Ugh, why does Joe always like to tease me?
Or maybe he's completely unaware of the real reason?
Alice looked grumpy, but upon thinking about it longer, she blushed with embarrassment.
I can't say that I actually like it when he strokes my hair.
Ahhh! Embarrassing!
Alice slapped her cheeks to snap out of it.
Then she returned to her usual self and walked towards where Maria and Zenith were.
It was evident that Maria and Zenith were sitting at the back of the vehicle, watching Jimmy sleeping.
While Alice, who had just arrived, only saw them.
Maria, noticing Alice's presence, greeted her, "Ah, Alice! What are you doing here?"
"I'm just accompanying Joe."
"Where's Joe?"
"Ah, that... I left him behind."
"Hahaha, you're so mean."
"Shut up!"
Zenith laughed at the conversation and said, "You two really get along well as sibling, huh?"
Confused, Alice asked, "Huh? What do you mean? Close? Who? Us? When?"
Zenith laughed again, "Alice seems shy to admit it, huh?"
Maria, hearing this, replied, "haha, I know what you mean. Alice has always been a shy person."
Feeling annoyed and embarrassed at the same time, Alice shouted, "W-who's shy!"
"Look at that, she's getting shy again," Maria said, laughing.
Zenith also laughed at the situation.
Alice got angry afterward.
But when Joe Walker arrived and said, "what's going on here?" Alice immediately fell silent and tried to distance herself a bit.
Feeling the awkwardness between himself and Alice, Joe Walker felt uncomfortable.
What did I do wrong, actually?
"Joe, look at this! Jimmy is sleeping!" Maria exclaimed.
"Where?" Joe Walker entered the vehicle and saw Jimmy sleeping there.
"What kind of creature is this?" Zenith, surprised by the creature, asked.
"I don't know, we found it on our journey beside someone's corpse," Joe Walker replied.
"Ehhh? A corpse? Does the soul of the deceased turn into this?"
"It's not a spirit! It can be touched."
Zenith tried to touch it with his finger, "woah, you're right! Its fur is thin and its skin is smooth! Its body is very flexible! What creature is this?"
"I don't care, its name is Jimmy! As long as it's cute, there's no problem!" Maria said.
Zenith smiled and replied, "you're right."
"Cuteness is justice!"
"Cuteness is justice!"
Seeing the two of them, Joe Walker could only smile.
They really look alike, even though they're years apart!
I never thought an adult woman would act like a child.
**********
On the other side, where Jonathan was.
"Aren't you going to check on Zenith?" Rico asked.
"Huh? Me?" Jonathan replied.
"Go accompany Zenith there, I'll watch over Rio who's sleeping. You must be worried about him too, right?"
"Y-yes, why am I worried about him? He's your little sister, not mine."
Rico smiled and said, "go now."
"Alright!"
Jonathan started running towards Zenith and the group with Joe Walker, leaving Rio and Rico by the campfire alone, enjoying the sky view.
It's already evening...
Rico looked at Rio, who was smiling while stroking his head, and said, "we will be alright, Rico."
You, me, Jonathan, and Zenith will always be family.
As long as I live, I will ensure that. I promise we will always be together.
"EHa-ha-ha-ha-ha...," he let out a broken laughter.
Shortly after, he made sounds again using a glass and a spoon he had. He played the recurring melody, and the sound accompanied Jonathan, who was currently running.
Forever...
Rico kept smiling, unable to stop when no one else was watching.
*********
Several minutes passed, and now everyone wanted to return to the campfire where Rico and Rio were.
"Ah, the sound of Rico's glass is starting to be heard again," Jonathan said to Joe Walker, who was beside him.
"You're right, why does he always do that?" Joe Walker asked.
"I don't know, maybe it's his hobby?"
"So his hobby is music?"
"I don't know."
"You're his cousin, right?"
"Yes."
"Since when did you start wandering around this tower?"
"That was when my wife and I were young, I think it was 5 or 6 years ago? We also had a child back then! Even though they were still young at that time..."
"Where are your wife and child now?"
"Huh? Them? Hmm," Jonathan looked pensive and said, "I don't know?"
"Why is your response so casual? They are your wife and child! Have they disappeared? Aren't you trying to find them again? Hey! What's wrong with you!" Joe Walker felt irritated and grabbed Jonathan's collar tightly.
"Ouch, what are you doing, Joe?" Jonathan said in pain.
Feeling slightly guilty, Joe Walker released his grip and said, "I-I'm sorry."
Alice, who was next to Joe Walker, asked, "what's wrong with you, Joe?"
"Eh?"
Zenith and Maria, who were walking ahead, also stopped upon hearing Joe Walker's earlier shout.
Maria, who had just arrived, asked, "what's happening?"
"Joe was angry for no clear reason," Alice replied.
"Angry for no clear reason? Me?" Joe Walker felt annoyed hearing that. "His wife and child could be missing! And you say that's not a suitable reason for me to be angry with him?"
Zenith, surprised by Joe Walker's response, asked, "his wife and child? Whose wife and child?"
Joe Walker, confused by Zenith's response, blurted out, "Nathan's wife and child. What's wrong?"
"No, um... I don't know why my heart feels painful. Ugh, what is this feeling?"
"Y-you, could it be, jealousy?"
"Me... Jealous? Why?"
Jonathan immediately approached Zenith and said, "forgive me for making you jealous, it's okay, I've also forgotten about that."
Zenith looked happy and even smiled. Jonathan and Zenith didn't even pay attention to Joe Walker anymore and started holding hands while continuing their journey.
Alice, watching this, said, "they are truly a harmonious couple."
Meanwhile, Joe Walker watched with a gaze full of anger.
Harmonious? Who? Them?
A husband who even forgets his wife and child and now tries to start a new relationship?
Even the woman accepts him without thinking about what her partner has done.
Jonathan, Zenith, what are you really thinking right now!?
Joe Walker quickly moved towards where Jonathan was.
"Joe, w-w-wait! Where are you going!?" Alice tried to stop him, but her hand was too late to reach Joe Walker's hand.
Meanwhile, Maria just watched, confused by what was happening.
Quickly, Joe Walker passed by Maria, who was hugging the sleeping Jimmy. He immediately grabbed Jonathan's shoulder forcefully.
Jonathan, unaware of what was happening, turned around and asked, "what's going on?"
But as he turned around, what awaited him was Joe Walker's fist aimed directly at his face. It sent him flying, causing his teeth to come loose, his nose to bleed, and him to fall to the ground.
Joe Walker immediately snapped out of it after doing that.
Why i do that?
Joe Walker looked at Zenith's expressionless face. Zenith appeared puzzled and simply asked, "what are you doing, Joe?"