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Nobara has always had big dreams.
From the moment she could move around on her own, she was crawling out of her mother’s sight, exploring every corner of the house, pulling herself to her feet using a table or chair or whatever happening to be within reach, and then teaching herself to walk so she could go even further. It was obvious, from the very beginning, that she could never be tied down to the small town she was born in. Even before her cursed technique manifested and she had tangible proof she was different from all the other losers in this town who are content with the achingly boring lives they lead.
Unfortunately, since Nobara is only eleven, she can’t just leave. No matter how badly she wants to catch a bus to the next town over—the one with a train station—and then continue from there on to Tokyo. And once in Tokyo, she’d be able to go anywhere in the world!
When she tells Fumi this plan, Fumi looks away, fidgeting with the end of her sleeve. “I dunno…”
Nobara slumps. “Not even if Saori-san comes with?” she tries. They’re holed up in her bedroom, and they’re supposed to be doing homework, but Nobara can think of about a hundred things she’d rather be doing than solving for x. Like planning her great escape!
“There’s only a couple years left before high school,” Fumi reminds her. “Wait until then, at least. Didn’t you say you were hoping to go to a high school in Tokyo anyway?”
Nobara purses her lips.
Yes, technically, that is true. It’s just not the entire truth. Nobara has other reasons for wanting to go to school in Tokyo, which she can’t share with Fumi. Because while she disagrees with her grandmother on a great many things, she does understand that she can’t just go around telling everyone about her cursed technique and the world of jujutsu sorcerers in general. Fumi would get too freaked out if she knew there were low-grade cursed spirits she can’t see flitting around the town. They even creep Nobara out a bit, just ‘cause of how they look, and she could totally kill them in an instant.
She’s not allowed to do that, though.
If they’re not hurting anyone, just let them be. Save your strength for the troublemakers, her grandmother always says.
Nobara thinks she just doesn’t want her to get in any practice with her technique, but. She’s had that argument way too many times now to believe she’ll get anywhere with it.
So, yes, Nobara wants to go to high school in Tokyo because it’s Tokyo. It’s an opening to the rest of the world. It’s a way out of this stupid town that Nobara has only ever felt trapped in.
But it’s also where one of the two schools for jujutsu sorcerers is located. Nobara’s grandmother doesn’t want her going there—she keeps telling Nobara she’d be much better off at a normal high school. Like the one in town. Which is perfectly suited for her needs.
Except Nobara isn’t normal. She hasn’t been since she was seven years old and tugged on her grandmother’s sleeve to ask what the big bug-like creature hovering in the aisle of the grocery store was. It doesn’t matter what high school she goes to; she’s got a technique and the ability to see cursed spirits. Nothing will change that.
So why can’t she just fulfill two dreams at once and go to the sorcerer school in Tokyo?!
“Just think about it,” Fumi continues, drawing Nobara from her thoughts. “If you get accepted into some super prestigious school in Tokyo, your grandma will have to let you go, right? And then I can visit you! And we can explore the city together! Maybe Saori-san could even come too, and she can show us to all her favorite places…” she sighs dreamily.
It sounds so good that Nobara temporarily forgets just how unlikely it is. “You’re right!” She jumps to her feet, dragging Fumi up with her and spinning her around. “We can try new foods and get new clothes, and! Did you know! Tokyo has like a billion train stations and two whole airports! You can go anywhere you want once you get to Tokyo!”
Fumi giggles, pretty and perfect, and Nobara—
Oh, Nobara wants to see it all with Fumi by her side. She wants to rescue Fumi from this miserable town, show her what the world is like beyond it, take her by the hand and throw open the curtains so she can finally see the sun. She wants to link their arms as they weave through crowded streets and dance with her under streetlights.
She wants to give Fumi some of her own cursed energy, so they can go to high school in Tokyo together.
Unfortunately, right now, they’ll just have to settle for daydreams.
“Gimme a sec,” Nobara says, letting go of Fumi so she can snatch the world atlas book from her shelf. Technically, it’s her grandmother’s, but she swiped it years ago and never got in trouble, so it’s basically hers now. She grabs Fumi’s hand once more on the way back to her bed, dragging her along, and they fall onto the mattress together.
