HUMANS AND YOKAI

Leyla sat in the palace garden, eyebrows raised and arms crossed over her chest. Beside her, Naru sat completely relaxed, sipping something from a ceramic cup as if there was nothing unusual about sitting with his, technically still-shocked, human "wife."

"So," she began, "considering that you tricked me into entering this world, I think you owe me an explanation."

"Oh?" Naru looked up, his smile lazy and carefree. "What kind of explanation are we talking about?"

"About your... kind," she said vaguely, waving her hand in the air. "How do you function? How... do you live? Because, you know, before I ended up here, I thought you were some kind of ghosts or demons floating around causing chaos."

Naru rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. "Typical human view of yokai creatures. You always picture us as either sinister shadows or cute, fluffy beings. The truth is, we're not much more spectacularly different from you."

Leyla raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, what?"

Naru leaned in closer, as if about to whisper a big secret. "We live, work, fall in love, argue, feel pain, feel tired... We sleep, eat, drink, have boring family dinners where the aunts ask 'When are you finally settling down?'"

Leyla blinked. "Wait, you're telling me family lunches are torture for you too?"

Naru theatrically sighed. "Oh, Leyla, you don't know real torture until eight aunts bombard you with questions about your future, and your grandmother looks at you with tears in her eyes because you're 'already getting old' and still haven't brought a successor into the house."

Leyla burst into surprised laughter.

"So, you're actually... normal?"

"Normal is a relative term, princess."

"Stop calling me that!"

"As you wish, wife."

Leyla groaned, rubbing her temples.

"Anyway," she continued, "so you guys age normally? Die? How does that even work?"

"It depends on the type of yokai," he shrugged. "Some of us live longer than average humans, some much longer. For example, I have... hmm... well, a bit more years than I'd like to admit."

Leyla furrowed her brows. "How much 'more'?"

Naru rested his chin on his palm and smiled as if he were hiding a big secret. "Enough that it wouldn't be polite for you to ask."

"Oh my God, so you're old."

"Mature, princess. Mature and sophisticated."

"Said the man who stole my pillow while I was sleeping this morning."

Naru shrugged. "I have to keep you awake somehow, you're getting used to the new reality. I don't want you to faint every time you see a creature with six eyes."

Leyla took a deep breath, trying to ignore the slight headache developing.

"Okay, so you're basically like humans, just with supernatural powers?"

"Exactly," he said with a smile. "And, unfortunately for you, you're now part of this world. No going back, princess."

Leyla immediately stood up. "There is a way back. I just need to find the artifact and prove your innocence, right?"

"Oh, how nice to know you listen when I talk."

"You won't miss me when I leave."

"You know," he said with a grin, "you already said 'if I leave,' not 'when I leave.' That means you're still considering the possibility of staying."

Leyla snorted.

Naru just laughed and twirled that ring of his between his fingers.

"You're getting used to me, princess."