A/N: Hey everyone! I'm here with my first oneshot ever! Well, I hope I did it right...wouldn't it be great if you read it and reviewed? :D

By the way, this isn't a typical Haku and Chihiro get-together, so you might like it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own "Spirited Away"

Under the Stars

As blue as the wide sky, as red as a blazing fire. Freer than a blue jay soaring above the clouds, yet chained up tighter than a prisoner. Yes, sometimes, unbelievably, the cold world could shift its colors to a brighter hue, warming the earth with the light of the sun. The time when your heart betrays your will, beating faster than what you can process in your mind, giving everything away. When, at all costs, you must hide your feelings from all others, but at the other end you secretly desire the others to know. You cannot hide it forever. But you can try.

The most powerful syllable in the universe.

Love.

It started in seventh grade, when she was the oh-so-popular girl of middle school. When her friends didn't care about how she looked, or didn't mind how she was drawing pictures of dragons all the time. The innocent time when being confident and strong in bad situations made her a leader among the crowd. And the time when she didn't care a sh*t about boys.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. She had actually experienced love far before anyone else. And she did care about a boy. But he hadn't contacted her for four years, and Chihiro was getting tired of waiting. Visiting him was out of the question, too, since she could never figure out how to pass through the spirit gate again. Nonetheless, she never gave up on him.

That changed on a regular spring day of seventh grade.

Math was in general too easy for her, and she passed the time productively by drawing Haku. She remembered penciling the wavy shape of the dragon-no, her dragon- across the page every day, making the contours as beautiful and as powerful as a dragon should be. Next, she drew the legs, shooting them out of the long body like pairs of delicate flowers sprouting from trees. Then, his head. The most difficult portion of her job was drawing Haku's face as accurately as she can. It may have been the most difficult task in her life, actually, because it was near impossible to capture the dragon's strong-faced yet cute face. Yes, she thought the dragon looked cute. Her friends thought he looked scary. They had no taste in dragons.

She was absently drawing the body of a girl on top of the dragon, riding his elegant body and holding on to his horns as he soared through the air, when the boy sitting next to her took a peek at her drawing.

"Hey, that's you, isn't it?" He asked nicely, pointing to the girl on the dragon. "Wow, you're real good at drawing."

"Go away," she snapped back. She didn't have anything against the boy or anything; no, she didn't even know his name, even when he had sat next to her for an entire semester. She just had a prejudice against all boys in her school, who seemed more interested in games and cars rather than dreaming about the Spirit World. They just seemed too...immature compared to Haku.

Chihiro sighed. This is what happens if you set your first love on a river spirit.

"Aw c'mon, Chihiro. Can't we be friends?" The boy asked, still staring at her picture. So he knew her name. She was almost done with the girl's feet, dangling over the dragon's side. Trying to ignore the boy, she began working on the stars glittering overhead the dragon and the girl.

"Chihiro? Can you draw ME?"

Chihiro didn't answer. Partly because she wanted to make the boy understand that she was trying to ignore him. The other reason was pretty clear: the plea was ridiculous.

"Please, Chihiro? I'll be your best friend forever! I just want a picture."

Spoiled brats. If he keeps whining like this, the teacher would probably notice. Chihiro shot the boy a death-glare, eyes aflame with annoyance. The boy looked back at her with innocent brown eyes.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase?"

Chihiro exploded. "FINE!" She said a little too loudly, slamming her pencil to the smooth surface of her desk and glaring at the boy. She knew boys didn't give up until they got what they wanted, and she couldn't waste her time being pestered by this inferior gender. If drawing him could shut him up, she would it gladly.

"Lunch detention, Chihiro! Don't talk in class!" The teacher yelled. Chihiro groaned.

"But-"

"TWO lunch detentions for protesting!"

Chihiro shut her mouth, hating her life and the boy. And to Chihiro, the word, hate meant big business, since she seldom encountered it. It meant that the boy would be obliterated.

Why did I promise him a drawing? Chihiro thought bitterly as she walked to the library. She had things to do, like homework. Or talking to her friends over the phone. Or drawing more Hakus. She had grown to be a very busy person, trying to maintain her popularity and grades in balance with her personal life.

Popularity. Chihiro smiled. She hadn't always been popular. In fact, she had been a timid little girl until she moved to this town. Maybe it was because the townspeople were all nice here. Or maybe it was because she saw it as a relatively easy task. After all, she had made friends with spirits before, and had bathed an alleged "stink spirit". Making human friends was a piece of cake.

