'HOW WAS SCHOOL?' Ally asks me enthusiastically as I pop off my plimsolls (our last class was P.E).

'You sound like a typical parent,' I point out. He doesn't say anything against it since he's too excited. He's going to have his firstborn soon. Haru, this morning, had said she would be staying with her parents until she gave birth. So the bento box she'd made for me could be the first and last one. The thought of it doesn't make me sad.

I also don't mind that my uncle doesn't have that much time for me. What I do mind, though, is how he practices his future lines to me. 'Save them for your children.' Children. They're going to have twins.

Good for them, I guess. As for me, modelling is knocking on my door again. I have to snag these opportunities as soon as I can.

'Have you decided where you gonna live?'

'Dunno yet. School isn't that far anyway.'

'Yes, but at least you've got your bed there. I've also heard the grub is free.'

'You wanna kick me out?'

Ally laughs as he throws me a piece of melon bread. I swiftly catch it with one hand.

'Haru says she'll try to keep cooking packed lunches for you until she can no longer get up.'

I sigh. 'Could you please tell Haru that she should be worrying about herself?' Uncle puts his hand over his chest, cooing how much I care.

'It's not because I care about her. She's pregnant, and I don't wanna be the reason for her miscarriage or whatever happens to a preggo when they work too much.

He doesn't say anything but continues smiling. 'I'm just glad you're still here. Thank you so much.'

Halfway through having my first bite of the melon bread, I consider giving him a snarky reply, but I decide to hold it in. So, with my mouth open wide, I wolf down the bread in three bites.

'I also like melon bread.'

I choke. The stupid piece of stupid bread lodges in my throat. Punching my chest, I stop breathing for a moment as I force myself to swallow.

When I finally can breathe normally again, I shoot Eien a burning look, cursing him for appearing out of nowhere. 'What are you doing here? Did Uncle let you in here? How did you do that?' I fire questions to hide the embarrassment. I hope they're not focusing on my face, which I'm sure by now is splashed with red spots. I don't know why my face does that. It just does. I'd tried every cream, consulted every dermatologist, but none ever worked. The good thing is, I'm tanned, so it isn't as apparent as it was before. Ever since I stopped caging myself in my room, my skin has refused to go back to its original shade.

'I was in the oshiire when I heard your voice. You are quite loud, mister,' the kid says in his trademark flat voice.

'I am not loud, FYI!' I counter, regretting it as I register how loud my voice is. 'And what were you doing in my room?'

'Oshiire.'

'It's my room.'

'I know. It is bigger compared to my room. Your kind uncle has provided you with a place that truly feels like home.' He bows, not to me, but to my uncle, who bows back. 'Evansu-san also has a lovely name: Allan Thomas.'

My eyebrows wiggle mockingly. 'Evansu-san?'

'My apologies, but I can't shake off the formality, Evansu-kun.'

I thrust my tongue out as though something had punched my tonsil. 'Sounds cringey. Stop it.'

'What are you saying? I like it! Evansu-san. Evansu-kun.' Of course, he likes it. He's bare crazy.

'You old geezer, you knew he'd be here, and you didn't tell me!'

'Well, he's here now, so it don't matter no more, innit?' He claps, and that means I should sit down with my...whoever Eien is in my life. I can't say, "Friend", come on.

* * * * *

I'd like to describe Eien's existence in my life as an extra. Ever since he showed up, things have gotten weirder. This yob follows me like I'm some sort of a magnet.

'I can tell that you still do not feel comfortable around me,' he says, sitting down on his ankles. I tried doing that one day, and I'll have you know that I only almost fractured my ankles. I hadn't known I was that heavy. 'Do you detest me?'

Funnily enough, I can't stop noticing some of his antics. When he asks a question, he tilts his head as he waits for an answer. With his big eyes and habit of tilting his head, he's definitely a puppy.

'I'm not vexed... at you. You just... I don't know. I'm not sure, OK? All I know is that I can't deal with you.'

'Why?'

'Because I deal with my emotions physically; I can't give you a knuckle sandwich. I promised my uncle I wouldn't be in any barney from now on.'

'That is so kind of you.'

'Were you even listening? Look, I'm bored to death; they don't even have custard and jelly here!'

'Pardon? Would you love some custard and jelly? Perfect. I recently—'

'No, no! It means telly! TV! Television! I don't normally watch from that idiot box, but I am bored. Do you get me?'

He blinks, lacing his fingers together. 'I must be honest: Although you do speak English, some of your phrases are hard to decipher.'

'That's because I'm from Lon—I mean, Hermes. Look, it's weird, OK? We'd changed the name of our lovely city, and yet almost none has changed. Like with yours, only that your traditions are far more well-reserved and celebrated.'

'Oh. Is that a compliment?

'Whatever.'

Eien gives a smile. It's a smile if you squint and focus enough. 'As far as I know, it was your first day of school. How was it?'

Chugging the fizzy drink Ally had given me before he took off somewhere, I muse about how much my uncle trusts this kid. He never told me anything about Eien. At first, I thought our meetings were coincidental, but the more I let the carbonated drink sluice down my throat, the more theories flood my mind.

'You do know my uncle, don't you?' I say, ignoring his question.

Eien props his hands on the chubadai. His fingers, again, are plastered. When he notices me staring at them, he quickly removes his hands off the table and places them on his lap. 'No,' he answers without changing his expression. 'I did not know him prior to our third encounter.'

'But he trusts you,' I point out. The desire to make him spill it all out faster flares through my veins, but I've come to notice that the more I act aggressively, the more he hesitates to speak. He can't expect me to be sweet to him all of a sudden. It's my best attempt at being polite towards him.

As I lift the can, Eien draws a circle through the ring left by my fizzy drink. I almost ignore it when it clicks to me that he's outlined a circle. The same drawing Declan had in our class.

