Chapter 727

Joanna's sudden closeness snapped me back to reality. By then, our arms were already pressed against each other. Her voice, as soft as a whisper, made me realize she had clearly been leaning against the wall this whole time. The coldness of the wall, even through our clothes, was noticeable. She must have been freezing. "If you're not afraid I might do something to you, just sleep closer to me. I'm warm," I said, trying to ease the awkwardness with a joke. "I'm not afraid…" Joanna mumbled, then boldly wrapped her arms around mine. The softness of her touch made me feel lightheaded for a moment. "Joshua." "Yeah?" "Why are you sleeping with your phone in your pocket? It's really hard." … The next morning, I was woken by a call from Rafael, informing me about an interview scheduled for that day. I put the phone down, but then froze as I felt a warm presence in my arms. Joanna was curled up in my arms, like a cute kitten. Her peaceful, gentle expression reminded me of that old