little jerk to me, holding me by my arms.

"Should I tell him ?" I asked myself.

I remembered Daniel's face from the previous night. Glossy eyes, bitter smiles, loud whispers filled with painful memories. I shook my head lightly. He never shared this information with me because I didn't have a place to know. Also, how he broke down in tears after telling his story still made me feel uneasy. I decided not to tell him about all this until Daniel decides to tell everything in his right mind.

"You almost killed me, Daniel," I said, crossing my fingers behind my back.

Daniel's eyes widened.

"Wh-what did I do ?" He said, licking his lips.

"You wanted to kill someone and thought the person was me.

Thank God you fainted after some time, or I'd have been dead being chased by you." I lied.

But the things I said were so funny that I was trying to control my laugh. All of a sudden, Daniel let go of my hand, and his face became weirder. He started scratching his head.

"Oh no…" I heard a scream.

"What ?"

"I really did that?" Daniel looked at me with his almost crying face.

I nodded with a sad face. Daniel gulped then he started checking me.

"I didn't hurt you. Did I ?" Daniel was sick and worried, "Don't lie, Nuri. Tell me the truth."

I shook my head, assuring him. But he couldn't believe what he exactly did. He placed his right hand on his temple, rubbing it while saying, "I am a dumb human."

Seeing him blaming himself, I felt a little guilty. I placed my hand on his shoulder. He shifted his gaze towards me.

"You are still weak.

You don't need to blame yourself.

I am going to cook porridge for you. Okay ?" I said, smiling.

After finishing my sentence, I started moving towards the bedroom door. But I felt a grip on my left hand. Turning my head back, I saw Daniel holding my hand, looking at the floor.

"I annoyed you so much.

Still, you're taking care of me?

Even though you took care of me the whole night? Why ?" His voice was still a little heavy.

I kneeled in front of him and made eye contact with him. His eyes shifted on mine.

"Because Human traffickers too need to be taken care of.

Sometimes." I said.

Daniel looked at me for a few seconds as he couldn't understand what I said at first, but then his eyes went wide like rice balls.

And I ran out of the bedroom, laughing my ass off. I closed the door behind me as I could hear Daniel screaming behind the closed door.

"Yaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!

I thought you were going to comfort me !!!!

You coconut head…..!!! Come Back !! You moron!!!!"

"Haha hahaha" - I kept laughing as I stepped down the stairs.

But a question captured my brain "How am I going to cook ?"

I blinked a couple of times. Then finally, I pulled my phone out of my jeans.

I prayed to Lord Shiva that he could help me this time with my cooking, or else the innocent soul, Daniel, had to eat my super-duper special Spanish dish, which was actually supposed to be a Korean dish in reality.

"Heh..." I laughed at my awkwardness. Then I started cooking porridge.

It wasn't that difficult. But it wasn't very easy either. Holding the bowl of porridge, I entered Daniel's room again. He was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. As soon as I entered his room, his eyes fell on me.

"Tell me you didn't explode my kitchen. Please!" Daniel asked, pointing downwards.

I rolled my eyes while slowly walking up to him. He sat up on the bed, supporting his back on the pillow. I handed him the bowl. Daniel glanced at the bowl first and then at me.

"You're lucky I didn't put poison in it." I scoffed.

"Your cooking is a poison itself." Saying the word, Daniel soon filled his mouth with a spoonful of porridge.

I bit my lower lip, being nervous. It was my first time making porridge. I had made tea for my family many times before but tried nothing more than that.

I was focused on Daniel's face. Soon he gulped down the food and glanced at me.

"You didn't die?" I sneered.

"I am amused to see that too." Daniel made a face like he was super confused.

I hit Daniel playfully on the shoulder. He giggled finally, eating the second bite. A tiny smile appeared on my lips, watching him happy. I was hurt seeing his bitter smile previously. I liked this happy Daniel more.

I never knew this cold Daniel wanted to be cold and disciplined because he thought it would bring back his parents. I sighed.

"Miss India?" I heard Daniel's voice and glanced at him.

He was looking at me with concerned eyes.

"Hmmm?" I replied.

"Have I really chased you ?" He asked with a still worried face.

"Pfffftttt."

"You did.

Tell me, who is the person that you want to kill so badly?" I joked.

"There are a lot of people." He said.

I wasn't expecting this answer, but Daniel's expression was serious. I gulped watching Daniel so serious. He continued, "There is Yun-Joon!

There are Ted and Jee-Hyun!

That fat boss! And that girl whom I hate the most in this world!" His voice came out a little louder.

