Chapter XXI

〜Goddess Izanami〜

Revised 6-26-16

"Take my hand Chihiro, we're almost there."

Haku was shouting for Chihiro's attention. The sun shone brilliantly from overhead as the wind blew crisp and chilly. Having to squint her eyes, Chihiro looked up a mass of boulders to see a body leaning down. Making out the details, she saw Haku's rounded face and his hand reaching out for her own. With small, puny arms and legs, Chihiro was already tired from all the climbing. Her hands and knees were covered in scrapes, but she wanted to keep going.

Taking Haku's hand, her body was effortlessly pulled up the boulder she was struggling to climb. The heat from the sun beamed harder than before. There was nothing left to block the rays or provide any shade. But luckily the wind was blowing strong.

They had climbed all the way to the top now overlooking the land below them. There were trees for miles with random mountains like the one they just climbed. Small ones obviously. Where the trees came to a sudden end resided a house, along with another and another and another. It was a village!

Chihiro cupped her hands around her eyes like invisible binoculars. It was definitely a village; Chihiro had never seen another village before. She had no clue there was one so close to Shiroryu.

"That is Aka Village." Haku informed her, standing abreast Chihiro. Looking over to his small figure a lot like her own, Chihiro watched as Haku stared at the village as if in a trance.

"Amazing," Chihiro awed looking back at the huge prosperous town. A majority of it was all crops, making the whole village 4 times larger than Shiroryu. That was probably why it didn't look so rundown. Shiroryu was too small and had too many elderly to be a prosperous village; even though they had such a colossus river. It's a shame really that Shiroryu is damned to never grow economically. There was just too many problems.

When the wind nearly knocked Chihiro from the rock she was standing on, she instantly grabbed for Haku. Reaching out for Chihiro, he pulled her close as she wrapped her arms around his right – constricting his limb. Her touch was a little cold with the wind chilling them over the sun's beaming heat. After sightseeing a little longer they decided to go back down the mountain but lingered for a few more minutes. "I'll never forget this." Chihiro said from beside him, still holding onto his arm. Haku continued to stare at the landscape, smiling.

He didn't go to the human world often, but when he did, Haku wanted to see as much as he could. His father never really cared that he left, and those who found out never did anything because of how powerful his father was. So therefore, Haku was a little spoiled. But when he told his father about leaving to the surface, almost every day for 5 years, his father was especially lenient. He knew there was a girl.

The former God of the Nushi River – Haku's father, knew his son was spending years beside a human child. He secretly wished them the best of luck in the future but would never meet Chihiro due to his sudden illness and death.

Haku had never met his mother, she died during his birth… but there were rumors referring to his mother. Ones that said she was very beautiful, the most beautiful among all the women in Shiroryu when the village came into existence. Of course she disappeared one day said to be swept away into the spirit world, of course no humans knew for sure what happened to her. Some said she was kidnapped by bandits and some say she wandered out of the Shiroryu territory and was turned into a slave. But the one thing that really struck Haku was the fact that this woman was from Shiroryu.

Because that meant – she was human. His mother was a human whom he never met because of her weak body dying during childbirth.

Haku's parents weren't married, he found that strange. A God has never married a human before so they avoided the matter until later which never came. While his father was mourning the death of his lover, a new woman came into the temple from the Bathhouse. When Haku saw the woman, he got a chill. She was elegant and beautiful… her name was Umi. Haku found out that his father particularly favored Umi because of how she looked.

Umi resembled his late mother.

Haku spent a lot of time with her, and taught her some magical spells that he learnt from his father. She was a little older than Haku, and he stared at her often. He looked at Umi as if he was looking at his long dead mother. They gained a bond of trust, one a little stronger than friendship but nowhere near lovers. Haku already had a girl in his mind that surpassed the thoughts of other females.

As the two children climbed down from the mountain, Haku jumped from the rock onto another not far down. His arms reached up for Chihiro telling her it was alright to jump down to him, that he would catch her. Chihiro hesitated but she had done a lot more dangerous things than this with Haku. Every time he protected her. So without further ado, she leapt from the stone and squealed the whole way down into Haku's arms. He stumbled back a few feet and luckily didn't fall from the rock he was standing on. Chihiro laughed and smiled up at her friend.

