Author Notes: I hoped you liked the first chapter. I tried not to make any cliffhanger at the end of them. Have fun!
Chihiro was carefully climbing down the stairs. She didn't remember them so stiff!
"Chihiro… you could have come in by the front door you know…" said Haku, carelessly following her.
"Where would be the fun in that? Anyway, I wanna see Kama-jii. After all, he's the first one I talked to when I got here, right after you. He even gave me a job!"
Kohaku smiled at his girlfriend's antic. She looked as energetic as she was back then. She was as considerate for others too. Chihiro knew the old man didn't get out of his room. She was so much more feminine now. He took care to notice that too.
"By the way, Haku, how come you aged? You didn't seem more than thirteen when I left. How come the spirit of a river ages?"
"As you may have noticed, time here doesn't pass the way it does in the human world. You could say that here, you age when you have to. The change depends of how other people look at you too. It's difficult to explain."
"I get it, mostly. Don't worry, I'm quite glad to be able to date you while you look seventeen. You're hot, Kohaku!"
In all of her memories, it was the first time she saw him blush. He was so cute when he was shy! She'll make sure to make him look cute often.
"Here we are. Pffeew! I'll have to get used to this!" she said.
"Why so?"
"Well, one uses those stairs quite often when he works here."
"Wait a minute… You intend to stay here?" he asked, clearly surprised.
"Absolutely. You mind?"
"Of course not! But…you realize what this place is like for humans. Your parents… your friends…"
"Don't worry. I've made up my mind already. Sure, I'll miss them but… there was… stuff here… that I missed more."
"Stuff… like me?"
Damn. It was her time to blush. He knew how to play that game after all. She averted her gaze and nodded. He took her in his arms, lifted her chin to his level and took her lips with his softly. She felt dizzy. Kissing never been so good. Which reminded her…
"Hummmm… By the way, my ex-boyfriend think you're a shoe fetishist."
"What?"
Ha! Now she got him. She could not explain anything yet. Not that she didn't want to but she was currently laughing so hard her stomach hurt. His face was priceless.
"L-l-l-long s-story! I'll t-tell you later!"
"So, are you going to make out on in front of my door all night or come in to say hi?"
"Ji-jii!"
Chihiro pushed the door open and ran to Kama-jii, leaving a shell-shocked Kohaku behind. A shoe fetishist? Him? And what does fetishist mean? He'll get her for that later. He walked in, looking as impassive as ever. She was hugging the old man, her leg disappearing under a mound of little black purring creatures. He smiled fondly. Everyone liked her so much.
"I missed you Kama-jii! You and your scratching beard! And you too my cute little sooty friends! Are you all working hard for Ji-jii?"
They all jumped around squeaking. It was as good of an answer as any other.
"Good boys and girls!"
"So, Chihiro-chan, what brings you here? Got lost again? Your parents didn't eat spirit food, did they?"
"No-no-no! Don't worry! I came of my own free will! While we are talking about me getting back, could I get my old job back? Pleeeease? I practised a lot when I was in the human world!"
"Well, I don't know…"
"Don't you always need hands? Or…is the Inn not as popular as it used to? No one comes here anymore?" she asked coyly.
"Don't talk silly words, girl! This Bath House runs at full capacity every night! We're always busy like in a madhouse!"
"So you do need staff! Thank you Kama-jii! You won't regret this!"
"Wait! I…hum…"
But she was already opening the back panel to get to the elevator.
"You've been had… Ji-jii." Kohaku teased him.
"Don't call me that!" he answered.
"Why not? She did!"
"Well… she… she…"
"I got it. I'll see you later, old man. I better hurry or I'll have to transform in order to catch up."
"He he. You've got a feisty one here, lad. Don't let her ever escape your grasp... again."
Kohaku stopped a moment, the panel raised above his head.
"I won't. It was what she chose after all."
The old bath house owner saw Chihiro enter her office, bouncing and red in the face. As red…as Kohaku's face? What happened in that elevator?
"Hello Granny!"
"Granny? I'll make you a granny if you keep calling me that! So what are you here for? Looking for a job? HAHAhahahahahahaaaaa…"
"Yes, thank you! My last wage was of nine hundred yen an hour. Thanks you for taking care of me!" she answered, bowing low.
