A/N: Okay, for those who read my other Spirited Away fanfic IBaH, you may think of this as an apology fanfic for not posting in over a month (when my hiatus was supposed to be about two weeks long hehe). This is a one shot, and I very recently typed this in my Notes app on my iPad, so there is not written version of this on paper. That's all I have to say, enjoy (I hope)!
Disclaimer: Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.
Has romance genre tag, however it isn't really focused around it.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Were the main noises that invaded my mind.
"Hang on, you'll be just fine soon, so please . . . please don't leave us!" A voice pleaded; clearly this voice was distressed and wanted nothing more than for this frail body of mine to stay alive.
Who was this voice? Only two words came to my mind: my mother.
Now that I think about it, why was she pleading? Am I—am I dying? If so, then where is my father? Maybe he's alongside my mother, but he's silently bathing in the sadness. Or this moment is too painful for him to bear on his aging shoulders. Well, I cannot tell for sure, because these two eyes of mine are failing to open.
Another word graced my aching brain: pain. It hurt, it hurt. Am I in the hospital? When is this suffering going to end?
Suddenly, this one question had also managed to enter my brain: Who am I? How unexpected, since I should at least remember my name or the past events that I've lived through before my spirit and body separate.
You are Chihiro. A mysterious voice went.
If I were still in perfect control of my body, I'm pretty sure I would've widened my eyes. Of all times, why do I have to be haunted? Hey, at least I know my name now. Chihiro. The moment I mentally said my name, all these memories flooded my mind.
Now, who is this voice? Why haunt me now, when they could have haunted me days, weeks, months, or years ago?
As if they had clearly heard my thoughts, they replied, I am the one you waited for all these years.
Eh? I—waited for someone? Who then? All these memories had returned to me, but not a single one of them mentions me waiting for a strange being that is able to invade my thoughts.
It felt like I had a separate conscience, because all of a sudden, I painfully uttered, "Mom, can I see the flowers outside?"
Gods, why did I ask for such an absurd request, when I can't even crack a single lid open?
"Yes, dear." My mother replied.
I heard some faint sobs after. I'm guessing that I actually am dying, and there's no helping it. I, too, am sad that I must leave this world—leave the wonderful parents that have cared for me through all the fifteen years that I have lived. As sad as I am at the moment, I can't manage to let out a single tear; why oh why are my tear ducts failing me now? Cry, cry, cry Chihiro! But . . . I can't. I only heard the sobs of my mother, and I felt like absolute garbage for not being able to weep alongside my mother, or to comfort her.
I felt my slightly numb body move to a sitting position, and I heard some squeaks of wheels rolling against the smooth floor. Light seem to invade my closed lids, for I saw the darkness turn into a bright red from the sunlight mixed with the flesh and blood of my eyelids. I mustered all my strength and courage, and I slowly opened my eyes.
I squinted in pain from the sudden invasion of bright sunlight. I adjusted my eyes, and a small smile fell upon my chapped lips when I saw the sight below me.
Flowers littered the field of grass below the white building, each one unique and smiling at the bright blue sky above. The petals and leaves seemed to dance with the breeze, and oh how relaxing it looked.
"Look Mom. They're pretty, aren't they?" I said softly.
My mother nodded shakily and replied, "Yes, they are."
I turned to look at my mother from the corner of my eye. "Mom, I'm dying, aren't I?"
My mother continued to sob, and my question made me feel slightly guilty. She slowly nodded, and I knew it took a lot of courage to submit to the truth of the situation. I chuckled, which made my mother look look at me incredulously.
"I see. My final wish is for us to enjoy the flowers, and dance alongside them." I spoke.
"All right. I'll take you there immediately."
I slowly shut my eyes, and I felt my mother push the wheel chair. I heard the clicking and clacking from the shoes of those in the hospital, and the murmurs of the visitors with the doctors about the patients, who were most likely their friend or loved one. Sometimes, I heard faint sobbing, which in some cases was because of . . . death.
The wheel chair came to a stop, and I heard my mother say, "We're here sweetie."
I opened my eyes, and finally, I felt tears well up in my eyes as I beheld the sight. The flowers, oh so beautiful. The grass, the greenest of green. The field itself, so vibrant and lively, even though no one except for my mother and I were present. Somehow, these following thoughts slipped.
Haku, I know you're here with me, and you always were. If you were indeed watching over me, look around; tell me what you see.
I felt overjoyed when I heard a faint reply in my head.
They're very beautiful—like you. If I were to be able to touch them, I'd pick one, and I would bring them to you with all my emotions and my entire being poured into it.
I smiled, but I felt my control on my body start to slip. Apparently my mother noticed, and my mother began to plead.
"Oh Chihiro! Please just hang on a little longer. I'll bring you inside, and I'll have the doctors inspect you! Don't leave us just yet!"
My mother began to push me back inside, but I stopped her with a weak raise of my hand. I smiled faintly and shook my head.
"It's already too late. Sooner or later I would still be dying anyway. Please, let us stay here—let us enjoy the beauty of this world, before it is too late."
I've always admired flowers, but I began to admire them even more after I have been to the Spirit World. I also began to learn to admire the beauty of nature, and it was very much worth it. My parents began to question why, but they dropped it two years after. Why stop their child from feeling such passion and adoration for something? That must have been what they were thinking of when they finally decided to end their questioning.
My control began to slip more and more, until I was only able to control my speech and vision.
Chihiro. It's time.
"So it is." I mumbled, and my mom looked at me in sorrow and confusion.
I looked at my mom from the corner of my eye—for that was all I was able to do, and said, "Take care of Dad, and don't stop smiling and expressing happiness just because I'm not physically present, because I'll always be with you both."
"Chihiro . . ."
My eyes slowly began to close, and I never opened them again in the physical world.
Name: Ogino Chihiro
Age: 15
Date: June 9, xxxx
Cause of death: Leukaemia
Time of death: 10:24 a.m.
Everywhere, I saw the most beautiful flowers ever. There were even flowers that I've never seen before. But, out of all these flowers, none of them compared to what—who my eyes really focused on.
"Haku!" I exclaimed and began to run to where he stood.
He, too, began to run. We greeted each other in a warm embrace. Tears spilled from my eyes, but they weren't for sadness.
"Welcome back to the Spirit World, Chihiro." He said softly.
"This world is as beautiful as always. I'm glad I get to land here after my death."
Haku looked at me. "You were never dead. Only your body dies, but your spirit lives on."
I laughed and nodded. Haku smiled and grasped my hand.
"Let's walk through the field together. Then let's have all sorts of adventures in this world. We can catch up any time, now that you're always here with me. Maybe one day you can meet with your parents here again one day." And with that, we walked through the field, hand in hand, and admiring the Spirit World's beauty.
That is, before we also come across its ugliness in the future.
