CHAPTER X

-deep feelings-

Chihiro and Kohaku walked further and further away from the path, eventually reaching the bridge to the Bath House. Chihiro paused and looked up at the building. There was something stuck between her lungs, and it seemed painful to breath each time. She wanted to know if it was because of Kohaku's memory, or the fact that this world was being abandoned by the Gods.

"So, this place is no more..." she mumbled.

"Chihiro, you know...I may not remember, but I feel that we have a story long way back. It was an amazing story, wasn't it?" he said as they sat down.

"Yes, it was..."

"So, are you going to erase that story along with this one? You are going to fight...right?"

Chihiro looked surprised by those words.

"It's just that...my magical world seems to evaporate right in front of me. And I don't know if I can do anything to stop it. Now that I found it again...how can I lose it...?" she said in low voice, and a sob started running up her throat. The half moon observed from the top of the sky as if it was to fall down at any moment.

Kohaku hugged her and let her cry in his arms. After a few moments she calmed down and looked at the horizon again. But Kohaku placed his fingers under her chin and turned her to face him. Her eyes were still teary.

"You sure cry a lot...Too bad I can't perform a strength spell this time..." he smiled bitterly.

Chihiro's eyes opened widely. She was about to gasp something out, but Kohaku silenced her with a kiss. He was quick, yet his lips fell softly on hers. She was surprised even more by this.

As soon as they separated, a blushing Chihiro looked up with a vague look in her eyes.

"But...How? Uhh...when?" she blurted out.

"When I saw you crying, I think. It was so sudden, as if a door opened in front of me. When I went through that door...It all came back." he answered, not showing the slightest sign of being upset.

"Oh..." she muttered and smiled at him "So, now I think I can sleep without worries..."

"Yes. You'd better rest." he agreed and patted her head.

Kohaku leaned back on the wooden rail of the bridge as Chihiro rested her head on his chest.

He recalled the sleepless nights he had spent in that room.

As a human, I'm a quite tense one, he thought to himself and smiled at his own comment. He wondered when he had slept for the last time. His eyelids were dropping, and the only sound in his ears was Chihiro's calm breathing. He eventually gave in to fatigue.

~/~

By the time they arrived at the station, the sun had just started diving. That one time that Chihiro had reached the station, she had help from Lin since the place was flooded like an ocean. But it didn't seem like that at all, this time. In fact, there was no trace of water whatsoever. They walked all the way, hand by hand, until the elevated point of the railway. They didn't wait much, the train stopped in front of them soon enough. The same big shady spirit took the tickets Zeniba had gave them. They sat down without saying a word.

"Let's see, how this story is going to unfold..." Chihiro said as she gazed through the window behind her.

Meanwhile, in a small spirit town not far away, a cook hastily went up the stairs of an old but prestigious building. It must have been built by aristocrats. He opened one of the many doors of the corridor and panting, he stepped in.

"Did you call?" he said in a respectful manner to the witch in front of him. She was sitting on a wooden chair, resting her huge head on her hand.

"Kanzai , prepare dinner for two more. It seems that guests are on their way."

Awwww minna-san! Thanks a bunch for your reviews. They truly motivated me a lot. (Teary puppy eyes in front of my inbox). Ya know...Useless summer days, heat, blah blah and I sometimes lose any mood whatsoever. But I promised to myself that I'd finish this before summer ends. I really liked this chapter, btw.