'Pull a few strings' he said. Heh. More like just toss me into another class and take me out of the rest. Simple thing for the principal…
I waited patiently outside the door for the teacher to call me inside. Mephisto and Amaimon had left me a few minutes ago in their animal forms after having guided me here that afternoon. Absently, I rubbed the smooth skin of my shoulder—the same one Amaimon had wounded, thus giving me a temptaint—recalling Mephisto's words.
'Amaimon's saliva had healed the injury.' I thought back to the out-of-character demonstration of the normally-violent and uncaring demon king. Why had he healed me? And why did he have to do it in such a way?! It felt as if all my hormones had reverted to teenage level once again. Everything was buzzing just beneath my skin and threatening to burst at the barest touch! Where had all that come from?
"Mana Feldman? You can come in now," Yukio Okumura's face popped out the door, startling me at the sudden appearance of my young instructor. "Sorry," he apologized, quickly, with a gentle smile.
"It's alright," I shyly waved off his apology, mentally slapping myself for my bad first impression. Social interaction was not my forte. The one thing I had going for myself in this exorcism school was my complete disregard for my own death.
I took a deep breath to calm myself before I followed Mr. Okumura back into the classroom for "cram" school. Instantly, all eyes fell upon my small, slight frame as I stood in the front of the dingy classroom. It was far different from the expansive cavernous one I'd been in earlier. Fewer students, small area, and an inexpensive décor I was accustomed to. Those facts helped ease away some of my innate shyness.
"Everyone, this is Mana Feldman, your new classmate," Yukio introduced for me, thankfully, as my voice was currently stuck in my throat. "Please, treat her well." He then turned to me with a gentle smile. "If you would take a seat behind Rin Okumura, we can start class. Okumura? Raise your hand."
Although I didn't need help in identifying the black-haired, blue-eyed boy snoozing away at his desk near the back, I appreciated the attention being diverted from me.
"Ugh! Not again!" a male student with hair that strongly reminded me of a skunk and several piercings growled from his chair. His narrowed, brown eyes gave the lazy male a harsh glare.
"The desk behind the sleeping idiot," Yukio gave an exasperated sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache. Which, honestly, he probably was. Perhaps, even a migraine…
I could only nod my head in acceptance, unwilling to advance his pain, before moving down the aisle to my seat. I settled in quickly, glad that I didn't have a sleepy hamster on my lap this time.
The rest of the day passed in relative peace. Rin, to my surprise, slept like a rock through the entire class. I got a few stares from the other students, but nothing I couldn't handle. It was only when we got released for the day—with homework, might I add—that all Hell broke loose. Instead of me skedaddling out of there like a cat with a tail on fire, I got surrounded…
"Hey there, pretty lady," the boy with pink hair crooned as he settled atop my desk. "My name's Renzo Shima. Please to meet your acquaintance." Another's hand came over his face and pulled him out of my personal space.
"That's enough, Shima," the burly guy with the blonde streak through his hair continued to drag his friend until they stood a respectable distance away. "Apologies for him. He's always like that," he told me in a gruff voice. "I'm Ryuji Suguro." He offered an outstretched hand, something I wasn't expecting considering I was in Japan.
"Nice to meet you," I replied in a shy voice, face pink from the attention.
"And I'm Konekomaru Miwa," his bald friend spoke up from his side. The boy was shorter than me! Scrawnier, even! And I hadn't been eating well the past week or two, so I was pretty on the thin side…
I returned the bow he gave me in greeting, praying that I wasn't making a fool out of myself. With a glance around the room, I'd noticed that Izumo, Paku and, surprisingly, Shiemi had already exited the premises. The first two didn't shock me, but I half-expected Shiemi to hang around Rin or something…
'She was still wearing that kimono, though…' I thought to myself, recalling that it hadn't been until after she'd gotten over her shyness of befriending others when she'd exchange it for the usual uniform.
"See ya around, Mana," Shima waved rom the death grip his friend still had him in, smiling while being dragged out the door. Konekomaru gave one last smile and friendly wave of his own before following the pair. Soon enough, I was alone in the room—a rare thing for me, as I was usually the first out the door.
