11

The bell had rung for lunchtime and Kenji got up with purpose; now was the time to try to talk to Airi. He went outside, and found her standing next to the chestnut tree.

'Airi!' he called out, and walked towards her with a sharp, determined look in his eyes.

Airi looked at him in alarm. What did he want from her?

'What is it?' she said.

'Look, Airi, I... I wanted to say... what was that word...sorry,' said Kenji in awkward sincerity.

Airi looked at his expression and almost laughed. It looked like he wasn't used to apologising for things he said; but right now, it seemed like he really meant it.

'Sorry for what?' she said.

'Sorry for hurting your... feelings...' said Kenji.

Airi smiled at him. 'It's all right. I'm also sorry if I judged you too harshly...'

They looked at each other in silence for a few moments.

'I saw you yesterday,' said Airi suddenly.

Kenji panicked internally. What had she seen?! Yesterday he had returned home late again, and it seemed like he was about to be in trouble for his carelessness!

'Look, I can explain,' he said hurriedly, trying to remain calm.

'Don't explain anything,' said Airi. 'You did the right thing punching that brute who was trying to kidnap the little girl!'

Oh, so that's what she saw! Kenji sighed in relief.

'You were a true hero, Kenji!' said Airi proudly, her eyes shining as she smiled at him warmly.

'That was just... a little thing...' he said, wondering why his cheeks were growing hotter. What was this feeling? He had never experienced it back home!

'Kenji, are you all right?' said Airi, concerned at the greenish tinge in his face.

'I'm fine!' he said quickly. 'Anyway, you were quite brave too, standing up to all those boys on your own — all for me, whom you didn't even like!'

This time, Airi's cheeks flushed. 'You saw that?! You were gone by then!'

'I came back for my bag,' said Kenji, rather annoyed at how weird he was feeling when he looked at Airi's cute shy expression.

'Oh,' said Airi, feeling rather embarrassed. 'Well, I'd do that for anyone... you see, I really can't stand injustice, Kenji. And that's the same reason why I said those things to you — it's not that I don't like you, but when I saw a glimpse of what I thought was unkindness in you, it made me feel rather... mad.'

'I won't make you mad again, I promise,' said Kenji determinately.

Airi smiled — she looked so beautiful! 'Let's get along well from now on!' she said, giving him a short bow.

Kenji returned the gesture, relieved that they were friends again.

A soft breeze blew and brought the fragrance of flowers with it. Kenji turned to his lunchbox. 'Would you like to eat together again?' he said hopefully.

'Of course!' grinned Airi. 'Let's sit here and eat! I brought a sandwich today! What about you?'

'I brought rice!' said Kenji happily, opening his lunch, and Airi stared at it. It was boiled rice again! Nothing with it!

'Aren't you going to have something with it?' she asked in surprise. 'Don't tell me you've been eating only rice since you came here!'

'I have, actually!' said Kenji, taking a spoonful and closing his eyes as if it was the most delicious thing in the world.

Airi looked at him and laughed. 'I've never seen anyone so much in love with rice, haha! At least have some salad with it! I have some, here: tomatoes and cucumbers and lettuce.'

Kenji looked at the vegetables cautiously before taking one in his mouth carefully. His eyes widened as he turned to Airi excitedly. 'I like tomatoes!!'

Airi giggled.

'From now on, I'm going to have rice with tomatoes!' he declared.

'Um...okay!' laughed Airi. At least it was an upgrade from completely plain rice!

'If you like, I can have half the rice and you can have half of my sandwich,' she said.

'I'm scared to try it out...' said Kenji, looking at the sandwich Airi held out. 'There are so many things in it!'

'Don't be scared,' said Airi kindly. 'Eat up; I promise it's nothing but delicious.'

Kenji looked at her. Airi was the only human whose promise he could believe.

'Just take a bite,' she said. 'You'll love it!'

Kenji took it in his hand, and the bread nearly slid off.

'Careful, so the filling doesn't fall out,' warned Airi. 'Eat it like this,' she said, demonstrating as she took a bite from her own half.

Kenji followed suit. As he chewed the first bite, his expression was priceless. There were so many flavours bursting in his mouth all at once, it felt almost wrong to be enjoying this much. But the first bite had been taken, and even if his father himself came to stop him now, he would not stop until he had finished the whole thing.

Airi watched him contently. He looked so happy eating that ordinary sandwich, that she wondered how anyone who got to eat these things everyday could ever be sad. She remembered all the times she had hurried through her food to avoid her mother or to get to school on time, and felt rather guilty. She had forgotten the value of those simple moments, but Kenji had reminded her of it by his carefree joy whenever he ate anything.

She also wondered, however, why he was this way; it couldn't be because he really hadn't ever eaten these things before; no, it was probably because he liked to enjoy each meal as though it was the first time he was eating it. Perhaps, as an orphan, he had realised the value of food early on. It was for this reason that she never brought up his odd behaviour, but simply smiled and enjoyed with him; she didn't want to bring up any painful memories.

'I enjoyed so much, Airi,' said Kenji when they had finished. 'There is so much delicious food on Earth!'

Airi laughed. 'That's true! You know, I— oh, what's wrong, Kenji?'

Kenji grimaced as something painful pricked his finger; he lifted it up and Airi inspected it.

'It's a splinter of wood from the tree,' she said. 'Here, I'll take it out...'

She carefully removed the splinter, and as she did so, a small drop of blood came out. Her eyes widened for a second, before Kenji withdrew his hand abruptly.

'What's wrong?' he said with a frown.

Airi couldn't say what she had seen in words, because it sounded too ridiculous. She was certain his blood had been green! No, that was impossible! She must have been seeing things!

'It's nothing,' she said. 'Here, let me bandage your finger.'

'No need!' said Kenji, sounding more cold than he had intended, and immediately regretting it.

Airi's face fell.

'Thank you, anyway,' he murmured, getting up, and hiding his hand quickly as he realised his finger was still bleeding. 'I have to go now, see you later!'

Airi watched as he practically ran away. 'Well, that was odd...' she thought aloud.