I originally made this fic as a one-shot. However, I was suddenly inspired to continue this into a ficlet, or whatever this should be called…

Anyways, I had to repost this chapter. You see, as I was reading thru some stuff, I noticed some typos...and i hate typos (though it's quite inevitable...sometimes...)! Yah, I know. It's shameful.

So, please read and enjoy!


Detention

"Miss Ogino."

A moan was her only rebuff.

"Miss Ogino!"

"Hai!" yelped a rather startled Chihiro as she sat up, blinking blearily at the brightness around her. Then, it finally dawned on her that she had fallen asleep…again.

The old sour-faced teacher marched to her desk and flailed her pointer moronically before pushing its butt, much to her irritation, to the tip of Chihiro's nose.

"Caught sleeping again! That was third time today! Detention! GO!"

Tomato-red with embarrassment, she murmured something that was as inaudible as 'hai', 'gomenasai', and an angry retort all at once. All in all, she sounded like some mountain creature that was learning its first lessons in producing sound. Or rather, grunts.

She heard some sniggers, but most clucked their tongues in sympathy; Chihiro was loved by the population not by her charm (which she believes she hardly possesses) but by the golden heart (which she humbly claims not to possess). At first sight, people found find her strange and childish, but getting to know her proved otherwise. Chihiro was wise girl. The maturity of her mind was reflected in her sweet and understanding and innocent and yet knowing answers. Some even claim that she has some spiritual aura about her, as though the gods had manifested themselves on her.

If they only knew…she breathed to herself as she thought of those things.

Finally, she stood up, bowed as respectfully as she could, and walked out of the room head up. She wasn't about to lose her dignity, just because some old croon found her sleeping on a boring snoring History subject that she happened to be teaching!

Well, not that this seldom happened. In fact, she did it almost half of her time on school. The detention was almost a second home to her. She waved to the person guarding the room who smiled in return.

"Oi, Chihiro-san! Sleeping again? I really shouldn't wonder!" said the proctor.

Chihiro sheepishly rubbed her head and grinned, "I really couldn't help it, Hatori-sama!"

He guffawed, "Well, you better go in now. Have a nice nap."

"Hai. Arigato!"

She ushered herself inside and toppled on the nearest armchair. Four years ago, Haku had come to her dream on the eve of her birthday. She was not sure how he did it but, somehow, he managed to visit her dream. Chihiro inhaled gently and recalled the fragrance of his white and blue robes. She closed her eyes and all she could see were green hair and sparkling green eyes. Her whole body felt warm and giddy as she was reminded of their tight embrace.

Why do I remember my adventures in the Aburaya? My parents can't. Is it because they turned to pigs? Or is it because of this…and her hands went up to the purple band which tied her hair. She has been wearing it since she returned from the spirit world. She recollected how she managed to remember the past between Haku and her after Zeniba had given it to her. Was it coincidence, then?

Her other hand traced the silvery scale that appeared on her table that same birthday. She was sure that this was one of Haku's dragon scales. She managed to turn and use it as a necklace when she found a minute, almost microscopic hole in it. Now she can bring it with her everywhere, and it would almost feel as though Haku was beside her all the time.

Almost, but not quite.

Since that birthday, she hypothesized that perhaps if she slept often, she would be able to see Haku in her dreams. No, not just see—meet. Her dear Nigihayami Kohakunushi!

She did manage to meet him again, once or twice but those were mere glimpses. Perhaps it was because the connection was never as strong as the first one. Or perhaps she wasn't trying hard enough. Or maybe it was the wrong idea all along.

Maybe, my birthday dream was really just a dream…

"What if…it all was just a dream…?" she whispered softly to herself. Haku's face came into view, gentle and smiling. She tightened her fingers around the silver memento.

No. It's impossible to think of it as a dream. It's not possible…Haku…Haku!

Suddenly, her eyes felt tired and strained. Gently and unresistingly, she allowed her head to loll onto the table and towards the valley of dreams.


Strong arms gripped her into a tight embrace. Warm breath met her cheeks and the young Japanese girl opened her eyes to meet deep-green depths.

"Chihiro…" he whispered.

Instantly, Chihiro's eyes filled with tears as she buried her nose into a familiar white and blue tunic. The sweet scent of fresh coolness met her nose and she was gratified. This couldn't possibly be a dream. She was back, finally back.

"Haku…Nigihayami Kohakunushi!" she shouted, hugging him fiercely and looking up into his serene face. "Why did you leave me on my birthday? I thought you promised to come to me!"

"I did come to you," he said with a small laugh.

"Don't make fun of me! I—" She suddenly realized how cold and fluid everything was, making her stop altogether. It was only then that she realized where they were. Her eyes almost popped in child-like wonder.

They were swimming, floating in deep blue-green waters. She gasped and realized that she had been breathing water all that time. Her eyes sought his in questioning wonder, hinted with accusation. In fact, she had lots of questions for him; ones that needed answering.

He sighed, pulled on her hands and rested his head against hers as they had done back then. Chihiro remembered the sensation of falling in the sky, nevertheless feeling safe knowing that Haku was with her.

"I'm sorry, Chi…" he murmured, voice full of longing. "I really meant what I said. I really want to come to your world, stay with you, I tried…but it appears that it's harder than I thought after all."

Her heart was suddenly deflated. She was not truly back to him then…

"You mean—you mean…you're breaking the promise?" she asked. Even in water, she felt tears leave her eyes which she wilfully tried to blink away.

"NO! Never!" he said harshly, and he shifted their position with amazing fluidity. His arms were wrapped possessively in a cross over her back, one of his hands pushed deeply against her brown hair. Her arms wound around his torso with the same intensity as his.

"Haku…when…?" she whispered, mouth shivering against his immaculate tunic.

