Beyond the Dreaming

As they sat in the car, Ember thanked him for everything he had done for her. "It's okay," he replied with a gentle smile.

After some time, they arrived at the college. "So, here we are at our destination. Let's get off," he said.

Ember stepped out and looked around in awe. "Wow, this college looks just like the ones in movies and films," she exclaimed.

He chuckled softly and suggested, "Let's head to my department."

Curious, she asked, "Which department are you in?"

"Management," he replied casually. Ember realized it was the same as hers, which brought a small smile to her face.

As they walked through the campus, the bustling energy of people in a hurry surrounded them. Ember's steps faltered as she got lost in the crowd. Panic surged in her chest as she called out, "Where are you, Emir?"

Suddenly, someone pulled her out of the chaos. She stumbled and found herself pressed against a firm chest. His arm rested protectively on her head, pulling her close as he guided her out of the throng. Once they were clear, she looked up and realized it was Emir.

"Don't do this ever again," he said sternly, still holding her hand. His tone was firm, but his worried eyes betrayed him. Ember's heart raced. She couldn't decide if his concern came from genuine care or a sense of responsibility as her host. Either way, she couldn't ignore how endearing he looked when he was worried about her.

When they reached his department, Ember noticed the curious stares. People whispered among themselves, their eyes darting between her and Emir. She wasn't sure what they were saying, but it was clear they were talking about her.

A little while later, someone entered the classroom with a confident stride. "Hey, I'm a friend of Emir—Dylan," he introduced himself.

"Oh, hello! My name is Ember," she said, smiling politely. Dylan gave her a friendly nod before pulling Emir to the back bench for a private conversation. Ember sat quietly, feeling their glances every so often. She couldn't hear them, but she was certain they were discussing her.

When the class ended, Emir turned to her. "Let's go eat some food," he said, his tone light and inviting.

At the canteen, he asked, "What do you want to eat?"

She shrugged with a smile. "You can get anything you want."

"I'll bring the lunch. Don't go anywhere," he instructed, his voice leaving no room for argument.

"Okay, I'll be waiting," she replied, her voice soft.

While waiting, Dylan joined her at the table. "Hey, Ember, where did you come from?" he asked, leaning in slightly. Before she could answer, a familiar voice called out, "Dylan, come here."

She turned and saw Emir standing nearby, his eyes firmly on Dylan. Dylan gave her a quick smile before walking over to him.

When Emir returned with the food and sat beside Ember, a strange tension filled the air. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them. Turning her head slightly, she noticed a group of girls at the next table glaring at her. Their stares were cold and unsettling, sending a shiver down her spine.

"What are you looking at? Let's eat. I'm hungry," Emir said, breaking her thoughts.

She nodded quickly. "Okay."

After finishing their meal, Ember clapped her hands together. "Yummy! I'm done."

Emir turned to her, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You're just like a child; you have food on your face."

Her cheeks flushed. "Where?" she asked, instinctively touching her face.

He leaned closer, pulling a tissue from his pocket. "Let me help you," he said, gently wiping the corner of her mouth. "Now it's fine."

Ember froze, her heart skipping a beat. She noticed how the room seemed to grow quieter, and when she glanced around, she realized everyone had stopped to stare at them. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she quickly averted her gaze.

Dylan broke the silence. "Let's go!"

Emir turned to him. "Where?"

"To the sports center," Dylan replied.

Emir blinked, as if suddenly remembering. "Oh, I forgot about that. Let's go," he said. Standing up, he extended his hand to Ember. She hesitated for a moment before taking it, and together, they began walking toward the sports center.

As they strolled, Ember asked softly, "What did you forget about there?"

"I have a meeting to attend at the sports center; we need to go there," Emir explained.

"Oh," she murmured, nodding in understanding.

 Chapter 6: The Gentle Embrace of a Growing Love

They arrived at the sports center. Emir turned to Ember and said, "You go and sit there. We'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, okay?"

"Hm," she replied softly.

Ember found a bench outside and sat down, watching Emir and Dylan disappear into the sports club. Left alone, her thoughts began to spiral.

'How did I end up here? What is happening in my life?' she wondered. 'Did something happen in my past life? What about my house... my parents? Did I teleport here? They must be so worried about me. I have to find them. They don't even know I'm here...'

As the questions swirled in her mind, tears began to blur her vision. The image of Emir suddenly flashed in her thoughts. 'I know he's been so kind to me, but I need my parents. I miss them so much...'

Unable to hold back her emotions, she wept silently, murmuring to herself, "Ember, this is just a dream... wake up, wake up."

Even though she was aware of people staring, she couldn't stop the tears. Her vision clouded until she noticed a familiar figure approaching.

"Hey, Ember. What happened? Why are you crying?"

That voice—it was Emir.

