Chihiro went into the back room of the cafe to change into her spare uniform, a million things running through her mind.
How did Haku come to her world?
Was he really here?
He had to be Mrs Timmons could see him, but Mrs Timmons claimed she could see spirits.
Why did he decide now was a good time?
What did Haku want to talk about?
"Chihiro hussle lil lady we have customers." Mrs Timmons calls for her
"Okay." Chihiro called back as she finished tying her apron.
Chihiro hurried out into the front of the cafe to see a few people from her graduating class, she kinda knew them from having classes with them but that was the extent of it.
"Oh hey Chihiro." One of the girls greeted her
"Good afternoon what can I get you guys?" Chihiro asks
"Don't you need a pen and paper?" One of the boys asks
"I'm good." Chihiro nods, being forgetful most of her young life Chihiro made it a point to improve her memory skills as she got older.
"Chihiro's great I was here the other day and my order was perfect." One of the girls smiles
"Thank you." Chihiro smiles fighting the urge to fidget with her hair, Chihiro didn't see Haku anywhere and was wanting to look around for him.
"I'll dry that for ya honey."
Chihiro could hear Mrs Timmons tell someone
She glanced over to see Haku standing with Mrs Timmons behind the pastry counter. Mrs Timmons must of meant his kimono.
Chihiro couldn't keep her eyes off him, she'd never seen Haku in regular clothes before and he'd pulled back his greenish black hair showing off his sculptured jaw and strong neck.
"Oh my goodness does he work here too?"
"I hope so, I want him to take my order."
Two of Chihiro's classmates giggle bringing her to back to earth.
"I'll take your guys order if you're ready." Chihiro says trying to focus
Haku started walking towards Chihiro and the customers, Chihiro watched as the two girls swooned.
"I'll be over here, okay?" Haku put a hand on Chihiro's shoulder sending chills through her as he pointed to a table in the back of the cafe.
"Oh okay." Chihiro nods
"Do you know him?" One of her girl classmates asks
"Yeah he's um...""Your boyfriend?" The other girl teases
Chihiro felt her cheeks burn and her shoulders tense. Chihiro felt a little better that other people could see Haku too but Chihiro hadn't anticipated how other girls would react to Haku.
"Well is he?"
"We've ummm he's a close childhood friend." Chihiro says she wanted Haku to be her boyfriend but didn't know how to go about telling him how she felt.
Chihiro had completely ignored the boys at her school meaning she lacked any knowledge of the opposite sex except that they had different reproductive organs and were bigger and louder than her gender.
"So he's single?" One Chihiro's classmates giggles
"Oh geez can we order please." The boy in the group complains
Chihiro sighed in relief she didn't want to talk to these girls about wether Haku was her boyfriend or not Chihiro hadn't even had that conversation with him.
Several minutes passed and Chihiro brought out the food for her old classmates and made a beeline for Haku who was staring out the window watching droplets of rain.
It had started on calm down outside but the rain was still coming down.
"Can I get you anything?" Chihiro asks clutching her apron, she had so many other questions too.
"I'm partial to green tea." Haku looked Chihiro right in the eyes getting her to blush again.
"Ok I'll make a fresh batch for you." Chihiro smiles
"That's not necessary." Haku tells her
"Nonsense." Chihiro says before heading to the kitchen.
Chihiro searched around for the nicest looking tea pot she could find, maybe she'd ask Mrs Timmons if she could take Haku some of the lemon cookies.
"Chihiro girl why don't you take the rest of the day off." Mrs Timmons suggestions while Chihiro was getting the tea pot ready
"Why did I do something wrong?" She panicked
"No baby you seem distracted." Mrs Timmons smirks
"Distracted? Oh you mean Haku?" Chihiro blushes
"Girl I wasn't born yesterday." Mrs Timmons laughs "Finish making the tea and catch up with him before someone else snatches that boy up." Mrs Timmons tells her
"What?" Chihiro laughs nervously
"Go on." Mrs Timmons orders "And take some of the cookies we made earlier I'm just going to eat them myself." She laughed.
After brewing the green tea Chihiro gathered up the tea pot and two cups along with an assortment of cookies from this morning and headed out to where Haku was sitting.
He was in the same spot patiently waiting for Chihiro to return, when he noticed her walking towards him Haku gave her a closed lip smile.
"I brought you some cookies." Chihiro tells him setting down the tray before sitting down herself.
"Those look wonderful." Haku nods
"Mrs Timmons made them early this morning, she usually gives out the cookies that don't sell as samples anyway." Chihiro tells him, serving Haku his tea without missing a beat "I brought you some sugar, honey and milk. Plus some non dairy creamer I wasn't sure how you liked your tea." Chihiro adds
"A spoon of sugar is enough." Haku tells her
"Okay." Chihiro nods adding just a spoon of sugar to Haku's green tea. "Enjoy."
"Thank you." Haku thanks her before taking a sip his eyes focusing on the cookies before deciding on a peanut butter cookie with chocolate chips.
