Chapter 3 - Good Evening, Emma

Emma stared at the message for nearly a minute.

Daniel: Good evening, Emma.

I hope you had a good day.

She had expected something else.

A cheesy pickup line.

A compliment about her appearance.

Maybe even a simple "Hey."

Instead...

He asked about her day.

It felt strangely... refreshing.

Her fingers hovered above the keyboard.

Delete.

Type.

Delete again.

Why was replying to a stranger so difficult?

Finally, she took a deep breath.

Emma: Good evening.

It was a long day.

She hit send before she could overthink it.

Almost immediately, the little "Seen" appeared.

Then three dots.

He was typing.

Emma unexpectedly found herself sitting a little straighter.

Daniel: Architecture student?

She blinked.

Then remembered her profile.

Emma: Yes.

Daniel: That explains the long day.

A small laugh escaped her.

Emma: How did you know?

Daniel: A friend of mine studied architecture.

He survived on coffee and three hours of sleep.

Emma smiled.

"Survived" was exactly the right word.

Emma: Your friend sounds accurate.

Daniel: Should I be worried about you?

Emma stared at the screen.

Such a simple question.

Yet no one had asked it in a very long time.

She typed carefully.

Emma: I'm still alive, so I guess I'm doing okay.

Another pause.

Daniel: I'm glad to hear that.

No joke.

No teasing.

Just a sincere answer.

Emma leaned back against her pillow.

Maybe Lily wasn't completely wrong.

Maybe talking to strangers wasn't so bad.

-

Daniel looked at his phone resting beside a stack of documents.

The board meeting had ended almost an hour ago, yet the conference room remained filled with untouched coffee cups and financial reports.

Across the table, his assistant, Nathan, was still organizing folders.

"Sir?"

Daniel didn't answer.

His attention remained on the screen.

Emma.

Architecture student.

Likes baking.

Favorite drink: hot chocolate.

Nathan cleared his throat.

"Sir?"

"Hm?"

"The directors are waiting for your signature."

Daniel looked up.

"Right."

He picked up the fountain pen, signed the last document without reading it again, and slid the folder back.

Nathan hesitated.

"You seem... distracted."

Daniel chuckled.

"Do I?"

"A little."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Nathan looked unconvinced but decided not to ask further.

In the seven years he'd worked for Daniel, he'd never once seen his boss checking a dating app during office hours.

-

Emma's phone vibrated again.

Daniel: Have you had dinner?

She glanced toward the empty plate beside her.

Emma: Yes.

Technically.

Salt bread counted as dinner.

Didn't it?

Daniel: Good.

Skipping meals is a bad habit.

Emma raised an eyebrow.

Emma: Do you always worry about strangers?

His reply came after a few seconds.

Daniel: Only the ones who survive on coffee.

She laughed.

Emma: I also survive on bread.

Daniel: That sounds healthier.

Emma: Not when you're the one baking it.

Daniel paused.

Then—

Daniel: You bake?

Emma looked toward the tiny basil plant on her windowsill.

Emma: Part-time.

At a neighborhood bakery.

Daniel: What do you make?

She smiled.

Emma: Mostly bread.

My specialty is salt bread.

Several seconds passed.

Long enough that Emma wondered if he'd become busy.

Then his answer appeared.

Daniel: I've never had good salt bread.

Emma frowned.

Emma: You've never had good salt bread?

Daniel: No.

I've had expensive salt bread.

Not necessarily good salt bread.

She couldn't stop herself from smiling.

That was... oddly specific.

Emma: There's a difference?

Daniel: A huge difference.

Expensive bread fills your stomach.

Good bread makes you come back the next day.

Emma looked at the message for a long moment.

For someone who claimed to be an office worker...

He had an interesting way of describing things.

-

Nearly midnight.

Rain tapped gently against the conference room windows.

Nathan entered again.

"Sir."

Daniel looked up from his phone.

"The driver is waiting."

"I'll be down in a minute."

Nathan nodded, then paused.

"You've been smiling tonight."

Daniel looked genuinely surprised.

"Have I?"

"More than usual."

Nathan couldn't remember the last time he'd seen that expression.

Not since...

No.

He pushed the thought away.

"Good night, sir."

"Good night, Nathan."

The room fell silent again.

Daniel glanced once more at the conversation.

Only a handful of messages.

Nothing extraordinary.

Yet somehow...

It had been the most relaxing part of his day.

-

Emma yawned.

The clock beside her bed read 11:47 p.m.

She should sleep.

Her eight o'clock lecture wouldn't wait just because she'd stayed awake talking to a stranger.

She typed one last message.

Emma: I should sleep.

I have class tomorrow.

Almost instantly—

Daniel: Then don't let me keep you.

Good luck with your project tomorrow.

Emma blinked.

She had never mentioned a project.

Then she remembered.

Architecture students always had projects.

She laughed softly.

Emma: Thank you.

Good night.

A few seconds later, another message appeared.

Daniel: Good night, Emma.

Sleep well.

She placed the phone face down on her pillow.

For some reason...

Those two simple words lingered in her mind.

Sleep well.

No one had wished her that in years.

Outside, another train rumbled past the apartment.

Emma closed her eyes.

And for the first time in a long while...

She fell asleep with a smile.