End of class. Now it's 12:10 p.m. and the last class with the otter teacher was very interesting. His knowledge about zoology and even botany is incredible, opening box inside of box. His name was Carlos, African that lives in Brazil. It explains why he understands about life, nature and so on. He literally traveled in many places I can't wonder. This zoology life is bringing me more curiosity of what I want to become. Live at forest like Tanuki said? No!

When I and Amerix returned at class after break, we sat each one on his desk. I just thought strange than he put his hood again, calling attention of everyone from the class, mainly the mine that began to meet him under a tree alone reading a book. Maybe he is shy, but very shy. Even Carlos called his attention to take out the hood.

I have a little pity of him. Why is he so closed? I know it's very early to talk about our lives and I don't want to press him. Let the time flows.

When we are arriving at university gate, big for my signal, he was by my side not talking, but looks like he enjoys my presence. I am not judging him in nothing, but I think funny he walking together with me after a first day of class.

– Hey, Vanz – he called my attention. – Where do you live?

Calculating my route, street name (if it has) and building.

– I walk twenty minutes to arrive at my apartment. I am from another city. I rented an apartment and I am living alone.

– Serious? – he looked at me very surprised. I felt a little uncomfortable with his look. – And how is it to live alone?

– I don't think so bad. The feeling in being alone and having the space all for you is peaceful. Also, zoology exists only here.

– Very cool! I live here years ago.

– It seems cool, Amerix.

– The city is good – he smiled with blush.

– I see. Sometimes I miss my dad and grandfather. They were my strength in every choices I did – I looked forward walking by one street.

– You seem to love them so much – he did the same. – I don't know if I would have courage like you to risk to go out from the safe place to earn University Degree.

– No, no! – I tried to correct without amaze him. – I don't want University Degree. I am here to follow my dreams, Amerix. Can you understand?

He looked at me for some seconds in silence. By his eyes, I could notice he felt insecurity to reply. Maybe he doesn't want to hurt me or himself.

We were walking a little until we stopped at clover where we our ways would divide.

– My home is there – he points at street.

– You live close.

– Yes – he turned to me. – I would like to meet you best, Vanz, but I don't feel... I don't know. I am still surprised you are talking to me without judging.

I kept in silence ahead his argument while his eyes were changing where to look. Of course I wouldn't hug suddenly or hold his hand if not it would be or scary or gay and I don't want he thinks I am because I am not. His words were heavy when mentioned "judge", but it's crazy to see someone covering the face with hood in the middle of class.

– I understand you, Amerix.

– Sure?

– Trust in me. It's good I am meeting the first university colleague. We can study together. Also, we will have a lot of time to meet each other.

Because the part that we judge him is difficult to argue with someone hiding his face from everyone. He kept in silence for a little time and I received a smile of hope.

– You are right, Vanz.

– Nice to hear it – relief!

– Is there something I should reward you? - Now I got in shock with this proposal.

– Hey! I will be fine to be your friend, at least.

– Friend? – he repeated the word in neutral tone, but all changed with a smile he demonstrated. – I would like to have you by my side, Vanz.

– Me too, Amerix – in what sense, Vanz? I was smiling in blush. – Best I go and prepare my lunch.

– Sure! Sorry if I took your time.

He was shaking his hands like he was anxious, but I think my words were letting him more comfortable and make him smile a little more today. I could see he was innocent, pure, humble. He is a beautiful man that hides his personalities and wishes.

Beautiful, Vanz? My mind is confused, literally.

At this point, we said goodbye and each one followed his way. Giving some steps I look back to see him walking and getting little at my view point. I hope he be fine and I hope to see him back tomorrow at classroom. Gratitude!

