Chapter 21

JOSEPH

"You're a good hunter."

My ears perked at the embalmer's words. I was still in a crying mess and in between all those sadness, the one that had reversed everything was him.

The embalmer. Aesop Carl.

"What do you mean good? I'm pathetic. I can't even get over Claude's loss despite me fully aware of him watching over me the whole time. Most of it, I injure people with my sword. I make you guys bleed. I tied you guys on rocket chairs with me having to ignore your cries. I--"

Aesop placed his hands on top of mine, intertwining it.

"No one can ever get over the loss of someone dear to them, Joseph Desaulniers. Even if they look like they do, the deepest layer of their heart will still say no." He said, his attention on the sea that lies before us.

I noticed his hands. His grip gets stronger on me, but his eyes are not meeting mine no matter how much I had looked at him.

Their heart will still say no.

I feel tears filling up my eyes again as my head recalled that moment. Though I've been wanting to forget it, hoping that my head will eventually form a memory block of it, it won't.

In fact, it is still clear in my head despite all the matches I've had.

"Dad?" Young Joseph asked, approaching the man that stood alone before the door, his head looking down.

"Where's Claude? He was with you, right?"

Joseph felt the bitter taste of his own words. He had witnessed his twin brother going into a coughing fit and going limb before him when he was brought into the hospital. He knew everything.

My hands trembled so hard that Aesop was now strengthening his grip.

"Besides, no other hunters have never been this concerned about hitting survivors. You might not realize it, but the only hunter that has ever apologized to survivors right after a match is you."

I said nothing. Blank.

"Don't you know that I had been paying my attention on you the whole time? On the very first match when you went all out on the others but me, you actually mumbled sorries before swinging your sword in both worlds. The day when both you and Emily had to care for me right after that talk. You still somehow tried to get into the survivors' side despite how risky it can be all for the sake of kindness. Not to mention you always say goodlucks to us survivors before matches."

I stared at him.

"Doesn't that make you one of a kind?"

He then opened his mask and smiled.

"Trust me, Joseph. I really mean what I said."

Guess it's true that those who talk the least have the kindest heart.

I remember looking through all the survivor files with Michiko as she told me every single thing about them.

"The embalmer here is quite unique. You might not see it now due to his social issues, but one day you'll see it, faster or sooner."

"You need to stop crying. It hurts me." Aesop said as he stood up, lending me his one hand.

"Instead, look at this!"

He opened his makeup box that I had expected to be a coffin just like how he usually is in matches, but to my surprise it was a painting.

"I made this myself. All dedicated to you."

I scanned the whole painting. It was a portrait of me swinging my sword with my other hand holding my camera.

My eyes went wide the moment he gave it to me. He had made it with his own hands yet everything is so detailed. It looks exactly just like me.

"I made that right after the day our first match finished. I was supposed to give that to you during BlackJack but I can't let anyone figure everything out. Hope you like it!"

A huge smile formed in my lips despite the tears in my eyes.

His kind attitude really reflects Claude.

"Oh, it's gotten dark. We should go back." He said.

I nodded, wiping the last bit of tear in my eyes.

"Now, will you stop crying and be the Joseph that I like with all my heart?"

My heart skipped a beat the moment he said that.

He had been so kind to me despite his anxiety. And the look on his eyes everytime he gets to see me.

Does he feel the same way I do?

That's when I realized it. He had slipped a letter in the portrait.

"Aesop, wait!" I called him as he was about to make his way back to the manor. I had taken one of my best cameras just for this.

***

"You foolish child! That's not how you work a camera! I should have known you're a no-good-idiot!"

Joseph's fingers trembled, his grip on the camera weakening. His so-called dad had forced him to learn photography all for the sake of doing his job for him yet he keeps on ranting.

"Oh! So you're just gonna cry in my watch?! Shed one more tear and you're not coming home with me!"

Joseph took huge breaths, containing himself from crying. However, his father's words was too much for his nine year old self to bear, thus a sob escaped his lips.

"Why you fucking crybaby!" The man yelled, his belt approaching the young boy.

"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" Joseph cried, bracing himself for the worst. He expected an excruciating pain to make its presence on his senses with the man yelling out unnecessary words to him, but no.

He opened his eyes and was surprised tp find his so-called dad standing before him with wide-eyes, the belt dropping down to the floor.

Joseph looked around, trying to figure out what made his dad stop his actions. He hoped it would be his mom defending him, but it wasn't her.

It was Claude.

***

"Will you smile for me?"

3rd PERSON POV

Hunters' Side

"Jack isn't himself in this match." Michiko said, her eyes looking at the screen displaying the match the Ripper is taking in.

"Wait. What do you mean? This is what we're looking for! An easy win!" Hastur chimed in, popping a french fry into his mouth as he fixed the chair he had sat on.

"Hastur." The Geisha said, her eyes becoming stern as she turned around to face the Feaster that was sitting next to her.

"You're his partner and best friend. You, over everyone here, should know that something is happening inside him. And something odd. It's like he is angered and is up to something."

"Hmm?" The Feaster said, fixing his cloak.

"Well he indeed looks like so... but I have no idea what tho."

Michiko sighed, thoughts running in her head.

Don't tell me it has something to do with Joseph.... She muttered.

It is true that Jack had been the one to befriend Joseph the most the moment she found the Photographer unconscious and brought him here. She admitted that deep in her heart she likes it.

However, that friendly attitude is now something else.

She had it clear in her mind how Jack's demeanor had changed with and without Joseph's presence. He was all friendly when Joseph is with him, but not the other way around.

"What has gotten into you, Jack?"

The sound of harsh footsteps snapped her out of her trance. The Ripper is back.

"Hey Jack. You did a great job! Want me to--" She said as the ripper harshly kicked the door open.

"Hastur, get me my match diary. And Michiko, shut it. I don't need anyone's concern right now. Especially yours."

The Feaster then came back with a book in his arms.

"What are you planning now, Ripper?"

Jack stared at the Feaster, ignoring Michiko who is now giving him the look of concern. Little did the Ripper know that the Geisha had figured out whar is going in him.

"I'm putting Aesop Carl in my next match." He said, a flash of menacing smile forming in his lips behind the mask.

"If I can't have what I have, then the same goes to that Photographer.

Just you watch, Jose. Watch the crimson fate that lies before your Embalmer."