"Chihiro!" someone cried out. Looking up, Chihiro saw her group of friends running towards her. Her usually bright disposition had amassed quite a mass of loyal friends. "I don't know what to say! Congratulations!"

Chihiro frowned. "What?" Hopefully, her friends were not trying to joke with her. She wasn't in the mood.

The girls embraced Chihiro in warm hugs. "We heard you're going out with Itsuki!"

"WHAT?" What were her friends talking about? She didn't know a boy named Itsuki, but as far as she was concerned, she hadn't agreed to a date with anyone from the ignorant, inferior gender.

"Oh, don't play dumb on us, Chihiro. We heard about it in the cafeteria when you were at detention. Anyway, aren't you going to the library? To stuuudy, of course, right?" one of her friends winked at her. "Have fun!"

"Oooh, library! So romantic!" others giggled, somewhat mockingly.

Library? That rang a bell. Chihiro's mouth dropped open as she realized what was going on. She suddenly knew who this Itsuki boy was. And she was about to rip his head off.

"No. You guys have it all wrong. I'm drawing a pictu-"

"HEY! CHIHIRO! OVER HERE!" Another voice cried from all the way across the hallway, interrupting her explanation. Several girls near her giggled as they sped away, giving Chihiro encouraging winks before scurrying off. It took her a second to determine who her interrupter was.

"ITSUKI!" She yelled, tightening her hands into a fist. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"Ok!" The boy backed away slowly. A smile was spread wide across his face, his eyes glistening with glee. As Chihiro prepared to chase after him, a thought struck her like lightning. A very, very unpleasant thought:

He's pretty cute.

Chihiro shook her head. No, all boys at her school were ugly and spoiled. What was she thinking? I'll rip that smile off his face. He won't be so cute after that.

Itsuki bolted across the hallway, with Chihiro close on his heels. She still had her hands in tight fists, determination blazing in her eyes. He will die today. Chihiro wasn't the type of girl who let people mess with her.

There was only one problem. Chihiro was fast, but Itsuki was faster and stronger, which meant that there was no chance she was going to catch him.

Until he made a mistake.

They had been running for a long time through the mazelike hallways of the school when Itsuki grunted with exasperation. He had accidentally took the wrong turn, which led him to the school's one and only dead end. As he turned, Itsuki guessed that Chihiro was processing the same information in her head.

Chihiro wanted to smile viciously, but she was too busy gasping for breath that she could only manage to walk slowly towards Itsuki. "I'm...going to...kill...you...!"

Despite her alarming threat, Itsuki simply gulped in large mouthfuls of breath, bent over with his hands on his knees. Sweat dropped from Chihiro's chin like raindrops as she neared him. Using all of her remaining strength, she lifted her fist, preparing to hit him, when...

Itsuki suddenly started up and tackled her, holding her in his arms as he pinned her to the wall. The impact took the air from Chihiro's lungs, making her even more air-hungry as she started gasping for breath. Itsuki's heavy breath blew hot air on her left ear.

Weird. VERY weird. But somehow, Chihiro thought it was, at the same time, very romantic. She had imagined Haku holding her in his arms countless times in her dreams, and this was strikingly familiar. A sense of relief and joy overtook her as she returned the hug.

"Haku, you're back." she said, still gasping for breath.

"Um, who's Haku?" Itsuki replied. His heavy breathing had slowed, and Chihiro no longer felt hot air blowing against her ear. Her ears immediately reddened, however, at Itsuki's remark.

"Uh, nothing! Nothi-HEY, GET OFF ME!" Chihiro cried, trying to push Itsuki away. The boy grinned wolfishly as he detached himself from her.

Four years had passed by, and she still thought it was romantic.

She was sitting on the beach, seated on a bath towel, wearing her school football team t-shirt with a pair of blue shorts. Itsuki sat next to her, dressed in the same outfit, looking at the setting sun. They sat hand in hand, talking quietly as the world around them got darker and darker.

Just a typical Saturday afternoon.

"So, Chihiro, truth or dare?" Itsuki asked. This was another part of the Saturday ritual; they had played the game since their first date in seventh grade. It was stupid, really, since none of them chose dare, as the purpose of the game was to get to know each other more. They might just as well talk about each other's pasts, but it was more fun this way.