An abrupt snore pulled my attention to my deskmate in front of me.
Well, almost alone…
Only Yukio, Rin, and I remained. Yukio looked busy cleaning up, so I took the chance to give Rin a light jab with the end of my pencil. He didn't even budge. A frown pulled at my lips at that and I was about to poke him harder in the ribs when something caught my eye.
Something long and slender—like rope or a cord—hung out of the back of his shirt. Glancing up to see Yukio cleaning off the blackboard, his back to me, I took the chance and gently grabbed the demonic appendage that had loosened from his waist. The sudden spark I felt upon touching it lead me to instantly release the tail. And just in time, too, as it had shot Rin awake with a yelp.
I winced at the pain it caused my ears. I hadn't thought I'd grabbed it that hard. I barely touched him…
"Rin? I see you're awake. Oh, Miss Feldman, you're still here?" Yukio looked back at the classroom, his glasses glinting in the golden light from the window.
"Yeah…" I mumbled to myself out loud, used to having people not feel my presence. That just seemed to be one of my characteristics—one that came in handy when trying to stay out of the limelight.
"Woah! Who are you?" Rin looked down at me in shock, his sky-blue eyes wide and sharp canines clearly visible. The pointed ears and tufted tail now swinging freely at his ankles were dead giveaways of his demonic heritage.
"Rin!" Yukio's yell came too late as I'd already seen the slender black appendage. I got an even better view when the clueless ravenette turned to face his brother and nearly hit me in the face with it. On reflex, I caught it in my hand before it could smack me in the nose.
Rin froze on the spot, his tail going stiff at the feel of my hands around it. I was only glad it didn't shock me this time…
"Cool tail," I complimented with a kind smile, not seeing the reddened cheeks or hazy blue eyes of my classmate. Instead, I allowed his tail to slip from my fingers. "Are you a demon, then?" I asked in a straightforward manner, keeping my smile warm and inviting so as to not off put either of the boys. I already knew the answer, of course, but I wasn't supposed to have such knowledge.
Yukio held back, clearly nervous while Rin seemed to snap out of whatever trance he'd been in. A large grin formed on his face and, before I knew it, he was way far into my personal bubble, nose mere centimeters from mine.
"You're not scared?" he demanded, eyes bright and face hopeful.
"Of course not," I affirmed in a nervous voice, acutely-aware of how close he was. The heat radiating from his body strongly reminiscent of Amaimon's transgression earlier that day. The wall digging into my back as I had abruptly retreated from the excited teenager only strengthened such unwanted thoughts flitting about in my head. His hands found mine, cupping both my own in his and bringing them up to our chests.
If I was any redder, I'd be mistaken for a tomato…
"Let's be friends!" he exclaimed in a rush of excitement. Fangs—easily visible—protruded from his jaw as his lips stretched into a wide grin. His blue eyes seemed to shine with joy and his own cheeks were a rosy tinge. From the peripheral of my vision, I could even see his demonic tail rapidly swinging back and forth like a dog's.
He was acting like he was five! Was he really a teenage boy? I expected this from Shiemi—maybe Shima, if I really stretched it—but not from the laidback loner known as "Rin Okumura"…
"Uh, I mean," he quickly dropped my hands and straightened his posture upon noticing my obvious discomfort. "You don't have to. I'd understand—"
"Yes! I mean, I'd like to be your friend," I cut him off, flustered at the abrupt situation I had found myself in. "I was just surprised by the offer. I don't really have any friends…" I explained with an awkward blush, twiddling my forefingers. Truth be told—other than my sister—I didn't actually socialize much. The small group of friends I had previously were old classmates of mine and—even then—were much closer with my ex, so when we broke up…
"Yeah? Well, neither do I, so we'll be best buds!" Rin assured with a smile, swinging an arm around my neck as if we already were best friends. Although embarrassed by the affection, I could feel warmth suffuse in my heart at the declaration…
But I doubted he'd want to be my friend once he got to know me better…