Chapter 4: Same old story in a brand new book

"I'm sorry!"

Chihiro smiled shaking her head "No. I'm the one who is sorry. I guess I got a little over my head there…"

It was late afternoon and classes were already over and they were standing in front of the school gate.

Hikaru looked at her with relief "So you are not mad at me?"

"Of course not! I guess I've been a little edgy these days." She admitted

"Oh thank god… I thought I had really upset you there…" Hikaru smiled rubbing the back of his head.

"Nah. I'm ok now." Chihiro reassured with a big smile.

"Glad to hear that." Hikaru chuckled patting the girl on the head "Well see you tomorrow then!"

"See you!"

Chihiro sighed. She really exaggerated there. What was she thinking getting so upset over something so little?

"Chihiro-chan."

"Yes?"

"Have you got volleyball training today?" Mayu asked

"Ah yes." Chihiro smiled "The tournament is next week and we're having extra trainings."

"Ah, that's right! Well, good luck! See you tomorrow!" Mayu said waving at the two girls.

"Bye!"

"So it's next week huh?" Sachiko said not very enthusiastically.

Since Sachiko lived close to Chihiro's volleyball club, both of them went together.

Chihiro was tying her hair up in a ponytail "Yup! As captain of the team I must show up at every training. I'm sure we can get first place this year!" she said rising her fist in the air in determination.

Sachiko nodded. Last year Chihiro's team got 4th place (not a bad position taking account that there were over 20 teams in the tournament). It was a national competition in which every team in the country participated. Although, last year, Chihiro didn't play in the last match because she was injured (She broke 3 fingers). Sachiko was pretty sure that was the reason they only got 4th.

Chihiro was a really dedicated captain. She was present at every training. She was a reliable, loyal and a devoted leader and her teammates trusted and loved her a lot. She was the type of person that could motivate and raise everyone's spirits up when they most needed. Not to mention she was a really good player.

It was already early evening. The two girls walked side by side chatting. None of them made any intention to give continuation to the conversation they had at lunch. Although Sachiko knew Chihiro hadn't forgot about it. But she honestly had no idea of how to help her friend.

Truthfully she doubted what Chihiro had once told her. It all sounded so fantastically impossible. There was no way something like that could've happened, but she could never bring herself to tell Chihiro that, it would break her heart. Those memories -or whatever they were- meant a lot more to her friend than anybody could ever understand. No, she didn't think she was crazy but she couldn't come up with an explanation either.

But it worried her. At first she thought it was only a phase, that Chihiro would get over it in no time. She had been wrong. It felt like Chihiro was now more than ever in love with that imaginary friend of hers and Sachiko didn't know what to make of it…

But today, for the first time, Chihiro had actually questioned her own fantasies. Which is good. It was the first step for the girl to get over her imaginary world and focus more on the real world instead. She couldn't live forever attached to some memories that never truly happened.

"Mommy, look at that strange boy over there!"

Now with a bit of luck, and much work from her part, Chihiro could finally live her life without being a prisoner to some imaginary promise she made to some imaginary boy. She would finally be able to…

Sachiko was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice Chihiro abruptly halting and accidently bumped into her.

"Chihiro? What's wrong…?"

Chihiro eyes were as wide as saucers and her lips partially open, she was in shock… But over what?

Sachiko followed her eyes and they led to the other side of the road. There was a boy, with his back turned to them and seemed to be staring at the river below him. From that angle she couldn't see his face but he was rather tall, wore unusual clothes and had straight dark green hair.

"H-Haku…?" Chihiro mumbled her eyes still fixated on the boy. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Now it was Sachiko's turn to be surprised. What was Chihiro saying? That boy, was Haku? But that was impossible, Haku did not exist! Oh crap, there she was again. She was getting more and more obsessed over time. This had to stop.

Sachiko put a hand on Chihiro's shoulder and was about to say something when without a warning, Chihiro just darted off to the other side of the road.

She was almost ran by a car at least two times and earned angry shouts from the drivers. But she didn't seem to care or even hear them for that matter; she didn't seem to see anything other than the boy on the other side of the road.

Sachiko had no other option but to go after her, apologizing to the drivers as she followed her crazy and now suicidal friend.

Even with all that ruckus the boy didn't turn to see what was happening. He just stood there minding his own business.

