Capítulo 74: School Tour
Pandora was wearing her dress while in her wheelchair and I was just wearing my normal uniform. Riko was not able to accompany me this time since she was still eating breakfast when I was leaving with Pandora.
I hailed a taxi rather than walking to school. I have a companion in a wheel chair and it would be hard for me to help her if something happened while on the road. While on the cab, it would be safe to say that it is safe for her inside the taxi.
The taxi was fast and we arrive on our destination much earlier than expected. After assembling the wheelchair again for Pandora to sit, many students started to notice me. I helped Pandora sit on the wheelchair. Many students immediately notice her.
"Wow, is she a foreigner? Her hair is so nice!"
"She is so pretty! I can see that she isn't wearing make up! I am jealous on her pretty face!"
"She looks hot! She is also pretty and she looks cool on her wheelchair!"
Many kinds of voices are heard around and most of the topics are all revolving around her. I decided to control my Bloodlust and seep it out so that people stopped us from bothering. Pandora pouted and raises her board.
"Manato, please do not use your bloodlust here."
I frowned before withdrawing the Bloodlust in me and continue on towards the hallway. I can see bullies nearby with lustful eyes on Pandora but once they saw me glaring at them, they will stop doing it and will leave. She didn't seem to mind me if I did that to those morons. Maybe she noticed that not all people has a decent mind.
I move to the Faculty room first. Mr. Sakano was still there and preparing.
"Good morning Mr. Sakano," I greeted. Pandora also bowed down but she did not speak and just nodded. Of course, she won't speak, she is mute.
"Good Morning Manato and who do we have here?" Mr. Sakano smiled as he looked at the graceful Pandora. Pandora bowed and quickly wrote her response on the board.
"Nice to meet you, I am Pandora Akisame. I decided to tag along with Manato on school since my brother has not yet returned and Manato is currently helping me. I wish to observe and tour the school later."
Mr. Sakano nodded before he looks at me.
"Take care of Pandora, Manato, I am allowing her to tour the school and she is also allowed to listen in the classes. Be sure to guard her alright? She shouldn't overexert herself."
"Yes, sensei," I nodded before bowing to Mr. Sakano.
After gaining the approval on Mr. Sakano, I push the wheelchair towards my classroom. The school was built with the people with disabilities in mind. There is a ramp and a smooth pathway for wheelchairs to pass on though usually it is not being used much, it was now properly used by Pandora. It was a smooth travel and we arrived in front of our room. There are still students present outside the classroom and they stare on Pandora. I can see admiration and jealousy on the girls eyes while I saw a few male also admiring Pandora's look. She seems not minding what the other people are thinking on her.
"Should we go in?" I asked her.
She nodded and smiled. I don't know why but she keep on smiling at me. Is my face looked that funny?
As I opened the door, everyone hushed up and their eyes are on Pandora before the girls quickly made their move to gather around her. The boys was obviously infatuated on her as they pull out the hidden combs and mouthwash from their pockets and started using them. Seeing those things, I was about to laugh but then refrained.
"Alright folks, let us in, its almost class time and she is a guest, don't bother her," I said to the girls and boys that tried to surround and 'interrogate" her even though she was not a transferee student. I made my intimidation a bit on a dangerous one and let out a tiny amount of bloodlust a bit. That should scare them a little.
I push the wheelchair just almost next to me. I pushed my chair and desk a little farther than usual and move it beside the wheelchair of Pandora. Janus who was taking a nap in his chair awakens from the commotion and raised his head from his desk, his eyes are still reddish from sleeping. As soon as he get sobered, he looks towards my direction and saw Pandora next to me. As if he saw some sort of treasure, he made a quick dash towards my desk. I didn't even expect that he could do that. Did he just pass through the desks before reaching my desk?
"Damn it, Manato, you found yourself a chick! You even snagged quite a beauty too! Hello mademoiselle, I am Janus Mcgrey, master of Mr. Manato Tsukasa here...Ouch! What was that for?!" Janus rubbed his head when Riko slapped her while in the middle of introducing himself.
