Finally I arrived at my classroom at the end of hall. Why should zoology be the last class on this huge university, together with biology and botamy? I heard that there is a garden and a harvest close at these classrooms, but they forget we are at second floor. I don't see trees looking by the window. I wanted to know who had this idea to connect us with nature if our only neighbors are a harvest and some flowers.

I enter at classroom and I observe the people all sitting, believing nobody is known here. That's a good and bad part of university and I would be hugely surprised if I met someone on my first day of class. I search a good chair for me, close to window, but not so much at front. Last line, second "column"; I put my notebook at the desk and sit. Pen, pencil and eraser are safe in my pocket. I check my cellphone for a moment to see the hour. 7:49 am. Almost close to begin the class, I presume. The teacher didn't arrive and I could have time to check messages or if I received call, but after I should mute if not some noise of call could disturb the teacher and I would call attention from everyone and it wouldn't be wonderful. Fast clicks and just it. Social media only at home and I am not so fan on these things. I just have to maintain contacts with family, some few friends I have the pleasure to keep the link and some others to know what they are doing. But I think so boring seeing people posting photos with some little simple message like "tired". I prefer to follow people that have the similar likes, mainly at zoology and yoga. My family is the only one that does yoga and have the Chinese culture, the yin yang, preserve the good and the evil, equality and balancing.

There is only one message coming from my father, asking how are the stuffs there. He sent it yesterday. I really forgot to check. Thanks God I didn't put telephone at my apartment. My father could call and hear a voice from someone strange and, worse, saying "the Master is at university". When I hear someone call other of Master I have two things in mind: or he is pupil or gay.

I don't want to full my mind with suspicious questions right now I am going to have my class. It looks like common to teacher appears after the class time, like always happened when I studied at public school.

I was quiet enough to not look at someone. I kept my cellphone and maintained breathing and bringing with me peace and concentration, at time that teacher appeared at classroom, finally. I watch him coming until his table and putting his books, pens and a notebook, greeting the place with "good morning". All the class replied. The teacher was very young or his face gives the impression that he is young. It's a brown otter with glasses, blond hair, wearing an elegant coat and navy-blue pants. He uses one collar looking like a tooth of big predator with saws at board, a black bracelet with a symbol that I suppose to be an anchor and a gold ring at left hand, giving me the confirmation that he is married. He should be the zoology teacher that I will learn.

My teacher seated at chair, opening his notebook to organize the school grade and the class for today, where I have no idea what we will begin to study. I remember a little the grade of materials.

At door, at left at classroom, one other student appeared so "discreet". He was wearing a black coat and using hood to hide his face. My first impression was he is stoner, but I stopped a little to watch him best in secret. Or meet him, what could be a good and a bad idea. Good because I can have the pleasure to know the first student and colleague to talk, do homework and so on; the bad because he can be a stoner. He walked crossing by me, without looking away and sitting at the back of the class, putting his notebook at desk and lowered his head. His behavior was so scary for me. Maybe I am being very curious, but not only me; all the classroom was looking at him with weird eyes. Would be rude or a sacrifice of my part to lift from my desk and try to talk to him?

I don't know what to do. Best I be quiet at my place and watch the teacher preparing everything before I turn my eyes to the hooded and be noticed. I feel a little worried by him. For some moment, my mind asks me to try to talk to this person, at same time he says to not. My head was in fight against myself, a war where two samurais using their wood katana to hit themselves, trying to decide who would win to guide my choice about the student.

Forget it! The teacher called the attention of everyone to begin the class. At least, a good part was beginning. I was really ready for my first day of class, of university and of new life I am living.

~

Break time. It's time I would go out a little and meet a big part of university, because I believe I won't be capable to meet everything. Garden, harvest, halls, refectory, library, sports court and so on. Here is an immense place to get lost, if I wanted to be like Tanuki said of lives that live at forest by themselves. I either could go and search for Mika, but I should know where is her classroom and after mount a map where I can walk, which hall to take and so on. It would be a good adventure, but best forget it for a while. I don't want to imagine it as a prince looking for his princess.