"What… Hey! Wait a minute! I haven't agreed on anything yet!"
"Was I not good enough last time? I grew up and got experience! I'm taller, stronger and prettier!"
"In what will that help?"
Chihiro took a pose, lightly bent, talking to an imaginary customer.
"Welcome to the Spirit Inn! Right this way sir, I'll be taking care of you shortly!"
She said that with a charming smile and a well-placed wink. Kohaku was already feeling jealous of that invisible customer. The old manager saw that.
"Well then… Maybe I could place you somewhere, but for the wages…" argued Yubaba.
"You'll give her the equivalent of what she had, or more."
"And why should you make that decision, my dear Kohaku?" purred the old witch.
"Because if not, we'll take a look at my wages for the services I lend you. You know, about those regular raised promises…"
"Chihiro! Welcome back!" promptly said the massive woman.
The girls of the staff threw a massive "Welcome back" party. There were paper lanterns, crepe paper and confetti everywhere she went. They knew they would have to clean it off at the end of the night, but they didn't care much right now. Kohaku gave her a timid public kiss before mumbling something about going back to work. He fled from the woman under a shower of catcalls… and confetti. Look like they had even more to celebrate!
Chihiro helped the girls with the customers, dancing them to their baths, with the ones who had legs anyway. Songs erupted everywhere and the customers, enjoying the particular festive mood, left generous tips.
When Chihiro got to the common room to sleep, her working friends saw her shed a few tears.
"What wrong?" asked her Lin, knowing how her first night went, so many years ago.
"Nothing! I've wanted this for so long…"
"I would have never believed working here was so great."
"Believe me… it is."
Unknown to them, the other girls, pretending to sleep, didn't lose a word. They felt their chest tighten. They all felt a little better to be part of the dream world of someone like Chihiro.
The days passed, one after the other, without anyone bothering to count. Every days were pretty much the same, without ever the same things happening. She had so much to tell Kohaku. Now that she was free to go wherever she wanted, she could go and visit him more often. He had his own apartment now, hidden on the back roof of the Inn. It was quite big and had huge sliding doors that led outside. She guessed it was pretty useful when he was in his dragon form.
Kohaku told her about all the friends that were not at the Bath House, like No Face who was still with Yubaba's sister. Some customers were still asking about her, now and then, like the radish spirit. She baby-sat Boh now and then, more for the fun of it than by necessity. At Yubaba's regret and fear, Boh started to grow up. If he continued to grow like that, he would need a new, bigger room. Her most evident fear was to have him leave the Inn. That was not to happen with Chihiro around so the witch was being extra nice with her.
Every night, Chihiro told tales about her time at the store. She told about the success her ice cream had and the fun she had to put it back in business. She had her prior training in the Bath House to thank for that. She told them about the track club and how it helped her to catch a thief. Everyone was listening to her as not many people had stories of the human world that were not heard a hundred times already, and the customer didn't seem to tire to hear from them, even if she would tell them a thousand times!
She had a lot to talk about her friend too, her ex-boyfriend and her general life in High School. Kohaku was teased without mercy about her ex-boyfriend, even going as far as to be asked if he would drown the guy if he ever crossed his river for stealing Chihiro's first kiss! He got a full-body blush when she told him she started to go out with him because he had green hair like his. When Kohaku asked her more about him, she explained how Takeru was the reason she was there.
"He's the one who made me realized that the moment I set a foot back in the human world, the first time, I was only waiting for the moment to get back here."
She said that, leaning closer and closer on him.
"Did you ever think about me during this time?" Chihiro finally asked.
She didn't even know if she was serious or teasing him at this point. Part of her wanted to know, wanted to be sure. She needed a confirmation that she was not the only one of the two to have been longing for this day and that the sacrifice of her human life was not in vain.
"Like you… all the time. It was like I was waiting for you to come back. If I could have gone and get you… You would not have even one High School tale for us! It was… as if time dragged on and on until… I felt you would come back. I heard you saying so. I ran to the bridge and I waited. I've never wished for the sun to come down that much for so long."
