**DISCLAIMER** I DO NOT OWN SPIRITED AWAY! STUDIO GHILBI AND HAYAO MIYAZAKI DOES! ^_^ enjoy
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Febuarary the 14. A day of significance even in the spirit world. A day to celebrate the love shared between two beings. However not all have the luxury of spending this special day with a special someone. The certain owner a renowned bathhouse was one of these unfortunate souls. Her long, waist length, chestnut brown hair loosely tied near the bottom looked a bit disheveled, as Lin's eye couldn't help but twitch in irritation. Valentines day was the worst day to be doing tedious paper work. It was one of their busiest and most irritating days of the year at the bathhouse. When Lin usually saw the day's quota the next morning, she usually felt it was worth enduring this sorry excuse for a holiday. But until the morning came, it might as well have been another form of hell.
Everyone one in the bathhouse, staff and guest alike walked around with an air of gayety and happiness so intense it made Lin almost want to puke. Public displays of affections left a particular left an particulary bad after taste in her mouth. Everyone going 'ooohh' and 'awww' like doting imbeciles! It was a holiday for shmucks and idiocy!
Lin was just in the middle of signing a paper when the phone rang, and she accidentally snapped her pen in irritation. It had better not be another holiday well wisher. The thought made her eye twitch again. She picked up the phone, and brought it to ear with a strained smile.
"Hello? Yuya Bathhouse Getaway. This is Lin speaking. How may I help?"
"Lin!" cried a cheerful, yet mature female voice. "How are you?"
"Oh. Hey Kiddo" Lin said, immediately dropping the act. She sighed in relief. It was only Chihiro. "What's up? I thought you would be out with Haku? It's already eight o clock. If you two don't have reservations anywhere then you better your asses moving and find a place!" she scolded.
"About that" Chihiro said, her tone dropping. "Haku…he's…kinda busy tonight. We won't be spending Valentines together" Lin's jaw almost dropped to the ground at what she was hearing. "He's gone to console a friend who just got out of a long relationship not to long ago. And valentines day isn't really helping the poor guy so Haku and some friends have gone to try and cheer him up" she said understandingly. Lin gritted her teeth. "Haku you jerk! What the hell are you thinking not spending Valentines Day with Chihiro! Let your other friends deal with the sorry sod!" Lin sighed.
"Honestly Chihiro your to nice for own damn good. You should've put your foot down and said you wanted to spend Valentines Day with him" Chihiro just chuckled nervously.
"No that's ok! I understand Haku wanting to help a friend. And if it was me wanting to help you for example, he'd understand also" Chihiro's tone dropped again. "But, I'm not gonna lie. I am disappointed at not being able to spend Valentines Day with him. So, actually I was kind of hopping we could go out somewhere. Your not to busy…are you? Haku and I had actually made reservations somewhere and it would be shame to let it go to waste" Lin paused for a moment, skeptical. "It's an all you can eat buffet" Chihiro chided. Lin stood up, slamming her free hand down on the table resolutely. "Chihiro! If you need a friend to support you then I'm here for you! How dare Haku let you down on today of all days!"
"So you'll come?" Chihiro asked hopefully.
"Yep!"
"Great! Thank you so much Lin! It's at the Aroha Cupi Restruant"
"Aroha Cupi? That place?" Lin asked surprise. Aroha Cupi was quite a well known and prestigious restaurant, known not only for their fine food but for their gift of creating a particular romantic atmosphere. But eating at a place like that doesn't come without spending the worthwhile money.
"Don't worry about the cost. We already paid for it before hand"
"Grrr. I'm still paying you back some of it! And I'm not taking no for an answer"
"We'll see if you still wanna pay it back when the nights finished" muttered Chihiro.
"What was that?"
"Hmm? Oh nothing! Nothing" She laughed sheepishly and Lin smelt something fishy, but decided to brush it aside.
"Wait a second, what about Shouro? You can't just leave him home alone" she asked.
"Oh don't worry about him. Zeniba and Yubaba will take care of him for the night. Ok. I'll meet you there in an hour. Oh and wear something nice. See you soon Lin!" Chihiro said hanging up with a cheery tone. "Wear something nice?" Lin thought.
"Geez. What a handful those two are" she said putting down the phone and sighing. She looked at the clock, the time already reading 8:15.
