Kohaku

I could sense the tension in the room. None of them said a word, maybe it is because of my presence here. 

It must be more harder for Sen mostly because she was the only person in the Ogino family to remember the experience in the Spirit World while her parents were transformed into pigs and they have no recollected memories of their encounter with the Spirit World. 

Azura seems the only one who is more calmer than all of us, as she coughed, "I think it's best that I leave. This is a family matter. 

I'll see you at school, Chihiro." 

She leaves as Chihiro and I were all alone with her parents. Her father gave a serious stare at me, as if I was a bad influence on his daughter. 

"Chihiro, what is the meaning of this?!?" He demanded as his wife pulls him into a chair, as she said, "Akio, honey , let them talk . 

I know it seems like it's a total mystery for the both of us and Chihiro will explain if you calm down a bit. You're scaring our daughter." 

Chihiro seems to be scared, scared for what her parents would say once they learn the truth . 

I smiled a bit, as I comfort her , in a smooth voice, "Sen, I'm right here by your side. You can handle anything." 

The tensions in my voice calms her as she turns to her parents in pure confidence now. 

"Mom, dad, you better sit down." She said.

Akio

As Yuko and I sat down, Chihiro and the mysterious boy sat on the other side of the living room. It seems so that those two know each other. But from where, and why?

Chihiro took a deep breath, as to calm her nerves. She seems to be way nervous than usual when she went through the entrance exams for middle school. 

"I guess that introductions are in order." She said, as the sixteen year old girl looks at the boy. 

The boy stands up, "My name is Haku, but my real identity is Kohaku." 

Kohaku... I heard the name before. It feels so weird , but then it clicks like the back of my mind like a shock.

"Wait, you can't possibly be the River Guardian, Kohaku, aren't you?!? You look like a sixteen year old boy!" 

Yuko looks at him, "It can't be, it doesn't seem possible." 

Chihiro and Kohaku exchanged glances for a bit, but then chuckled, like it was something funny.

"What we say?" I ask the teens with a curious expression. 

"Well, "Guardian" is close to the truth, Mr. Ogino." The boy explains, "Sen, I think you should explain this one." She nods at his suggestion.

Sen? Why does he call Chihiro by that name? It doesn't make any sense.  

"Well, I kept something from you for ten years... and I think it's best time to tell you about what happened on the day we went to that abandoned village. It's actually the Spirit World, and well... you don't remember it all, only I did. " 

"You mean we were in the Spirit World ten years ago, and we don't remember it?" Yuko exclaims in pure shock as Kohaku and Chihiro hold hands. 

"So, um, I guess that you and Kohaku are close friends, I assume?" Yuko asks. 

"Yes. We're close friends, Mom. " Chihiro explains, "And the name , "Sen" is another name for me. 

I hope that Haru can stay with us. Is that all right with you?" 

It seems surprising that the River Spirit , Kohaku is staying here with us. 

"Wait, I still demand an explanation of why our memories were erased." 

Chihiro said, "Well, you were transformed from being wild pigs after I passed a test to leave the Spirit World, and that's why only I can remember it. 

Haru, I will help you with settling in at school with me. You will be my cousin when anyone asks ok?" 

He chuckles, "It kind of reminds me of how I saved you back at the bathhouse." 

Chihiro twirls her ponytail in total embarrassment,  "Yeah, come to think of it, it kinda fits the bill, consider this as a payback, Haru. " 

As Kohaku and our daughter leaves us, I pulled my wife as I said, "You can't possibly believe all of this don't you, Yuko?" 

She looks upstairs where Kohaku and our daughter went up, "It is totally unbelievable that we actually went to the Spirit World without knowing, and Chihiro really is close with Kohaku. 

It seems that our little detour on that day really changed her. "

The more I think about it, the more it make total sense of her sudden change. 

Before, Chihiro didn't care about school, or making new friends , and she was always complaining about her old life. 

