Brothers (Part 3)

Chapter 5 - A Chance

Seitarou: "SUPERVISOR GOKUU, PLEASE SAVE MEEEE!"

Samon: "WHAT IS IT THIS TIME?!"

Seitarou: "Please listen to me, cell 13 made a fool of me again."

Jinx: "What'd they do this time, Seitarou?"

Seitarou: "Even though it's not my fault, this week's fortune telling result was bad! They called me a good-for-nothing and a coward and took out all their anger on meeee...!"

Samon: "The hell, that's all?"

Seitarou: "They said their luck would increase if they bullied a pretty boy..."

Jinx: "*sigh* I'll deal with them, Seitarou."

Seitarou: "*sniff* Thanks, 33... you're really sweet..."

Samon: "More importantly, what the hell is up with these cell 13 punks, anyway?!?"

Seitarou: "Huh?! Wh-what do you mean?"

Samon: "What do I mean? ...You wanna know? Number 69 started a fight during work, number 11 went gambling in another cell on his own, I got infected with one of 25's chronic diseases again, number 15 escapes the second I take my eyes off him, and this kid won't let go of my tail!! In any case, there's no end to it!! THERE'S WAY MORE PROBLEMS HERE THAN JUST ESCAPING!"

Seitarou: "Huh? That's the same as usual. What of it?"

Samon: "As if something like this would be normal!! Geez, you and Hajime had better remember this."

Seitarou: "Ah! Please wait, supervisor!!"

Samon: "What is it now?!"

Seitarou: "The deputy supervisor got lost again, so please go and get him!"

Samon: "LIKE I CARE!!"

Jinx: "Haha, classic Yamato."

In the break room, I sat next to Samon, giggling as I played with his tail.

Samon: "*sigh* Listen kid, I'm exhausted... please just go back to your cell."

Jinx: "Aw, come on. Gorillas don't have tails. This is fun."

Samon: "It's not a toy!! Rrrr... to think cell 13 would be this much of a pain in the ass... It's strange that they could hide it until now..."

Jyugo: "You said it."

I looked up and smiled to see Jyugo sitting next to me with the popsicle box open.

WACK!

Samon: "Bastard! Gimme a break already! I hate myself for slowly getting used to this. And don't just go and eat my ice cream as you please!"

Jyugo: "Sorry."

He put him in cuffs.

Jyugo: "Oh, by the way. This match is totally your loss, right?"

Jinx: "Mhm. You could barely keep us in our cell for ten minutes, monkey."

Samon: "Don't call me a— oh, forget it..."

Jyugo: "You know, it's fine for you to go ahead and make the report. It's not like it's your fault. The jailbreaking was entirely on me. You properly tried to stop me, so what's wrong with that?"

Samon: "Hah? Don't be so naïve, you damn brat. So long as you inmates stay quiet while imprisoned, then that's all that matters. That's your obligation as an inmate. That, and nothing else."

Jyugo: "Heh heh..."

Samon: "Huh? What's so funny?"

Jyugo: "Nothing, I just though you said something kind of similar. It was interesting."

Samon: "Who the hell are you comparing me to?! Don't tell me you were testing me!"

Jyugo: "Not at all. Well, you can do whatever you want about the report. I'm sure you've thought it through, after all."

Jinx: "Are you gonna get in trouble, Jyugo?"

He smiled and stroked my head.

Jyugo: "No more than usual, kiddo. Don't you worry about it."

Samon: "Tch, I understand less and less about what you're thinking as time goes on. Like why you keep escaping over and over again."

Jyugo: "Because this is all there is to me right now. If I happen to find something else I can do or something I like, then I'll stop..................................... Maybe."

Samon: "Hm."

Jyugo: "Besides, your siblings allowed me to live. They gave me a chance."

Jinx: "Enki and Miss Noriko?"

Jyugo: "Yeah, that's why I don't want to just stand still, because I know that I won't be able to move forward by thinking and worrying. I want to do what I can to the best of my ability. Until I find something."

Samon: "Hah? And that's escaping? Even being a nuisance has its limits, you know. For all that, you immediately exhaust yourself and get brought back even if you run. So what are you talking about with giving it your all? Build up some stamina before you go escaping, you octopus."

Jyugo: "Urk—"

Samon: "However,"

He handed us a popsicle each. I let go of his tail and took yours.

Samon: "Don't you dare waste that chance, understood?"

He stood up.

Samon: "But just remember this, don't go thinking you can just freely break out. You guys are inmates. It's a big mistake for people to go thinking they can do whatever they want while imprisoned. Regardless of how you guys run around and try to escape, never forget that so long as you're here, you're all under our supervision. So even if you're in the wrong, don't go thinking about dumb stuff and trying to take care of it on your own. No matter what kind of being you are, you're just another inmate here. And us guards share in your problems too. As if I'd let that Elf bastard and the man with the scar continue to do as they please! I'll crush those guys myself! So don't get in my way."

Jyugo smiled.

Jyugo: "Like I though, you really are an interesting guy."

Jinx: "Guess all the supervisors think alike."

Samon: "Are you brats making fun of me?! C'mon, hurry up and get back to your cell, both of you."

Jinx & Jyugo: "Fiiiine..."

Jyugo: "So? In the end, what are you gonna do? You gonna make the report?"

Samon: "Shut it! I-I said I'd think about it, didn't I! And don't just take off the handcuffs!!"

He walked off. Jyugo and I stood up and ate our popsicles on the way back to our cell.

Later...

Jyugo was under his blanket as I was gently stroking his back.

Rock: "What happened to Jyugo?"

Uno: "Apparently he got a stomach ache cause he ate two popsicles."

Jinx: "No, it was just the one."

Nico: "Guess he can't break out anymore today, huh?"