"Crap. I better hurry up and get ready"
An hour passed by and Lin was already at the Aroha Cupi, sitting across from Chihiro who was staring at the drink menu absentmindedly happy. She was humming and her face looked to innocent. Something was up. Lin sighed, pushing the hunch away and instead admired her surroundings. The restaurant had a basic Japanese theme with red crimson walls and several private booths lined along the back wall with shoji panels to partially separate the booths from the rest of the restruant. On the opposite side of the restaurant was the bar and teppanyaki set up, with glimpses into the kitchen behind it. The main floor of the restaurant was set up with perfectly circular tables big enough to seat eight people, covered in white table spreads and laid out with a white vase and single rose on each one along, along with the table number. The place was softly lighted by the circular lantern like lights hanging from the ceiling, with a harpist playing elegantly in the far right by the bar.
"You look so pretty Lin!" Chihiro gushed. And it was true Lin really did look stunning with her hair pulled up in an elaborate piecey bun at the back off her head, made with inward curls and plaits, held together by two beautiful jade hair pins. A perfectly straight ponytail of her soft chestnut locks came down from the bun, cascading down over her back. She wore a blood red kimono with intricate black, white and golden floral designs.
"That's thanks to Haruka" Lin admitted embarrassedly, leaning her chin in her palm. "I was just gonna get dressed into something nice and come over. But when I asked Haruka for a bit of help and explained what was happening, she didn't believe me and thought I was going on a date. So she insisted I wear this kimono and do my make up. Course there's no way I could've done the make up myself without looking like a clown" Her complexion was slightly more pale than usual, but her skin looked smooth and soft in return, and her lips ruby red. "Honestly though, I feel like I let her go to far with allowing her to put on make up and do my hair"
"No! No! You look wonderful" Chihiro smiled gleefully. She too looked quite beautiful, although Lin thought she always had. She hadn't gone all out though like Haruka had on her though and she felt a little embarrassed, as if she was over dressed. She also wore a kimono. Hers was a mixture of a wintry blue, white and black. A striking contrast to her earthen brown hair which was done up beautifully in a loose grecian bun, decorated elaborately with white pearls. "She really managed to do her own hair and get dressed all by herself in under half an hour?" she wondered suspiciously.
"So, how come we've only ordered drinks so far?" Lin asked disinterested while Chihiro was still looking over the menu. She had been staring at it for fifteen minutes indecisively. "This is a smorgasbord right? So you don't have to pay extra for ordering something else. Just pick something already!"
"No, if I don't pick the right thing my whole appetite will be ruined!" she said pleadingly. Lin knew that was clearly a lie. She was usually so sure about what she wanted to order, wherever or whenever they ate together.
Even above the bustle of the crowd, a bell could be heard chiming indicating that some one else had entered. Chihiro leant a little to see past Lin. Her face suddenly lit up and she started waving. Lin looked behind her to see who Chihiro had spotted and her jaw almost dropped to the ground. She was waving at Haku! But who was that with him?
"Haku! Over here!" Chihiro called. Haku turned and smiled adoringly back at her, waving in return. He walked over their table with his scowling friend in toe.
"Chihiro! You're here? What a surprise!"
"I know!" said Chihiro happily. "Why are you here? I thought you were going to comfort-" she paused suddenly, noticing his friend. "Oh! Shisui! It's good to see you again" Lin looked at the man Chihiro was addressing, noticing him properly. He a striking layered, neck length auburn hair combed loosely back with his centre split razor cut fringe framing his face. He had a nice tan complexion and steely golden eyes set in boredom and irritation.
"It's good to see you again as well Chihiro-sama" He bowed respectfully, and Chihiro and Lin stared at him in surprise, before Chihiro let out a chuckle.
"Oh there's no need for such honorifics! Any friend of Haku's is a friend of mine" she said smiling.
"That's very kind of you" he said simply. Chihiro raised her hand, gesturing for him to take a seat next to Lin and for Haku to sit next to her. They did so wordlessly.
"So Haku" Lin began suspiciously. "It was my understanding you were busy tonight. So what, pray tell, brings you here?" "Especially with a stranger!" she thought. Haku looked at her for a moment like a mouse being caught by a cat.
"Well uh, you know why I was busy right? It was to cheer up a friend" He pointed discreetly to Shisui sitting beside her, busy mulling over the menu.
"I see" she said. "So he's the sorry sod that got dumped not long before Valentines day" "But that still doesn't explain why you're here" "And why the hell isn't Chihiro asking all this instead of me!?"
