Taming Mr. Cold and Arrogant

"What happened in the kitchen?"

I furrowed my eyebrows when I came back in front of him. I don't understand his question. 

"What do you mean, what happened in the kitchen?"

"You seemed happy when you entered the door."

"Ohh..." I bite my lower lip. He saw me. "Am I?"

"Yeah, is there something happened?"

"Nah!" I shrugged. "I just had a small talk with Nanay Emily about you."

He frowned, confusion was clearly evident on his face. 

"I told her that having a fever seemed to be better for you."

"So you want me to have fever forever?"

"No, that's not what I mean, silly! Even though you were always raising your voice when talking to me and hating me for thinking that I just married you for your money, I'm not the kind of person who thinks you'd always be sick."

I didn't miss the hint of sadness written on his eyes, but I just ignore it and gave him a half-hearted smile. 

"What I mean is that your fever seems to be better for you because it has changed you. You don't shout at me anymore, and suddenly you learn to say thank you. I just don't know how long you will be a 'nice' Daniel, but I prefer this side of you."

I gulped when I saw his lips curled up into a smile. The smile that shows the agree with me. 

"So, what song do you want me to sing for you, my master?"

"My master?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows. 

"My master. My boss. My king Daniel."

He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. I can't help but smile at his gesture. It's the first time I saw him being himself in front of me, smiling at me, laughing with me, and I wish this moment would never end. 

"Well, it's up to you what song you want to sing for me." then he smiled again. 

I sighed and started playing my guitar. 

"Fancy meeting you alone in the crowd, couldn't help but notice your smile. While everybody else around us is going about, can we just stop and talk awhile?"

I felt his eyes on my face as I sing the first line, but I continued and pretend that I'm not affected. 

"Do tell me more about yourself we could share a thought or two, now who would mind?... Can we just stop and talk awhile, get to know each other who are we to know? Love could be waiting at the end, 'round that bend and so, let's stop and talk awhile."

"Is that what you want?" The first question he asked me, right after I finished the song. "Get to know each other?"

"That's just a song." I shrugged. 

"Where did you learn to play a guitar?"

I was shocked with his next question that I don't know how to answer him without mentioning my past. 

"Ahm... from my father." I replied, avoiding his gaze. 

"Huh?"

I gulped, glancing at him only to find him staring at me and waiting for my answer. 

I chuckled and shook my head. 

"There's not much to say about my childhood. Boring and unexciting." I said, trying to get up but he grabbed my arm. I looked at his hand before looking into his eyes. 

"If you don't want to talk about your childhood, can I just tell about mine?"

Did I hear him say that or am I just dreaming again? 

He frowned when I put my hand on his forehead and neck. 

"Hey, what are you doing?"

He asked, confused. But the truth is that I was more confused than he was. 

And I don't know what happened next, I just found myself lying in bed with him on top of me.

"Daniel..."

"Sweetheart, are you telling me I'm crazy and out of my mind?" His face was merely inches away from me. 

"T-That's not what I-I'm trying to say." Why am I stuttering? 

"Then what?" He asked, looking at me intently. His elbows are on my side. 

I gulped as I felt my throat suddenly went dried. 

"Ahmm..."

Our close proximity made me so hard to answer his question. My stomach was churning, my heart was pounding inside my rib cage and I didn't miss how his eyes darkened when I moistened my lips. 

Clenching his jaws, I heard him utter a weak curse. 

I was almost deaf from the uneven sound of my heart as he slowly lowered his face, without taking his eyes from my lips. I could hardly move. 

I wanted to close my eyes, but before our lips could meet, the door snapped open and a shocked figure of Andrew came to our sight. I immediately pushed Daniel and get up. I felt the color of my face turning into crimson red. 

"Oops!" Andrew's eyes turned like saucers as he instantly covered his mouth. 

"What the f.u.c.k, Andrew? Don't you know how to knock?"

"Ah-ow! I'm sorry, dude, I didn't know you're about to kiss your wife!"

I bite my lips to suppress the laugh that wanted to bubble up from my throat. 

"Goddammit! Get out!"

But he looked at me, trying to control his laughter when Daniel shouted at him. 

"Hey, chill dude! Didn't you know that I had a hard time cancelling all your meetings earlier? Holy Christ! They don't want to believe you're sick! Besides, I rushed here to see if you're okay, then you will just tell me to go out?" He said with a fake cry. 

"I swear to God, Andrew, if you don't get your a.s.s out of here, I'll cut your balls off your body!"

Andrew's face became horrified as he glanced at me. 

"Whoa! That's harsh!"

"Andrew----"

"Okay, fine, I'm leaving! But I'll be back later when you finish kissing your wife. Hmmph! I'll just talk to Nanay Emily and ask her to cook something sweet for the two of you! Bye!"

We looked at each other when he finally got out of the room. And slowly, the laughter I was holding back broke out in my throat. I don't know exactly what I am laughing at, but there's one thing I know. I'm happy. 

I'm happy to see this carefree side of him, and I wish he wouldn't return to the old version of himself. 

~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~

The following morning at the studio:

"What's that?"

I asked Craig with wrinkled eyebrows when I saw a half human-size teddy bear on my swivel chair. 

"Teddy bear."

He replied and I smiled at him sarcastically as I crossed my arms over my c.h.e.s.t. 

"I know it's a teddy bear, but what I mean is that where does it come from? Did you buy it?"

"Haha, of course, not. That stuffed toy was with the flowers sent to you by T.M. this morning."

"Tsk tsk. Isn't it corny, I mean, flowers and stuffed toy? Oh, my gosh!"

He said, rolling his eyes and walked towards my desk. 

"You know what, there's only one thing left to complete the package."

"And that is?" I asked, confused. 

He grinned. 

"Chocolates!" He proudly stated. "He had already sent flowers and stuffed toy, so only chocolate was left to complete the package."

"Hahaha... that's so funny!" I blurted sarcastically but laughed eventually. 

"I just don't understand why he's sending these stuffs without showing himself to you. Isn't it just a waste of time? You don't even know his name and his face. Is he ugly or handsome like 'your husband?'"

I shook my head when he emphasized the last two words. 

Well, he's right. I also couldn't help but think of who this T.M is that bothering himself on sending me flowers every day, and then now with a stuffed toy? 

I'm just wondering if he also intends to send stuffed toys every day because I'm sure by then, we will no longer be able to call our studio a dancing studio anymore, but a 'Gift shop' for valentines day.