The Panda
“Mary.”
“mMmm”
“You want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Huh?”
“Is everything alright?”
“Of course.”
Sayaka stopped what she was doing and stared at Mary. Looking to the left and rubbing her neck - signs of her lying.
“Come on, I know that look.”
__________
It all started when Mary was cleaning the panda’s enclosures when she felt that there was a presence behind her. At first she brushed it off, thinking that it was probably her co-workers playing a prank on her. It happened a couple of times before so she wasn’t going to be surprised if they were going at it again. She turned around, ready to 'reprimand' them but only to be met with the pandas chewing on their delicious bamboo.
Weird… I swear that I felt someone was there..
Her thought quickly subsided as a white panda had cling itself onto her leg.
"Ah, it's you."
Mary chuckled and bent down to pat its head. The panda refused to let go and hugged itself tighter.
"Here you go."
Mary took out a bamboo shoot and waved slowly in front of the panda. The panda release it's hold and grabbed the shoot. It sat by itself, munching on it. Mary watched and only resume her work once it had finished the 'food'.
As she swept the enclosure, she continued to feel the mysterious presence behind her. It seemed to grow stronger when she was sweeping the white panda's side of the area.
She could no longer choose to ignore it as she felt as if it was just inches away from her now. Her heart thumped faster and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
Mary gripped tightly onto the rake and slowly turned her head around and saw...
A white mask.
“MMMMM!” Mary slapped her hand over her mouth immediately, mustering all her might not to scream as she did not want to scare the pandas here.
On other days, in situations like this, she would have given a direct sucker punch or a roundhouse kick.
But she can’t do that, she would risk hurting the animals or worse the vice president who’s in front of her!
What the fuck?!
The only thing she could do: curse internally.
Exhaling the breath she was holding, she raised up her hand and knocked lightly on the mask's forehead.
“You scared the living lights out of me!”
“My apologies, Mary-san.”
“You could have told me earlier that you’re coming.”
“This was an unscheduled visit.”
“You need something?”
“I came to say hello.”
“Erm hi?”
Ririka looked down at the direction of Mary’s leg. The white panda was hiding behind Mary’s leg, peeking at the stranger.
“Oh, this is Aoi. Ahhh... She’s just shy which is why she doesn’t mingle with the rest of the pandas. Heh...” Mary looked to the left and rubbed the back of her neck.
Ririka nodded and waved to the panda before quickly exiting the enclosure, leaving Mary standing alone, bewildered about what just happened.
Eventually, this happened a couple of more times that Mary was used to it. Ririka would always come unannounced and leave quickly after a couple of minutes. Despite seeing each other almost every day, they barely exchange any words.
__________
Where is she...
Mary has been staring at the entrance door multiple times, today. She was determined to catch Ririka in the act of entering the enclosure but to no avail.
Is she not coming today? Did something happen to her? An accident? Wait, why do I care? Pfffff... It’s a break for my heart. If she continues, I’m going to have an early diagnosis of heart attack.
Speaking of which, shouldn’t she inform me that she’s coming in? She comes in to say hello and waves to the pandas. She seemed to like Aoi the most though but afterwards she just leaves. Who does that?! Even the pandas had more interactions with her than me. TCH.
But then again, it’s not like we are friends. She is my boss. I’m her worker. Well, technically, she is Sayaka’s boss. Does that make her my boss’s boss? So I’m her employee’s employee? Does that even make sense? Do I make sense? ARGH, This is frustrating!
“Perhaps.”
Ah, yes, thank you. See, I understand myself.
Mary had her arms folded, hugging onto the rake, nodding her head in agreement.
I wonder if we could be friends.
“We aren’t?”
Well, I don’t know if she wants to. We don't speak more than 5 words. I mean, am I unapproachable?
Mary placed her chin on top of the handle of the rake.
“How do we become friends then, Mary-san?”
For a start, she should just call me Mary. Friends don't have to be so formal with each other.
“Okay. Mary.”
See, that’s so much better.
Mary turned to the side with a smile pasted on her face, happy with the internal conversation that she had with herself.
Or so she thought.
Her smile dropped when she realised that she wasn’t alone.
Ririka was standing next to her.
“FUCK!” Mary yelled, dropping the rake and pressed her hands at her chest, panting from the shock.
“Hel-”
“HELL NO. YOU NEED TO STOP DOING THAT.”
“My apologies, Mary.”
Before Mary could say anything else, she gave a nod and walked over to Aoi. The panda peeked behind the treehouse and walked over to sit in front of her. Ririka gave a small wave and exited the enclosure.
