The Black Swan Behind

257 Mental Illness

Pablo ignored the man who always seemed strange to him. He continued his steps on a long sofa near the bald man’s desk, then sat there in a relaxed style. His behaviour was followed by his friend who had a high posture like a professional basketball player.

“What are you doing here?” The bald man asked.

“We just wanted to talk about something. It’s nothing so important; just about the future of the gangster business in Handway City.” Pablo answered with emphasis on the last sentence.

The bald man was a feared man. In addition to his hideous form and terrifying strength, there was one absolute thing that was the reason he must be feared.

His name was James Kade. The No.1 man of the biggest and strongest gangster group in Handway City, The Black Hole.

James glanced at Pablo and Creed with a lazy look. “What else these kids want to say?” he muttered in a low voice but could be heard by the two boys he was referring to.

However, Pablo never cared what James thought of him. He knew they were two parties who needed each other.

“Did you know that Deadly Square had been destroyed?” Pablo asked.

James let out a long sigh at the trashy nonsense. “Of course, kid. Deadly Square is made by Black Hole. How come I didn’t know about that?”

.....

Pablo nodded. “Now it is Beast Empire the only one left in The Deadly Square. And that group is being attacked by Black and Jita Kyoei.”

“You cooperated with them, don’t you? Then help them. You think we didn’t know that you made the Beast Empire stand that big?” James replied.

“Hey, even so, aren’t we all on the same level in Black Hole’s eyes? If Dragger has to support the Beast Empire even when they’re being pressured from all sides like this, it’s certainly very unfair to Dragger. You even make us have to pay a fee as big as The Deadly Square in total.”

“So, you don’t want to?” James asked.

“Of course. Isn’t it obvious that we are working harder than the others? What is the new policy from The Black Hole? We have been waiting so long for you to make a decision. The latest policy you gave was only after Hell Gate fell. Then, after the Creeper and RJC fell, you are still silent like this.” Pablo said, like a child whining to get permission to go camping from his parents.

“Hey, kid. Making a policy isn’t as easy as you think.” James replied.

“You think I’m an ordinary kid? I also lead a group and a giant business. Every day, I have to make decisions for various problems that arise.” Pablo replied.

“You only lead one group, while Black Hole holds six groups at once.”

The six groups that James was referring to were Dragger, Hell Gate, Creeper, RJC, Beast Empire, and the last one was their own group, Black Hole.

“Goddammit! I lost!” Creed exclaimed. He had been busy with his mobile game.

Then, he placed his phone on his lap, while relaxing his aching fingers and neck. “If it’s too heavy for the Black Hole, then let us go,”

Creed’s words made James’ face stiffen. He looked at the dark-skinned boy with long legs, who had now returned to staring at his phone screen as if what he just said was a meaningless joke.

James knew how the nature of the game-loving boy was. Even though he looked relaxed and didn’t care, his ears would always listen. He was like a Puss caterpillar. It looked harmless, but it turned out to be deadly.

Pablo realized that his friend’s careless words made the atmosphere tense. He immediately opened his voice with his Hip Hop style, “If you guys still want to keep us, at least let me take over the vacant areas of the Deadly Square’s groups that had fallen.”

“That would create an imbalance. You know, I can’t decide on my own just like that. Black Hole isn’t a fingernail group like you kids.” James answered with a straight face. He no longer had an interest to follow the way these high school boys talk.

Pablo realized that James was still offended by Creed’s words. Then, he sighed. “All right, James. I see what you mean. It’s been a bit tense lately, hasn’t it?”

“I don’t know what’s happened to them lately. You should know what the situation is and what my limits are,” James replied. There was a languid tone in his voice.

Pablo nodded. “Okay! If it so, what can this boy do?” He patted his thighs before standing up. “Call me when there’s a new policy, okay? Especially about RJC. I feel envious of them, to be honest. They’re still standing, not paying the fee, but still fine.”

“Why don’t you just mind your own business? After all, they’re already poor and you’re still rich. Why should you envy losers like them?” James said.

