I wanted to start this with a heartfelt thank you. It has been a journey writing this fanfiction for everyone to enjoy. It helped me get some closure on how the story of "Spirited Away" should end, especially because it was so open-ended and free to interpretation. And I'd like to dedicate this epilogue to my friend Mimi. After getting back in touch with her and her reminding me how much I loved writing, I felt inspired once again, and was determined to finish this fanfiction. And now, without further ado, here's the epilogue of "Spirited Again ".

Epilogue

Chihiro's phone vibrated by her bed, seemingly shaking the world, or at the very least, her room. Yuki was calling, her face popping up on the screen.

"Get up, Chihiro!" Yuki shouted, clearly panicked.

"I'm up, I'm up," she groaned. Drawings lined her bed and crinkled as she stretched.

"Chihiro," Yuki repeated sternly. "This isn't the first time I called you!"

"What do you mean?" She put Yuki on speaker and checked her notifications. "You sent me ten texts?!"

"And called five times! Graduation is in an hour! You've got to get going!"

Chihiro then turned off her alarm and noticed five more notifications. "Haku says in a message that he's going to come over… NOW?!"

"River's already there! 'At your house' there!"

"What?!" she shrieked. There was knock at her door, and she dove out of bed, landing on her knees and stomach. "Ow!"

"Are you okay? What was that" Yuki asked.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine. I just fell out of bed," Chihiro gasped. "Thank you for calling, Yuki."

"No problem. I'll see you guys later. Bye."

"Bye."

The girls hung up, and Ichiyūko opened the door and let herself in, finding Chihiro on the floor. "Honey, are you okay?" she asked, helping her teenaged daughter to her feet. "What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing, Mom, I was just clumsy," Chihiro sighed, rubbing her knees.

"Oh, okay. River's waiting for you in the living room." Ichiyūko lay out Chihiro's uniform on her bed. "Hurry and get dressed," she said, stepping out.

Chihiro got ready as fast as she possibly could, thinking It's a good thing I shower before bed. Finally dressed, she came out of her room and greeted Haku, who waited with a fresh white carnation.

"Good morning, Chihiro," he said, tucking the flower neatly in her hair. "Ready to go?"

"Not quite," she replied, smiling from ear to ear. Haku gave a puzzled look.

"Mom, do you have the pansy?"

"Right here." Ichiyūko smiled as she handed Chihiro the white blossom with the stem cut short.

"Now, Haku, turn to me," Chihiro said, and Haku obliged, letting her pin the pansy to his lapel. "There!" She turned to her mother and asked, "Mom, you and Dad will meet us there, right?"

"Yes, which reminds me," her mother sighed, "I still have to wake him up." She turned to Chihiro and raised her brow. "I wonder who you took after?"

Haku let out a laugh as Chihiro blushed. "Okay, Mom! We're gone! Haku and I will see you guys there!" she hurriedly muttered, practically pulling him out with her. "Bye!"

"I wonder," Haku said, he and Chihiro walking hand in hand to school, "What did your parents and Yuki think when you went from calling me 'River' to 'Haku'?"

Chihiro shrugged. "They thought it was a pet name from your last name. 'Kohaku', 'Haku'."

"Ah. And now the question remains," he said, a sly smile spreading across his face, "Did you stay up late drawing again? Is that why you slept through your alarm and calls and messages?"

She blushed again. "Um… yes… and yes…" she admitted bashfully. "But on the plus side, I've got a lot of new stuff to show you."

Haku laughed, "I can't wait to see it."

They arrived at school, then made their way to the auditorium, where Yuki was busy ushering parents to their seats. She saw Chihiro from the corner of her eye and called to her and Haku. "Chihiro! River! Hi!" she waved at them.

"Hi, Yuki!"

"Our classmates are over there!" She pointed to the entrance of the auditorium on the other side, where their peers have gathered. "The ceremony will start soon! Take your places! Hurry!"

From the crowd of parents and loved ones, Haku pointed out, "There are your parents! Hi!" He waved at them.

"And there are Lin and Kamaji!" Chihiro waved at them. "Hi!"

"Hi!" greeted Kamaji. Lin unfurled a homemade sign and held it up high for all to see. It read "Congratulations, Chihiro & Haku!"

Chihiro got flustered, and even Haku got bashful and hid his face. "After I came to the human world," he muttered, "it took me a while to get used to feeling embarrassed by my family." Chihiro giggled.

Yuki approached them and groaned. "I'm so tired," she sighed, leaning on Chihiro. "And famished. I've been here since 9am." She turned to the couple before her. "And thank you for dragging her out, River. I know how difficult it can be."

"It really wasn't any trouble."

"Really? Because-"

"Shh! The ceremony's starting!" yelped Chihiro. Yuki giggled.

After the ceremony, Chihiro met up with her parents. "Congratulations, sweetie! You did it!" her dad bellowed, giving her a bear hug and literally sweeping her off her feet. "Thanks, dad," she huffed. "Now put me down."

"Put her down," her mom laughed. "Where's River?"

"He went to find his uncle and cousin."

"Hey!" Haku greeted, pushing his way through the crowd with his family closely behind him. "Mr. and Mrs. Ogino, may I introduce my family?"

"Pleasure. I'm Haku's uncle Kamaji Nushi, and my daughter Lin." Kamaji and Lin bowed their heads.

"And we're Ichiyūko and Akiichirō Ogino. It's a pleasure," her mom said, bowing as well.

"They offered to take us out for burgers," Haku announced. "All of us."

Chihiro gasped happily and turned to her parents. "Can we go? Can we, please?" she pleaded.

"Sure, burgers sound good. Thank you," Akiichirō said, addressing Kamaji. "Lead the way."

Kamaji smiled and led the Nushi/Kohaku/Ogino clan out of the packed school auditorium, Chihiro and Haku trailing behind and holding hands.

"Chihiro?" Haku said, standing still, holding her back.

"Yes?"

He kissed her forehead, but it only made her frown. "You missed," she whispered, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his lips.

"That's better."