Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away

Authors Notes: Thank you so much to those who had reviewed for my previous chapter RainSpirit and Amidstsnow. Glad to know, I still have readers following this story :) It makes my day.

Happy Reading!

Chapter 9: The Unexpected

"WHY DID YOU DISAPPEAR LIKE THAT?"

Chihiro cringed.

Kenshin who never get worked up with anything before was actually shouting at Chihiro.

"I am sorry?" Chihiro answered rather uncertainly.

Chihiro felt like taking a photo. Every since they came to the town she grew up in, Kenshin had been giving out rather interesting expressions that she had never seen before.

She was hiding slightly behind Haku who was looking furiously at Kenshin.

"You have no right shouting at her like that." Haku spoke up in his clear stern voice.

"And who are you?" Kenshin was losing his patience.

"This is Kohaku," Chihiro introduce cheerfully.

She wasn't upset at Kenshin shouting at her. She was actually amused that he was livid and for someone who never showed expression, it was rather interesting.

Kenshin never did had patience from the start and for the passed days when Chihiro suddenly disappear no one told him anything except she returned to Kanagawa for an emergency family matter.

The most unbelievable thing was she didn't tell him before she left!

They were supposed to be here for their university project.

She just bailed on him without a word.

He tried calling her cell.

It wasn't working.

The next thing he knew he was so furious!

He didn't know the number to her parents' home. When he asked Toshihiro he only smiled and said Chihiro will return soon and not to worry. He didn't dare to lose his cool around Toshihiro though.

"You can stand there happily introducing me to your boyfriend when you can't even give me an explanation that you suddenly gone off…"

"Whoa whao!" Chihiro finally came out from behind Haku to stand before Kenshin. "First of all, Kohaku is a friend."

Haku felt a stab in his heart at hearing this but he knew that he couldn't blame Chihiro for it. He did know the meaning of boyfriend in the human world. He had heard it often when he was in school with Chihiro.

"Second of all I have no obligations to tell you where I have to go." Chihiro continued in a rather haughty manner and fold her arms in front of her. "Thirdly I already apologize even though I don't know why I have to!"

"What?" Kenshin nearly blow his top. "You call that an apology?"

A sudden flash in the room nearly blinded Kenshin.

Haku raised an eyebrow.

Chihiro couldn't hold it in anymore took out her cell and took a picture of Kenshin.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kenshin's veins were popping but his voice was in check this time.

"Your fans would love to see various expressions of you." Chihiro replied rather cheekily looking at her cell with a huge grin.

"You wouldn't dare." Kenshin almost went pale.

Chihiro only smiled.

"Give me that…" Kenshin reached over to her trying to grab her cell.

Chihiro dodged.

"You better delete that."

"Nope…." Chihiro slide backwards towards the door and turn running out swiftly.

"Damn!" Kenshin ran after her.

Haku sighed as he too ran out with them.

He knew that Chihiro was different from before. She suddenly reminded him of Kokoro. It was not often he had seen her childlike behavior and playfulness. Back when she possessed spiritual abilities, she held great responsibilities and she always never had time for leisure. That made her grew up faster than normal teenagers.

He knew it but somehow he didn't know how to react to this new side of hers.

When Haku stepped out the house. He saw Chihiro frozen not far from the Torii. Kenshin stood not far from her looking slightly worried.

He quickly walked up to Chihiro. Something was wrong.

It was already dark outside. They did come back late in the day.

Maybe Chihiro shouldn't be out at this time. She did just come back from the spirit world and she might have over exerted herself.

"Chihiro what's wrong?" Haku could hear Kenshin asking her but there was no answer from her as she stared wide-eyed at the entrance of the Torii.

She clutched the cell she was holding with both hands tightly close to her chest. Her mouth was slightly ajar and her eyes wide.

"Chihiro?" Haku called softly when he got close and touched her shoulder gently.

Chihiro gasped and looked liked she came to her senses, turned to Haku standing close to him.

"I saw… I saw…"

"What did you see…?" Haku asked slowly.

"Huge…" Chihiro couldn't speak properly.

"Huge?" Kenshin frowned.

Chihiro's lower lip quivered, as she couldn't continue her sentence.