Daniel started coughing. I rubbed his back and gave him a glass of water. He drank the water and gave the glass back to me.

"That person is Yoonah!!!!!!!" He said with fire in his eyes.

"Is it your ex ?" I asked, being curious.

"How do you know?" Daniel's eyes confused.

"Naturally, people talk about their exes like that! I heard a lot of shit from my friends about their exes earlier!" I explained.

"I see." Daniel continued eating.

"Why do you want to kill her?

Do you still like her ?" I asked.

"Woman! Are you crazy or something?

I said I want to kill her!" Daniel yelled, making an annoyed face.

"Which normal person would want to kill a person they like?" Daniel threw a disgusting look.

"True!

Sometimes people show their anger by words when they can't forget the person.

It means they still care for the person." I explained, "If you don't like a person, you would forget about that person and will live your life fully."

"I want to do that, but that woman is haunting my life even after a break-up!

She is following me around and preparing to destroy me!! Daniel explained, almost huffing.

"Breath breath!!"

He looked down at the blanket he was covering himself.

"You can tell me if you are comfortable," I said.

He looked up at me. Then shifted his eyes back on the blanket.

"I was an intern in my first job after finishing my studies. Yoonah was my senior there." Daniel said.

"I didn't feel anything towards her or anyone else in the office.

But eventually, I could hear that I was popular amongst girls in the office.

I ignored the roumors." He said as he kept hitting the bowl with his spoon, making little noise.

I could believe Daniel, being popular amongst girls seeing how handsome he was.

"One day, I got a project under Yoonah.

We worked late nights some of the time.

Like that one night, Yoonah and I were alone. And we were almost done with the project.

She took a bathroom break and exited the cabin. I was still working on my seat. Suddenly I felt two hands hugging my neck.

At first, I got scared, but soon I realised it was Yoonah. She leaned closer and whispered in my ear that she liked me." Daniel kept the bowl aside.

"It was my first time getting a love confession.

I was nervous. I couldn't say anything.

She said I didn't have to answer her right away. And after that day, she smiled whenever she saw me at the hall, cafeteria, or exit.

She brought lunch for me.

Sometimes she held my hand, hiding from everyone. And I always turned red.

It all was new to me.

I was feeling good. Yoonah was also a beauty. So I fell for her at the end and said yes." Daniel heaved a sigh.

"What happened after that ?" I asked curiously.

"After that, we became a couple.

And like any other couple, we went on many dates, kissed, hugged each other, and spent a lot of time together. We were a power couple in the office.

Everything was perfect." Daniel's words were cold and dry. I found zero feelings in his words as if he never liked her.

"Then why did you two break up all of a sudden ?" I asked as I couldn't tolerate any more suspense.

Daniel grabbed the bowl of porridge again.

"Our boss was replaced by a new man who joined our office.

He was much younger for his post.

So as soon as he came to the office, he was popular.

Though, I wouldn't have realised it if Yoonah hadn't talked about this man telling me how handsome he was.

At first, I ignored all the signs, but soon I realised Yoonah was avoiding me and she was becoming cold to me.

And one day, I caught them red-handed in that man's cabin making out." Daniel glanced up at the ceiling.

I placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder. He placed his left hand over my hand, giving it a little squeeze.

"I didn't say a word, exited the cabin after saying sorry.

Not long after that incident, Yoonah came to my cabin to explain what happened.

I couldn't believe her story. So I just said we're over.

She was furious. I think she couldn't take the rejection but soon left, giving me an attitude. After a week I heard, She was dating the new boss.

Maybe I was sad. A little bit sad. But I didn't cry. I knew people always leave."

Daniel put some porridge into his mouth again. After chewing it and gulping it, he continued again.

"Soon after that, I got a new job offer where I am working now and accepted the offer.

I thought I didn't have to see her face from then on. But after I joined here, Yoonah also joined the same company at the same post I was and tried to seduce me to go back to her again.

But I wasn't that stupid to go back to a woman again who cheated on my face. So I rejected her. And after that, she is plotting many plans to destroy my career.

I don't know what she will get out of this." Daniel explained.

Another tragedy!

I cupped my face in my mind thinking about Daniel's sad life. Daniel was eating the porridge casually as if nothing happened. No one could understand what was going inside him, seeing him so calm and collected.

I snatched the bowl out of his hand. Daniel glanced up at me as I stood up from the chair I was sitting on until now.

"What ?" He asked.

I leaned closer and hugged him, wrapping my hands around his neck.

"Just cry if you want," I whispered in his ear.