The Day After Tomorrow

I ran to the sound of his cry, barely noticing Zeniba and Haku breaking away from their awkward embrace with astonishment reflected clearly in their eyes. All I knew was that I could not bear the sound of his pain.

"No, Haku, NO!"

Please tell me why do birds

Sing when you're near

Sing when you're close to me

He rose from the chair none too gracefully and stared at me with tear- filled eyes, uncomprehending my presence. Creasing his eyebrows together in confusion, he whispered out his thoughts, questioning my very existence in the Spirit world.

"Chihiro? Doshite koko ni?"

Reaching his side, I brushed the tear tracks away, smiling gently at him as I looked deep into his eyes, which were brimming with sadness.

They say that

I'm a fool

For loving you deeply

"It's my turn to run after you."

Loving you secretly

Realization shone in Haku's countenance as he took a small step back from me and sank into the chair. His features now devoid of emotions as his gruff voice spoke up coldly, vaguely repeating the first words he spoke to me on the bridge so many years ago.

"You don't belong here, return to your world."

Now it was my turn to be confused.

But I crash in my mind,

Whenever you are near

What had happened? Was I really playing the fool this time? No, it can't be. I shook my head adamantly. Bringing myself down to eye level with Haku, I locked gazes with him, determined to find out what's going on.

"No. I'm not going anywhere until you explain what's going on."

Steeling myself for what was to come, I was thrown off course with the caustic and frosty tone that he adopted.

"There's nothing to explain. Go back to your world."

Completely unprepared for those words, it took me some time for words to sink in. But before I had time to reply, Rin cut in.

"What do you mean you scaly-frea-.?"

Not waiting for her to finish her sentence, I broke in.

"Nothing to explain? Nothing to explain?!" Thinking about the night before, about how tired I was with only a few hours of sleep, about how I had cut short my reunion with Kamaji and Rin only to get a chilly reception from him after all my efforts - my patience was at it's fraying end.

Getting deaf, dumb and blind

"I was waiting for you for 7 years. 7 years! Then last night you returned but I couldn't even see your face! You gave me this long story, only to leave me hanging afterwards! And even that story was a half-baked one! Then what?? You tell me!!"

By then, he was wincing from my shouting, bowing his head until I could not read his expression while both Zeniba and Rin had enough sense not to interrupt my tirade. Despite my knowledge that this was the old sorceress' house and that it was terribly impolite for me to throw my temper to the wind, I could not stop myself.

Just drowning in despair

"I left my family behind probably worried sick about me! I disregarded my friends and my school last night! I barely had time to get together with all my other friends in the Spirit World just so I could run and see how you are, and this is what I get?? A simple phrase! A meaningless phrase that I can really do without! I don't want your half-truths or a promise not worth keeping, all I want is an explanation and I'll go!"

Towards the end of my impromptu speech, my voice crescendo to a shriek, by which time I ended off breathless and a little light headed from the release of my pent-up frustrations. I had never lectured anyone before, let alone go off full steam at anybody and was not prepared for how emotionally draining it could be.

Finally, I collapsed and sank to the floor pleading with him.

"Please Haku, that's all I want, and I promise I'll go."

There was complete deafening silence for a while, when he spoke. Turning to Zeniba, he asked. "Could you explain it to her? You know the details."

I am lost in your flame

It's burning like the sun

As we seated ourselves around the dining table, trying to get as comfortable as the situation could permits, I realized that he was trying to avoid my wondering eyes as best he could. Despite sitting directly across me, Haku bowed his head allowing his bangs to hide his eyes never bringing them up, not even once. Rin, stubborn as ever, refused to leave, adamantly claiming that she was here to 'protect Chihiro from dragon boy', to which, none of us protested her presence thereafter. Zeniba on the other hand, ever the gracious hostess in spite of my horrible behavior, hurried to brew us all a fresh batch of tea to calm our nerves.

Trying my best not to seem like I was staring, I kept glancing at Haku. It was only now that I realized how much he has changed over the years. Despite his hair still being cropped just before his shoulder, and his height not having changed much, his face was the testament to the years he had seen. His mouth had a trace of steel, hinting his lack of a smile for a long time, his skin, an unhealthy pale pallor, but most of all his orbs, though veiled, showed great sadness and pain. Oh Haku.What happened?

And I call out your name

The moment you are gone

Sipping the tea, allowing the warm liquid to find its path through my chilled body, I tried to appear calm. It was not mean feat, after Zeniba's explanation. It was only with Rin's gentle touch on my arm and her concerned glance that I realized my hand was shaking furiously. However, more than the teacup in my hand was being gripped.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I took a deep breath as I felt myself losing grip with reality, forcing myself to focus - To simply focus on breathing.