"I am bringing her back in." Haku told Kenshin and ushered her back to the house with his arm around her shoulder.

Kenshin sighed and ran his hand through his untidy hair.

Chihiro suddenly went so pale. He was so shock that he totally forgot about the photo.

What happened to her?

Kenshin was worried but he didn't want to impose.

He could see Chihiro and Haku had some sort of bond even though Chihiro told him they were friends but there were a close connection he saw when they were together that he couldn't explain.

So instead he took a walk outside, he needed to clear his head. All the strange emotions whirling inside him were going to make him crazy.

Haku went to get Chihiro a glass of water. When he returned to her room she was curled up in the corner staring at a tiny charcoal colour youkai in the middle of the room.

It was small round shrine youkai with horns and red eyes. It was harmless and sometimes appears to visit Toshihiro.

If Chihiro had her memories, she actually knew this youkai. Toshihiro had told him before how she always saved smaller weaker youkai. She saved it before a long time ago when she was still a young girl.

It was injured by bigger youkai and was in terrible shape. Chihiro brought it back to the shrine and helped healed its wounds.

Haku blinked.

Was Chihiro looking at the youkai?

"Chihiro?" Haku walked into the room towards her.

When she saw Haku walking back into the room, she got up and ran towards him. She flung her arms around his neck.

Haku was so surprised that he almost dropped the glass of water.

"What is that?" Chihiro cried. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

"Eh?"

Haku looked back at the youkai who looked quite anxious.

"I didn't do anything." It replied. "I just came by to see her, it had been a long time since she came back to the shrine. I heard she lost her spiritual sight. But did she just saw me?"

"Chihiro what did you see?" Haku wanted to make sure.

"I… I…" Chihiro pulled away from Haku slowly with both her hands still on his shoulders she looked back and frowned. Then blinked several times and shook her head. "I swear that it was just there!"

The youkai was still in the room raised his eyebrows looking confused.

"Can you describe it?" Haku asked to be sure.

"It's black like charcoal… small… round" She replied looking confused. "Its eyes are red and it has horns!"

She had described every detail of the youkai correctly.

But did she suddenly lose her sight again?

"I swear I saw something!" Chihiro looked at Haku desperately. "Even earlier outside…"

"What happened outside?"

"By the Torii…" Chihiro's voice was fading away as her hands slipped off Haku's shoulders. "There were huge lion dogs! Two of them by the Torii and there were blue flames around them!"

Haku looked shocked and Chihiro blushed she knew she sounded stupid.

She could see Yemon the two komainu standing by the Torri that comes to life at night to guard the shrine from evil spirits. Haku thought astounded as he looked at Chihiro with wide eyes.

He watched Chihiro looked back slowly towards the youkai again and her eyes widened with fear.

He was confused when Chihiro yelled.

"Uwaaah…" Chihiro turned back to Haku and hugged him again. She buried her face on his shoulder. "It's still there!"

"Chihiro calm down." Haku placed a hand on her head and the other around her shoulders. "It is not here to harm you. The youkai you see in the shrine are not evil youkai."

"Youkai?" Chihiro stammered and looked up at Haku.

She looked like a child with tears in her eyes. Haku smiled softly. It must be hard since she didn't remember any of it.

"Kohaku-sama." The youkai was still in the room. "May I say speak… I seem to notice something."

"What is it?"

"It seems like Chihiro-sama loses her ability to see me whenever she is in contact with you."

Haku raised an eyebrow.

"Chihiro…"

Haku held her by the sides of her arms and gently moved her away from him. He needed to explain this to her slowly without alarming her.

He always wondered when Chihiro was younger she might had been so frightened having to face this by herself before she met Toshihiro. He knew that he couldn't turn back time but it didn't stop him from wishing that he had been there with her through that difficult period.

However, he felt like he was given another chance to help her now.

"You were gifted with the spiritual sight." Haku told her gently.

"I don't understand."

"Your friends from the shrine did you remember what I told you?"

"Ah…" Chihiro's eyes widened with realization.

Haku slowly lifted his hands away from Chihiro and she turned to face the youkai gradually.

"Tadaima Chihiro-sama."

It bounced closer to Chihiro who almost took a step back but stopped herself.

