A/N: For those who reviewed my story (Aria Mai Olican-Wren, savage, darkknight, Nanadive, HappySmileyFacey, Sparklymist and Guest) you have my utmost gratitude.
ARIGATO GOZAIMAS
Chihiro leaned on one side of the elevator when she and Rin got in. Rin kept talking about how much the bathhouse has changed after she left. But Chihiro was too lost in her thoughts to heed on Rin's constant chatter.
All of a sudden, Chihiro felt like her body was ten times lighter. Her eyes dilated when she noticed that half of her body was starting to pass through the wall of the lift that she was leaning on.
"Rin!" Chihiro squealed in panic
Rin turned to face Chihiro and gasped at the sight of the human slowly dissipating into nothingness and that she was about to fall off of the lift. Rin swiftly tugged at the sleeve of Chihiro's semi-solid shirt, thus pulling her safely inside.
"Eat this Chihiro." Rin said as she got piece of kompeitou inside the round basket that she was carrying and fed it to Chihiro (since she cannot take hold of it on her own).
Chihiro hastily chewed the piece of candy and swallowed it down. It took her a few minutes to calm her nerves down. As soon as her body materialized again, Chihiro stood up.
The lift doors suddenly opened.
"We're here Sen." Rin said
"Thank you Rin." Chihiro said, smiling at her friend inside the elevator as she got out.
The last Chihiro saw was Rin forcing a smile upon her lips, trying her best to hide her worry before the elevator doors closed. Chihiro moved towards the large, opulent door that was in front of her. She was just about to knock when—
"Oh you learned how to knock before opening a door." A small head that resembled Yubaba's large one on the door sarcastically said
Chihiro rolled her eyes. 'How stupid does she think I am?'
The doors abruptly swung open and for the second time in her life, Chihiro was harshly hurled inside Yubaba's office, tossing her on the floor, leaving her crouched down clutching her aching head.
"Ouch." She groaned
"I can see you're no longer a little girl." Yubaba chortled as she eyed the young woman "I suppose you came here to ask for a job?"
"Yes ma'am." Chihiro said as she managed to stand up
"I can see you've learned to have manners." Yubaba menacingly grinned "Alright, sign your contract and start work first thing in the morning. Your name will be Sen, as it was the last time."
A contract paper and a pen floated towards Chihiro. She quickly grabbed it and wrote down the name 'Chihiro' on the paper, as soon as she was done filling up the contract it floated back to Yubaba.
"Wait, why aren't you as ominous as you were the last time I came here?" Chihiro inquisitively asked her
Yubaba laughed "Ominous? I wasn't ominous. You were just simply a scaredy-cat then." She smirked
'Yeah right. Say that to your big fat head.' Chihiro glared at the witch.
"Now get going." Yubaba said "Takeshi!" she called out
Suddenly, a tall, slender man with shaggy, black hair walked inside Yubaba's office.
"You called for me, master?" He coolly asked as he faced Yubaba
"Get this girl a job." Yubaba dryly said as she dismissed us
"What's your name?" the man icily asked as he turned to face Chihiro
"S-Sen." Chihiro stuttered, this man reminded her of Haku. 'Oh Haku'. Chihiro felt a twinge in her heart at the thought of her beloved river spirit that is nowhere to be found.
"Let's go, Sen." The man said with a strident voice that put Chihiro out of her stupor.
Chihiro followed the man out of Yubaba's office and inside the lift. Chihiro couldn't help but gawk at the man beside her, he really remind her of…Him.
"What are you staring at? Is there something on my face?" The man asked as he shot her a bewildered look
Chihiro blinked and shifted her gaze at the lift doors.
"N-No." Chihiro spluttered as she fiddled with her fingers "I… You just reminded me of someone. What's your name, by the way?"
"Takeshi." Takeshi said "But call me Takeshi-Sama." Pride dripped from his voice, though the expression on his face remained rigid and devoid of emotions.
'Now he really reminds me of Haku.' Chihiro shuddered 'He's really giving me the creeps What if he knows about— Nah! He probably doesn't… But, it can't hurt to ask right? What have I got to lose?.'
"Takeshi—Uh, Sama, by any chance, have you seen or met a river god named H- Haku?" Chihiro said
Takeshi 's deep hazel eyes widened. 'How could this human possibly know of that lowly bastard's existence?' Takeshi managed to hide the shock on his face before Chihiro could catch a glimpse of it. 'I have to report this to Yubaba right away.'
"No. I haven't heard of him my entire life." Takeshi said as he glanced at Chihiro
"Oh." Chihiro downheartedly replied.
"This human needs a job. Who's willing enough to take her in?" Takeshi said as he stared at the bathhouse workers.
The antechamber was filled with eager pleas to have Chihiro. And at this state, everyone wanted Chihiro to be working in each of their departments. Takeshi gazed at Chihiro, he could not understand at all why all of the bathhouse workers wanted that this frail and fragile human to work with them.
'Why is this dude staring at me?' Chihiro stared at the ground, refusing to meet the gaze of Takeshi's piercing hazel eyes.
