Chapter One
The two stood on top the hill. His hand clasped hers in a firm grip, and she could feel the urgency pounding in his veins.
"Will we meet again sometime?"
"Sure."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now go, and don't look back."
The girl looked into his eyes. Piercing silver, they had touched her in a way no other had. They were her world, just as the boy himself was. They stared down at her, fierce, forcing her to submit and to trust.
She had no choice. She believed him.
The girl, after one last look, turned away and took off down the hill.
She didn't look back.
The fall breeze lightly caressed her, rustling her long brown ponytail, held up by a red hair-band. She made her way down the rocky hill, careful not to slide. A pair of light framed glasses sat on her nose, and she pushed it back as she concentrated. In a few seconds, she stood on the familiar brick bridge facing the Kohaku River, gazing at the surface.
A woman stared back at her.
She bore little resemblance to that scrawny, clumsy girl of ten.
What would he think of me now?
Chihiro smiled bitterly. She had lost hope in that promise he made her, eight years ago. Patting the grass before sitting down, she lightly touched the rippling water. Years later, the river improved in health. Now, the waters shone and sparkled, beautiful… so much like the spirit that inhabited it.
Where are you now?
"Haku, I'm going to university soon." She said softly. "It's been eight years. Where've you been?"
She curled her arms around her legs, rubbing her arms. The wind had picked up.
"You've missed so much." She laughed lightly. "I graduated high school, you know. And you weren't even there to see it."
So she sat there all alone, with no one but the wind, earth and river to listen.
Finally, she took a deep breath.
"I'm tired of waiting, Haku." She lightly touched the river again.
She brought her damp fingers to her lips. A feather-like kiss.
Is this good-bye?
"I'm sorry." She said quietly before turning on her heel and coming back the way she came.
:::BREAK:::
The Kohaku Spirit slept.
The dragon lay beneath the waters of his river, unconscious.
Suddenly, a warm caress awoke him.
Familiar warmth spread across his chest, and he closed his eyes, savouring the moment. Slowly, he rose from his cave and drifted closer to the surface.
"Haku, I'm going to university soon."
The woman looking down at him brought a burning ache to his chest. Her long brown hair was tied up by a familiar hair band. Zeniba's hairband. The symbol of friendship. The large brown eyes weren't hidden at all by her light framed glasses and were filled with memories he himself hadn't forgotten.
He knew it was her.
Eight years had come and passed, and the pain of seeing her again tore at him. The lie he had told her still haunted him. The dragon couldn't tear his eyes away, no matter how much the sight of her tortured his soul.
"It's been eight years. Where've you been?"
Far away from you… as far as I could go.
The pain in her voice made him wish he could block this all out. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was supposed to forget him. He was supposed to remember her forever.
"You've missed so much. I graduated high school, you know. And you weren't even there to see it."
After he had escaped from Yubaba's clutches, he had his future planned out. They all involved his Chihiro. But the witch's parting words had stopped him in his tracks… had him thinking.
"I'm tired of waiting, Haku."
The dragon froze.
Wasn't this what he wanted?
"I'm sorry."
He saw her stand and walk away. Footsteps died, and he heard a car rumble before dying off in the distance. Suddenly, his body convulsed as grief, pure and painful, struck him. The words she said, so softly spoken, tore his heart in two. With a snarl, he flicked his tail and the river waves rose, washing over the spot she had stood. The dragon rose from his river, his silver coiled body flashing in the sun. Blindly, he streaked into the sky.
For the first time in his life, the dragon cried.