Archive of Our Own

“Make a wish, Miss Riko.” Kuroi smiled as she held her camera in place. 

Riko sat at the dining table, staring into the soft light coming off of her birthday candles. She slowly counted them all. One, two, three… sixteen. She felt a little emotional. She sniffled as if she might start crying.

A couple of years ago, she thought she’d never live to see her fifteenth birthday, let alone the next or any one after that. And now here she is, sitting at the dinner table, looking up at Kuroi and then back down at her cake and then back at Kuroi. 

She smiles faintly, her eyes feeling watery. Kuroi tilts her head at her with a soft expression. 

“What’s wrong?” 

Riko sniffles as she wipes at her eyes. “Nothing’s wrong…” She stares into her candles. Her lips wobble a little as she smiles. “I’m just really happy.” 

She closes her eyes and blows. 

Being alive now as opposed to before is a lot different than Riko thought it’d be. It was as if her life wasn’t her own before. Everything she did was in preparation for the assimilation. Now that she's free from that terrifying reality, she can live her life however she wants to. But honestly, Riko doesn’t want much. 

“What do you wanna do for your birthday?” Satoru had asked her a week or so before. 

They sat on the bleachers in one of the many fields inside Jujutsu High. The two of them looked out at Suguru as he sparred with the children. Riko’s eyes had a hard time keeping up with all their movements. 

“I don’t know,” she said, gaze flickering. “Normally Kuroi and I just go out to eat someplace nice, and then go home and play video games, or watch movies for the rest of the day.” She rests her chin in her palms. 

“Sounds fun,” Satoru smiled. “We could throw you a surprise party.”

“Well it wouldn’t be a surprise now.” Riko rolled her eyes with a smile. 

“A nice restaurant and video games does sound nice, but it’s also a little boring,” Satoru teased. “We can do whatever you want. The sky’s the limit.” He stretched his hand out towards the clouds. Riko’s gaze followed his movements for a second before returning back to the others in the field. 

“I don’t think I even wanna go out to eat this year. No one makes pot-au-feu better than Kuroi anyway.”

“Huh?” Satoru cocked his head at her with a confused face. “But you hate staying in. What do you mean you don’t wanna go out?”

Riko shrugged. She didn’t know how to explain it. Something had been feeling off within herself lately. She wished she had the words to describe it. She wished she had someone who could possibly understand it. 

It felt as if no one would get it. Satoru is Satoru and Suguru is Suguru. Besides them being the way that they are, her other friends are a little intimidating. Riko even feels hesitant thinking of them as her friends. She isn’t sure if a professional title on their relationship would be more appropriate. 

But Satoru and Suguru saved her life. She feels far too connected to them to not call them her friends. And she’s spent time with the rest of them, playing games and joking around. They feel too familiar to be called anything other than friends as well, but still… 

Riko feels a bit out of place, in every environment she’s in. She often accustomed her situation to that of a fish. She used to think of it that way anyway. 

Her parents died, and left her all alone. She was adrift in the vast ocean and she would have swam off course if not for Kuroi stepping in to take care of her. 

Even then though, it was like she was caught, stuck in a current. It was too strong to swim against. It was too strong to even imagine defying it. But then Satoru and Suguru appeared. 

As if they taught her how to move her fins properly, as if they had a fish net and carefully took her out of that dangerous current and into warm, safe, fresh waters… Satoru and Suguru saved her life. 

But even so, it’s as if everyone knows how to move throughout the water without issue except for her. She gets to spend more time with her friends from school now, but it’s as if she can never catch up for the lost time. 

They all seem closer with each other than they are with her. The same can be said for Satoru and Suguru and their friends. It makes more sense to refer to everyone as their friends rather than her own. They have inside jokes and history, so much history that Riko can never make up time for. 

She’s also younger, which Kuroi has said shouldn’t mean anything. You can form bonds with people no matter how different you are from them. No matter how much younger or older they are. But Riko still finds it difficult. 

Her friends at Jujutsu High live in a separate world from that of her friends at school. Everyone has purpose, a clear goal with expectations and responsibilities to fulfill. Riko had a responsibility as the Star Plasma Vessel, and she selfishly gave that up to pursue a normal life. 

Riko winces from her own thoughts, thinking that she’s told herself she was selfish before, but not remembering it stinging this way when she thought it. 

She knows that she’s a kid who still has time to learn and grow and figure out what she wants to do, but it’s as if her purpose in the world has disappeared. Now that she isn’t a vessel anymore, now that she’s left that part of her life behind… What is there for her to do?

Riko blows out her candles with one solemn thought trailing heavily in her head. 

I wish that I can find my purpose. 

“I think I want to go to Jujustu High,” Riko says. 

Satoru and Suguru look over at her as they slurp their ramen. They’re in a small shop not too far from her school. They haven’t had much time to see her after adopting Megumi and the twins, but Riko thinks they’re making an exception since it was her birthday a few days ago. 

“Like, after we finish eating?” Satoru asks. 

“No,” Riko frowns at him, “like to attend. To go to school there.”

“Oh,” they say in unison, with equally unenthused tones. Riko raises an unsure eyebrow at them. It’s a little freaky how in sync they act sometimes. 

“What? You don’t seem excited.”

“Why would we be excited?” Satoru questions. He brings his bowl up to his lips as he drinks his broth. 

“Because you miiiiiss me, and me being at the school means you’ll see me more,” Riko jokes. 

“Don’t joke, Riko,” Suguru sighs. Riko’s frown deepens. “We do miss you, but you going to the school is a bad idea.”

“And why is that?” Riko narrows her eyes at the both of them. 

“Simply put—”

“Gently put,” Suguru cuts Satoru off, giving him a warning look. Satoru clears his throat before speaking again. 

“You trying to become a Sorcerer isn’t smart. You’d be more useful as an assistant or someone working on the staff.”

Riko glances between the both of them, feeling a little off balance. 

“And why wouldn’t it be smart?” Her voice quiets down, feeling less sure of herself. 

“Riko,” Suguru sighs. He smiles at her gently, but the gesture doesn’t feel very comforting right now. Riko looks down at her ramen, not wanting to meet either of their gazes. 

“We care about you,” Suguru says. “That’s why we’re being honest with you.”

“I thought you could always use more Sorcerers,” she mutters. 

“And we do,” Suguru’s quick to respond. “But…”

There’s no good or nice way to convey what he and Satoru are both trying to explain. 

“I’d just be a hindrance, wouldn’t I?” Riko says, almost to herself. 

“Don’t go getting all depressed about it,” Satoru says. Suguru shoots him another look. Satoru shrugs, “There are other important ways to contribute to Jujutsu Society, if that’s what you want to do.”

“But becoming a Sorcerer would be out of the question for me?”