He crouched down, gently patting her head. "Hey, stop it! I'm here. I'm here," he reassured her.

Through her sobs, she whispered, "I want my parents. I want to go home."

He sighed softly, his voice tender. "You miss them... I understand. But I'm here now, so don't cry, okay?"

Emir pulled her into a gentle embrace, rubbing her back to comfort her. She clung to him, her emotions pouring out. "I want to meet my parents... I miss them... I want them."

"Don't cry. Don't cry," he murmured, his voice soothing as he continued to hold her close. "We'll find them, okay? I'll help you. But you need to stop crying now. If you don't, I'll kiss you... and don't even think about the people who might see us."

Startled, Ember stopped crying, her tear-filled eyes widening as she looked at him. Emir smiled faintly, placing his hand on her shoulder. He gently pushed her back, just enough to look into her face, and wiped her tears with his fingers.

"That's my good girl," he said softly. "I know you're missing your parents, but I promise I'll help you find them."

Ember hummed in agreement, her faith in him evident. He pulled her into another brief embrace and whispered, "Don't cry again, okay?"

She nodded, her heart feeling a small measure of peace. It was the first time anyone had held her so tenderly. Emir led her to the parking lot, where his car was parked.

At Emir's house, he guided her back to the room where she had woken up that morning. They sat down on the bed, and he asked, "Where are you from? Do you remember?"

"I'm from City Blue in India," she replied hesitantly.

His eyes widened in surprise. "What? From India? That's so far from here. How did you manage to get here?"

"I don't know," she murmured, her tears threatening to return.

He leaned closer, his voice gentle. "Don't cry. I'll try to figure it out. Just give me some time, okay?"

He patted her head reassuringly. She nodded, wiping her tears.

"I'll contact your parents. In the meantime, you're my responsibility," he said with a kind smile. Then, his tone turned playful. "Get ready; we're going out."

"Okay," she replied.

As he turned to leave, he suddenly stopped. "Wait," he said.

"What happened?" she asked, confused.

He handed her a set of his clothes. "Change into these."

"Okay, wait here. I'll be right back," she said, taking the clothes and heading to the room to change.

When she looked at herself in his long white t-shirt and knee-length shorts, she couldn't help but notice the faint scent of him lingering on the fabric. "This smell... it feels like he's here with me," she thought, her cheeks warming.

She came downstairs to find Emir waiting by the door.

"Let's go; the car's right here," he said, holding the door open for her.

She hummed softly in response and climbed into the car. As they drove, she noticed him glancing at her.

"Do I look weird?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"No, you look good," he said quickly.

"Really?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.

He fumbled with his words. "Ye... yes..." He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Are you catching a cold?" she asked, concerned.

"Why?" he asked, confused.

"Because your cheeks are turning red," she said, leaning closer to study him.

He looked away, his voice soft. "I'm fine. It's just... yo..." He stopped mid-sentence, leaving her curious but amused. She smiled, letting it go.

"Let's go!" she suggested, breaking the moment.

"Yeah," he replied, focusing on the road ahead.

As the car moved, she asked, "Where are we going?"

"Wait and see," he replied with a hint of mystery.

"Interesting! Let's see," she said excitedly.

"Tell me something about yourself," he said, glancing at her.

"You first," she replied with a grin.

"No, you first," he countered playfully.

"No, you," she insisted.

He chuckled and gave in. "Okay, okay. Let me tell you about myself. I'm Emir. I come from a city called Shine in China."

"So, we're in China?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes, this is the country you're in," he confirmed.

Her eyes lit up with curiosity. "So, I got teleported from my city to you. Wow, that's so interesting. I traveled so far... Do I have superpowers?"

He laughed. "Maybe you do."

"Alright, go on. Tell me more about yourself," she urged, leaning in.

"I'm a university student," he said.

"What are your hobbies?" she asked.

"I like singing, dancing, and traveling," he replied.

"Oh, that's nice. But tell me, why are you so famous at your university?" she asked, her tone teasing.

"Don't you know?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," she replied, feigning ignorance.

He smirked. "You can figure it out by observing me or imagining how I became famous."

In her thoughts, she mused, 'I already know why. Because you're incredibly handsome, kind, and have the perfect charm that every girl dreams of.'

His voice broke her reverie. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing, nothing," she replied hurriedly.

The driver interrupted. "We've arrived at our destination."

Emir stepped out of the car, opened her door, and extended his hand. "Take my hand," he said with a smile.

Feeling her heart flutter, she placed her hand in his. As they entered the mall, he whispered, "Let's do some shopping for you."

"You don't have to do this," she said.

Leaning closer, he teased, "So, you want to wear my clothes every day?"

Her cheeks flushed. "No! I didn't mean that," she protested.

He chuckled softly. "Okay, let's go."

Holding her hand, they walked further into the mall, their bond growing with every step.