'I'm telling you the truth. I didn't know who your uncle was. I have never lied to you since lying goes against my principles. However...' his fingers skim over the edge of the film of water as though he's afraid it'd come to life. 'I need to lie for once. I will also be needing your help.' He looks up at me, and for the first time, I see an intense emotion coming from him.

* * * *

'And why should I help you? Sure, you miss Declan, but why should I care?' Crushing the can with one hand, I wait for his answer. He has this tendency to prolong whatever he's going to say next.

'He's my best friend, and I will do anything to be with him again,' he says, panting like he's run a thousand miles. That's the fastest he's spoken to me so far.

'Are your parents aware of your plan?' I wag my finger like a typical mum.

'It doesn't matter,' he says.

I slap my palm against my forehead. 'What? Of course, it does matter! This is a dizzy plan!'

And it is dizzy. According to Eien, those who aren't from Zone 1 can have at least one guide. Not just a tour guide, but a private guide, someone who will be with them at any day and at any time. Someone who can tell them the dos and don'ts until they get used to the rules. Foreigners can't afford to make too many mistakes, or they may get barred forever.

'Now, nobody wants that,' I said, of course, sarcastically. Why would anyone choose to stay here? If I had a choice, I would fly away in an instant.

'People who want better employment and better compensation. Admit it. Our economy surpasses yours.' I couldn't not agree. Although our Zone also offers good-paying jobs, I gotta admit that not all of us are given that opportunity. Those from the northern side, in particular. We like to pretend this doesn't happen, but the truth sometimes rubs itself on your face.

Even my uncle who's living in a small flat here in Zone 1, would agree to that. I've recently found out that he's waiting to get promoted, and when he does, he'll have enough money to buy a bigger and better place. Of course, he'll still be under surveillance, but once you got used to it, you'd barely care about it. Ally's words, not mine.

When I pointed out that the 'guides' could simply communicate via phone, Eien countered that nonnatives want to be a hundred per cent sure they're doing things right.

I said, 'Wow, the boundaries must be that tight.' Eien confirmed with a gentle nod. A guide can help you avoid tampering with these stupid boundaries.

There's a reason why their conviction rate is ninety-nine per cent high. It isn't because the judiciary system is perfect; The authorities force you to confess because surprise, surprise: Confession is the only evidence they need. Lab test what? Witness who? We don't know them.

With a private guide, though, there's a chance they'll let you slide off. Now, I'm not an expert with these terms, but I'm sure these guides become the scapegoats. 'Oh, I forgot to follow a rule! Don't blame me. My guide didn't warn me!' And baam! Cuffs shackling their wrists!

This practice is prevalent among people who would like to earn extra money. In other words, only the desperate, those who are at the very bottom of the economy, offer themselves to this dodgy job.

Eien resents this system. He believes it is the white supremacists who had caused the Great Barricade. And yet, it is the Zone 1 citizens who are paying for their crimes. He didn't elaborate on this part and instead asked me to focus on what would happen once I agreed.

Usually, it's the settlers or the tourists who pay these guides. It is completely legal, unfortunately. In my case, if Eien becomes my guide, he'll be a student at Yamato International School. There's an exceptional programme for guides like him who are minors. If he passes the current semester with flying colours, he will be a candidate for a scholarship until his uni.

I said, wow, that's bare! He said it wouldn't be a doddle because, 'I'll have to ace everything: quizzes, attendance, examinations...'

So I said, 'That's crazy! Unless you're a genius, I don't think you can do it!' He said, 'I'm willing to try it.'

'I mean what I said: I will try it. I have to. As for my parents, please do not worry about them. They are supportive of everything I do.'

I raise my eyebrows. 'Everything?'

'Yes. I have always been a good child, so they trust me wholly.'

Wow. That stings. My mum used to trust me wholly too.

'But why me? Why can't it be someone else?'

'It could have been someone else. I just... can't leave you. I know that I will be suffering from intense guilt if I let you endure such pain again. We can never know when your pyrokinesis will emerge again.'

At the mention of it, I shudder. The last time my pyrokinesis had tried to demonstrate its immense power, I almost died, or at least, that's what it had felt like. My body was on fire. Ally said they had to splash me with water as Eien worked his miracle on me. The tatami had been burnt and has now been replaced with a new one.

'Let me help you by helping me.' He offers his hand for a handshake. I know he's brought up that nightmare to convince me, but he's right. I can't survive without him. He doesn't say it, but the message is there.

So with anxiety and excitement of what tomorrow might bring, I take his offer and shake his hand, keeping myself from commenting about his plastered fingers.

As my hand contacts his, the air around us shudders, screeching. There's that sinking feeling again, the heat splitting as if allowing us to pass through. Then, the world stays still. As I try to pry my hands off his, Eiein becomes something else: He's become grey and unmoving. With his bright white eyes, I stare deep into a memory I've been dying to erase. Turn it off. Try to turn it off... That's Mum's voice. Panicking that I might burst into flames again, I do as she says. But before I can do so, Eien's hand slips away from mine.

I wait for the pain or the shock. Or for whatever I'm supposed to feel after being plummeted to a strange world. I don't know if it's a world or if it's just a memory, but I know that we've moved.

'What was that?' I ask, out of breath.

He shakes his head. 'I am sorry, but I also have no idea. However, I do have a hunch. Perhaps it's your pyrokinesis reacting to my aerokinesis. Did you feel any pain?'

'No,' I say. 'In fact, I felt us moving. If that makes sense.'

Again, he shakes his head. 'No, it doesn't. That has never happened before. Perhaps both of our bodies have been in shock.'

I nod. 'Yeah, that could be it.' Although, I can't bring myself to agree with him.

But what do I know? I'm new to this.