How is break time, I wanted to know where is the refectory to know what they have to offer or sell. It's so common they sell chips, savory, candies and chocolates. Typical, but I believe they offer snack too, simple and typical. I remember at school they offer cracker with juice, apple, breads, but I remember they offer reinforced foods like chicken soup, carter rice, rice and beans and, the most wished for everyone, bread with steaks. If I will find this kind of snack I would enjoy, even preferring to bring my own food. Well, I never brought a wonderful food, but it's good, at least.

And today I didn't bring any food, so I have to find something.

I go down the stairs to search the refectory; the crowd is full and mixed in everywhere. I could see every kind of species, colored, hairy, layers, big, little, ugly... here is a kind of village where there are all kind of class. I just hope to not find Kona in this middle.

I arrive where I believe to be the little garden with one tree, chairs and the refectory under the roof. The walls were interesting red bricks with white lines, the baseboards jointing with white ceramic, the ceiling frame so simple and beautiful like roman model, some big windows where I believe to be teacher’s rooms and others. By the size, I was sure they sell all I said before. I believe I have money enough to buy because, depending of place I am, they sell expensive and how I am at one of best universities, I am sure they sell high. But I remembered there is one other and boring problem: line. This line was big. I am in doubt if I go at line and try to survive until the break time ends or I sacrifice my hungry until the end of classroom, going direct at my apartment.

At the middle of park there was a tree making a good and little shadow who is sitting, but for my curiosity the only one who was sitting there was the strange guy at the back of class. His black coat and hood covering even his eyes, curled up on his tree and with some book at his hands, looking like his only way to distract and enjoy his free time is reading. My head was filling of curiosity about him, why he prefers to get alone from everyone, contrary of me that have a little interest to meet new people when necessary and maybe... now was necessary. Well, I saw again Mika and Kona. I am safe and well with them. Not so much with Kona. But and this strange guy? I was wondering if was a good idea to go there and talk to him, why he is so hidden and alone. I look around to see if someone is looking at me because I would feel uncomfortable with people looking at us like....

I don't know. Maybe this is thing of my head.

I breath deep and try to focus in my soul, taking out every kind of stumble in my mind and searching courage to meet him. While I walk until there, looks like my legs are shaking and getting crooked, a lame. I was wishing to meet him. I just have no idea what to talk to him and I was already close to him, but he didn't notice me. He is focused in his reading. It would be bad to disturb him right now, but would be worse I come close to him and suddenly get away from without reason. I breathed a little more and decided to greet him with "hello". He looked up fast to me and closed the book, scared or even surprised. I still couldn't see perfectly his face, but it was notable his fur is dark like his hand, but his nose and eyes were clear, a strange green... neon? He curled up more at my presence. I tried to calm down. How?

– I’m sorry if I disturbed you. I am your colleague at same classroom. I don't know if you noticed me, but I...

– Why are you here?

His question was very cold and dry. The hood was covering half of his eyes, difficult to describe his expression. I got a little in shock with the question, but I didn't want to let someone alone from everyone. Every student I see is accompanied by someone, what looks like a kind of lucky for a first day.

Alright! Not everyone, but the majority.

– I wanted to make company with you. You are alone and look like sad.

– How could you know I am sad? – other question. He looks dispirited.

– Because you are being... discreet.

Good word, Vanz! Discreet! Good affront, perfect to shake his emotions or disturb his loneliness. We maintained quiet, the silence between us predominating and the noise of everyone talking between them, a mixed noise indescribable to know what they are speaking. I thought I disturbed him a lot only with my presence.

– Ah.... – trying to search words. – Best I let you alone...

– No! – he shouted weak looking at me with his eyes shining, getting me in surprise. – I mean... You can make company with me.

– Sure? Won't I disturb you?

