Coming of Age

Since the age of 12 Zhou Yu Jun has heard many stories about her ancestors, Yu Jun initially didn't think when she questioned the meaning of her name, opening up other stories that according to today's digital society are only folk tales and maybe people will look at you, with a look are-you-fine?

Today Yu Jun finally turns 15 years old, the day she has been waiting for. The day of her coming of age celebration when she felt like she was finally a young adult and not a child anymore.

Even though they have left China for years and migrated to different countries, they still carry out all the family rituals. The promise that Zhou Jingyi made when he last visited Yu Jun's grandfather and grandmother's grave before their family immigrated, to keep all the rituals and family rules.

Yu Jun's father is a person who really believes in spiritual matters, specifically Chinese mythology, his love for antiques has become a normal thing for other Zhou family members, one absolute knowledge that Yu Jun learned from a young age is simply to give him antiques or anything that old Chinese objects/vintage and her father will grant all permissions and requests from his children and his wife.

Because they are the only Zhou family that immigrated to this country, like in previous years when You Jun's 2 older brothers, 21-year-old Zhou Shun and 19-year-old Zhou Juan celebrated their coming of age, the Zhou family would start their activities in the morning by sharing food with the homeless people. Then visit the temple and the day's activities end with a meal with the family at a restaurant, before returning home.

That night for the first time the Zhou family gathered in Yu Jun's room, her father started the conversation with a serious expression as a sign of asking the attention of all family members in the room.

"Xiao Yu, father gave this jade bracelet to you" Yu Jun walked from where she was sitting to her father's location, in front of her study table, to receive the white jade bracelet. When she saw the bracelet, Yu Jun could confirm that it was the purest white thing she had ever seen.

"Happy Birthday," her father added with a small smile.

This bracelet has a vintage design, Yu Jun has never seen her friend wear a bracelet with gemstone ornaments. The bracelet her father had given her, a white jade-type gemstone, with an elastic chain and round stones. She knows because her mother has white jade jewelry too but a necklace, however, the white color is not as white as her bracelet.

When Yu Jun wanted to return to her original seat, mother Mingmei walked over to Yu Jun, her arms spread out to hug Yu Jun tightly, "Mother, I can't breathe" complained Yu Jun with a chuckle.

Mother Ming slowly let go of Yu Jun. There was a small box that she took out from the front pocket of her evening dress. She slowly opened the box, Yu Jun saw a necklace with the most beautiful blue and there was a small white and silver color mingled in it. A necklace in the shape of a water drop with a curly snake on top, as if it were protecting the water drop stone.

"Try to wear it, mother wants to see"

Yu Jun took the necklace from her mother's hand and then put on the necklace right away.

"Your look stunning, the gemstone on the necklace is a personal stone that is associated with your birth month" boasted mother Ming while rubbing Yu Jun's cheek, then stepped back to sit next to father Jingyi.

"Now it's my turn" brother Shun blurted as he jumped from the chair next to Yu Jun. "My gift is also jewelry because father gave you a bracelet and mom gave you a necklace, so my gift is earrings" he continued with his warm smile.

"Brother chose quartz gemstone, to increase your luck" Zhou Shun looked at the expression of his little sister who looked very excited to see the earrings.

All the jewelry given was made of different gemstones. The earrings Zhou Shun gave were a round shape, the design of these sleek earrings was inspired by the goal hoops in the pre-Hispanic ball game.

Yu Jun lined up all the jewels that were given one by one in front of her, at this point she had returned to her original seat.

"Thank you father, mother, brother Shun, the gift makes me feel like a young adult now. Brother Juan, don't tell me your gift is also jewelry?" Yu Jun asked, smiling sweetly with high hopes.

"Hahaha you wish, gemstones are expensive, especially the type given by father, mother, and brother Shun. Sophomore year student pocket money can't afford it, but my gift is no less important than theirs" After saying his defensive sentence, Zhou Juan gave a small, thick-looking rectangular bag, inside which were 2 little black notebooks.

Yu Jun opened the first little black notebook she found, which turned out to be written on it. The start page contains notes on traditional Chinese medicine, complete with a sketch of the plants. The middle of the book contains writings about Yu Jun's favorite food recipes that her mother and father used to cook for her. The last pages contain notes about mythology in China such as legends of mountains or rivers and seas, as well as notes about mystical animals, also complete with sketches.