"That's because" he discreetly pointed to Shisui "wasn't really keen for a pack of friends fussing over him, so I thought, why let the reservations Chihiro and I made go to waste" he declared happily. "Funny" Lin thought scowling. "That's pretty close to Chihiro's story" She sighed. Who cares. She was out at a fine restaurant with delicious foods and good friends (plus a stranger) and she intended to enjoy it. A little time went by, and everyone had ordered their meals, and were at least half way through when Haku took Chihiro's hand and invited her outside to show her something, leaving Shisui and Lin alone in awkward silence.
She spared a glance at the fine featured man, and caught him glancing at her, before his eyes darted back to his food.
"Ok is there something on face or something?" she asked irritably. "Why do you keep looking at me?" The man smirked as if something was funny.
"Don't worry, Your not my type" he said bluntly. Lin sat straight up like an arrow, glaring at him angrily.
"What!? What the hell is that supposed to mean!?"
"I don't like superficial girls who always worry about their looks. I bet it took several hours for you to get ready" he accused. Lin's eye twitched. Was this guy tying to pick a fight with her!?
"For your information, I was ready in under forty five minutes!" she declared. "Damn! Why did I say that? Its not like I care what this jerk thinks!"
"Is that so" the man said turning back to his meal, clearly not convinced. He swallowed, and he looked like he suddenly had a resolution "Is that why your boyfriend dumped you? Because your to superficial?" he asked curiously.
"W-WHAT!?" Lin stammered in rage, standing up abruptly. "The only one who got dumped here was you!"
"Me? What are you talking about? You're the reason Chihiro-sama couldn't spend valentines day with Haku" he accused. "Because you got dumped, and she wanted to cheer you up since you'd be down on valentines day" Lin's anger just died down into confusion.
"What? But…Chihiro told me that Haku couldn't spend the evening with her, because he was…comforting you" Her confusion turned in to dread, and she sat down embarrassed, as they both realized what had happened. This had been a set up all along. "Those sneaky rats! They tricked me into a blind date!"
"Dammit" Shisui said turning away to hide his blush from the embarrassment. "I cant believe I got set up like that" He pushed his plate away and stood up, swinging on his black coat.
"H-Hey! Wait a minute! Where are you going!?" Lin demanded when he started walking away mad.
"Where do you think!? Home!" Lin stood up, placed a handful of cash on the table and stormed after him. "You can't just leave! You didn't pay anything towards the dinner!"
"I was tricked! Why should I pay anything towards something I didn't agree to!?"
"You and I are in the same boat buddy! I got tricked to but I still paid something towards it!"
"Why? he asked.
"Because even though they shouldn't have tricked us like that, they're intentions were still good!" Shisui stared down at the girl in surprise for a moment, before scowling and storming off inside leaving Lin confused, then reappearing a moment later.
"There! Happy now? I paid my share! This date is officially over!" he declared
"Good!" Lin agreed angrily. The two turned their backs to each other in a huff. She glanced back at him, and he already started walking away, his dark aurburn standing out against the dark wintry night. He paused and looked around for a moment, scratching his head before changing direction. Lin smiled an irritated smile, as Shisui disappeared round the corner.
"I don't believe this. He's lost" She sighed. And jogged a little to the corner, although it was hard to move at all in the kimono. She rounded the corner and found she had entered a large bustling courtyard with old shops surrounding the area, a large oval ice skating rink in the centre with a large fountain at the edge of it, and valentines day decorations everywhere. The courtyard was bustling with activity and happy couples smiling and walking hand in hand.
"Where did he go?" she wondered walking forward a bit. She walked past several shops before she walked into someone walking out of an alley between two of them.
"Watch where your going!" she said rubbing her nose.
"I could say the same to you!" came an already familiar voice that irritated her.
"YOU!" they yelled pointing at each other, realizing who they bumped into.
"What the hell!? Are you stalking me or something!"
"Oh that's a nice way to show some gratitude!" Lin yelled back.
"Grateful!? Why would I be grateful to you!" Lin merely turned her back to him and crossed her arms in a huff.
"Because your lost and I was going to help you but now I don't feel like it"
"I-I am not lost!" he declared embarrassed.
"You are so!" she yelled turning to point at him accusingly. She crossed her arms with a smug smile in her face. "Admit it and I'll help you"
"I-I don't need your help! I am not lost!"
"Fine" Lin said with a wave of her hand. "Then have a safe trip home" She started walking away, her steeps angry, when she suddenly felt a gentle tug on her Kimono. She turned around to see Shisui gripping her Kimono with his face shamefully lowered. Then he did something she won't forget. He got on his hands and knees and bowed to her.
"I'm sorry for my rude behavior. Please help me. I…I am lost" Lin stared at him nervously in awe. And then she smiled at him understandingly. "That must've been quite the blow to his pride" She knelt down to his level.
