‘Haru! I need to have one of those things!’ cried Noriko.

‘What things?’ replied Haru.

‘I see them all the time, on the television and in magazines, so I know they must exist.’

‘But what are these things, Noriko? I don’t understand.’

‘I’m not sure what the proper name for them is, but I think they are called real life human experiences.’

Haru looked at her curiously.

‘You mean.. living?’ he asked.

‘No, more than that,’ she insisted. ‘You see, there are so many different types of living. I’m feeling a bit tired of my kind. It’s been getting me down lately. I want to try something new for a short while. That’s why I thought maybe one of those real life human experiences might be interesting. After all, I see them everywhere.’

‘Well, let’s go out and find you one then!’ Haru declared. ‘There are lots of them about.’

He looked at his friend expectantly, but Noriko suddenly went quiet and hung her head.

‘What’s the matter?’ he asked. ‘I thought you were excited?’

‘I am.. but.. I’m also worried that I might not be any good. What if I try a real life human experience and I can’t do it? What will happen to me then?’

Haru held Noriko’s hand. He squeezed it tightly.

‘It will be okay,’ he reassured her. ‘I’ll always be here for you. You can teach me a real life Noriko experience instead. How about that?’

Noriko laughed.

‘Yes, we can swap! I promise I’ll find my very best one for you to try.’

Haru laughed too.

‘Who would have thought there was such a thing as a real life human experience?’ he thought to himself.

He was learning new things all the time.