Hello, everyone. Your girl's back to update another chapter for you all. Kalego and Iruma will be the focus in this chapter since the story is about them after all. Given from the last chapter, Kalego will answer Iruma's question on bad memories and erasing them. I don't own the canon characters as they rightfully belong to their real owners while I only own my OCS.
Warning: Child abuse will be mentioning here.
Kalego's eyes widen from hearing Iruma's question. The tiny boy had asked him if there are any bad memories that he wishes to forget. But Iruma has no idea the pain it will cause if they are erased. While his memories of his lover are still unclear, Kalego knew how much trouble erased memories can bring if they suddenly show up again. The dark purple-haired man's missing memories tormented him nonstop since he first took a bite out of that apple.
"No. Memories allow us to know things and remember the important details of our lives, Iruma. Erasing any memory can only bring more pain. You might even end up regretting it," Kalego said looking at Iruma down serious in the eyes.
Iruma looks away from his teacher and to look back at his tree. He wonders if his homeroom teacher had ever gone through something bad in his life and got a bad memory from it. From the way Kalego behaves and how his actions often caused people to stay away from him, Iruma thought his teacher also had a tragic past like him. But he began to think that's how the man always acted his entire life.
"Sensei, do you really believe that a bad memory is worth keeping?" Iruma asks Kalego.
"Iruma, even if a memory hurts you, you shouldn't try to erase it. You can learn from it and grow because of it. However, you will only increase your pain if allow it to be forgotten," Kalego said as he thought of his lover and the memories they shared.
The little blue-haired boy thought of what his teacher said. Almost all of his memories in the Human World was nothing but pain and sorrow. All Iruma knew from his parents were abuse and neglect. They never showed him parental love and affectations. The only thing he'll ever be grateful towards him is them selling him to Sullivan. His demon grandfather and Opera were the first ones to had never shown him real love and kindness in his entire life. He did remember a few people who were nice to him back in his old life, but they never stick around long enough to help him or even notice his terrible life with his parents.
To hear Kalego say erasing your memories isn't worth it, Iruma could wonder if the man actually went through it himself. However, no matter how much Iruma thought of rethinking it, his desire of erasing his memories overcome it. Remembering his parents would usually laugh and smile as they made Iruma clean their home. Acting like proud parents of a dutiful son.
Kalego wonders why did his tiny student ask him that question. Lord Sullivan, Opera, and his parents had no doubting spoiled and sheltered the boy to the point he had a happy and warm childhood under their care. Iruma had grown up in a home with a lot of love and care. The boy doesn't understand how lucky he is by being the grandson of one of the three Great Heroes of the Demon World.
"I don't understand why would you even asked me that. I'm certain your parents and grandfather spoiled you rotten throughout your entire childhood, Iruma. If they once took your toy, then it's not a bad memory if they were trying to set you straight," Kalego said. However, looking at his student, the man saw tears in the boy's eyes.
Kalego was taken back from seeing Iruma crying. He has never seen the boy-haired boy cry before throughout the time he saw him. The man had no idea how to handle this The most reactions Kalego gets from students is usually fear when he handles them. This is entirely different from what he used to.
"Iruma, are you okay?" Kalego asks while feeling awkward.
Iruma shook his head to say no while looking down. Hearing Kalego talking about how his parents spoiled him along with his grandfather, had caused Iruma to shed tears as he remembers how long he did lean for his parents to truly love him as he used to for them. But the man wasn't unaware of how cruel his parents were and Iruma couldn't blame him for not knowing his past.
Kalego had no idea how to handle this situation. Most people would assume that he's one of those teachers who would tell a student to stop crying and they're in high school now. However, he's far from that kind of teacher. He may be strict and demands respect from his students, but he doesn't tell them to stop crying if something bothers them so much they can no longer hold it together.
Hesitantly, Kalego places his right hand on Iruma's shoulder. Noticing just how small the boy really is, the man almost thought he might accidentally break his student if he's not careful.
Iruma looks up to see his teacher was showing concern to him. the boy-haired boy even notices how large the man is by the fact his hand is resting on his shoulder. Kalego's hand felt strong, tough, and firm, which perfectly fit who he is. However, there's some gentleness and warmth to it. This act alone had calm Iruma down. It almost reminded the boy of something a father would do to calm their child down.
"Iruma... tell me what's wrong," Kalego said as gently as he could.
While he may enjoy seeing his students suffer at times, there are occasions where he draws the line of their suffering. And while he may not the most emotional teacher there is, he does care about their well-being as any teacher would.
"I've heard you had some eating problems a few days now. Your grandfather and Senpai told the staff to make sure your diet is alright," The dark purple-haired man said.
