My Love from my Photograph

Part 1

(Y/n)'s POV

When Joseph, this gentleman and I step right into the venue, I can see a crowd of people cheering,"Welcome!" in unison at us.

They have the venue ready with beautiful streamers hanging here and there, table full of yummy treats and having white roses as the decor theme. I wonder how did they know it, but it seems like white roses have something to do with me. Perhaps my forgotten life? Then how exactly would I still remember my name and my favorites? I can't answer it, but maybe this mysterious manor will tell.

"You must be the new hunter," a sweet and gentle voice comes from a tall and fit woman. She uses a fan to cover half of her face and says,"I am Michiko, nice to meet you." She then bows gracefully.

"Um, nice to meet you too." Suddenly, a larger figure comes from Michiko's back and speaks,"Hi, I'm Violetta. The soul weaver here. Welcome, new hunter!" I am astound to see that she has an upper part of a human girl but attached with a spider's shape which has eight legs. The creepy feeling is crawling over my chest, like a spider.

"Hi. N-n-nice to meet you to-too..."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, new hunter. I'm Jack, welcome to be part of us. This is a gift from me and Emma, hope you like it." A slender figure which looks about two metre tall with a mask on bows like a butler, and presents me a bouquet of flowers. But the scissors-like hand of his is really scary.

"Thank you, i-it's a very n-n-nice gift." I accept the bouquet gratefully. It does make me feel better about this place.

"Hello, new hunter. Here's a little surprise for you!" A clown gives me a huge present, but I cannot tell what is it. As I remove the lid of the present,"Ah!!!!!" A weird clown head pops up, which makes me jump too. Before I know it, I start crying.

"Yahahahahaha! Seriously? Is she really a hunter? Hahahahaha!!" The mean clown starts laughing like he can't control it.

Just then, Joseph shoves me to his back and stands in between me and the clown. He points at the clown with his right hand while his left is on his waist."Joker! You knew that we're supposed to be gentle towards her! Not scaring her off like that! You better apologize to her now!" Between the blurry view in my eyes, I can see that Joseph looks very cross. But somehow, why does this makes me think of something similar from my forgotten past?

"Oh come on! It's just a joke. I didn't mean it, besides, I always surprise my dear Margaretha like that. That does make her happy all the time!"

"But sorry, it isn't the same for my (Y/n)!" Then Joseph suddenly looks shock and covers his mouth as if he has done something wrong. Wait... Huh? "What? Joseph? Your... (Y/n)??" Every single person here looks shock, including me, cause I don't remember knowing this man before.

"Joseph my friend, what do you mean by your (Y/n)?" Jack's tone is full of confusion, Violetta and Michiko look at each other then look at me and Joseph again, and the mean clown, known as "Joker" is in total confusion as well.

"You are joking, right?" Jack asks quizzically.

"Wow! So Joseph-san actually has a lover! May you two be happy forever~" Michiko looks happy though. "Wait, what do you mean 'actually'?" Violetta is full of question marks on her head.

"Oops!" Michiko covers her face with her fan again, Joseph on the other hand looks even more shock. "Miss Michiko, you... knew what?"

"Ah, nothing. Please don't mind me, eh heh heh." Then Violetta starts,"Oh, now I remember! I remember Wu Chang brothers told me and Michiko about how Joseph talks about his lover in his dream, and sometimes he only talks to a certain photograph he always keep in his coat when no one is around."

"Wh-what?" Joseph's anger soon turn into blush. "Wu Chang? Anything to protest?" He looks into the direction of a pair of twins. The one in white clothing points at the other in black clothing and answers,"Wu Jiu told me." Wu Jiu, the black one points at a deer-head guy and says,"Well yeah, but we only know about the fact you talk to a certain photograph alone. But as for talking in your dreams, Bane told me that."

Bane, the deer-head man shakes his head violently and runs away. Then, another man walks towards us and asks,"What happened to Bane? Why is he talking about what he accidentally saw something when using peeper?"

"Oh, Mr. Leo. I think I now know what happened." Jack says,"So Bane's misuse of peeper by accident actually let him knew that Joseph talk about his lover in his dream."

"Pffft! Didn't know you are that type of person, Mr. Joseph!" Violetta giggles.

"So, you actually dated this shorty?" Wu Jiu points at Joseph and asks me. "I, uh..." Jack then cuts me off,"I can't believe that someone as short as Joseph would have a date! Ha ha ha!"

"What? Pardon me, you fake gentleman!" Joseph protests, but Violetta chimes in,"Lucky you, Mr. Joseph, to have a beautiful lady as your girl!"

"So when are you both having another date? Or marriage?" Michiko's ideas are far more weirder than I expect. This is too much, too much.

"Alright, let's leave the talking for later, shall we? Let's enjoy our time here." Leo, who seems to know what's going on, breaks the ice for me and Joseph. I'm grateful for his actions.

"Here, let's go." Joseph directly grabs my hand but in a gentle manner, and make our way to the seats at the table. We share our table with Mr. Leo and Mr. Jack.

"Actually," Mr. Leo starts,"It's the manor owner who insisted me to let you show her around, Joseph. He also mentioned that there's something between you two. I think now I understand why, you two are actually a pair of love birds." He chuckles, I'm blushing, but with confusion. The same goes for Joseph, but he looks down at his plate.

"Here. A plate of spaghetti for a pair of love birds~" Jack places a plate of spaghetti between our plates.

"Thank you, Mr. Jack." I can only mumble. As I reach out my hand to get some, Joseph's hand touches mine by accident. In reflex, I shrink my hand back and apologize to him.

"C'est bien. Ici, allouer moi." He offers to divide the spaghetti for us. "Thank you.." I still mumble under my breathe.

Our conversation over the meal is so fascinating. I can't believe that how Mr. Leo actually accepts Mr. Jack as part of his family. And also the fact that most of them "bully" Joseph for his height. Joseph, on the other hand, flusters for most of the time.

But there's this important part I just know from them, is that everyone who are invited to the manor will temporarily forgot their past memory. But it can be gained by playing several rounds of games. Only collect each of them with fully three stars, will exchange a precious memory of our owns.

After the meal, Michiko performs us a beautiful dance. She says that it is a traditional dance that she usually dance in her hometown before she came here. Violetta even give me a warm white scarf, she really is good at knitting. They're all nice, but I still don't know if I can just trust them. Especially this Joseph man, I don't know him.

"It's time to let you go and meet the survivors now, (Y/n)."

"The game?"

"Indeed it is," Joseph smiles at me, and the rest of them walk us there as well.