They walked for quite a ways, before they reached the building she had first seen him at.

Chihiro impulsively raised her hand to the small cuts the petals had made on her flesh.

For once, she really looked at Hajime. This kind boy who looked ready to kill when she first saw him, and who had inflicted pain upon her body.

He didn't mean to…

But she continued to think about him. He wasn't a stranger to her dreams, but this was reality. (Was it?) And she knew him. (Did she?)

She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the thoughts.

Hajime caught her eye and stared at her inquisitively, but she merely smiled and lowered her eyes in shame.

A squeeze of her hand made her look at him.

He inhaled and made exaggerated gestures.

"Hold my breath?"

He nodded with a small smile.

"How long?"

He made an arc and the walking fingers again, crossing the arc.

"Across the bridge?"

He nodded again.

Chihiro felt her lungs stricken already.

"Okay…"

Hajime squeezed her hand a few times in comfort, but it only forced her stomach to flip a few times in uneasiness.

When she looked up, he looked at her.

A few deep breaths, a squeeze to his hand to let him know she was ready, and an inhale.

They walked across the bridge.

Chihiro walked, her lips would pucker, and struggle to open but she dare not allow them.

They scurried and reached the other side. As soon as they crossed the bridge's end, Chihiro let out a woosh of air. Her lungs hurt from all the kept air.

During their crossing, Hajime had kept his eyes to the sky.

When she looked at him, he looked troubled, but when she asked him, he shook his head and offered her a slight grin to congratulate her.

Chihiro looked back to examine her surroundings. There were signs that said Bathhouse.

They walked into the building, no longer hand in hand.

She began to remove her shoes for the tatami mat's sake, but Hajime stopped her. He gestured for her to stay close, but Chihiro began to wonder about their current predicament.

When they had crossed the bridge, or walked through the town for that matter, they had not encountered a single person.

The Bathhouse was deserted.