Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 9
The lunch bell rang and the students shuffled to the cafeteria. Only one was missing, unusual for the ever hungry boy. Iruma had gone to seek out Balam-sensei, despite breaking his promise to never be alone. He thought maybe he would get some answers. When he arrived at Balam's study, he could hear voices inside. Azazel-san? What was Ameri's father doing here?
As Henri opened the door, he gave Iruma a dark look. With no time to waste, he headed off in a hurry. It was a mild shock for one of the 13 to be in Babylus with such a serious expression, but Iruma was now even more determined to uncover the truth.
Seeing Iruma standing there, Balam invited him in, serving tea and sharing what food he had. "Iruma-kun, you shouldn't be walking the halls alone right now", he chided. He looked upon his student with soft eyes, unsure just how much he had been told. Iruma glanced toward the door, still thinking about the presence of Azazel-san.
"Sensei, is everything alright?", he asked, concerned. Seeing no reason to lie, Balam dropped his gaze. Staring into his tea, he explained, "Bars-kun is missing." Iruma's eyes went wide. "Robin-sensei?", he uttered. Balam nodded faintly. "The last anyone saw him was early this morning, but he never showed up for his classes", stated Balam.
Iruma was tired of being ignorant to the situation at hand. Frustrated, he pushed for answers. "It has something to do with that strange demon I met, doesn't it?", he inquired carefully. Balam was mildly caught off guard, but he wasn't entirely surprised. Kalego had told him of the meeting the day before.
"How much do you know about Victoria?", asked Balam carefully. Iruma stared at the table as he thought. "Grandpa said she was trouble… I know there's something going on with Kalego-sensei and you… Even Opera seems worried, but no one is really telling me anything!", he replied, annoyed by all of the secrecy. Taking a deep breath, Balam weighed his options. It wasn't his place to go against Sullivan's wishes, but he cared for the boy. If he was in fact a target, he had the right to know.
"Iruma-kun, you students are more capable than we teacher's give you credit for. I'm sorry you're feeling so left out", said Balam sincerely. "I'll tell you what I can, but I can't tell you everything", he said. Iruma relaxed visibly with a small grin. He was grateful for the chance to understand.
"Victoria Ai has been a constant reminder of what can happen when a demon returns to the originator since long before you were born", he stated. Iruma listened with rapt attention. "Do you know what a vampire is?", asked Balam. Iruma nodded nervously. "Combine that image with what you thought of us demons before you came to the netherworld and you'll get an idea of how bad she really is", said Balam. Iruma swallowed hard.
"What does she want?", he asked anxiously. Balam paused, thinking of a good answer. Finally, he said, "She's part of the movement to return demon kind to our past. If she had her way, anyone weak would be devoured, and those in her way would be killed or enslaved."
Iruma slowly started putting the pieces together. "She wants you and sensei, doesn't she?", he inquired, looking his teacher in the eye. Balam looked kindly over his student. There was so much he couldn't tell him. Pausing to think, he spoke of what he could.
"As rank 8 demons, we would naturally be on her radar, but it runs a lot more personally than that… You see, she's been in love with Kalego-kun since we were your age", he explained. Iruma gained an odd expression. Apparently he was having a hard time fathoming the concept of Kalego in any kind of romantic relationship. Balam grinned to himself, guessing his thoughts. "I know what you're thinking, but it isn't quite like that. Victoria is no scorned lover. Simply put, she's evil. She wants to make Kalego-kun suffer. She derives pleasure from it", he said. "She wants everyone to suffer...", he trailed.
Iruma renewed his internal resolve. He was getting a sense of pain from Balam's words. The look in his eyes confirmed it. "She did something to you… Something awful", he ventured, unnerved. Balam met his gaze with mild surprise. It quickly faded into appreciation for the boy's empathy. Iruma really was a good kid.
"Victoria took something precious from me a long time ago", said Balam grimly. "Is it something you can get back?", asked Iruma with hope. His teacher slowly grinned ever so slightly. "Maybe", he replied. Quiet drifted between them, each lost to their own thoughts.
"Sensei", began Iruma. Staring into Balam's eyes, he told him the truth. "When I met her, she said she knows my secret." Balam froze. That was very bad news, but it made sense why he'd been asked to help keep an eye on the boy. "Grandpa hasn't let me go unguarded since. Sensei or Opera is always close, but I thought maybe you could tell me more… I'm sorry if I've brought up painful memories", said Iruma.
Balam was touched to be so trusted and even sought out for advice. He'd taken a shine to the kid ever since the incident when he panicked about Iruma's lack of wings, eventually learning his secret. He'd even shown the boy what was beneath his mask in apology and they had bonded.
