Learning to Be Human

Chapter 38: Learning to Be Human

Kael—formerly Kael-X—stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at his reflection. His dark hair, still long and covering his eyes, made him look somewhat mysterious, but Maya had insisted he at least clean himself up a bit.

He picked up a toothbrush, turning it over in his hands. He had observed Maya and Elijah using it, but the action seemed strange. Did cleaning his teeth really matter?

After a moment, he mimicked their actions, brushing with the paste Maya had given him. The taste was strange—minty, fresh. He frowned. So unnecessary, yet… oddly refreshing.

---

Elijah's Lesson

"Alright, buddy," Elijah said, tossing a controller to Kael as they sat on the couch. "Time to introduce you to the greatest human invention—video games."

Kael caught the controller effortlessly, examining it. "This is a form of battle training?"

Elijah laughed. "Not exactly. More like… entertainment."

He loaded up a fighting game, choosing his character. "Okay, see these buttons? They control your fighter. You win by depleting the opponent's health bar."

Kael nodded. A simulated battle. He could understand that.

The match started. Elijah smirked, confident he'd win, but within seconds, Kael's character executed a series of rapid, perfectly timed moves, knocking Elijah's fighter out before he could even react.

Elijah blinked. "Wait… what?"

Kael frowned. "The objective was clear."

Maya laughed from the kitchen. "Elijah, did you just get destroyed?"

Elijah groaned. "Dude, you're not supposed to be that good immediately."

Kael tilted his head. "I analyzed the mechanics."

Elijah sighed. "Yeah, well… remind me never to challenge you again."

---

Understanding Money

Later that day, Maya and Kael went to a small grocery store. She handed him a few bills. "Okay, so this is money. You use it to buy things."

Kael studied the bills. "Why not just take what is needed?"

Maya sighed. "Because that's stealing, and stealing is illegal."

Kael processed this. "Humans assign value to paper?"

"Not just paper, but yes, it represents value. And you trade it for goods and services."

She guided him to the cashier, where he handed over the money in exchange for a bottle of water. The cashier gave him change, which he inspected carefully.

"So this system controls resources?"

Maya smiled. "Exactly. See? You're learning."

Kael nodded. Humans were strange, but their ways were starting to make sense.

---

A Moment of Peace

That evening, Kael sat on the rooftop of the apartment building, looking over the city. The neon lights reflected in his eyes, and for the first time, he wasn't analyzing a battlefield or strategizing his next move.

He was simply… existing.

Maya joined him, sitting beside him. "Not thinking about fighting, for once?"

Kael exhaled. "No. Just… observing."

She smiled. "That's good. You don't always have to be in survival mode."

He looked at her. "I still feel… unnatural here."

Maya shrugged. "Give it time. You're doing better than you think."

Kael wasn't sure if he believed that yet. But for now, he let himself relax, if only for a moment.

Chapter 38 (Continued): Adjusting to Normal Life

As the night breeze swept across the rooftop, Kael remained silent, his sharp eyes tracing the movement of the city below. Humans lived such fragile lives—so unaware of the dangers lurking beyond their comprehension. And yet, they carried on, working, laughing, and dreaming.

Maya leaned back, gazing at the stars. "You know, when I was little, I used to think each star was a different world, filled with people living their own stories."

Kael glanced at her. "You weren't entirely wrong."

She smirked. "So, is your world out there somewhere?"

Kael hesitated. "My world… is gone."

Maya turned to face him, her expression softening. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "It's not something to mourn. It was never a home."

Maya didn't push further. She knew by now that Kael wasn't the type to dwell on the past—at least, not openly. Instead, she shifted the topic. "So, how was your first full day of 'normal' human life?"

Kael thought for a moment. "I learned unnecessary rituals, defeated you and Elijah in a simulated battle, and exchanged paper for water."

Maya burst into laughter. "That's one way to put it."

---

The Taste of Food

The next morning, Elijah insisted on cooking breakfast. "You can't be human without experiencing real food."

Kael watched as Elijah flipped pancakes onto a plate. "Here," Elijah said, sliding one over to Kael. "Try it."

Kael picked up the fork and took a bite. He paused. The texture was soft, the taste… surprisingly pleasant.

Maya watched eagerly. "Well?"

Kael took another bite. "It's… good."

Elijah grinned. "That's the spirit! And wait till you try burgers."

Kael frowned. "Burgers?"

Maya chuckled. "We'll get to that later."

---

Blending In

Maya and Elijah decided to take Kael out for a walk in the city. He had spent too much time indoors, and if he was going to adapt, he needed to experience more of Earth's society.

Kael observed everything—the street vendors shouting, the flashing advertisements, the groups of people chatting as they walked.

"This world is loud," he muttered.

Maya smiled. "You get used to it."

They stopped at a clothing store. Maya pointed at his torn, dark suit. "Okay, first rule of blending in—you need normal clothes."

Kael looked down at himself. His outfit, once part of his identity, now stood out.

Maya dragged him inside. After some back-and-forth, they settled on a dark hoodie, jeans, and sneakers. Kael felt… different. Lighter, almost.

Elijah smirked. "Look at you, almost like a regular guy."

Kael adjusted the hoodie. His hair still covered most of his face, but he didn't mind. "I suppose this will do."

Maya nodded. "See? You're already starting to fit in."

Kael wasn't sure about that yet, but for now, he allowed himself to blend into the crowd.