Disclaimer: I own all of this! Oh wait...Never mind I don't own any of it! ( T.T ) But please, leave a comment. You aren't signing your name away!
I've already had one request for this fluffy little oneshot to become a twoshot, and it's only been up one day. I suppose if I get a few more requests for it, I'll see what I can do. ;)
"A new life and a new school. It is a bit scary."
"I think I can handle it."
And then we drove. We found our new home. The movers piled everything inside, then left. By the time we got there all the mud had dried. My parents still don't understand how three months passed between the day we left our old house and the day we arrived in the new one. I didn't bother explaining. I mean, who would believe a tale like that? With spirits and a bathhouse and a dragon. Not my parents.
Eventually they accepted the loss of three months. They figured out there was something weird about that park, and promised never to go back. They wonder, sometimes, about how I grew up so suddenly. That's the words they used, too. "Grew up so suddenly." I heard them talk about therapy once or twice. But they finally decided against it. I guess they thought I felt like I left my childhood at the old house. But how do you explain that it was left in a world they don't believe in? They wondered about my new belief in the spirits, too. The way I suddenly started leaving little stone houses. I treated nature with a new respect. I made a point to do little things like that. I don't know what they figured about that. Maybe they thought it was my new friends. I don't know. I just know a very few things. My name is Chihiro. I am now 17, a senior in high school, starting tomorrow. The summer I was 10, I disappeared with my parents for three months, and I am the only one in the world who knows what happened. And I'm in love with a river. Who also happens to be a dragon. At least I think he's still a dragon. I haven't seen him since that time. When I was surrounded by the fantastical, the impossible.
But that was seven years ago. Seven long years, and a lot has changed. I spend a lot of time alone now, when before I could barely stand it. I wonder if he ever thinks of me. Kohaku. Haku. My river. He saved me. And I saved him. I gave him his freedom and he gave me mine. I saved his life, and he helped me save my parents. We helped each other. He saved me from drowning, and I saved him from a curse. Our story was interesting, and belongs in a fairytale. But I have never told anyone. I don't want them to think I'm crazy. It's why when someone says the name Sen, I look. It's why I look around whenever someone says Lin or Kamaji. Why I know how to work at a bath house. It was my first job. Twice. I worked there with Lin in the spirit world, and now I work at one in this world. The owner was very impressed with how much I already knew about the work.
I smile to myself, thinking about the way he used to act. Like he hated me. But that was only in front of the spirits. If Yubaba had caught him acting kindly towards me she would have reacted badly. But when we were alone he was nice. He was happier. Seeing him like that gave me butterflies every time. Maybe I am crazy. Holding onto a foolish childhood crush like this. But no guy has ever yet compared to my Kohaku.
On my way home from work, I make a detour. I pull along the dirt road my dad once thought was a short cut. Carefully, I pull up to the old statue and put my car in park. I walk through the tunnel and waiting room, and back out into the sunlight. I walk all the way over to the river. I'm tempted to cross it, but if I crossed, I'm scared I wouldn't want to come back.
"Kohaku." The name slips out and disappears on the wind. "Kohaku!" I yell, loud enough to carry across the river. "I'm still waiting! I haven't forgotten you! Or Granny or anyone else!" After a second I say "I miss you," in a normal voice. I sit down and slip my shoes off, dipping my toes into the water. When the light starts to fade, however, I slide them back on and leave. I know better than to get stuck there after dark.
The next day at school, I greet my friends. We all laugh and tell stories about our summers, just catching up. One of them teases me about my ponytail. How after all this time, I still wear my hair like that, and I still use the same holder for it. They joke that they hoped I would finally grow out of that. I chuckle at their teasing. No need to tell them the truth. No need to tell them that a good witch blessed it, after my friends made it for me. No need to tell them that she said it would protect me.
At lunch, we sit at outside. We laugh more, and they tease me about how I'm the only one who is still single. I just smile and remind them that my heart was stolen when I was a young girl. No one has compared since. They laugh even more, thinking I'm joking. "Then tell us how you met. You told us all about his personality. Tell us the situation." I just smile and take a bite. I debate telling them some of it, but as always I decide against it. It's too personal. Our story. His, and mine.
Some boy behind me says my name. It's probably another one trying to ask me out. I turn around intending to let him down easy, but freeze when I see him.
He's older now. Filled out more. His hair is shorter, styled, but still green. And his eyes, spirits, his eyes haven't changed at all. My friends have fallen silent, waiting to see how I handle this one.
All I can do is ask one question. "Is it really you?"
He nods, just once. And I launch myself at him. I can feel the tears start streaming as my lunch goes flying. And then my arms are around him, and his arms are around me, and we are spinning, and he's squeezing me like he never wants to let go.
Finally I pull back a little, just far enough to look him in the eyes. "What took you so long? I've been waiting for seven years." But I smile so he knows I'm joking. I hear someone clear their throat behind me.
I turn and glance at my stunned friends, a couple of whom are looking a little more curious than I care to deal with right now. I face my spirit again and chuckle, "How do you wanna play this?" He smiles at me and spins me around again.
"Oh, Chihiro. I missed you."