Kohaku

After all these years, I finally remembered my name. Kohaku. Haru may be my nickname, but it really helps me to think about all the years I had tried of remembering it since I was an apprentice to Yubaba, the head keeper of the bathhouse of the Spirit World. 

As I decided to confront her, I felt uneasy. It was something that I never had before, could it be that I loved Chihiro? 

I was not a human like her, but how could I? I never saw her again for ten years, and I had told her that she must not look back to the tunnel entrance of the Spirit World after she has successfully rescued her family and head back to the Human World. 

I walked to her office, where I noticed Lin, a worker that Chihiro befriended while she visited the Spirit World. 

"Hey, Haru. You seem distant lately. Are you all right?" She asks as I look at her. 

"Honestly, I was actually thinking about Chihiro. It has been ten years since I last saw her." I replied as Lin seems to be smiling. 

"You actually love her, don't you, and you would do anything to see her again, don't you?"

"Yeah. I would , but I'm the Kohaku, the River Spirit. I can't just leave when I wanted to." I said, pointing out. 

That was when Yubaba said, "I know a way you can be with Sen again, but it would have... changes." 

Lin and I looked at the old witch with confusion. "What you mean by "changes?" 

"I mean, that you will be a human, but you must leave your dragon form here in the Spirit World. It wouldn't be easy, but this an offer I can grant." 

Lin said, "Kohaku, are you sure you want to do this? It would be hard for you since you weren't human." 

I thought for a moment before deciding. I want to be with Chihiro so badly. I have to keep my promise that I had made with her, and I would do anything to protect her from danger, wither I am a dragon or human.

"I'm ready." 

Chihiro

I sat down in my seat, felt relieved that the teacher hasn't done roll call yet. "Hey, you're the new girl, right? 

I'm Azura. Azura Imtiaz . I hope that we can be friends. " Azura said as the teacher said, "Allow me to introduce a new student in our class. Please write your name on the blackboard and tell us about yourself." 

I stand up from my seat and wrote my name down. "Hi, my name is Chihiro, Chihiro Ogino, I live with my parents and I am very excited about this upcoming school year. " 

Azura and I went down the hallway, as Azura ask, "So, Chihiro, what you do for fun?" 

"I like to draw, I am aiming to be an artist, and here, this is one of the drawings I've made so far.

It was a drawing of Kohaku as a dragon and I was riding on his back, and it brought me comfort. 

Azura looks at the drawing, "Woah, Chihiro, you make an excellent artist! It looks completely real, like a dream. That girl on the dragon's back... it looks like you." 

"The truth is, that little ten-year old girl, that's me." 

Azura gasps, mostly because she was speechless that I was riding on a dragon.

"Really?!? Chihiro, that's unbelievable, how you were able to rid a dragon like that? Please tell me everything!" 

"It is more complicated since that dragon is a boy. I haven't seen him since I was ten." I replied, but I'm not entirely sure how much that Azura would feel that I actually travelled to the Spirit World . 

"Oh, I guess it's not entirely easy. Does this boy live far away?" Azura asks curiously. 

I nod sadly. "Yeah, you're right, it's not easy. It has been ten years and I doubt that he would find me again." 

Azura said, "Com'on, don't give up hope that easily. If you and that boy were destined to be together, he would do anything to find you again. " 

I smiled a bit, "Wow, thanks, Azura. You're the first friend I've made since I arrived here. I needed that." 

Azura winks, "What are friends for? " 

Azura and I walked after school to catch the train station. 

"I think I can take this train home.  I'll see you at school." I told Azura , as she said, "Ok, girl, see ya." 

I waved at my friend as I felt something is happening . Something magical.

"What's going on?" I ask, as the train went as fast as possible as the train makes the stop I needed to be. 

I panted with sweat, as I thought, "That was totally weird. Why would the train move so quickly like that?"

As I walked down the streets, a boy, at least sixteen grabs my arm. 

"Who are you?" I ask. 

"Sen." He says as I gaze at the green eyes. 

There would be one  person who calls me by that name . I couldn't believe it. 

"It can't be. K-Kohaku? I mean, Haru?" I stammer. 

He smiles a bit, but then fell into my arms. "Haru! Haru, please answer me!" 

I carried the boy into my home, and places him in my bedroom. 

I took off my school uniform to my house clothes and tied my hair into a ponytail with the thread band that I've kept from the Spirit World, as a remembrance of all the friends I've made there. 

"Why would Haru be here?"  I thought. 

"Chihiro, what's going on up there?" My father asks. 

"N-Nothing!" I yelled, hoping that both of my parents would find Haru here, in my bedroom. I can't reveal that he is an actual river spirit! 

As I waited for him to wake up, I finished my drawing of us. 

The next morning, I checked on him. He was unconious still as I kissed him on the forehead. "I'll be back soon, Haru. " 

I left a note and breakfast food for him in case he wakes up. 

I walk to the train station as Azura waves at me. "Chihiro! Girl, you looked shocked. Is something happen yesterday?"

I said, pulling my backpack, "Maybe." 

"Ooh, it's probably that boy you told me about! I want to meet him!" 

"I don't know, Azura. I need to talk to him first. I need answers and we go way back." I said as the girl puffs with annoyance. 

"You're so lucky! I want to meet this mystery boy. It sounds so magical!" Azura said, which I rolled my eyes at her. 

"You have no idea." I chuckled at her remark. 

But the question still ringing inside my head, "Is this really a dream?"

Kohaku

I opened my eyes and saw I was in a room. I got up, as I was flexing my wrists. I must be human now. 

The spell that Yubaba did took a toll on me, but I managed to see Chihiro again, well, I kind of did. 

I didn't really see her expression clearly as I blacked out. 

It must that I was carried into her house and she took care of me. 

I noticed the food she has left for me, and there was a note beside it. 

"Hey, Haru. This is the food that I gotten from my mother. I would like to catch up with you , I will return home soon. I have school now, and it would take a while. 

Just don't make any sudden appearance when my parents are around. I haven't told them about our adventure in the Spirit World. 

Your friend, Chihiro." 

I smiled, knowing her, she always keep her  promises. I ate my breakfast and look at the pictures of her and her family.

She looks completely different, with her attire , wearing a t-shirt that resembles a dragon and shorts. 

It is hard to believe that Sen is a teenager now, not the ten-year old girl that I used to know in the Spirit World. 

As I was thinking, a tap came knocking on the window, as I saw Sen! How she able to climb up to her bedroom like that?

"Haru, you're up!" She said, as I saw her for the first time in ten years. 

"What?" She asks, curiously. "School was out early today, and I have the entire afternoon off. " 

"Sen, I don't understand, how you- " 

"Oh, climbing up to the window? I've been rock-climbing when I was twelve years old. Dad freaks out, but Mom allows me to do climbing whenever I want. " 

This moment will change both of our lives forever. Would she accept my decision to leave the Spirit World?