𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝟮 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝘁

Sixteen - The End.

And that ring didn't come off until my wedding day.

Yes, you heard me correctly. My wedding day.

If someone asked me how I healed from Akai, I probably wouldn't know what to tell them. Whilst the bathhouse was being rebuilt, I stayed at Zeniba's. No-Face tended to me and I felt like a child, physically incapable even after my leg healed.

I went from being sad to being angry to having denial and then to being... numb.

But Haku still came and visited me everyday. He didn't stay but he came and saw me for however long I'd been feelingless for.

Meanwhile, Yubaba got back to her ordinary self, rebuilding the bathhouse better than ever and fixing everything up.

But then, one day, things got better. I started talking properly, eating fully. And when Haku came around, I blurted out a question that'd been on my mind, asking him why he bothered to see me when we'd been so distant for so long. When I chose Akai over him, ultimately.

His reply was what brought me back into reality. It was three words, three words I'm sure you can guess. But after that day, I improved and thought a lot.

When I returned to the bathhouse, it was perfect and had been restored to its original glory. But after seeing everyone again, I decided to go to Akai's library.

Honestly, I thought I'd break down. I thought I'd cry but it was so peaceful there and everything was so perfect. Seeing Akai's things, inhaling in the scent of the place... It really was the first time I felt normal.

So I curled up on a velvety couch in the reading area, closing my eyes and falling asleep. And for a moment, I thought I'd heard him chuckling softly next to me.

But back to my wedding. After a while, I felt normal, I was back on my feet. I rebuilt my relationships with everyone from Lin to... Haku.

He'd been sweet and he explained to me how all he'd wanted was for me safe. Now, everything was clear. And I knew I was slowly starting to love him again.

Weeks passed. Then months. Then a year later, Haku and I were starting to grow closer. A year after that, he popped the question and our wedding happened six months later.

But I never forgot Akai, not for one minute. I simply learned to love his memory rather than cry over it. So on my wedding day, I transferred his beautiful ring to a necklace chain, getting it fixed up by No-Face who was good at that sort of stuff.

And I wore it as I walked through the flowers onto the Bathhouse bridge to see Haku, stood there waiting for me. Lin, Kamaji, Zeniba, Yubaba, Bôh, No-Face and Yu-Bird were there - the only people I really felt needed to be there.

Also, of course, Akai was there in my heart.

But I was marrying Haku. And when I saw him, I knew I wouldn't want anything else.

It was a perfect wedding. Small with Kamaji as the officiating person then we danced outside, Zeniba playing music on an old gramophone and No-Face serving up some food.

Of course, I missed my parents but something inside of me knew they were fine at home. I didn't know how long it'd been but I was gone, without a trace. And I hoped they felt I was fine.

I mean, I was fine. I'd married Haku with my friends - no, my family - around.

What more could a girl ask for?

I was loved.

★

{Woah.}