Raul/History

Overview • **History** • Relationships • Gallery

## Background

Raul is a high school student who, since he was a little cub, has achieved numerous achievements in order to get approval from the animals around him. Raul is the student council president and is very popular, and doesn't have any enemies.

On a common day, Raul goes to school where a teacher asks him to speak to a classmate, Azumo, who has been absent from classes all year and to convince him to come to school. Although he seems annoyed, Raul accepts. The teacher tells him that he is going to need more than his good grades to get into the university he wants and subtly blackmailing him tells him that he will need good reports in his academic record to be able to enter such a university, something that totally bothers Raul. Hours later, Raul, annoyed at having to take care of Azumo, goes to his house which he discovers is an abandoned building and in poor condition. Without giving much effort, he looks for Azumo but doesn't find him. Before leaving, he is surprised by Azumo who scares him by appearing behind him, asking him if he came to eat him. Raul, nervous because Azumo saw his unfortunate attitude, resumes his composure and kindly explains that he came to convince him to return to school and tries to offer help if there is someone who bothers him. Azumo deduces and tells him that in his 17 years of life, Raul has never experienced true sadness or pain, especially since being a lion is the only thing that Raul is proud about himself. He mocks him for his egocentric attitude and how he uses his great body to hide the fact that he is a complete nobody, and that when he grows up he will degrade himself into a worthless monster. Raul annoyed takes him by his legs and tells him that above being the student council president he is a lion, so he will not hear accusations from a shut-in bat. Azumo does not flinch and mocks Raul, saying that he is already used to the fangs, eyes and panting of predators. Azumo reveals that his parents were devoured by a lion last year, so he knows his true nature. While Raul is speechless, Azumo challenges him to show everyone at school who he really is, claiming that he will feel better about himself in doing so, claiming that it is impossible for a lion to be a hero and that he will be better off if he eats him right now.

Some time later in his house, Raul realizes that this was the first time that he bore his fangs against anyone, and he could not even talk back to him, and wonders what would have happened if he didn't control himself back then. Raul convinces himself that Azumo does not want to see him anymore and decides not to go back to him while wondering what he is working hard for. The next day, Raul returns to Azumo's house where he apologizes for his violent behavior, and tells Azumo that he does not have to force himself to come to school. Azumo incredulous only asks him what is wrong and Raul claims not to have bad intentions and offers him notes to help him with his self-studying as an apology. Azumo accepts Raul's intentions and approaches him. Later, Raul meets with a classmate after finishing an exam in which his classmate mockingly calls him the perfect animal. Raul reveals to him that he is hopeless and that he is really a selfish and savage lion and wants to change that. His classmate does not see this as important and ignores Raul's revelation completely. Subsequently, Raul visits Azumo again, to whom he gives tutoring and both start studying. As the days go by, Raul notices how Azumo was less hostile to him, realizing that when he is with Azumo the world feels simpler, that they are both just two 17-year-old boys.

One night, Raul arrives at Azumo's house where they talk and contemplate the full moon. Raul reveals to Azumo that the first time they saw each other he was afraid that Azumo would see through his violent nature and that when he took him by the legs, his hands were trembling. Azumo says that it was not Raul who was trembling, but he. He reveals he was very scared and that made him feel that he wanted to live and that he had not felt that way since his parents died. Azumo declares that Raul no longer needs to look after him as he is no longer a sad bat. Raul sees that Azumo has bags with him, and he reveals that he is moving out of town that same night. Azumo tells him that he will tell his teacher so Raul can go without worries. Azumo tells him that he is sure that he will become a great lion and that he believes in him. They both say goodbye and Raul leaves watching Azumo rise to flight.