Chihiro
Wanna hear a joke? Math class. Chihiro was never very skilled in the mathematics department. She was average, getting by with a solid C. But that wasn’t good enough. When the grading terms are over and they send home grade cards, her parents always threw a fit. “A C? Chihiro!! You can do so much better.” Chihiro sat there, running through the words in her head. She’s heard this speech numerous times. Blaah blah blah. Same boring thing about how her grades needed to get up because it’s “unacceptable” to have such grades. But then she heard something she had never heard before. “I think you need to get a tutor.” Her father said sternly.
“A tutor? Are you kidding me!? I don’t even need a tutor. I understand everything I’m learning!!”
“Obviously you don’t if you’re getting a C.”
“Why do you care so much? It’s not like you ever have before.” It was silent.
“Chihiro! Apologize to your father right now!” Chihiro shook her head and grabbed her jacket. She opened the front door and slammed it shut behind her. She walked down her long driveway and headed far away.
She found herself in the tunnel again. It was like magic drawing her to it. She peered down the tunnel and saw spirits walking around, the lights shinning bright. People were yelling and shouting, having a good time. She yearned to be in there with them, then she could see Haku, feel Haku. All she wanted to do was feel the beat of his heart under her palm.
After being there for thirty minutes she didn’t really think he was going to show up so she left and started walking about. With really no particular goal in mind she just wondered around. She found herself outside of a bookstore. She entered and a little bell jingled when she opened the door. The lighting was dim and it just made everything seem cozy and nice. She just wondered around for a while in there before getting some common sense and returning home.
When she opened the door her mother put her hand over her chest. “Thank goodness!!! We thought you had ran away.”
“I’m sorry for what I said. I just needed some air. And I’ll get a tutor. I’ll ask my teacher is anyone is open.”
“Thank you.” They both said. Her mother smiled at her, but her dad just sat there. She turned around and headed upstairs towards her room.
Another joke. The fact that Chihiro’s math teacher gives her an address to go to for a tutor and when that door opens, up appears Kao. She sighed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“What?” He asks.
“I’m sorry, but I really didn’t think you’d be my tutor. Are you even any good at math?”
“Why don’t you ask the A plus I have in her class?” He holds up his grade card. All As. Impressive.
“Okay, so can we just get started? Please.” He nodded and beckoned her inside. She slid her shoes off and walked over the the table where Kao was sitting. “So, what do you need help with?” Chihiro flipped to the chapters she didn’t have a clue about.
They spent hours and hours going over what things meant and doing problems and examples over each thing. As the time grew on, she got more comfortable and confident. “So, are your parents home?”
“Well, my mom is at the hospital right now actually. My grandma is severely sick and they don’t think she’s going to make it any longer.”
“Oh. I..I’m sorry. What about your dad?” Kao looked down.
“He died a long time ago. Quite a long time. Sometimes I have to force myself to think about him because I don’t want to forget him.” Chihiro touched his hand.
“Once you have a memory about someone, you never forget them. They’re always with you.” She smiled at him, a small smile. He glanced down, then over at the door.
“Sometimes, I think he may walk through that door, but I know it’s not possible. It’s just stupid tricks that my mind plays on me.” He let out a small, shaky sigh. “I’m so stupid for thinking that he could actually come back.” Chihiro put her other hand on her his face and turned his face towards so he was looking at her.
“I know how you feel. You think, it’s been so long since you’ve seen someone, so you have to keep reminding yourself about them so you won’t forget. You think there’s absolutely no way you can see them again, that it’s all over. But it’s not. I assure you. It’s not.” He was looking down at her. It was the first time she realized how much taller he was than her, even sitting down. His eyes on her face, and hers looking down. Then she looked up at him and before she could know what was happening his lips were on hers. She was shocked at first, but she hadn’t been touched except from her parents in so long it was hard for her to tell him to stop. His hand was in her hair and she gripped his shirt, his lips moving against hers. Then something snapped into place. She backed away from him, pushing him away. Her breathing was heavy and so was his. She should not have let this happen. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, i..” She couldn’t exactly speak.
“You should probably go. I understand.” She nodded at him. She collected all of her things and shoved them into her bag. She quickly scurried out of his house, regretting every decision she had made.
Haku
“I can’t believe I sleep through the whole day! It was the second time I could have seen her and I wasn’t there!” Haku was mentally smacking himself. “I can’t believe this!” Were the thoughts that consumed his thoughts when he woke up on the floor in front of the fireplace at sun set.
The whole night went by quickly in a blur, the bathhouse filling and empting, because he couldn’t wait until the sun came up because that meant the sun was setting for the human world. He prayed she would come back to the tunnel.
Haku’s day was night was uneventful until one moment. The moment was quick but left a lingering pain.
It was about sun rise and the pain hit him. It only lasted around thirty seconds but it was the most painful seconds in his whole existence.
The feeling shook and stopped his whole world. It was as if a huge thin piece of glass had just cut straight through him. He froze unable to move or even breathe. He was in his office alone and there were no witnesses to this episode. Haku fell over face first to the floor unmoving and unconscious.
-Burning. There was a burning in his heart. A want to inflict pain, to hurt, to harm, he wanted to kill. The burning got hotter in his arms and legs and moved out from his heart. Then it hit his lips, hotter and harder than the rest of his body. He wanted to rip his lips from his face to rid himself of the pain.-
Screaming, Haku broke himself of the trance. “Chihiro…” He thought and pieces of a large elaborate puzzle started to connect, “NO!” He interjected.
Haku jumped up and flew out the window, still in his human form so not quite flying at his top speed. He was racing to himself to the tunnel. He looked at the sun light that was spilling over the horizon and spreading across the sky. The shop lights flickered off as the sun signaled end of the night.
His body tensed up when he landed at the entrance of the large building and started in. He thought, “Chihiro… please meet me here…”
**Before you all hate me, i purposely did that. it's to add some excitement to this story!!! Something unexpected!!!! It will get better. I promise xx
