:: chapter 6 ::

            "Ugh . . ." Chihiro clamped a hand to her throbbing head. She must have bumped it as she fell. Groggily, she opened her eyes, seeing a blurry white mass. "Where . . . am I?"

            "She's awake!"

            Suddenly, she was surrounded by people in the nurse's office. Miki was there, propping her up with pillows. Aiko was pouring out a glass of water. Hashi was standing next to her, clearly worriedly eyeing the bump on her head. And at the foot of her cot . . .

            "Haku?"

            Haku grinned apologetically. "I didn't know any better way to tell you, Chihiro . . . I'm sorry if it was a shock to you." He reached for her hand, but was knocked out of the way by Hashi.

            "What do you think you're doing, Kobayashi Haku?" he growled dangerously.

            Haku and Hashi both stood up. Facing each other, they were almost identical. In fact, except for difference in eye color, they could become one of those optical illusions where two identical faces look at each other, forming a vase in the middle.

            Chihiro shook her head hard to clear that image out of her head.

            "What do you mean by that, Hirata Kobahashi?"

            Hashi straightened himself up. "I happen to be her boyfriend." His lime green eyes glared angrily at Haku.

            Haku's blue eyes glared just as well back. "I'm sorry, I believe her true love never broke up with her," he said frostily.

            Two pairs of green and blue eyes matched up to a pair of brown ones. "Chihiro, tell this psycho to back off," Hashi said, pointedly accenting to word psycho.

            Haku gave a snort of disgust. "Chihiro," he said, "Who the heck is this spawn of a radish?"

            Haku and Hashi glared at each other murderously again before returning their gazes at Chihiro.

            Chihiro grinned weakly. "It'll . . . take some time to explain." 

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            Chihiro's mother tucked her in, placing a bowl of chicken soup on Chichiro's bedside table. "Now, Chihiro," she said, "You took quite a shock today, I think you're in too much stress."

            "Mom, I'm fine . . ."

            Her mother's eyes flashed dangerously, although she continued in the same motherly tone. "You are NOT fine, Chihiro darling. You are too busy."

            "But – I"

            "And I'll be talking to your history teacher, Maruimoto-san, to tell him to not give you the final. You need rest, and studying won't help at all."

            "Uh . . ." Hey, maybe this wasn't so bad after all! "Ok, Mom, whatever you say."

            Mrs. Ogino patted Chihiro's head, and walked out her room. As she slowly shut the door, she said, "Oh, and your friends are here to see you. I don't think . . ."

            "Mom, could you let them in? Puh-leeeeease?"

            "In your condition, I . . ."

            "Because they're worried and all, Mom, I'm sure they want to hear how I'm doing and all."

            Mrs. Ogino clucked her tongue.. "Very well then, but no loud, promiscuous behavior. If I hear any loud or strange bang or thud, they're all going out."

            Chihiro put on her best lovely-daughter grin. "Yes, dearest mother."

            Mrs. Ogino rolled her eyes in as dignified a way as possible, and left. A few seconds later, Aiko and Miki bursted into the room, followed by Hashi and Haku. Well, they were actually followed by two gigantic bouquets of red roses, carried by the boys whose heads could barely be seen over the red mass of petals.

            "Chihiro!" Aiko handed Chihiro a basket of pears. "Are you feeling better? My mom said to bring these, pear soup is supposed to cure headaches."

            "Thanks, Aiko, I . . ."

            "Chihiro!" Miki interrupted Chihiro's thanks in a loud, teary voice. She knelt down by Chihiro's bed, sobbing. "I'm so sorry I made all that fun of you . . . what if it was the last thing I said to you? What if you hit your head and got a concussion and serious head injury and you went into a coma or died I would never forgive myself! I'm so sorry!" And with that, she buried her head into Chihiro's comforter and bawled.

            Chihiro sweatdropped, along with Aiko, Hashi, and Haku. Miki was always the logical one, the tomboy who always stood on top of things. Chihiro patted Miki's head awkwardly. "Uh, Miki, it's alright . . ."

            "NO!" Miki sobbed harder than ever. "It's all my fault, all my fault!" With that, she clasped her arms around Chihiro's neck in a dead-tight hug.

            "Mi . . .ki . . . too . . . tight . . . can't . . . breathe . . ."

            Miki let go, slightly red. "Gomen . . . I got a bit carried away . . ."

            Hashi and Haku cleared their throats at the same time, and then immediately continued to glare at each other.

