****
*CHAPTER 1 - THE ONE WITH THE RED DOOR 1.0*
*I hold a wrapper of unopened paper plates in my right hand while adjusting the sofa cover in the living room with my left hand. Aftermath of my welcome party. The guests just got home and I'm now alone in the living room to clean up the remaining mess.*
*I've been cleaning for a while. Although I have a helper to clean, it's still tiring. I haven't even gotten rid of the jetlag in my body yet.*
*I let out a deep sigh as I put the paper plates inside the kitchen drawer. Hey finally! Also finished. It's time to rest. I checked my wrist watch, it's already 2am. It was around ten o'clock when the guests went home, but Riley and Luna were left behind. We talked for a long time until Riley insisted on going home. She said her curfew was 9pm, but that bitch went home at 1am. It's like the curfew is just a joke to her and her bf. Riley's living with her 50 year old boyfriend. Yes, the witch has a sugar daddy who treated her like his child.*
*"Aunt is sleeping soundly. I passed by her room, I heard her snoring." said the person who suddenly hugged me from behind. I placed my palms on his cheeks as he rested his chin on my shoulder.*
*"Thank you for helping me clean, love."*
*"Anything for my girl. I miss you so much, love." he softly said, tightening his hug.*
*I got out of his embrace and faced him. I put my arms around his nape as he hugs me on my waist.*
*"I miss you too, love. If my strength is still up to me, I'll ask you to do something to make this night longer like to watch movies or talk on the rooftop under the moon, quality time... But my powers can't take it anymore love, I can't feel my hands and feet anymore. It's like my mouth is foaming a little from exhaustion." I joked while acting that I was going to fall.*
*He chuckled and hugged me tightly.*
*"It is fine beautiful. We can take a rest now. Do you want me to give you a full body massage?" he said while gently rubbing my back.*
*"You're staying?" I asked, ignoring what he offered.*
*"Yes. It's been 4 years since I last saw you in person. Of course, I'll stay. Tonight, I'm yours my queen. You can do whatever you want with me. Whatever it is, as long as it relaxes you. So, full body massage?"*
*"Is it just a massage?" I asked jokingly while narrowing my eyes at him.*
*"Hmmm, I'm just offering a massage, huh? You, what are you thinking that I'm not thinking about? I miss you so much. I'm still young. Don't take my clean and innocent offer for granted." he playfully said while pouting like a child. I chuckled because of that.*
*He's Mykel Scott. He's my boyfriend for 6 years now, but I've known him longer than that. He was my best friend since college. So close. He's been with me through my ups and downs, just like Riley and Luna. Even before we were apart, he was always my friend. The one you run to when you give up.*
*2 years before I came to Canada, he confessed his feelings. Who wouldn't be in love with a Mykel Scott. He's smart, a gentleman, a strong fighter, and a very beautiful man. Pretty boy, you know. Very kind brother to his youngest sister and loving grandson to his grandmother. He's a proud grandmother's boy. Without thinking twice, I said yes to his confession. I love him too, that's why.*
*We were only together for about 2 years as boyfriend and girlfriend, because for those four years, I was in Canada. Literally LDR. A relationship that was lived on video calls. But see, we're strong.*
*I love him and respect him and no one can break that...*
*"Don't you have to go to school early tomorrow?" I asked after we entered the room.*
*"7am. That's not early, it's noon." he answered at the same time his body collapsed on my twin size bed. "I miss this bed. I told aunty when you were gone, to sleep in your room so I wouldn't miss you so much. She just answer me to stop my flirty thoughts.”*
*I smiled at him and fell down next to him.*
*"Crazy." I said and booped his nose using my index finger.*
*"For you..." and he smiled as if he was planning something bad.*
*"Stop it, Mykel. Don't smile at me like that. You have school early and for your information, 7am is not noon. So get ready and let's go to sleep."*
*"How about a massage?"*
*"Next time." but honestly I want to too. That's just because of course I'm a nice girlfriend. I'll let him rest.*
*He pouted and hugged me. I pinched his pouty face. Men tend to be cuddly.*
*"You need to rest, love. Especially since you said it's draining your energy to hunt down a serial killer. What's the name again?"*
*His face suddenly turned serious after I said that. Because of that, I removed my hand from his face. He straightened up and stared at the ceiling. He rested his head on both hands, so I hugged him.*