"You shut up, you have no right to infect her with your words, you have no shame, you playboy," Riko snorted.
"Tch, I am just introducing myself, you dot have to be so crappy and anti on me," Janus grumbled as he keep on rubbing the back of his head.
Pandora smiled as she was seeing this spectacle skit of the two. Although she was mute, she was not deaf and can hear fine. She might have gotten an education that allows her to distinguish and learn what we are saying, which would be pretty hard without sign language. Just how rich is her family?
The Skit of the two quarreling is cut short when Mr. Sakano opened the door and smiled brilliantly on us, making everyone who was not yet on their seat to scamper as fast as possible. Riko quickly returned to her seat.
"Rise! Bow!
I noticed that Rika and her friend, Suzu were not present. Kirino was present however, but her sister was not. They might be late or they might have decided to take an absent for now from class. They have not experienced what we went through in the Jungle of Deceit, and they might be so tired that they have not the energy to go to school.
The class proceeded smoothly and Pandora was listening intently on every lesson that our teachers did lecture. Though most of the lessons that are discussed are all simple to me as I have already know and answered them in the past, I did not dare to dilly dally on what was happening. Knowledge is still power especially if you returned to the past. You might not know if something unexpected from the past has been modified in this timeline.
All things happened without much stress before the bell that signals that it is time to take lunch rings. The students were very fast that even though the teacher is still on the podium, tidying her books and records were overtaken by her students from exiting the exit.
"This kids..." the teacher shook her head in dismay as she also goes out the door after the whole group of rushing students.
I stood up in my chair and grab the wheelchair of Pandora so that we can now begin what Pandora came here for, touring the school grounds. Still, two annoying people tags along with us.
"So where are you going Manato? The famous Pond of Lovers? The tree of eternity? Or the Benches of Fate?" Janus was very smug, with his eyebrows raising like an idiot.
"What the heck are those names, there are no places named like that! Pond of Lovers? More like Pond of Flirts! What tree of Eternity? Its a friggin Mango Tree! And what the heck, even the benches that is always occupied by many juniors have a name like Benches of Fate? Why did I not hear this?" Riko who was also tagging along corrected Janus who was still grinning.
"I just made it just now," Janus proudly tap his temple like he was saying that "I am a Genius" and showing the "I know everything" look.
"You!" Riko who was clearly annoyed pulls out the rolled school paper on her hands and chases the running Janus who already have an idea on what will happen next.
I shook my head and forced myself not to laugh. Despite seeing these kinds of things in the past, I have really missed these kinds of things. Especially when Riko died, Janus was so depressed that his jolly persona fades away after the burial of Riko. I clearly know that Janus has a crush on Riko and uses this classic teasing technique to get close to her.
Janus is a very good friend of mine and I clearly don't want him to be similar to the Janus that I saw in my past lifetime who became so devoid of life and always depressed, and almost drove himself to suicide. Saving Riko will be my first priority to do here in the real world that I knew that will happen, to do that, I have to let her family stay and encourage Riko to stay here in Japan instead of going overseas. If I have been able to revert a few events in my life, how could I not avert Riko's impending death?
I was so deep in thought that Pandora pats me in my hands to catch my attention. I realized I was so focused in my mind that I have slowed down on walking and eventually goes to stop. She tilted her head although she was similar age to me, she looks like she was a bit more younger than me. She is very capable of unleashing the little sister trait on her. The way she tilted is similar to those anime girls that represented of "What's wrong" look.
I smiled and shook my head, "Its nothing, so where should we go first? Are you hungry? We can do to the cafeteria or we can have lunch somewhere around."
She thought for a while before she goes to her sketchpad and writes a sentence.
"How about we bento the Pond of Lovers that Mcgrey-kun said?"
I nodded to her ad even though Janus and Riko were chasing each other, they still tag along carrying their own lunch boxes.
