I must have fallen asleep eventually, because the next thing I knew I saw Kirika on a chair, eating cereal and watching some kid's show which looked awfully familiar to me.

"Morning Shu," said Valt. "Well, technically it's afternoon."

I sat up. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Not sure. We arrived home half an hour ago. You seemed so tired that I didn't want to wake you."

"Hello Shoe," said Kirika. She didn't know how to pronounce my name properly.

"How do you feel?" I asked her.

"Great!" said Kirika.

"Don't worry, she doesn't know," said Valt. "I put on My Little Pony for her."

I blinked like twenty times. I used to love My Little Pony. But when I dressed up as Rainbow Dash for a Halloween party back in second grade, kids made fun of me for liking a show for girls.

I guess that Kirika and I shared similar taste in cartoons. Only difference is that she is a girl. So no one will make fun of her for it.

Valt seemed to notice my expression. "Shu..."

"I'm fine," I told him.

"You can watch the show with her. I won't judge," said Valt. "I would never judge you."

I sighed. "Valt, I have always liked things for girls. Remember the first time I came to school wearing a pink shirt? People stared at me. The boys called me a sissy."

"You're not a sissy. Liking pink stuff and dolls doesn't make you any less of a boy."

I sighed. Valt was the only one who about my love for Barbie dolls. And Barbie movies. And My Little Pony. And dressing up as a girl for fun.

"It's all right for you. You were normal. While I was watching My Little Pony and Barbie movies, you watched Lego Ninjago and Marvel movies."

"We both like Disney," said Valt.

"Disney is for both genders," I told him.

"Exactly," said Valt. "No one cared that my favourite movie is Cinderella! So why do people stereotype genders? Girls can enjoy Lego Ninjago. Boys can enjoy Barbie. Colour has no gender. Nobody cares that you wear pink anymore. Why can a girl wear blue but a boy can't wear pink? Why can a girl like boy stuff but boys can't like girl stuff? Because of old-fashioned thinking."

I stared at Valt. "I... I never thought of that."

"Exactly. Shu, you like girly things and that's okay. People made fun of you because they were jealous that you had the courage to be yourself. So what if you like pink? You should be owning it, not trying to blend in."

"I'm not as confident as you," I told Valt. "But thanks. I don't know what I would do without you."

"That's what best friends do," said Valt. "They em... Em... Oh, empower each other. I mean, you are the reason I am the blader I am today."

"You remember our conversation from years ago," I told him. "Yeah, and you were the one who inspired me to start blading in the first place."

Kirika then climbed onto my lap. "Pway with me," she said.

"You mean play? Sure. What do you want to play?"

"Dress up," said Kirika. "Me a princess."

I smiled. "Sure, Princess Kirika."

Suddenly, my heart made a pang as I thought of Rose, whom I had referred to as my princess once.

Kirika ran to her room and came back wearing a poofy pink dress (which she had put on backwards). "Where my crown?"

"Er..." I had no idea where to find a princess tiara to go with the princess dress.

"Don't worry, I know where the accessories are," Valt whispered to me. He went off and came back with a silver plastic tiara.

Kirika seemed pleased. "Me pwetty!"

"Yes Kirika. You are very pretty," I told her.

Kirika rubbed her little face all over the cushions. Her hair became messy and her tiara became lopsided. It was a cute sight.

I smiled at how happy Kirika was. She clearly was enjoying herself. I wished that I had the same happiness when I was her age.