Claw and Heart

10.

"Geez girl, I will cut the cheese now. Just this morning my men spotted him, no doubt about it, none. I am absolutely sure."

"Him as in..."

"Reaper. The media's favorite serial killer."

"It can't be him behind all this, June and I went to the scene and the crime was proved impossible to be done alone."

"Well girl, all I am saying is that we saw him, believe what you want but this is fact." That moment Angeline pictured Dawg giving him the "whatever" look.

It can't be this is all too coincidental... Angeline thought.

"I know what you thinking girl, this is far too coincidental, I wouldn't buy this shit, but there maybe this tiny tiny small ass chance that everything happened so far is just a cluster Fk of coincidence."

"Ok thank you, I am going hang up now."

"Alright then, good luck on the case, and I will reserve the table for ya, until you're back."

"Thanks." Angeline ended the call. And a few moments later he was back outside again.

June stood there like husk of stone, his patience had neither swayed nor dulled.

"I am sorry I took so long." Angeline apologized walking towards June.

"It's alright," June leered at Angeline for moment, and then quickly added "I like your dress by the way."

"Thank you." Angeline smiled, and looked down at his new dress; the dress was pure white like a lily turned upside down. The harmony between the dress and the person created this innocence too delicate for any mortal touch. To June it was beauty as its finest, it was a beauty that needed to be protected at all costs.

***

"Strangely enough, no discovery of bodies was in the news today." June said while waiting for the light to change.

"Really? I was expecting to hear about another murder, it's almost like it became part of our daily life...sorry I didn't mean it that way."

"It's ok, I understand what you mean."

"How many more innocent people are going to die?" Angeline asked softly.

"...many, many more." June replied. They were silent for a few hours, and upon reaching their destination they did not speak but got out of the car and stretched.

"So what now?" June asked looking at the 'welcome to Indian park' sign.

"Let's go and check out the scene at once..." Angeline's stomach grumbled in complaint, and realizing June was right beside him watching, his face immediately turned red.

"There is a concession stand there," June said gesturing with his head. "We can grab some food there."

"Um." Angeline nodded, his face still visibly blushing.

***

"So how does the hot dog taste?" June asked.

"Decent." Angeline replied.

"I never asked this before, but what is your profession?"

Angeline thought about it for a moment before replying.

"I am a real estate agent, just didn't have much business lately."

"I see, then where do you live?"

"White Rock, I have a condo there."

"Your parents?"

"..."

"It's ok if you don't want to answer, I am just curious..."

"They abandoned me since birth."

"...I am sorry."

"No it's fine! you have nothing to apologize for."

"Forgive me for asking."

"Already did, anyways you haven't told me anything about you!"

"...uh, what do you want to know?"

"...hmm..." Angeline pondered for a brief moment before speaking up again:

"What's your favorite food?"

"I don't particularly have a favorite food, anything salty would do."

"Favorite source of entertainment?"

"...I don't particularly have time for entertainment so..."

"Favorite sport?"

"...kendo, martial arts...do these count?"

"Sure, earlier in the day I was wondering what your profession is that allows you to own an entire building."

"...I am the chairman of Tian-Tan Enterprises, please don't tell any of your friends that."

"Really? Like the head of the multibillion dollar company!?"

"...yes."

"...oh..." June could already feel the chasm of worlds growing between them.

"...honestly money doesn't make a difference."

Angeline stared at him dumbfounded.

"My father was a very strict man, and me for being his only son and heir, his expectations for me were impossible for any normal human being to meet. And so I grew up being taught that money was power, money was fame, and money was everything. I hated all of it. You've probably seen it in the news, before my father passed away it was revealed that he had multiple affairs and I wasn't his only child after all. And after he died, he passed on all his debts and a shattered company to me. And from that day on I had to work hard, harder than you can ever imagine. People think the rich get off with an easy life, but that's only because they haven't seen what we have seen; been through what we have been through; and none of them experienced the tough times that we did. Sometimes...I just wish I was never born in that family, sometimes I just wish I was born in an ordinary family, live an ordinary life, be an ordinary person. But all that has changed since I met you."

"...eh?" Angeline responded with shock, after a moment of thought he came up with a few quick lines:

"...But we just met a few days ago, how did I..."

"You might not even know, but you changed my life forever."

"...How?"

"You are the only reason why I am glad to be who I am today. Because if I was someone else, I wouldn't have the opportunity to get close to you like this, we probably wouldn't have met each other..."

"Please don't say that."

Over the brief course of silence, June looked at Angeline with surprise mixed with a pint of confusion. After the moment has passed, Angeline continued:

"It doesn't matter if we meet each other not, what matters is that you are glad to be yourself for who you are, not what other people think. Because it's hard for a person to like another person if that person doesn't even like himself for what he is."

"...I totally agree with you. But for now, being with you is good enough." June fixed his eyes on the sky for long time then let out a long sigh, before finally walking away.

"Where are you going?" Angeline said pacing behind him.

"To the scene of the course, you lead the way."