A/N: Sorry to keep anyone who was keeping track of the story waiting so long. I'll try to be more speedy in the future.


Chapter Six: Picnic

Haku slept peacefully for the most part. It wasn't a general occurrence for him. Obviously, being in the human world took effect on him. He enjoyed it. The night gave him memories of a time long passed, as well as visions of a future that would never be.

Around eight, he got out of bed. A new day was ready for him. One of his last. When he opened the door, he found a stack of papers behind it. With a smile, he bent down and picked it up.

Chihiro had done it! A warm smile spread across his features. He knew she could.


Not long before noon, Chihiro finally woke up. She wasn't groggy. On the contrary, she was wide awake and ready to dive back into her story.

It felt so good to write again. Inspiration had eluded her for too many months. Now the words were just pouring from her fingers onto the screen. She hopped out of bed and sat at her desk, ready to have at it.

Then her stomach grumbled in protest.

"Ooooh, I'm so...hungry." she mumbled to herself.

First eating, THEN story writing.

She stepped out of her room, searching the halls. There wasn't even the slightest sound, though she wasn't all too surprised by that. Her father worked, and her mother spent the days out and about. So, she assumed it would just be Haku and herself.

Haku. She swallowed hard thinking about him while a deep flush spread across her face. There was just something about him-something warm and familiar. Chihiro wanted to push that out of mind, though. There were many questions surrounding him still. Plus, he'd be gone soon. She couldn't afford to become emotionally attached. She swallowed hard again, surprised that she even considered any sort of attachment.

With light feet, she hurried down the stairs to the kitchen. She opened the fridge to find something to eat, but the fridge was a barren wasteland.

"Oh no...there's nothing to eat." She groaned sadly

So did her stomach.

"That's because you missed breakfast." Haku's voice sounded from behind her.

Chihiro must have jumped nearly three feet in the air. He completely caught her off guard. The worst part was he had been sitting there the whole time, reading the newspaper.

"H-H-Haku, that's not nice." Her words tumbled nervously from her mouth

He lowered the paper to look at her. Haku raised a brow, but showed no other expression.

"What exactly did I do? You were the one who hadn't noticed me. I was here reading the entire time."

"Well...well...arg, you win." She said defeated.

"It wasn't about winning." He smirked as he neatly folded the newspaper, "I think that we should go on a picnic."

Chihiro scratched her head. "A picnic? There's no food."

"There was before I packed a picnic lunch."

Excitement ran through her. Oh, a picnic with Haku. Her heart pounded so hard it felt like she just sprinted around the block. She could almost feel the flush spreading over her face. How embarrassing.

"Are you well, Chihiro?"

"Yes, I'm fine, Haku. I think I'm going to get ready." She darted out of the room, but his voice stopped her at the stairs

"The type of computer you own is portable, correct?" he asked

"Yeah." She replied, having a good idea where this was going.

"Bring it with you."

She sighed, yet again defeated. She should have known he'd put her to work. Slave driver...But he always had been.

'Wait...where did that come from?' she asked herself. She just met Haku. What made her think he'd always been a slave driver? The thought sent shivers through her as she headed to the shower.

Cherry blossom petals were typical fare at the park nearby. And during such a beautiful spring day, the scent of those flowers filled all of the senses.

The pair sat beneath a set of tall, proud trees in full bloom. Chihiro stretched out along the blanket-covered grass, typing away at her laptop, while Haku sat close by, seeming deep in meditation. Neither of them minded the silence. The presence of the other was more than appreciated.

"Haku?" Chihiro's sweet voice sounded suddenly

"Yes?" he returned, keeping his eyes focused elsewhere

"This was a good idea."

He smiled and looked to her. "Yes, I have to say, it is the perfect day for it."

For a moment, they stared. Chihiro's breath caught in her throat as those eyes penetrated her soul, or so it seemed. She couldn't tear away. She didn't want to. He was calling to her. Little did she know, she was calling to him. He also could not look away...They were locked.

That is, until a large beetle landed on her.

"EEEEEEEKKK!" she screamed, wide-eyed and on the verge of tears.

"Chihiro!" Haku exclaimed, more shocked by her reaction than the large bug innocently staring at her.

"AAAHHH! Haku! Haku! Get it off me! Get it off!" she flailed her arms wildly.

The beetle simply moved aside, floating a little distance away. But it was not ready to leave her. It landed back on her shoulder, much to the girl's dismay.

"AGGH!"

Haku laughed a bit.

"You are quite the site to see right now, Chihiro." He leaned in close to her and gently pulled the invading creature from her shirt. "Now there, it was only looking for a friend." His eyes twinkled as he said that, "Is that so wrong?"

"N-no...I guess not..." she said, nervously

"Off you go," he said to the large, black critter as he released it to the cloudless blue sky. "Poor, Chihiro." He said, placing two fingers to her chin, pinching it and coaxing her face upwards. "It upset you that much? You're shaking."

Was she? Chihiro took a moment to feel her body. She really was shaking. It couldn't have been the beetle. Honestly, she had NO fondness for bugs, but why had it freaked her out so much?

It didn't take her long to realize what had...

He was staring again. What was he trying to see? What was he going to find?

"Haku..." she whispered shakily as she turned her body somewhat, facing him more so.

He didn't speak. There were no words to be said. He was suddenly lost in those soft brown eyes...eyes that had haunted his dreams. So long had he wondered what had happened to his Chihiro. She had become a beautiful woman.

Haku found himself unable to move his hand. Her skin--even that tiny part between his pinched fingers--felt smooth and soft and warm. Soon, he realized that his gaze moved to her lips. Lips that begged...

"Haku..." he heard his name whispered again. He had no way to respond.

Inside, Chihiro really did beg. 'Kiss me...please kiss me...We've waited long enough...' It wasn't true, at least to her. She barely knew him, yet she felt so connected to him--unnaturally so. It was like she'd been waiting forever and a day for him. And by the looks of things, he'd been waiting as well.

Haku could take no more. His face slowly inched. His eyes slowly closed. He felt lost in a haze. It was disorienting to someone so well organized in thought.

Chihiro's eyes went wide and glossy for a moment. He was going to kiss her. She could barely breathe. I want this so much. Why do I want this so much? she asked herself. As he moved closer, she tensed a bit more. Her eyes closed on their own, waiting eagerly.

The kiss never came. Haku's eyes shot open with a distant and fearful look. He gasped once, then gagged while grabbing his chest. Without warning or apparent reason, he collapsed into her. His head flopped to her shoulder.

It took Chihiro some time to realize what had happened exactly. When she had, she gasped in alarm. She pulled him off her shoulders to her arms, where she cradled his head carefully. His eyes were wide open and full of fear.

"Haku?" she said, shaking him a bit. There was no response. "Haku!" she said louder as she shook harder...still nothing. "Please, tell me how to make it better!"

He still said nothing. His eyes looked to her for a moment, focusing and unfocusing on her face. After a moment, his eyes snapped shut while a tear trembled down his cheek.

All Chihiro could do was hold him close.


Wind blew through the tunnel--the bridge between worlds.

It stood in the darkness.

It's cold chuckle echoed and reverberated off the tunnel's walls.

It was now free to do as it pleased thanks to the foolish dragon.

"You've sealed the mortals' fate...They are mine now."

With another gust, the Soul Eater was free from its ancient prison--The Spirit World.


I hope you enjoyed this new addition. EDS