Thank you so much for reading my fanfiction! I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I promise I'll update sooner from now on. I had a bit of writer's block.

This is chapter three, and it's making me regret writing this. I really had to change my original outline around a bit since I discovered Human!NoFace. I really want to incorporate him in my story, but wasn't too sure how it would go down with all of you. I really hope you're okay with it, so I'll wait till the next chapter to add him.

Chapter 3: The Bathhouse

In Chihiro's new town, a fancy bathhouse stood tall between the school and the mountains. Despite how small the town was, the bathhouse was always bustling with noise. Locals and tourists entered the grand baths to relax their nerves everyday. It was also the main place of employment for most in the town.

As Chihiro walked to school everyday, she always stopped to look across the bridge at the tall building. It mainly operated at night, but occasionally she would see someone walk inside or out. She would wonder how a bathhouse could stay open for such a long time and still allow their workers to rest. One of her classmates had said that her sister worked to clean the baths, and that she rarely got sleep.

When Chihiro walked back from school, people would be lighting the lanterns. The mere thought of working hard made Chihiro's stomach churn.

She went to Zeniba to ask about the place.

"I'm glad to see you again so soon. I wasn't expecting company, but I hope some cake will satisfy as refreshments." Zeniba placed a plate in front of her, the white frosting thick and creamy compared to the moist chocolate cake. A cup of black tea sat steaming next to the plate, complete with a teaspoon of sugar and a few drops of cream.

"Thanks, it looks good." Chihiro took her fork and cut a bite off the tip of the cake, closing her eyes to savor the taste of the cake in her mouth. "It's wonderful, Ma'am!" The cake almost made Chihiro forget why she was there.

"I heard Haku helped you out of the forest last time you came here." A wide grin graced Zeniba's wrinkled face. "Did he act like a gentleman around you or was his attitude stubborn as usual?" Chihiro giggled, thinking back to the boy with the bobbed hair.

"It was a mix of the two. He really did help me out though. I might not have been able to find my way back." She took a sip of her tea, the warmth pooling in her stomach. "I have a question about the bathhouse..."

Zeniba raised a brow, sipping her tea as well. "The bath house? My rotten sister runs that place like a sweat shop. What about it?"

"I want to know more about it. Like why it's still open even though there aren't many people here and why people go to work there even though it's tough."

"That bathhouse has been in business for two hundred years. It has been in my family since it was opened. It used to be a great place to work, it really was. Once my sister got her hands on the place, she forced everybody to sign contracts so they wouldn't leave. Those that work there are forced to work there for life. Worse, she makes them change their names. They work long hours and with little pay. My sister is a greedy person. Promise me you'll never go there."

"...I promise..."

Sorry about the short chapter! I wanted to end it here, because I love cliffhangers. Next chapter I'll introduce Human!NoFace, unless you guys don't want me to. Again, sorry about how short the chapter is.