Chapter 25

JOSEPH

It was one day before the match. The match that happened to result in me being concerned as well despite not taking part of it.

Jack being the hunter and Aesop being one of the four survivors.

"Be careful of Jack, Joseph."

I know that this has nothing to do with me, but the uneasy feeling my heart keeps on going strong, thus making the lack of sleep my routine.

Trying to dismiss the recurring feel I have, I decided to treat myself with toast when I overheard Michiko and Jack having a quarrel from the other side.

"Jack, please! You can't go on matches if you're still emotionally unstable like this!"

"Oh please, Michiko! You don't have the rights to tell me what to do! Who are you to boss me around, huh?!"

"Please, Jack. Listen to me! You have been acting emotionally unstable these days and if you are up to a match tomorrow, it will be beyond dangerous to the survivors!"

"So you're defending them now, huh?! Now let me remind you again, I have the rights to kick you out from this place and I won't hesitate to do so."

"Jack, you misunderstood. I'm not saying that I am in their side and let me say this again, I am not in both sides! I just wanna let you know that you are about to strain yourself in a very bad way! Just take a break, Jack. Please-"

It was the sound of slapping that sent chills down my spine.

I might not see the action with my own eyes, but I for sure knew that the Ripper had lost to his own anger while talking to the Geisha.

"When I say shut up, you shut up you goddamn demonic woman. My decision of going to tomorrow's match against those four is final and no one can take it down. Me? Straining myself? What a bunch of bullshit. Instead, it is you who have been putting all the strains on me."

I don't know whether it is my ears playing tricks on me, but Jack was talking in a very unusual way, as if something had gotten into him.

"You brought that goddamn annoying Photoboy without any clear approval of mine and look what happened in this fucking side now! He brought nothing but a burden!"

My heart flinched as he let all the words out.

I remember it pretty clear the moment Michiko told me Jack had been acting really off and that he hated his past and how I should be careful of him and all, but still, the way he said those words.....hurts.

I had no idea he would hate me to the point of despise. A bloodlust despise.

I feel my eyes burning up as tears started flowing down all the way to my cheeks.

If he indeed hates me this much..

Then why did he act all friendly back then?

Jack... what did I do wrong?

I clutched the blank photograph I have been holding in my hands. No words can explain how much of a painful feel my heart is in right now.

He was the one who told me to approach  everyone here. The one who made me find friends. But why?

Is trusting him... indeed a mistake?

The sound of a door slamming snapped me out of my trance.

Wiping the tears and trying my best to not sob, I noticed Jack stomping his way out, his claws moving back and forth at an eerie speed. He had his mask off that I was able to get a whiff of his face.

His eyes were bloodshot.

I sure hope he didn't harm Michiko in all that yelling.

The Ripper then headed towards the kitchen where I am standing, and I had to act like I didn't know anything, which totallt is what I hate.

Isn't it just awful when you overheard  someone talking shit about you and you had to act like you know nothing but deep down inside you did hear every single word the person had said?

Another tear slipped down my eyes.

Jack's actions is alike with that of the man who ruined my childhood.

Dad. How he had always expressed his hate towards me to Mom every midnight when he thought no one would hear him.

He had no idea that I had listened to every of his words the whole time.

By now Jack is here in the kitchen, and since my face had gotten red from sobbing, I had to turn the sink faucet on and pretend I was washing my face.

"Oh, hey Jose." He said from behind me.

"I'm up for tomorrow's match, just to let you know."

I kept my attention on the water flowing down the sink.

He had talked shit about me and now he is talking to me as if nothing ever happened?

"Yeah. Good luck with that... and if you'll excuse me, I'll head myself out..." I said, still not looking at him.

It was when Jack, out of nowhere, pinned me to the wall with his hands squeezing the front collar of my blue overcoat.

The wall is not even far from where I am, but the Ripper is way taller than me and the fact that he had exerted too much of a force on the pinning had made me lose my body balance, my head hitting the edge of a table in the process.

Everything was pretty much a blur after that, with my head spinning as Jack let his hands off me, walking away.

                             ***

"Joseph! Joseph!"

I mumbled, not moving a muscle.

"Joseph Desaulniers!"

My eyes fluttered open at the mention of my name and to my surprise, Michiko was there, placing an ice pack on the left side of my head.

"Hey, what happened? I found you unconscious with a bump on your head in the kitchen! Are you alright?"

That was the moment everything came back to me. Jack's sudden violence. The look on his eyes when he encountered me in the kitchen. All those had brought the tears back to me.

"Hey, Joseph. Hey." She said, her eyes locking into mine.

"It was Jack, was it?"

I couldn't hold it anymore.

"I know. I had no idea he would be that diabolical as well. It's okay, Joseph. Talk it out."

I stared at the Geisha as she smiled at me. She had been the one the Ripper lashed on, yet she is here consoling me.

I said nothing. I bit my lip, trying my best to not let more tears.

"Or do you need Aesop here? It's fine. I'll get him to come here-"

My head perked upwards at the mention of his name.

Aesop.

A slight warm feel washed all over me as she said his name. He is exactly what I need, especially after all this chaos.

"No. Tell him to meet me in the garden."

I immediately said.

No. I can't have him here in this side.

Not with Jack acting loose.

                                 ***

"Hey there, Aesop...." I said as the grey-haired Embalmer made his way to the bench.

"Hey." He said, plopping himself down.

"Michiko told me to come here and see you. So here I am. In one piece."

A slight laugh escaped my lips as I realized he is throwing a joke.

The two of us sat in silence for quite sometime before I felt a pat on my left shoulder. Aesop.

"You're crying, are you?"

I looked into his eyes as he focused his gaze on me. It was when he spread his arms, pulling me into a hug.

"If you feel like crying, here. Do it here. With me." He said, tightening his hug.

All the toughness I've built eventually came loose as I hugged him back.

I cried till I could cry no more.

"All better now?" He asked the moment my sobs wasn't as intense.

I nodded.

"Now that's the Joseph I wanna see. Don't be Josephine. I'm telling you." He said, slowly releasing his hug.

I let out a slight smile only to end up sobbing again.

Jack had picked him to play in his match.

"Aesop...." I said, grabbing his hand.

"There's something I wanna tell you, and I'm warning you here.....you might not like it."