I'm Still But a Man

Chapter 4

She sat down opposite of the detective and smiled. It was dazzling. Last time he had seen her she had been tired and lonely and stressed. Now she was stunning. Her presence didn't go unnoticed by anyone. Many whispered. Why is she with our Freak? Are they dating? Isn't he that dude that always is at the cake shop on Lantau?

L offered her the espresso-double-shot that she usually had for breakfast. It was ridiculously early for her to be awake so he knew she wanted one. She smiled her thanks. That was when L saw it in her the façade she held up, was the mess he had come to know as her. Her smile didn't quite reach the eyes. It rarely ever did for she was broken, seemed to be broken beyond repair. It hurt him every time he saw it, yet he had no way to fix it. He told himself it shouldn't matter but he knew that he was partially to blame. L believed that justice would always win that the derserving would be punished and good people spared but even he wasn't naive enough to believe no bad came to good people and that good people didn't ever do bad things. She was his bad deed. They sat without saying anything at first.

"How are you, Yu Ri?" He asked after a while. Yu Ri had never been one for long periods of silence. "I'm good, better. And you?" She answered and gave him a winning smile. "I've been better." He asnwered plainly. Her smile faltered for a moment, but then the lady smiled more brilliantly than ever before and answered: "It'll be alright." L felt the need to hold her hand, to hold her. He knew the pain was great. But she seemed to be healing. She seemed happy. And out of pure selfishness he wished it wasn't because of another man.