My Love from my Photograph

Part 19

"Please go back, Miss (Y/n)... "

"Joseph, I just--"

"And.."

I stopped to hear what was that he wanted to say.

"And may you both be blessed with lifelong happiness." With that, he gently closed the doors. I stood there, stunned for a moment. He knew this after all... What now?

The place was getting colder and I hold both of my arms as I slowly walk away in disappointment.

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My eyes are full of tears when I open them. I try to sit up, but wince at the pain on my waist as I move.

"Oh no, don't sit up, Miss (Y/n). You still need to rest, or else the wound is going to get worse." Miss Emily places the pillow behind me lower so that I can lie down in a much more comfortable position.

"Where is Joseph?"

"He is still resting in his room. You may go and meet him later. For now, please lie still as I help treat your wound."

I bite my lower lip as I endure the pain on my waist and my arm. My head still hurts and soon remember Aesop is the one who hit my head with his coffin."How is Aesop doing now?"

"He's still resting, and I'm very sorry for what he did to you earlier."

"It's alright. I'm just shocked to see what happened to all of us. We don't seem to know what are we doing."

"Here... And there you go, but remember to stay in bed for at least another hour, I wouldn't want you to break your wound like the last time."

I look at the old wound on my right arm."Yes, I will. Thank you, Miss Emily." I close my eyes as I start feeling drowsy again.

"You're welcome." She then silently leaves the room.

Even after I have a nap, I can still feel the pain stinging. How am I going to meet Joseph today? I hope he's doing well.

Someone knock on the door, "(Y/n)-san? It's Michiko, may I come in?"

"Yes, you may."

Right after she opens the door, she places the tray she's holding on a table nearby and then bows in front of me deeply. Shock to see what she's doing,"Michiko, there's no need for that!"

"But Michiko feel very bad! Michiko just hurt Michiko's best friend!" She looks as if she's going to cry, I comfort her immediately. "Michiko, it's alright. I'm fine right here, see?" I give her a soft smile, which she returns one back too.

"Here, I've brought you chicken soup again!" She carefully places the tray for me, I thank her for her kindness.

"That reminds me, how is Joseph-san?"

"Well..." I can still remember that we fought roughly, but not for what happened next after I fell off the building."After what happened, I don't know... I hope he's doing fine."

"Michiko hope he's doing fine, too." She continues and pour her heart to me, saying that she feels guilty for hurting most of her friends, like the WuChang brothers, Violetta, and some other survivors.

After I finish the bowl of heart-warming chicken soup, Michiko helps take the tray away before she leaves. "Michiko needs of get others chicken soup too, I'll see you later!"

"Goodbye, Michiko."

"Goodbye!" It's a relief that she isn't hurt, but what about Violetta and the others? I hope everyone is doing fine.

What should I do to kill the time? I reach out my hand to the left side of my bed for the diary, but it isn't there. Instead, I pull out some papers. This is... Joseph? And the next one behind it is a drawing of me. Oh yes... Joseph drew this when he was here to take care of me after I got trapped in the map for twelve hours.

How is he? I hope he's doing well.

"Sister (Y/n)? Are you awake?" Robbie knocks as he asks so. "I am."

"May... May I come in?"

"Yes, come in, Robbie."

"Sister (Y/n)!" He hugs me as he gets inside. "Hics.. I'm-I'm so sorry! I shouldn't... Hics... I shouldn't have throw a tantrum.. hics... I am so.. hics so-sorry... "

"Oh, Robbie... " I gently pat his head while he tries not to cry in my embrace. I smile at him, look at him as I ask,"So are you alright? I hope you are not harm from that nightmarish event."

"No, I am fine. Miss Emily even give me a cute tree plaster on my wound! Look!" The little boy stops crying and eagerly shows me the cute plaster on his arm. "Ah, it's good to know you're uninjured."

"Here is a sorry gift, sister (Y/n)!" He pulls out a folded paper from his blue pocket and show it to me. The crayon drawing shows the figure of me and Robbie on a place full of beautiful trees and flowers. "For me?" He sincerely nods his head and gives me a wide smile. That's the best smile I have ever seen from Robbie.

"That's very nice of you, Robbie. Thank you!"

"Welcome!" He walks to the door and says,"I'll need to give the others their gifts too! Goodbye, sister (Y/n)!"

"Goodbye, be careful!"

"I will!"

There are also some survivors and hunters who come to visit me later. But no sign of Joseph.

Where is he?

Until late night, I can't help but worry about Joseph. Even if others stop by and visit me, no one seems to know how is he doing as I asked. My heart is full of guilt, knowing that I've hurt him for being a coward.

That's it. I can't stop thinking about him, sleeping won't put me on ease either, so I carefully get down from my bed and walk towards the door.

I make my way through the dimly lit corridors and finally in front of Joseph's door.

I knock several times but there's no response at all. "Joseph?" I gently push open the door, hoping it will not creak as I do so as usual.

He is lying still in his bed, sleeping soundly. I finally feel more comfortable knowing he is doing well. I go and help him pull his cover high till his chest, the night is quite colder these days. Before I can turn my heels, his hand reaches for mine,"(Y/n)... ?"

"Joseph?" I sit at the edge of his bed as I watch his eyes flutter. "(Y/n), mon cher, I'm so... " He tries to sit up, but I hold onto his arms and let him know he needs to rest.

"So.. sorry. I ask for your forgiveness..."

"Joseph, I am sorry too. I did something else horrible to you too. Your wound... It might get healed soon. But I'm still sorry for what I've done to you." My words turn into whispers as I talk.

Then there is a long moment of silence. I don't know what to say, not sure if it's because I'm relief to know his conditions, or because that I hurt him right with my own hands.

"I believe your wound... It isn't alright." He breaks the silence.

"No, it's nothing. It's in the past now, Joseph. I forgive you, just lie still and have some rest."

"I will. " Then he lies back in a much more comfortable way.

I hesitate for a short while, before asking,"I.. Is it alright to stay with you for the moment? I want to... To look after you." My cheeks are burning even if I can't see them.

His eyes stare at me in disbelief at first, but then they are full of joy. "Of course, " he move a little to the right, making space for me to sit on.

As I sit on the bed, he lays his head on my lap. I can see that he is feeling drowsy, so I softly hum the tune of the song, our song. I gently stroke his fluffy hair as I watch him sleeping peacefully. I hope for this moment to last longer before the next sunrise.