Now she's more self-confidence within herself, like she is a totally different person than we know. 

The next morning, Chihiro was already with her school uniform along with Haru. 

"Sen, I'm a little bit nervous about um, School." He said, nervously. 

She chuckles, "Relax, Haru. Azura and I are in your class, and I already informed the headmistress that you'll be an foreign student from a faraway distance." 

I raised an eyebrow, thinking, " Wow, she really can handle herself." 

Yuko said, "You better go . The train leaves in twenty minutes." 

"What?!?" Chihiro exclaimed as she pulls the sixteen year old out of the household to catch the train to school.

Sen

It's hard to believe that my parents took the truth about the Spirit World so easily, considering that they were shocked about travelling to the Spirit World and loosing their memories after we left ten years ago. 

Haru and I waited for Azura to catch up with us as we waited for the train in the subway. 

"Sen, what's on your mind?" Haru said, looking at me. 

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about how last night was. I still can't believe that my parents allowed you to live with us. 

It took me ten years to hide the truth about you and the Spirit World from them, and telling them was a lot tougher than I imagined it would be. " I replied. 

Kohaku rubs his chin, "Well, I am still stunned by your appearance, Sen. I mean, I never thought that you matured into a young teenager." 

I put my hands to my hips, exclaiming, "What is that supposed to mean, Haru?" 

He put his hands in the air, "N-Nothing! It just that it has been ten years since we last saw each other, and like I told you before, I'm completely overwhelmed by your change. I barely recognize you. "

The moment he said that, I began to realize he was right. We were apart for so long , and we haven't been in touch since I left the Spirit World behind. 

It totally made me felt guilty , like a tornado was about to explode. 

I didn't know how to reply back, as Haru saw Azura finally coming to the train station. 

"Finally! I thought I never make it." She pants from running, as Haru looks at her with compete confusion. 

"Why you ran all the way to the station? It's not like it's going to leave anytime soon." He asks her.  

Azura rubs her head, "Sorry, I couldn't handle this excitement. I mean, having Haru attending our class would be interesting ." 

I chuckled, "Well, we're going to be classmates from now on, and we'll be hanging out more often." 

We entered the classroom, as Haru was amazed. "So this is a classroom? It seems smaller than I imagined it would be. " 

"Well, we're first years. First years have small classes that ended in the afternoon. " Azura explains. 

But her expression changes as she walks to her desk. 

Azura

I still couldn't believe it. I was in compete shock and shooken that a river guardian was attending our school. 

And the fact that he comes from the Spirit World is somewhat made anyone would believe Sen would make it all up.

There's something else too. It gave me so many vibes between Haru and Sen. It had been 10 years since they had been apart from one another, but there is absolutely no mistake.

Sen has a deep crush on Haru, the spirit river guardian, and he has no idea or the question does remain, does he has the confidence and will to confess to her that he loves her back?

Honestly, I don't know if they could admit their love confessions to each other, as that Haru just left the Spirit World and he doesn't know the first thing about being a normal boy in this brand new environment.

"Hey, Azura, who's the foreign exchange student?" A female student besides me asks. She seems curious about it.

"Oh, that is-" I begin to say, as Haru walked up to the student to introduce himself. "What you doing?" I thought in fear, hoping the introduction goes smoothly.

"I'm Haru. I'm Chihiro's cousin." 

"Her cousin? How come she never mentioned you before? Seems weird to me." 

"Hey, Haru, it's ok. Look, he's my cousin, do you have a problem with that? Now let's get into our seats before the teacher arrives." 

The girl's reaction was so shocked from Sen's remark, as that she sighs, "Haru please be more aware of your surroundings. It's not like the Spirit World, remember?

I'll be there if you need anything you need to know about our world, got it?"

He sweats being defeated as if he knows how not to press her buttons. "O-Ok, ok! I hear ya. I wouldn't do it again. You really have changed these past 10 years, Sen. " 

My heart filled with something. Was I being jealous of their relationship?