Chapter XXIX

Letter

Author's Note: You know when you need to write until you get to a certain point so it's not rushed into action? That's what this chapter is. I just kept writing and it turned out WAY longer than I planned but I hope you enjoy nonetheless :) Read and review~!

Revised 6-29-16


After all the commotion it was a sort of lazy day. Chihiro rolled over and adjusted her eyes to the gentle glow of the only lamp in the room; the small fire blazing softly. Staring at Haku lying next to her in a peaceful slumber, his face was silent and expressionless as if he'd finally gotten used to sleeping in his own bed again. It was probably midday by now and Chihiro was left vexed with whether or not she should try to wake him. The more she stared the more she wanted to kiss him…

Propping herself up, Chihiro hesitated but after a second she leaned forward and held her breath afraid it would wake him. Gentle and light she kissed him on the lips; it felt brief but it was long enough to make her heart race.

Almost immediately he kissed her back startling Chihiro into a retreat. "Good morning," he smiled at her while opening his eyes for the first time today.

"…Good morning," she whispered back in an embarrassed stupor.

Haku looked over at the girl next to him. "How late did I sleep?" he asked wearily.

"I don't know I just woke up." Chihiro looked around the room at the absence of windows as if one day it might change.

"I suppose it doesn't matter..." Haku ran his fingers through his hair until meeting the pillow beneath his head.

"Ah—I'm late! I need to meet Rin today."

Standing up, Chihiro rushed over to the far side of Haku's bedroom where the walls remained plain all throughout. Sliding open a thin wooden door it revealed shelves holding all her clothes, accessories and even precious things like her hairpin and the kimono her mother made for her. It was all here. Some of Haku's clothes were also present but they didn't appear to ever be touched, Haku even changed someplace else.

As she picked out her outfit for the day Chihiro turned to look at Haku watching her. She wasn't about to change in front of him and clenched the cloth in her hands nervously; especially since she didn't wear anything other than the robes nowadays. Before she could say anything Haku spoke up first. "That may not be such a good idea."

Registering his words Chihiro could only retaliate with, "What?"

Sitting up, Haku addressed her seriously. "I was thinking you shouldn't work at the Bathhouse for a while." The weight in his words weighed down on her.

"Why?" she asked drearily.

"It's dangerous. Your name is spreading—even in idle chatter. The Bathhouse is full of foreigners from across the spirit world. It only takes one to get suspicious and come after you."

"They won't know I'm human." Chihiro wasn't sure of that but maybe it was true now? She wouldn't find out unless the time arose.

Haku turned away from Chihiro and stared in a daze at the wall adjacent himself. "I don't want to take the risk."

Clenching her fists in frustration, why was it so hard to live in this place? Was there really no way for Chihiro to go back into the human world; would the Elders really know if she left or not? It wasn't as if Chihiro wanted to go back, there was nothing left for her in the human world but she couldn't help but wonder as her frustrations grew. In the end she knew Haku was looking out for her in his own way.

"Just today," she pleaded and Haku looked her way from his spot on the ground, "I want to see Rin."

Both stared at one another in silence, Haku full of thoughts. Nodding his head and looking away at the same time he answered her, "Just for today."

Bearing a grin, Chihiro walked over and knelt down on the futon next to Haku dropping the clothes in her lap. Her arms slinked around him and it felt like she was hugging a statue. "You're so tense,"-she mumbled-"try to relax."

Haku was stressing, you could see it in his steely eyes. Inches away from each other, Chihiro leaned back just enough to look at those eyes staring at her from the side. Instead of agreeing he wrapped his left arm around her waist and it creeped its way up her spine in one fluid motion. Chihiro's heart beat faster and her escalated blood warmed her body. Since this morning it had been a while since she last kissed him. Closing her eyes in preparation, Haku turned his head and after a second their lips touched like a soft punch. Chihiro savored the moment as if it wouldn't come again, even the butterflies in her stomach.

