“Congratulations! You graduated high school! How do you feel, son?” My mother held a giant pink frosted cake that spelled out ‘Happy Birthday’ across the top. The room was decorated with party accessories that made our tiny apartment seem even smaller.

“Eomma, you didn’t have to go all out for me. I just graduated high school; no big deal.” I looked into my mother’s tired eyes and set the cake down on whatever space we had left on the table. “You shouldn’t spend so much on me.”

“Nonsense! This is very proud moment for me and if could’ve, I would have spent a thousand dollars on you!”

“I love you, Eomma.” I wrapped my arms around her tiny and frail body.

We both sat at the table and devoured the entire ‘birthday’ cake while I told her about my senior year. Her proud eyes never left mine and her smile never faded. After a while of talking and enjoying ourselves, I saw that the time was getting late and I sent my mother to bed.

I’m not a bad person, if that’s what you’re thinking. In fact, I am very proud of how I was raised. I sent my mother to bed because she wakes up early to go to work and doesn’t get back until nighttime. You see, we don’t have a large source of income. My father disappeared when I was just a child and ever since then it had been just my mother and I.

After allowing my mother to fall asleep, I went out to get some coffee. My senior year practically included a million tons of free coffee. The coffee shop around my house knows about our financial situation and gives me free coffee. I don’t know the exact reasoning for it, but I know my mother had something to do with it.

“Jeon Wonwoo?” A lady’s voice came from behind. I turned around to the girl in a stunning black dress. Her body was extremely well rounded and her hair complimented her dress very well.

“Y-Yes?” I stuttered.

“I’m Vi Nguyen, principal of the ‘Institute of the Talented’. What would you say if I invited you to attend my school?” she took out a card and passed it to me.

“I’d say that I didn’t have any money and that I needed to find a job instead of continuing my education any further.” I sipped my coffee.

“I looked at your grades and I think we can arrange a full-ride scholarship.” She insisted.

“Now I know that you’re lying. My highs school experience was full of B’s and C’s. As wonderful of a person I am, I am not incredibly smart.” I tossed the card into the trash and walked outside. I have no idea what that was about.

“STOP HIM! HE TOOK MY PURSE!” Vi Nguyen shouted behind me. I turned around and saw a man coming my way.

I’m guessing this is the part where you think I go all superhero and save the day. You’re wrong. Why don’t you be patient? I don’t even I know I have powers until tomorrow! Oops, spoiler alert. My apologies.

The man ran past me and I attempted to grab his shoulder but I missed and slipped on the air underneath me. I’m honestly incredibly lame. Instinctively, my head shot upwards toward the man and I watched him trip on a vine that was grown out from the sidewalk.

“Oh, thank you, Wonwoo! I knew you could do it; you are talented.” Vi Nguyen said and picked up her purse, kicking the man in the head as she walked away.

I stood up and called the police. When I turned around, the man who stole the purse was gone. The only thing that remained was the random piece of vine he tripped over.

Instead of waiting for the police to arrive, I went home and fell asleep.

In the morning, I stepped out of my bedroom with cow- hair and made my way to the kitchen.

“Good morning, Wonwoo. Ms. Nguyen was just telling me about the amazing offer she gave you.” My mother said, making me spin around and see Vi Nguyen sitting at the table next to my mother. Quickly, I attempted to fix my disaster-of-an-excuse hair.

“No need to prepare yourself for my unannounced arrival. At our institute, it’s completely normal to see students like this.” She smiled and took a sip out of her coffee. I hope my mother didn’t prepare that.

“Ms. Nguyen, how grateful I am for your visit. If I may ask: why?” I sat across the table from them.

“Don’t be rude, mister!” my mother hollered and threw a piece of bread at me.

“It’s quite alright, Ms. Kim. I came here today, to inform your mother of the great opportunity I presented to you last night. You are, indeed, very talented and would fit in perfectly with the students.”

“In what way am I ‘very talented’? I already told you that my grades are complete garbage.” I crossed my arms and my mother gave me a stern look.

“You, Jeon Wonwoo, have the ability to summon nature at will.” She said.

The entire room went silent. My mother looked at Ms. Nguyen like a mad woman. I don’t blame her, this lady is crazy! To finally break the silence, my mother finally giggled.

