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THE WINTER CHILL had almost set in, and Dan Heng couldn't hide his frustration as he watched the dried maple leaves flutter to the ground from the barren tree outside his backyard window. The muted colors of the autumn landscape mirrored his mood, and he let out a heavy sigh as he turned his attention once more to the mounds of files on his desk.
He had been working tirelessly for weeks, and the thought that he still had so much more to do felt overwhelming. The pile of work seemed to be growing despite his efforts, and the raven felt like giving up. But he knew he couldn't afford to let his workload slip, not with his scholarship on the line.
In his eyes, the falling leaves symbolized the decline of his spirits, mirroring the way each of his unfinished work files contributed to his mounting stress. His shoulders slouched as he took a deep, regretful breath, trying to muster the energy to stop and get out of his seat from the daunting pile of files on his table. To his right, the sight of a little girl with purple hair and a raccoon watching TV on the floor was a further blow to his resolve, reminding him of the joy and freedom that he was currently missing out on. Today truly was not his day.
"Caelus, Bailu. Seriously!..." Dan Heng's frustration seemed to be reaching a boiling point. The noise of snacks unwrapping from the room filled his ears, and with a deadpan stare, he watched his two houseguests, Caelus and Bailu, greedily gobble down almost every single one of his carefully-saved snacks. As if this weren't annoying enough, Caelus had a strong sense and was able to find where they were hidden, much to Dan Heng's annoyance.
Caelus, his best friend— at this point he was starting to question his sense of friendship, the grey-haired turned to him with a full mouth, asking, "Oh, have finished with your work?" And taking another bite of the stolen snacks. Bailu, who was dropped off here so Dan Heng could take care of her, nervously grinned, making Dan Heng's frown deepen.
"Bailu, you know your aunty said no sweets before dinner," Dan Heng crossed his arms in disappointment.
Bailu started to panic and waved her hands, "Nooo! Don't tell on me please Dan Heng!"
Things were getting out of hand, and Dan Heng knew he needed a break from the chaos-filled room. He messaged his forehead with both hands, taking three deep breaths to try and calm down. The last thing he needed was to lose his cool and end up scolding them for their misbehavior. Maybe going outside to cool off was the better option.
Dan Heng sighed as he got up from his chair, and finally spoke, "Caelus, could you take care of Bailu for a while? I need to go outside and get some fresh air."
Caelus raised an eyebrow at Dan Heng's request, still munching on the snacks. He then turned to Bailu, "Alright Bailu, we're not causing too much trouble while Dan Heng's gone, okay?"
Bailu immediately nodded her head, holding onto Caelus's hoodie as he pulled her close, "Mhm, I will. I promise!"
Dan Heng rolled his eyes at Bailu's enthusiasm, and made his way out the door, closing it behind him with a thud. He took a deep breath of the cool evening air, feeling the crispness of it on his skin. For a moment, Dan Heng allowed himself to enjoy the peace and quiet, free from the noise and chaos of his house. He could almost hear his thoughts coming back to focus.