“Alright, fine! I’ve heard enough of your advice, old man. You’d better turn the air conditioner off. You don’t look like a human.” James said as he walked towards the door.

“I’ll break your jaw one day. You just wait,” James said.

Pablo and Creed paid no heed to the bald man. They stepped out and closed the door behind them.

“This sucks,” Pablo said.

Creed chuckled. “I don’t understand what’s going on. Is the Black Hole possessed by an angel?”

“Looks like something happened to the higher-ups.” Pablo shrugged his shoulders.

“They really don’t want to let us go. Doesn’t that mean, now only Dragger and the Beast Empire are the sources of the Black Hole’s income? How ironic,” Creed said while staring at his cellphone screen in a sideways position. He could even do that while walking, without tripping over or bumping into anything.

“What do you think made them forbid us from taking over other streets?” Pablo asked.

Creed shrugged his shoulders as he got into a black limousine parked in front of a huge, luxurious house with two pillars in front.

“If Dragger gets bigger, maybe we can beat the Black Hole,” Pablo answered his own question.

“Hm.. That can be done. But you don’t forget how strong they are, do you? You might be able to beat them from the number of members or the size of the business. But in the end, the strongest will rule.” Creed replied.

“When will we be able to surpass their strength?” Pablo muttered to himself.

Creed shrugged again. “Maybe when we’re adults?”

“A few more years, then, I’ll change the circumstance,” Pablo said.

**

“What happened to her?” asked Emma, who had just entered a vet.

“She’s sick. This cat is already old.” Levi answered.

“Where is your mom?”

“At home,”

“Has her health improved?”

Levi nodded. “She’s getting better now,”

“Well. Happy to hear that,” Emma replied.

Then, the two people were silent while waiting in the quiet vet. Even, in the waiting room, only the two of them were seen waiting for pets.

“Sorry to call you all of a sudden. I’ve never taken Pixy to the vet. I’m afraid they’ll suddenly ask me to make a decision, and I’ll have to discuss it with someone, except for my mother.” Levi said suddenly. He did not want to contact his mother who was worried about her cat at home.

Emma turned to him. It turned out that Levi had changed his attitude. Now, he was no longer afraid to apologize.

Then, Emma smiled. “No need to be sorry. Of course, I will take the time, especially when it comes to Pixy.”

“How are you doing?” Levi asked suddenly.

“How am I doing?” Emma repeated, thinking back to her days. “Well, a lot of things happened. But I just had a good one, so I feel grateful.”

“I’m glad to hear you’re having a good day.” Levi smiled gently.

“How about you?” Emma asked back.

Levi took a deep breath before replying, “It seems the wheel of life is spinning between you and me. Unlike you, I have a problem. It’s something that I always afraid would happen.”

Emma’s face turned worried. Could it be that Levi’s Bipolar came again?

“What happened? Could it be that you are.. sick?”

“Sick?” Levi repeated with a frown. “Of course not. I don’t have any disease. I’m the healthiest man alive on this earth.” he replied in a displeased tone.

“That’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Emma muttered, “All right. Sorry about my question. So, what happened?”

“Just say that I have something that I got with the very hard struggle. I’ve sacrificed a lot to get there. That’s why, I always feel afraid that it will disappear again, and my life will change to how it used to be. I will suffer. But, lately, I feel some people are starting to make me almost lose my achievements.” Levi explained.

“I think I’ve heard you talk about your fear. But, it’s bad news that there are people who want to return your life to the way it used to be. Do they do that on purpose?” Emma asked.

Levi shrugged his shoulders slightly. “Actually, they don’t know that their actions will have a big impact on me. The problem is, that we live in the same environment. Each of us has our own interests. And the actions that they take based on their interests actually made an impact on me.”

“Then, you can tell them honestly, can’t you? That what they did was hurting you.”

Levi shook his head. “I can’t do that. I don’t want people to know my secret. It will make me look weak. They will look down on me. I don’t want it to happen.”

Emma sighed wearily. She could understand how Levi felt. When you have a mental illness, it would be difficult to tell people. She herself didn’t even know much about mental illness.