"Please, stand up" she urged. "I'll help you. But only if you stand up" She took his chin and tilted his face up. "And don't be so quick to lower your head to someone ok?" He stared at her confused, and his eyes caught her's. For a moment, she found herself unable to look away from his golden eyes, seeming to glow like sunlight. They were, captivating in a way.
"But…wouldn't you prefer that I bow low like this? After the way I treated you?" Lin stared at him confused.
"What? No! I hate that sort of thing. It's embarrassing! Now stand up will you?" "Embarrassing? Hates it? Did I misjudge her?" he wondered as he stood up. Something white and weightless suddenly fell on Lin's nose before melting into a droplet, and the two looked up to see snow flakes gently falling from the sky.
"It's snowing" she said surprised, holding out her hand to catch a snowdrop.
"Amazing!" Shisui said suddenly grabbing Lin's hand.
"What are you doing!?" she yelled pulling her hand away.
"Your not just some pampered rich girl after all!" he said declared.
"What the hell are you going on about?"
"Your hand…it's not perfectly soft and smooth like a normal high-class lady. In fact, there kind of rough. It's means, you know the value of a good days work" he said almost smiling. Lin just stared at him confused and a little annoyed.
"Thanks?" she said not knowing whether or not it was a compliment. Lin suddenly shivered, and started rubbing her arms to keep herself warm. Unexpectedly, Shisui removed his black coat and placed it around her shoulders.
"Wh-hey-what are you-?" she asked surprised.
"Your cold...aren't you?" he said casually.
"W-well…yea but this is your coat. Won't you be cold now?" Shisui simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Doesn't matter. Your acting as my guide after all…aren't you?" Lin's cheeks suddenly felt a little warmer.
"Y-yea. Your right" She looked at him again, and he paled a bit. He was definitely cold. This wouldn't do. If she was taking care of someone as a guide, it wouldn't do to have them freezing to death.
"If I insisted you take this back…would you?" she queried, guessing that she already knew the answer.
"Nope" he said smiling determinedly. Lin sighed. She guessed as much. She looked around for a moment before spotting a shop on the far side of the bustling, beautifully light and decorated courtyard. He watched her run across it to the other side and stand outside a shop, beckoning him over. What was she doing? He walked over confused and approached her, his breath showing in white puffs.
"What are you doing?"
"Hot chocolate, coffee, tea, late, espresso, cappuccino" she listed almost impatiently. "Which do you want?"
"Uh, hot chocolate?" he said still slightly confused. She went inside the quaint store and within a few moments, walked out with two steaming cups of hot chocolate"
"This should help warm us up" she smiled before taking a sip of hers, letting out a relieving "ahhhh. That hit the spot" Shisui took a sip of his.
"Ah! Ith hot!" he said when he accidentally burnt his tongue. Lin couldn't help but chuckle.
"I warned you!" she said.
"No you didn't!" he snapped.
"Yes, I'm sure I did!" she snapped back.
"No, you didn't!"
"Yes I did!" The two just growled crossly at each other. And just when they thought that maybe they could get along. "Whatever. Let's just sit down and finish this drink" Lin said. The two made their way to the fountain and sat on the edge of it, casually sipping their hot chocolates.
"So how do you know Haku?" Lin asked almost casually after a few minutes of silence.
"I meet him at one of the war victory parties through a mate who was part of the Infiltration Team" Lin looked at him in surprise.
"You know someone who was part of the infiltration team?" she asked surprised.
"Yea. The Hrimthur in the team. Naturally he and Haku got to know each other with him being part of the team and Haku being one of the four who defeated Jin. And then I got to know Haku through him" He scowled suddenly. "I never thought he'd do something so sneaky as to set me up on a blind valentines date though"
"I here ya" Lin said irritated thinking again about how Chihiro had deceived her. "I've known Chihiro for years so I had no idea she had it in her" She sighed. "I mean, what's so great about Valentines Day anyway? It might as well be another fools day" she said disdainfully.
"I know right. It's so pointless! Everyone running around iin love, spending crap loads of money on chocolates and flowers" Shisui added.
"And do they have to laugh and giggle about every single thing! It's nauseating!" Lin complained. Shisui smiled and held his cup out to Lin.
"Here darling! Have this cup of hot chocolate! As a token of my undying love for you!" Shisui said mockingly. Lin just laughed.
"Oh darling you shouldn't have gone through all that trouble!" Lin said playing along, taking the cup from him. "After all" she picked up her own cup from beside her "I got you the same the thing!" Shisui took the cup with an exaggerated look of delight on his face and laughed.