The so-called Pond of Lovers is not really a pond but a lake. Although it was not prohibited to swim, most students don't bother swimming as there are several incidents of sexual harassment to some senior students. Still, it was more used on fishing and boating. Some teachers and a few students staying in the dormitories of the school are usually seen here every lunch or afternoon whether to go on picnic or to hang out. There are also boats available and it was used as a business by the Principal and opened it for public.
The reason why Janus called it the Pond of Lovers is due to a legend that a kappa* was living on the pond, and if you ride and goes boating together with your girlfriend or boyfriend in the lake, the kappa will bestow the couple with power of love that will not allow the two to be separated whatever it takes.
Although it was a very dumb idea to use a kappa as a matchmaker and Cupid since it was a yokai who are very famous in assaulting humans, it seems making the lake more popular. And for the reason it was called a Pond instead of a lake is due to the big rocks circling around the whole lake and making the whole place similar to a pond in a mansion.
We take lunch on the side of the lake and Pandora clearly enjoys it and even though the two quarreling friends of mine are still arguing and bickering, it was very clear that she enjoyer it. I toured her around the school after lunch with the two, tagging along with free bickering skit and we did not realize that its already time to go back in class when the school bell rings.
Just like the same things in the morning, the classes were still worthwhile listening and remembering. After everything goes, and the bell to end class, I took her to a maid cafe around the Akiba Streets with Janus and Riko tagging along of course. These two are both otakus and although they can be considered as closet otakus*, they still never forget their hobbies and going to Akihabara is one of their habits after going home.
I also enjoyed the trip and although I sacrificed a bit of my time in the game, I have to spend a few hours for my friends and if I have to avert Riko's death, it would be a good thing to keep hanging out with them for quite a while.
We returned home at last and Suhei was waiting for us. She hugged her sister before dragging me with him. Riko and Pandora were already friends so they are now the one conversing to each other. On the other hand, Suhei was smirking at me.
"So, how is the date?" Suhei grinned, similar to how Janus grinned, a face that is very annoying, you can't help but slap it.
"What date, are you serious?" I frowned. Why did this tour became a date instead?
"Just admit it, brother, my sister is quite a looker and even though she has albinism, she is not looking a bit bad right? Although she was a mute, she has a certain charm that you want to hug her right? As a fellow otaku, it is impossible you did not feel that!" Suhei taps my shoulder.
Indeed, Pandora was pretty but I have no interest in taking relationships right now. I have not really trusted Pandora yet and although we are already friends, it was still not close to being more than friends.
"My friend, don't worry, even though I am his brother, I don't have problems with you dating my sister, as long as you don't hurt her, I am quite okay with that. I will support you with that," Suhei taps my shoulder again.
"..." I was speechless. Pandora's brother was clearly unpredictable...
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1. Kappa - A kappa (河童 , river-child), also known as kawatarō (川太郎 , "river-boy"), komahiki (駒引 , horse-puller), kawatora (川虎 , river-tiger) or suiko (水虎 , water-tiger) is an amphibious yōkai demon or imp found in traditional Japanese folklore. They are typically depicted as green, human-like beings with webbed hands and feet and a turtle-like carapace on their backs. A depression on its head, called its "dish" (sara), retains water, and if this is damaged or its liquid is spilled, the kappa is severely weakened.
2. Closet Otaku - an otaku that didn't reveal his passion on anime or any Japanese related culture like manga. Not only did they tell no one, they are embarrassed by it, and feel that your friends and family won't accept it.
Author's Note:
Hey guys! Many of you might be wondering why the gate guardian is not mentioned until now. Remember that Manato did not tear the scroll yet. Of course, it will appear later on, just be patient. Also, I am sorry for the very slow rate of update. Although, I don't do a regular update, I usually give an update every Friday, Saturday or Sunday, or depending on your timezone out there. Just be patient. Still, just give me your honest opinions in this novel I appreciate the thought.
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Kyosei
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