The cast in increased with the introduction of Slash and Mr. Ryuga. The former being a support mech for Mahoro in the form of a black panther. The latter being a handsome stranger that was instantly able to take on a teaching job at Suguru's school. Each character adds more oddity to the overall cast. Who would not be slightly disturbed by someone having a pet panther named Slash?

Mahoro and Slash establish an instant defensive posture with the arrival of Mr. Ryuga and it seems as though his appearance may be the "Haunting Past" referred to in the volume title. Even though he is the antagonist on the surface, his mysterious demeanor doesn't allow the viewer to jump to conclusions about him.

With mostly filler-type episodes, scattered flashbacks and introspective moments this disk is still quite fulfilling. The story continues well enough with the characters living together and making a daily attempt to enjoy life. Suguru even gets a moment to follow his instinct affirm an equally protective stance against his newfound antagonist.

This is still a very enjoyable series with a well-rounded and developing cast. If you enjoyed the first disk and can still deal with that coutdown timer, this is another one to add to the collection.