*This serial kller is one of his most stressful experiences as a detective. The killng spree started 2 years ago. I was in Canada at the time. Two years later, they still haven't caught the kller. They don't even have a lead. As per Mykel, the crmes are so clean. You could say.*
*Whoever is doing this has been planning the mrders for a long time. In the span of 2 years, the kller has a total of 18 victims and all of them are men. And the number is still increasing.*
*It's hard to stomach that someone can do that to their fellow man. Whatever the motive is, no matter how deep or heavy it is, it's still wrong. Whoever this kller is, he or she is putting justice on his or her hands. That's the NBI's conclusion. A vigilante punishing bad guys. I hope he's caught. I want to hear the kller's side and know the reason why he or she's doing this.*
*"They want to replace our team. They say there's no progress in the investigation. Although, there actually is, the klling spree stopped 5 months after the precautions we took. But that's not enough for those at the top because here he is again, klling," he began.*
*"But you know, Luna, as the head of our team, she's trying to fight us. She's pointing out that whoever is put on the case will have a hard time because the enemy is really agile. Luna asked for an extension. 6 months to find this kller or do something effective enough to stop the klling spree. If not, we'll give the case to someone else. That's why, Luna, she's so determined to catch the kller. We're all the same, but she's really the best." he sighed after that.*
*You can feel the pressure and frustration in his voice. "It's just hard to think that you've spent years of time, worked hard, and then suddenly you're fired."*
*I let go of his embrace and tried to lie down. I also stared at the ceiling. It's a good thing I didn't follow Luna and her into criminology. Just hearing their stories makes me stressed. How much more when I'm the one who's right there at the crime scene to investigate? I might just go AWOL and see a severed finger. But, how I wish there's something I can do to help them.*
*"He'll be caught too. There will come a time when that person will make a mistake. What's his name again?" I asked the killer's alias again. I know he hates it. For Mykel, people who die shouldn't be given cool names, but Luna gave the name.*
*He let out a deep sigh before answering "The Moonlight Lilac"*
*Luna's social ability to think of a name. The power to title a book or song.*
*"Anyway, love, we shouldn't be talking about that psych. Let's talk about something good or positive. Like, that job offer you received earlier. Awesome! Auntie is so happy. Not sure if it's true, she immediately shouted at the mic earlier when she heard it from Riley. I laughed so hard when she suddenly grabbed the mic from the Marites and then sang the song. Your mom loves you so much. She's super proud of her only daughter."*
*I suddenly laughed when I remembered that scene earlier. When I got home, I was still stunned by what happened in the taxi. After we got out of the taxi, Manong Rey looked over and said "You should consider it, Ms. Pretty".*
*Yes. I learned that his name is Rey. Reynaldo Gueverra. He advised me to call the number and say that Mr. RG recommended me. Obviously, he is Mr. RG After that, when I entered the house, many people greeted me, including my mother. I don't know the others. The other male neighbors who were almost my age. I don't even know their names.*
*Whenever mom sees me frowning and wondering, she'll say, "That is son of one of our neighbors, the one you used to play with. You used to catch fish in the canal and then drown in the flood. You'll be really embarrassed."*
*Anyway, I quickly told Mykel what happened when I saw him. Both he and Luna looked at the business card and for them, it really looked like a business card from Arentsvelt corporation. They all advised me to try and call it using a landline phone.*
*Riley, on the other hand, was so proud that he had a lot to ask for. He said that he was going to be a millionaire. He said that next time I go to Canada, I won't be a scholar but a tourist who will get rich. Then he said that I will buy him expensive bags and shoes. Riley's dreams, he said, include becoming the president of the Philippines. I also don't know how my possible job at Arentsvelt Corp. got to that point. Typical Riley.*
*"I'll try to call tomorrow. If it's real, then good. If it's fake... then wow." I'm not that hopeful either. It hurts to hope.*
******
ENJOY