King (Part 2)

“Ugh...” I groaned in pain as I slowly opened my eyes.

I tried to recall what happened.

The last thing I remembered was that I met Leon on my way home. However, something struck the back of my head causing me to lose my consciousness...

“Where am I...?” I muttered softly.

“And why was I tied up?!” I raised my voice in surprise.

Was I kidnapped?! Shit! What should I do?! Was anybody here?!

Wiggling like a worm on the ground, I watched my surroundings but I was the only person here...

“What now...” I gritted my teeth as I was at a loss.

First, I should check out the place. Fortunately, the lights on making it easier for me to identify the place.

But there was almost nothing.

The building was vast. The walls and the ceiling looked rundown and grass as well as moss started to sprout from everywhere.

“An empty factory...?”

And yet there was something else that bothered me. It was something right in front of me.

“A throne?”

In contrast to the building, the throne looked clean and noble. The gold and other accessories gave the throne an even more royal like vibe.

Suddenly, I noticed a person approaching me.

“Can't get your eyes off the throne, huh?” a voice I was familiar with addressed me from behind the throne.

Due to the throne blocking my field of vision I was not able to see the person trying to approach me from the front. But I didn't need to see the person.

“Leon?”

“Yup, that's right, Jack.” Leon replied after he stood between the throne and me.

To think that the day would come when I would call Leon my hope.

“Why are you here? Wait, do you know what's going on? No, more importantly... untie me!” I spoke out my thoughts in a rush.

“...”

Leon just smiled at me without saying a word. I knew that he turned into some stupid idiot since he lost his memories but was really so stupid that he could not recognize in what kind of situation we were?!

“Leon, please! Untie me!” I begged him while I tried to my best to not snap at him.

But the only thing he did was sitting down on the throne.

“Huh? What are you doing?” I asked him with a broken smile.

He crossed his legs, put his elbow on the throne's armrest and rested his chin in his palm. While doing that, his smile that beamed with confidence did not disappear.

“Are you kidding me? Did you really think I would help you? Remember who I am and what you did.” he replied sharply and coldly.

“W-what-”

I wanted to retort but I then I realized it...

The way he talks as if he wants to fight back or to mock me... The way he looks at me as if I was scum... The way he acts as if...

...he was back.

No. No way. That's impossible! The drug's effect should last for the 30 days!

“Based on your reaction, I assume that you realized it already.”

I broke into a cold sweat as I looked up to him from the ground.

The smile I was used to see in the last two weeks turned back to its previous way of smiling: A confident and at the same time wicked grin paired with a pair of scornful eyes.

Leon leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs.

“That's right, Jack. I'm back.” he announced threateningly.

"I-impossible!"

"Ah, yes! That's the face I wanted to see! Your face that literally screams disbelief and shock… This made my day!" Leon said while showing openly his delight.

He's truly back…

That meant that I won't be able to see his obedient and weak side again…

"Hehe…" I snickered barely audible.

"Hahahaha!" then, my laugh turned louder and louder.

I laughed so hard that even a few tears formed in my eyes.

"Hm? Is your head alright?" he asked me skeptically as he tilted his head.

"Yeah, nothing wrong with me… After all, I can now drop that stupid act!"

Ah, this felt so good!

"Do you even know how annoying and humiliating it was?"

Finally I can be me again! Of course, it was unfortunate that I couldn't use him anymore but I was happier that I could stop this friendship bullshit!

Even though I was on my knees, I glared at him like I would usually do. No need to pretend anymore. He's just a worm in comparison to me!

"I still don't understand why your memories returned so early but I'm grateful! Those days of hell are finally over!"

"…" Leon turned silent and just looked at me indifferently.

"Jack. Do you know why you're here?" he asked composed.

"?"

I had no idea what he meant.

Sigh.

"And here I thought that you were more than a muscle brain but it seems that it wasn't the case. How disappointing." he stated as he shrugged his shoulders.

My veins felt like popping up on my forehead.

"Huh? Who do you think you are, you piece of shit!”

“Oh, sorry! I guess I stepped on a landmine. I know that you think that you're like a king everywhere you go and that you hate it if somebody below you doesn't behave like he should.” Leon apologized while scratching the back of his head.

However, he was mocking me. His apology was not serious. I could smell the sarcasm.

“Don't screw with me!” I shouted at him.

“Geez, calm down, will you?” he returned to his usual demeanor.

“Who I think I am? Well, I suppose in your eyes I'm someone with a higher standing than you. After all, I will be the one to give you your punishment.” he stated with a smirk.

This scumbag still made fun of me, huh?

“Punishment? Don't make me laugh! I did nothing wrong!”

Pow!

“Argh!” I groaned after receiving a blow from Leon.

“You did nothing wrong? You're joking, right?” he asked coldly.

His smile disappeared and instead, he looked down on me with a serious and sharp gaze.

“H-how dare you...!” I growled back after I got back on my knees.

Despite being tied up, I had the urge to mess this bastard up.

However, Leon took out his phone and showed its display to me.

[Still smiling? Seems like you still don't understand your current situation.]

That was my voice...

And that place seemed too familiar...

I watched the video that was played in disbelief. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

“You're kidding me...”

“Hey, do you mind telling me what you wanted to be in the future? A professional basketball player, right?” he said threateningly as he circled around me.

Don't tell me...

“Well, if you still want to pursuit that career then you better listen to me...”

When he stopped in front of me, he lifted up my chin so that our eyes could meet.

“Or else you can kiss goodbye to your career.” he added while shaking his phone lightly.

“N-no, please... Don't do this to me!” I said weakly.

Basketball was everything I had...

It was my pride...

Without that I would be nothing more than...

...than everyone else.

“No! I don't want to be like everyone else! I'm Jack! I will become one of the greatest player! There's no way that I will sink down to your level!”

“Spare me your desperate screaming.”

Please don't take everything away from me!

“I'm sorry!”

I knew that it was an ugly side but I was too desperate. I had to protect my career.

"...” without saying anything, he stared at me.

He turned his back to me.

“N-no, don't go! I already apologize, right?”

“Shut up. This is pointless. You don't even understand what you did wrong, correct?”

“H-huh?”

I admit that I kind of bullied him a bit back then. But what else did I wrong?

“You can come in now.”

At his command, multiple men entered the place.

The men were all clad in black clothes and hid their faces with a face mask. They looked rather slim and weak and yet they gave off a shady and dangerous aura.

“H-hey, Leon! Where are you going?! What's going to happen to me?! Don't leave me! I-I'll do everything for you! I'll even be your errand boy if you want to!” I shouted in panic at Leon who was walking away.

Hearing me, he turned his head to me. A genuine smile was formed on my face.

Will he help me?

“This will be the last time we'll see each other.” Leon stated.

The last time? What's he talking about?

Suddenly, I noticed the men, who created a circle around me, approaching me.

“H-hey, this isn't funny, Leon!”

What will they do to me?!

"Well, you see, the thing with the drug..." he continued shamelessly while I had to  watch out for the men.

However, the next words that Leon uttered shook me to the core. Of all things I heard today, this was by far the most shocking thing to hear.

The tension in my body faded away. I gave up any kind of resistance. Everything was futile now. I accepted my fate. I- No. We lost.

Shit.

If that was true, then he was nothing more than a monster.