BBDW 50 [Black Butterfly] - Nevereverland

Section 52 (UNEDITED)

"-So, Jude has never struggled or suffered while in this orphanage? At least on the surface."

"Well, that’s right.........oh!"

Mary clapped her hands. Without any time to say sorry to Joan, with her eyes opened wide, Mary went through her memories. The eyes reminiscent of the old days were tapered. Her voice leaked out carefully.

"Yes.........maybe I can say very little."

"That's a vague word, isn't it?”

"I was doing my rounds to check on the kids who were asleep, and I heard Jude talking in his sleep. I think that was the first and last time he looked a little pained. Oh, my God, I totally forgot. It's such an instant….."

What did you say? Joan's eyes were scrutinizing. Mary licked her lips once. It was too far in the past, and she couldn't remember what she heard that quickly. She only remembered clearly that the calm child was tossing and turning like he was getting sleep paralysis. But Joan was looking straight at Mary. Mary continued to recall as if she was being pushed by something, even though he wasn't looking at her as if he was questioning her. Mary, who was struggling while frowning, slowly opened her mouth.

"......it was someone's name."

"Name?"

"Yes. I think it was Jenny... and Toby... I asked him the next morning because I didn't know who they were, but he looked so confused. I thought it might be his childhood friends or people like that, but I didn't ask more because he couldn't remember it."

"Is that so......... Jenny and Toby. They sound like nicknames."

"Yes, they do. Maybe they're siblings he grew up with. There's no way to know right now."

Poor kid. Mary sighed for a long time. Mary didn't know what the child saw and went through, but she couldn't help but feel sorry whenever she thought of Jude. Wiping the surface of the already lukewarm cup, the director of the Waynebeck orphanage looked up at Joan, who had a slightly sunken face.

"I'm sorry, I think I only talked about dark things. I can't seem to tell you a pleasant story."

"Oh, no. Thank you for being honest. But..."

"Do you have any questions?"

"Do you happen to know why Jude chose to be a cop? I was always curious about that. Why did this easy-going friend set out to be a cop which made him so hard-pressed."

"Oh, that job? In fact, I was surprised, too.”

Mary smiled pleasantly. The memory of the day that surprised Mary, who was a little nervous about what Jude would be when he grew up, was still vivid in her mind. Warm laughter of the middle-aged woman echoed inside the room.

"Yes, it was probably just like this cold day. Jude was commuting from here to high school. Because of Jude's past, he didn't have any family who wants to adopt him. Jude doesn't really care about it, so he's been here the whole time. He paid most of his tuition on his own. But suddenly, this child came to me before his graduation."

"So what happened?"

"All of a sudden, he said he was going to prepare for the exam because he wanted to be a police officer. He’s not capable of earning college tuition, so he said he was going to serve in the military for about two or three years? That's how he qualified for the exam. When I asked him why he wanted to be a police officer, he said, ‘I think the only job I can do is being a policeman. I want to live a comfortable retirement life?’"

"It's definitely not cool for a high school student to say that. Right?" Mary, who had been laughing aloud with Joan for quite some time, soon stroked near the edge of her eyes with her finger, as she shed physiological tears from laughing too much.

"It was unexpected and a little ridiculous, but I thought it was a relief. I've been worried about Jude's future. He’s not really interested in anything. But when I heard he chose a job that helps others, I didn't feel bad for some reason......Oh, there's a picture of him when he left here completely. Would you like to take a look?"

"If you can show me."

The middle-aged woman rose from her seat with a good smile. Mary, wearing a pair of slightly old gold-rimmed glasses, began to look at the album on the bookshelf with squinted eyes. Mary, who was mumbling under her breath while pointing at the album with her fingers that were now starting to wrinkle, soon took out a thick album. When she put it on the table, Joan's curious gaze followed.

"Now, where he is......... somewhere in the middle of this......... Oh, look. Here he is."

Joan's eyes were drawn to a picture where Mary's fingers pointed on the old album. Mary's eyes, looking at the same place as his gaze, were also mixed with a little longing. The picture showed the background on the first floor of the orphanage. Blond hair that's not very neat and a face that looks bored even though he's young. The child in the poor quality photo was smiling leisurely next to Mary, wearing a loose-knit shirt and carrying a bag. Mary looked at Joan while she was sweeping his face in the picture. There was a big smile around her mouth.

"How is it? Is he still the same?"

"Nothing has changed..... This is just like how he is. I think he'll be similar if he just changes his clothes and takes a picture."

"I'm so glad he’s doing well. Thank God.........I saw a newspaper just a while ago saying that he caught a vicious killer. I'm just glad he's helping people."

"Yes, Jude is a brilliant detective. It was really amazing back then. Even if he's escaped now, Jude will surely be able to catch him again."

After finishing his speech, Joan smiled and picked up his coat that had been neatly hung on the back of the chair. Mary's eyes grew round beyond her glasses.

"No, you're going?"

"Yes, I've heard everything I need, and I've got work to do. Haha, I'd much prefer to drink coffee here than to run around the crime scene, but there's nothing I can do."

Joan smiled rather unwillingly as if he was truly disappointed. Such a naive young man has to go after criminals with guns at the crime scene, what is the world going to be like. Mary, who had her tongue-tied, gave Joan a worried tone as he was buttoning his long coat.

"Joan, you must be struggling in many ways. Oh, please tell Jude to take care of himself. It's important to chase after the criminals, but it's just as important to protect yourself. Also, please tell him that Mary at Waynebeck Orphanage is worried and wants to see him. In fact, I sent an invitation to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment, but I had to send it to the police station because I couldn't reach him after passing the police exam. I don't know if he's coming or not, so..."

"Oh, then should I give you his number?"

"Oh, I see! That'd be better, wait for a minute."

Such a fool, why didn't I think about it? As expected, older generations can't get used to electronic devices like cell phones. Slightly complaining at her age, Mary searched the desk drawer in the director's office and took out a notebook. Joan grabbed a pen from his pocket and wrote down Jude's phone number in elegant handwriting and handed it to Mary. The prim-faced young man smiled kindly.

"Well, I'm going to get going. Thank you for your hospitality. Maybe I'll come with Jude next time."

"Oh, then there's nothing more I can ask for! Come on, I'll see you off to the door."

"Oh, no, no, no! You don't have to come out."

"You don't say no when a lady talks, young man."

Mary rose from her seat, smiling warmly at the young man who had become extremely likeable in this short moment after she met him. Joan, who was laughing a little awkwardly, soon nodded. Mary, who was delighted by the polite visitor who brought Jude's news for the first time in a long time, took the lead over Joan and left the director's office.

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I guess Alvin wanted to be 'captured' by Jude so bad *smirk