By the time Chihiro's parents got back, Chihiro was feeling much better and was chatting with Haku casually.
"Mom! Dad! I remember him now." Chihiro had been working on a story to tell her parents.
"I met him in primary school in our old town. He used to pull my hair and get me so mad! But one day a bully was trying to pick on me and he saved me." she said with a smile.
"Oh yah, I remember that story" her father said nodding.
Chihiro and Haku exchanged glances, the story, obviously, was a lie. She thought they would put up more of an argument against it, or she would at least get a, "You never mentioned anything like that" But it did not come. Haku mouthed, "I'll explain" to her and she nodded, then she asked if he could hang out with them.
When asked where his parents were, Haku lied smoothly, they were in the hotel, they had eaten some bad shrimp and got a nasty case of food poisoning the night before, so they sent Haku into the parks alone, since there was an entrance to the second park right in the hotel's lobby. Her parents nodded and allowed him to join them.
They ran around the rest of the day like free spirits. Haku commented later that he never had that much fun in his entire life.
"Not even as a dragon?" she had to ask.
"Maybe twice." he admitted, "Both times with you."
She felt herself blush and laughed. They stood in a ridiculously long line for a ride in the newer park. One that dropped the riders thirteen feet as they sat in an elevator with nothing but a lap belt to hold them in. When they fell, Haku got a memory of the last time she was there.
"Remember falling?" he had to ask her after they were done with the ride.
"At the bathhouse? When you were hurt." she frowned, she didn't like thinking of that.
"That's what it reminded me of. Every cell in me wanted to find my dragon form and change to get us out of there."
"It's a perfectly safe ride." she told him, a little upset that he might have not enjoyed it.
"It was fun" he nodded. "My instincts are just trained to do that."
"Silly." she laughed and punched him in the shoulder.
They spent the next few minutes running around, she screamed and laughed while he tried to catch her. When he finally did he tickled her into submission. People at the park were smiling at them, her parents took pictures.
There was a moment, when she fell to the floor in giggles and he followed her, she tried to push him away but he lost his balance and fell back, pulling her on him. He heard the laughter die on her lips when she saw that they were only inches apart. She let out a nervous giggle but didn't move. Haku didn't move either, though he wanted to stroke her cheek, or her hair. He heard the clicking of the camera, then, her parents realized that the look they shared wasn't just two children playing around, it was serious. Her father cleared his throat and Chihiro squeaked fell off of Haku. Haku couldn't help but laugh as he stood up and helped the girl up.
"Are you going to explain now?" she asked as they trailed behind her parents to find something else to go on.
"Huh? Oh, right. The beings that helped me be here, they need to plant memories in your parent's heads so that they think I've existed in this world the entire time. We're the only ones who know the truth." he said.
Haku smiled at Chihiro's expression, more like disbelief.
"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked her.
"I just keep feeling like this is all a dream. Like I'm going to wake up at any second and find myself at home go to the airport and come here." she admitted.
"I know, it feels like a dream to me too." he smiled at her.
Haku marveled at how easy it was, to be here with her after all this time. As they walked, his hand would brush hers every so often. Finally he took her smooth hand in his, and laced their fingers together. He looked at Chihiro, who was looking from their hands to his face with a shocked expression, but she didn't pull her hand out of his.
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed her mother look back at them. He could see a faint smile playing on her lips, but a look of concern and sadness filled her eyes. He understood, she was happy to see her so happy, especially if she got into as many fights as Chihiro herself said she did. He assumed that she didn't have many close friends. She was also sad, seeing her little girl growing up.
When the day came to an end and they walked to the hotel entrance to get their passes to stay longer in the park, it was a night where it remained open longer for the resort guests, Haku began to panic. He didn't have a ticket that would get him into the park, he would get into trouble.
"Chihiro here's your ticket, honey here's yours, and here's yours Haku." said Chihiro's mother as she passed out the tickets that doubled as room keys.
Haku and Chihiro exchanged glances again. The lie was that Haku's parents were in the hotel. How could they have possibly gotten a ticket for him. Realization hit Haku quickly and he couldn't help but smile.
"They changed the story." Haku muttered to Chihiro, "Instead of us meeting, They made me come with you here. They set everything up so it looks like I've been here the whole time."
He saw Chihiro smile and nod, "Clever" she whispered back to him.
Haku could only nod since he needed to give the ticket to the ticket taker, the man scanned it and gave him a wristband. As soon as it was done, they all went back into the park and finally Chihiro's mom let them split up.
"We'll meet back in our rooms." she was saying.
Haku let Chihiro pull him to whichever ride she wanted. He smiled at her enthusiasm.
"You're excited."
"It's my birthday and I get to spend it with my best friend." she told him happily.
"I forgot it was your birthday. I didn't get you a gift."
"You are my gift. You're here." she said smiling.
"I just thought of another one for you, if you want it."
"What is it?"
He pulled her into his arms and took her chin in his hand. He tilted her chin up gently and, moving slowly to give her time to pull away, he lowered his lips to her. He could feel her stop breathing, he was terrified of moving too fast. He stopped, just inches from her lips, and waited, just waited.
"It's up to you." he whispered.
"Ok." she said.
She didn't move, so Haku allowed his lips to touch hers gently. The kiss was sweet. Haku pulled back after a second and saw Chihiro was blushing.
"Thank you Haku." she whispered.
"It was just a kiss." he said.
"It was my first. I'm glad it was with you."
It was his turn to blush. He cleared his throat, "Lets go on another ride" he told her.
Laughing she led him to a ride that looked like swings. They chose the yellow chairs, which allowed two people to share the seat and ride together. When the ride took off she closed her eyes and smiled when the wind pushed her hair back.
"I imagine that I'm flying. Usually, on rides like that, I extend my hands out and act like I'm soaring through the sky." she confessed.
"Want to ride it again? On separate seats?"
"No, I'm going to take you to the best ride here, I made my mom and dad ride it ten times yesterday."
She led him across the park and to an indoor ride.
"It lets you feel like you're flying too." she told him.
"How?" he asked, noting that they were still in a building.
"You'll see."
The line led to a hanger, there were two sets of chairs that were set into three rows. In front of the chairs was an enormous screen. They got to get into seats in the front, which made Chihiro very excited. They sat down and buckled in. Haku still didn't understand how this would make them feel like they were flying.
The lights dimmed and the hanger soared upwards towards the screen. The screen came on, showing a cloud cover then opening to a red bridge. The screen cut to a scene of people on kayaks in a river, then hot air balloons. The serene ocean was next, along with a cool breeze. Snow covered mountains and the smell of pine followed, along with a colder breeze. They were flying next to a majestic waterfall and a hang glider. The next scene was a valley and a golf course. A golf ball flew at the screen. The scene cut to orange groves and the smell of the fruit filled Haku's nose. The next scene was a rugged mountain terrain with planes flying. A Navy ship could be seen next, followed by another cool ocean view, this time at sunset. A dark city with a busy expressway the the next shot, followed by the theme park where they were at. A fairy came on the scene and led a spectacular fireworks display which ended the ride.
When the ride ended, Haku was breathless. He wanted to fly again. He realized that he missed it. He wanted to see the sites for himself, as a dragon with Chihiro on his back.
"I miss that." he said suddenly.
"What?"
"I miss flying." he admitted.
He heard Chihiro gulp and smiled at her as they walked out into the night.
"Not as much as I missed you though." he told her.