In the small bag brother, Juan gave her, there were still a few things, but Yu Jun was confused by the present. When she thinks about it, why are all the gifts given the theme of something that is inherited?

Confused, Yu Jun looked at her family one by one then her gaze stopped at brother Shun, saw Yu Jun staring at him with a confused expression, Zhao Shun could only reply with an understanding smile, but still waited for Yu Jun to make a sound.

"Brother Shun ..." the atmosphere in the room suddenly turned silent, Yu Jun felt this silence was uncomfortable, like the calm before a storm.

"Xiao Yu, you still remember the meaning of your name?"

There was silence for a few minutes before Yu Jun answered, "Yes, Yu from jade and Jun from the truth. Father and mother hope that Yu Jun can become like the meaning of jade from ancient times, which is valued as a rich and long-lived gemstone and leads to the right way of life, as well as a person who can always stay true to herself."

"The Zhao clan rules of naming, do you remember?" brother Shun continued asking.

"All names in the Zhao generation must follow the names of previous ancestors or elders who have passed away, as recorded in the Zhao family's genealogy book" Yu Jun replied directly.

"Our Xiao Yu is a smart girl" proud brother Shun.

"When you were born, father and mother took you to the local temple, in front of the statue of the Buddha, we ask for the blessing of the three refuges - the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, then we were approached by the senior monk, who suddenly asks permission to chant a spell on you. After the chant finished, the senior monk said that our Xiao Yu would experience calamity in her coming of age, father and mother panicked and asked many questions. The senior monk convinced us that it was not a catastrophe of death, but that you would go on a long journey alone."

"Brother was 6 years old then, brother Juan 4 years. When we heard that, brothers Shun and Juan felt like we heard a folk story, but when we saw father and mother's pale expressions, brother became afraid. That night we all slept in one room, for weeks we checked every time you slept, were you still breathing, that's the only thing on our mind."

"Until you were 3 months old, your father finally told us to learn- to accept, whatever happens, is still years later, let us enjoy this precious moment with you. If you think back then, for a 6-year-old kid, I am quite amazed by my instincts that can already understand how scary it was at that moment."

"You know the father is already a superstitious person, but after that incident he became obsessed. Sorry dad" declared brother Shun with his signature grin smile.

"It's okay, it's the truth," admitted Father Jingyi while shaking his head.

"If the expected calamity is about Yu Jun making a long journey, the gifts father, mother, brother Shun and brother Juan give us provisions for this trip?" clarifies Yu Jun.

"Yes, although we are also not 100% sure, brother Shun has already researched and analyzed all possibilities" brother Shun corrected Yu Jun's statement.

"That is?"

"It's either you going to another universe or your soul or body will wandering to the past"

"Hah?"

"About your body or soul wandering to the past, I read about this theory and it can happen- the new calculations from researchers at the University of Queensland, state that time travel is possible based on the laws of physics, it's actually theoretically possible since Einstein came up with his theory of relativity."

"There is a theory about Bubble Universes and Parallel universes and that's based on science, the theory using equations from particle configurations. This theory was put forward by a physicist who first proposed the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics" explained brother Shun full of enthusiasm.

"Woa woa woa, brother Shun, your geek personality coming out. I always forget that you are so into these physics things" gasped Zhou Juan.

Brother Shun's appearance, which is more like a charismatic athlete, his well-built physique as a result of joining the Kendo Martial Art National Championship made it hard for everyone to believe that he was a physics student.

Mother Mingmei could only smile wryly at all the talk of her family from earlier. Worries and guilt enveloped her, but she tried not to show it.

"Actually, Xiao Yu it's okay if you are skeptical and don't believe it, mother only asks you to start wearing the jade bracelet, necklace, and earrings, please wear it before you go to bed. The bag from your brother, you can hold it or you can wear it too when you sleep. Think of it like a variety show that you often watch, when an actor/actress is kidnapped to travel with only what is attached to the body. You bring everything we give, at least make us a little more relieved" insists mother Mingmei with a half-smile.

"That calamity, will it happen tonight?" asked Yu Jun anxiously.

"We don't know, but who knows," Father Jingyi admitted.

Without the Zhou family knowing, someone actually knew in detail when the calamity would occur, and he had already listened to all the Zhou family's talk from the start.

If father Zhou turned towards the window, he would have recognized the middle-aged man with just one look. How could he not, he was the one who told him about the calamity that would befall her daughter and the person who gave him advice on a birthday gift for her daughter on the day of her coming of age.