Lavo Standard (8) (7-20-09)

Although Juno was duly called and given a soft scolding by Perry (and subsequently by Suzan as he phoned her later) after the curriculum on Tuesday, Perry, his students and peers from other classrooms caught the sight of Libro and shared not a spooky atmosphere but a cheerful, peaceful one.

It was yet Friday, but Perry’s classroom retained palpable happy spirits. Students were chatting about Libro and asked Juno questions, to give her the sense of celebrity. Some even pestered her with asking to visit her house and meet Libro. At an early stage their interest in him exhilarated Juno, but increasingly grew frustration inside her. Did I actually do something wrong? Juno unconsciously asked herself, but wouldn’t necessarily look for an answer. Yet sick of mobs, she chose to secretly invite just Yasumi, one of her best friends. With this decision, a further commotion would be avoided at her house.

After school, Juno and Yasumi were taking the same route. Yasumi looked a little flabby. And she was not as talkative as Juno, to be a good listener. There may be a few stalkers staring at satchels on the pair, or another topic of the day, that someone attacked a student in Tony’s classroom and took part in his classes as an imposter, may have drawn them after planting the seeds of suspicion in their minds that Libro had something to do with the incident. But it was certainly a sense of freedom that Juno was feeling comfortable with.

However, something unusual was awaiting Juno. The front yard was thronged by those wearing cameras and pieces of equipment. And only Takeko came to her, lacking Akichalo. Inside the house, after washing hands and gargling, Juno and Yasumi searched Libro, looking into every nook and cranny. But they couldn’t reach him. Every time Juno asked Suzan, Lois or Mel, the answer was undertoned “I don’t know.”

Unfortunately, Yasumi couldn’t see Libro and went back home. Suzan was getting dinner, restlessly reciprocating between the kitchen and the living room, a scene Suzan usually didn’t show. Katz was in his room upstairs. Lois and Mel were watching the TV news in the living room wherein Juno was being laid-back. To her surprise, a short movie that was showing Libro sprang from the program. The headline read, “A new type of flu virus?”

“Suzan, they are showing the things,” said Lois. In no time, she moved into the living room and confirmed that Daryl’s incident was attached to the main topic with Libro. The media thinned the seriousness of the disappearance of her son by connecting seemingly two different subjects together and referring to extraterrestrials. Yet making sure that Daryl’s facial photo was spread out via the TV news, she considered her plot to be working as successful as it was planned.

It came at a cost, though: the movie, in which Suzan and Akichalo participated, froze Juno’s body and mind.

Then, she erupted.

“What did you do, mom!?”

“Which is more important for you, Daryl or the slime?” Suzan loosened tension on her eyebrows to appease Juno.

“I hate you!” Juno’s wide-opened mouth discharged acrimony. Tears welled up and trickled down cheeks. She left the living room and sulked in her room upstairs.

“Akichalo, you’ve come back!”

Despite the falling out indoors, at almost the same time a male Cavalier was welcomed by his partner in the front yard, after a short journey.