After Chihiro was able to change all by her lonesome, Haku escorted her to the Bathhouse. It and everyone inside appeared the same as usual, as if nothing had occurred the previous day – which was the case for all except three.

"Will I see you tonight?" Chihiro turned to ask Haku before she lost sight of him for possibly the rest of the day.

Turning with a small smile with eyes only on his beloved, Haku replied with, "I'll come for you myself."

"How will you find me?"

"Sooner or later, now go—Rin is waiting." Nudging Chihiro by the small of her back Haku watched as she stumbled forward. The stairs leading up to the workers' rooms lied just ahead which was where Chihiro needed to be. Glancing at Haku once more, he lingered behind until Chihiro was completely out of sight.

All the others kept their safe distance while some girls even giggled at his presence. As long as Chihiro was around most of the attention was averted to her in unpleasant ways. The giggles would turn into glares and the avoidance while Haku was around turned into shoulder bumps. But luckily not everyone was like that. Chihiro supposed Haku had his reasons for always being cautious, even the ones around them sleeping in the same vicinity could be out to harm her – if they so wished.

。 。 。 。

On their way to the baths, Chihiro told Rin it may be their last day working together. "I don't think it's such a bad idea." Rin told her honestly.

Fallen silent hearing one of her friends agree so casually, Chihiro stared at the ground in contemplation. "But I won't be around anymore—at least not for a while."

Before they started their day of work the two girls first headed to get their worth of pay, probably the last time for Chihiro. While they waited in line Rin told her, "I'll miss you being around but if this is what Haku wants I'd go along with it."

"Yea–okay," Chihiro agreed supposing she was right.

Receiving a pat on the head Rin looked down at Chihiro with a quirky smile. "Let's try to have some fun today alright?" Chihiro nodded with a grin.

Without Umi joining them for lunch it wasn't nearly as loud. The apprentice was nowhere to be seen. Once the girls were finished they went back to work scrubbing the tubs. Everything was going smoothly, Rin yelling at the frogs and the frogs arguing back. The yuna cleaning the other tubs and serving guests would snicker or goggle at all the commotion. Chihiro smiled as everything felt familiar until one yuna came running down the bath hall shouting, "Yubaba is coming!"

Stiffening at everyone's apprehension, Rin didn't seem that fazed but more annoyed. As Chihiro absentmindedly swept the floorboards her gaze was glued on the doorway to the room at all the scattering workers just outside.

"You—treat this fine gentleman to a bath," bellowed an adenoidal voice.

Standing in front of the tub, both the girls stopped their work as a bulbous head appeared in the entryway. Two abnormally large brown orbs eyed the girls curiously and Chihiro clenched the broom in her hands anxiously. She wasn't expecting to get possibly scolded on her last day working. The familiar monstrous old woman dressed in a blue gown stared at Chihiro before her eyes the size of saucers widened twofold!

"What is that?!" Yubaba exclaimed in sheer horror.

Rin furrowed her brows and looked at what she thought Yubaba was glaring daggers at. "That's Chihiro," she stated as if it were obvious – the said girl expressing clear angst across her face.

"No—not the human you imbecile the tub," the witch pointed to a crack forming along the side of her precious tub.

"Oh...," Rin was quiet for a moment before she perked up and lifted her arm to point just behind Yubaba. "You have him to thank for that," she said referring to the culprit just happening to be passing by at the wrong moment. The frogman's green face distorted into a look of animosity toward Rin before it turned into alarm once Yubaba barely turned her head to eye him suspiciously.

"That's coming out of your pay!" Shouted the witch as the frog apologized and glared at Rin's smirking face.

Watching everything play out, Chihiro was too soon to think she was going to be left out of this. Yubaba turned back to the human and a rolled up piece of paper appeared in one of her fists. "This is for you," the old woman said to an apprehensive Chihiro. "Come on, I don't have all day!" As Yubaba became more impatient, Chihiro jumped before she stepped forward broom still in hand to grab the paper from the whale of a crone's bejeweled hand.

"What is this?" Chihiro asked more to herself since she didn't expect an answer.