~

Arriving at my apartment, my "safe zone". The walk was good and the Sun isn't so strong today. At entrance I check some pamphlets and advises about some events that will happen at city in two months, job offer, some doing marmita (packed lunch, food inside of Styrofoam cabuster) and pizza ads. Pizza is really good, but long time I don’t eat it. Nothing is better than tea prepared with herbs. Reading these pamphlets I felt my stomach snores. I was really hungry because I ate nothing at university. Next time I should prepare a reinforced snack and take with me too. Also, I don't think only me I am hungry. I go up the stairs until I arrive at my apartment, fourth floor, nº 402. Before I open the door, I breathe a little to prepare all the tension, onslaught and surprises that should wait for me. I put the keys, turn and open, seeing my little living room with the table at center and clean furniture. I was surprised that all looked like well for me. The air was good, the harmony, no noise, no dirty, no presence...

– Master!

No presence.... Ó, God! He is here!

He appeared walking from the kitchen with a dishcloth on his forearm with his typical and contagious smile. Maybe he would like a hug to heal my mood, but not now. He is fat, but faster than me for some weird reason that physics can't explain.

At least, a relief two.

– You came fast, Master – he stopped forward me, looking at me with posture.

– The class finishes usually at 12:10 p m. Am I late for something?

– Nothing. I even imagine you already had a lunch.

This was the question: I still didn't have a lunch and to prove my words, my stomach snores again and louder. I until believe he did nothing for me to eat and, unfortunately, I don't want to spend my money to eat out. I should know where are the good restaurants and with good prices. Tanuki looked at me amazed with the sound coming from my belly.

– I thought you ate at univerty – he commented putting his hands on my belly. I took out his hands from there quickly. After he put his own hands on his waist, his belly was topping.

– University – correct him – and I decided to prepare something here. I should remember you to prepare some things while I am out from here.

– All you order, Master – I am not confident with his proposal, mainly with his smiles. After he made a doubt face. – But what will you prepare?

– I bought a piece of liver yesterday and is in the freezer. But until unfreeze it will delay a lot.

I yawn a little. I don't believe I was sleepy right now. What was scaring me was Tanuki looking attentive at my mouth. His eyes were shinning of charm and the body quiet. I get anxious like Amerix. I should remember I am with one crazy.

– Well, I think I should cook for us. I just have no idea of what you like to eat.

– It's easy, Master. – he smiled with closed eyes. – Sushi, lamen, shrimp, seaweeds, peaches and nuts.

I was looking at him so strange, my left eye lifting and my mouth holding to speak something unnecessary.

– Tanuki. We don't eat these foods every day.

– Every weekend? – he asked with a bad face.

– No. Here is Brazil.

– Barazil?

I forgot one detail: he isn't in his homeland. Here we eat rice and beans, some meats, salads, pasta and sone vegetables with different ways to prepare. Resuming, we eat everything that comes. We even have several sauces to let the food tastier. But will Tanuki enjoy our food? It was a big question in my mind, but I have a biggest question:

– Did you live all your life inside of vase and have no idea about the world you are right now?

He was looking so confused, beginning to watch the furniture at my apartment looking so strange and technological; any signal of paintings at walls; the straight simple roof with a lamp shining warm, but not like fire and the ground with pottery. After he went at windows to see his world, the actual with buildings and houses of different sizes and models, the park at front with many trees, cars crossing the streets like old carriages from the old time. All was different and new for him. I am really curious that he knows nothing about the actual world. Was he sleeping during all his life? Or just lazy to discover? Let's remember he is very old, despite his young face. So maybe he isn’t hungry neither thirsty too.

– Master! – he looked at me very scared. I never thought I would see this expression. – These horses are different, the houses made of other material, the air is a little bad, the people wearing strange clothes...

– Nothing is strange, Tanuki. The world is just different – I tried to calm him down, despite I should agree the air is a little bad, saved by the trees of park. – You kept long time locked at vase that you have no idea what was happening at this world.

– But and the legends and Gods? Yokais, yureis, the portal by torii...

Now the confused is me. He was speaking these Japanese names, natural things that happened at his old life. Why should these things exist now-a-day? Well, let's remember again, Vanz, that you are with a person that came from the past age. But is there a possibility to exist all he is saying? Weird Japanese names?

I know nothing about Japanese and their cultures, even if I have a surname coming from there.

Hey! Amerix is Japanese descendant. He can help.

