It's been such a long time. Eight years. I haven't been there for eight years. I haven't seen him. Sometimes, I wonder. I think that it was all just a dream. The most terrifying, wondrous dream I've ever had. But then the memories of that place, of the people I met. Of him. They convince me it was real. The bright purple band wrapped around my hair is a good reminder as well.

He made a promise to me. He promised me we would see each other again sometime. When is sometime? Haku? Will you tell me?

The spirit of the Kohaku River in the form of a young man sat on the ground just before the barrier between the spirit world and the human world. In this spot, this is where he made her a promise. A promise he intended to keep.

He knew that she believed him. Knew that she trusted him to keep his word. Yet she doubted. He could sense it. Eight years for a human seemed a long time. Eight years being away from her seemed an eternity to him.

He decided to give her a reassurance of his promise. After eight years out of Yubaba's control, his magic had become more powerful. Though not strong enough to sustain him on that plane of existence for very long. Not yet.

"Aang."

A rush of wind and a moment later, a winged, yellow spirit appeared bowing before him.

"Master," it spoke as it kneeled before him.

"I need you to deliver something to the human world. Something very important."

The small spirit looked up curiously.

"To…the human world?"

Haku allowed himself a small smile.

"Yes."

Chihiro walked swiftly through the street as the rain beat down on her umbrella. Days like these, when it rained heavy and hard, she wished she had a car. But then, glancing at the unmoving traffic on the street, it didn't seem all that great.

She made a dash across the street to her dorm room on campus, water splashing up around her ankles and soaking her feet. She opened the door and stepped inside, folding up her umbrella and taking of her wet shoes and socks and carrying them upstairs. As she walked past the other dorm rooms to hers, she adjusted the strap of her messenger bag. Just as she put a hand to her door, it was flung open from the inside and Chihiro yelped when an arm grabbed her and pulled her in.

"What are you doing?"

Jia bounced up and down, her glasses bobbing with her, as she looked at Chihiro with unabashed glee.

"So who is it? Oh, I can't believe you didn't tell me about something so very important, Chihiro. Shame on you," she wagged a finger at her room mate/friend.

"Uh…I'm sorry?"

"And you should be," Jia continued taking on a mock expression of disapproval, "Hoarding boys without sharing. Tsk tsk."

Chihiro had dropped her shoes, umbrella, and bag on the floor near the door as she listened to her eccentric friend.

"Yeah. What are you talking about?"

Jia tittered as she grabbed Chihiro's arm and pulled her into the kitchenette. She spread her arms in a grand, 'presenting' gesture.

"That is what I'm talking about!"

Chihiro gasped. On the table, there were three separate bouquets. One was rosemary, the other was oxeye daisy, and the last a bunch of red carnations. Each one had a single strand of ivy running through them.

"Oh, wow. These…are for me?" she reached out a hand to finger the petals.

"That's what I've been saying, girl!" her face morphed to one of slight disappointment. "Although your mystery guy didn't leave a name, but," she held up a slip of paper, "there is this note. Maybe you'll know what it means, since it is for you and stuff."

Chihiro took the note and unfolded it. A wide smile spread over her face. She started to giggle.

"What does it mean? Tell me!" Jia whined. "Please!"

Chihiro threw her arms up in the air and did a little dance around the the table.

"Whoo!"

"Well?"

She plopped down into one of the chairs with a dreamy smile as she stroked the petals of the red carnations.

"It means…sometime is soon."

My, that was short. I don't own Spirited Away. I decided to do another short story for this challenge 'cause it's kinda fun. I'll probably end up doing another before it's through.

Rosemary: remembrance

Oxeye daisy: patience

Red carnation: my heart aches for you; love; solid color: 'affirmative'

A strand of ivy: a message