Haku smiled back and the two did that every time there was a steep drop from boulder to boulder. They headed back to the valley where Chihiro always said goodbye to Haku. She would leave him standing in the swaying grass all by his lonesome as she strode through the forest and back home. He always watched her leave until he couldn't see her anymore. Afterward he would walk alongside the river and eventually transform into his dragon guise and dive into the river's current, heading back home to the spirit world.

。。。。

Chihiro tossed and turned, marveling at all the room she had to roll around on. She didn't worry about the lack of her mom's presence and figured she was already awake compared to Chihiro who stayed up for an hour or so in the middle of the night.

Sighing, Chihiro inhaled a deep breath.

The left side of her face was buried in a pillow that smelled like a musty forest. A lot like Haku whenever she got close enough to smell the natural scent coming off him.

Furrowing her brows and squeezing her eyes shut, Chihiro opened them slowly. The first thing she noticed was the fact she was not in her usual room. Surprised at first, Chihiro bolted upright and looked around. The blanket that was covering her slid down to her waist.

As she scanned her surroundings, Chihiro noticed she was in Haku's room… in his bed. A blush reddened her face as all her blood rushed up from her neck. She was covered in his bed sheet, in his smell even. Yet… as she looked around the room, Haku wasn't there. They weren't kids anymore so if Haku tried to sleep next to her, Chihiro would definitely slap him.

Uncovering herself and sliding off the futon, Chihiro sat on her shins against the tatami mat. It crackled from her shifting weight as she remade Haku's bed. Stretching her arm out to tidy the blanket, the bruise on her shoulder blade didn't bother so much anymore. The skin had returned to its normal color.

Looking around the bedroom, Chihiro stared at the only exist. She remembered going to see Haku last night… He must've been the one that put her to bed. Chihiro's cheekbones were frosted pink just thinking about it.

Quietly walking through the fusuma, Chihiro was met with the soft glow of many lit lamps throughout the hall. There weren't any windows in Haku's quarter so it was a little obscure. Chihiro looked around curiously and didn't see Haku until looking inside the nearest room. Looking at the sofa, Chihiro stared at a man sleeping peacefully.

Walking up to the sofa, Chihiro stared down at him. He was sleeping on his back with his head turned out toward the room and Chihiro. His dark hair had fallen in his face and his lips were slightly parted as he breathed rhythmically. Chihiro watched as his chest rose with each breath and fell as he blew out the air in his lungs.

Chihiro's heart was beating faster than usual.

She had the urge to reach out and touch him, to get his hair out of his face, but stopped herself. Instead she went back to the futon – Haku's bed, and grabbed the blanket she just neatly laid out. Draping it over Haku; he didn't budge from the sudden warmth. Chihiro's body heat was still lingering on the blanket so it would warm him easily.

Staying behind she stared at him for just a couple more seconds.

The tingle going all throughout her body landed in her stomach. Before it bothered her anymore than that, Chihiro turned and left Haku's quarter. Walking down the long hallway there was nothing but complete flabbergasted faces. Chihiro just walked from Haku's room early in the morning; that looked kind of bad… She sighed and ignored all the eyes gawking at her and whispers of her name. She set out to find Umi, hopping she would have breakfast with her.

。。。。

The Bathhouse was busy as ever. Chihiro with Umi tagging along went to find Rin to work. Umi was excited to see Rin which was mostly the reason for following Chihiro. While the two walked around the Bathhouse, no one paid any attention to them at all. It felt good not be stared at all the time. It looked like the inhabitants of Haku's land were finally starting to get used to her.

Needing to change her clothes, Chihiro remembered the way to Rin's room. Her yukata was tucked safely away in the shelf once discarded. Umi who waited outside the room, smiled at Chihiro once she came out. Unfortunately, Rin wasn't in there.

The Bathhouse was kind of large, so the girls wandered around aimlessly in search of a single woman. Rin wasn't near the baths or kitchen, so they searched elsewhere.

Heading down a hallway, a familiar voice sounded over the others.

"It's been a while!"

Rin bellowed out from around a corner. Going to see who she was talking to, Chihiro froze. There was a woman chatting away with Rin whose beauty rivaled that of Umi's! They both had smiles on their faces, happy to see one another.

"It is good to see you," the woman smiled revealing perfect white teeth. Then her gaze landed on Umi and Chihiro who blankly watched from afar. Rin followed her gaze and pouted her lips as she looked at the two girls staring her way.

"Chihiro!" Rin shouted and went to drag the girl over until noticing Umi. "Oh," she froze from surprise. "Umi!" Rin then motioned for both the girls to walk with her back to the stranger.