Neither of them respond but Riko can read their expressions fine enough to understand. Her brow furrows though, feeling prickly from their reactions and attempts at having tact.

“I’m not a baby, you know?” her voice raises. “You can just say it!” She grimaces. 

Satoru sighs and quickly slurps the last of his broth. He wipes at his lips and clears his throat again. 

“You can see curses which is the minimum requirement for becoming a Sorcerer, but your cursed energy is faint.”

“You could learn how to control it,” Suguru adds. 

“But there’d almost be no point,” Satoru continues. “I can tell there isn’t much to begin with right now.” He looks her up and down. 

“You would gradually get stronger cursed energy as you learn more,” Suguru jumps in. 

“But again, I can already tell that your maximum wouldn’t cap at much.” Satoru gestures with his hands, displaying how very little her energy adds up to. 

“And besides that,” Suguru says, “You’re not much of a fighter.”

“You’re so scrawny, even for a typical school girl—”

“Okay! Okay! I get it!” Riko yells. “I’d suck! I’d absolutely suck and get killed immediately, right?”  

“Well cursed energy and raw strength isn’t all that makes a Sorcerer,” Satoru says, “But I’d say it’s about 80% innate talent and only 20%—”

“Shut up!” Riko screams. “I get it. I’d be useless.”

“Worse than useless,” Satoru mutters. Suguru flicks him upside the head and he groans. 

“You have the potential, Riko, but potential alone can only get you so far,” Suguru says, speaking gentlier now. “You should take it from the both of us. Neither of us recommend you trying to become a Sorcerer.”

Riko sighs as she slumps in her stool. Despite their words being harsh, something about the blunt way Satoru and Suguru speak makes the blow softer. She supposes it’d hurt more if she wasn’t already accustomed to them acting like this. 

“You make me feel so small when you say it like that,” she pouts. 

“There’s nothing wrong with being small,” Suguru smiles. “We’re here to protect you. That’s our job.”

“It’s not supposed to be anymore.” Riko looks away from them. 

“It never stopped being our job,” Satoru says. Her eyes flicker back up. “As long as curses are around, Jujutsu Sorcerers will be there to protect people.” He stares into Riko with the type of resolution that only someone like him can hold. “That’s never going to change.”

Riko hums, she wants to agree, but something is holding her back. Her gaze returns elsewhere as Suguru eats the last of his ramen. Uncomfortable thoughts begin swarming in her head. 

“... But what if I want to change?” 

She feels stagnant. Life is ever changing. People evolve and mature and get older. The cherry blossoms fade away and snow begins littering the streets. People come in and out of your life. Some stay for a while, some you never see again. 

Life is ever changing, but Riko feels as if she’s stuck sourly in place. In a way, her feet are still glued to the floor of the Tombs of the Star. She’s staring down into the path ahead of her, wondering if she made the right decision. 

“No one’s telling you to stay the same,” Satoru says. Her eyes meet his again. He smiles at her, shrugging a little. Riko can’t help but smile too, although something still feels vacant in her heart. 

Suguru pushes his bowl to the side as he turns to face her more. “We do care about you, Riko.” He reaches over Satoru and places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’re here to help you with whatever you need. No matter what it is.”

Satoru nods along to his words. Riko feels her smile growing and her unease softening. 

“Just ask us,” Suguru tells her. 

“Okay,” Riko nods. She pushes a strand of hair behind her ear and plays with the end of it, looking away, feeling a little self conscious. “Thank you both,” she mumbles. 

Suguru squeezes her shoulder before taking his hand back. A soft silence falls over the three of them again as she carefully slurps her noodles. 

She thinks that no matter what she says, or no matter how she tries to explain it, Satoru or Suguru— or no one for that matter, will ever understand what she’s truly feeling. The only person who understands is herself. No one else has lived through the exact torment that she has…

Riko’s eyes widen then, as she realizes something. She turns to Satoru and Suguru, feeling rather anxious but excited at the same time. 

“Hey, there is actually one thing you could help me with.”

The two of them raise their eyebrows at her expectantly. 

Riko feels a bit unsteady. She doesn’t necessarily want to ask or be a bother, but Suguru said they’re here to help her. His reassurance makes her worries ebb away. 

“I wanna see Yuki Tsukumo.”

When Satoru and Suguru had very suspiciously hosted a dinner at Jujutsu High, one of the many people they invited was the former Star Plasma Vessel. Not Riko, but Yuki. 

She didn’t get a chance to really speak to her at the dinner. Yuki seemed well traveled and worldly. She was confident and loud, even standing out amongst the large group of people attending. 

Riko thought she was cool. She was a little intimidating, just like most of the people she’s met in Jujutsu Society. It was some time after the dinner though, when Riko overheard Satoru and Suguru talking about her, that she realized Yuki was once in the same situation she herself was in. 

“Tsukumo was a vessel?” Riko asked, completely shocked. 

“That’s right,” Satoru nodded. 

“We don’t know much about her, but she’s come to visit us once or twice, after we got promoted to Special Grade,” Suguru smiled. 

“Congratulations,” Riko rolled her eyes. “There’s definitely something special about you two.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Satoru narrowed his eyes at her. 

“Nothing,” she rolled her eyes harder. 

The two of them stared down at her with mischievous expressions. Riko felt herself pulling away the longer they stared. 

“Suguruu,” Satoru grinned. 

“Get her,” Suguru pointed. 

“Hey!” The two of them pounced on her, trapping her between them and tickling her. Riko screamed and laughed out loudly as she tried to squirm away. 

“Somebody help me!” she giggled. 

The rest of her friends had abandoned her, getting distracted with something on Shoko’s phone and leaving her to a ticklish doom. But that was when she originally learned who Yuki was. 

Of course, there has to be more to the story. Yuki was a Star Plasma Vessel, like herself, but then didn’t assimilate and grew up to become the first Special Grade Sorcerer of this era. And now she’s often found overseas, “slacking off”, as so many people would put it. 

She’s quite mysterious, on this everyone can agree. Riko’s dying to have some one-on-one time with her. 

Satoru and Suguru contacted Yuki for her, saying that they gave her Riko’s phone number. Riko smiled and thanked them happily. Satoru ruffled her hair, saying it wasn’t a problem and suddenly all her gratitude disappeared. She pushed him off of her and the two engaged in a shoving battle until Suguru unceremoniously broke it up. 

Riko waited a bit impatiently for the rest of the day after they dropped her back off at home. She sat at the edge of her bed, telling herself to stop checking her phone so often and to just relax, but the idea of speaking to someone— the only person who could ever possibly understand her— made her skin buzz in a way she couldn’t control. In a way she couldn’t settle down. 

Finally, her phone rang, and Riko fumbled, letting the phone slip out of her hands a few times before getting a good grasp on it and answering. 

“Hello?”

“Hey, is this Riko?”