"It arrived this morning, now get back to work I don't pay slackers."

"You barely pay us at all...," mumbled Rin in earshot of the witch.

"You just earned yourself the big tub, there are guests waiting so get cleaning!" Yubaba huffed before she smoothed her hair back into place and walked off into the hall.

"That's not fair!" Rin threw her rag at the floor and Chihiro jumped from the sudden hostility.

"What's the big tub?"

In the middle of scowling a couple of frogmen mocked the girls from out in the hall. "Shut up over there, I oughta make you clean it!" Rin yelled at the snickering frogmen before turning back to Chihiro. "It's the biggest tub in the Bathhouse for only the filthiest guests. We won't be finished for a while so let's get going."

Rin was right it was disgusting. The filth was so caked on their attempts at scrubbing were futile. Meanwhile Chihiro had the rolled up paper from Yubaba tucked away inside the fold of her tunic for later. She didn't know what to think of it but for now she had to concentrate on helping Rin.

"This isn't working; we'll be scrubbing for days!"

"What do we do?" asked Chihiro still attempting to clean.

With her hands on her hips, Rin stared at the mucky water covering her feet. "We might be able to soak it, but we'll need a bath token."

"Bath token?" Chihiro wondered out loud.

Looking over at the human, Rin reached out before bending down to help Chihiro out of the tub. "Yea—try to get one from the foreman."

"Who—"

Chihiro barely had the chance to ask before tumbling down the tub, Rin peeked to see if she was okay.

"Just go that way, you can't miss him." She said pointing in a certain direction down the hall.

On a mission to get a bath token, she certainly hadn't done so much working with Rin before. Looking around for the foreman, he had to be the one greeting all the customers coming in from the entrance.

"One bath token for Ootori-sama please?" asked an approaching yuna. Chihiro watched as he gladly handed her a red painted slab of wood, at least that's what it looked like.

"Um... one bath token please?" Chihiro asked as the frogman glowered down at her.

Ignoring her to greet a guest, Chihiro waited for his response. "You have no customer right now so go away."

"But I need a bath token—"

"Why should I give you one, human?" The foreman seethed.

"I was told to get one, please..."

Again she was ignored as he continued to greet the entering guests. Chihiro didn't budge however until she was acknowledged.

"Go away I'm not giving you a bath token!"

Chihiro furrowed her brows. "One bath token please?" A yuna came up to the foreman who didn't ask any questions as he gave her a token. Opening her mouth to retaliate, the yuna grabbed Chihiro's wrist before dragging her along. "Here," she said handing Chihiro the bath token.

"What—why?" Chihiro wondered; she didn't even know who this person was.

"I'd hurry back or you'll never get that tub clean."

"Thank you!" Chihiro happily bowed as the yuna dressed in a blue floral kimono went back to her work elsewhere.

Running back to the big tub Chihiro announced, "I've got it!" with which Rin poked her head up to see.

"Wow I'm impressed; I didn't think they'd actually give you one." Rin climbed out of the tub and showed Chihiro how to send the bath token down to the boiler man named Kamajii. As the tub filled up, Rin told stories about the boiler man saying she was in charge of delivering his meals and how he would constantly argue with enchanted sootballs. It was a little incredulous but Chihiro didn't have a reason to not believe her.

"Rin, you have a customer waiting for the big tub!" yelled a frogman who scurried away afterward.

"Yes, yes—be right there!" Without looking away from the tub Rin told Chihiro to pull on the rope to stop the water from coming out when it was full.

Left alone, Chihiro climbed up the side of the tub and balanced on the rim. All the slime was perfectly hidden under the water as the level rose. Happily watching as she waited for Rin to return, the tub was fairly big so it was taking a while to fill. After a few seconds Chihiro decided to let go of the rope she was holding onto the entire time. With nothing to do but watch, the water had a strange smell that tickled her nose.

When a sudden racket came from behind, Chihiro went to look but almost lost her balance. All she saw in the corner of her eye was a fallen broomstick. Disregarding the matter, the water was ready to be turned off but Chihiro barely got the chance to reach out for the rope when something collided into her back!

