Chapter 2: Responsibility(2)

After Suffering stopped laughing, he offered a seat to Jake, he gladly sat. Suffering poured milk to the glass reserved to Jake. Jake looked toward the milk after he was captivated by its smell.

"Fresh milk?" Jake asked.

"Well, yes. You're my regular visitor, how wouldn't I know what you like. How's the milk," Suffering inquired.

Jake smiled and took a sip. He couldn't help to smile after he tasted it.

"Better than the last. By the way, how I forgot everything?" he asked.

"Natural Laws," Suffering simply answered.

"Natural Laws?" Jake repeated with a hint of inquiry.

"Didn't I already explain it to you?" Suffering entreated.

Jake shook his head.

"I see," Suffering mumbled and took a deep breath before starting to explain.

"Natural Laws were the rules that God placed on Earth. He already saw the possible consequence of the power that was beyond the limit that humanity can handle. Let make it more casual and understandable. The Laws were simply the Laws of Sciences and the limiters of the world. Your memories with me were a thing that will be upsetting the current balance of the world. But every Law had exceptions especially the Natural Laws. Unfortunately, you aren't part of that exception," Suffering explained wistfully especially at the end of his explanation.

"Exception?" Jake doubtfully asked.

"Yes. As far I know, before the Fall there are no such laws because everything was subjective to good. After the good was poisoned with the potential of harm, God chose to banish the man from the Garden and he set the Laws to preserve the good. It also set to differentiate the good from evil. He even sent his angels to the world to watch over humanity and guide them to good. Because the Law was set to be in balance, demons were also part of that exemption. After all, God knew it will happen but it was set apart because of Love. Love shouldn't be the force and it should be free. He let it happen because God trust humanity," Suffering clarified and took his up to drink.

Jake had some doubts about what Suffering was discussing and it was probably leaving some points that needed to be clarified.

"I think that there are some details you left out?" Jake inquired.

Suffering smirk and chuckled.

"Of course, there are some details. Do you want to hear it?" Suffering playfully asked.

"Do you think that I have any choice?" Jake mocked.

"The laws had gone into reformation 200 years ago due to war. The Laws had become stricter than it was at the time of after the Fall and the Great Flood. The Equilibrium was on its peak where the chaos and order was the balance on each neck. Few years after the war, Supernatural abilities were suppressed to the limit. Supernaturals are more likely to hide the fact that their abilities were suppressed. After observing them for a while, I had confirmed that they can't use most of the abilities that they used in the war, they disguise this weakness by making peace with humanity. More or less, humanity was captive by the friendship offered by Supernaturals that made the fragile peace lasted until today. I had also observed that the demons and angels especially strong ones were banished from the material plane. The only one that was exempted was the Creator Himself, God. The time that the suppression was started to weaken, the Supernaturals already regain a part of their powers, and to counter it the Guardian Angels once again allowed in the material plane. Summarizing it all, there should be an equal and fair trade for you to retain your memories," Suffering clarified and suddenly smiled brightly to Jake.

Jake felt uneasy with Suffering's smile, something was telling him that he knows the meaning of that smile.

"I remember that you promise me in our last meeting that you will try to find a friend. So, do you found one?" Suffering asked with a gleeful expression and perhaps knows Jake's answer.

Jake chose to remain silent and not to answer Suffering. There was only silence between the two until Suffering chuckled.

"As I expected, you don't have friends yet." Suffering spoke while looking at Jake.

Jake chose to avoid Suffering's gaze and looked in the other direction. Seeing Jake's expression, Suffering couldn't help to scratch his nape.

"I will get some biscuits," Suffering bid before standing.

While Suffering was gone, Jake was given time for himself. He leaned to the chair and think. He contemplates about his friends or his only friend, Suffering, who he can't remember after getting out of this place. Due to his weak body, he was discriminated against because he can't do much of the simple tasks that a normal young man like him. He even remembers the time that he was rejected by his own paternal family and that made him thankful for having his half-sister's family to welcome him.

"You're thinking about your life aren't you?" Suffering spoke and interrupting Jake's train of thought.

Jake immediately looked at Suffering that was standing at his back. Suffering was smiling at him while holding a small basket that was full of different cookies and biscuits.

"No," Jake denied.

Suffering laughed at him while knowing that he was lying right before him.

"You know, if you kept thinking about the tragedies of the past, you can't have any friends because of that fear. When you kept thinking of being discriminated against without making any actions, you're limiting and pushing yourself into the edge. Take this advice like an old friend of you, try to find an opportunity to know people and make yourself acquainted with them." Suffering suggests before he took his seat.

