**Transformation at the Salon**

Once upon a time in 2021, there lived a little boy named Ethan Whelan. Ethan was a petite bundle of joy, standing at 3 feet 9 inches tall and weighing around 44 pounds. He had just turned 6 on May 4th, 2015, and was bursting with excitement about starting first grade soon. Ethan hailed from the sunny state of California, where he spent his days exploring the local parks and beaches with his family. His hair was a soft, sandy blonde that fell in gentle waves around his cherubic face. His eyes were a striking blue, sparkling with curiosity and innocence. Ethan lived with his loving family: his mom, aunt, and grandparents. His mother, Emily Whelan, was a vibrant woman of 32, born on July 19th, 1989. She stood at 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 130 pounds. Emily's hair was a chestnut brown, cascading in loose curls down her back, and her big blue eyes matched Ethan's. She worked as an elementary school teacher and always had a warm, welcoming smile for her students. Ethan's aunt, Sarah Whelan, was 28 years old, born on January 16th, 1993. She was slightly shorter than Emily, standing at 5 feet 4 inches and weighing around 125 pounds. Sarah's hair was a deep, raven black, straight and sleek, reaching just below her shoulders. Her eyes were a vivid green, adding a touch of mystery to her otherwise cheerful demeanor. Ethan's grandmother, Marilyn Whelan, was a gentle soul, 55 years old, born on August 2nd, 1966. She stood at 5 feet 5 inches and weighed approximately 145 pounds. Marilyn's hair was a silvery gray, styled in a short, practical bob, and her eyes were a warm brown. She loved to knit and bake, often treating Ethan to freshly baked cookies and cozy hand-knitted sweaters. Ethan's grandpa, James Whelan, was a year younger than Marilyn at 54, born on November 29th, 1967. He stood at a towering 6 feet and weighed around 180 pounds. James had salt-and-pepper hair, which he kept trimmed short, and piercing blue eyes that mirrored the sea. He was a retired firefighter and loved spending his days fishing and telling Ethan tales of his adventurous career. One sunny afternoon, Ethan decided to walk to the local salon by himself for the very first time. He felt proud and grown-up as he strolled down the familiar streets of his neighborhood. As he entered the salon, a bell chimed softly, announcing his arrival. The salon was a bright space, filled with the hum of hairdryers and the soft scent of shampoo. Behind the counter stood a petite Korean woman with a stylish pixie cut. She was clad in a chic blazer and blouse, paired with fashionable platform sandals. Her nails were painted a vibrant red, glistening like gems in the light. She wore a wedding ring on her finger, along with various pieces of delicate jewelry - dangly earrings, a thin gold bracelet, and a dainty necklace adorned with a small, sparkling pendant. Her name was Sun-hee Park, and she was 55 years old, just like Ethan's grandmother, born on March 12th, 1966. Sun-hee was 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighed around 115 pounds. She had jet-black hair and almond-shaped brown eyes that twinkled with kindness. As she noticed Ethan, she greeted him warmly, albeit in halting, broken English. "Ah, little boy, you wait here. I go get thing for hair cut, okay? Don’t move," she said, smiling gently before disappearing into a back room. Ethan, feeling a bit restless, sat down on one of the salon chairs and slipped off his shoes and socks. He felt the cool floor beneath his feet and began to walk around the barber area, his small feet padding softly against the tiles. Suddenly, a familiar feeling struck him, and he innocently yelled out, "I gotta potty! I gotta potty!" Thinking he saw the bathroom door down a hallway, Ethan began marching toward it, his head held high. He wasn't watching his step and soon tripped over something, stumbling and almost falling. Looking down, he realized he had tripped over Sun-hee's platform sandals and, in his clumsiness, managed to slip them on. Before he could take them off, Ethan felt a strange sensation wash over him. His clothing began to evaporate, disappearing into thin air, leaving him momentarily terrified. He tried to remove the platform sandals, but his feet started to change, cracking and aging into delicate female feet with red nail polish to match Sun-hee's. Panicking, Ethan frantically pulled at the sandals, loosening the straps slightly, which momentarily slowed the changes. However, despite his efforts, the transformation crept further up his legs. "I'm gonna miss mommy and grandma so much. I didn't do anything wrong, I just had to potty," he lisped tearfully as the changes continued. He felt his head and face morph, and his hair began to change as well. In a moment of heartbreaking clarity, Ethan somehow realized that he was now older than his grandma and much older than his mom and aunt, causing him to cry deeply. "I'm gonna miss mommy and auntie and grandma so much," he tried to say with his childlike lisp, but what came out was, “I’a miss mommy an’ auntie an’ grandma so much," in a much older, foreign accent. Terrified, Ethan began to sing a comforting song his mom had always taught him to sing when he was scared. As he sang, his voice and accent changed into a Korean one. The words started out in English but began to morph into a traditional Korean song. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star," he started, his memories shifting, "... jeomjeom psycyeoneun jinju..." The transformation became complete along with his memories, and the song continued, “Areumdauten neo, jigeumkkaji wala” (translated to "Beautiful you, come to me now"), sung in a rich, melodious voice. The new woman looked down at her transformed body as she finished singing, noticing her attire, much like Sun-hee's, minus all the jewelry and the wedding ring. She spotted her collection of jewelry and wedding ring scattered nearby. With deliberate care, she added each piece to her outfit, first the earrings, then the necklace around her delicate neck, the bracelet on her slender wrist, and lastly, the wedding ring that marked her union. Feeling a sense of completion, she stumbled to a nearby chair, adjusting the loose platform sandals on her feet. She first tightened the strap around her left foot, making sure it was snug before doing the same with the right. With every adjustment, she felt more like herself—Sun-hee, the salon owner. She vaguely remembered having removed her jewelry and slipping back into her platform sandals earlier in the day, but the exact reason eluded her. Perhaps she had been cleaning or doing some task that required her to remove them. She shrugged, tidying up the salon even more. "What was I doing? I wonder," she muttered in broken English, confused but not entirely bothered. Reality seemed to adjust around her, painting a picture that explained her current state. "I so short. Platform sandal no help; I wear them to be taller but I still short," she sighed, looking down at her feet. A smile tugged at her lips as she glanced at her wedding ring. "I grateful for husband, Sang-min, and daughters, Jiyoon and Sunhee junior," she said in Korean, transitioning seamlessly into song, celebrating the love for her family. She reminisced, "I moved to America in 2002," as she continued cleaning up the salon, singing a traditional Korean song to herself. Finally, the day came to an end. She locked up the salon, feeling oddly vulnerable as she walked home. The night enveloped her, and she felt a distinct sense of unease. As she shuffled down the street, a white woman passed by wearing something that caught her attention—something unique to white women. "What is that? Looks like hanbok belt but not," she mused in broken English, fascinated by the unfamiliar item. The darkening night made her nervous. Speaking to herself in Korean, she whispered, "안심하려고 해," (“Trying to calm down”), her voice barely above a whisper. As she reached home, the quietness inside struck her. "Hello, everyone here? Sang-min, are you home? Jiyoon or Sunhee junior, are my daughters home?” she called out, her voice filled with concern. She felt a cold breeze on her legs as she walked through the hallway, eventually standing in front of a mirror. Looking at her reflection, she smiled and laughed. "Not bad looking for 55 years old. I remember learn speak English in year 2006. I finish school in Korea at Seoul Women's University in year 1988," she murmured in broken English, adjusting her outfit slightly. She stretched to reach something on the top shelf but couldn't, even on her tiptoes. "I wish I no home alone. I really want cookies from top shelf. If only Sang-min here or Jiyoon or Sunhee junior," she said, feeling defeated. "I still taller than Taeyang, G-Dragon," she added, pronouncing the names with a charming Korean accent. "I no understand why American like eat cheeseburger and hotdog and drink cola. Why no eat kimchi and bulgogi and drink soju instead?" she pondered, her broken English filled with genuine curiosity. Her gaze fell on her platform sandals, and a memory flashed—she had first worn them in 2001 when Sang-min bought them for her after they got engaged. She remembered the excitement and delight she felt putting them on for the first time, feeling an inch taller and walking with newfound confidence. Deciding it was time for bed, she kept her outfit and platform sandals on. She climbed under the covers and drifted into a dream, reliving her childhood in Korea, her high school days in a traditional school uniform, and more recent memories with her husband and children. She woke with a start, calling out, "Sang-min, Jiyoon, Sunhee junior!" before yawning and falling back into sleep, a serene smile playing on her lips.