"Izanami-sama," Umi acknowledged and bowed. "It is good to see you again." With a delighted smile, Umi looked up to the woman who was just as beautiful. Izanami smiled and bowed slightly.

"Hello Umi, I trust you've been well?"

"Indeed I have," Umi replied.

"I have yet to see Kohaku; do you know where he is?" Izanami asked the crowd of girls. Chihiro stayed silent until the woman's gaze landed on her. She remembered Kohaku was Haku's real name but thought best not to intervene. "You must be Ogino Chihiro." Izanami was looking at Chihiro who gulped from under her gaze. "The one who stole Kohaku's heart." The woman then smiled sheepishly.

Chihiro's own heart faltered. "What?" she shrilled .

"Don't tell me you don't know?!" Rin bellowed eyeing Chihiro incredulously. Meanwhile the human shrank back from all the inhuman gazes on her.

"Don't know what?" Chihiro asked innocently.

Umi was covering her smiling lips with her kimono sleeve while Izanami stared intriguingly at the revelation she caused just as Rin furrowed her brows in frustration.

"Here I thought you two were already lovey-dovey but you don't even know how he feels about you?!" Rin waved her arms in the air making Chihiro flinch.

"Wha… How do you all know?" was one thing Chihiro didn't understand.

The girls looked at one another with raised brows. "Everyone has been talking about it." Concluded Umi.

"I could not avoid the gossip myself," admitted Izanami.

"They say Haku's in love with you. Not a lot know that he used to visit a human child but those who do are saying it's you." Rin finished.

Chihiro was speechless.

Haku? In love with her? That was stupid… They were only friends like they had been since their childhood.

But... that was a lie and even Chihiro knew so. Something had changed in their friendship; Chihiro always felt weird around him, a sort of uneasiness. Did that actually mean she was in love with him...?

"That's not true," Chihiro mumbled shaking the thoughts from her head.

"Then why not ask him yourself," Izanami suggested with a smile. Her black eyes shined like an obsidian stone and Chihiro sensed a little hostility like hatred coming off the atmosphere.

"I-I will." Chihiro felt too distracted to work that day but nonetheless she stayed with Rin and helped her through her shift. Meanwhile, Izanami left for Haku. A gross discomfort burrowed itself inside her that made her feel spiteful, like jealousy.

Izanami was beautiful, like a taller more mature Umi. Even more suited for Haku.

When Rin's shift was over, Chihiro ate dinner with her then parted ways. She headed back to the temple to ask Haku her daunting question.

Once inside the temple, Chihiro managed to actually get some information out of the workers. They told her Haku was still in the throne room, talking to some guests. Chihiro's heart faltered when she thought about Izanami. Were they still talking?

The journey to the throne room was nerve-wracking. All the rumors Chihiro heard from her friends and Izanami, she couldn't stop thinking about them all. Haku… to have such strong feelings toward her, was it true? Did he love her not just as a friend but as a woman?

Chihiro thought about her own feelings. How did she feel about Haku besides loving him as her dearest friend? Could she fall for a man whose lifespan far surpassed her own, an inhuman man who can turn into a dragon, the God of her village and childhood friend, the person who saved her life?

Could she really...?

Her thoughts faded into the back of her head. Chihiro looked up from the floorboard to the shining decorated lamps of the throne room. Her eyes reflected the glow. She stared at Haku who was smiling with the softest gaze on his face. He looked down at Izanami who was only a few inches shorter with such endearment Chihiro felt her heart quiver. The woman was blushing as her eyes reflected Haku and lips a colored red curled into a mysterious grin.

They are perfect together.

Chihiro felt like she hated Izanami, but she didn't even know her. About to turn around and leave, someone called out her name. "Chihiro," the voice said.

Blinking, Chihiro swallowed and turned back to the throne room. She stared once again at the two Gods who were now looking at her instead of each other. "Um," no words would help Chihiro in this moment. She was left feeling as a simple human, inferior.

"I should be going now Kohaku, we will talk another time." Izanami's black eyes looked softly over to Chihiro with no hint of malice in her stare. Chihiro could not figure out what was going through that woman's head. Did she hate Chihiro because of her relationship with Haku? Nothing was palpable from her expressions or body language anymore.

Izanami walked passed Chihiro pleasantly, minding her own business.

