That Time When I Fell Down the Stairs and Became a Jujutsu Sorcerer

Chapter 11 - Haibara Rescue Mission

Satoru squeezed me hard, his head on top of mine in our embrace. Standing at the doorway out of the dorms, he took a step back and handed me my backpack which I slid onto my back. One last time, he tilted my head up with his hands and stared at me, his eyes filled with worry.

"Please be careful." He said softly, "Don't be reckless, okay? If you can't save him then save yourself."

"Satoru!" I scoffed, "I couldn't do that!"

"You can and will or I'll come bind you to me as a curse or something if you die." He said with a smirk.

"I have no idea if you're joking." I said, pulling his head down to kiss him quickly, "But either way, I don't think it's gonna be a problem!"

He let me go and I took a few steps back, "Alright! Make sure you text me!"

I smiled at him, "See ya later, Satoru!"

He stood watching me for a while, and with one last wave, I saw him walk back inside the dorm. Looking ahead, I saw Haibara and Nanami with their own bags ready for our trip. They stood by one of the cars in the parking lot and a manager was on the phone nearby, ready to take us. This was the big one. It was time to save Haibara. I steeled myself for-

"Why do you look so serious?" Haibara asked brightly, "Is it because you had to say bye to your boyfriend?"

"Huh? Oh, nah." I grinned, "He's more upset about me leaving for a few days than I am I think."

"I always knew Gojo would be the clingy type." Haibara nodded sagely, taking my bag and putting it into the trunk of the car.

Nanami eyed me carefully, "You didn't forget anything did you?"

I shook my head, "Nope! All good."

The three of us piled into the back of the car, me in the center. We were heading to the airport next, our trip was taking us north to Iwate prefecture in some small rural village in the mountains. There wasn't anything about it at all in the manga so it was some uncharted territory for me. The only thing we saw was Haibara leaving after talking to Suguru and then the next scene was him dead.

"Nanami, do you want to play Bomberman with us?" Haibara asked, leaning around me, "It's super fun!"

"No thank you. I'd rather just read." Nanami said calmly, not even looking up from his book.

"Alright then." Haibara said with a shrug, then leaned back, "I guess it's just you and me, Sarah!"

Hours later, we stood atop a lush, green hill, taking in the breathtaking sight before us. The Iwate Prefecture stretched out in all directions, a patchwork of forests, fields, and villages. The landscape was a symphony of colors; vibrant shades of green, interspersed with the warm hues of traditional Japanese architecture. In the distance, the majestic silhouette of Mount Iwate loomed, its snow-capped peak piercing the cerulean sky.

As I descended the hill and walked through the villages, the air was filled with the earthy aroma of freshly tilled soil. People went about their daily lives, offering warm smiles and nods of greeting. The sounds of a distant temple bell resonated.

We ventured further into the countryside, where narrow roads meandered through emerald rice fields, their terraced layers reflecting the sun's rays. Every turn revealed a new vista, a tranquil scene straight out of a traditional Japanese painting.

Finally we walked into the ryokan we'd be staying at. The three of us, even Nanami, couldn't deny our excitement. Perks of being in a job where you could die at any moment was at least you got to enjoy fancy things like traditional Japanese inns. It's honestly the least they could do when sending children to their potential deaths.