As dawn broke, the sun's radiant fingers pushed through the clouds, casting a golden glow upon the ancient stone steps. Having completed my sweeping task, I headed back towards the temple, filled with a quiet satisfaction.

"Mama, I've finished up!" I called out, my voice bursting with enthusiasm.

"Lyn, don't forget your lunch, and remember, we have a tuning session tonight!" Mama's voice echoed back from within the temple's sacred halls.

After enduring days of relentless spring downpours, the vibrant blue skies felt like a divine gift. Praise the sun, indeed! I returned the broom to its rightful place in the shed, then hurried inside for a quick shower and to change into my school uniform.

Stepping out into the glorious morning light, bento box in hand, I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for the simple gift of sunshine. Living in the mountains, you quickly learn to cherish each cloudless day.

Mama and I inhabited a temple nestled on the edge of town, shrouded by a lush forest of trees and bushes, as if the temple were the earth's best-kept secret. The journey to and from our sanctuary was a scenic hike, offering both solitude and beauty.

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On cloudless days, I reveled in the joy of running to school. While most students would opt for a bike or the bus, I found solace in the rhythmic dance of my feet against the earth. The past week of bus rides had left me feeling disconnected, and I longed to embrace the vibrant world around me.

As I neared the school gates, I spotted my two best friends, Tai and Feng. With an unwritten agreement, we'd always arrive an hour before the first bell to share moments of laughter and camaraderie. Tai, a tall, sturdy boy with a buzz cut and sun-kissed skin, stood beside the petite, androgynous Feng, whose large eyes and round face lent her an air of innocent charm.

"Osu!" Tai boomed, his toothy grin betraying his playful intentions. "Did you run all the way here, or did you take the scenic route on a bus with your head hanging out the window?"

I feigned annoyance, narrowing my eyes as I retorted, "Funny, Tai-Tai. Did your mom sew an extra tag on your shirt, or is it just inside out?"

He chuckled, reaching behind his neck in a futile search for a nonexistent tag. Inwardly, I awarded myself a point for that well-aimed quip.

"Morning, Lyn," Feng greeted me, her voice soft as a spring breeze. "Your hair's a bit messy. I could help you fix it, if you'd like."

"Thank you, Feng," I said, sticking my tongue out at Tai. "Would you mind? We can chat about secret girl things without being bothered by our dear, dense Tai-Tai."

Feng's cheeks flushed a delicate pink as she nodded. "Of course."

Tai rolled his eyes, feigning offense. "I'll leave you ladies to it then. I've got dojo duty. Oh, and Lyn…" He paused, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "If you can't manage your hair, I could always lend you my razor." With a wink at Feng, he strode away.

Feng and I shared a laugh as we walked hand-in-hand to our classroom, the smell of ammonia cleaner and pencil shavings mingling with the morning air. Opening the windows, I reveled in the history etched into my worn desk, a testament to the students who had come before me.

As I settled into my seat, I couldn't help but sigh at my reflection in the window, my long, wavy blonde hair in desperate need of attention. "Feng, would you?"

She began to comb through my locks, her touch gentle and soothing. The intimacy of the moment warmed me, and I could feel the stress of the morning melting away.

"Your hair is so beautiful, Lyn," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

"I like your hair too, Feng," I replied, catching her eye in the window's reflection.

"Really?" She sounded pleasantly surprised. "Maybe next time, you can brush mine."

"Deal," I agreed with a smile.

Feng and I had shared the same middle school classes but only became friends recently. She and Tai had been inseparable since childhood, so when I joined the judo club and befriended Tai, Feng and I gradually grew closer as well. Now that we were high schoolers, I looked forward to sharing girly activities like trying on makeup and clothes. However, Feng's shy and reserved nature around her appearance meant we would have to take things slow, one step at a time.

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"There, all done," Feng announced, her handiwork evident in the smooth waves cascading down my back.

"It looks fantastic!" I exclaimed, and she smiled, her shyness peeking through.

"You're welcome," she replied, a touch of pride in her voice.

As the morning progressed, our classes unfolded in a predictable rhythm: lectures, note-taking, and the occasional yawn. The hands of the clock inched ever closer to the moment we'd been waiting for: lunchtime.

At lunchtime, Feng and I pushed our desks together and saved a seat for Tai. Positioning myself in prime pillaging territory, I unveiled my bento with a flourish, eager to begin the feast.

Within my bento, a note accompanied a mysterious silver capsule and a disappointing array of vegetables.

Lyn, I'll be visiting your school this afternoon to discuss letting you take some time off to travel. Ensure you take this pill during lunch; it's essential for tonight's tuning. ♡ Love, Mom

It was peculiar for mama to visit the school without an errand in town. Scanning the note once more, I sighed at the meager meal before me.