Coming back to focus, Chihiro's heart skipped a beat, which heated her blood. She stared over at Haku acting pretty out of character. She was nervous, thinking about so many things she never had to worry about before. Haku was waiting for her say something but instead spoke up himself. "Chihiro, are you alright?" He was walking over now.

"...I'm fine," Chihiro shook her head. "I was just thinking."

Haku stopped a few feet away from her. "About what?" His head tilted to the side almost unnoticeably.

Suddenly… Chihiro couldn't look him in the eyes anymore. Their unique grey-green hue was so different compared to everyone else's she saw. The usual brown and black. As she stared at his socked feet, Chihiro wondered. Why… why would a God so alluring feel anything special for a plain girl like herself? There was nothing special about her personality either, that's what Chihiro thought.

"Chihiro," Haku was worried now. She wasn't acting like herself.

She knew if she didn't pull her act together, she would ruin this moment to figure out what exactly is going on. What was happening to their relationship which was undoubtingly drifting away from the boundary of friends.

"Can I ask you something?" Finding determination, Chihiro clenched her fists and looked up at Haku with her best sober face. Haku then nodded his head austerely. "I was wondering." Chihiro paused for a short moment. "How do you fe—"

"Nushi-sama!"

Chihiro pursed her lips shut and held her gaze on Haku who looked away from her. He was staring over her shoulder at one of his workers who hurriedly rushed up to him. She was glad to have him look away because her cheeks were turning red against her will. She was so close… so close to asking him.

Still shaken up from her nerves Chihiro decided to look over at the frogman. He was covered in perspiration from his run and was catching his breath in front of a distraught Haku.

"Sa-Sakamoto Kasai!" The frogman blurted out. Haku instantly went pale. Chihiro looked over at his shocked face and wondered who Sakamoto Kasai was. "Sakamoto-sama of Aka village requests to consult with you tomorrow. He told me to deliver a message as well."

'Aka Village?' Chihiro thought. That name was so familiar, like a distant memory she could barely recall.

The frogman continued. "He also said, 'You have one last chance to comply'."

'Ah!' Chihiro inwardly rejoiced. 'Aka Village is the one Haku and I climbed the mountain to see.' Chihiro was glad to remember – it would have endlessly bugged her.

But there was a tangible dreary atmosphere Chihiro wasn't catching onto until now. "Um," Chihiro spoke up but was shortly cut off.

"I want every employee to be informed of his arrival and when he enters this temple I am to be told immediately!" Haku shouted and Chihiro flinched. "Escort Yuuko to my quarters," the frogman bowed to his orders and scurried off. Chihiro was completely confused until Haku turned his head to look at her with the most frightening expression.

His eyes were on fire, not with determination, but with hatred. His brows were furrowed, wrinkling his face. Then his clenched jaw opened to speak.

"You will be staying with me tonight, Yuuko will be joining us. Do not leave my sight." It was not a request.

Chihiro was so intimidated and transfixed, she did nothing but nod her head.

Later that night, Haku told Chihiro everything. Yuuko who was the object of trade, simply listened with no hint of anguish on her face. She seemed completely unnerved from the situation concerning Kasai Sakamoto. If she was given to Kasai, Haku would be saved from the Elders of this world. Kasai wouldn't tell anyone Haku left to the human world and also houses a trespassing human. Yuuko wouldn't be found out as long as she was with Kasai, but if they refuse, Haku would have to fight.

He would have to fight against his people to keep them from executing him for multiple reasons, to keep Yuuko out of the wrong hands and to protect the human girls.

It would all happen tomorrow. Chihiro couldn't sleep wondering what will become of Haku. He would be torn from the throne his father left for him, demoted as a God and exiled from the spirit world if he wasn't murdered. All because of her. Haku told them there was no chance he was giving Yuuko to that Kasai person. Chihiro felt so guilty it took hours to finally fall asleep...

Just beside Chihiro lying in Haku's bed was Yuuko. Her eyes were closed but she wasn't really asleep. When her daughter finally lied still, Yuuko opened her eyes and turned to face Chihiro. Her mouth curled into a smile as so many feelings washed over her it was almost unbearable. But no matter what, Yuuko wouldn't let herself cry. Making sure Chihiro was in deep enough sleep; she cautiously reached out and touched the girl's plump cheek, carefully removing a hair that fell in her face. Sighing, Yuuko relaxed into the pillow until she fell asleep. Her heart pounding with resolution.

Author's Note: I'm really curious as to what you guys think so far, so leave a comment and let me know!