The Mystic Adventures of Noho and her Companions

CHAPTER 1 - Beyond the Doorway

May 26th, 2026 - 8:06 AM

Noho sat frozen in her bed, drenched in sweat, her hands clutching the blanket. The room was quiet, the shadows on the walls still. Yet, the faint whispers of the forest lingered in her ears, as if the spirits had followed her here. For a long moment, she stared into the darkness, her heart still racing. 

"What… was that?" she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. The answer, if there was one, lay just out of reach.

A glance at the clock snapped her out of her thoughts. It was time to get ready for school. Groaning, she dragged herself out of bed and trudged to the bathroom. She rubbed her eyes and looked in the mirror. Her light pink hair was a tangled mess, and the bags under her eyes stared back at her. Splashing cold water over her face, she muttered to herself, "Why do I have to go to school on the last day again?"

The answer came to her reluctantly. "Oh yeah… eighth-grade graduation. Ugh."

After brushing her teeth and taming her hair, she shuffled back to her room to get dressed. She rummaged through her closet, searching for an outfit that was formal enough but still comfortable.

"Well, I'm definitely not wearing a dress," she mumbled to herself.

After some time, she finally found what she was looking for. She slipped on a white collared shirt and layered it with a black waistcoat vest. She paired the outfit with a dark navy-blue skirt and pulled on white thigh-high socks, finishing the look with black dress shoes. To complete the outfit, she tied a purple flannel-patterned tie around her neck. Standing before the mirror, she adjusted her tie and smoothed her hair. She stared at her reflection for a moment, then sighed and headed out of her room.

At the top of the stairs, the sweet aroma of pancakes, orange juice, and fresh fruit filled the air. Her stomach growled at the scent of her favorite breakfast, and she smiled to herself. It was her last day of eighth grade, and her mom had clearly gone all out to make it special. She bolted down the stairs and stopped in front of the table, where a plate of pancakes and fruit waited for her.

"Good morning, Noho!" her mom greeted cheerfully. "I hope you slept well. Are you ready for your last day of school?"

"Yeah, I guess," Noho replied casually as she sat down.

Her mom clapped her hands together, her voice tinged with emotion. "Look at my baby! She's all grown up… graduating middle school and heading to high school." Her voice cracked, and she sniffled. "Y-you won't forget about me as you grow up, right?"

Noho frowned, slightly annoyed. "You're literally my mom. Why would I forget about you?"

Her mom chuckled softly, wiping her eyes. As Noho dug into her breakfast, she thought about the summer ahead.

"Well, I only have one friend, so what can we even do during summer break?" She thought to herself.

Her eyes drifted to the clock on the wall. 8:27 AM. Her mom noticed and said, "It's almost 8:30 now! You better hurry, I don't want you to be late!"

"I know, I know," Noho replied, taking her plate to the sink. She began washing it despite her mom's protests.

"Noho, you really don't have to do that," her mom said, a hint of worry in her tone. "Your graduation outfit, you're going to get it wet!"

"It's fine, Mom. I'm always careful," Noho said with a smile, carefully drying her hands after washing the plate. "And I'm always happy to help. You do so much already; I know it can get tiring sometimes."

Her mom paused, her expression softening. "I know, but I'm your mom. It's my job to take care of you. You shouldn't have to worry about responsibilities yet. Just focus on enjoying your youth."

Noho grinned, giving her a thumbs-up. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Her mom smiled warmly, her heart swelling with pride. "She's grown up so much… my sweet girl." She thought to herself.

Noho dried her hands carefully and checked her reflection one last time in the kitchen window. Satisfied that her outfit was intact, she grabbed her bag and headed to the door.

"Mom, I'm heading out now!" she called, glancing back one last time.

Just as Noho reached for the door, her mom rushed up to her, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh, my sweet girl," her mom sobbed, wrapping Noho in a tight, warm hug. "You're off to accomplish so many great things now!"

Noho groaned softly, though a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Mom, you're acting like I'm moving out or something. It's just graduation. You do know I'm coming back home, right?"

"I know, I know," her mom replied, her voice thick with emotion. "But this is such a big milestone in your life. If only your father had been here to see this…"

The words hit Noho like a shock to her heart, her body tensing as her heart seemed to skip a beat. She stared at her mom for a moment before looking away.

"Whatever," she muttered, her voice quiet but firm. "We don't need him, okay? I can graduate just fine without him. I don't need him."

With that, she pulled herself free from the embrace and turned back toward the door. Her hand rested on the doorknob for a moment, hesitating. She glanced over her shoulder to see her mom standing by the kitchen, her hands clasped in front of her, the tears in her eyes now replaced by a soft, wistful expression.

"Mom…?" Noho said hesitantly. "You're gonna come to my graduation, right?"

Her mom's face lit up with a warm smile. "Of course I will, dear. Why wouldn't I?"

Noho sighed in relief, as if a weight had been lifted. "Good. The ceremony's at 1:30, okay? Don't be late."

"Got it, sweetheart!" her mom replied cheerfully.

Noho nodded and turned the knob to leave, but before she could open the door, her mom's voice rang out in a sudden shout.

"Wait!"

Noho froze as her mom hurried toward her, waving something in her hand. "You forgot your Metro Card! It's very important you don't leave without it. How else are you going to get to school?"

"Oh, right," Noho said, taking the card from her mom's outstretched hand. "Thanks, Mom."

As she pocketed the card, she looked back at her mom one last time. "1:30. Don't forget, okay?"

"I won't, I promise!" her mom called after her, smiling as she watched Noho run out the door.

Noho leapt down the steps, her light pink hair catching the morning light as she dashed toward the metro station. Her mom stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, a mixture of pride and sadness written across her face.

And with that, Noho was off to graduation.