One Fine Day
Author: Chaos Valkyrie
First Conceptualized: March 2005
Posted Chapter 02: July 13, 2005
Updated: December 22, 2005
Disclaimer: Nope. Nada. Zilch.
Author's Note: Alright, been awhile I know, but I'm having moving issues and have been living out of a box for three months because my apartment's still not ready. I just hope I can move in before my birthday in September…
Chapter Two: Surprise!
Chihiro sighed as she stood before the mirror in her own apartment. Tying her hair up, she bent to the sink and began her nightly ritual. She loved babysitting for the girls, but sometimes…
…Sometimes, it was just too painful telling that story over and again. Splashing the soap from her face one last time, she grabbed a towel and looked into the mirror again as she dried off.
She hadn't really changed much over the last ten years. She had moved from a short, skinny little stick to a taller, more slender-than-skinny adult, and her hair had grown longer, but those were the only changes. Her face was still roundish, her cheeks had never lost that rosiness, and her lip still developed that pout when things didn't go her way. But that became less and less frequent as she grew older.
Her few days in the Spirit World had given her a confidence she hadn't had before. A little on the bratty side, she had never really done much for herself before those fateful days. Afterwards, she became much more independent and helpful, perhaps even fearless. After all, nothing in this world could compare to the threat of being turned into a pig and being eaten. So what harm was there in working hard and striving to be her best?
She smiled a melancholy, resigned smile. Sometimes she wondered if it had all been a dream, but she merely had to look at a sparkling purple hair tie to know the truth. But that made it hurt all the more, knowing that those dreams and memories were real, that Haku was real, and he might never keep his promise of coming to meet her once more…
Angry with herself, she turned off the water and marched to her bed. She had told herself before not to have such doubts, that a promise was a promise. Haku would come… it just might take a while to do so.
Even so, it was a long time before she could fall asleep, and when she did, she dreamed of fields of long grass, cool water, the feel of a hand holding hers, and jade green eyes.
"You're late," the slender man said, not looking up as Chihiro plopped down on the grass beside him. She pulled out her breakfast bar and tea, looking over at the man beside her.
"I didn't sleep much last night," she told her friend, who looked up with an evil grin.
"Anyone I know?" he asked.
"Shigure! You're horrible!" Chihiro laughed, smacking the dark-haired man on the arm. He grinned.
"You know you're mad about me anyway," he smirked.
"Mad at you, perhaps," Chihiro laughed, munching her breakfast. She sipped the tea, grimacing at the harshness. "So, what do you have today, 'Gure?"
Shigure threw his own breakfast wrapper at the trash can, then flopped back into the grass. "Well, I have philosophy this morning, then after lunch is my Japanese Literature class," he mumbled, closing his brown eyes against the morning sun. "How 'bout you?"
"Just Ecology today," Chihiro smiled back.
"Hey, isn't that Sakura in your class?" Shigure smirked.
"Yes," Chihiro replied unenthusiastically. Takani Sakura was one of the most popular female students at the university, and she knew it, too.
"She's sexy," Shigure sighed dreamily.
"She's a bitch," Chihiro replied warningly.
"Well, she's a damn sexy bitch," Shigure smirked, opening his eyes and leaning back up. He whistled as he saw the object of their conversation crossing the grass, heading towards the science building. She ignored him, but the thug at her side cracked his knuckles threateningly. Shigure winced as Chihiro giggled.
"Well, I'd better get to class, 'Gure. See you later." With that, she stood up and deposited her breakfast in the trash can, before waving back at her friend.
"So Sakura, who's the flavor of the week?" Chihiro asked as she set her books down on desk. Her friend in the class, Kagura, giggled as Sakura turned around haughtily.
"Don't be rude, Ogino. That was Hiruma Shiro, captain of the kendo squad. He could break your little boyfriend out there in two," she replied, a glint in her eye.
"One: Shigure's not Chihiro's boyfriend. Two: will Shiro be around long enough to want to bother breaking Shigure in half?" Kagura replied, winking at Chihiro. Sakura huffed, turning back around as their professor strode into the room.
"Now students," he said, holding his hands up for attention, "I have made the announcement before that a major part of your grade for this class would involve a service project of sorts. Originally, I had envisioned that each member of the class would take a different environmental project upon themselves and write up a report based on their experience; however, I have recently been in contact with a major ecological concern, and hence, your project has changed. I would like you to stand and greet Nushi Mogami, representative of the Shinano Corporation."
Chihiro whispered to Kagura under the noise of the class rising. "Isn't that the major shipping company based here in Tokyo?" she asked.
Kagura started to reply, then choked on her words as she stared at the front of the room. Chihiro looked towards the front of the room, and gulped herself.
Nushi Mogami was a tall, slender man with long black hair tied neatly at the base of his neck. His eyes, however, were a startling pale blue, almost silver, and he bowed briefly to the class. They resumed their seats quickly, eager to hear what the very attractive businessman had to say.
"Greetings, students," he began, straightening a slight crease in his western-style grey suit. "The Shinano Corporation, as I assume you are aware, is one of the world's foremost water-based shipping concerns. Our massive fleet operates all over the globe, ensuring that the world's transportation needs are met. But we are also a public corporation, and had a deep respect for the environment. Recently, we have undertaken several projects to restore the harmony and peacefulness of our homeland's ecosystem. One of these projects is within an hour's drive of Tokyo, and that is where this class will come in."
The students murmured to themselves, and Mogami smiled briefly. "We have asked for volunteers all over the country to help us restore Japan's environment to its former glory. I come here today to ask you to help us with this task. The project of which I speak is a river excavation near the outskirts of Tokyo. Once the old riverbed has been freed of the litter and crumbling architecture that now possess it, the old dam gates will be opened, and the river will be free to flow through the province once more."
Sakura raised her hand primly, awarding Mogami with a winning smile. "Does this river we are excavating have a name, Mr. Nushi?" she asked.
He looked at Chihiro with a stare that she could swear pierced right through her. She was frozen in place, a chill suddenly traveling down her spine.
"Why, I believe it was once known as the Kohaku River," he replied, a brief cold smile lighting his face.
End Notes: Oo, cliffie. Ah well, I hope to have more soon, since I seem to be on a writing tear. Ta-ta for now!