"What does it say?" Tai, the ever-curious brute, inquired.

"See for yourself, Tai-Tai," I offered, lifting the note for him to read. As he snatched it, I deftly pilfered an unguarded sausage with my chopsticks. Victory was mine.

"What's it say?" Feng asked nervously.

"Beats me," Tai replied. "Is this Greek or Arabic or something?—Wait hey!" He said finally catching on to my shameless thieving.

The note was penned in "Pauralan," the tongue of mama's homeland. It seemed to be a bit obscure. In fact, not Google-sensei had ever heard of it.

"It's written in mama's home language, Tai. It says, "That I need to take my vitamin and that we may go on a vacation somewhere soon or something." I said nonchalantly. "Speaking of which..."

I swallowed the pill, and a wave of warmth flooded my body, converging in my abdomen. These "vitamins," as mama called them, appeared in my lunch occasionally before a tuning session. She insisted they provided essential nutrients for the process.

Though skeptical, I couldn't deny my health. Unlike my peers, I'd never been sick or seriously injured. Perhaps there was truth to mama's peculiar concoctions and tuning rituals.

But my moment of inattention had given Tai-Tai the opening he needed to pilfer a piece of my precious celery. The brigand would pay!

I sighed at my lunch, a monochromatic sea of green. A girl needs her protein! My gaze strayed to Feng's mouthwatering fried chicken, and I telepathically projected my yearning.

"Umm... You can have a piece if you want," Feng offered, an angelic melody in her voice.

"Really? Oh, Feng, how I love you so!" I said, beaming at my sweet friend.

I opened my mouth wide, awaiting the succulent treat with an “ahhhh.” Feng hesitated, then delivered the chicken into my eager jaws. My taste buds erupted in ecstasy, a symphony of juicy meat and crispy skin, harmonized by lemon and pepper notes. Feng’s mama was truly a master chef… Well, at least compared to mine.

Tai feigned a gasp. "A second-hand kiss!"

I retorted, my mouth still savoring the chicken, "You dork! Feng and I don't care about that nonsense. Our love is pure."

To prove my point, I grabbed a piece of broccoli and offered it to Feng. "Say 'ahhh!'"

Her face flushed, perhaps from Tai's teasing, but she accepted the offering with an "mmm" of satisfaction. The exchange complete, we continued our lunchtime banter, enjoying one another's company and the unique flavors of the day.

As the school day unfolded, an electric energy coursed through me, an exhilarating sensation that I couldn't help but link to that enigmatic pill. By the time PE class rolled around, I felt like a caged tiger, eager to stretch my legs and unleash my newfound prowess on the unsuspecting field of co-ed softball.

Fate had paired our class with another first-year class, yet, to my dismay, Tai-Tai wasn't among them. He would have to await another day to bear witness to my triumph.

The coach, with an air of wisdom, assembled what he believed were evenly matched teams. "Yay! We're on the same team," I exclaimed, nestling up to my angelic Feng-tan like a kitten seeking warmth.

"I'm sorry, I won't be much help," she replied, her voice soft and bashful.

"Don't worry, Feng-tan! Together, we shall conquer the field," I reassured her, my eyes twinkling with confidence.

As we assumed our positions, an otherworldly energy pulsed through my veins, empowering me like a warrior ready for battle. The pill seemed to have unshackled a hidden reservoir of strength within me.

The game began, and my reflexes and might surpassed anything I'd ever known. Each swing of the bat sent the ball rocketing skyward, leaving my adversaries dumbstruck. My sprints between the bases were as swift and fluid as a cheetah in full stride.

Hushed murmurs and astonished gazes spread among my classmates, but I was too enthralled by my newfound abilities to care. Even Feng, my sweet confidante, seemed fraught with concern, her brow furrowed in consternation.

Then, the unthinkable transpired. A flyball hurtled through the air above me, and in a moment of instinct, I sprang into the sky. Defying the laws of gravity, I leaped into the heavens, or at least the first three meters, with ease, leaving a crowd of students gasping in disbelief. As I plummeted back to earth, a dust cloud enveloping me, the absurdity of the situation finally hit home.

A chorus of shock and worry emanated from my classmates. "Lyn, are you okay?" Feng asked, her voice trembling with anxiety. “What was that? You…”

Before I could muster a response, a voice crackled over the intercom.

*First-year student, Miss Yan Lyn, please come to the main office immediately. Again, Miss Yan Lyn, please come to the main office immediately.*

My heart plummeted like a stone in water. As I trudged towards the office, the whispers and disquieted stares of my classmates trailed me like shadows. A sense of foreboding gnawed at my core, and I couldn't shake the sinking feeling that my life was about to be irrevocably changed.