Riko couldn’t push down her smile. 

“Yeah, this is her.”

“Great! This is Yuki! You can add me to your contacts now.” Riko nodded even though Yuki couldn't see her. “So what’s going on kid? I remember meeting you at that dinner. The boys told me that you wanted to get a hold of me.”

“I do,” Riko nods again. “I really do.” Her body settles, finally being able to relax now that she’s got Yuki on the phone. 

She tugs lightly at the end of her skirt though, not knowing exactly how to explain the situation she’s in. She’s been thinking of it as a situation but she supposes that there’s really nothing going on, which maybe is a part of the problem. She tries to speak but no words come out. She purses her lips back and breathes through her nose shakily. 

“You still there?” Yuki asks. 

“Yeah, yeah, sorry. I know you’re probably busy.”

“No, not at all,” Yuki laughs a little. Riko smiles faintly but it falls just as quick. 

A small stretch of silence goes past and she knows she should be saying something, but she doesn’t know what to say now that she’s been given the opportunity. Yuki must think she’s strange. 

“Do you prefer talking in person or over the phone?” 

Riko sits up a little straighter, being taken aback by the question. 

“Sorry?”

“Or do you like texting best? Some people even like face time, although it’s always been shoddy every time I've used it.”

Riko blinks, not knowing what Yuki’s getting at. More silence ebbs between them. 

“I’ll tell you what, kid,” Yuki hums shortly, like she’s thinking something over. “I’ll be in the city tomorrow if you want to go out. You can text me your address and I’ll come and getcha.”

Riko feels fidgety and a bit teary eyed for some reason. She’s been feeling this way a lot lately. She doesn’t want to bother Yuki or take up any of her time. 

“Th—That’s alright, you— you don’t have to.” Riko tries to smile. “I don’t, I don’t want to take up your schedule.”

“You wouldn’t be,” Yuki’s quick to respond. “I’ll be around all day tomorrow. Just give me a text and I’ll be there, okay?”

“Um, okay,” Riko answers, her words feeling wobbly and unsure as they spill out. 

“Cool!” She can feel Yuki’s smile through the phone. “Buh-bye then.”

“Bye,” she mumbles. 

The phone hangs up and Riko’s left alone once again in her room, in her thoughts, in her vast ocean. It feels like she might drown. It feels like there’s no net to catch her and save her this time.  

She curls up into herself on the bed. She doesn’t know what’s happening with herself. She doesn’t know what’s wrong. She sniffles into her pillow as she wills herself not to cry. She hopes that Kuroi gets home soon so she can console her. 

“I’m going out, Kuroi!” Riko calls as she slips on her shoes. “I’ll be back for dinner!”

“Is that Miss Tsukumo down there?” Kuroi looks down out of their window and into the street. “She’s on a motorcycle,” Kuroi places a hand over her mouth in worry. “Miss Riko, please be careful.” She turns back to Riko with a concerned smile. 

“I’ll be fine, Kuroi. Don’t worry.” She jumps into her arms as she hugs her tightly. 

Riko’s never hugged Kuroi tighter than the day she thought would be her last as herself. She held Kuroi firmly in the Tombs of the Star, because she thought that’d be the last time. She squeezed her so hard. She hugged her as close as possible. 

Sometimes when she hugs Kuori now, she remembers that feeling, that helplessness. The world is scary and lives are fickle. She makes sure to hug Kuroi as much as she can now. 

Kuroi rubs the top of her head softly. She places a strand of hair behind her ear and picks at some lint on her sleeve. She gives her a once over as if making sure she looks alright. Then she smiles and nods. 

“Alright. Have fun.”

“I will. Thank you.” Riko hugs her again before disappearing behind the door. 

Yuki is waiting for her on the curb once she walks outside. 

“Yo, Riko!” Yuki waves. 

She’s wearing an outfit similar to the one she was in at the dinner. A leather jacket with low cut jeans and a short cropped shirt that overall screams badass to Riko. 

She couldn’t ever imagine herself wearing something like that. It’s not that she exactly wants to or doesn’t want to, but she doubts that she holds the confidence to pull off such a look. 

There’s a helmet perched behind Yuki on the seat, clearly meant for Riko as she already has her own helmet strapped on. Riko takes a short gulp and makes her way over to her. 

“I’ve never been on a motorcycle before,” she says, looking it up and down slowly. As if Yuki couldn’t get any cooler, she also rides a motorcycle. 

“They’re super fun.” Yuki revs the engine and Riko stumbles back a little, feeling startled. Yuki laughs, “Don’t be scared, hop on.” 

Riko’s eyes follow the line of smoke coming out of the exhaust. Yuki picks up the helmet and tosses it to her. Riko catches it clumsily as it rests against her chest.

She straps it on, trying to adjust it around her hair and finding that it’s a little difficult. She takes a deep breath as she settles onto the seat. She goes to place her hands on Yuki’s shoulders but then finds that her waist is closer and probably feels more natural, so she grips her tightly there. Yuki laughs again as Riko presses her face into her back. 

“I’ll go slow, okay?”

“Okay.” Riko trembles a little. 

The two of them take off with a bit of a push and Riko screams as she leans into Yuki more. Yuki can’t seem to stop herself from giggling at her.

Riko peeks out past Yuki’s shoulder as they gain speed. It’s not a bumpy ride like how she had thought it’d be. It actually feels very smooth and Yuki has the type of confidence that makes you believe in her no matter what. 

Riko feels her grip soften around her waist as she glances at the street around them. She doesn’t ask where they’re going and she doesn’t even have the mind to care. It’s like all her thoughts drift off as they head on further into the city. 

Yuki’s hair whips behind her but not into her face. Riko glances behind them and sees her own hair flipping in the wind. She laughs a little as she presses her face to Yuki’s back again. 

“You wanna speed up?” Yuki smiles over her shoulder. 

“Yeah!” Riko giggles. The engine screeches loudly but it doesn’t startle her this time.

They zoom past the many cars aligning the streets. They circle around a shopping district once or twice and Riko marvels at how well the bike can move and turn, as well as how skilled Yuki seems to be at handling it. 

They park once Yuki spots a place she wants to eat at. She tells Riko to order whatever she wants but she decides to keep it simple and settles on ramen. 

“What’s your favorite food?” Yuki asks her. 

Riko lets the steam from the broth waft over her face as she sighs out. 

“I like pot-au-feu.”

“The French dish?” Yuki smiles at her curiously. 

“Yeah,” Riko giggles, thinking that it’s obvious Yuki would know it of all people. “My caretaker, Kuroi, makes it for me. It’s really good.”

“You ever been to France?” Yuki blows on her food to cool it down before taking a bite. 

Riko laughs before answering, “No, I wish.” 

