BEEP BEEP BEEP!
Mina groaned and rubbed her eyes. Her alarm clock glowed 5:00 AM, casting a dim blue light across her small, tidy room. It was Saturday. Most kids her age would be snuggled in bed, dreaming about video games or idol crushes. But not Mina.
She sat up slowly, blinking away the last bit of sleep. She had an afternoon class later, but the main reason she woke this early was to complete the task Lume had given her the night before. As she yawned and stretched, her eyes landed on two familiar shapes at the foot of her bed.
Lume hovered mid-air with her soft red glow, and Pipi, Mina's shiba Inu, sat beside her wagging her tail.
"You're both up already?" Mina asked, her voice scratchy from sleep.
"We've been waiting for you," Lume said with a playful twirl in the air.
Mina smiled, reached for her glasses on the bedside table, and pushed them onto her nose. But before she could stand, Lume zoomed toward her and plucked the glasses off her face.
"Hey!" Mina reached out, surprised. "I can't see without those!"
"Are you sure?" Lume asked with a mysterious smile.
Mina blinked. The room… it was clearer than ever. Every detail — from the little heart stickers on her desk to the creases in her blanket — came into sharp focus.
"What the—? I can see everything!" she gasped, turning to look at her mirror. Her short black hair was a little messy, but her eyes… they looked brighter, freer.
Lume giggled and handed her a small strawberry-flavored lip gloss. "Put this on."
Mina hesitated. "Why? I'm just going for a walk."
"Someone might see you," Lume teased. "You have to look pretty."
Still puzzled, Mina changed out of her pajamas into a grey tracksuit, pulled on her running shoes, and brushed her hair. She hesitated before picking up her glasses again.
"You don't need them anymore," Lume said, softly but surely. "From now on, when you complete quests and tasks, you'll earn special abilities."
"Special abilities?" Mina repeated, her curiosity piqued. "Like what?"
Lume winked. "That's a surprise."
Mina clipped Pipi's leash and the fluffy dog barked once, eager. She tiptoed out of her room and almost bumped into her mom in the hallway.
"You're awake early," her mom said, eyebrows raised in surprise.
Mina smiled nervously. "Just going for a quick walk."
"Hmm," her mom said, clearly suspicious but too sleepy to argue. "Be safe."
Outside, the morning air was crisp and cool. The streets were quiet, except for the occasional car humming by. Pipi trotted ahead, tail wagging, while Lume floated beside Mina.
They passed a few street lamps still flickering from the night. After ten minutes, Mina stopped at a 24-hour supermart. Her stomach grumbled — she hadn't eaten dinner last night.
She went inside, bought Pipi a little treat, and picked up a cup of instant ramen. It was the cheap kind, but it was hot and spicy — her favorite.
A few minutes later, she sat on a bench just outside the mart, steam curling up from the ramen as she slurped the first bite. Her eyes watered from the heat, but it tasted so good.
Lume watched curiously. "What is that?"
"Ramen," Mina said between slurps. "Wanna try?"
Lume nodded shyly. Mina took a clean straw and dipped it into the broth, then held it up. Lume sipped from the straw, eyes wide. A second later, she bounced excitedly in mid-air.
"That's amazing!" she squealed. "No user has ever given me a treat before!"
"Really?" Mina smiled and handed her another taste.
They took turns enjoying the ramen, giggling softly. But inside the store, the attendant had just come out from the back. He spotted Mina sitting outside… feeding air with a ramen.
His eyes widened. His mouth dropped.
"G-GHOST!" he screamed before collapsing backward behind the counter.
Mina and Lume both froze.
"Oops," they said in unison.
"I think we should go," Lume whispered, grabbing the cup.
They quickly left, Mina struggling to hold back laughter while jogging with Pipi.
Once they reached the park, Lume spun in the air like a fairy on sugar.
"Congratulations!" she announced. "You've completed your first task."
A glowing red screen popped up in front of Mina, floating just above the ground.
Rewards:
+10 Popularity Points
+5 Confidence
Unlocked Skill: Mirror Pep Talk
Points Earned: 15/100
Unlock Special Abilities at 100 Points
Tiny sparkles burst out from the screen like mini fireworks, showering down in soft red and gold light.
Mina gasped. "Whoa… That was actually kind of cool."
Lume floated beside her. "You're doing better than I expected."
"What's next?" Mina asked eagerly.
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah."
Another red screen popped up.
New Task:
Talk to the girl.
Rewards:
+10 Popularity Points
+5 Confidence
Unlock: Confidence Boost
"That sounds easy," Mina said. "I'll just find a random girl to chat with."
Lume shook her head, smiling mischievously. "Not just any random girl."
Before Mina could ask who, she felt a shift in the air. A faint rhythm — the sound of steady footsteps approaching — echoed from behind.
"Look," Lume said, pointing.
Mina turned slowly.
And there she was.
Semi Nishino.
Her long golden hair was tied into a high ponytail that bounced with each graceful step. She wore fitted black jogging pants and a blue jersey top. A pair of sleek black cat-ear headphones sat snugly over her ears.
Mina's heart skipped. Her fingers clenched around Pipi's leash. Her face heated instantly, as if someone had turned on an invisible oven around her cheeks.
"She's… coming this way?" Mina whispered, her voice barely there.
Lume nodded. "You have to talk to her."
Mina's knees felt like jelly. Her palms were sweaty. She couldn't look away. Semi jogged closer, her eyes focused straight ahead, completely unaware of the nervous, breathless girl just a few feet away.
"She's… too beautiful," Mina murmured.
Lume hovered closer, her tone serious now. "To unlock your confidence, you must speak to her."
"But—" Mina's throat closed up. She swallowed hard, feeling her chest tighten with panic.
Semi was almost near. Ten steps away. Maybe less.
Mina's heart pounded. Her stomach twisted. Pipi barked softly, sensing her tension.
Her mind screamed: Run. Hide. Look away!
But she didn't move.
She couldn't.
Her eyes stayed locked on Semi as she got closer… closer… until—