You call out to me in the quiet
When I looked back you were always near
You were just... shy
I touch you with my fingertips
Chihiro was still curled up on the side of the hill that overlooked the dried riverbed. The daylight burned her eyes, so she tucked her chin to her chest and wrapped her arms around her hair. The wind was blowing softly and the grass tickled her shoeless feet. She didn't hear the rustling of the grass as he walked up behind her. In fact, her senses were overcome by her sense of misery.
Haku slowly walked up behind Chihiro and watched her sulk. He knew that she was going to send her sister away, and that it crushed her heart. Secretly Haku was glad that Chihiro had signed a contract. She would be with him forever. He sat down behind her, his long legs straddling her curled body, and he reached his arms forward to grab her into a hug.
Chihiro gave a short cry of surprise before she realized exactly who her captor was. In Haku's embrace, as embarrassing as it was to admit it, was the most comfortable place for her to be. In his arms Hikari wasn't leaving, Mika and Rei were living, and the void in her heart was filled. She leaned into his chest and let out a sigh.
"Chihiro." Haku started, his breath tickling her ear. She grunted a response, her eyes still close but her face to the horizon, "I'll get you back to her. She may leave now, but we will set you free of Yubaba's contract." Chihiro only nodded.
A comfortable silence overtook them.
"Haku." Chihiro started, "Why do you help me so much?"
The beginning is always sudden
On the street corner, I loved you
You were just... smiling
Looking at me mysteriously
Haku thought for a moment. Chihiro slowly turned around so that she was facing him. She gazed into his sea green eyes and knew that she had seen them before.
"Haku. Why do I feel like I've known you forever?"
"Do you ever feel as though there was something missing in your life? That there was something to change you, but you just can't remember?" Chihiro's eyes clouded over.
"Remember Kamajii, remember Rin and Zeniba. Chihiro, remember me." He grabbed her hands in his and made the boldest move of his lifetime. He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to those of the girl, of the woman, he had been in love with since she had stumbled into his river all those years ago.
When I ran across your broken, slender body
Not even traces of your gentle smiling face were left behind
Because if I wake up it'll take time to speak about the reason for my
tears
Chihiro's mind raced. She saw the Aburaya through a child's eyes. She saw a girl with long brown hair and an old man walking on six legs. She saw Yubaba's kind twin sister. And then she saw the most beautiful creature she had ever seen in her short, human life. It was a silver dragon with a deep green mane and sea green eyes. Her own eyes welled up with tears.
"Kohaku." She whispered, as she wrapped her arms around the river spirit and kissed him back with an enthusiasm that knocked both of them over. Her heart was skipping in her chest. She giggled quietly and she released his lips and looked into his face.
"I remember now." She said. She said it calmly, though her smiling face and eyes deceived her. Kohaku grabbed her and held her tightly.
"I'm never letting you go again." He whispered into her hair. Chihiro smiled and once again kissed the boy she had missed for so long.
Why in this empty room
Is my body shaking?
Tell me...
Chihiro sang to the crowd once again. She had taken some of Kohaku's clothing and sewn it to fit her slender body. The show tonight would be the last her little sister would see. Hikari was going home, and although it saddened her Chihiro knew that her sister would be happier back in the land of the living, just as Chihiro had found her heart in the Mahou no Sekai.
Kohaku watched her from the back of the room. He had waited so long for her return. He knew she had to go back to her world, but this time it would be different. This time she would remember. Kohaku's eyes welled up with sadness. He wanted to follow, but knew that he couldn't. A spirit could not survive in the human world without a body. His river had been filled in, he could never return.
In that small voice that is starting to completely disappear
I can't forget you, calling our my name
If I turn around, it's just like that time and you're still here...
Chihiro watched Kohaku. She knew she would have to leave him, because Hikari could not be alone. She had a life and responsibility, and no matter how much she wanted that responsibility taken from her, she couldn't allow herself to give up. Her life wasn't much, but it was worth living.
He had promised to get her out, but why did she wish he hadn't?
Why in this empty room
Is my body shaking?
Tell me...
She forced herself to look away from him. Instead she found the two friends that had left her and taken her life with them. Mika and Rei were smiling and Rei was lazily drawing circles on Mika's outstretched palm. Chihiro noted the shining ring on Mika's finger and was genuinely glad that they were finally together. She hadn't spent much time with them since she had arrived, but she knew that they were at peace and didn't need her intervention. They would always be her best friends, but they didn't need her anymore.
Why in this empty room
Are the tears overflowing?
Tell me...
She felt the tears overflow in her eyes. She knew now that she had to leave. She had been trying to repress the thought since she first saw Haku's deep eyes. For seven years she had unknowingly pined for him and she knew she would never love another.