“No, seriously. How is my child talented? It’s his looks, right? My child looks just like his father did, very good looking and tall!”

“I’m serious. Remember last night, when that man took my purse? Do you honestly believe he fell out of nowhere?” she smiled as if she thought she proved her point.

“I fell out of nowhere.” I replied.

“That- That is true.. But that vine! That species of vines doesn’t even grow here! Oh—would you please just attend my school?! It’s free and full of students with similar abilities!” she took out a business card that looked nothing like the one she threw at me last night. The new one had a picture of a guy wearing a cape and shooting rays of fire out of his eyes.

“You expect me to believe that you run a school full of students with magic powers?”

“You must keep it a secret, even if you don’t end up attending. It’s a very sensitive topic, as you can see. If the outside world was to find out about us, they might panic and threaten to kill us.” Her eyes widened and looked around the room to see if anybody was watching.

“Hmm, yeah. I’m going to stop you there. My mother was supposed to be at work by now. Yet, here she sits listening to your stories. If you will excuse us, we all need to leave.” I stood up and pushed her through the door leaving me and my mother alone.

“I’m sorry about that woman; she must’ve followed me home last night when I went to get coffee.” I helped my mother stand up.

“My love, I think she might have some truth to her story.” She walked to grab her purse. “But I can’t explain right now. Like you said, I have to get to work and I also need to think about how to say this.” She left before I could ask any questions.

I spent the day sitting at home, waiting for my mother to arrive. What does she mean ‘she might have some truth to her story’? That couldn’t be true; she looked at Ms. Nguyen in such a way that would never make me believe there was truth. I looked over at the windowsill and saw the withering flowers. Summon nature at will, eh? I stared at the flowers, expecting something amazing to happen. Sadly, I was disappointed. After a few more hours of waiting, my mother finally returned.

“I’m here, I’m here! Now, let me explain!” she threw her stuff down and sat next to me. “It all started with your father. When we were getting married, he told me he had the ability to move rocks with his mind. I thought he was crazy! A few years after you were born, he disappeared but he left a note.” She stood up and ran to her room. She came back with a tiny piece of paper. “Look, here!”

I’m sorry that I can’t explain the events that are taking place. I just need you to trust me. Remember what I told you at our wedding? Well, it’s true. I can do that. To protect our family, I must go into hiding. Please, forgive me. When the time is right, I will reveal myself. Until then, I love you, Kim Miyoung

“I hated your father for this, but I still loved him. I’m such a weird woman!” she giggled and looked at the piece of paper in sadness.

“You’re a lovely person. Forget him, we don’t need him.” I hugged her.

“Don’t say such things about your father! Look, it says he will return! He must have an ability like Ms. Nguyen said! Wonwoo, you have to attend the school.” She picked up the card the lady gave us earlier and dialed the number on it. “Hello? Is this Ms. Nguyen?”

“Eomma! What are you doing? Hang up the phone!!!” I reached to grab the phone but she started crawling around the room. “Eomma! You’re going to hurt yourself!”

“I’m calling to accept your offer from this morning—WONWOO STOP CHASING ME I AM ON THE PHONE!” She kicked me in my face. “Oh, no. Now is a great time to talk!”

“SHE’S KIDDING! SHE DOESN’T WANT ME TO GO! SHE ISN’T EVEN MY MOTHER!” I tried to get her off the phone.

“Silly, Wonwoo!—Ms. Nguyen, when does school start?” my mother’s foot was holding my face back. She extended her arm to grab a piece of paper and a pen. She wrote some information on it that I couldn’t see from the angle I was standing at. “Okay, thank you!” she hung up the phone.

“Eomma, why would you do that?” I cried.

“Jeon Wonwoo! You are not a baby; do not complain in my presence or in anybody’s presence! You are going to this school!” she put her foot down and sat on the couch.

“You’re supposed to be a highly over-worked ahjumma, how can you kick your son in the face like that? When do I start school?” I sat on the couch next to her.

“Tomorrow is freshman orientation. It’s a three day orientation so make sure you bring a change of underwear! I’m going to bed” she made her way to her room.

“What? Tomorrow?! What do you mean three days? What could possibly take so long?”