            Hashi took a step forward. "Chihiro, these flowers . . ."

            Haku took two steps, standing in front of Hashi. "Are for you, Chihiro, my . . ."

            Hashi took another step forward. "Dearest . . ."

            "Love."

            Two colossal bouquets were placed in front of her face. Chihiro nearly gagged at the strong scent of roses. "Uh, arigato," she squeaked, her nose pinched in an attempt to not go into a sneezing fit.

            Miki and Aiko, knowing Chihiro's allergy, relieved her of the flowers. A pregnant pause floated in the air. "Well?" Miki prompted.

            "Well what?" Chihiro replied.

            "The whole thing about Haku." Aiko supplied. Hashi nodded. Haku fiddled with a button on his blazer.

            Chihiro sweatdropped. "It's a long story . . ."

            Miki nodded curtly. "Tests are called off, since your fainting made the principal think that Maruimoto was pushing us too hard. So . . . we've got time."

            "It's kind of hard to understand . . .".

            Aiko sighed. "Try us."

            Chihiro looked towards Hashi. Hashi nodded. She looked towards Haku. Haku smiled. Chihiro sighed.

            "Ok . . . Well, it all started on the day I moved here . . ."

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Two hours later:

            "And so, I was right in thinking that none of the pigs were my parents. I mean, I would hope I know my own parents. So Yubaba had to let me go. Everybody was cheering, I think they were glad that someone outwitted Yubaba. Haku walked me over to the gateway to the real world. He said that we would meet again, no matter where or when. He told me to not look back as I walk through the gateway. And that was the last time I ever saw him, until today."

            Chihiro took a sip of water, ending her story. A thick silence filled the room.

            The silence was overwhelming, until Miki broke it: "Intense!"

             laughter filled the room. Aiko was cracking up, and Miki was laughing at herself. Hashi was chuckling. And Haku even uttered a giggle or two.

            Soon, though, the attention returned to Chihiro. Hashi glanced nervously at Haku (though not lacking vengeance in any way) and Haku chewed on his lip. Aiko prompted, "So who?"

            "Who?" Chihiro said, surprised.

            "Yeah, who! Who are you going to pick? Hashi, or Haku?"

            Chihiro glanced nervously from one face to the other. Hashi smiled at her, and Haku did too.

            "I . . ." Silently, Chihiro cursed. Hey, you voices inside my head, the devil and the angel! I need help!

            Meekly, the angelic voice said, "Uh . . . well, it's up to you, really . . . your love life, not mine."

            What about you, Hades Jr.?

            Even this one sounded nervously weak: "Ah . . . well, whoever you hate more, go ahead and break their heart . . . that's good evil behavior."

            Looking from Hashi to Haku, Haku to Hashi, Chihiro felt more confused than ever.

            "I . . . can't choose . . ." She felt a tear trickle down her face, and then another. "I . . . really don't know." Those tears burst into a flood of sobbing.

            "Uh, guys," Aiko said quietly, "Maybe you should leave."

            Miki nodded. "I don't think it'll be good for . . ." She titled a meaningful nod towards Chihiro.

            Hashi and Haku both nodded and quietly walked out.

            "Bye, Chihiro," Hashi said. "See you soon." He walked out. Chihiro wiped her eyes dry.

            "Farewell, Chihiro," Haku said. "Five years, I can wait one more day to see you again."

            The door closed. Aiko patted Chihiro's head compassionately. "PMS?"

            Chihiro sniffed. "Hai."

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_


            The minute Haku and Hashi waved goodbye to Mrs. Ogino and heard the door shut behind them, they erupted into a fierce spat.

            "Listen here, you girl-stealing son of a horse, Chihiro is mine," Hashi hissed venomously while shoving Haku ferociously.

            Haku shoved just as viciously back. "She was mine first, if you might notice, dim headed broken lightbulb."

            "Where were you in the last few years, then, huh?"

            Haku snorted indignantly. "If you might notice, I've been trying hard ever since she left."

            Hashi brushed his bangs out of his eyes angrily, jade shaded eyes glinting. "You tried hard? YOU TRIED HARD? Do you know how hard I tried? Besides, you're not even a human! You can't give her half of what I can!"

            Haku paused, studying Hashi hard, as if looking for something.

            "What's your problem, Spirit Boy?"

            Haku narrowed his eyes. "I'm not human?" He walked down the sidewalk jauntily. "Speak for yourself, Dream World boy . . . or should I say brother?"