"Iruma-kun, do you remember when we first met?", asked Balam, nostalgically. "Of course", replied Iruma with a soft smile. "And the tale of my scar?", asked his sensei. Iruma nodded, curious where he was going with this. "I have another story for you", stated Balam, slowly getting up. He retrieved a box from a high shelf and set it between them. "Go ahead", he encouraged, seeing Iruma's curiosity.
Iruma carefully opened the small box. "Photos?", he uttered. Looking at them, he realized there were of Kalego and Balam around his age. He was mildly stunned at how much Balam-sensei had grown. "Small!", he thought, but politely didn't say it out loud. He was far more intrigued by the mysterious smile beside them in the pictures.
"Who is she?", he asked carefully. Balam looked at him with soulful eyes. "She's what Victoria took from you", said Iruma sullenly, understanding. "Her name is Pandora… You remind me of her sometimes", stated Balam. Iruma perked up with interest. "I do?", he asked, confused. "You both have a strong passion to keep growing and a similarly bright smile", replied Balam with kindness.
Iruma stared at the photo, partly in shock of Kalego's smile and partly wondering what it all meant. "You said you could get her back? How?", he inquired. Balam shied his gaze. Could he tell Iruma that he might never see him again if Kalego's plan failed? No, even if something went wrong, he'd find a way back. There was no way he would give Pandora up so easily again. Taking a deep breath, he went back to why he was sharing these photos.
"Don't worry about that right now", he stated. "When you first saw my face, you were scared, right?", he asked. Iruma innocently waved his hands. "Only because I thought you were going to eat me!", he explained, not wanting to hurt his teacher's feelings. Balam smiled to himself, knowing that was only a half truth. "It's alright. Everyone is least a little unnerved the first time...but not her", he said, nostalgically looking at a picture.
Babylus cafeteria, the past.
Shichiro watched Kalego sit beside him, annoyed from something earlier. Kalego sat down his tray and slammed his face on the table, grumbling to himself, "Damnit!". Opera really could get under his skin. At least he didn't have to worry about dealing with them during lunch, too. Shichiro slurped his soup through his straw as he always did, spacing out and giving his friend some space to cool down. He blushed nervously as another presence sat across from them.
Pandora smiled warmly at them with her bento. It looked larger than she needed and it soon became obvious why. "Cheer up, Kalego-kun. I made lunch for all of us!", she beamed. The dour demon looked up in surprise at the spread as she set everything out. He glanced at his best friend briefly. Shichiro was staring at all the delicious food eagerly. The fact that Pandora had made it herself only made it more tempting. Still, Kalego knew he wouldn't be likely to unmask himself in the middle of the cafeteria, especially in front of Pandora. Knowing that, he politely declined, saying he had plenty already, an unspoken move of support for his friend.
"And you Shichiro-kun?", ventured Pandora, offering a small tray. He blushed and averted his gaze. "I can't… Sorry", he mumbled. She looked between her companions in question, but her manners shone through. Gently grasping Balam's hand, she poured concern from her pink eyes. "You poor thing! You must have a sore fang", she consoled. "Y-yeah", he uttered, surprised, but happy at her touch.
Kalego hid a smirk as he ate. They had eaten together for a few weeks by then and Shichiro had never really eaten anything of substance in front of her. Pandora grinned softly. "I can smush it up if it helps", she offered. Balam shyly shook his head.
A week passed and Pandora brought extra food again, but this time she had brought various soups and purees. Shichiro was touched by her kindness. She knew he was uncomfortable, but never pushed him to change, simply letting him adjust at his own pace. This time, he indulged in her cooking, able to enjoy the food with the help of his trusty straw. It was surprisingly good. Even Kalego agreed. She politely refuted their praise, citing her efforts as a minor hobby. This went on once a week for some time after that.
Eventually, one day, Kalego waited for Pandora after school. She had just finished with the student council, so few students lingered. He had waited in the batra's common room and clearly had something to say. Knowing that, she patiently listened. "You know why he doesn't eat with us", he began. Dropping her gaze, she nodded, unaware their friend was listening from the hall behind her. "He told me the story", she uttered, worried for him.
"Then you know about the scar", stated Kalego, carefully gauging her responses. While he liked her and wanted to trust her, he still wasn't completely sure that Pandora was as kind as she acted and was only looking out for his best friend. She nodded sullenly. "He doesn't have to show me if he doesn't want to", she said, meeting his stern gaze with soft eyes. "But I also want him to know that he can trust me. He has a good heart. I just want him to be comfortable in his own skin… I know what it feels like to be different", she stated, dropping her gentle smile.