Chihiro halted abruptly making Sachiko do so too. Sachiko stared at her friend waiting for her to give some kind of reaction. There she stood, holding both her hands next to her chest. She was hesitating; she looked like she was terrified.

Chihiro was afraid. Afraid of finding out the truth, afraid that this wasn't reality, that he in fact wasn't there. She wasn't sure if she could endure another disappointment. It always came down to this after all. When she got really close to him he always managed to slip between her fingers like sand. She was shaking head to toe and her heart was racing.

Finally she reached out with a trembling hand and tugged the fabric of the boy's clothes "…Haku…?" She murmured.

The boy turned to look at her, instantly Chihiro let go of him as if it the fabric burned her hand and unconsciously stepped back a little. Her hands came to cover her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

Sachiko studied the boy's face. There was no doubt he was handsome; his eyes were a beautiful bright green color. He didn't look much older than them. Although he looked like someone you only see in the movies, someone that doesn't belong in this world.

The boy's gorgeous green eyes widened when he saw Chihiro. For a moment they just stood like that, staring at each other with wide eyes and priceless expressions.

"Chihiro…?"

Even though his voice sounded much more mature and manly than it used to, she immediately recognized it. There was no doubt about it, it was him…

Chihiro squealed right before throwing her arms around Haku's neck and burying her face in his shoulder, she began sobbing against it soaking the fabric of his clothes.

For a moment he was just too stunned to think, to move or even to breathe. He stared at the sobbing girl clutching to him like he was the only thing in the world that mattered. It took him a few seconds to react but then both his hands came to encircle her thin waist bringing her even closer to him.

Sachiko's mind was reeling as she watched the unknown boy hug her dear friend. They looked so strange standing there but their gestures showed familiarity with each other. She was holding him so tightly as if she was afraid that if she let go he would just fade away. And he was holding her in an almost protective way. She wanted an explanation to what was happening but at that moment it just didn't feel right to interrupt.

"Why are you crying?" He finally asked a hint of concern in his voice.

He could feel her tremble "You came… I missed you." She paused feeling unable to continue for a moment "I missed you so much…"

He did not reply but she knew he had heard her when she felt his grip on her waist tightening. At that moment she could clearly feel his racing heartbeat and smiled against his chest.

"Are you going to leave me again?" She suddenly asked, her voice muffled by his chest.

One of his hands let go of his waist and came to stroke her silky hair.

"No." He smiled "I'm not going anywhere."

Chihiro couldn't contain her happiness, she smiled against his chest. She still couldn't actually believe this was happening, that Haku was actually there, holding her none the less.

They stayed like that for a moment simply enjoying being in each other's arms, it felt so warm and comfortable, it felt right.

She drew back just enough to look him in the eyes, those beautiful eyes of his. She smiled widely, there was no way she could ever explain with words just how happy she was but it wasn't like any words were needed on that moment.

The glistening of her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

Suddenly it hit Chihiro that they were in the middle of sidewalk; that Sachiko was still there, probably really confused with the whole situation, she probably deserved an explanation. Not to mention she was most likely already late for the training.

She reluctantly released her grip around his shoulders and stepped back although, a hand remained clutching his sleeve. She was afraid that if she let go of him completely he would go away, disappear once again.

"I…Huh…I-" She fumbled over her words before she felt silent again. She was having a hard time picking the words that would help her explain the whole situation to her clueless friend, perhaps due to the fact that her brain had received such relevant information in such a short period of time. She still couldn't completely believe what was happening. "Sachiko… huh… this is Haku. Haku, this is my friend Sachiko."

Sachiko and Haku stared at each other. Sachiko's dark eyes studying the much taller boy from head to toe.

Chihiro had never seen such and expression on Sachiko's face, the usually passive and uninterested girl was looking utterly astonished. She blinked a couple of times meditating on what she could possibly say to a person that she thought that moments ago was nothing but fruit of her friend's fertile imagination.

"If you'll excuse us for a moment." Sachiko finally said pulling Chihiro away from Haku and dragging her a few meters away from him making it impossible for him to hear them "Explain. Now." She demanded crossing her arms.

Chihiro looked over her shoulder only to make sure he was still there, when she confirmed he hadn't moved, she returned her attention to her friend "It's him." She said a smile forming on her lips, she was finally assimilating everything and now it was just impossible to contain her happiness "Can't you see Sachi? It's Haku!"

