The bell rang, its familiar tone echoing through the classroom like a soft song. It signaled the end of another day at kindergarten, but Maya wasn't ready to go just yet. She sat on her tiny chair, hugging her backpack against her chest, watching curiously as Julio stood at the front of the class with a bright grin and a stack of neatly folded cards in his hands.
One by one, Julio walked up to each of their classmates, giving them a card. "Give this to your parents," he told each of them seriously, like a little grown-up. When one of the kids—Gion—asked what it was, Julio puffed his chest and said proudly, "It's my birthday party invitation!"
Maya's eyes sparkled. A birthday party?