“If you could go anywhere in the world,” she asks, setting the book between them and flipping it open, “where would you pick?”
Nobara has looked through these pages enough that she doesn’t need to peruse the various maps and charts to know what her answers are. Which means she can gaze at Fumi, watching how her eyes grow wide in amazement. She reaches for the book hesitantly, like it’s a treasure, running her fingers along the curve of Japan shown on the open page.
“Anywhere?” she repeats.
Nobara hums in affirmation. “Obviously, I want to go to Tokyo. But Okinawa also sounds fun. And Shanghai in China, or Seoul in South Korea… Maybe somewhere in Europe… Wouldn’t it be sooo romantic to kiss someone in front of the Eiffel Tower?!”
Fumi looks up at that, meeting her gaze.
Nobara’s cheeks flush, but she doesn’t look away.
She thinks, probably, she would like to kiss Fumi in front of the Eiffel Tower. They could go on dates at cute cafés, eating croissants and parfaits. The weather would be perfect, and they would walk through the streets hand-in-hand. When they made it to the tower, Nobara would ask someone to take a picture of them because Fumi would be too nervous, and the person she asked wouldn’t even care that they were two girls kissing instead of a girl and a boy.
Fumi’s eyes drop back to the book. “France would be fun,” she agrees quietly. “I think… I watched a movie, a long time ago, where they went to London. So I think I’d like to go there. I want to ride in one of those red buses with two levels, up on the top.” She flips a page in the book, her cheeks dusted pink as she adds, “I’d want you to come, too. And Saori-san, of course.”
Nobara nods. Maybe, in Paris, Saori could be the one to take a picture of her and Fumi kissing. She wouldn’t care that they’re both girls either. She was the one who first told Nobara it was okay that she didn’t have a crush on any of the boys in her grade because they’re all stinky and dumb.
You might have a crush on one of them when you’re older, Saori told her, or you might not. You might get crushes on girls instead. Then, she leaned in close and whispered, I’ve actually had crushes on both boys and girls before.
Nobara’s world changed that day.
That was when she decided Saori would be her best friend.
And, now that Nobara is older, she’s pretty sure she’ll never get crushes on boys. Fumi does, because Fumi has told her about which ones in their class she thinks are the cutest, but maybe Fumi gets crushes on girls, too.
Nobara hopes so.
She wants to ask, but before she can, Fumi speaks up again. She points to the book, drawing Nobara’s eyes down as she says, “Where in Okinawa do you most want to go? The city Okinawa? Or somewhere else on the island?
Nobara hums thoughtfully. After a moment, she decides, “Anywhere with a beach!”
Fumi furrows her eyebrows. “You just want to swim?”
“Well, I want to do other things too,” Nobara assures her. “But if we go to Okinawa, then we have to swim! …Where would you want to go?”
“Maybe Naha.” She traces her finger over the map, until it comes to rest in the middle of the city. “My parents went there for their honeymoon. But…the big aquarium isn’t in that city, and that also sounds fun.”
“We could go both places,” Nobara decides. “I don’t think the island is very big. We’ll swim at a beach and go shopping in Naha and visit the aquarium and eat lots of good food and—” she interrupts herself to take a breath, “—and it’ll be the greatest trip ever! ‘Cause it’ll be you, and me, and Saori-san!”
Fumi grins, like Nobara has just come up with the greatest idea in the world.
She’s so pretty when she’s happy.
Nobara hopes, one day, she can kiss Fumi. One day, when they’re older, and they’re not stuck in this town where they’ll get hurt if the wrong people find out. When they’re in Tokyo or Okinawa or Paris or London or anywhere that isn’t here.
One day.
For now, Nobara simply reaches forward and takes Fumi’s hand in hers. She keeps her grip loose enough that Fumi could pull away.
But she doesn’t.
She holds Nobara back.
“I can’t wait,” Fumi says softly. Like the most beautiful promise in the world.
Nobara smiles. “Me neither.”