"Oh don't you just love how much we think a like!" Shisui suddenly dropped the awkward act and keeled over laughing. "No more!" he said. Lin laughed heartily along with him. "I can't keep it up anymore!" The two sat there for a few minutes, simply laughing, their sides almost splitting.
"You know, I honestly thought I was the only one who didn't like valentines" Lin said wiping a tear from her eye.
"Me to" said Shisui. He caught a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye, and swiftly pulled Lin in close so she wasn't hit by the oncoming snowball. Lin just sat their speechless in his arms, her head against his strong chest with his arms around her lightly. She could hear his heart beat and she felt her cheeks heat up a little.
"Lousy runts!" Shisui yelled apparently at some brats responsible for the snow ball. He pulled her away from him. "You ok?" he asked casually.
"Uh, y-yea. Thanks" she stammered slightly. Suddenly something hit them directly and they fell backwards into the fountain. They turned to each other stunned for a moment, before they burst out laughing. They were both soaking wet with Lin's make up a mess and Shisui's face and hair still covered in some snow from the snow ball.
"You should see your face!" Lin pointed and laughed.
"Yours is no better!" Shisui shot back laughing. Lin was still laughing when he moved closer, reached for his coat in the water behind her and started to wipe the ruined make up of her face. She stopped laughing, slightly startled. Shisui smiled at her gently.
"You know. I think you look a lot better without all that make up" he said. Lin didn't react at first, but then smiled sweetly and ruffled the snow out of his hair.
"And you look a lot better without all that snow covering your face" she said, wiping away the snow briskly but gently from his brow, then cheeks, then lips, and then eye lids, pausing over them briefly as she stared into them once again, and they stared back at her. Just as she was caught in his gaze, he was caught in hers. His hand reached up to move hers away from his face gently, but he drew ever so closer to her as she did. Slowly their lips drew closer until-
"INCOMING!" some one called, and the two suddenly ducked together, avoiding another snowball that flew over their head. Shisui stood up again.
"HEY YOU BRATS! I KNOW YOUR PARENTS! DON'T MAKE ME CALL THEM!" he bluffed. Lin just chuckled, and Shisui smiled down at her, extending his hand to help her up. She took it willingly as he helped her up. She turned and looked down at the coat floating in the water and picked it up.
"I'm sorry" she said remorsefully. "I'll wash it and everything when I get back and return it to you" The smile on Shisui's face was almost sly.
"Sure" "If it means I can see you again that's fine"
For the rest of the evening, Shisui and Lin gradually made their way to his home, talking and laughing along the way, getting to no each other. Of course there was also an equal share of bickering. Lin parted ways with Shisui as a he gave her a light peck on the check, leaving Lin a little stunned. When she finally reached the bathhouse, she went back to her desk to continue going through paper work. The place was still alive with laughter and people acting like love struck fools. But taking a moment to gaze outside at the gently falling snow, Lin couldn't help but think, maybe Valentines day wasn't so bad after all
Happy Valentines day
**AUTHORS NOTE/NOTICES**
Soooooo? How was it? Was it ok? ^^' I'm sorry if it wasn't. I know it's a little rough XD ahaha Pretty long one shot huh? Hey I wanna give another thanks to everyone who read Spirited Away: The Unfamiliar Realm. I means alot that you continued to show support and passion for the story rigt through to the end :)
Notices/Updates
1.Ok so i mentioned in the final chapter about creatn a group on a popular art website called Deviantart that i love. Nd i still wanna know wat you guys think? U guys would be free to post ur own art work to the group, wouldnt matter what it is as long as it is spirited away related X) Naturally the fanfic would b there. Anyways i just wanna know wat u guys think, like if i should even bother creating the group. I have already asked a very small select few about being an admin for the group should i make it so message me nd let me what you think
2.Ok so u know the website i mentiond above? Deviantart? Well like i said its an art website that i LOVE. I have started doing some spirited away art and have posted it ON that website. so far i only have 2 art pieces related to spirited away and those r 2 Kira art pieces nd a Chihiro x Haku one ^^' Anyways, look me up on Deviantart if u want to see them. My user name is Dreamfollower. Otherwise, just use this link X) dreamfollower dot deviantart dot com/ lol should work.
Also, I'm currently working on a sort've a brief lil manga scene from when Oli destroys the seal in the final chapter which i will post on deviant art. Its stil in progress though so i dont when i'll post it
Anyways thats all for now guys! KEEP IN TOUCH! ^^