Written Rivers

A Home Amongst Rivers

Chapter 23: Going Abroad

After many trips to the library, late nights, dream visits, and several hiking trips, Chihiro felt the end of her book nearing. The words that filled the pages were filled with the indirect testimonies of the spirits she'd interviewed and the insight she had of the Spirit World. Everything she had, everything she knew about the environment, was poured out into that book. It had felt like a weight coming off her shoulders with every word she wrote, as if everything that she held onto deep down was let go.

Time had flown by fast while she wrote and adjusted to her job at the museum, it seemed like only a few days had pasted since her trip to the Spirit World. But it had almost been a year. Summer days and fall sweaters came and went, typhoon season seemed to have slowed down to a lull, the god brothers' quarrel seemingly ending. Haku even seemed to think that their war was rather short lived this time around, although it did sometimes seem like it was getting shorter with every fight. The dragon seemed to be breathing a lot easier those days, the war coming to a close and less tension in the Bathhouse.

Whenever she visited her parents, she would sometimes loiter around the tunnel entrance. Since her return, the tunnel had vines that covered the whole tunnel entrance, grass overgrown all over. The wind always pulling at the beige tunnel of the Human World, as if teasing her. She always wondered if she'd walk through to the Spirit World ever again.

It was early December when Haku finally renounced his opposition to her return. It started as any other dream, a conversation in the garden at the Bathhouse. When Chihiro looked back, she had to wonder if the conversation was really just a dream or a conversation she actually had.

"Why is it that I can remember everything that happened in the Spirit World and my parents can't?" Chihiro asked picking at grass by the bank of a river they were sitting by.

"Because you have an anchor to the Spirit World." Haku replied, pointing at the hair tie around her wrist. "The hair tie Zeniba-San gave you, it is enlaced with magic and material from the Spirit World."

"What about Yuuka and Makoto? Wouldn't they have an effect?"

"Not necessarily. Many could live with spirits by their side their whole lives and never know it. You should know."

"Hmm." Chihiro hummed, then examined the hair tie that glittered around her wrist. "So, this is my anchor? What if I didn't have it? Would I forget everything?"

Haku's nose wrinkled a little, as if thinking. "No. You have another anchor that would possibly keep you bound. I think it is something you stole."

"Stole?" Chihiro blinked, perplexed. "I've never stolen anything? What did I steal?"

"That is a good question that is best for a later time." Haku replied, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Haku! Tell me!" She exasperated.

"On another topic-"

Chihiro scowled. "Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi! You better not change the subject on me."

He continued. "I have been considering the recent events and was thinking… Now would be the best time for you to visit."

Chihiro's jaw went slack as she gawked at him. Had she just misheard the dragon sitting beside her? Did he just?

Haku chuckled and waved his hand in front of her face. "Hello? Chihiro?"

"Are you serious?" She finally blurted out.

Haku's face seemed to contort in strain as he tried to hold back laughter. It was so un-Haku, it almost scared her.

"Seriously, Haku. Are you serious?" Chihiro insisted. "You're not joking, are you?"

Haku chuckled and composed himself. "I hardly ever joke, Chihiro." He smiled gingerly.

Chihiro went back to gawking at his words, unable to contain the impending grin coming over her.

"The brothers are no longer at war, however, there are still a few feuds remaining throughout the land. Which means, that I am not asking you to come immediately."

Her smile faltered slightly, but she didn't retort.

Haku continued. "The Winter Solstice is near, but I want you to come during the Spring Equinox. That will allow you time to sort things out in the Human World and for things to settle in the Spirit World."

Chihiro's mind was speeding as she processed all the information, calculating what she would have to get done in the next several months to make it possible. "How long would I be staying?"

Haku's lips twitched into a grimace. "Preferably, a week. Just as last time… maybe two."

Chihiro nodded her head, reluctantly. The fact that he was actually making the proposition was a feat in itself. But was this what their relationship was going to boil down to? Visits and dreams? It didn't feel quite stable.

"Okay." She looked him in the eye and smiled. "A week sounds good."

He seemed to examine her reaction for a moment and smiled. "I am glad you understand. I do look forward to seeing you again."

"So do I. Which reminds me…" Chihiro picked at the grass around her, then looked at him with a complete seriousness and sincerity. "What did I steal?"

The laugh Haku had held back earlier bubbled up full throttle and he let out a good heartily full body laugh, holding his stomach as he laughed. Chihiro had never seen Haku in such a state and sat there shocked. Over the last part of the year, Haku's stern and hard walls had come down and he was a lot more open with her. It was such a stunning sound that she wished she could hear it more often. The way he laughed in true earnest and joy was mesmerizing; tears that sprinkled his glittering emerald eyes and how his nose wrinkled, and how he held his stomach as he just let himself let go of all his tension.

