As Enzo carefully observed the bacteria through his mental focus, he was startled by the sudden creak of his door. His mother stepped into the room, heading straight for the window. With practiced ease, she slid it open, letting the cool morning air seep into the room.

  "Enzo, what are you doing? And what are you wearing?" she asked, glancing at him with a mix of curiosity and mild concern.

  Enzo, still seated at his desk, had his **Technical Science** textbook propped open. Without missing a beat, he responded, "Just a small experiment for school."

  She raised an eyebrow. "What kind of experiment?"

  "Modules and bacterial growth," he said casually, hoping to deflect her interest.

  Her gaze flickered toward the textbook, seemingly convinced. "Just make sure you keep your room clean," she said, stepping back and sliding his door shut.

  As soon as she left, **O.I.A.** chimed in, its synthetic voice tinged with amusement. "**Clever response, but you need to prepare for school.**"

  Enzo glanced at the digital clock on his desk—**4:00 AM.** He let out a sigh before standing up, stretching his stiff muscles. "Fine, I’ll get ready."

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Leaving his **MicroSynapse Set** and gloves on the desk, he headed to the bathroom. The warm water washed away the exhaustion clinging to his body, and by the time he returned at **4:26 AM**, he felt more alert as he felt all his cells getting heated. He finished and grabbed a simple breakfast—**bread with butter and cheese, washed down with tea**—before packing his school bag. His **EGD board**, still displaying the design he had drafted days ago, remained untouched. He hadn't erased it, thinking he might improve upon it later.

  "**Would you like me to store the data you’ve gathered so far?**" O.I.A. asked as he finished his meal.

  "Yeah, store it," Enzo replied. He leaned back in his chair, exhaling as the soft hum of digital processing filled the room.

  "**Alarm set for 6:35 AM. Time for school.**"

  Instead, Enzo locked his door, put on some music, and resumed his experiments. Now that he could "see" the bacteria clearly in his mind, he wanted to push further. He rummaged through his house, collecting various substances—**leftover food, plant extracts, even some old bones.** One failure after another, but he kept trying, determined to create something new.

  Then, by pure chance, he stumbled upon an odd reaction. Using **bone fragments** and a **mysterious fibrous structure resembling rooted bone**, the bacteria adapted in a strange way, forming something **unusual.** Before he could analyze it further, O.I.A. interrupted.

  "Enzo, it is time for school," O.I.A. said as the phone only had the alarm.

  "What? It's already 6:30?" Enzo said, not paying attention to the alarm he set for himself as he was too focused on the experiment.

  "O.I.A., add five minutes, and I'll be done," he said as his eyes locked onto the new formation. But as the minutes passed, reality caught up to him. Seeing the time—**6:40 AM**—he sprang up in alarm.

  "Damn it, time slipped out of my mind," he said, grabbing his O.I.A. phone, school bag, and his "EGD bag," stuffing his things inside. "Bye, Mom," he called out as he dashed out the door. His mother barely had time to respond as he rushed past, and his sister was about to leave for work.

  As he reached the street, still buttoning up his crisp white school blazer, he realized something—

  He was still wearing the MicroSynapse Set and gloves.

  Only his shoes were left at home. He exhaled, shaking his head, and kept running. "Damn it, I forgot to take the set and gloves off. I can't turn back now; I'll remove it at school," Enzo said as he continued walking to school.