SEVEN

“Welcome to Earth.”

Elsa opened her eyes and spotted Joseph in front of the dressing table, brushing her hair. Startled, she quickly sat up, taking in her surroundings—an unfamiliar room, likely an apartment. Her gaze fell on Joseph’s reflection in the mirror, and she noticed how much more human he looked now. Dressed in a simple black t-shirt and jeans, he seemed to outshine any movie star she'd ever seen.

Her eyes landed on his broad chest, and that’s when it hit her—he wasn’t just an alien anymore. The heart beating inside him was slowly turning him into something more human. But Joseph, completely unaware of this transformation, acted as if nothing had changed.

“What’s wrong?” He waved a hand in front of her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Oh, sorry! I was just... thinking,” she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Joseph couldn’t help but smile as his heart raced, a sensation he wasn’t used to.

“Man, you’re really something else,” he teased, still grinning.

After a moment of awkward silence, he sat down across from her. “All that time I spent without you feels like a waste now. You’re full of surprises,” he said, his eyes lighting up with mischief.

Time seemed to stop as they sat there, him watching her intently. It was strange for him—he had never lingered on anyone like this before, and now, without any real reason, he just couldn’t look away.

Time Skip

They wandered the crowded city streets, talking about the people around them. Elsa explained human empathy and kindness, while Joseph listened carefully. He was on her left, matching her steps as they strolled.

Suddenly, a young woman bumped into Joseph hard and fell to the ground. The impact left her stunned, regretting that she had hit him so forcefully. Joseph, not accustomed to human responses, just stood there, waiting for her to get up on her own. Elsa had noticed the girl had been following them for a while and finally understood what was going on.

With a sigh, Elsa stepped forward and helped the girl up. But as soon as she did, she saw that the girl’s gaze was still locked on Joseph. Irritated, Elsa glared at her, but the girl ignored her completely and reached out to grab Joseph’s arm. That was the last straw.

Without hesitation, Elsa stepped back and slapped the girl across the face.

Joseph turned, surprised by Elsa’s sudden action. Moments ago, she had been teaching him about patience and mercy, and now this...

“How dare you slap me?” the girl cried, holding her cheek.

“Just like you dared to touch him,” Elsa shot back coldly.

Still stunned, the girl began to tear up, but Elsa wasn’t moved. She grabbed Joseph’s hand and stormed off, letting go after a few steps, though she was still fuming. Joseph watched her quietly, knowing her anger would pass soon enough.

When it finally did, they found a bench by the side of the road, and Elsa sat down, her emotions settling.

“How long are you planning to stay mad?” Joseph asked with a small laugh. “You’ve never been this quiet before. It’s weird.”

“Ugh, shut up,” Elsa groaned. “I can’t believe people like that even exist. Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you stop her?”

Joseph chuckled. “Was what she did really so bad that you forgot all the stuff you’ve been telling me about kindness?”

His calm tone took the wind out of her anger. She sighed. “Humans... We know what’s right, but we don’t always follow through. We’re full of contradictions.”

“Is there a solution?”

“Yeah. Keep trying. Even if you fail, at least you’re trying. That’s what counts.”

“Then how about this—you promise to work on your temper?” he teased.

She rolled her eyes but nodded. “Fine.”

“Good. Now, let’s go. You’re way more fun when you’re laughing and yelling.”

Elsa couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s only been a few days, and your heart’s already getting sentimental?”

Joseph smiled. “Maybe. But I like seeing you like this.”

A few moments later, he asked, “By the way, why were you so angry back there?”

“She bumped into you on purpose.”

“And you slapped her,” he said, clearly enjoying teasing her.

“Okay, okay, I overreacted. I’m sorry.” Joseph chuckled.
“I wouldn’t have been mad if someone bumped into you.”

“That’s because you’re not human,” she shot back, a little softer this time.

Joseph pointed to his chest.
“Well, I have a heart now.” Hearing him, Elsa burst out laughing.
“Yeah, yeah, don’t let it go to your head!”