Kalego eyed her cautiously. What was she hiding? Blushing faintly, she clutched her hands over her chest as if feeling Balam's pain. "I wish I could tell him that there's nothing to be ashamed of. He's already amazing just the way he is", she said with feeling. Kalego's skeptical eyes softened, followed by a grin. "You just did", he said, pointing behind her. Flustered, Pandora spun around.
Balam stood in the doorway, looking off to his side, unsure how to react to her pink cheeks. Why was she always so nice to him?
"Pandora-chan", he uttered. Meeting her gaze, he sincerely said, "Thank you." He didn't show her his face that day, but he seemed much more at ease around her. So did Kalego, glad he hadn't misjudged her. Shichiro needed a push when it came to confidence and he had decided to leave that in her hands.
The following week, Kalego led Pandora away from the cafeteria. "Where are we going?", she asked, trying to keep up. In a quiet hall corner, away from the noise and eyes of the other students. She blushed with surprise to find Shichiro waiting for them with a blanket spread out and covered with different foods. "It was our turn", said Kalego, trying to ignore the grateful smile on her face. "I hope it tastes okay", ventured Balam, unsure of his friend's culinary skill. Kalego fought off an eye twitch, knowing what he meant.
"It looks wonderful!", said Pandora, taking her place. She waited for Kalego to join them on the blanket before touching anything. As they started to dig in, an unexpected motion beside her caught her eye. Glancing over, she observed Shichiro shyly looking away as he removed his mask before her for the first time. She didn't mean to stare, but she was so curious. Setting it down gently by his plate, he nervously looked up. He couldn't look her in the eye and his face was tinged pink with anxiety.
"Shichiro-kun", she uttered softly. He clenched his eyes, preparing for disgust. "Your face… You're adorable!", she proclaimed, her eyes shining in admiration. He opened his eyes in astonishment. "Huh?"
She wasn't afraid or repulsed at all. In fact, she was looking right at him with a supportive grin and with his 'buzzer' ability, he knew she was being earnest. She wasn't trying to spare his feelings or anything. "I had no idea you had such a precious smile", she stated, pressing her fingers to her face, trying to calm her blushing cheeks. Balam glanced at Kalego who was grinning as he silently ate. Then he realized that he really was smiling, too.
His eyes watered, thankful for her kind words. He had anticipated her to be supportive of him even if she couldn't look at him directly, but he never expected this. Was it possibly true? Could someone actually admire his features instead recoiling in horror? Happy, he began to eat with his friends. He glanced at Pandora occasionally, worried she might be nauseated by the way he looked when chewing, but every time their eyes met, she only smiled, happy to see him at ease.
After they had eaten and cleaned up, as the bell rang, Pandora stood in front of the young Balam. "Thank you for trusting me", she blushed, her hand on his shoulder. He had replaced his mask by then, but nodded shyly, unsure of what to say. Patting his head, she smiled wide, glad to be a little bit closer. She bowed, thanking them both for the meal before hurrying off to class. As Kalego handed over the bundled dishes, Shichiro grinned to himself.
"Kalego-kun… Thank you." His friend smirked in response. "For what?", he replied, passing off his gratitude. Looking into Kalego's face, Shichiro's eyes softened in appreciation. "For encouraging this to happen", he said meekly. Striding away, Kalego teased him, breaking the tension. "It's your face, you moron. Why should I care what you do with it?". Balam really did appreciate the boost to his self esteem. He would continue to wear his mask, but now, at least, there was one more person he could relax around.
Balam's study, the present.
Iruma had tears in his eyes. It was a lovely story. Wiping his face with his sleeve as he smiled, he said, "She sounds really great." Balam smiled softly, glad Iruma understood what kind of demon Pandora was.
"I hope she comes back soon. I'd really like to meet her", said Iruma with a grin. Balam nodded, pleased, knowing they would get along well.
"What made someone so nice join Victoria's side anyway?", asked Iruma absently. Seeing his sensei's expression falter, he knew he'd said the wrong thing. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have - ", he began. His words trailed at the sight of Balam's misty eyes. Shaking himself out of his melancholy, the teacher offered a kind head pat.
"It's okay… It wasn't Pan-chan's choice, but you didn't know", said Balam. Iruma smiled faintly at his teacher's kindness and forgiving nature. Taking a deep breath, Balam explained that Pandora had been missing a long time, thought dead. When he revealed that it was only in the last few days that he'd found out where she was, Iruma was determined to help any way he could.
Under his current relative lockdown, there wasn't a lot he could do, but he did have someone else he could ask, and if Robin-sensei really was missing, it was likely she already knew. He'd decided. After school, he would seek out his master, Bachiko, for assistance.
To be continued...