One Summer's Day

What He Called Love

<Haku pov>

"Master, there's a disturbance in the large bath. "
"Hold on."
"But sir.."
"I said hold on! I'm finishing very important paperwork."
He just looks down embarrassed and waits for me to complete my tasks. I sigh, feeling bad for making him feel so terrible. I put my final signature and summon my assistant to take it.

"My apologies. What seems to be the issue?"
"Well, the river spirit is in."
"Mmhmmm?"
"And he's, uh asking, for a request that we uhh, cannot fulfill."
He's hiding something.
"Okay, what is it?"
I see a single drop of sweat fall down the far side of his cheek, and I see my reflection in it. Blurry and empty.

"Just tell me."
He breathes in, preparing himself, or maybe preparing me.

"The river spirit says he will not be served unless it is Cen who does it."

I freeze. It's been four years since Cen, Chihiro, left us to return to her human life. I thought I'd be fine, but her absence has left me plagued with loneliness. Everyone can see it too. I tried hard to make things right, just like she would if she were here. I banished Yubaba to the far desert lands. Took over charge of the bathhouse. Everything was right. But everything wasn't. There was a piece of me missing without her here. I didn't know why. I've asked the boiler man, her grandfather, dozens of times. I get the same answer. "Love", he says. I ask him what it means. He just smiles and says, "don't worry. You'll find it again. I can feel it coming."
His answer left me puzzled. Trying to hard to think about what he meant. Why I felt so empty. All the workers see it on my face. Rumor spread that is was because of her. Rumors were right. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forget her.

"Tell him Cen is not available." I keep my face completely stern and straight, showing no emotion.
"Then you will have to talk to him yourself. He's not happy", he tells me.

I sigh. I don't want to do this.
"I'll be down there in just a minute. Tell them to wait."
I can tell he's impatient, but he doesn't want me to flip. He nods and returns downstairs.

I step out to the balcony to look out over the sea and tracks. A slight breeze cools me down. Breathe Haku. Kowaku. Just breathe.
I want to see her in front my my eyes, but I only see the endless, infinite sea.
The wind blows stronger now. Almost pulling me into the balcony. Leaves from my trees fly past me and out the window. I see them fly across the water and land on, a person. There's a person, a human stranded in the sea. Lying there!

I fly like a bird down the stairs of the bathhouse. "There's someone in the water!", I yell to the workers. "Get the boats now!" I don't give them time to reply because I'm already out the door running as fast as I can to the shore. Everyone else is just catching up to me but I waste no time.
"Sir!", they cry. "Please wait for the boats!" But I'm already swimming. Swimming with all my might and strength. Everything I am is in this.
Nothing else matters, nothing else is present. The adrenaline in my heart makes me stronger and faster. It empowers me.

I can still hear them crying out to me when I reach it. Her. She's a human. I pull my fingers to her neck to check a pulse. Her heart beats slowly but surely. I put my hand around the back of her neck. I remember the feeling of it. I pick up her back with my other hand. I remember holding her so close to me, protecting her, from all harm.

Nothing else matters. Nothing else is present. The feeling in my heart makes my feel like I'm flying. Like I'm immortal. For I have found the one I shared with, what he called, love.