Iruma hiccup a little as he dried his tears away. Recalling how his old human teachers either were aware of his home life and didn't help him or were unaware of what was truly going on with his life. Having Kalego asking him what's wrong, Iruma could still feel more tears were coming out.
"Sensei, the truth is..." Iruma knew he couldn't say the whole truth to the adult he genuinely trusted. But he could just take out some details of it.
"My grandfather is not my actual grandfather. He adopted me not that long ago," Iruma said.
Kalego was shocked to hear the real truth of Iruma's actual relations with Sullivan. However, it did make more sense now that he thinks about it. Many demons who personally knows Sullivan always asks how can he have a grandchild when he doesn't even have a child. Kalego felt like an idiot for not realizing this much sooner. But he and almost everyone had led to believe that Lord Sullivan had an illegitimate child that would have Iruma.
Not only that but given how much Sullivan loves doting on Iruma, the old man would have loved to dote on his child if he had one, regardless if they were born out of wedlock or not. Kalego wonders why didn't the Chair-Demon told the staff that he was adopting a grandchild before the school year started since Iruma just said that the adoption wasn't long ago. The dark purple-haired man wouldn't assume that the boy and his grandfather are anything alike.
"My parents... they didn't want me. They abused and neglected me in so many ways," Iruma said to his teacher.
Kalego could the flame of fury building up in him when he heard what Iruma's parents did to him.
"When I walked for the first time, my father took me fishing. But he only used me as live bait. They were unbelievably lazy and selfish. They would often smile and told me how I was a good boy for doing all the housework. I would often watch my old classmates having fun with their parents and I realized just how messed up my family was. But I was still so young at the time. There was nothing more I wanted was for them to finally love me and just be a happy family. My parents even knew how much I wanted them to love me, but they only use it just to keep me under their control," Iruma said, remembering his parents.
"Eventually, they focused me to work so they wouldn't. There were so many jobs I took and worked at. Many of them I was underage for and my old bosses didn't care if I was just a kid," Iruma said.
"What about your old school?" Kalego said, angry that many adults allowed a child to work for them.
"My old teachers didn't care if I was missing out a lot of classes. A few of them were nice, but they didn't notice what my parents put me through. The ones that did, they didn't do anything since they felt it wasn't their problem," Iruma said.
Kalego's rage was at a high level now. Teachers who turn a blind eye and allow a child to continued to be in an abusive household, don't deserve to be teachers as they are supposed to care and help students grow and protect them.
"I did the work out of love for my parents. I used hoped that if I worked really hard, I might earn their love," Iruma said, feeling his heart began to sink to his stomach.
Kalego soon set Iruma down on one of the benches. His hand never left his shoulder.
"They also used to make me live in the woods and they would take my payment to spend on themselves," Iruma said.
"Did someone finally realize what was happening, Iruma?" Kalego asks since Iruma is now in a much more loving environment.
"No. No one ever did found out about his lifestyle. I only ended with Grandpa after my parents sold me to him in exchange for money," Iruma said.
Suddenly, Iruma saw that his teacher had a dark aura around him. The boy yelp a little upon seeing how scary his teacher is now. However, the tiny could sense that he wasn't angry at him.
"WHAT?!" Kalego said strongly.
"It was the night before the first day of school. When I was working, my parents sold to my grandpa so they could make a quick crash. So I had no idea that I was being sold. When Grandpa told what they did, I almost didn't want to believe it, but I realize it was something they would do," Iruma said, feeling a little better now.
"Iruma, did you remember what are the names of your former employers?" Kalego asks as he places his other hand on Iruma's other shoulder.
"I think so. Why?" Iruma asks confusedly.
"Because I'm going to make those people have their companies shut down for child labor. I also want the names of your old teachers, too," Kalego said.
Iruma couldn't believe that Kalego is willing to have cases against the people who had in a hand his tragic upbringing.
"I'm also going to talk with the Chair-Demon later. That man has some explaining to do," Kalego said as he rubbed his forehead.
Kalego bent down to look at Iruma. Now understanding why his student doesn't go to his teachers for help. How else a young boy can trust the adults in his life when the adults themselves failed to protect and guide him.
"Iruma, understand you now have me and your other teachers to protect you. I understand you feel like you can't trust us, but I promise you we won't let you down. You're here now, I'll make sure you have a good education. I'll never let anyone else hurt you again," Kalego said to his student while trying to sound as gentle as possible for someone like him.
Thank you all for reading this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed this. I really hope that Kalego was in-character for you all. Iruma has now told his teacher about his old life and how his parents actually treated him and how he ended up with Sullivan and Opera. This is their first step in their father/son relationship.