The number in my bankbook is so…
"Lower than what you expected to see?" Devil laughs.
"I don't even spend much." Other than food and utilities. "Where does it all go?"
"Don't be bothered about problems like this." The cat circles around me. He sits down and stares at the distant. "Look, youngsters are bubbling with life."
On the other side of the road, the girl in the familiar highschool uniform makes a face. She crosses her arms and looks away. The boy shakes his head as he puts his hand inside his bag, looking for something. He brings out a box and shoves it in her hands. Her expression becomes softer.
Just then, a car stops in front of me and a woman steps out of the car. I take a deep breath. The cat's gone again. The chill in the air stings my lungs. Where should I go now? I don't feel like going home.
"Nell, Honey!" A pair of strong arms wrap around my shoulders. The person plants a kiss on the side of my head. I push her away and frown at the woman with long black hair. She's wearing a black dress and tacky high red boots. I open my mouth and then, I close my mouth when I notice her amber-gold eyes.
"Am I pretty now?" He asks me with expectations in his eyes.
"..." I don't mind if a nuclear missile hits me right now.
"Do you like me now?" His eyes shine brighter. Quite literally. He whines, "Tell me."
Why did I say that I like women? I regret saying those words now. I didn't think that he would go this far. He seems pretty serious too. I don't have the heart to say otherwise. Besides, he looks like a glamorous model -- tall, red lips, pretty eyes. This is unfair. "Not bad."
"Yes!" He fists his hands and shouts. "Today is a good day for a date. Where do you want to go?"
"When did I agree with that?" I have different plans. Going on a date with a weirdo is not on that list. How many times do I have to tell him that I don't like him? Have I said it clearly though?
"You said that you would date me if I become a woman." Eli pouts at me, fiddling with his fingers.
I am crazy, but this is crazy even for a person like me. Why did I say that I would date him if he becomes a woman? "Technically, you aren't a woman yet."
"I plan to get the surgery after you get better." Eli places his palms on my back and pushes me toward the car. "It's sunny today."
Indeed, it's a sunny day today. But it's also cold. I plan to go to the ocean alone. I am not going to let this guy agitate me. I won't change my mind because of this guy. He can dress like a woman and act in a ridiculous way. I won't let his stupid acts bother me. "Stop."
"I am going to pretend that I don't know the meaning of that word today." Eli opens the door of the car and pushes me inside. "Did you find the medicines that I left on the table?"
I won't answer him. If I open my mouth, nothing good would come out.
"Nell is mad at me." Eli chuckles. "If she's mad, she should beat me up."
Masochist!
"How about we get married today?" He grins at the rearview mirror. This guy only knows how to joke. He will get bored in a few days. But I don't have that level of patience. I look away, watching life passing by.
"The civil office should be opened right now." The car speeds up. "If I had known that I only had to become a woman to get Nell's heart, I would have done it earlier."
He talks so much. I feel like crying. I don't want to reply, but he's making it so hard to stay quiet.
"We can have the wedding ceremony after your hand is healed." Eli blabbers on, "Shall we have it in S country? Do you like warm weather? I can't wait to see Nell in a wedding dress. Do you like sultry weather? Should we spend our winter there?"
I wonder if something is wrong with his head. Is he a psychopath or something? Never mind. I won't take his words seriously. I already have a headache. "Doctor Sanguine, can you drop me at the train station?"
With a solemn expression, he takes the right turn. "Why do you want to go to the train station?"
"I need to visit my aunt." That's not the way to the train station. "Drop me here."
"Nell, I forgot to tell you that you can't leave the city until the investigation is over." The playfulness is gone from his voice. "I talked to the lawyer. It's not safe for you to be alone until the murderer is found."
I won't mind if the murderer finds me. I also have questions to ask him. Why did he kill that cat? "Stop the car."
It suddenly stops in front of an old building. The civil office. I can't believe that he really brought me here. "Did you really think that I would marry you?"
"You didn't say no." He knits his brows, visibly surprised. "Silence means consent."
"No, it doesn't." I cross my arms. "Look, we might have known each other for two years, but we only had a professional relationship. I didn't ask you to come and save me or do surgery on my wrist. I didn't ask you to make food for me or clean my house. I didn't ask you to dress up like a woman. You are doing it all on your own. Shouldn't you have some shame? Why can't you leave me alone?"
Eli doesn't reply to me. He takes my left hand and slips in a golden ring on my finger. "It fits perfectly."