Sachiko glanced over to the green haired boy and then back at her friend "You mean the dragon boy, previously a river, assistant to an old witch who owned an hotel for gods and spirits? That Haku?"

"Yes!" Chihiro bobbed her head in confirmation.

Sachiko was speechless. Well, the boy certainly matched the description she made of him but still… It all sounded too fantastic...

But then again, she had never seen Chihiro this happy; she guessed she just had to go along with it even if not completely understanding what this whole situation actually meant. She sighed in defeat "So what are you going to do now?" She glanced at Haku again "Is he staying?"

Chihiro opened her mouth to reply but the moment she realized she didn't know the answer to those questions, she shut it. "I don't know." She admitted just realizing this herself.

"Go ask him then."

Chihiro nodded and turned around. Haku was politely waiting for them, his eyes never leaving Chihiro.

On that moment Chihiro realized just how much there was to be said, to be asked. She had so many questions to make him; there were many things she wanted to know. But that unfortunately, would have to wait; hopefully she would have lots of opportunities to make all the questions she wanted later.

"Huh…" Chihiro toyed nervously with the edge of her white shirt, her eyes locked with Haku's "So… What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know." Haku said never breaking eye-contact.

"But, are you going to stay here in the human world? Like, Permanently?"

"Yes."

Chihiro's face broke into one the brightest smile he had ever seen "Really? Really?" She lunged forward and grabbed his arm "If you don't have anywhere to stay you can stay at my house!"

Haku was about to say something when was interrupted "Chihiro!"

Chihiro looked over her shoulder with questioning eyes.

"So you're just going invite him into your house? How are you going to convince your parents? You can't actually think that they'll just receive him with open arms…"

Chihiro thought about it for a moment "Well I can always use my secret weapon."

Sachiko raised an eyebrow "And that is?"

"The truth."

Silence.

"And you think they'll just accept the truth? That's crazy."

Chihiro looked up at Haku and smiled when she met his steady gaze "They'll understand."

Sachiko sighed pushing her glasses up on her nose "If you're so sure about it." She paused taking a much more serious look "It just won't be easy... Whatever." She walked towards them until she was in line with Chihiro but her eyes were directly staring at Haku "You behave well. I still have no freaking idea what is happening, but if you are unlucky enough to hurt Chihiro," She took another step forward and spoke in a low threatening tone "consider yourself a dead man."

There was a moment of silence but, before anyone could say a thing, Sachiko simply walked away "Well then, see you tomorrow Chihiro.".

For a moment both Haku and Chihiro stood there staring at Sachiko's back. Then Chihiro sent him a nervous glance before laughing lightly "I'm sorry, Sachiko has a quite peculiar personality. She's not a bad person really."

Although Haku appeared quite calm as if he didn't actually mind what Sachiko had said to him.

Chihiro smiled and once again, this time more calmly, wrapped her arms around Haku's waist "I'm so glad I finally got to see you again." She looked up and for a second her smile withered "Why didn't you come sooner?"

Haku hesitated "I had some… trouble" He noticed concern spread across Chihiro's face "Nothing serious really." He quickly added "I'm sorry I couldn't come any sooner."

"It's ok. You're here now, that's all that matters." Chihiro stepped back and took a good look around "Why were you here anyway?"

Haku followed her eyes "I left the spiritual world this morning. I've been looking for you since, finally I ended up here." He smiled at her "I had no idea you'd be the one to find me."

Chihiro chuckled "Yeah." Her smile never leaving her pink lips "Let's go, I'll take you to my house." She said grabbing his arm "You're going to meet my parents, I'm sure they'll like you…" She walked down the street dragging Haku along, ignoring the fact that everybody that passed by them would stare at the green haired boy.

"I don't want to be a bother… If I'm giving you any kind of hardship I'll…"

"Don't worry." She interrupted him sending him a reassuring smile "They'll understand, I'm sure of it." Haku nodded.

Chihiro smiled to herself. "I'm sure everything is going to be fine. I'm going to teach him everything he needs to know about the human world. I'm going to show him many things and take him to many different places. This is going to be great!"

Chihiro wasn't looking to notice Haku's worried expression "Everything is going to be fine…" He thought as he stared into the dark horizon "Isn't it?"

A/N And they meet again yaay! :3 I hope you enjoyed this new chapter leave a review if you did. :) I'll update again soon so stay tuned!