She was so close to him now that their faces almost touched. She didn't care about teasing anymore. She put her hand on his chest, taking her time, and kissed him. She didn't go back to sleep with the other girls that night.
"Chihirooooooo… How come you were the first up but the last one to get to work? I don't understand! Why you didn't even unfold your futon last night? Did you sleep on the ground?" Lin said, teasing her the next day.
"Oooooh… hush you!" Chihiro eloquently answered.
"My, my! Our fair maiden may not be so innocent anymore! Hitomi saw you, as she was hanging the drapes this morning, giving a not-so-chaste kiss goodbye to Kohaku…"
"Nothing of the sort happened! Stop imagining things!"
"Sorry girl, but when it comes to Kohaku, you're a terrible liar!"
Being spotted on, Chihiro did the only thing she could. Blush, make a face at them, tongue out, and get back to work with enhanced fervour. Even if she did feel a little sore after that night. No wonder his other form was a…powerful… dragon. She really had to think about something else or her face would betray her again.
"Ooooooooh! What are you thinking about now, Chihiro! You're so red all of a sudden!"
Damn!
Time dragged on itself on wonderfully. Chihiro worked and loved. How could this get any better? Kohaku, her little Haku, was shyly courting her, trying to keep a detached and impassible air to himself. It looked like even guy spirits tried to 'play it cool'.
Meanwhile, she took all the opportunities she got to ask specific questions to customers. All and every information were rewarded with a bath of superior quality 'on the house'. Still she didn't want to upset the Yubaba so she paid the difference herself. One night, resting on the naked chest of her lover, she asked him a question.
"Do you think you could take a day off? I need you for something. I'd like to go see someone."
Kohaku simply kissed the top of her head.
The very next day, they flew off the roof of the Inn, on Chihiro's direction. Kohaku, being a river spirit, knew where they were heading. Still, she worked so hard for those directions he just let her lead the way. After a while, they saw huge mountains far away. As they got closer, Chihiro saw the ocean at her right. She spotted a river slowly adding her water to the endless mass of water. They followed it a little while until they got at the mountain's feet. A lake formed by melting snow fed the life of a multitude of small flowers wherever she looked. They circled the lake, searching for someone. Then she saw her.
"Granny Tsuki..."
Kohaku landed a few paces away from the old woman. She was looking at them curiously, still sitting on the green grass. She wore a green kimono and looked like peace itself. Chihiro dismounted from the back of the neck of Kohaku and ran to her surrogate grandmother.
"Chihiro? Is that really you?" asked the old woman, opening her eyes wide.
The young woman could not answer. She now had her head in her chest crying her eyes out. Part of her thought that if she had to shed any more happy tears, she would dehydrate.
"My poor, poor little thing. There, there. I won't leave in smoke, don't worry. Thank you though. I could have never hoped more from the afterlife."
"But the ocean..."
"Yes. I can get there anytime I like... but I like it here too. I'll surely go and see it at some time, but I'm not in any hurry, am I? What about you? What happened to you? You were looking perfectly healthy last time I saw you. And... who is that fine young man waiting behind you to be introduced, that was a dragon just moments ago?
"Ha! Sorry! Granny Tsuki, this is my boyfriend, the river's spirit, Kohaku. Haku-chan, this is Tsuki-obassan, the owner of that store I worked at."
"Please to meet you. Chihiro talked a lot about you."
"Is that so? Well, she told me only once about you but it was with so much eloquence... I'm glad you can be together."
"Don't worry Granny! I didn't pass away. I can get back to the human world at anytime... if I want to."
"Which is not the case as you finally found what you were searching for even the very first day you met me. Am I wrong?"
"Nope!" She said, hugging Kohaku's arm.
They took their time to catch up. Then Kohaku touched her arm. She looked pleadingly. He closed his eye.
"Look like it's time to go, Granny."
She had not missed the silent exchange. Those two would be happy.
"Come back anytime you like, you know I always like your company. And be sure to get this fine young man with you. Quite the pretty boy..."
"Granny!"
"What?"
They hugged, giggling, and went their separate ways.
