It was early in the morning and the autumn air was starting to freeze from the approaching winter. The crispness of cold air filled the drowsy brown-haired girl's lungs and helped keep her awake enough to walk the sidewalks to school. She was clothed in a navy blue sailor uniform with a tanned thick brown jacket for extra warmth. But still in this half asleep state, Chihiro's eyes started to see weird images. The small rural homes turned into red wooden buildings with shrine-like roofs and the streetlights turned into candle-lit lanterns. She rubbed her eyes from the building tears of sleepiness which brought her vision back to reality. It's been over a year since the events of the bathhouse; each passing day, she starts to doubt if all that was just a dream.

"Chihiro! Good morning," a random female student rushed by, her footsteps hitting the pavement loudly.

"Ah, Fumiko, good morning," Chihiro raised her voice enough for her passing friend to hear. Chihiro became well-adjusted to her 'new' school, she no longer wept over the old memories of her former life, not since that boy gave her the strength to never look back. But not everything was peachy in her new life.

"Ah!" Chihiro let out a cry as two classmates, both female with a much bigger physique, roughly pushed her aside so they had a clearer path to walk. Yes. Bullies. Originally, it started because Chihiro was the new kid but now it became so routine they just don't stop. Chihiro didn't think it did much good to indulge in the bullies' fetishes and decided to ignore the abuse as best she could. She dealt with much worse in the past after all. Still attacks week after week, even that started to wear down her spirits.

Chihiro spent most of the time at school looking out the window. Her body just felt sluggish today and her joints ached a bit. Has she finally become an old grandma? She was only 11. Maybe because she dreamt she was working in the bathhouse and all muscle pain transferred to the real world when her eyes opened this morning. Even though it might just be mental, Chihiro decided to skip her after school club and go straight home.

"I'm home," Chihiro called out to an empty house. Her father was at work and since there was no response back, she concluded her mother went out to grocery shop. Chihiro went straight to the fridge and picked up a glass of cold milk. She threw out the lid and drank the glass on her way up to her room. The stairs creaked under her weight, these old things creaked randomly in the night as well. At first, Chihiro thought the spirits were living here but her father admitted this house was populated by mice. She preferred the former.

"Somehow I feel tired," Chihiro opened her bedroom door and flopped onto her western styled bed. Her thin arm rested over her eyes so the sun light wouldn't reach. Her room was a colorful array of warm colors, all decided by her mother. It had a lack of decorations but the one thing she did decide on was purchasing a dragon painted wind chime she saw in town. It hung above her window and the small breezes made it sing a crystal clear noise. Another sound filled the room and Chihiro's ears focused in. It faded in and out but became louder each time until she was forced to sit upright. This sound, she heard it before, it's water. She looked across her room and saw her desk drawing rumbling. Transparent liquid started to leak from its cracks and soak the floor.

"What?" The chestnut-haired girl jumped on her feet and opened the drawers and a huge wave of water gushed out and engulfed her entire room. Is this her imagination? Is this a dream again? She can breathe through the bubbles…

"Come Chihiro" a voice echoed and the water drained into the wooden floor until Chihiro was left alone in her dry, untouched room.

ba-bmp ba-bmp

Chihiro could hear her heart beat louder and louder, her ears pounded in the same rhythm. She automatically knew where she had to go. Like a tornado storm she leapt through her room door and out her front without even bothering to lock and without bothering to even grab her coat. Her mother just arrived home, seeing her daughter rushing out.

"Ah Chihiro, have you come to help me put this stuff away?" Her mother smiled thankfully but the girl wasn't listen at all. She couldn't hear anything besides the rushing water. "Chihiro! Where are you going!?" the mother demanded her daughter to return but all was lost, Chihiro was already out of sight.

Faster faster. I need to go faster, Chihiro's voice echoed in her mind. Her footsteps thundered on the street pavement, even though she felt like she was going to tumble when she reached a downward slope, she didn't slow. The wind lashed at her so hard and the scenery around her blurred. The cars, people, dogs, bicycles, everything looked the same. She only focused onward until her vision could only see the infinite ocean blue.