After a short pause she took a deep breath and knelt down slowly.

She wanted to speak with him. She needed to know more about it. This was the realm Haku came from. She wanted to learn what was it like.

"How did we meet?" Chihiro started the conversation.

"Chihiro-sama was on your way home from what you human called it, school." It told her. "You still young then. I was badly wounded and you brought me home."

"I see…" Chihiro chuckled softly. "I am sorry I am not laughing at you. It was just that I knew I'm always the strange one. Kids usually bring home small wounded animals but I brought home wounded youkai."

"You help quite a number of us before Toshihiro put a stop to it."

"Eh why?" Chihiro inclined her head.

Haku was also surprised at the news. He never knew any of that.

"You have the ability to heal wounds on Youkai Chihiro-sama." It explained. "When other youkai found out, day and night many of us visit you to be healed."

Chihiro blinked.

"What do you mean by that?" Haku frowned slightly.

"Chihiro-sama had a special ability to heal Kohaku-sama by just touching the injury." The youkai explained. "But Toshihiro put a seal on it so that Chihiro-sama could no longer use that ability. It just uses too much of her energy for a young human girl that age to be seeing and helping so many youkai. But even after Chihiro grew up Toshihiro-sama never unbind the seal. But I can understand why. That energy she had attracted many evil youkai. The number decreases when it was sealed. Maybe that was why Toshihiro-sama never undo the seal."

So that was why he knew nothing about it when he met up with Chihiro when she was older and no one told him about it. There were so many things about Chihiro he didn't know still.

Haku was rather displeased, Chihiro never mentioned anything before too. Though he knew that Chihiro always never wanted him to worry so she always kept matters to herself, which always made him somewhat displeased.

However, this was not the time to dwell over something in the past.

They have more important matters to look into now. If Chihiro had gained sight, it may mean that she may start attracting spirits good or bad.

He looked down at her who was still on her knees staring at the youkai.

She looked very attentive as she listened to the explanations.

But did she understand anything the youkai just explained? He wondered.

She really wondered what kind of life had she gone through? Her memories were altered to accommodate the lost pockets, so she couldn't imagine youkai such as this one before her came to visit her day and night.

"Are all youkai your size?" Chihiro asked after a short while of silence in the room.

She was curious what other kind of youkai she met.

Haku was taken aback by her question. She wasn't curious about her healing ability? It was so like Chihiro always thinking about others before herself.

"Oh no Chihiro-sama, youkai come in all sizes and shapes. I am one of the smallest of my kind."

"What are you?"

"I am a fire starter youkai."

"I see…"

"Chihiro," Haku touched Chihiro on her shoulder.

Instantly Chihiro lost sight of the youkai.

"Eh? He is gone?" Chihiro blinked.

Haku froze. Should he let go? She didn't know about it yet and he needs to talk to her privately.

The youkai sensed that Haku needed him to leave. He finally bounced off and out the room. Besides it wanted to meet Toshihiro.

"But I didn't get to say bye to it! Why did he disappear?" Chihiro looked a little disappointed.

"He has matters to attend to Chihiro." Haku told her gently and lifted his hand away from her shoulder. "I need to talk to you."

"Is something wrong?" Chihiro stood up to face Haku with her head slightly inclined and her hands clasped behind her back.

Haku smiled softly at the sight. She looked like a schoolgirl waiting for a teacher's instruction. But sighed softly when he remembered what he needed to tell her. It would be a long night explaining it to her.

Chihiro lay wide-awake on her futon staring up the dark ceiling.

After Haku told her everything about what she used to be able to do, she couldn't sleep at all. He was patient as he explained everything. It rendered her speechless after hearing more about her past.

Finally Haku told her to get some rest and left her alone to be in her thoughts.

He didn't want to push it any further. He could see that telling her everything was a little too much to take in all at once.

She sighed and turned over to her side. How could she possible sleep after hearing all of that?

Her emotions were in a mess.

Finally she sat up and flung her covers away. She needed some fresh air. Grabbing a jumper nearby she put it on and went outside.

The air around the shrine was cooling and clean.

She looked up the dark sky to see it lit up with beautiful sparkly stars and smiled slightly.

How much she missed this place.

The wind blew gently around her calming her anxiety.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in relief.