Forgetting about the scare she had just gotten, she was determined to talk to Ririka about this behaviour of hers the next time she sees her. She got to stop sneaking her up like that.
__________
Unfortunately for her, Ririka never visited. This was the beginning of the 4th week that even Aoi had noticed. She has been sitting at the side, glancing at the entrance, just like what Mary had been doing - sneaking peeks at the metal gate.
How can she do this? Appearing and then disappearing. Tch. Even poor Aoi noticed that she hadn't been visiting. My poor baby. Why bother to visit in the first place anyway!
Mary swept the ground grumpily, swinging the rake with more power than usual.
Everyone around her began to notice her ‘weird’ behaviour.
During her shows, some visitors commented that the show host sounded unnatural.
Her co-workers were afraid to approach her as they noticed the slight drop in her tone when they asked her some questions. Some swore that they even saw a dark aura around her.
Her fans were convinced that the management had made her work too hard and were threatening to lodge complaints.
Sayaka pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling a long sigh as she ran through the complaints she had received for the 3rd week.
Of course, she had noticed that Mary was acting weird lately. With her employees bursting into her room to ask about her best friend, the mountain load of emails she has been getting from her fans and not forgetting to mention, that they almost rode at the wrong side of the traffic when they drove home the other day!
She knew something was up and suspected a certain person to be the reason but she just need the confirmation.
“Saya, you ready?”
Sayaka placed her glasses on her table. She’s going to talk to Mary about HER behaviour.
__________
*present*
“Come on, I know that look.”
“It’s just… I’m worried about Aoi. Ririka stopped visiting and Aoi just sat there, waiting for her arrival, every day… You know how sad it is. Especially for Aoi? Like does she even care. Maybe she doesn't but then why bother to come every day and greet the pandas. TCH. Do you know when she’s coming again?”
The Vice-President?
Sayaka scoffed, trying her best not to laugh.
“And?”
“Tch, what do you mean ‘And’ ??? Are you not worried about Aoi?!” Mary slammed her palm onto her table, papers flew around the office.
“Mary. You have a phone.”
“Of course, I do! What does it have to do with this conversa-”
Sayaka had her eyebrow raised, lips pursed together with the corners pointing up.
“Right…”
Mary wiped the spot that she had slammed and began to pick up the scattered papers. She stacked them nicely on Sayaka’s table and went to the couch. She moved to most 'cornerest' that she could squeeze herself in and curled in her own embarrassment.
She had forgotten that she has Ririka’s number.
“BWAHAHAHA!”
“SHUT UP!”
__________
*Ririka’s phone*
Mary (Zoo): Hey
Mary (Zoo): Hello
Mary (Zoo): You there?
Ririka: Yes Mary. How can I assist you?
Mary (Zoo): You mind telling me when you’re visiting again?
Mary (Zoo): Aoi has been grumpy without seeing you.
Mary (Zoo): Also, telling me would prevent me from getting an early diagnosis of heart attack.
Mary (Zoo): Imagine me getting a heart attack in front of you. X(
Ririka: Apologies. Don’t worry. I’m a certified first aider. I’m equipped with first aid knowledge such as mouth to mouth resuscitation.
Mary (Zoo): Oh, that’s cool
Mary (Zoo): I failed mine
Mary (Zoo): The stupid instructor kept laughing and said that I was going to push out the dummy’s intestines.
Mary (Zoo): HIS intestine would have been out if Sayaka didn’t stop me.
*Mary (Zoo) is typing....*
*blank*
*Mary (Zoo) is recording....*
Mary (Zoo): *audio: -me that! Stop speaking so casually to the Vice-President! Yo-*
*blank*
Mary (Zoo): Ignore that.
Mary (Zoo): I don’t know who’s that.
Mary (Zoo): Never heard her in my life before.
Mary (Zoo): So when are you coming?
Ririka: The next visit is scheduled 3 days from now.
*Mary (Zoo) is typing....*
*blank*
*Mary (Zoo) is typing....*
*blank*
*Mary (Zoo) is recording…*
Mary (Zoo): *audio: Hello, Vice-. SAYA, GIVE ME BAC-*
*blank*
Mary (Zoo): Ignore that too.
Mary (Zoo): Okay, so Friday.
Mary (Zoo): See you then.
__________
“I didn’t know you had that in you.”
Ririka frowned, not understanding what she meant. Looking at the mirror’s reflection, her sister had a growing smirk on her face.