She had so many aspirations when she was still a Star Plasma Vessel. It’s not like she’s given up on those dreams now, but it feels different. It’s almost easier to dream about things when you know you’ll never be able to achieve them. 

Now that the possibility of these dreams is within reach… Riko isn’t sure if it’s what she wants. She’s not quite sure of anything honestly. And she feels more hesitant than ever. 

Yuki hums as she tilts her head at her, like she’s trying to figure her out. They continue eating as Yuki continues to ask her a variety of questions. 

“Worst memory?” 

“Kuori getting kidnapped.”

“Best memory?”

“Leaving the Tombs of the Star,” she smiles. 

“Nice pick,” Yuki points. “Pet peeve?”

Riko hums for a moment in thought, “When someone ignores you when you’re speaking or cuts you off mid sentence.”

“You and the Special Grades must get along great.” 

Riko rolls her eyes at the mere thought of them but laughs anyway. “Yeah, we do.”

The questions continue from there, even after they’re done eating and have set back off on the road. Yuki talks loudly, to combat the wind and the engine roaring under them. Riko has to speak louder as well to match her. 

“What’s your favorite thing to do?”

“Don’t know. I like badminton.”

Yuki laughs, “We should play sometime.”

Riko giggles, feeling fond as she tries to imagine it. Yuki would definitely beat her, but that’s okay. 

They stop at another shop eventually, getting sodas as well as snacks. Yuki holds the door open for her as they walk back outside. Riko flicks the tab on the soda open and drinks it quickly, her mouth feeling a little dry from all the talking. 

Yuki peels back the plastic wrap for a popsicle and sticks it in her mouth. She looks up into the sky for a moment and then gets a glint in her eyes as she returns her gaze to Riko. 

“What’s your type?”

“My type?” Riko’s eyes widen. 

“Yeah, what sort of guys are you into?”

“Uh…” Riko tries to think about it. She’s never given that stuff much thought. 

She thinks about Satoru and Suguru and how bothersome they are. Then she thinks about Kuroi and how warm and safe she makes her feel. All the people in her life make her heart feel tender in a way she’s extremely grateful for, no matter how annoying some of them may be at times. Despite that though, she doesn’t feel like any of them understand her. She thinks maybe that’s what she really wants. 

“As long as they understand me, I guess,” Riko speaks into her soda, feeling on the spot as she blushes. “And they can’t be annoying and they need to make food tastier than Kuroi’s.”

Yuki laughs. The popsicle drips down her hand a little. 

“A woman who knows what she wants. I can get behind that.” She gives her a thumbs up. 

Riko feels her face grow even warmer. She hurriedly drinks more of her soda, but then finds herself growing curious too. 

“What about you? What’s your type?”

Yuki gasps, a little dramatically. “No one ever asks me that!” 

She laughs again as she fans her hand around. Her face grows more serious all of a sudden though and then she leans in closer to Riko as she cups her hand over the side of her mouth. 

“I’ll tell you, but it’s a secret, okay?”

Riko cups her hand the same way and smiles, “Okay.”

Yuki glances around as if to check if anyone else is there. As if what she’s about to say is extremely confidential and important. Riko convinces herself that is as she tries to play along. 

Yuki gestures for her to come closer. Riko inches her ear to her lips and her eyes widen as Yuki whispers to her. 

“Ohhhh. I get what you mean,” she laughs. 

“Right?” Yuki smiles, seeming proud of her answer. “A person’s type is a representation of their character, Riko. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t,” she rolls her eyes a little but smiles. 

They get back on the motorcycle once Yuki finishes her popsicle and once Riko finishes her soda. This time, Riko’s the one asking her questions, feeling a bit more comfortable now after all the talking they’ve been doing. 

Yuki’s even more interesting than Riko had originally thought. She’s been to so many countries all across the world. She’s met so many different Sorcerers and experienced all kinds of weird Jujutsu. She explains forms of weaponry that are only made in specific parts of the world. She gloats about being able to withstand their attacks and showing everyone else up. 

Besides things pertaining to Sorcery, Yuki’s still immensely intriguing. She knows so much about so many different topics. She’s eaten all kinds of foods from all kinds of places. She’s lived in tundras, in deserts, in rainforests, on ships— She’s seen it all. 

“You’ve done so much with your life already, Tsukumo.”

“Hey, I said you could call me Yuki, didn’t I?” She smiles over her shoulder. 

“Yuki, sorry.” Riko holds onto her waist tighter. 

“Don’t apologize so much,” Yuki shakes her head. 

“Sorry—” Riko begins apologizing again without even realizing it. She stops herself though, and Yuki laughs a little. 

“I guess I’m not very confident,” Riko tries to laugh it off. 

“Hey, don’t say that,” Yuki counters. “You’re very confident. It takes major balls to do what you did. Leaving the Tombs of the Star like that.”

“No,” Riko shakes her head, leaning her face into her back more. “It wasn’t even my idea. Gojo and Geto were the ones to offer it to me.”

“So?” Yuki tilts her head back to look at her for a moment. “No matter whose idea it was, it was still on you to leave, wasn’t it?”

Riko smiles shyly at Yuki’s words. She makes her want to believe in herself more. She does make Riko want to imagine herself as confident. But it’s easy for someone like Yuki to be so complimentary, when she’s achieved all that she has. 

“Maybe, but… It’s still not like I’m special for choosing that. You left on your own too, didn’t you?”

“Nope. On the contrary.”

“Huh?” Riko tilts her head in confusion. 

“I wasn’t given a choice or any offers, like you.” Yuki glances back at her again. “I’d say that makes you pretty badass, Riko.” 

Riko feels her cheeks flushing as she laughs nervously, not knowing how to take the compliment, and not even really believing it. 

The two of them settle into a comfortable silence as they drive off faster towards her apartment. 

“Do you wanna stay for dinner?” Riko asks her. She sets her helmet back down on the seat of the bike. 

Yuki smiles at her widely, “Ooh, free food. I’d love to.” She takes her helmet off as well and the two of them climb up the stairs to Riko’s front door. 

“Kuroi! I’m back!”

“Welcome home, Miss Riko,” Kuroi calls from the other room. 

“Can you make another place at the table?” Riko asks, taking off her shoes. Yuki does the same as they remain in the doorway. 

“Yuki’s gonna be joining us!”

“Oh, how wonderful,” Kuroi says warmly. “I’ll get an extra plate.”

Riko invites Yuki inside and Kuroi greets her as she arranges the table. The three of them enjoy a quick dinner. Riko tells Kuroi about their day and Kuroi shares some of the work she’s been up to. Riko likes the rapport that Kuroi and Yuki have together. 

Nothing makes her happier than spending time with Kuroi and also eating Kuroi’s food for that matter. Having Yuki here is nice as well. Her presence feels familiar and in a way healing. Riko assumes that she only feels so comfortable because of the connection they share. 