Please tell me why can't I,

Breathe when you're near me

Breathe when you're close to me

I thought back on those seven years. Those seven years built on childish hopes, filled with a false sense of security that I believed in wholeheartedly. It was all a lie wasn't it? Looking up, I stared at Haku's bowed head. I willed him to look up and smile his gentle smile, to tell me that it was just some April fool's joke although it was the middle of May, to say that everything was alright, to say that he loved me and that he was going to stay with me.

I lived on that belief. I spent those seven years living the belief that one day he'll come to me and we'll find our paradise, together. It was something I told myself everyday just so I could pass each day easier. It was like a mantra, or my prayer to sustain myself when I was down. 'Haku will come. Haku will come for you.'

Smiling bitterly, I should have known that dreams evaporated in the morning light, and could not survive in this reality.

I know you know I'm lost

In loving you deeply

Loving you secretly

Not bearing his self-imposed distance from me, I called out to him, crying out for some comfort that only he can give.

"Haku.? H-honto ni?"

He could not even raise his head to respond, only giving me a weak 'Ah' for a reply.

As simple a word it was, it resonated in my mind, playing over and over again. What I recounted was not merely the monosyllabic answer, but the meaning carefully hidden behind it. The truth it revealed was something that I could not face.

"I. I cannot be with Haku? I. I don't understand!" Tears welled in my eyes, threatening to spill any minute. "If I can't be with Haku, then what's the point? What's the point of everyday? What's the point of studying? What's the point of living?!"

But I crash in my mind

Whenever you are near

Getting deaf dumb And blind

I gripped onto the teacup even harder, and desperately holding onto my equally fragile emotions. I did not want them to burst. I did not want them to consume me.

I am lost in your flame

It's burning like the sun

"What's the point?" I turned to Rin, sobbing brokenly onto her shoulder, hanging onto her for dear life, fearing that if I just let go, I'll fall, and never find my way back up.

Just drowning in despair

Rin, not bearing to see me so hurt, spoke up.

"There must be another way right?"

Zeniba sighed, anticipating this question that would yield no happy answers.

"Haku has lost his form in the Human World. There is no way for him to go back. Not now that his river is lost."

Rin held onto me tightly as I tried to choke back another sob at the wise Spirit's despairing words. If only.

"Wait! Couldn't I just plant a tree and allow Haku to be its Spirit??" I spoke up, hoping that this maybe the answer to all our problems.

But the old sorceress shook her head ruefully.

"I've thought of that too. But Haku is a water Spirit, he could not take possession of Wood. It is against his nature. Don't forget, the entity also must be named after Haku, otherwise his control over it would be weak and he can never subjugate it."

"It needs the name Haku.?"

And I call out your name

The moment you are gone

Suddenly, the thought burst forth through the deep recesses of my memory. Why hadn't I thought of it earlier? I quickly wiped the remnants of the tear tracks away from my face, smiling brightly as I did so. Looking at the three Spirits seated at the table, my smile widened just a little bit more. Our world would collide once more.

Grabbing Haku's hand on the table, I spoke confidently.

"Haku, we can be together. I know we can."

Raising his head, his aquamarine orbs bore into mine questioningly.

Tomorrow, I'll say it all tomorrow

Or the day after tomorrow

I'm sure I'll tell you then

Tsuzuku

Author's note:

Alright!! I've got a terrible bout of writer's block! Please forgive me! I'm so happy with all the reviews, but I'm terribly tired now (after half an hour of writing 3 pages. oroooo) This one is a bit short, and I'm pretty glad it is, the turning points of the story ain't always that easy to write, so I'm gonna keep it short! ^________________^ \

Doshite koko ni: Why are you here

Honto ni: Really?

To all my reviewers: You're the very reason I still keep writing, so please keep those reviews coming, make my day!!!!

BTW, Blacknightmare mentioned that Haku did not 'lose' his river, it simply was drained. Well, I'd like to say that no one knows when the river was drained and when he came into the Spirit World. -My- interpretation is that he entered the Spirit World, the river no longer had a Spirit to protect it, and hence it was 'allowed' to get drained. Am I making any sense? [But it's completely just MY idea.] Secondly, about Rin/Lin? I'm confused too! cos her name -may- be spelled as Lin, but the pronunciation is Rin, so I'll just keep typing 'Rin' for the convenience of it, and so the readers would not be confused if I suddenly changed to Lin. that, and cos I'm lazy.. heh heh Lastly, Angst/Romance instead of Drama/Romance. Well, I understand that this may seem kinda Angsty cos of someone -glares at Haku- but it isn't completely so, not with Chihiro who always manages to lighten everyone up with her jovial spirit. Just because of her, I was unwilling to change the ratings.

P/s: Does anyone know what's gonna happen in the next chappie?? I.e. does anyone know what Chihiro thought of?? If you do, please write to me, I'll give you a prize!!!! (yes, you can take my elephant plushie with 'haku' written on it's belly OR request for something, I'll see if I can do it!!! ^_^)

Haru-Chan