Spirited Away II: Return to the Spirit Realm

Chapter 2

chapter 2

"There, there, Yuuko!" Mrs. Nakamura's voice was shrill from the phone. "Everything will be all right. You'll see!"

"Yes, but I don't want for Chihiro to be waiting for somebody she had a ..."

"...Crush on during the move, I know." Mrs. Nakamura sighed. "Give the girl some time. She's only 18! Let me tell you, Yuuko, once she meets that 'special person' in her life, she'll forget all about him. He moved on, too. I'm certain of it."

"I guess you're right. Thanks, Akane," Mrs. Ogino replied, though not a bit convinced that Chihiro would forget this "Haku" and stop waiting for him.

"'Course, dear! Now, how about you come tomorrow over for tea? 3 o'clock sharp!"

"Well, I..." Mrs. Ogino tried to think of an excuse, but as usual, failed. "All right."

"See you there!" Mrs. Nakamura cried before hanging the phone. Mrs. Ogino slowly put the phone down, shaking her head. "What can I do about it?" she mused. "I will simply have to wait and give her some time. Perhaps..."

The shrill ring of the door bell interrupted Mrs. Ogino's thoughts. Sighing, she went to the door and opened it. There, at the doorstep, stood a young man roughly twenty years old. He had large, almond-shaped green eyes, dark hair, and was dressed in clothing which looked like from some other era.

"Yes?"

"Hello, ma'am. My name is Haku. Does Chihiro live here?"

"I am Chihiro's mother. Yes, of course she lives here. Chihiro ... told me about you. Do come in."

Haku was surprised, to say the least, that Chihiro would tell anybody of him; but nodded politely and followed the lady to the front room. "Would you like to have something to drink?"

"No thank you, ma'am."

Mrs. Ogino nodded. "Before I get my daughter, there's a thing or two I'd like to get it straight. Now, my daughter has told me of the Spirit World. Can you tell me exactly what happened?"

So, Haku summarized the story of how everything happened - from the moment he found Chihiro on the bridge to the farewell and promise. Mrs. Ogino went deathly pale. Though she would have hated to think her child lied, there was a part of her that hoped that all of this fantasies wasn't real. But, how sincerely Haku spoke and how his eyes seemed to shine with determination, she could tell that he wasn't lying.

"Thank you for helping us out," Mrs. Ogino stammered, standing up. "I'll go get Chihiro."

Haku watched as the lady walked over to the stairs and shouted, "Chihiro! Come down now please, there's somebody to see you!"

"Coming, mother!" a wonderfully familiar voice cried out in reply, which was followed by the running steps down the stairs. Chihiro looked up from her feet to acknowledge her visitor, but froze in her tracks when she recognized who it was.

Mrs. Ogino frowned with worry. She expected Chihiro to be joyous, but she looked more stressed than anything else. Chihiro paled, grabbed the banistairs for support, her eyes brimming with tears. With a face that clearly said she did not dare hope, Chihiro slowly turned to her mother, silently asking the question "is it who I think it is?"

Haku rushed to the stairs, stopping at the base of it. "Hello, Chihiro," he greeted. Chihiro slowly walked down the stairs. For a while, the two just stood there, before Haku pulled the girl in for a tight embrace.

"Excuse me," Mrs. Ogino said, "but there's something I have to take care of right away. I'll leave now." She winked at Chihiro. "I bet you two want some time together!"

Chihiro's blush on her cheeks deepened. "Mom-!" she cried, but Mrs. Ogino already disappeared up the stairs.