Chihiro stared at the vase of Sakura in disappointment. Her fingers fumbled the worn out cell phone around and around. The small toy key-chain banging every once in a while against her fingers. The kimono was large and over flowing, but Rin had tightened the obi so that it would leave her almost breatheless.The front being too tight for her bosom, left the neck a beautiful sight. Her head cocked to a side and wondered why the Sakura in the vase were rotting. An elbow rubbed against the small of her back and she moved to remove them and replace their former pride with fresh bloomed ones.
The patterns in the cloth waved at her solemnly. The clouds outside were brimmed with a deep grayness. An unfamiliar weariness filled the small shrine. The sky itself contemplating on its droopiness.
"Are you ready?" Lin asked worriedly. Her fingers stroking the gentle bristles of the shrine scrubbing brush. Her gaze shifting from side to side.
Turning around, Chihiro nodded. They both stepped out and made their way back to the fair area. Little children ran around merrily. Chasing each other with food stuffed in their mouths and some waving fans. Each stand that rowed up to the next seemed to have a touch of gentle warmth, like a warm wind that flowed past Rin and her.
"Aku is with Kira in the last stand. She was doing me the favor of doing the dunking for me until I got back, so hurry and stop gawking." Rin's hand clasped Chihiro's wrist and she pulled her the rest of the way through.
Bright colors, sparkling glows, and the incredible smells of food. In all the hurry, she came to realize something. All of these things, were almost like the ones in the spirit world when Chihiro was there.
Incredible she said to herself. Simply incredible. By the time they reached the stand, Chihiro was out of breath, flushed, and the sky had become dark, thus making the lanterns turn on. The crowds gasped in delight and Rin let her go.
Kira , who was until recently sitting on a bench over water, was now drying her hair next to her, Rin taking off her kimono, entered the tub and sat in the bench.
Aku was at the other side, taking the money and handling the hard rubber balls. He glanced at her when one of the balls actually did hit the target. His eyes quiet. Unlike the smile of a clerk he had plastered on his face.
She saw it. And she kept watching him until after he went on with his work , her gaze drawn in by a boy from her school.
"Chihiro? What are you doing here?" he ran up to her smiling, his eyes changed when he finally stood in front of her. "Wow, you look wonderful."
She blushed and was about to say something when Kira's arm moved in between them. She looked at Chihiro frowning.
"Chihiro, standing there and talking to the costumers doesn't urge them to buy! Back to work, you wanted to help, then move it." Kira winked at her and slipped behind the curtains of the booth next to the dunking.
Chihiro smiled and bowed hurriedly, "I have to go, nice seeing you again, Yujiro."
His hand touched her forehead lightly and he smiled. "You too, Chihro."
"CHIHIRO!?!?" yelled Aku from the other side of the dunking booth. Laughing, she lifted the front of the kimono a bit and ran to him. Her hair lapping the air daintifully.
Aku threw a ball at her, and she caught it. Throwing it back at him, she missed. Causing the ball to roll on and on past the lit area.
She ran to it, leaning forward to pick it up. She stood again and gasped. Lin was leaning against a tree kissing a boy.
She blushed and ran back to the tent where Aku was. He turned to her and lifted an eyebrow at her red face.
"What did you find Rin with a guy?"
He laughed when she looked away with embarrassment.
"Its alright, she loves men. She may talk trash of them. Yet the love is still there." She looked up at him and he grinned. He looked at his watch and sighed. "closing time,"
after taking the next costumers money, he began to empty the tank. Kira, getting off the bench. Her body drenched, and her face curled in anger.
"that woman always leaves me to do her stuff. She complains of the amount of work I give her, and then makes me do it….i'm going to kill her. This is the last straw…." Kira seethed.
Chihiro and Aku stared after her as she ran into the back of the tent. They heard Rins shouts and Kira's. then a man running from the back of the tent and Rin's crying.
Aku was the first to laugh. Dumping pails of water he chuckled.
"It may not seem so, but Kira andRin are best friends. They do each other's shopping, and can depend on the other…..well…..usually."when he moved to fill the pail again from the tank she stopped him.
"let me do it." His eyes dwelled into hers. And he had the urge to lunge forward. An urge that was shaking his knee's but he stood up slowly. And deftly, held out the dirty pail.
She took the pail with a crooked smile and heaved another batch of water. Her kimono sleeves getting wet.
And Aku, for the first time noticed something.Haku….Chihiro….Haku…….Chihiro….
A bright flash of a young girl falling from the sky with a boy, a mouse, and a fly rung in his eyes.
He blinked several times. Trying to recapture the scenes, but nothing. Nothing at all. His dissapointment filtered through him , and for the oddest reason, he thought of his master. And his head bolted up.
"Chihiro! I gotta go. I'll be back in a while to help you clean up." He ran off. His kimono shining on every wrinkle.
Chihiro stared at his back absently.
"be careful…" she whispered to herself.