He took out his hood, shaking the ears uncomfortable and looking at me like someone wishing a company. His fur was really dark: a mix of black and blue on face and on left ear; the right ear, nose and left eye with a green neon color and the right blue eye. His fur is an interesting mix, thing I never saw on my life. By his fur and expression, he was a wolf. If I am wrong, he corrects me.

– I would like to meet someone at my first day of class. So, I think would have a pleasure to meet you.

And it's good for me and for him. I laugh in my mind how I am blushing deep while he wanted to meet someone wearing like a stoner, a stranger, a sad-man. I am happy he received my invitation to sit with him while the next class doesn't begin. I go slow to sit at his side and he even opens a little of space for me.

– I am glad you received me to talk to you – I answered looking at him with a smile.

– I am surprised you aren't thinking me strange.

Well, strange I was thinking since he entered at classroom. I smiled shy with his comment and he was looking at same way. It was impossible for me to not notice the curiosity coming from his fur. Is he saying himself strange because of mix of colors in his face? I wonder if his body is like that too. It would explain the reason he wearing a coat, covering everything.

I tried to continue with our meeting with some comments I thought it would help him to opens a little for me.

– I don't want to become a strange for you, but I was worried because you were alone.

– I know – he shrugged with the eyes not so surprised with this argument, like he has notion of this. But he laughed a little and then replied. – Sorry, but it's because I don't see myself a good person to become friend.

– Why do you ask it? – my eyes lifted together with ears.

– I don't know really – he looked down, maybe thinking. After he laughs from nothing. – I am strange for you.

– But is there something wrong in being strange?

This question made us get quiet for some seconds. He looked down again, to my thighs, the eyes feeling a little taste of disappointment.

– I would like to know too.

This was his answer to me, piercing me with toothpicks while I have no idea how to react his deep reply. He looked at me like he saw a ghost and put back his hood to cover his head. I thought to interrupt with my hand and comfort with some words like "you don't need to hide", but it could let him disturbed more. He said anything anymore.

I looked at green grass, observing our shoes almost close and the people at university talking and making a noise like they already met themselves. I preferred to stay there for some reasons: I have no idea where Mika would be and meeting the first colleague at class can help me to... pass a time? Usually, study and do works together are the main reason that everyone does when begin the school. Nobody likes to do works alone and I testify. We maintained there for some seconds quiet; me looking at front and he, down.

– Why don't you go with them? – he broke the silence. – These people look happy talking and meeting new friends.

I couldn't reply with something rude. Also, I would be an impostor among them. I see these people talking, really looking like happy.

– I don't have friends too. I am new from here.

He reacted with nothing. I keep in silence with him, but he took out the hood again, looking at me. His eyes were a different charm, each one with one color and he has pulled eyes too, like me. I suppose he has descent from the same region than me.

– I think I am being a little dry with you – and it's true. He replied giving a smile. – I am Amerix.

– Nice, Amerix – I replied back with a smile. – I am Vanderlei, but call me Vanz, please.

– Vanderlei – He laughed. – I never heard this name.

– I know. It's... strange – I laugh with him to let our symphony sweet. – My mother who gave me this name.

– And are you Japanese?

– No no. I am Chinese, but I have a Japanese name in my identify.

– Ah, yes. I am Japanese. I thought it would be so difficult to find someone that has descent from the land of the rising Sun.

I laugh with him. Also, the land of the rising Sun... Japan. It looks like a wonderful country with landscapes to take out the breath of everyone, the culture, music, arts, people...

Tanuki...

Yes... I remembered Tanuki is from there. Should I think in positive things about Japan?

The alarm is ringing. Time to return at classroom. Right now that I was meeting Amerix. At least, we can go at class together and talk a little. He lifted first, giving me a hand.

– Thank you – I hold his hand, being pulled to lift. – Are you feeling best?

– A little – he looked at side a little shy and putting his hand in coat pocket while the other holds a book. – It's just good to meet someone to study zoology.

– Ah, yes! Difficult to find someone to study it.

I think I will enjoy to study with a new person to help me. Well, look at good side, Vanz. Maybe this first day is getting good.