She doesn’t know if it’s something literal and tangible, like cursed energy, or if it’s only in her head. Regardless, she feels it deeply in her chest. It makes her a little sad, knowing that Yuki will be leaving again soon. 

Riko goes to help clear the table and wash the dishes as usual, but then Kuroi tells her that it’s alright and she’s got it covered. Riko knows it’s because she wants her to have more time with Yuki. She smiles, feeling grateful for Kuroi’s consideration.

Yuki asks if she wants to look outside at the stars and Riko nods, feeling excited. They quickly put their shoes back on and head outside. They sit on the curb by where Yuki parked her bike. 

The stars shine prettily in the sky above them. Riko doesn’t know much about astronomy or space. She wonders just how many stars there are in the night sky. 

The two of them are both silent as they sit there gazing upward. Riko finds that her mind isn’t wandering to anything uncomfortable or worrying. She feels pretty at ease as she glances between this star and the next. She has to wonder again if it’s because of Yuki.

All day spending time with her has made Riko feel significantly better. It feels almost as if they haven’t really talked about anything, but then again, the hours passed somehow. Riko once again feels a little sad at the thought of her leaving. 

“Do you like being alive?” Yuki asks her, breaking the soothing silence. 

Riko glances at her, feeling caught off guard completely. But then again, she thinks about everything that’s been troubling her lately, and as if Yuki is a mind reader, she’s honed in on her negative thoughts. 

Riko looks back up at the sky, trying to will herself to be positive. “Yes. More than anything.” She’s not lying, but something still feels off in her head. 

“... I think about it sometimes,” Yuki says. “About what would have happened if I had done it.”

The Assimilation, Riko thinks. 

She looks over to her again. Yuki’s eyes are glued on the stars. They twinkle softly across her skin, illuminating her face. 

“Have you ever regretted it?” Riko asks, faintly. 

“No, not even once,” Yuki answers easily, not even having to think. Riko isn’t surprised. “Do you?”

Her lips part to say something but no words come out. She has no idea how to explain what she’s feeling. “... I don’t know… I don’t really know what I feel…”

Yuki hums, but doesn’t say anything more. A beat of silence stretches by, but Riko can almost sense Yuki winding up to speak again. 

“How old are you?”

“Uh, sixteen. I just turned sixteen a few days ago.”

“Ah, happy birthday,” Yuki smiles. 

“Thank you.” Riko blushes a little. 

“You know it’s okay to feel aimless at sixteen right?”

“I know…” Riko glances down at the pavement. 

“And there are hundreds if not thousands of kids going through what you’re going through right now.”

“... I know.”

“But it’s still not exactly the same though, right?” Yuki cocks her head, turning to face her more. “Even if they can relate to you on some sort of level, none of them used to be Star Plasma Vessels. But that’s why you called me, yeah?” She points to herself, grinning. Riko tries to smile back although it feels forced. 

Yuki’s smile falters slightly. She returns her gaze to the sky and waits for a moment before continuing, “... Tell me what’s on your mind. I’m not the type to judge.”

Riko goes to say something but just sighs instead. She focuses hard though, really fully trying to articulate exactly what she means or wants to say. 

This time isn’t like before, when she clammed up on the phone with her. Once she starts speaking, the words just keep flowing out on their own. 

“... It’s not that I wish I was dead or anything. It’s not that I wish I’d assimilated… I just feel very incomplete, like on some major scale. All my life was supposed to be for, was Tengen, and now I’ve given that up… It’s almost like I’m not supposed to be here. And I can’t shake that feeling. Everywhere I go… it’s like I don’t really belong.”

Yuki’s silent again but Riko knows that she’s listening to her intently. They each stare up at the sky as her words settle around them. 

Riko feels her unease growing, like she just spat something vile and far too true out into the world. Her body feels unsteady beneath her. Her mind’s thrashing around in the current, unable to escape. 

“... When I was your age, I was supposed to assimilate,” Yuki says softly. “The Higher Ups though, they decided against it, saying that my technique was too strong and too much of a potential asset to just throw away.” 

She pauses and Riko looks at her once more. Yuki’s gaze is still locked on the sky. 

“I wasn’t given a choice, like how Gojo and Geto gave you one. I was still a pawn in their game. It wasn’t even up to me.” Yuki’s eyes meet hers finally. “I didn’t have guts like you. I was compliant.”

“... I can’t even picture you as being compliant.”

“Well good,” Yuki laughs a little, “because that’s not who I am anymore.” She turns her face back to the sky with a soft expression. “Once you make a decision that everyone else disagrees with, you’re gonna have that feeling— like you did something wrong, like you made the wrong call. It takes serious courage, Riko, to stand up for yourself.” She smiles at her. “It doesn’t matter if you had help or not. That doesn’t take away from the fact that in the end it was your decision. You’re strong.”

Riko stares back at her, feeling grounded somehow, feeling like she’s entering calmer waters. 

“You really, think so?”

“Oh immensely,” Yuki grins brightly. “When I heard what the three of you did— what you did, I got chills.” She nudges her shoulder and Riko can’t help but smile a little. “I would have come to see you sooner but I’m often tied up with other things.” 

Yuki pauses again. Her expression returns to that of a more serious one. Riko already feels more sure of herself, even before hearing the rest of what Yuki has to say.

“It’s okay to feel aimless, to not know what you wanna do.” She places her hand over Riko’s gently. She squeezes her softly and it’s as if everything in the world is gonna be okay. 

“But don’t ever regret the decision you made. Don’t ever convince yourself that you’re worthless. You aren’t any less special than you were the day you were born, when you first became discovered as a vessel.” Yuki smiles and then shrugs, “I don’t wear it as a badge of honor or anything, but more so as a middle finger to fate.” 

She sticks her hand out, flipping off nothing in particular. Riko laughs a little. Yuki squeezes her hand again. 

“I’m a Star Plasma Girl, and I’m still here. And so are you. And no one can ever take that away from us, okay?”

Riko smiles at her, finally feeling a little bit more confident. 

“Okay,” she nods. 

They remain sitting there, Yuki holding her hand and Riko leaning into her shoulder. They watch the stars for what feels like forever. Riko notices lights inside people’s windows shutting off and then Yuki is letting go of her hand and standing up before she knows it. 

“If you ever need anything, I’m just a phone call away.” Yuki stretches and yawns loudly. 

Riko stands up as well and frowns a little. She knows Yuki is a Special Grade Sorcerer, which should be the reason why she’s supposedly super busy, but from what she’s heard, Yuki often neglects her missions. Still, for whatever possible reasons that are keeping Yuki so busy, Riko doesn’t want to intrude on her time. 

“Yuki… When can I see you again?” She feels bad asking. She’s telling herself to be more confident though, to speak her mind. 