Her feet come to a stop when she reached the edge of the waves. She hears the rhythm of the waters overlapping each other as they go in and out, in and out. Chihiro was bent over, grasping her knees for support as she fought for air. But not waiting for her heart to calm, she whipped her head back up and stood straight. Her eyes that were filled with anticipation, looked to the horizon and she stretched her arms open as far as she could.

The ocean was calm but a giant wave formed suddenly and swallowed the brown-haired girl whole. When the waves went back to the sea, Chihiro's eyes began to water because instead of the empty space she was looking at before, there was the one she was waiting to see all this time.

"HAKU!" Chihiro shouted and jumped into Haku's embrace, her arms wrapped happily around his neck. The two tumbled down into the sand from Chihiro's force but she still didn't let go. Haku's pale skin was cold, but that coolness on her cheek assured her so much more it wasn't a dream.

"You're here, you're really here," she kept mumbling under her breath.

"Chihiro, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," he accompanied the comment with a small chuckle. One can tell even from his voice that he was smiling. The boy gently placed a hand on Chihiro's head and back, savoring the moment just as she did. Finally, Chihiro sat upright, wiping her tears and showing Haku her smile. She examined the dragon and realized Haku didn't seem to have aged a bit. His forest green hair was the same length; he even wore the same clothes. Chihiro on the other hand, even though the differences were small, but she grew two centimeters and her hair was just a bit longer. Spirits really age differently…

"AH!" Chihiro suddenly shouted which abruptly broke Haku's loving gaze into a more shocked expression. The waves before completely damped her clothes and hair. Her bangs stuck to her face and for their first reunion Chihiro looked like a drowned rat. But the girl didn't care about her appearances, all she was concerned about was that clinging onto Haku only made him wet as well.

"Let's get some new clothes," Chihiro suggested without room for protest.

Haku and Chihiro chose the nearest clothing store; luckily, Chihiro carried some money in her skirt pocket, leftovers from her recent birthday. It was enough to buy Chihiro and Haku warm enough clothes though the cashier wasn't too thrilled over the wet bills he received in return. Chihiro wore a white sweater with a mid-length dark blue skirt and white stockings. Haku wore a turtleneck black sweater with blue jeans. Chihiro offered to buy him shoes too but he admitted he only felt comfortable wearing his sandals. Chihiro just had to laugh at such a weird habit.

After that they didn't have a plan. The two walked through town, side to side and saw where the road takes them. Even though both of them were waiting so long to see each other, they realized they had nothing much to say. Unconsciously, Chihiro took it upon herself to speak whatever comes to mind. When Chihiro came across something she knew, she felt like mentioning it to Haku. When she recollected some school stories, she shared that with Haku as well. It was probably a boring normal but nonetheless the boy smiled so the girl continued whenever a thought pop up. Anything and everything is fine right about now. Haku saw emotions in Chihiro he didn't see on the other side and that's what he enjoyed the most.

Chihiro came across the convenience store and told Haku to wait outside while she dove in. It wasn't long before she came straight out, having a thin plastic bag around her arm and two meat buns in each of her hand.

"Here, eat up. I put a spell on it that will make you stay in this world" she said jokingly with a big grin painted on her face. She handed him one of the buns and he just nodded with a bewildered expression. But the warmness made his eyes soften, "Un."

Chihiro and Haku went back to walking while taking bites from their snack. Along the way, Chihiro climbed up a short stone wall and walked in a straight line balancing herself. Haku's hands reached for hers and gently guided her, always prepared to catch her if she falls. They came across a feline sitting in front of a store like a guard and Chihiro freely went up to to stroke it's soft fur. Strangely though, the cat was terrified of Haku. The dragon boy looked innocently away with a troubled expression while Chihiro giggled.