It always kind of made Chihiro laugh when she realized how contradictive Haku's thinking was. He wanted her uninvolved in the Spirit World but sent spirits to protect her and still remained in contact with her afterward. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it. If he really wanted her uninvolved, he would have straight up ignored her. But something about being spirited away twice was a phenomenon. It didn't happen often apparently. And the fact that he was inviting her back, it was quite the contradiction and phenomenon in itself.

Haku's laughter faded as he caught his breath, whipping a tear from his eye. "Maybe one day I will tell you, Chihiro. But until then, we will have to part ways."

Chihiro glared at him. "Nuh-uh, Kohaku Nushi. You are not leaving me on a cliffhanger like that."

"I will see you again next time." He smiled as he began to fade.

"Kohaku!" Chihiro yelled, aghast.

But before she knew it, the dream faded into darkness, the light echo of Haku's laughter in the distance.


Chihiro walked out into the bright sunlight of a chilly late-winter morning. She had just finished the final meeting with her editor for her book, it would finally hit the shelves and eBook readers. She was running it as self-published but still took it in to an editor to get feedback. However, she was putting it under an anonymous penname, and any funds that was made to a bank that would be sent the money to her parents if anything were to happen to her. She made it anonymous because she didn't want to be the center of attention to the book, she wanted the thought behind it to be its drive. Sure, she wanted to leave her mark, but she didn't feel the need to take the spotlight in the book. Just knowing that the book could make a difference was enough for her. And although she wasn't sure how much the editor understood the context or purpose of the book, they seemed to have high hopes and responses from the book.

Chihiro and Rumi spent the last several weeks before their trip, selling their apartment and some of their belongings, putting some in storage and Chihiro putting some of it in a loading truck to store in her old room. Chihiro packed some of her old books and notebooks and other necessities with her for the trip. Haku's words echoed in her mind as she was packing up the apartment, always bubbling up a feeling of excitement in her. She didn't quite have a plan after their return from the Spirit World, but she made sure to have all her ducks financially in a row before she left.

When Chihiro returned to the apartment after talking with her editor, she helped Rumi load a truck outside the building. Upon getting the last box, she looked around the apartment she had shared with her best friend for the last three years. It was empty now, just like the way they came, only with some slight modifications after the earthquake the previous year. She couldn't understand it, but there was a feeling echoing through her that felt sad, yet nostalgic. She remembered a quote she once heard in one of her classes: "You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place. Like you'll not only miss the people you love, but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be this way ever again." It felt appropriate. She had gone through a lot in that 1DKL apartment and she was leaving behind a lot of memories and emotions.

She jumped when she heard Rumi's voice echo from the hall. "Chi-Chan! Are you ready to go?"

She took a deep breath and glanced around one last time and whispered, "goodbye."

With that Chihiro turned to the front door and stepped into her shoes. "Yeah! I'm coming! Just grabbing the last box."


The story Chihiro told her parents was simple. She told them that their lease was up on their apartment and that herself and Rumi wanted to go abroad for a few weeks in Europe. This wasn't a complete lie; their lease was up, and they were going abroad… just not in Europe. That would have been nice though. But she really wasn't sure if she was ready to tell her parents her insane-sounding adventures in the Spirit World just yet.

Chihiro spent the last few days in the Human World storing her belongings into her childhood room and in a storage garage in Tochinoki with Rumi. It was the same story she told her job at the museum. Rumi quit her job altogether though, saying how she had been planning to leave them anything.

Haku and Chihiro had come to a final agreement that they would stay for two weeks before they returned to the Human World, which Chihiro though was a good deal. She couldn't quite wrap her mind around the fact that it had been a year since she got spirited away after graduation. Time had flown by so fast.

Makoto would lead them into the tunnel on the morning of March 20th, the day of the Spring Equinox. They left early the morning of, well before dawn, returning to the vine sealed tunnel with Rumi, Yuuka and Makoto at 5:14 AM. Rumi and herself had packed their backpacking gear with two weeks' worth of need supplies and then some, just in case they spent a longer time than expected.

When they found themselves standing in front of the vine sealed tunnel, Chihiro pinched the purple hair tie around her wrist and looked to Makoto, who was in his large wolf form.

Makoto nodded and walked up to the sealed tunnel and gave a low howl. The wind started to pick up around them and the leaves in the trees shook, the wind pulling them towards the tunnel as vines began to recede from the tunnel. Chihiro and Rumi watched in awe as they felt the life and presence of the spirits swirling around them. Makoto gave out one last howl and then firmly barked into the tunnel, commanding it to clear. With the tunnel clear and the solstice starting, Chihiro could see the tunnel flicker to the red walls like it did when she picked up Makoto. They would be able to enter the Spirit World.