She looked into his eyes.
Once more I want to hold you...
Chihiro's show was a success. She finished her set for the night and proceeded to her room to change into work clothing. The familiar Aburaya apron fastened around her body, and the peach working outfit securely in place, Chihiro went to report for duty. She climbed down the stairs of her rooming quarters and went to meet the foreman. Instead of the frog she had expected, a young woman was in charge.
"Rin!" Chihiro exclaimed as she grabbed her old friend into a hug.
"Sen! It's so good to see you! Haku told me you were back, and there is a child here that looks painfully familiar. Daughter?"
"No. Sister. I'm too young to have children."
"Well, with the way time goes here, you never know. You look so grown up, Sen. So beautiful." Chihiro smiled and hugged her friend once more. Rin set her up with her jobs for the evening and Chihiro set to work.
The night wore on and the first rays of sunlight over the horizon made Chihiro's heart hang. She sat by the entrance to the Bathhouse, and, as expected, Hikari came bounding up to her.
"Chi! You sounded so pretty tonight! I love that song!" The little girl said, bringing Chihiro into a tight hug at the waist. Chihiro smiled slightly and put a hand atop her little sister's head.
"Let's go for a walk, Hikari." Chihiro said to her sister and then lead her across the bridge and into the city.
"When I was ten years old, mum and dad brought me into this town thinking it was an abandoned amusement park. They accidentally ate the food for the spirits and turned into pigs. Haku and Rin and the Boiler man—"
"You mean Kamajii?"
"Yes, Kamajii. They helped me save mom and dad from Yubaba's spell and helped me get back home. I forgot that the whole thing happened until just this afternoon. After I remembered, I hated myself for saving mum and dad. I thought it would have been better if I had just stayed here with Haku all along. But then I realized that leaving here was the best thing I'd ever done."
"Why?" Hikari asked. Chihiro grabbed her sister and laughed.
"Because then I'd have a little piglet to watch over instead of a little sister." Hikari goggled and Chihiro held her close.
"It's time for you to go home, Kari. Go home and call Kenji. He'll watch you till I get back. Remember. Call Kenji." Chihiro hugged Hikari one last time before pushing her lightly down the steps. Hikari ran toward the train station quickly as Chihiro called after her.
"Don't look back!"
A/n: I don't own Spirited Away! -
When I looked back you were always near
You were just... shy
I touch you with my fingertips
Chihiro was still curled up on the side of the hill that overlooked the dried riverbed. The daylight burned her eyes, so she tucked her chin to her chest and wrapped her arms around her hair. The wind was blowing softly and the grass tickled her shoeless feet. She didn't hear the rustling of the grass as he walked up behind her. In fact, her senses were overcome by her sense of misery.
Haku slowly walked up behind Chihiro and watched her sulk. He knew that she was going to send her sister away, and that it crushed her heart. Secretly Haku was glad that Chihiro had signed a contract. She would be with him forever. He sat down behind her, his long legs straddling her curled body, and he reached his arms forward to grab her into a hug.
Chihiro gave a short cry of surprise before she realized exactly who her captor was. In Haku's embrace, as embarrassing as it was to admit it, was the most comfortable place for her to be. In his arms Hikari wasn't leaving, Mika and Rei were living, and the void in her heart was filled. She leaned into his chest and let out a sigh.
"Chihiro." Haku started, his breath tickling her ear. She grunted a response, her eyes still close but her face to the horizon, "I'll get you back to her. She may leave now, but we will set you free of Yubaba's contract." Chihiro only nodded.
A comfortable silence overtook them.
"Haku." Chihiro started, "Why do you help me so much?"
The beginning is always sudden
On the street corner, I loved you
You were just... smiling
Looking at me mysteriously
Haku thought for a moment. Chihiro slowly turned around so that she was facing him. She gazed into his sea green eyes and knew that she had seen them before.
"Haku. Why do I feel like I've known you forever?"
"Do you ever feel as though there was something missing in your life? That there was something to change you, but you just can't remember?" Chihiro's eyes clouded over.
"Remember Kamajii, remember Rin and Zeniba. Chihiro, remember me." He grabbed her hands in his and made the boldest move of his lifetime. He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to those of the girl, of the woman, he had been in love with since she had stumbled into his river all those years ago.
When I ran across your broken, slender body
Not even traces of your gentle smiling face were left behind
Because if I wake up it'll take time to speak about the reason for my
tears
Chihiro's mind raced. She saw the Aburaya through a child's eyes. She saw a girl with long brown hair and an old man walking on six legs. She saw Yubaba's kind twin sister. And then she saw the most beautiful creature she had ever seen in her short, human life. It was a silver dragon with a deep green mane and sea green eyes. Her own eyes welled up with tears.