But, wait, Vanz! You can't show Tanuki to him. Can you imagine the problem you can bring for a person you met today at classroom and so discreet? Maybe I should help Tanuki with my own hands. Amerix should know something about Japanese culture. Maybe I should ask to him while I watch Tanuki shaking his arms not conformed with this world. I put my hands on his shoulders and now he looks at me with a lazy face, the eyes fixed on mines.

– Calm down, Tanuki! Don't need to be afraid of this world. I can help you and teach how the world works, alright? – he kept in silence and replied nodding. – Now try to relax and I will prepare a lunch. You should sit at my couch or try to meditate. You are anxious and it isn't good for you.

His ears attentive to me and the eyes still frozen with the mine. The green of his eyes is really beautiful. He nods the head again and I took my hands out of him, going at kitchen to prepare something for us. He kept quiet and stood at same place. Just after he decided to sit at couch and maybe relax, sleep, I don't know. Apparently, I will delay a little with the lunch. My stomach snoring louder, impossible to occult.

Alright. Washing my hands, what do I have here? Rice, beans, liver, tomato and lettuce for our lunch. Tanuki won't look at food with good eyes. My belly doesn't stop snoring louder. It's boring.

– I can fill your stomach, Master.

I turned to him slow and in doubt. He still was at couch looking at me. Really I was very hungry, my stomach was almost corroding my flesh and a good meat would satisfy a lot my hungry. But can he fill my stomach with what?

– Serious, Tanuki? – he nods his head. Well, I should give him a chance, but... – What do you have to offer?

He lifted from the couch and came until me. Crazy that this time I remembered the day that he saved me, he said that would like to sleep inside of my body and now that I remembered this my fur ruffled. I stretched my hands to order him to stop and he did it.

– Would you like I eat you?

He didn’t hide the desire neither the smile. This was all that I suspected to scare me.

– I have a method to keep the stomach busy while I am there – he explains moving his finger. – While you cook, I relax the muscles with the way that you can disguise hunger.

This was a weird method I heard in my life. Also, who would anyone so little disguise a stomach? I was curious at same time that I am scared. But my stomach snores every time and I couldn’t hold it. I was feeling that it will put me down.

– Alright, Tanuki – I sighed defeated. – I accept your idea. How would it work?

– Open your mouth and close your eyes.

I don't like this kind of surprise. Close the eyes means that something bad can come for me, like at some moments from my childhood. But I do what he asked. Open my mouth that should be with a bad breath and close my eyes, waiting for his surprise. I kept like that during... ten, fifteen, twenty... twenty two seconds to feel one thing softer and salty.

– Now you can swallow.

I heard him inside of… me? I lift my head a little and swallow him, I believe. It’s very weird to feel that I am swallowing someone; this is homicide.

God! This thought will put my head to explode soon! I felt something travels in my throat and even making a weird volume and it isn’t my gogo – or Adam’s apple for who doesn’t know. I panted hard already desiring to vomit him out.

– Tanuki? Where are you?

– Here! – I hear his voice, but I don't recognize where it came from. The sound came a little muffled. I looked around again and any signal of him. – I am in your stomach already.

– Already? – I got surprised with the velocity. – And how we are talking?

– Spiritual energy, Master. You have a different energy that is possible to we talk by this say.

He isn't helping me, literally. I even lifted my paw to see if he was under him. Nothing too. Spiritual way? What is he saying? It’s like that I am the blessed one to feel him and we trade thoughts.

But how? He is a magic and me a normal fox.

– Are you alright, Master?

I heard him asking. I have to disguise and sigh again.

– I am. Keep there while I prepare the lunch.

How I wished to forget him forever and ever! Literally it's impossible to forget I ate someone and I know he is still alive in my stomach doing God knows what. Swimming at gastric juicy? Literally he is in the sauna. I am hungry, but I didn't want this kind of food.

Peace, Vanz! Now tries to breathe and bring the peace and concentration to prepare your lunch. Also, Tanuki told you to keep calm while he does his work inside of you and it's what you should keep in mind. He is helping you and you should be thankful with it.

God! I can't forget I ate someone alive!