Chihiro's Return

chap 7

Chapter 7: Juvenile antics

Chihiro and Haku really had a splendid night at Daichi's restaurant. They ate sumptuous cuisine, chatted with other and Chihiro learned to dance. They both wished that that night wouldn't end, but unfortunately, they had to go back. It was already eleven o'clock when they went back to the bathhouse, everyone was already asleep. They decided to pass through the side stairs of the bathhouse and sneak in the boiler room.

When they got in, they tiptoed to the small passage that serves as an entrance or exit to the boiler room. Haku gently shoved the little door open and they went out as quietly as they can. They both went to their own rooms as soon as they said goodnight.

Chihiro sneaked in her room and silently laid on the futon beside Lin.

"Lin are you awake?" Chihiro asked, but there was no response

"Oh Lin, tonight was just perfect. " Chihiro smiled, it's as if she was just talking to mid air. But she didn't care, she just wanted to let someone know what a good time she had tonight, even if it's just the wind who heard her.

Chihiro closed her eyes and reminisced her dinner (more like date) with Haku and fell into a deep sleep.

Haku saw Ryu sleeping soundly on his futon 'He must be bummed out.' He thought. He changed into his pajamas and lied down on his bed. He recalled about Chihiro, and their 'dinner' together.

He thought about her delicate, beautiful face and how she looked even more beautiful wearing that baby blue kimono. He pondered about him going with Chihiro to the human world, it suddenly made him anxious.

How would he act around them, wouldn't they realize that he's a spirit? What would he wear going there? He has none of those weird clothing that humans wear. So many thoughts ran in his mind, but he was already worn out to think about that now. He shut his eyes close and fell asleep after a short while.

It was a lovely morning, the bright rays if the sun shone upon Chihiro's face. She rose from her bed and stretched her arms. She saw Lin and the others getting ready for work. She slipped on her uniform and tied her hair with the purple ponytail that Zeniba gave her.

"Sen, you're awake. Let's go." Lin said as she ushered Chihiro to go out of the room

"Ok." Chihiro said as she tagged behind Lin.

They went to the ground floor to start their work early. Lin got some tokens from the foreman and Chihiro started scrubbing the floor.

Haku's POV

I went to the ground floor to check on the employees whether they're really working or just lying around. I kept walking around to check on them and then I passed by Chihiro. She seems to be struggling scrubbing off the sludge that was on the floor.

"Let me help you with that." I said as I got a wet rag from a pail of soaped water beside her

"Haku, wait, no. You're sort of my boss here second to Yubaba, you shouldn't be helping me." Chihiro said as she grabbed the wet rag from me

"You must be forgetting that I'm also your friend." I smiled and swiped the rag from her

"Oh, alright Haku, but if anyone asks why you're helping me you're the one who needs to explain." She said and we both laughed.

I scrubbed the floor together with Chihiro. The sludge was really caked on the floor it was really hard to scrub it off. I got the pail and splashed water on the floor but I accidentally splashed some of it to Chihiro

"Haku!" she yelled

"Chihiro I'm so sorry! I'll get you a towel right away." I apologized as I stood up and turned to go get a towel from the utility closet, but I stopped my gait when I felt cold water strike my back. I turned back to face Chihiro and she stuck out her tongue at me.