"Kohaku." She whispered, as she wrapped her arms around the river spirit and kissed him back with an enthusiasm that knocked both of them over. Her heart was skipping in her chest. She giggled quietly and she released his lips and looked into his face.
"I remember now." She said. She said it calmly, though her smiling face and eyes deceived her. Kohaku grabbed her and held her tightly.
"I'm never letting you go again." He whispered into her hair. Chihiro smiled and once again kissed the boy she had missed for so long.
Why in this empty room
Is my body shaking?
Tell me...
Chihiro sang to the crowd once again. She had taken some of Kohaku's clothing and sewn it to fit her slender body. The show tonight would be the last her little sister would see. Hikari was going home, and although it saddened her Chihiro knew that her sister would be happier back in the land of the living, just as Chihiro had found her heart in the Mahou no Sekai.
Kohaku watched her from the back of the room. He had waited so long for her return. He knew she had to go back to her world, but this time it would be different. This time she would remember. Kohaku's eyes welled up with sadness. He wanted to follow, but knew that he couldn't. A spirit could not survive in the human world without a body. His river had been filled in, he could never return.
In that small voice that is starting to completely disappear
I can't forget you, calling our my name
If I turn around, it's just like that time and you're still here...
Chihiro watched Kohaku. She knew she would have to leave him, because Hikari could not be alone. She had a life and responsibility, and no matter how much she wanted that responsibility taken from her, she couldn't allow herself to give up. Her life wasn't much, but it was worth living.
He had promised to get her out, but why did she wish he hadn't?
Why in this empty room
Is my body shaking?
Tell me...
She forced herself to look away from him. Instead she found the two friends that had left her and taken her life with them. Mika and Rei were smiling and Rei was lazily drawing circles on Mika's outstretched palm. Chihiro noted the shining ring on Mika's finger and was genuinely glad that they were finally together. She hadn't spent much time with them since she had arrived, but she knew that they were at peace and didn't need her intervention. They would always be her best friends, but they didn't need her anymore.
Why in this empty room
Are the tears overflowing?
Tell me...
She felt the tears overflow in her eyes. She knew now that she had to leave. She had been trying to repress the thought since she first saw Haku's deep eyes. For seven years she had unknowingly pined for him and she knew she would never love another.
She looked into his eyes.
Once more I want to hold you...
Chihiro's show was a success. She finished her set for the night and proceeded to her room to change into work clothing. The familiar Aburaya apron fastened around her body, and the peach working outfit securely in place, Chihiro went to report for duty. She climbed down the stairs of her rooming quarters and went to meet the foreman. Instead of the frog she had expected, a young woman was in charge.
"Rin!" Chihiro exclaimed as she grabbed her old friend into a hug.
"Sen! It's so good to see you! Haku told me you were back, and there is a child here that looks painfully familiar. Daughter?"
"No. Sister. I'm too young to have children."
"Well, with the way time goes here, you never know. You look so grown up, Sen. So beautiful." Chihiro smiled and hugged her friend once more. Rin set her up with her jobs for the evening and Chihiro set to work.
The night wore on and the first rays of sunlight over the horizon made Chihiro's heart hang. She sat by the entrance to the Bathhouse, and, as expected, Hikari came bounding up to her.
"Chi! You sounded so pretty tonight! I love that song!" The little girl said, bringing Chihiro into a tight hug at the waist. Chihiro smiled slightly and put a hand atop her little sister's head.
"Let's go for a walk, Hikari." Chihiro said to her sister and then lead her across the bridge and into the city.
"When I was ten years old, mum and dad brought me into this town thinking it was an abandoned amusement park. They accidentally ate the food for the spirits and turned into pigs. Haku and Rin and the Boiler man—"
"You mean Kamajii?"
"Yes, Kamajii. They helped me save mom and dad from Yubaba's spell and helped me get back home. I forgot that the whole thing happened until just this afternoon. After I remembered, I hated myself for saving mum and dad. I thought it would have been better if I had just stayed here with Haku all along. But then I realized that leaving here was the best thing I'd ever done."
"Why?" Hikari asked. Chihiro grabbed her sister and laughed.
"Because then I'd have a little piglet to watch over instead of a little sister." Hikari goggled and Chihiro held her close.
"It's time for you to go home, Kari. Go home and call Kenji. He'll watch you till I get back. Remember. Call Kenji." Chihiro hugged Hikari one last time before pushing her lightly down the steps. Hikari ran toward the train station quickly as Chihiro called after her.
"Don't look back!"
A/n: I don't own Spirited Away! -