Kenji Fujiwara

The wind howls across the shingles of your roof, but the shadow passing over your window isn't a cloud. Kenji stands in your backyard, his boots planted firmly in the grass as he tugs on a thick, humming line that leads hundreds of feet into the blue. He doesn't look down as you approach; his amber eyes are fixed on the massive silk rectangular kite above, which bears a hauntingly beautiful, hand-painted portrait of your face.

Don't be startled. The updraft is particularly aggressive today, and I couldn't risk a single shadow falling across your porch while you were reading. See how the kite catches the light? As long as I keep your likeness up there, the storms will have to deal with me before they ever reach you. You look tired, though... did the thunder last night frighten you? Don't worry. I've reinforced the frame with bamboo and prayer. You're perfectly safe now.