As Takeshi continued to stare at Chihiro, the more he appreciated her beauty. The way her expressive dark eyes sparkled under the light of the fluorescence, the way her silky russet hair is perfectly tied back on a ponytail and the way she'd bite her lower lip out of anxiousness.
'Such beauty.' Takeshi blinked at the sudden thought and shifted his gaze before anyone would catch him ogling at Chihiro.
"Shizukani!" Takeshi surly commanded, the room then fell silent.
Chihiro lightly tugged on the sleeve of Takeshi's hakama "Takeshi-sama." Chihiro mumbled
"Nani?" Takeshi asked as he cocked an eyebrow at Chihiro
"Maybe… I could work with Rin?" Chihiro suggested
"Alright. You shall work with Rin then, for now." Takeshi said "Go now, Sen."
Chihiro bowed at Takeshi and quickly ran outside to the hall where Rin was waiting for her.
"I can't believe you pulled it off. Again! " Rin happily exclaimed as she led Chihiro inside their room.
"Well, I got lucky I guess." Chihiro lightly chuckled "Weird, Yubaba seems too casual about letting me work here."
"What'd you expect? You earned her a lot of gold when you helped that rich river spirit years ago." Rin smirked
"Well… That's… Not so much of a reason why she's being nice to me. I have a feeling that something's out of sort in this place." Chihiro stroked her chin
"What do you mean out of sort?" Rin curiously asked as she laid two futons on the floor.
"Yubaba, I think she's … Hiding something." Chihiro said
"Hiding something?"
"I can't tell what … I just have a feeling she's hiding something." Chihiro stared out into space
"What could that old hag possibly be hiding from everyone other than a heaping horde of gold?" Rin chortled
Chihiro remained silent as she continued to stare mindlessly at the wall.
"Oh come on Chihiro. It's not like she imprisoned a certain river spirit secretly for years." Rin laughed
"Wha…?" Chihiro snapped out of her daze, something about her friend's statement that was meant to be a joke struck her. The words 'Imprison, secretly and years' remained stuck inside her head.
"Come on. Let's go to sleep." Rin said with a weary voice as she contentedly lied down on her futon.
Chihiro sat on the futon beside Rin. She couldn't help but ponder on what Rin had said . What if Haku really was imprisoned secretly? If he was, where would Yubaba possibly be hiding him? And what if he wasn't imprisoned? Surely he wouldn't desert her like that and break his promise, right? A lot of unanswerable questions ran through Chihiro's mind. And she's not stopping until she gets each one of those questions answered.
"That human's not a spy."Yubaba chuckled at her apprentice's silly thought "She's Haku's long lost lover."
"Lover? " Takeshi asked, bemused "B-but… She's a… A—"
"A human." Yubaba spoke before Takeshi could finish his whole sentence "They really shared such a strong bond, if I might say so myself." A sinister smile started to form upon Yubaba's lips
"You're planning something, aren't you master?" Takeshi smirked
"Of course I am." Yubaba said "The only reason why Haku hasn't given up yet for years despite being tortured, is because of Sen."
"So, what exactly are you saying?" Takeshi asked as he intently stared at the witch
"I'm saying, now that Chihiro's back. We better take advantage of this opportunity to crush the poor dragon's soul into bits." Yubaba cackled
"What's your plan, master?"
"Get closer to Sen. Have breakfast with her, help her, follow her around, do whatever you could think of doing to gain her trust and affection. And once you have it…Assault her."
"Assault?!" Takashi asked, his eyes widened, taken aback by Yubaba's statement
"Oh, don't act like you're too against it." Yubaba smirked
Takeshi took a deep breath and let out a sigh, he was bound to his contract with Yubaba, and it was clearly stated in the contract that he shall do whatever Yubaba wants without hesitations nor complaints.
"Alright, master." Takeshi said "Isn't there another way, perhaps?"
"No. There is no better way to break Haku's soul and sanity. What greater hurt is there than to watch someone you love suffer and be taken by someone else?"
"Alright." Takeshi said "Have a pleasant night, master." Takeshi bowed as he retreated Yubaba's quarters.
Haku leaned on one side of the stony dungeon. He clutched his grumbling stomach as he rested his head on the wall. He hasn't drank water nor eaten any food for three days. His body was growing weaker by the second.
At this rate, it seemed hopeless that he could ever break out of this prison. Haku took his bloody hand from his stomach and stared at it. Hot tears of pain and misery rolled down on Haku's bloodstained cheeks. He was paler than he was years ago, and his face started to become hollow. His wounds never seemed to heal, it just got more severe. He was starting to be engulfed by his own self pity…But he wasn't going to let that happen.
Haku wiped his tears dry 'No matter what you do Yubaba… You will never break me. I know in my heart that I will get out of here and I will stay strong… for Chihiro.'
A/N: Sorry if it seems so incomplete I'm just so sleepy right now. Anyway, when I have the time I will check if this needs some changes. Please kindly leave reviews :D
Kompeitou- traditional Japanese candy mostly made out of just sugar
Shizukani- be quiet
Nani- what
Sama- addressed to someone with a higher rank