"Aren't you afraid of being betrayed?" Jake inquired.

Suffering couldn't help to smile because of what he was hearing from Jake.

"I'm afraid of betrayal. During my life, there was numerous betrayal but I overcome them and make them a lesson for me. Everything was worth trying, it was with you on how you would handle it. Before I forgot, please stop watching tragic-romantic movies. It was already affecting your mindset about the world. Try to be more positive," Suffering ranted on Jake while giving him a bit of advice.

Jake couldn't help to smile knowing Suffering's intention.

"Hmmm, I think you need to go now. Your sister might be worrying about you," Suffering spoke after looking at the wristwatch on his left hand.

"How about the cookies?" Jake asked about the cookies that Suffering recently served.

"I can just store it somewhere for you. It will not be long when you'll be visiting this place again," Suffering spoke certainly.

Jake looked at him bemused. Suffering just chucked.

"Go now or your sister will have a heart attack," Suffering said before Jake's vision gone black.

Suffering chortled when Jake disappeared in his seat.

"That time might be the last, I'll be pissing him up. I should hype the mood that time," Suffering mumbled and took a cookie from the basket.

Meanwhile, Jessa was seating next to Jake's bed and biting her nails in nervousness.

"To ease your nervousness, why don't you drink some water? Can you tell me why after you accepted here as a professor, no one knows about you having a sibling?" the Healer asked to relieved Jessa's anxiousness and to redirect her attention.

He even gives a water bottle to her. Jessa was hook by the Healer's question and started to calm herself.

"I don't know that my brother was studying here because my grandma hides it from me. Second, he especially requested me about hiding his connection with me and our family's affiliation." Jessa answered after calming herself and gulping some water.

"Hmmm, this may be quite personal but you don't seem to look alike?" the Healer inquired.

"He's my half-brother from my bastard father. He was the son of his mistress and it was brought us to light when I was about 10 years old and this guy was only 4 years old. After bringing this guy, that bastard had run away while leaving us with ourselves once again. My grandma even tried to track him but it was futile. Because he was quite weak, our paternal family had rejected him and even tried to leave him on an adoption house. If it wasn't for my mother tracking them, we might already lose him," Jessa narrated.

The healer couldn't help but to nod and listened.

"Before my mother died 3 years ago, she called me on her death bed. She said that she already acknowledged Jake as her son and tried not to direct her hatred to him. She just poured her love for my bastard Dad to him. She did all her best to support our family as the light and pillar. Right before her last breath, she made me promise to look after this guy and don't bear any resentment to my bastard father," Jessa added with annoyance while remembering her father.

"You seemed to done with the latter part, aren't you?" the healer teased.

Jessa looked at him with annoyance.

"Yeah, I can't still forgive him yet. Maybe someday or the time he gave me a reasonable explanation," Jessa admitted with annoyance.

All of a sudden, there was a change in temperature. The two felt bit hot. The healer walked and looked at the airconditioner's thermostat, it was nailed on 25C.

"Do you feel the sudden change of humidity?" Jessa inquired and looked around for any possible abnormalities inside the room.

While the healer also looked outside of there was also a sudden change of temperature. Jessa looked toward Jake's direction that was peacefully sleeping. She saw his ring finger move and without any second she sat beside him. When Jake gradually opening his eyes, Jessa pulled him and hugged him. Before he could come into his senses, he found himself having a hard time breathing due to the tight hug by her sister.

"I can't breath," Jake complained while being hugged by her sister.

After hearing her brother's complaint, she immediately freed him and looked him apologetically. Jake prioritizes gasping for breath than looking to his sister.

"What do you feel," Jessa asked after seeing Jake had already normalized his breath.

"I think I'm fine," Jake answered at laid down to bed.

"You already know what we should do next," Jessa spoke seriously.

Jake already knows what will her sister do next because she was already done it to him many times for his protection. Jake gave his hand to her sister and Jessa gratefully took it and grumbled a prayer. A white cross appeared on Jessa's left arm while reciting the prayer. Jake just let her sister do the work and he waits for any reaction from his body. From his hand, he could feel a warm sensation and it started to spread throughout his body.

"You need to rest for a day or two. I will take care of the rest. Just stay here until my last subject, I will fetch you here and we'll go home together," Jessa instructed.

Jake just nodded and close his eyes to rest more.

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