Chihiro looked to Makoto, "How did you do that?"

Makato scoffed, "I am a descendant of the wolf god, Maro, this is the least I can do."

Yuuka chirped a chuckle from her perch on Rumi's shoulder and the three of them entered the tunnel. Their footsteps echoed as they walked along the brick path, the sound of water dripping from the roof, making it sound hollow and warn. The Tunnel seemed longer than Chihiro remembered, maybe it was her anticipation and excitement to return.

"Remember… do not look back." Makoto warned as he led them through.

"Why?" Rumi's voice echoed behind Chihiro.

"The tunnel is the space between the Spirit World and the Human World. Much like ōmagatoki, the two worlds coexist together and bends space to make it possible to transverse. If one were to look back from whence they came, they could become trapped in the in between and never make it to their new destination. It is a consequence to indecision."

"But, I'm not being indecisive?" Chihiro said.

Makoto grunted. "You may not, but what of your heart? The tunnel reads what is unseen not what is." He padded out into the train station building, old benches and dried up fountains loitering the space. "Do not turn back until we reach the river."

They followed Makoto out of the building and looked out over the meadow filled river bed.

Upon exiting the train station, Haku is waiting for them and stresses to Chihiro again that this was a visit.

"Need I remind you, this is only for two weeks, just a visit." Haku pestered.

Chihiro rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." She laughed and embraced him. "I missed you, Haku."

He squeezed her gently and hummed. "I missed you, too." He released her and looked past her to Rumi, Makoto and Yuuka. "Thank you everyone, and welcome back. I am glad to see you again."

"Likewise, Kohaku-Sama." Makoto bowed his head in respect.

Rumi and Yuuka hummed their responses, giving each other sideways glances, smirking. "Glad to see you again as well, Haku-San." Rumi smiled.

"Shall we go?" Haku gestured to toward to small village.


The five of them were greeted almost as soon as they arrived at the bridge. Chihiro was overwhelmed by the amount of spirits that congregated at the bridge, welcoming them and telling them everything that they had missed. It was after closing time and they were all trying to squeeze their welcomes in before they went to sleep for the morning. Even Rin gave them a less than excited welcome, almost immediately going to the sleeping corridors after saying hello.

By the time the five of them made it inside, the sun had risen, and the Bathhouse was asleep. Haku led them up to the floor where the sleeping corridors resided. Chihiro recognized the hall, it was where Haku's living space was. He led them to a room a could of doors down from Haku's space. Inside was like a very nice apartment space. Adorn with light shades of tans and blues, it had two bedrooms and a living room space, and a spa bathroom off to the side. A short hallway led from the main door into the living room, where it had floor to ceiling shoji windows that looked over the river and empty book shelves lined the wall with a fireplace. Due to the Bathhouse's western style influence, the rooms had a combination of a modern western style and a traditional washitsu style feel to it, giving it a unique design.

"Wow." Rumi breathed.

"You will stay in here for your visit." Haku explained. "Make yourself at home. Makoto's room is just next door and I am down the hall if you need anything."

"Thanks, Haku." Chihiro said, still staring about the room.

Haku chuckled softly. "Rin will be in here later to greet you properly and help you get situated as far as a temporary position in the Bathhouse goes."

"Wait, we have to work again?" Rumi asked, disgruntled.

Chihiro laughed. "Sorry, Rumi-Chan."

Yuuka chirped a laugh. "You'll be fine. Gotta earn your keep, no?"

Rumi's nose wrinkled. "Yeah, yeah." Then she chuckled and went into one of the rooms. "Yuuka and I call this one!"

Chihiro rolled her eyes and laughed. The two of them seemed to be getting along once again, though Rumi still refused to share bodies. "Thank you again, Haku."

"My pleasure. Please stay out of trouble." He replied with concern in his voice that he didn't even try to hide.

"Please." Makoto echoed, insistently. He had taken up his human form since coming inside the Bathhouse.

Chihiro raised her hands in surrender. "I will, I will!"

"Then, until later." Haku waved as he turned to the door, Makoto following after him.


A/N:

Seems like Chihiro is back for another visit! This chapter was kind of read to write. ;P

I hate it when I've added a description of something in a scene in a different chapter and I can't remember where it was to reference. Smh

Washitsu is a traditional Japanese style of homes.

The quote Chihiro recalls is by Azar Nafasi.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! And for those that do review, I thank you a bunches!

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God bless! KawaChou