Chihiro watched him for a moment, it was plain to see why her old classmates were eyeing Haku.
He went from this cute smart young boy and grew up into this perfect example of masculinity in Chihiro's world Haku would probably be a celebrity or a model.
"I wanted to bring you something to eat because I remember when I came to your wor...I mean when I came to visit you had me eat something." Chihiro stammers, she didn't want people to over hear her say something about the spirit world
"It's appreciated." Haku looks Chihiro in the eyes "The tea is good."
"You're welcome." Chihiro blushes pouring herself some tea, keeping her eyes down
"Chihiro are you mad at me?" Haku asks
"No absolutely not." Chihiro shook her head
"You won't look me in the eyes you used to look right at me." Haku says
"Haku it's kinda hard looking at you right now." Chihiro tells him
"Oh?"
"You're very ummm handsome." Chihiro feels her cheeks burning
"Is that all." Haku sighs
"I'm sorry."
"Chihiro you have nothing to be sorry about." Haku reached out and held Chihiro's hand "I'm happy that you think I'm handsome."
"Oh gosh Haku." Chihiro felt like she might combust "I I ...I."" It's okay Chihiro you can say whatever is on your mind." Haku tells her
"There's so much to say I don't know where to start." Chihiro blurts
"That's very true." Haku smirks
"Yeah, when are you wanting to talk?" She asks
"Relax." Haku chuckles "For now let's just enjoy each other's company." He suggests still holding Chihiro's hand.
Chihiro and Haku enjoyed the tea and cookies and Chihiro did most of the talking. She told him about her school and what she was wanting to do for a career and what books she had read.
It was nice to be able to just be around Haku without worry.
"Your boss gave you the rest of the day off?" Haku asks as they walked out of The Clover Valley cafe once it stopped raining
"She did." Chihiro nods "Mrs Timmons said your kimono will be dry by this evening." She tells him
"That's alright." Haku smiles
"So umm.""Are you alright?" Haku asks
"Haku why are you here?" Chihiro looks down at her chuck taylors " After all this time why did you choose now?"
"Chihiro." Haku exhaled "Is there somewhere we can talk?" He asks "Its eating you."
"Umm yeah." Chihiro says "Just up that hill there's a look out spot no one goes to cause they think it's creepy but it's actually quite peaceful." Chihiro points in the direction of the look out spot.
"There then." Haku nods
Haku normally would have flown up there but instead he let Chihiro lead him up to the look out spot. He knew if people from Chihiro's world saw a dragon it would cause an uproar.
It was a long walk but it was nice being at Chihiro's side again.
"This is peaceful." Haku comments as Chihiro went straight for the bench
The look out was hidden by trees and little animals scurried around as the faint smell of flowers was near by.
"I used to come up her when we first moved here just so I could be by myself." Chihiro tells Haku
"Chihiro." Haku sat next to her "I can tell you're holding back."
"It's like I said I don't know where to start." She held her hands together
"Just tell me." Haku reached for her hand
"I I when I came back to human world I fought with myself wondering if being in the spirit world was all a dream but my parents, I heard them talking about both having the same weird dream that they were pigs and I knew it was all real and I had this feeling that I should have stayed." Chihiro rambled
"You had to leave Yubaba would have kept you there forever." Haku tells her
"I wanted to stay with you, you made me feel safe and and loved." Chihiro admits "But I had to save my parents being pigs wasn't a life and besides they would have been eaten." Chihiro kept going on
"No doubt they would have been eaten." Haku sighs "Chihiro I knew that sending you back was for the best." He brushes some of her hair away from her face
"I wanted you to follow me but you never did and so I tried to forget you but I couldn't." Chihiro felt tears welling up
"I wanted to follow you but it wasn't that simple." Haku explains
"I know that now." Chihiro blinks letting tears fall
"Chihiro do you want to go back?" Haku asks
"To your world? The spirit world?" Chihiro looks up
"Yes." He wipes tears off her cheeks "Chihiro I missed you just as much."
"Don't leave me here." Chihiro clung to Haku "I can't let you go a second time."
"Heh."
"What's so funny?" Chihiro asks
"Nothing I was just thinking the same thing." Haku holds her to his chest
Chihiro couldn't muster any words she just felt more tears, Haku held onto to her telling her it was ok.
Once Chihiro gathered herself she meet Haku's gaze.
"Take me back with you." Chihiro says getting lost in his deep green eyes
"We'll go tonight." Haku says "When the town is asleep."
"Okay I should be able to tie up some loose ends by then." She nods
"You're sure you want to go back?" Haku asks
"Haku I...I don't want to rush into anything but I know that my place is with you." Chihiro tells him
"Rush into anything?" He asks
"I ummm Haku I don't know how to articulate this." Chihiro says "I want to be more than just your friend." She felt like she was going to be sick but Chihiro had to get it out.
"I see."
"I don't want to screw this up." Chihiro looks down "Does that make sense?"
"Of course it does." Haku nods