When they reached an empty field of tall uncut grass, Chihiro reached into her plastic bag and revealed her other purchase, bubbles. It might have seemed juvenile but she genuinely thought Haku would enjoy it. They stood in the middle of the field and indulged in this childish pastime. They breathed into the hole and unleashed a flurry of small bubbles that looked like captured rainbows under the sun. They didn't stop until the whole sky was filled. Before they knew it, time ticked on and the sky turned red. The sun was just about ready to sleep. Haku extended his hand to Chihiro and she took it without a moment's thought. He started leading her back until the presence of two girls cut through the mood like a knife. Chihiro's eyebrows furrowed a bit and her hand involuntarily clutched Haku's tighter. Not this. Not now. Haku instantly understood the situation and his back straightened to emanate an aura of godly pride. But his glare, half covered from his long bangs, soon turned into an enlightened smile. Actually, this situation was quite laughable to him.

"He he, it's the pig nose," one girl rudely pushed her nostrils up with her index finger, exaggerating on a flaw that doesn't exist. Haku's voice immediately intervened.

"Chihiro, you're the girl who traveled straight into Zeniba's territory, who also faced up to Yubaba. With knowing one of the most powerful twins in the Spirit World, how can these two girls scare you." Haku grabbed Chihiro's other hand and gazed into her eyes. His emerald orbs seemed to relay a message to Chihiro and she understandingly nodded her head. Without another second pause, Haku transformed into his majestic white dragon form and took off. The force of his initial leap sent a gust of wind that blew the dumbstruck girls down to their backs.

"WAHHHHHHHHH" Chihiro raised her arms in the air when Haku reached above the clouds. She screamed as loud as she could, scaring all her previous worries away. The refreshing feeling that came from flying rejuvenated the young girl's body and she felt alive again. After her screams was her endless laughter. She bent down and clung to Haku's green mane as though to hug him.

"I LOVE YOU" her words came out naturally now that she was walking on clouds. Suddenly, the mane she held onto disappeared within her grasp and the whole dragon form faded away. Haku reverted back to his human appearance with one of the brightest smile she's ever seen from him. He pulled Chihiro's body in a tight embrace, neglecting the fact they were falling from the air like rocks. The sound of the wind was loud but Haku whispered his reply in her ear. She felt his chin on her shoulder go up and down with each word and she really wanted to cry happily. Chihiro resumed laughing and Haku let his voice join in with her laughter.

Hand in hand, Haku returned them to the safety of the ground and Chihiro realized Haku had taken them back to the beach again. Night time has already arrived and the stars illuminated the sky. It was much colder now but Chihiro took off her shoes and let her feet feel the sand between her toes. Haku laid down and led Chihiro to do the same. She rested on to of his chest and listened to his heartbeat which was the sound of roaring waves.

"Are you going away again?" Chihiro finally mustered the courage to ask.

"No," Haku replied in a flat reassuring tone. His hand brushed away Chihiro's bangs and he gave a soft kiss on her forehead. The ocean waves drew closer. The water level rose only to envelop Haku's body, making it seem like Chihiro was floating. The water took away Haku just like they brought him and Chihiro's body softly sank down on the wet sand and clothes as the tide resided. She buried her face deeper into Haku's black sweater, only a piece of woven yarn. Her eyes were still closed and she could hear the lingering echoing of Haku's voice.

"Your spell worked so no matter where you are, I will always be there. Because you are my new home."

A/N: And Chihiro returned home to receive a 5 hour lecture and get grounded for life. JK. And also I can't call him Kohaku River, I refuse to. Anyways, loool, this actually was a dream I had, I just polished it and cut out the random parts like purple monkeys….Just kidding, I… don't even know what they were. Anyways, this story is a lot toned down so sorry if most of you got bored midway through. I love the fact that Haku and Chihiro were so much in love without having to express it and if Haku came back this is exactly how I picture them together. Simple and sweet. May I never have to damage my mind thinking what will happen to them in the future. Forever preteens .;;