If there’s one thing that she could possibly learn from Satoru and Suguru, that would be confidence. There’s no one that she knows who acts more gung-ho than them— with Yuki now being included. 

Maybe that’s what makes them all Special Grade. 80% innate talent is what Satoru said. Maybe you aren’t likely to start acting a certain way if you’ve never been that way on your own before, but Riko has bypassed higher expectations in the past.

Yuki places a hand on her hip and smiles at her. The look on her face is one of consideration, like she’s thinking something over before actually saying it. Riko tilts her head slightly, wondering what it is that she’s about to say. 

“You should come with me.”

“What?” Riko’s eyes widen. 

“You don’t have to stay in Tokyo forever. You should come back overseas with me.”

“Uh.” Riko flounders, not knowing how to respond, feeling like such an offer is too good to be true. “But, but I have school.”

“You can get an education anywhere,” Yuki shrugs.

“Well, well what about Kuroi? And my friends.” Riko stares into her with uncertainty. 

“Remember what I said about face time?” Yuki smiles. “And Kuroi could even come with. It’s been a while since I’ve had travel companions.”

“But…” Riko has a hard time thinking it over. It’s too sudden of an idea for her brain to process it fully. It seems more like a joke, but she knows Yuki is being serious. 

In TV shows and movies, people pack up and leave to go on some adventure all of the time, but this wouldn’t even be like an adventure. This would be Riko’s life. She would leave Tokyo and, based on how often they see Yuki, she might not be back for months or even years at a time. 

Could Riko really do something like that?

“... When would we leave?” She entertains the idea. She asks purely out of curiosity.

“We could go right now,” she shrugs her shoulders. “We could go tomorrow. Whenever you want.”

“I— I don’t know. It’s so, so sudden,” Riko mutters, looking away. 

“Well, you don’t have to decide right now. I’ll still be in Tokyo for another day. You can think it over.” Yuki smiles. She places her helmet over her head and straps it on quickly. 

“And even if you don’t decide by then, you can always text me and tell me to come get you, and I’ll be there in a heartbeat.” She sits on the bike, kicking the stand back and revving the engine. 

Riko looks at her with this soft confusion. “You’d really go out of your way… to do all that?” For me? 

“We’re both Star Plasma Girls, that practically makes us sisters.” Yuki’s smile goes on for miles. “I’m here for whatever you need.”

Riko feels something warm in her chest. The connection that Yuki and her share, it isn’t like anything she’s ever felt with anyone else. 

“Uh, okay!” she smiles. “Yeah! I’ll, I’ll text you!”

“Alrighty then,” Yuki waves. “Be seeing you, Riko. Hopefully soon.” She looks on ahead as she pulls away from the curb. 

“Yeah! See you!” Riko waves. 

She remains there on the street, watching as Yuki gets further and further away in the distance. She sighs out quietly, feeling a little confused. Feeling a bit out of her element. 

She doesn’t know what to do about Yuki’s invitation. She supposes she should speak to Kuroi about it, but she almost doesn’t want to bring it up until she’s actually decided. 

She sulks as she walks back to her apartment. What would be the right thing to do?

“You’re asking yourself the wrong question,” Satoru says. 

Riko stands with him and Suguru on their balcony, overlooking the neighborhood. The kids are playing in the living room with the TV on faintly behind them. 

“Fuck what’s the right thing to do. What do you wanna do?” Satoru asks her. 

“I don’t have a clue. That’s why I came to you two.”

“What are we, your royal advisors?” Suguru jokes. 

“My liege,” Satoru says, putting on a voice and bowing to Riko slightly. “You know you cannot leave your kingdom unattended to.”

Suguru giggles a little, joining in with his own “regal” voice, “With you gone, I fear the crops will wither, and the children will cry.”

“Whatever will we do without you, our liege?” Satoru playfully sulks. “You must stay with us.”

Suguru laughs like it’s the funniest thing in the world. Satoru laughs along with him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Riko frowns at the both of them. 

“Shut the fuck up,” she gripes. “I don’t want to leave everything behind. My school, my friends, you two…” She sighs as she looks out over the surrounding apartments. “It feels like too sudden of a decision. Like, you have to plan these things out ahead of time, you know?” 

“Well, I’m all for rash decision making,” Satoru says, his voice returning to normal, “But she said you don’t have to decide right now.”

“Yeah, Riko, take some more time to think about it. She said she’ll come get you whenever, right?” Suguru smiles. 

“Yeah, she did, but— I don’t know.” Riko slumps over the railing, pouting. “I feel like I didn’t do anything at all last year. Fifteen for me was a total bust.”

“Fifteen for me ruled,” Satoru smiles, looking up as in retrospective thought, glossing over Riko’s feelings. “If I could go back I totally would.”

“What was so great about it?” Riko asks, tone incredibly unenthused. 

“Well he met me, of course,” Suguru smirks. 

Satoru nudges him in the shoulder but doesn’t protest. Riko rolls her eyes at them, sticking her tongue out and making a gagging sound. 

“Don’t be a hater,” Satoru says. “Maybe you’ll find your boyfriend in Tokyo this year, and so you can’t leave.”

“Or maybe you’ll find him overseas and so you have to,” Suguru says, seemingly just to disagree with Satoru. 

“Or maybe, I’ll throw myself off of this balcony and die, so I don’t have to,” Riko grimaces. 

The two of them laugh softly at her. Satoru pulls on her shirt so she comes further away from the railing. She lets herself be dragged off by him. 

“When you told us you wanted to see Yuki, we didn’t think that meant you’d be going away with her,” Satoru comments, still tugging at the back of her shirt. 

“We can only give you so much advice,” Suguru adds. “Ultimately, it’s up to you.” Those words sound familiar. “What do you wanna do? Is there really anything keeping you here?”

“If the answer is no, then we advise you go,” Satoru says. He releases his hold on her. “Our liege,” he smiles. 

Riko sighs again. “You too wouldn’t miss me?”

“Oh, we’d miss you like crazy.” Satoru ruffles her hair and she squirms away from him. 

“The kids might actually cry if you do leave,” Suguru says. 

“Well, not Megumi,” Satoru adds. 

“Yeah, but he’d have to console the twins,” Suguru thinks out loud. 

“Have you asked Kuroi?” Satoru asks. 

“Not yet.” Riko looks down in thought. 

“Well, you’ve still got the whole rest of the day,” Satoru sighs, leaning his back against the railing. “Don’t waste it.”

Riko nods, not sure of what else there is to say. The three of them look out into nothing in particular. The soft sound of the kids from inside echoes back at them. Riko wonders if she’d be okay leaving it behind. Leaving everything.

She walks most of the way home by herself, declining a ride and saying she wants to clear her head a little bit. She takes the long way after getting off the subway. She observes middle schoolers walking by and families holding hands in the street. 

