The Hunt for Jack the Ripper (The Phantomhive Diaries #1)

10. Tanaka

Only 4 POVs left before ending Chapter 1. I am so happy and excited that I made it this far and you guys can stick around for the rest of the story. I do hope you enjoy this segment.

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Tanaka struggled to push himself out of the wheelchair and grasped onto the coat hook next to his bed with all his strength until he was finally able to sit on the edge of his bed. It was a burden for him to perform this task every morning and night but he always found a way to manage. At least he had a hook to grab onto. Back at the asylum (where he had been placed after he was shot and was deemed unfit to continue working), he had to lean forward to reach either the wheelchair or the bed, and risk falling flat on his face. With no nurse available to help him. Well, no nurse that would be willing to care for him. He was glad that Lord Phantomhive got him out of that hell hole.

Yet, part of him felt he had no place in the Phantomhive Estate anymore. His presence in this house would be considered inadequate by many nobles. Even Lady Francis Midford previously expressed disdain with Lord Phantomhive's decision in bringing him back to the mansion.

"An old crippled man has no place here."

And in a sense, she was right.

Without the use of his legs, he was no longer able to serve as the family butler. He couldn't even dress himself for his daily tasks. Sebastian would usually be the one to help him. But considering Sebastian was taking care of the new guest, he didn't bother to ring the bell for him. And if he were completely honest, he didn't want help either.

Tanaka preferred doing things on his own, even if he couldn't do it all. And that included changing clothes and even going to the washroom to bathe or piss. He unbuttoned his suit jacket, removed his gloves, untied his wingtip shoes and removed his stockings. However, that was about the only thing he could do right now. The rest he would have to wait for Sebastian to finish work.

He looked over at the shrine he had prepared for his beloved Sayo. A small golden Shinto shrine that young Lord Phantomhive had acquired for him. The rest was done by Tanaka how Sayo would have wanted it. She loved irises. So, Tanaka had two green Ikenaba vases full of irises at either side of her black-and-white photograph. As always Sayo had a solemn and stern look on her face that would frighten anyone. It sure frightened Tanaka when he first met her but it was also one of the reasons why he fell in love with her. She was at times stubborn and harsh but she was also a caring woman. Always worried for the well-being of others, including Tanaka's.

If only she hadn't cared that much for him. She would still be alive instead of him if she only saved herself.

It happened so fast that Tanaka himself could barely remember how it happened. He and Sayo were setting up the birthday cake in the dining hall. Tanaka was propping the banner at the top of the window while Sayo was setting the cake on the table. They were having a silly conversation.

"Let's hope the boys don't try to sneak in and eat the cake before dinner," he had said with a laugh. He knew the boys would often sneak off to find sweets while no one was looking. A habit they hoped they'd eventually grow out of.

"Let's hope the Undertaker doesn't try and eat the cake before the boys get their chance to blow out the candles," that was her response.

They knew the cake was big enough for everyone to share. Vincent even had plans to share the cake with the servants, knowing how much his sister would hate that. But they also knew that the Undertaker had a sweet tooth. Another menace they had to watch out for. 

They were so preoccupied with the preparations that they didn't realize when the bastard came into the dining hall.

All he remembered was hearing Sayo choking and gurgling. When he looked over his shoulder, Tanaka saw his beloved wife with a red bloody smile across her throat and her lips spitting out red saliva. And a man. He was standing right behind Sayo, holding a bloodied hunting knife in his hand. Tanaka recalled screaming out Sayo's name as she dropped to the floor. The man killed his wife as if she were an animal. And he would have killed Tanaka in a similar way if the old man hadn't killed him first. His adrenaline and survivor instincts kicked in but Tanaka was sure that it was rage and his urge to protect Sayo that made him want to kill this bastard.