The Devilish Assassin Meets The Angelic Detective

"Hmmm. This time it's different. Let's make this interview a personal one!" Erick said using his suave tone. 

His voice was filled with meaningful thoughts.

Elle's lips stretched out into an amusing smile. If there's only one good thing that happened in her entire day then that was meeting Erick and spending some time with him once again.

Elle put on her headphones as she lay down to her bed leisurely. She placed her phone on her right side.

"What do you mean, Chief Lee?" Elle probed as she smiled from ear to ear.

She looked like a teenager who was talking to her crush over the phone, trying to sound calm although she wanted to yell from too much joy and happiness.

'[email protected] Just hearing his cool voice can make my heart flutter like this.' Elle thought to herself.

Elle heard Erick's chuckles from the other line. She loved hearing his laughter. She missed him so much.

"Hmm, you can ask me anything. Are you not curious about me?" Erick responded to her.

In truth, Erick wanted to know how she's been doing for these past two years, trying his luck if Elle would mention anything to him. Of course, he was also curious if Elle was thinking of him and wanted to know if she also wanted to know how he's been living for these past two years.

Would Elle fall in his trick?

On the other hand, Elle was aware of what Erick was trying to do. He opted to catch a fish in its own mouth. She admitted to herself that she was also eager to know Erick's whereabouts in the past two years. However, she won't give in this time.

'Curiosity could kill a cat!' she reminded herself.

"I am sorry, Chief Lee but I haven't prepared any questions yet. This interview has caught me off guard."

Erick let out another chuckle.

"You don't have to. I said you can ask anything. Anything that comes from your mind, most especially from your heart." Erick said as he urged her.

"O-Okay… so what are you doing now?" Elle simply asked him.

"Sitting outside the balcony, talking to you while looking at the stars… and at the night sky in particular." Erick paused for a moment then he continued.

"Someone told me before that even though we will be separated, I will just have to look at the sky every time I am missing her. Then one day we will eventually meet each other again."

"I've done that for these past two years. Do you know Ali, her words are very true. We met again."

Elle could imagine Erick's face, flashing a gentle smile as he said those words. She closed her eyes, calming the storm of emotions swirling inside her heart. But she failed to stop her tears from falling.

She didn't know what or how she would respond to him.

"Chief Lee… "

"Hmmm?"

"Let's move to another question," Elle said, trying to change the topic.

She was afraid that if Erick would continue like this, her resolve might be broken and she would admit to him right here right now that she's Elle.

"Sure…"

But Elle was hesitating to ask him another question. What if Erick would intentionally bring up the past in her every question? She should not allow him to do a lot of talking tonight or else she would lose her remaining self-control.

"Chief Lee… I changed my mind. Don't want to ask you any more questions. Do you want me to sing a song for you, instead?"

Elle couldn't tell him directly her true feelings right now but she could relay those feelings to him through a song.

"Hmm sure. I like that!" Erick promptly said to her.

"Okay. But please go inside your room now and lie down. It's very cold outside." Elle said to him with her concerned voice.

"I'll sing you a song until you fall asleep," she added.

"Really? Will you do that for me?" Erick said, his voice filled with excitement and anticipation.

"Yes, I will." 

Then Elle heard the opening and closing sound of the door. It seemed that Erick already entered the house going to his bedroom.

Seconds later, Elle heard Erick's voice from the other line. "I'm already inside. Now, sing me a song… please." 

Cough! Cough!

Elle cleared her throat first before she started to sing the song entitled 'A thousand Miles' by Vanessa Carlton. She thought that she could relate her feelings right now to the lyrics of the song.

«*Makin' my way downtown*»

«*Walkin' fast, faces pass and I'm homebound*»

«*Starin' blankly ahead, just making my way*»

«*Makin' a way through the crowd*»

«*And I need you*»

«*And I miss you*»

«*And now I wonder*»

«*If I could fall into the sky*»

«*Do you think time would pass me by?*»

«*'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles*»

«*If I could just see you tonight*»

«* It's always times like these when I think of you*»

«*And I wonder if you ever think of me*»

«*'Cause everything's so wrong and I don't belong*»

«*Living in your precious memory*»

«*'Cause I'll need you*»

«*And I'll miss you*»

«*And now I wonder*»

While listening to her voice, Erick could somehow understand the message Elle was conveying to him.

'She missed me. She also missed me!'

Erick felt that he finally found the missing piece. The strong emotions buried inside his heart were just pouring out. His eyes were tearing up, this time it was not because of sorrow but because of happiness.

When Elle had finished the song, Erick couldn't contain his joy as he clapped his hands, praising her as if Elle was beside him.

"I love you…" he suddenly blurted out which put Elle into a deep stupor.

Then Erick spoke up again. "I mean I love your voice."

Elle couldn't respond as she had not yet recovered from the dazed after hearing those three magic words coming from Erick.

'I wonder how long I will be able to hold and continue pretending that I am not Elle. Erick, you are driving me crazy.'

Hearing her silence, Erick decided to do something for her.

"Ahem… let me return the favor. This time I will be the one to sing you a song." Erick said shyly.

He didn't wait for her to respond as he began to sing a song entitled 'Right Here Waiting' by Richard Max.

«* Oceans apart day after day *»

«* And I slowly go insane *»

«* I hear your voice on the line *»

«* But it doesn't stop the pain*»

«* If I see you next to never *»

«* How can we say forever *»

«* Wherever you go *»

«* Whatever you do *»

«* I will be right here waiting for you *»

«* Whatever it takes *»

«* Or how my heart breaks *»

«* I will be right here waiting for you *»

«* I took for granted, all the times *»

«* That I thought would last somehow *»

«* I hear the laughter, I taste the tears *»

«* But I can't get near you now *»

«* Oh, can't you see it, baby, *»

«* You've got me going crazy *»

The song he chose was a reflection of his feelings for these past two years as he waited for her. The sorrow, the pain, the longing, and the loneliness he felt. 

At the same time, it conveyed his hope and his faith that Elle would come back to his side no matter what. That's the reason he was able to endure the hardsh.i.p.s of waiting for her while drowning himself in the loneliness and emptiness.

He also felt the fears and uncertainties. But for him, it was better to have a little ray of hope or even a false hope than to accept that Elle was already gone and not coming back anymore.

He suffered but Elle was worth the wait. She was alive. And now, she returned. That's all that matters. 

Even though she didn't want to admit yet. Erick definitely knew that she's Elle. He was very certain. No mistake. Aliyah and Elle were only one person- his beloved woman, his wife.

"I miss you," Erick mumbled after he completed the song.

As much as she wanted to say 'I miss you too' Elle couldn't say it out loud. She just pretended that she didn't hear anything. 

Elle remained true to her words when she said she would sing for him until he fell asleep. After a while, Erick drifted off to sleep while Elle was still singing. Her voice was soothing and very pleasant in his ears that it washed away all his worries. For these past two years, finally, he got a peaceful sleep tonight.