She crotches down to pet a small cat and it purrs under her touch as she scratches its head. She stops at a food vendor and gets a crepe. She peeks inside a convenience store and buys her and Satoru and Suguru’s signature soda. She pops the cap open and drinks, feeling nostalgic and, in a way, grown up as compared to how she was before. 

The sounds of the city are beautiful around her. She leans against a building and checks her phone curiously, going through her previous messages and seeing what her last conversations were about. 

The feeling she begins having is akin to the one she had in her final days before heading for the assimilation. She deluded herself a little, back then. She had been doing so her whole life. 

She convinced herself that she was okay with the idea of being erased. It was for a good cause after all. It was something beneficial and needed. Her responsibility to the world. An honor or blessing that she could gift society her body and mind and soul and spirit in order for everyone else to keep living… 

She crushes the soda can once she finishes it. She tosses it into a nearby trashcan, feeling prickly. 

Riko loves the world. She loves being alive and present. It’s not that she believes people aren’t worth fighting for or saving, but why did it all have to be on her? Why was it left to be her responsibility? How is such a fate fair?

She doesn’t care now if it’s selfish. She doesn’t care if anyone has the gall to criticize or belittle her for it. 

No one ever has. She’s sure Satoru and Suguru have had to endure words of it for her. She’s sure that Yuki has experienced it herself first hand, as a former vessel herself. The only person who’s been harsh about it… is herself. She’s been keeping herself anchored to the bottom of the sea. 

You can protest and fight for someone all you want to, but if they don’t decide for themselves, then that’s their fate. 

Yuki is right. No matter who’s idea it was, no matter if either Satoru or Suguru had originally said it or thought of it… Riko is the one who saved herself. 

It takes guts, like Yuki told her. She might not view herself as overly confident but she is aware of the many feats she’s accomplished. She left the Tombs of the Star a free woman. Yuki called it courageous. That’s the type of strength that Riko doesn’t think she’s ever had before. Satoru and Suguru gave it to her. They helped her along. 

And now here she is again, in the middle of the sea. The current streaming around her doesn’t seem that scary anymore. Riko nods to herself, knowing exactly what she wants to do. She continues on walking home, with a bit more pep in her step. She’s got to tell Kuori the news. 

“Kuroi!” Riko calls as she steps in through the door. “Kuroi, I’m home!”

“Welcome home, Miss Riko,” Kuroi calls back. She quickly appears in the entryway and Riko runs up to her, hugging her tightly.

Kuroi makes a small sound of surprise as she holds her firmly. 

“Are you alright?” They draw back from the hug. Kuori rubs over her shoulders. “You seem excited about something.”

“I am! Well, I wanted to ask you something,” Riko smiles. She’s a bit nervous, but she’s trying to be confident. “What would you say to going away from the city for a while?”

Kuroi makes a small thoughtful sound as she tilts her head. “Did you want to go visit the beach again?” She perks up. “We can definitely arrange that.”

“N—No,” Riko stutters. “I mean, leaving Japan. Going overseas. Like, to America! Or France!”

“Ohhh.” Kuroi’s brow raises in realization. “We could plan for a week-long trip, or even longer if you wanted.” 

Riko laughs sheepishly, feeling less sure of herself, “No, no, I mean like, staying overseas. Like, leaving Japan.”

“Leaving?”

“Leaving, yeah,” she shrugs a little. “Yuki’s invited us. She says that she could use some travel companions, and that leaving Tokyo could be good for me.”

“Miss Riko.” Kuroi deflates a little bit. “What about your school?”

“There’s lots of homeschool programs. We can go back to the one I was in before junior high, no?”

“Miss Riko,” Kuroi frowns slightly. “What about your friends? What about the Sorcerers from Jujutsu High? Weren’t you thinking of attending there soon?”

“I was.” Riko glances away for a moment, embarrassed. “They don’t think I’d be cut out for it— and besides, Yuki is a Special Grade Sorcerer with nothing but time on her hands. I’m sure she could teach me some things.”

“Miss Riko—”

“And we can always come back!” Riko takes hold of Kuroi’s arms as well. “Don’t you want to see the world? We used to talk about traveling a lot when I was younger.”

“I know,” Kuroi sulks. “That was before. Things are different now…” She pauses. “I want you to enjoy your life here, in Tokyo, with your friends. You seem to be so close with them,” she smiles faintly. 

The image of Satoru and Suguru as well as everyone else from Jujutsu High pops into Riko’s mind. 

“I am,” she smiles. “That’s not gonna change, even if we leave.”

Kuroi glances away for a moment before parting her lips to speak, but then she purses them again, remaining silent.

Riko frowns. She was hoping for an all around better reaction. 

“If your only concerns are about me then, you don’t have to worry,” Riko tries to reassure her. “I’ve given it a lot of thought, honest. And I want to do this.” She takes hold of Kuroi’s hands. “And I want you to come with me!” She thinks back to Satoru and Suguru’s words, asking if she had anything keeping her in Tokyo. 

“Is there anything really keeping us here? We’d be well taken care of, Yuki promised me. We’ve been texting back and forth a bit all day.”

Kuroi’s brow slants further but she stays silent. Riko tries to read in between the lines on her face. She tries to understand what she could be thinking. 

“... If that’s the case— that you don’t want to go…” Riko holds onto her tighter. “At least please let me leave!” Riko stares into her intently. 

“I love Tokyo, I do, but I feel like I need to do something with my life— and whatever it is that I have to do, or whatever new purpose that I have to find, it’s not here. It’s maybe in Prague or Monaco or China!” 

Kuroi just looks at her, not saying anything still. Riko breathes in slowly, trying to calm her nerves. She tells herself to relax and speak a bit gentlier. 

“But, if you don’t want me to go, then I’ll stay…” Riko smiles. “I’d never want to leave you. I don’t want us to be apart, but if you’re okay with it, and if you want to stay here…” Riko’s words trail off. 

She doesn’t know much about what Kuroi’s life was like before she started taking care of her. She knows that Kuroi’s family has helped Star Plasma Vessels in the past but that Kuroi broke away from them, wanting to pursue a career and focus on her education instead. She only came back because of Riko. She returned to this life to look after her. 

“... If you want to get your old life back— go back to school or resume your career…” Riko feels a bit fidgety as she tries to speak. “... Then I—”

“Miss Riko,” Kuroi softly speaks up. She wipes at Riko’s cheek. Riko’s eyes widen a bit. It hadn’t occurred to her that she’d started crying. 

“Miss Riko, you are my life.” Kuroi cups her face. “I’ve never once regretted coming back to look after you.”

Riko sniffles, “Kuroi…”

“I’d choose to be with you all over again if given the choice.” Riko presses into her chest firmly, hugging her again. “I’d always choose to be with you.” Kuroi hugs her back tightly. 

