Mari pushed the heavy oak door open to the triplets' room, and for a moment, it looked as if a glitter-filled hurricane had passed through.
**Stella** was currently standing on her bed, using a silk pillow as a makeshift stage, belt-singing a song about "Shiny Stars." **Luna** was sitting on the floor, surrounded by a mountain of stuffed animals, trying to organize them into a "royal court."
**Marina**, the most athletic of the three, was somehow halfway up the curtain rod, giggling as she looked down at her sisters.
"My~ my~," Mari giggled, leaning against the doorframe as she watched the chaotic scene. "How energetic you are this morning! It seems the stars are aligned today."
The three girls froze.
"Mama!" they shouted in unison. Marina slid down the curtain with practiced ease, and all three scrambled toward Mari, their blonde hair bobbing.
"Mama, look! Luna made a kingdom!"
"Mama, I sang for the birds!"
"Mama, are we going to the beach?"
Mari knelt down, holding the purple-wrapped bento bundle like a sacred treasure. The scent of ginger, toasted garlic, and savory chicken broth wafted through the fabric, immediately silencing the girls' chatter. Their little noses twitched in sync.
"Even better than the beach," Mari said, her eyes softening as she began to unwrap the boxes. "Here... Mama has a special breakfast for you. This isn't from the chef or the hotel kitchen."
She scooped a small spoonful of the warm, thick porridge and held it out. "This was made by someone very special. It's called *Bubur Ayam*. It's full of magic and love."
The triplets huddled around, sharing the first few bites. Their eyes widened.
"It's... it's warm," Stella whispered.
"It tastes like a hug!" Marina chirped, reaching for a piece of crispy *cakwe*.
Mari watched them eat, her heart aching with a bittersweet joy. They didn't know the hands that had stirred this pot were the same ones that had been missing for three years. She reached out, stroking Stella's hair.
"Eat up, my little shooting stars," Mari said softly. "Mama has to go have a little... *discussion* with Grandpa. There's a certain school building we need to talk about."
She stood up, looking at her three beautiful daughters—the living proof of a love that had survived a "glitch" in the universe.
"After Mama is done with Grandpa, I'm going to take you to the old school on the hill. I want you to meet someone very important. Someone who is very soft, very magical..."
She winked at them, her "Shiny" spark returning with full force.
"...and someone who is finally, finally home."
In the Ohara Estate Study:
Mari didn't even knock. She strode in, the black obsidian card Agung had given her held between her fingers like a winning poker hand. Her father looked up from his desk, startled by his daughter's sudden, radiant confidence.
"Father," Mari declared, tossing the card onto his desk. "I'm not here to ask for an allowance. I'm here to buy Uranohoshi. And you're going to give me the 'Family Discount,' or I'll tell the triplets you're the one who hid their favorite sparkler-wands!"