Title: A second chance for love

Author: Elesterie

Genre: Romance/Mystery

Rated: PG

Summary:

Chihiro has forgotten Haku after 5 years of separation. But when things go indefinitely wrong, she ends up back there, in the Spiritual World, with Haku in front with her. But she can't remember...

Disclaimer:

I do not own Spirited Away whatsoever. I would like to dream that I own it though...smacks head better stop the daydreaming.

Note:

Five years have past.

Chapter 1

Spirited Away

A second chance for love

Elesterie

Back Again

Haku stared shakily at the bowl of water he was holding. Trying not to spill it, he walked forward.

SMASH!!

Kamaji turned around. Haku hastily picked up the bowl and picked up the cloth lying on the ground and wiped the water off the floor. He was not reluctant and there was not a word of complaint from him.

Kamaji watched suspiciously. After Haku had cleared his mess, Kamaji cleared his throat. Haku looked up, brows raised.

"Hmm, that's odd. I've never seen such devotion to clean up a mess without a complaint. There's got to be a reason for it," Kamaji said in a pleased tone, ignoring Haku's impassive face.

"It's nothing," Haku replied, as though unaware of Kamaji's amused face, "It's my job. I've got to be more…stable."

"Well, if you call that…er, stable then I think you mean a bit more protective. Lost her, haven't you?" Kamaji said.

Haku bowed to Kamaji and excused himself. He walked up the stairs of the bathhouse and looked out into darkness. Why does it bother me so that Sen is gone?

It was awhile before he headed back to Kamaji to continue his work. Kamaji gave him a questionable look, but Haku ignored him. Haku was still pondering, his thoughts directed at Sen.

"She's gone," Kamaji said, as though reading his thoughts, "There's nothing you can do about it, and you know."

Haku remained silent.

"You know that when a human enters the spiritual world and returns back to their world, their memory of this world has been swiped away," Kamaji said in a sorry tone.

Haku continued to remain silent.

"You may remember her, but she doesn't remember you," Kamaji pointed out in a tone of disbelief.

But Haku determinedly tried to ignore what was a fact.


Chihiro walked through the dark tunnel. She didn't like the feel of this place. It wasn't because it felt cold and insecure, but it felt more as if…as though she had been here before.

Her parents were up ahead, her father leading and her mother holding the picnic basket. They heard that this place was a great place to have lunch, so they thought they might as well try it out.

When they were in the sunshine and out of the dark tunnel, it was too…familiar. And ahead, there will be a river that is dried up, Chihiro said to herself. And sure enough she was right.

What? I was only joking! Chihiro thought to herself. She stood there, still, frozen between time. Her eyes began to water, and tears dropped from her eyes. Why am I crying? I'm not even sad!

"Chihiro, what's the matter?" Chihiro's mother turned and motioned her daughter to follow her.

"Um...nothing okaasan." Chihiro hastily wiped the tears and crossed the dried river. What is about this river? The dried river...a image filtered into her mind, the river full of water...and a boat...and that was all she could see.

Chihiro shook her head, cursing herself. Baka Chihiro, what are you thinking? Stop the nonsense!

But her mind cursings couldn't crush out the fact that it was undeniably familiar. Too familiar.

"Just as I thought, it's an abandoned theme park!" her father exclaimed and ran over to the stands. Chihiro felt a tingle in her body as soon as her father said that. She didn't utter a word however, and tried to ignore the voice inside her head.

It's nothing...just an instinct...you know I always have an instinct before doing things...this isn't any different.

Chihiro was lead into one of the stalls itself. She instantly turned around, feeling an awful presence.

"Mmmm...is anyone home? Hello?"

Chihiro stiffly turned around to face her father. The words echoed in her mind.

"Oh well, Chihiro, come over here. We're having lunch here now. Look at all this food!" her father called.

Chihiro took one glance at the food and almost "Otousan, okaasan...please, can't we cross the dried river and eat the picnic that kaa-san made for us?"

"Chihiro, honey, don't worry. We have credit cards to pay for what we eat. Now come sit down and enjoy today's sunshine!" her mother coaxed, patting the seat beside her.

"Gomen, but I don't feel like it," Chihiro said stubbornly and walked off. Her parents, however, shrugged at one another and began filling their plates.

"Baka Chihiro...you should tell them!! It's best to be safe...but what should I tell them? The food is poisoned? But then they will ask how I know..." Chihiro mumbled to herself.

Chihiro leaned on the rail of the bridge, which lead to a beautifully structured onsen (bathhouse). She gave a sigh, and closed her eyes until she heard a train.

"Hmm...??" Chihiro looked up and didn't see a sign of the train. Then she froze and slowly turned to look below the bridge.

"There's...the train..." she gasped. It was in the water, or to be more precise, surrounded by water.

She followed her eyes on the carriages of the train and ran to the other side of the bridge to watch it go. She turned around grinning slightly at what an amazement to view, only to come face to face with an old past. A pair of green eyes. Black sleek hair. Smooth pale skin. And she nearly fainted.


Hope you enjoyed the revised version of this chapter. I added some more detail, mushed some of the 'old' chapter 2 into it, and made it more breathtaking. Don't forget to review!

elesterie