The "Caring" Jack

Around a week passed now since I lost my memories and I still was not able to remember anything.

Of course, there was that hazy dream but in the end it did not help me.

I had no clue what kind of revenge I had in mind.

Yesterday I got a clue on my uncle. I already met him but I had no idea how I could meet him again.

Sigh.

"Let's hope for some results in this week." I said rather pessimistic as I entered my classroom.

Then, hour after hour passed as I tried to fight my boredom during lessons.

After those hellish hours lunch time would follow. Normally, I would spend it with the others however, they wrote in our group chat that they could not made it today.

Thus, I ate lunch by myself.

It might be weird for me but I found it quite relaxing to spend some time by myself.

Wait. Weird? No, it wasn't weird, I guess…

Lunch time went by faster than usual and afternoon classes took place.

From time to time I felt like dozing off and had to be careful to not get caught by the teacher.

Ring!

It felt like an eternity until the school bell rang.

With slumped down shoulders I prepared to go to the basketball club. However, I saw a familiar person waiting for me at the door.

"Jack? He- What's with that bandage on your cheek?!"

At that moment, my tiredness faded away and I straightened my body.

On Jack's left cheek was a big bandage. Was he injured? Did it have something to do with his urgent business on Saturday?

"Yo, what's up? Ah, this? No big deal, my mind went completely blank as I ran until I ran into a pole, haha!" he laughed it off as if it was nothing.

This sounded just like him, I suppose…

"I see… Well, by the way, what are you doing here? Wouldn't you usually run to the gym the moment you heard the bell?" I asked surprised.

He averted his gaze from me shyly.

"Well, I wanted to walk together with you to practice." he replied as he scratched his uninjured cheek.

Talk? It was uncharacteristic of him to delay his practice. Surely, this was an urgent matter.

I just nodded my head in agreement.

After I packed my things, I walked with Jack to the gym.

"So do you need something from me?"

"Hm? No. Do I need a reason to hang out with you?" he answered casually.

"Well, I guess not?" I said kind of taken aback by his response.

However, another moment of silence passed by.

It was somewhat awkward…

What can we talk about? Most of the time we talked about the time I had my memories.

Ah! How could I forget?

"About the suspicious looking doctor we met the other day…"

As soon as I mentioned the doctor, I noticed how Jack's body stiffened up.

"W-what about him?"

"I wanted to ask if you can give me some information about him, like his name and contact information."

Suddenly, Jack stopped moving.

"Sorry, I don't know." he replied quickly.

"Oh, really? I thought you three knew him based on your reactions when we saw him." I said surprised.

"A-ah, well…" he hesitated.

"Please, if you know something then tell me. I have the feeling that he's important." I begged him as I looked determined in his eyes that tried to escape mine.

Slowly but surely, the other students in the hallway noticed the strange atmosphere around Jack and me and thus avoided us.

"…enough…" he murmured something.

"Jack?"

"Forget everything about that man. Trust me, it's for your own good."

"But-"

"Shut up, already!"

The floor echoed when he raised his voice out of nowhere.

I took a step back out of reflex but he, in turn, approached me.

"Just… Just don't pry further into him, okay?" he warned me with a calmer voice as he grabbed my shoulders.

Sorry.

Even if it will be dangerous, I have to do it.

"Jack, I'm begging you. Please, do me this favor. I will do anything you want."

I could not allow myself to waver.

Hearing that, Jack let go of me and turned around.

"Jack?"

"Fine. I'll tell you." he finally gave in.

When he turned around again, the previous tension in his body vanished.

"In return, you'll work even harder for the team." he stated jokingly as he gave me a wink.

I smirked confidently.

"Sure!"

Sigh.

Jack heaved a sigh before the two of us were on our way to the gym again.

"Where should I start…" he murmured.

"He didn't state his name nor other personal information.“

What kind of doctor doesn't state their names and the like?

"To be honest, we have little to no information about him. We were just his clients one time." Jack confessed as he shrugged his shoulders.

Yeah, I vaguely remember him calling us his clients.

"So why exactly were we his clients?" I asked confused.

"…"

Jack went silent.

Sigh.

"He was on the streets one day and asked us if we could help him with an experiment."

"Naturally, almost all of us declined but you surprisingly insisted on helping him."

"Only I?"

"Yeah. The rest of us was perplexed as we didn't understand why you wanted to help such a suspicious man."

I guess I knew why.

"And what kind of experiment were we aiding him with?"

"Well, we just helped him gather specific herbs he needed for a medication."

"I see. Was that it?"

He nodded his head.

"There're also some rumors about him. I heard that he's in cahoots with a gang and the likes." he added.

A gang? I guess meeting him would be more dangerous than I thought.

"That's everything I know. Are you satisfied with these information?"

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Jack."

Perfectly timed with our conversation, we arrived at the gym.

"Just don't do anything reckless, you hear me?" Jack warned me before he opened the door.

I was happy that he cared so much about me.

"Sure."

But sorry, I had to lie. I had to meet him.

Oh, I almost forget! There was some people I needed to see today.

"Whom are you texting?" Jack asked as he tried to peek at my phone.

"Anna." I replied bluntly.

Well, technically it was not just her.

"Oh~ Asking her out to a date, huh?" he remarked playfully.

"Date? I don't know if you can call it like that." I responded with a hint of doubt in my tone.

"Did s-"

"Oh, the others are already waiting! Let's go!" I rushed him.

"A-ah, oh, yeah."

Almost two hours passed before practice finished and I finally got the chance to sit down on a bench outside.

"That was hell…" I commented exhausted.

Jack truly meant it when he said that I had to work harder for the team.

I felt like I ran more laps than the team today.

With a tired body and mind, I gazed at the schoolyard where only a handful of students were. I suppose, they all just finished their club activities and were on their way home.

"Ahhh… This hits the spot…" I moaned in ecstasy as the fresh afternoon breeze cooled my body.

"You sound like an old geezer, you know?" a person with a feminine voice mocked me.

"There you are, Anna." I greeted her while I tried to muster up all my energy.

"Of course I am! After all, you wrote me to come here."

Then, I stood up in preparation for the next thing to come.

"Now that you're we can start."

"Start? What are we doing?"

"Let me escort you to a date."

Or rather an interrogation.