Kirari leaned forward and placed her chin on her shoulder.
“mouth... to mouth?” she whispered in her ear.
Ririka’s cheeks burned realising what Kirari was implying.
“Don’t need to get flustered, my dear sister.” Kirari laughed, poking her cheeks.
"Unless. You meant it?" She gave her a tight squeeze before releasing her.
"No!"
__________
Mary tapped her foot rapidly. Today is the day that Ririka is coming. She had long finished her duties and was waiting for her.
She kept glancing at the entrance, wondering when she would appear.
Time passed and still no signs of Ririka.
“You have a phone.”
“Tch, stupid Saya” She cleaned the air bubbles around her head, annoyed with Sayaka’s voice resonating in her brain.
Mary happily reached for her pocket, only to realise that she did not have her phone with her.
“Great. Just fucking great. Good job, Mary.”
“What’s great?” A hand landed on her shoulder.
“GAH! Haha… Hoo… How... What.. Nevermind…”
Mary squatted down, resigning to her fate, her hands over her face.
Aoi took the opportunity to knock her down and made herself comfortable on her lap. Mary patted Aoi’s head and looked up at Ririka.
“Do you... want to touch her?” Mary asked hopefully.
During the 3 days of ‘preparation’, Mary had asked her co-workers whether Ririka had visited when they were cleaning up their respective assigned enclosures. All of their answers were either “no” or “who?”. She guessed that she probably liked pandas the most since she’s always here.
Ririka seemed to pause for a minute to think and then shook her head. Mary sighed, pending defeat.
She was sure, well semi sure, that Ririka surely liked Aoi. I mean, who wouldn’t?
Mary had learned to read behaviours and face expressions. Children’s likes or dislikes are shown from their behaviour and face expressions because they have no control over them and tend to wear their emotions on their sleeves. For adults, you just have to pay more attention to the little details and you’ll be right 85% of the time. The remaining 15%?, she'll know.
But this? This is foreign. She never met someone like her before.
First, she doesn’t express herself. Next, I can’t tell what she’s feeling with that damn mask.
Surely it’s not because of this, right... No, she’s not that kind of person.
Mary looked at her with hopeful eyes and hoped her theory was right, pulling Ririka’s hand to Aoi. Ririka bent forward with the force and touched the soft fur.
Feeling the warmth touch, Aoi nuzzled at her palm.
Ririka stroked Aoi’s ears, cheeks, chin and then stopped at her neck. She lightly brushes over the bite marks near Aoi’s neck.
“Hey, careful there.”
“The reason is because she’s albino isn’t it?”
“....”
“Abandonment and ostracism are common in Albinism cases. They have poor eyesight, which makes it harder for them to hunt for food. Hence you have been making sure that she eats properly before resuming your task. She is also bullied by the rest, so she does not sit with them. The enclosure will be split into 2 if no one is watching so that they won’t fight.”
“Yes, you're right. I do hope they get along one day but anytime anyone’s not watching, they’ll start to fight again. I really tried to bring them together because Aoi is always alone. It really pains my heart.”
Sensing the sadness in Mary’s voice, Ririka moved her hand and patted on Mary’s head, wanting to comfort her.
“Thank you for taking such good care of her.”
“Well, thanks for not disliking her.”
A moment of silence washed over the both of them as they don’t know what to do next.
Ririka was unsure when to stop and Mary was too embarrassed to stop her.
It was only when Aoi pulled Ririka’s arm that cleared the awkwardness between them.
“I’ll visit her more often.”
Ririka patted Aoi’s head one last time and stood up to leave.
“WAIT!” Mary grabbed her wrist.
“Do you want to go out and have a drink with me?”
“I MEAN US. Not me. As in, not only with me. With Sayaka. Me and Saya. I and Sayaka? No. Sayaka and I. Yup. We always head out on a Friday for a drink or two at this bar that she likes. I have no idea why. But yeah, we are heading there tonight again. Just wondering whether you want to join us, since you’re here and of course, only if you’re free. If you’re not, tha-“
“Yes.”
“Huh? Oh! Great!"
“and I’m just going to Sayaka’s office.” Ririka pulled back her hand a little.
“Right, sorry. I’ll see you later!” Mary quickly released her, forgetting that she was still holding onto her.
__________
The metallic ‘clink’ was heard as Ririka exited the enclosure.
Mary covered her face with her right hand and Ririka stood outside for a while.
“What am I doing...”, they asked themselves.