"I don't know," he answered. "But please…I know it is harsh of me to ask you this but I need to…don't forget me, hold on to our promise, for my sake—"

"No, for our sakes!" she corrected pulling her head back to meet his green tearful eyes. Yes, she could feel it; he was crying, too. "You don't need to ask me…because I won't. I'll find my way to you, Haku. I'll find you."

"Chihiro…" he kissed the tip of her nose gently. She devoured the vision before her eyes, carefully embedding it on her memory. He hardly changed, he was taller and his body was broader, the voice had changed slightly, yes…physically, he was still the boy she had met once, but the eyes were different; it was as though he had aged a thousand years during the time they were apart. She understood that it came with the return of the memory of his true identity. Being a god, he must be old…very old, indeed.

His dark green hair mingled with hers as he placed her head against the crook of his neck. She sighed. His heat, his warmth, it has been such a long time since she felt this way. No one could ever make her as comfortable as this.

Haku pulled away suddenly. His brows were scrunched up into a small frown and he whispered reluctantly. "It's time. You—I must leave."

"NO! Haku, no! Please, don't go!" she begged, and grasped the front of his tunic.

"We must part…forgive me."

"No, you promised…you promised…" Chihiro whimpered.

"In due time, Chi," he muttered. Haku raised her chin until they were eye-level once more. "You will find me…You can come back, but it is dangerous…wait for me—"

"I've waited long enough! Five years…for a human like me, it is too long. Even if you ask me to wait for an eternity, I will. But I am human—I can't live long. And many things could happen; accidents happen and I may die—"

"I won't let you die!" he growled, much like the water dragon that he is. Haku took her hand and clasped it against the amulet on her chest. "The scale—my scale…it has magic. I gave it to protect you. As long as you have this, no harm shall come upon you."

"But how—" she asked, eyes wide in wonder.

"I am Nigihayami Kohakunushi," he said simply.

She had to laugh at his smug tone. Chihiro smiled. "Haku, I—"


"Miss Ogino! Miss Ogino!"

Chihiro snapped awake and blinked blearily. No river, no warmth, no Haku… Her heart broke then and there and she almost cried out in bitter disappointment. She looked up coldly at the culprit—the one who woke her up, the one who took Haku away from her.

Or rather, the one who took her away from Haku…

"I sent you here so that you may repent on your bad habits, not to continue sleeping, Miss Ogino," said the old professor. Apparently, she had come to check on her. Turning sharply to the proctor in charge, she pointed her stick at him and added. "You—I'll be sending a complaint to the principal for you tolerance of misdemeanour."

The guy mumbled an apology, directed more at Chihiro than to the "croon." He seemed sorry that she had been rudely shaken from sleep.

"Now, what have you got to say for yourself?" turned the woman to Chihiro.

The thin line bordering in her mind snapped. The stress was too much. Rudely waken from sleep, robbed of the longest connection she ever had with Haku since five years ago, she felt angry…so angry she could weep in resentment. But never, never in front of this woman…

"Nothing," she snapped angrily before taking a deep breath.

"Okay, it was wrong to sleep in class, Ma'am," she said deliberately adding the ma'am with a sarcastic note. "But must you always be like this? Don't you have a heart in that chest? Can't you understand your students? Or probably, you'd rather not because you don't want to at all.

"You are old, yes. Experienced, for sure. But have you forgotten what it is like to be a child? Have you not experienced the glories of youth? Perhaps you were never like this, perhaps you were always proper and good, but surely you had these moments—moments of weakness, times when you do stuff for the sake of things that you think is right, or nice, or—or just a change from conventional stuff. You would have dreamed of places—going to places unimaginable. You could have met yunas or talking frogs or—or dragons. And you would probably have dreamt a lot, and slept a lot. But perhaps since you seem all proper and nice, you never gave in to urges. But still you dreamed and yearned. And this is part of youth. If you didn't—if you didn't, you have never been a child, and you have never experienced the magical side of life!"

She gasped and took a deep breath. She had spoken almost incoherently, but she spoke of how she felt—or rather, she blabbered in order to release the pent up tension and hurt in her heart. Her true feelings lay dormant, locked inside, and a certain green-haired, jade-eyed dragon boy had the key to open it.

Shaking her head in shame at her sudden outburst, she took her bag and ran out of the room, not before apologizing to the awestruck proctor.

The teacher had gone white and red as she had spoken. Never, not once in her life had she been spoken to in that manner. But somehow, she respected the child, and she was suddenly reminded of her childhood spunk. She would be lying if she denied any of Miss Ogino's words…

Shaking her head disdainfully, she made a mental note to reprimand the erring child as soon as she meets her again. Of course, a small smile flitted around her wrinkled mouth…


Chihiro had run past the school guard and was now breathing heavily against a tree. She was already half a kilometre from school now. She sat down and instinctively gripped the dragon scale on her chest. An unwanted tear fell to her cheek in despair.

Haku…I miss you…Please let me come back to you.


The green-haired boy opened his eyes from the meditation and allowed himself to float some more into his river. Yes, his river. It remained strong and wilful, even though part of it was destroyed by the humans.

Not all of spirit world was flooded with waters; most of it, actually was solid ground. When his memory had returned, he remembered that a small underground portal extended to the spirit world, continuing the path of his river. In fact, a larger part of it was in this world. Here, swimming freely in his waters, he could easily contact Chihiro, though it expended much of his energy.

He sighed a name—Chihiro's. Her heat against him made his blood boil. He yearned to feel her near him once more. Suddenly, he both hoped and dreaded for her return.

"Chihiro…"


So how was it? If there are questions, just ask...

Anyways, some things will be clarified in the next chappie…I could answer those in the next one…

Or I could send a pm…

Or post it…

Or anything…

Please review!

Thanks in advance if you do!