With a grunted oof Chihiro lost her balance and flailed her arms in vain as her feet slipped into the tub with a yelp.

Chihiro would be lying if she said she didn't hit her head on the way down, but it only left her wincing in pain until realizing she was struggling to surface. Her hands and feet slipped on the grimy surface of the capacious tub as water pushed down on her forcibly from overhead.

Returning with a heavy-duty customer, Rin watched as multiple co-workers ran around panicking. "Did Yubaba come back?"

"Rin!" shouted a yuna. "Come quick," she exclaimed coming from the big tub.

Leaving the customer behind, Rin ran to the big tub and first noticed all the excess water pouring all over the place. "What the—"

"Hurry! Someone fell in," the yuna said trying to climb up the slippery tub to turn off the water.

"You've got to be kidding me...," Rin muttered under her breath. "Someone," turning around Rin glared at a passing frogman who froze in fear at the intense eye contact. "You! Go get Haku." She bellowed out. The frogman instantly scurried away and stumbled over himself in the process.

With her legs spread, Rin charged at the tub while the yuna managed to turn off the water by pulling the rope. Together they grasped for Chihiro in the tub who was reaching up to be grabbed. With all their weight they pulled the human out of the water who immediately started coughing struggling for a breath of air. All three of them tumbled down the side of the tub like Chihiro did earlier who was still throwing a fit.

"You're such a klutz are you okay?" Patting the girl's back harder each time, Rin tried to lean forward to see her face in vain. Chihiro rubbed her eyes that were burning from whatever was in the water as she continued coughing. "Come on, breathe!" Rin yelled as a crowd of workers were forming to watch.

Finally able to catch her breath, Chihiro held a hand out to Rin hoping she would stop smacking so violently. "I'm okay," she told her friend who backed away a little. Turning to look at everyone, Chihiro only saw Haku looming over Rin with a look of anguish glowing down at her. She whimpered with apprehension as she was undoubtedly confronted.

"What happened?" demanded none other than Haku.

"I slipped." Chihiro told him without looking up and continued rubbing her eyes.

Knowing she was being intently stared at, it was one of those times you could just feel it. The others watching started to murmur to one other until Haku barked that they get back to work. Chihiro flinched from the anger in his voice. 'Of course he's angry.' Chihiro thought.

Almost all of the others went back to work besides an out of breath frogman and two yuna. One dressed in a light green kimono and the other in a blue floral. The one in blue approached Haku and said, "She didn't fall in." After gaining her Master's attention she continued. "I saw what happened."

"We'll discuss this more once I summon you; tell me then what you saw." Haku turned his attention back to Chihiro who was staring at the yuna she recognized as the one who gave her the bath token.

"Looks like your last day ended a bit early," Rin smiled sheepishly with a hint of worry.

Chihiro gaped with a crease between her furrowed brows. "I'm sorry," she bemoaned.

"Don't be—you just had a little too much fun." Rin laughed and stood up along with Chihiro who was helped by Haku. Following them out into the hall, Rin waved goodbye. "See ya."

Chihiro looked back and waved before walking out the Bathhouse entrance escorted by Haku. Looking around Rin realized, "Where'd the customer go?"

The two yuna and frogman shrugged unknowingly before getting back to work.

. . .

The sun was staring to set and the Bathhouse would only just be getting busy. On the walk back to the temple it was silent. There was nothing Chihiro had to say about what happened – she was careless that's all. However there was one thing she was concerned about. After Haku let go of Chihiro she lagged behind a bit and dug through the folds of her wet tunic since she left her other clothes at the Bathhouse.

Pulling out the wet rolled up paper, Chihiro carefully used her fingers to flatten it out until she was able to read the characters. The writing was a little smudged and illegible but it was enough to realize what it was and who it was from.

"Mom?" Chihiro said aloud before stopping in her tracks.


Author's Note: Hope you liked this little filler... or calm before the storm... I don't know, but leave me some feedback :D