"You should take the day off and rest! It's not normal!" pleaded Chihiro to her boyfriend.
Kohaku was a little out of breath and sweaty.
"It's nothing... it's going to pass.
"Not if you keep pushing yourself! It started with a sneeze and now you have a fever! Stay down for once! Your duty can wait!"
He finally gave up and sat down. Now Chihiro knew he was feeling worst then he let on. He never missed a day's work. Except when she asked him to... but this was different.
"I'm going to get a doctor. If you move a strand of hair from that pillow, I'm going to tie you down!"
She got out of his apartment. Then, she started running. She never had been that worried. Something was awfully wrong. She went straight to see the manager. Yubaba didn't even try to weasel out of calling the doctor. In fact, she almost threatens him with curses if he wasn't there by the time she hung up the phone. She came to trust and respect Chihiro. The fact that it was about Kohaku she was in such distress only added to her own worry. She told Chihiro to calm down and get back to take care of her man. It would not do him any good to see her worried sick. She did just that. Wet towels, incense and foot massage... while saying what a baby he was to make a fuzz out of a little cold. Kohaku knew better than to take that seriously.
The doctor came. She waited outside the room, for two whole hours. Then, the spirit doctor got out.
"So?"
"Nothing," he said shaking his head.
"What?"
"He's got nothing. Well... at least, nothing from the Spirit world."
Chihiro's spine grew cold.
"Meaning?"
"He's the spirit of the Kohaku River. If something happen to the river, something happens to him. Now that I mention this, it happened before. He was the spirit of a beautiful lake. He suddenly got ill... and died. Spirits are as immortal as their physical representation.
"So... something happened in the human world that got Kohaku to become like this."
"Yes."
"If it is fixed back to the way it was, in the human world..."
"I'm practically certain that he will get back to full health."
"Understood. Thank you doctor."
"I'm sorry I could not do more."
"Don't worry, I'll take it from here on."
"Kamajii, I need a favour."
The four-armed men knew Chihiro was serious the moment she got in.
"What can I do for you my child?"
"I made some money here, but money here and in the human world isn't the same, is it?"
"You're a smart child... no. A smart young woman."
"Thanks. I wondered... if I could bring all of it in a form that would be more useful to me."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Chi, Ki, Spiritual energy. Whatever you call it."
The man looked... impressed, to say the least.
"You know that you can't carry a backpack full of spirit energy around now, do you?"
"I guessed that."
"It may change you."
"I'm ready to face the consequences."
He sat back, sighing.
"Then... I'm sure I've got some train ticket around here..."
"Train ticket? Why... Oh. Granny Zeniba."
"You're really a smart girl now, are you..."
"Hai..."
A few days later, Chihiro got back from her trip to the owner's twin sister place. She didn't seem so different on the outside, only calmer. But any spirit that looked at her did a double take. She directly went to see Kohaku. He was in an even worse shape. She hoped he would last long enough.
"I know what you're thinking, Chihiro-chan... Don't worry. You very well know that time here..." he said weakly.
"Doesn't pass like in the human world. I know," she finished, nodding.
"Just... be careful, alright?" pleaded Kohaku, knowing he couldn't stop her.
"I will. I promise"
She knelled beside him and kissed him briefly. He needed his oxygen... She said very fast goodbyes and left the Inn without looking back. It was broad daylight. She hopped from stone to stone on the muddy ground. She walked awhile and crossed the stone tunnel. She made it to the train station in time for the last ride of the day. She didn't mind spending her first night outside but she didn't have a sleeping bag. She needed to gather supplies... but she couldn't help to go check out right now what was killing Kohaku like that. She got off at the stop, walked the same road she had taken right before coming back to the Spirit world. Everything still looked pretty much the same. She wondered if another year went by here. If she gets back home, she won't hear the end of it. There! There was the river.
Even at first sight, something was wrong. The riverside was... mucky. She found what looked like old garbage bags under a rock, touching the water. Algae seemed to litter the deep end. The water didn't have the clarity she remembered. She was shocked and so sad. There was the physical representation of Kohaku in this world and it was defiled! She walked into the river, blind to everything around her, and started to weep.