The following dialogues are based on actual experiences.

Kumiko: Where’s your girlfriend?

ioHann: What? I don’t have a girlfriend.

K: Why?

i: ‘coz the girl I like doesn’t like me.

K: She’s baka. (stupid)

i: Sou desu ka? (this phrase is used like “is that so?”)

K: What about other girls who like you?

i: What other girls?

K: The girl who called you on you cell phone.

i: Her? Haha, I was just joking then, she already has a boyfriend.  Besides, even if she liked me, I can’t be her boyfriend because I’m too busy teaching my students.  I won’t have time for her.

K: Are your students more important than your girlfriend?

i: Maybe.

K: Then your girlfriend must be your student.

i: (smiles jokingly) Hmm… Like you?

K: (looks me in the eye) Sou desu ka?

Umm... sou desu ka?

-=o=-

i: What’s this?

K: I made that this morning.

i: In school?

K: (giggles) yes.

i: So you did this in class huh? Aha! You were not listening to your teacher!

K: It’s okay, she’s taikutsu na teacher.

i: (laughs) boring huh? (stares at the piece of paper closely) oh my gosh, this is an ambigram!

K: It’s your name, it’s ugly I know, I’m sorry.  I did my best. 

i: No, It’s nice! Really, wow, this is brilliant!

K: Just read it like this (traces the letters one by one with her pencil)

i: No one has ever made me an ambigram before… doumo arigatou, Kumiko-chan. <”thank you very much, Kumiko.” The suffix “chan” is an endearment suffix used among friends>

K: ureshii. <I’m happy>

Kumiko-chan… *sigh*

-=o=-

K: If you find a magic fairy and you can ask for one wish, what will you ask for?

i: Magic fairy? Why not a genie?  A genie gives you three wishes!

K: No, no, just one. What will it be?

i: Umm… okay, I want unlimited money so I can buy anything I want.

K: Hmm… really?

i: Sure! Why not? What about you?

K: I wish to be older.

i: What? Then you’ll lose some years of your life! Why would you want that?

K: Oh, okay… Then I wish you to be my sempai. <”sempai” is a term for an upper classman>

i: Wow, that would be strange. Why sempai? Why not just your classmate?

K: I don’t like same age boys. I like a little older.

i: Sou desu ka?

K: (looks me in the eye) Sou desu yo. <really / indeed>

please don’t give me that look again…

-=o=-

i: You’re going back to Tokyo soon huh…

K: Come visit me.

i: I will, soon enough.

(stays silent for awhile)

I know, I’ll just look for that magic fairy and this time I know what to ask for.

K: What?

i: I’ll ask for a time machine, then I’ll travel some years in the future and then

I’ll go to Tokyo to look for you. But…

K: but what?

i: maybe by that time, you’ll probably already have a boyfriend.

K: hmm…  sou ka na. (used like “I guess so”)

   (she stares out the window)

i: But I’d still want to see you. (smiles) I’d want to meet your boyfriend and make sure he’s taking care of you.

K: Maybe I’ll have a boyfriend at that time…

      (looks at me) …demo ima wa kareshii ga arimasen.  <but I don’t have a boyfriend now>

umm… okay… ?

-=o=-

i: Hey, look at this part of your journal.

K: That’s the first time I arrived here.

i: (flips to the last page) Wow, you used it all up to the last page! And look at your grammar.  You’ve really improved a lot since last year! I’m so proud of you. Omedetou!

K: arigatou, Iohann-chan. <although the masculine version of “chan” should be “kun”, using “chan” for a guy signifies more intimacy of endearment>

i: …you called me… Iohann-chan…

K: I know. (smiles) I have a question.

i: What is it?

K: Would you like me if I were older?

i: Did I. . .?

K: No, you never said.  But would you?

i: Would you like me if I was your senpai?

K: Before I thought, yes.

i: But now?

K: I don’t want you to be younger. You might be different, you said before, it would be strange. I like the Iohann-chan now.

i: I like the Kumiko-chan now too, but…

K: I know.

i: you do? I mean, um.. What do you know?

K: Nandemo nai <it’s nothing>. You don’t have to say it.

      (glances at me briefly) I don’t have to say it too.

i: Say what?

K: (smiles) Goodbye. I’ll never forget you.

-=0=-

Kumiko… And I thought adults were complicated.

She turned 10 this year.

…and that, my friends, is one dangerous Loli.

Are those police sirens I hear?