19

'Thank you, Kenji,' said Airi with a warm smile as she sat next to him.

'No, thank you,' said Kenji, his ears quivering as he spoke. 'I didn't expect you to ever accept me — actually, you have always surprised me...'

'In a good way, I hope,' said Airi, and Kenji smiled.

'Always.'

'Now I understand why you used to act so odd sometimes,' mused Airi. 'All that talk about humans and emotions... it all makes sense now!'

'Well, you see, where I'm from, no one expresses happiness or sadness; no one cries, no one goes into a rage... emotions are considered a vice,' said Kenji.

'That sounds awfully lonely,' said Airi with a frown. 'And then, you're not like that...'

'But I am,' said Kenji. 'I was so sad just now, but I could not cry...'

'But you were sad,' said Airi. 'And that's an emotion! Even if you can't cry, maybe you have a different way of showing how you feel... your eyes, maybe...'

'No, my eyes remain the same, they always have,' frowned Kenji. 'What makes you say that?'

'Because... they literally changed in front of me when I was looking at you,' said Airi. 'When you were sad, they would dim down, and when you were in agitation they would brighten considerably.'

'That's not possible!' said Kenji, and his eyes shone brighter as he spoke.

'It's happening right now!' said Airi.

'Maybe it's Earth's effect...' mused Kenji as he looked at his reflection. 'Back home, they used to remain steady; it's as surprising to me, honestly!'

'Hmm. Maybe,' said Airi. 'So, which planet are you from?'

'We call it "Shianxa",' said Kenji. 'But you humans haven't discovered it yet...'

'That's a nice name,' said Airi, before looking at him suddenly. 'What about your name? Is it really Kenji?'

'No, it's Xiennan,' said Kenji.

'Shen-nan?'

'No, Xiennan!'

'Shiennan?'

'Xiennan!!'

'Shinnan?'

'I give up!' said Kenji, laughing. 'Just say "Kenji". I've come to like it better anyway...'

'I'm sorry, I can't say that sound!' said Airi, smiling sheepishly. 'How are you able to speak our language so well?'

Kenji grinned. 'Well, I used the Force...'

'The what?'

'The Force...'

Airi raised her eyebrows.

'It's just... a thing,' said Kenji, not wanting to tell her too much about it, in case she asked him if he ever used it on her.

'Okay...' said Airi, curiousity all over her face. 'By the way, you can't call yourselves aliens, right? Your people must have a name they call themselves!'

'We call ourselves "Xeljari",' said Kenji. 'It literally means "the calm race".'

'That sounds so beautiful,' said Airi. 'What's Shian-sha like? Is it calm like the people are?'

'Yes,' smiled Kenji. 'The sky is pink — kind of like your sky sometimes looks before the sun sets.'

'Really? That sounds lovely!' exclaimed Airi. 'I've always wondered what it would it be like if the whole sky was sunset-coloured! But what's your sunset like, then?'

'Sort of greenish,' said Kenji.

'Greenish? Like your hair? Is it natural, by the way? I always thought you dyed it!'

'Sort of,' nodded Kenji. 'And yes, it is. What does "dye" even mean?'

'It's an artificial hair colour!'

'Why would anyone colour their hair?' said Kenji.

'For fashion!'

'That sounds rather strange and impractical; I don't really understand this "fashion"!' said Kenji, confused.

'Well, it's for beauty and fun,' explained Airi. 'Not strange at all!'

'I don't know... my father would say it's "frivolous" or something like that...' mused Kenji.

'Don't worry, my mother would probably agree,' laughed Airi. 'I guess parents are the same everywhere! What's your father like? Is he with you?'

'No, he's the one who sent me here,' said Kenji.

'What for, though? Why are you here?'

Kenji paused. He couldn't tell her the truth. He couldn't tell her that he was part of a mission whose primary objective was to take over her planet and rule over her people. The thought disgusted him right now and he wondered how he had ever even gotten in this mess.

'Well? What are you doing on Earth?' repeated Airi in anxious curiousity.

'To learn about humans,' said Kenji at last. 'My father wanted me to make a report on this planet and its people, and for some reason, he sent me.'

'It's a good thing he did!' said Airi with a smile. 'Are you all alone, though?'

'Yes,' said Kenji, deciding to leave out Shen-ja's presence.

'It must be so hard for you to cope up on your own,' said Airi worriedly. 'I wish I'd known before, I could have helped you...'

'You did,' said Kenji, taking her hand. 'You helped a lot; more than you can imagine.'

Airi went red and stood up. 'Well, now I'm going to really help you. For one thing, you're not staying here anymore!'

'Why? What's wrong with this place?' said Kenji, bewildered. 'It's convenient, and it's efficient and it's...'

'It's uncomfortable, and it's godforsaken, and it's especially bad for someone who's trying to learn about Earth,' said Airi firmly. 'I'd like you to write something nice in that report, thank you very much, so, if you please, come with me!'

She took his hand and led him out of the building before he could protest.

'Hey, wait, where are you taking me?' said Kenji.

'To my home!'

'No, I can't do that...'

'Yes, you can!'

'Okay, wait, at least don't do this at night!' said Kenji, looking behind him nervously. 'Someone might see me!'

Airi stopped for a few moments and rummaged in her schoolbag before she found what she was looking for — a navy blue hoodie she kept for when it got too cold on the way home.

'Here, slip this on and keep the hood,' she said.

'I look so... suspicious,' said poor Kenji, when he had succeeded at last in wrestling with the strange garment.

'No, you look like a rapper, follow me,' said Airi.

'What's a rapper!?'

Airi grinned. 'You have much to learn! Do you listen to pop? Rock? Rock and roll? Disco?'

'Are those methods of combat?' wondered Kenji aloud, making Airi stop and look at him in surprise.

'No, silly! Have you listened to any music at all here on Earth?'

'N—no...' said Kenji, making Airi double her speed.

'Well, you're about to!'

'It's all right, I don't think my father would really care what Earth's music is like,' protested Kenji. 'Hey, slow down!'

'Well, he should!' said Airi, breaking into a run. 'And so should you! Music is life! Come on, run with me!'

'Heyyy!!'

Kenji ran after Airi, wondering why she would not conserve her energy and walk instead, until he caught up with her and felt the soft, cool breeze of the early night blow on their faces and make their hair dance back as they ran ahead on the empty road just for the sake of it, and he felt more carefree than he had been in a long time — perhaps his whole life.

He smiled contently. 'It feels nice.'

'Yes,' said Airi, stopping with a satisfied smile, and her eyes lit up as she saw her house up ahead. 'Okay, be careful now,' she said, turning to him. 'We can't have my mom knowing about you while you're like this.'

They went cautiously to the back door and Airi slipped in quietly, looking around once before gesturing Kenji to follow her.

She led him to a room and pushed him in hurriedly just as a voice called out.

'Is that you, Airi?'

'Yes, Mom! I'm home!' she called out, before whispering hurriedly to Kenji. 'This is a spare room my mom keeps for when we have guests; don't worry, it's always shut and she never goes in. Just stay quiet and you'll be fine.'

Kenji nodded quickly and mouthed a 'thank you' just as footsteps sounded from the next room and a door opened.

'Where have you been, Airi?' said her mother reproachfully. 'Late in the morning, late in the evening... kids these days...'

Airi was too excited to mind her mother's words or give any explanation. 'Sorry, Mom, I'll take care next time,' she said quickly, before holding her hand and rushing to the kitchen. 'I'm hungry!'