It always gave her the peace she needed.

This place was more than a home to her.

She always wondered why an old shrine.

Now she finally understood why she loved this place so much.

The feelings had so much meaning behind it.

"Chi-chan?"

Chihiro opened her eyes to see Kenshin walking up to her.

"Ken, why are you out here?"

"That goes the same to you."

Chihiro looked away up and up the sky again.

"Were you out here the whole time?" Chihiro asked quietly.

"I couldn't sleep so I came out for a walk." He shrugged.

Chihiro smiled softly and turned back to him.

"I am really sorry I left without saying a word Ken-chan…"

"Urg can you drop the 'chan'." Kenshin said irritated and ran his hand through his dark hair messing it up more.

Chihiro chuckled softly.

He always did that whenever he gets annoyed.

"I am seriously sorry Ken…" Chihiro said soberly with a sad smile this time.

"I'm not angry at you Chi-chan…" Kenshin replied softly and added. "I'm just irritated what happened in the forest. That morning when you disappeared, your friend came back to the campsite saying you were sick. But when I got there you were gone and Toshihiro-san was there. Did you know how much trouble you caused all of us?"

"Sorry…" Chihiro whispered with her head down.

Wow, Toshihiro really worked fast. Chihiro thought.

But how did he get there so fast anyways?

Teleportation? Somehow, nothing surprises her anymore if it was true.

"Jeez stop apologizing already!" Kenshin almost shouted.

He hated it when Chihiro looked like that. He had no idea why it bothered him so much. He rather had her shouting and yelling at him than her looking like that.

There was silence from Chihiro with her head still down.

Kenshin sighed in defeat.

"Let's take a walk together." He told her gently.

Chihiro looked up in surprise.

He was seriously not angry?

"Come on…" Kenshin grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

Chihiro smiled and followed.

As they walked around the shrine side by side and she could see Yemon patrolling around the place. They took turns standing by the Torii and the other patrolling.

They looked so magnificent with the blue flames around them.

How could she even think they were scary?

She smiled at them slightly and nodded when they went by. They nod back.

"Good to see you back Chihiro-sama." They told her.

Chihiro chuckled.

"What's up with you?" Kenshin asked looking enquiringly at Chihiro who suddenly laughed for no reason.

"It's nothing." Chihiro replied with a small smile on her face. "It's just that, things had changed. I wonder if I am able to live up to these changes…"

Kenshin raised an eyebrow at her vague explanation. She just made no sense to him.

But he remembered Chihiro mentioned how much she hated changes.

"Then strive to make it a happy change." Kenshin replied monotone.

Chihiro blinked. She remembered the conversation they had by the riverbank. She almost laughed.

"Yeah you are right." She said instead and smiled.

Haku stood on top the roof of the shrine watching them. He could tell how much Chihiro meant to that boy Kenshin. Even though he had no idea about his feelings. Haku could only hoped that it remained that way.

He knew that Chihiro only treats Kenshin as an important friend just like Eiji but he couldn't have obstacles in his way now. Besides, he knew Chihiro cherished her friends dearly and he didn't want to do anything to upset her.

Now that she had gained her spiritual sight, his hope for her memories to return may be close.

To be continued...

Authors Note: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Do review! :)

Torii (鳥居 literally bird abode)is a traditional Japanese Gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto Shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred. The presence of a torii at the entrance is usually the simplest way to identify Shinto shrines, and a small torii icon represents them on Japanese road maps.

Komainu (狛犬) often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance or the inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto Shrine or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the public. The first type, born during the Edo Period is called sando komainu (参道狛犬 visiting road Komainu), the second and much older type jinnai komainu (陣内狛犬 shrine inside Komainu) They can sometimes be found also at Buddhist Temples, nobility residences or even private homes.

Futon (布団) is traditional Japanese Bedding comprising a quilted mattress that is usually laid on the floor. A bedding set consists of both a mattress (敷き布団 shikibuton, lit. "spreading futon") and a duvet (掛け布団 kakebuton lit "covering futon"), although the word "futon" is also used to refer specifically to the mattress. Both elements of a futon bedding set are pliable enough to be folded and stored away during the day, allowing the room to serve for purposes other than as bedroom.