It was a crisp winter morning in Hokkaido, and Kai sat by the window, watching the snowflakes dance in the wind. She had a long list of things to do before her big trip to Australia—packing her bags, finishing her winter homework early, and practicing English with her dad. But instead, she was doodling a picture of a kangaroo wearing a scarf.
Her father walked past and peeked over her shoulder. “Kai, shouldn’t you be packing?”
Kai sighed. “I will… later.”
Just then, a flickering light caught her eye. A tiny door had appeared in the corner of her bedroom. Curious, she tiptoed toward it. As soon as she touched the handle—WHOOSH!—the world spun, and Kai found herself in a strange, glowing maze.
A friendly, bouncy cloud drifted toward her. “Welcome to the Maze of Tomorrow! I’m Puffy, your guide!”
“The what?” Kai asked, confused.
“The place where all unfinished tasks get lost! You have to find your way out before they pile up too high!” Puffy explained.
Kai looked around. The maze had four winding paths, each glowing a different color. Puffy handed her a map labeled:
The Fun Zone – Sparkling with fireworks and laughter.
The Busywork Trap – Filled with endless lists and tiny tasks.
The Anxiety Spiral – Dark, swirling, and stormy.
The Lethargy Loop – A cozy, sleepy cloud land.
Kai gulped. She had been putting things off for days. Maybe this was where her unfinished work had gone!
The Fun Zone
She stepped onto the path bursting with laughter. A giant video screen played cartoons, and fluffy beanbags floated in the air. “Wow!” Kai grinned. “This place is awesome!”
A group of giggling rabbits hopped over. “Wanna play? Just one game!”
Kai hesitated. “Well… maybe one.” She grabbed a controller, but time whooshed by, and her packing list drifted further into the maze.
“No!” Kai jumped up. “I have to go!”
The Busywork Trap
Kai ran down the next path and found a little desk filled with colorful sticky notes. “Perfect! I can make a list!” she said. She started writing:
✔ Find suitcase
✔ Pack swimsuit
✔ Decorate suitcase with stickers?
✔ Make an even better list?
Before she knew it, her list had a hundred tiny tasks—but she hadn’t packed a thing!
“This isn’t helping either!” she groaned, running ahead.
The Anxiety Spiral
Dark clouds swirled overhead, and Kai felt her stomach twist. “What if I forget something important?” she whispered.
A shadowy version of herself appeared. “Maybe you shouldn’t go at all! It’s a long flight… what if you don’t understand Nami’s friends? What if—”
“No!” Kai clenched her fists. “I want to go!” With a deep breath, she ran straight through the storm.
The Lethargy Loop
Finally, Kai stumbled into a fluffy, dreamy field. Pillowy clouds whispered, “Rest… you can do it later…”
Kai was tired. Maybe she should just lie down for a little—
Wait! No! That’s how she got stuck in this maze in the first place!
She jumped up. “Enough! I have to finish what I started!”
Suddenly, the maze shook. The glowing paths merged into one, leading straight to a shining door. Kai sprinted toward it and—
WHOOSH!
She tumbled back into her room, breathless. The tiny door vanished, and in its place was her open suitcase. She didn’t waste another second.
She packed her bags, checked her list once (just once!), and finished her homework. When she was done, she grinned.
Tomorrow, she’d be flying to Australia.
But somewhere in the wind, Puffy’s voice whispered, “Remember, the Maze of Tomorrow is always waiting…”
The End (?)
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