The World Ends With You

Chapter 38: Under The Blue Sky

THE WIND BLEW strongly against Nami's front, making her pat down the pleated skirt of her school uniform. She looked up and felt a shiver run down her spine; the weather would be like this until tomorrow. She didn't have any supernatural powers that made her look ahead but she indeed had the observation skills to the point she could actually feel the weather. It was the reason why the teachers were obliging her to apply for a new university which, as always when asked, her answer was a big 'I will think about it'.

Classes ended just a few minutes ago. Nojiko was doing something to prepare for the Forefront Exhibition Festival, even though it was still a couple months to go, along with other seniors, while Robin and the boys headed home directly. Aside from Usopp who was stuck in detention and Brook having a music club practice. Zoro had probably been at home for a while now, while Sanji would be voluntarily helping out his father in their restaurant.

Accepting the fact that she'd be alone right now and at home, Nami decided to go to the after-school hangout that was not Loguetown. There were still a couple stores and districts open after class so she decided to visit-

"What's the nearest district from here...?" she said to herself while she browsed the bus routes on her phone.

The next thing she knew, she was standing at the bus stop. One Piece Regal Academy was now out of sight and she just arrived at her destination which was, surprisingly, also swarming with students from her school.

Behind her stood a, what it seemed to be, fortune teller's house.

"Destiny comes no matter what," she heard the microphoned voice of fortune teller inside. "you don't know it but you will come across it anytime. He could be standing at the opposite of the crossroad you would be in. He could be entering the same shop you would-"

Nami pursed her lips. Who would believe what a stranger told them? She also thought that even though they lived in a world dominated by science, people still believed in horoscopes. Youngsters like herself tended to get their fortune 'read' by a stranger.

Just as she was lost in the train of thought, she heard her stomach growl. Right. She haven't had lunch because a certain someone spilled the packed lunch she should be having earlier that afternoon. If he wasn't her friend, she would have shoved one of those three katanas onto his throat.

Anyway.

Nami was looking for a place to eat when she decided, 'no'. More often than not, her sister brings something home when she's stuck at school doing senior stuff. With that in mind, Nami turned to her left and found a vending machine. Cold drinks were stored behind the glass and the machine itself looked brand new.

"Perfect," she said to herself. "a little drink won't hurt..."

She approached said machine and inserted a 500-Beri bill into the slot then input her desired drink, which was the iced long black coffee on the coordinate 'D5'. She waited for it to drop and-

"You've gotta be kididng me,"

The can of coffee was stuck in place. Seeing this made Nami groan in frustration; the last time she experience this she gave the machine a good ol' roundhouse kick and she got three drinks for free. The price she had paid back then was her dignity because...

Nami looked at her skirt. "Nope. Not again."

But she had no choice. No way she was letting her beloved money go to waste; she decided to do what she did to the vending machine at school, with the hopes of not having someone see it this time around. So, with that said, Nami hopped a few times before spinning and-

BLAG!!

Random drinks kept on coming out the panel below but Nami only picked up her desired one. She immediately left and she found herself standing, about to cross the road. The traffic light was still green so she had no choice but to wait while she took a quick glance at the sky above.

The clouds barely covered the bright yellow sun but it surely did give out a shade. Wind also blew every now and then, in which Nami tucked her hair behind her ear.

Right. Earlier today she was occupied by stuff, such as planning out the upcoming 'Forefront Exhibition Festival', so she didn't have time to ponder on her thoughts. One of those thoughts certainly included that boy who did the unexpected during the homecoming dance. She couldn't believe it still that it happened; if it was a dream, she'd rather wake up because...

"It's Luffy,"

In other words, no childish man would do that thing to her. Nami clicked her tongue to clear off her head as the road cleared, signalling her turn to cross. The soles of her loafer shoes clicked against the white striped painted asphalt as she did just that, while keeping her eye on the other end of the road. Seconds passed and she found herself on that end, now turning to the corner to yet another store.

Was that really...no, it couldn't be.

Her sister called her dense for not 'accepting' the 'truth' that was Luffy's feelings. At the same time, she recalled what she overheard from the fortune teller. Nami scoffed. As if it would be her fate, right? But even so, she decided that she would accept if ever it happened.

"If ever that's true, Goda, please give me a sign."

Then, as if on cue, a familiar face emerged a few feet ahead of her. Nami blinked a couple times before rubbing her eyes and gasping. Back at the dance, she remembered Brook saying about souls being bound together by dancing under the blood moon. If that was true then that would mean...

And the thing the fortune teller had said earlier, which she just overheard...

"Oh, Nami!"

But seriously, what were the odds of coming across someone from the same school in a place that was not school? No, more importantly, what were the odds of coming across the person who she was just thinking about just recently?

A gust of wind blew against her front again however this time, she couldn't move her hand to pat down her skirt. It wasn't flipping over or anything, but it was a female instinct to do just that whenever wind blows. And yet Nami simply stood there, on the sidewalk, looking ahead where a strawhat-wearing boy was running towards her.

All told, Nami got the sign she was asking for.