“I love you, Kuroi,” Riko says. “You’re my favorite person in the whole world.” I don’t wanna be away from you. 

“I love you, Riko.” Kuroi rubs over her hair softly. “You’re my favorite person too.”

They stand there for a moment, Riko sniffling and Kuroi holding her, soothing her. It’s true that Riko does want to change, but there are a very many things that she hopes will stay the same forever. She never wants Kuroi to not be around to hug her like this. 

She wipes at her face as they pull away from each other. Kuroi laughs lightly as she rubs under her own eyes. Riko smiles at her fondly, shortly hugging her again before letting go once more. 

“Okay,” Kuroi breathes out. “... Okay let’s do it.”

Riko gasps a little. “Really?”

Kuroi nods, “Let’s go pack.” She smiles, still seeming a bit hesitant, but she sounds decided.  

Riko laughs as she hugs her again. 

She knows what they’re about to do is rather crazy and rash and not fully thought out. But Riko wants to live her life. She’s tired of being compliant. She’s ready to take action now. She doesn’t want to wait, not even for a second. 

The two of them hurry off to their rooms. Riko grabs her phone and starts hurriedly texting Yuki, saying that they’ll be going with her. The texts she sends are all a bit jumbled and excited. 

Yuki texts a thumbs up back and says she’ll be there in the morning to get them. Riko can’t push down her enthusiasm. She runs around her room quickly, going to pack everything. 

“I can’t believe my cousin’s leaving me,” Satoru whines, exaggerating. “My favorite cousin too.”

“Don’t you have, like, a thousand cousins?” Riko crosses her arms. 

“Yep,” Satoru sniffles, being dramatic. “And you’re my favorite one.” He hugs her tightly, hunching over her a bit awkwardly due to their staggering height difference. “And you’re leaving me!”

“Leaving us,” Suguru sulks. He joins in their hug. Riko groans, smushed in between them. Kuroi laughs softly, getting out her camera and snapping a picture of them. 

They’re at the front of the airport, about to leave Japan behind for who knows how long. 

“When you come back, Nanako’s gonna guilt you for leaving without saying goodbye,” Suguru tells her. 

“There wasn’t any time,” Riko defends herself. 

“Hurry it up, you three!” Yuki calls. “We need to make it through customs.” She stands beside Kuroi, tilting her head to look at the pictures she’s taking. 

Satoru and Suguru sigh sadly as they hold onto Riko tighter. An almost croak-like sound escapes from her as they squeeze her. 

“You’re breaking my bones,” she groans. 

Satoru shushes her, “Just let it happen.”

Riko groans louder as she squirms. They let her slip through their grasp and she gasps out dramatically as her air flow returns to normal. She pats her chest as she sighs. She turns back to them with a frown and a grumble. 

“Losers.”

“Shorty,” Satoru says. 

“Weird glasses.”

“Big ears,” Suguru jumps in. 

Riko holds both of her ears as her face flushes, “Weird bangs.” 

“Weird chin,” Satoru says. 

Riko huffs, trying to look down at herself. “What’s wrong with my chi—”

Satoru flicks his finger from her chin to her nose and she stumbles back. Suguru and him laugh at her and she holds her nose with a death glare, grumbling again. 

“Rikoooo! Let’s goooo!” Yuki calls out to her. 

“I’m coming!” She calls back. She turns to look at Satoru and Suguru once more. 

They both smile at her. Satoru rests his elbow on Suguru’s shoulder and Suguru places his hands in his pockets. 

Riko sighs, glancing between them. She doesn’t think she’s very good at goodbyes. 

“We’re proud of you, you know.” Suguru says. Satoru nods with a hum, agreeing. 

Riko groans as she rolls her eyes, but her face heats up more anyway from the praise. 

“Shut up.” She crosses her arms and pouts. 

“We mean it. We’re really proud of you,” Suguru says. 

“I don’t need my royal advisors praising me.” Riko turns her head away from them. 

“Well that’s just too bad, because we are,” Satoru says. 

She grumbles a little, mumbling nothing in particular. The two of them giggle at her as they stare into her fondly. Their gazes are making her feel shaky, but not exactly in a bad way. 

“... So, I guess this is it for a while, huh?” Riko says, feeling awkward almost. 

Their expressions remain the same. She should know that she never has to feel awkward around the two of them. 

“Yep, guess so,” Satoru says. 

“Don’t do anything stupid, like get married while I’m gone.”

“We might have already,” Satoru grins mischievously. 

“What?” Riko’s eyebrow raises. 

“Yep,” Suguru smiles. “We eloped.”

“Huh?” Riko screams. “You’re lying!” She points accusingly at them. 

“Nuh uh,” Satoru shakes his head. “I’ve even got the ring to prooove iiit,” he says, all sing-songy. He wiggles his fingers around on his left hand but there’s no ring there to back up his words. Riko grimaces. 

“As if you guys wouldn’t get married without having a big flashy fancy wedding!” 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Suguru says, “We’re just messing with you.” Satoru and him laugh at her.

Riko scoffs. She steps up to them again and punches them both in the chest lightly. 

“You’re both idiots… I’m gonna miss you guys.”

“We’ll miss you, Riko,” Suguru smiles. 

She sighs out one last time before turning around again and walking away. “Oversee the kingdom for me while I’m away,” she says in a high and mighty voice, waving her hand around. “Ensure that it doesn’t collapse.”

“Our liege,” the two of them say, bowing. 

All three of them laugh and she pauses in her steps. She looks over at them and finds her feet leading her back as she runs up and hugs them both tightly. They stumble back in surprise as they hug her back. 

She pulls away quickly and runs back over to Kuroi and Yuki. 

Yuki pats her head, ruffling her hair in a way that reminds her of Satoru, but she doesn’t mind it. Kuroi hands her her bag and they head on inside the airport together. 

Satoru and Suguru wave bye, and Satoru obnoxiously starts calling out to her. 

“Eat tons of food for me!”

“Send pictures!” Suguru says. 

“I’ll spam you until you respond back!” Satoru threatens. 

Riko laughs, “Bye!”

They both call out bye as she continues inside. Yuki places an arm around her, hugging her tightly. Kuroi smiles beside her and she can’t push down her own smile as she looks up at her. 

Life is fickle and life is ever changing. But Riko is ready to be sixteen and then eventually she’ll be ready to be seventeen and eighteen and nineteen and she’ll keep growing. 

Whatever her life has in store for her, she knows she can handle it. Thanks to Yuki and Kuroi and the other people in her life who she cares about so deeply, she knows she can handle anything. 

The water moves around her, a soft and flowing current. Riko swims along with it. Her life is as vast as the blue sea, and she’s going to live it. Every single day, she’s going to be free.