The door to the apartment opened and a young woman taller than most walked in, with a face as beautiful as the rising sun and hair as smooth as silk, her gorgeous green eyes were the cherry on top. It was Elene, my Elene, the only woman I had ever loved until the day I died

Unable to control my emotions I ran forward and hugged her as hard as I could as tears streamed down my face.

"Elene…I missed you! it's been so long!" I shouted with sincerity.

She looked at me with clear confusion yet still hugged me back.

"Honey, why are you crying? And what do you mean so long? I just went to work, oh right! go make the table I brought some food and cake to celebrate your birthday together!" She said with her beautiful voice akin to a divine symphony.

a birthday? no one had ever celebrated such a thing with me until I met her.

"s-something got in my eyes, b-but you looked so beautiful today so I had to hug you!, give me a sec and I'll make the table," I changed my demeanor so as to not attract suspicion.

"Thanks, honey!, let me unpack everything," She replied sweetly.

I felt a strange carefulness, like not wanting your dream to end, not wanting to pop a bubble, or trying to keep a candle lit on a windy day. I didn't want to question a blessing lest it went away, I tied my silver hair back and made the table, Elene Put down some fried chicken and beer with some other dishes and we sat down together to eat.

Thus was something that any other person would treat as nothing, as a forgettable happening, a daily occurence, but to me who had been lonely for 80 years, this was like heaven, eden on earth. I prayed to every being I could think of to make that moment last, I begged the heavens that time would stand still as I couldn't help but stare at her face and smile.

"Is there something on my face, my love?" She asked as though she wasn't a painting of beauty.

"No…it's just perfect," I answered sincerely still lost in her visage.

As she blushed I took the opportunity and moved her hair back so she could eat uninterrupted.

"Thanks, honey, let me light the candles so you can make your wish!" she said.

After the candles were lit I blew them out and made my wish out loud.

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"I wish that this heaven lasts forever!" I said aloud.

"You shouldn't say it or it won't come tru…"

"Yes but…"

We continued to talk and eat as an irremovable smile covered my face.

Every heard I said, every word I heard, I was grateful for all of them.

A WHILE LATER.

We had cleaned up, and gotten ready as we laid together on the bed, maybe due to how used to loneliness I was I stayed on my side of the bed, but Elene wasn't having it.

"Julius, why are you so far away?" she asked.

She hugged me and we fell asleep in each other's arms as a strange thought appeared in my mind.

"Why am I so happy?, what did I do to deserve this happiness?, it feels too good to be true, to be young again to be with Elene again, there must be a price to this?, but no matter what, even if it's my soul I'm willing to pay anything to be in her embrace longer!" My thoughts were.

Heavens, I know I did nothing to deserve this but please even if it's just tonight, let me feel some comfort, I prayed.

THE NEXT DAY.

I woke up and found Elene gone and my back hurting. Such a thing instantly confirmed my suspicions.

"Hahahaha!i knew it that was all a dream!, there's no way something that good would happen to a cranky old man like m-" I was about to shout.

"Honey! It's already 8 am, you have to get to your interview!, and I have a lot of orders for today so I need to go early!" Elene said once she heard me wake up.

I almost teared up at her voice.

"It was actually not a dream?!, I'm done doubting this, I'm not asking any more questions!, I'm going to just enjoy this no matter how long it lasts," I decided.

"Alright, I'm going!, I left your suit on the bed and your gift is on the counter, we were having so much fun last night so I forgot to give it to you, also good luck on your Interview." She peeked her head through the door and said.

"Good luck on your paintings, Honey!" I shouted.

Elene left and I got up and showered.

"I missed my young body, though I'm a bit skinny it's good to be young again," I thought as I looked at my young body.

I left the shower, brushed my teeth and got dressed, the black suit fit perfectly and spawned a memory in my mind.

"The suit looks good, and I tied my hair in a bun so it won't get in the way, but this interview today is the one that I failed in my past life." I thought to myself. "I failed the interview and got into gambling, eventually becoming an addict, due to the debt and Elene leaving me, I was left alone for a while and I started writing [Tale Of A Man], but this time I know how to get the job,"

I went into the kitchen and heated up my coffee that Elene had already made and I noticed a shoe box on the counter, when I looked inside I found a short letter and a pair of black leather suit shoes.

"What a sweet letter 'Happy birthday my love!, and good luck on your interview tomorrow, I know you can do it!' these shoes are leather, so they must have cost a lot, at this time Eleme is a Painter and digital artist so she doesn't make much… she must have saved up to get me these, I can't let her live a mediocre life anymore! I have to get this job no matter what!" I decided.

I put on my shoes, drank my coffee and was about to leave the house when I heard a sound coming from the tv, I looked at the news and felt a strange nostalgia even though I didn't remember the news on that day.

On the tv a news anchor looked straight at the camera as he spoke.

"No news today, folks, today is just a perfectly normal, boring, average day!, enjoy it, it's almost never this peaceful anymore." he said with a smile.

"What kind of news channel is this?"

I flipped around but all the news channels said the same thing….