Decided that I haven't updated in a while, with also many, MANY requests from other people for me to update this story, here it is ^^

I do not own anything.

Swinging ever-so-slowly on a swing in front of her home, a young girl with dark brown hair pulled into a ponytail, clothed with a blue, striped T-shirt and blue jeans that only reached just above her knees held a somber expression, her gaze being directed downwards towards the ground and her bare feet that swung out in front of her. She had a perfect view of the sunset. The sky had become a mixture of colors such as red, orange, gold, and pink. It's beauty would leave one's mouth hanging open in awe, but Chihiro had different things on her mind than just the beauty of a sunset, another day in the physical world just ending. She had longed for this. She had wished to go home, to be back in the physical world after many weeks of being in the spirit world that she had accidently stumbled into. Her wish was granted. She was home. She was reunited again with her parents. But she had never expected everything to feel so wrong once she did get back.

She had wonderful parents, wonderful friends that she had quickly made within a day. She had a wonderful life here. But nothing here was strange, nothing here was creative and full of life. All was dull and boring, people rushing through their lives. For the past two mornings, she had awoken in her new soft bed with only the exact same routine awaiting her once again.

She didn't feel right here.

Before the spirit world, she wouldn't have cared. She would have been living amongst all the others, attending school, doing homework, doing chores, keeping herself as busy as possible and growing up with a job in an office. And that would be her life. Never a moments rest until the last few years of her life. How could anyone live a life like this? She was different, and everyone else was different from her. She deserved to be somewhere where that difference in her was welcomed with open arms.

Of course, the bathhouse in the spirit world was all just the same. Working. Keeping yourself busy so as not to be scolded by Yubaba to quit being lazy. But you weren't working with businesspeople. No, you were working with spirits. Giant baby chicks, giant babies, in general, and giant frogs that cooked all of your meals for you. Eight-armed elders who could reach their arms up as high as the sky if they wanted and provided water for your baths, soot coming to life that followed your orders and carried coal with their paper-thin arms. And greatest of all, young boys that were able to turn into dragons that provided flight and adventure when you always thought flying on dragons were impossible.

This was the life that she needed back.

She missed it with all her heart. Especially one boy in particular. Haku, the boy that could turn into a dragon and fly as high as the stars. Several times, she had pondered whether she should just go back into the tunnel and live that life she once had lived, see all of her friends again, see him again. But what were the chances of her being able to get back home if, for some odd reason, she wanted to return? And what would become of her parents? They would be torn if they found she was gone. Would all of her true friends back in the spirit world be torn if they found out that she was never going to visit, ever, in her life, too, though?

Chihiro sighed deeply. She knew what her heart wanted. But did she have the guts to take such a risk?

Haku was surprised to see the sun setting when he came out from the tunnel. In the spirit world, the day is just beginning, the sun was just rising, while here, the sun is just laying down to rest.

The young boy silently stood there for a few minutes, observing the plants here in the mortal world. It was no different, really, from the plants in the spirit realm. The only difference was that these flowers had more life in them.

Haku took his first steps in the human world, and he felt very, very heavy. This feeling wasn't anything you would experience in the spirit world. You always felt lighter, never felt dragged down by gravity. But this world was so dragging, Haku was not used to it and collapsed. He felt as though his body couldn't move. He couldn't get up. Who was going to help him?

Chihiro had decided to take a walk to the tunnel and decide from there what she wanted to do. She left a note to her parents that she was taking a walk into the forest; they had left to do some grocery shopping for dinner—and that she would be back soon…

…Maybe.

The young girl searched for the path leading back to the tunnel. At first, she had considered just going directly through the forest, but there were too many spider webs and branches blocking her own path.

Chihiro sprinted down the hill and turned to face the path leading back upwards, into the woods. She stared into the dark opening for a moment before taking a deep breath and entering. She was determined to get there before the sun went completely down, and ran off, nearing the tunnel with each step. The thought of seeing it again made her heart race. She felt extremely excited, and it was a very good feeling.

Chihiro came to an abrupt halt when she found the tunnel at the end of the path. But it and the statue were not the only things there this time. There was a body lying on the ground, and the colors the person was wearing looked awfully familiar. A white robe and a light purple tie with dark blue slits of fabric on the shoulders. And green-ish colored hair.

"HAKU!" Chihiro yelled, running at full speed towards the fallen boy. Immediately, the body jolted, but did not come up to look at her.

Chihiro looked as though she tripped as she skidded to a stop and literally thrust her arms onto him, touching the fabric of his clothing, turning him over to touch his face and caress his cheeks, savoring this moment, savoring him, as if she had not seen him in years. His eyes opened, revealing deep green, sparkling orbs that stared back up at her.

"Chihiro." He whispered, a tone that held all the love in the world. A tone that made her heart flutter, the way he had said her name.