Chihiro pretended to think for a few seconds. "Hmm..." she said, looking at the large orange globe as it descended into the sea. The ocean glittered with golden sparkles of joy, illuminating Chihiro's vibrant face with orange, a hue of hope. "I think I'll go with truth this time."

"Okay," Itsuki replied, playfulness marking his voice. "Who's Haku?"

Chihiro groaned loudly. "I TOLD you, that's a secret I can't tell you. You'll think I'm crazy."

Itsuki pouted, intentionally sticking his lips out like a little child. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?" Chihiro laughed. Itsuki always joked about their fateful day in seventh grade.

"No, seventh-grade Itsuki," Chihiro said with a smile. "Another question, or I don't play."

Itsuki sighed. Chihiro could understand him-he had been trying to find out who Haku was since the first time they played truth-or-dare. But he knew better than to push her too far. Chihiro watched him with amusement as his forehead wrinkled in thought.

There was a long silence as Itsuki tried to think of a question. They knew each other so much already that it was becoming more and more difficult to come up with things to ask.

The sun had almost completely disappeared before Itsuki spoke again. "Why do you love me?"

Chihiro was too absorbed in the beautiful scenery to hear him. "Hmm?" she said, turning to Itsuki. His face was concentrated in thought.

"Why do you love me?" He asked.

Chihiro was taken aback. Did he just ask why she loved him? No, he couldn't have. "I'm sorry, can you repeat your questi-"

"Why do you love me?"

Chihiro's face reddened. What kind of a truth question was that? She looked at Itsuki, wondering if he was joking.

He wasn't.

Chihiro hesitated. What should she say? That she loved him because he was funny, reliable, and loyal? Or should she just say that he is absolutely GORGEOUS and that she loved the way his hair flew across his face today?

After some contemplation, Chihiro was freaking out. She had no clue what to say.

So she answered his question in the worst possible way.

"I...don't know."

"Oh." Itsuki's broad shoulders slumped a little. Disappointment was written all over his face. "Well...okay."

"I-I'm so sorry, I-" Chihiro felt so bad for Itsuki. How could she answer like that? She was a horrible girlfriend...

Chihiro was suddenly hit with an idea. She knew that she was the worst girlfriend Itsuki could have, so why did he stick with her?

"Why do you love me?" Chihiro asked, genuine curiosity ringing in her voice.

Itsuki looked at her. He chuckled a little, then without hesitation, fired his speech.

"Well, let's see...Your face is plain," Chihiro nodded in agreement. "You're not athletic." Another nod. "And you're a slut."

"WHAT?" Chihiro yelled. She hadn't laid eyes on any other boy! How could he say that?

"Well, that Haku boy?" Inquired Itsuki. Chihiro started to protest, but Itsuki quickly silenced her with his hand. "Anyway, you're good at math. But Aiko is a lot better at math than you, and much prettier. You're also pretty popular, but there are many popular girls out there. So, why do I love you?"

Chihiro glared at him. Who did he think he was, insulting her like that? "That's it," She said acrimoniously. "I'm leaving. We're done. Finished."

As Chihiro stood up to leave, Itsuki gripped Chihiro's shoulder, pulling her close. He hugged her like the first time they hugged, breathing softly into her left ear. Before Chihiro could push him away, he whispered, "I love you because you're you, Chihiro. I love you so much because no one is you."

That was the sweetest thing that someone had ever said to her.

Chihiro felt tears forming in her eyes as her anger dissipated like mist. "I love you for the same reason!" She cried, burying her face in Itsuki's shirt. Well, the "same reason", except for the fact that he was hot. And athletic. And pretty smart. Shut up, Chihiro.

That night, Chihiro snuggled to Itsuki's warm body, gazing at the stars overhead. Itsuki breathed softly to Chihiro's ear, telling her stories he had heard and adventures he had had in his past. And, although Chihiro had to return home soon to meet with her curfew, she knew that she was the happiest girl in the world.

Little did she know that something other than the stars was watching her from above. A dragon. A particular dragon. A dragon who had taken pains to open the gate to the human world. A dragon who had kept his promise.

A/N: Poor Haku! He comes back to see Chihiro with another boy! Well, this is the end of my first oneshot. I might continue it if you (my readers) would want me to. Hopefully you guys liked my story! (And sorry to the Chihiro x Haku fans). But who knows? Things may change if I decide to add more to the story.

Please review! Reviews mean a lot to me, because they tell me people are actually reading/enjoying my story. I would also love to know what you think of Itsuki. Thanks!