Spirited Away 2: The Return of Chihiro | ✓

HAKU

One minute, she's crying in my arms. And the next, she's on the ground, unconscious.

Immediately, my anger towards Kao was replaced by a worry, a concern for Chihiro. A crowd drew around us as I bent down to her.

"Chihiro!" I called out, shaking her. "Open your eyes! It's me, Haku! Now please, wake up! Look at me, my love!"

I pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and caressed her face. I just sat there, waiting to see the eyes of my Chihiro look up at me. But, after a while, I started to lose hope. Her skin slowly turned cold, and the red blush in her cheeks started to fade. For the first time in my life, a tear escaped from my eye.

Oh Chihiro, I thought, holding her tightly against me. My sweet, sweet Chihiro.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approach, getting closer and closer by the second. I looked up to find a distraught Kao in front of me. I instantly covered Chihiro with my body, protecting her.

"I don't know what you've done," I growled through sadness and anger, "but stay away from her!"

Kao smirked; it was a look of evil intentions.

"I told you to leave her alone," he answered, "but you didn't. This is all your fault."

I wanted to leap at him, tear him apart and burn the pieces. But, right now, Chihiro was my main priority, and getting her to safety was my current mission.

"Yubaba will know what to do," I said to myself.

With my eye still on Kao, I picked up Chihiro and stood.

"Stay away from us, Kao, and especially stay away from her."

With these final words, I took off into the sky. The bathhouse wasn't very far; it had taken me about an hour to get from there to Kuiboia. Now, Chihiro's life could be at stake. So, I sped up my pace, and before I knew it, the sounds of rushing water were heard. I looked up and saw the bathhouse just a mile away. I peered down at Chihiro, who still felt lifeless in my embrace.

Just hold on, I thought as I landed in front of the bathhouse's grand, closed doors. I kicked them open, startling the workers on the other side. They froze in their places as I walked in.

"Get Yubaba!" I exclaimed. "NOW!!"

Chaos spread throughout the place quickly, and the workers did their best to show me a room to put Chihiro. Soon, whispers could be heard throughout the halls, and spirits that knew Chihiro stood in the doorway of the room. I sat beside her, holding her hand, waiting for Yubaba's help.

After a while, she and Lin entered the room. Lin's face soon expressed shock when her eyes stopped at Chihiro.

"What happened!?" Lin asked, rushing to her other side.

"I don't know," I replied, trying to contain my anger, "but I'm pretty sure that damn Kao had something to do with it."

Yubaba stood over me, observing Chihiro in her current state.

"Hmm.." She breathed. "It appears that our young Sen has been put under a spell."

Lin and I both gasped. I squeezed her hand tighter, but I was careful not to bruise her. I looked down at her.

"Is there anything you can do?" I questioned desperately.

"I'm sorry Haku," she said, "but all we can do is wait."

With this, she and Lin left the room, and for the next three days, I stayed by my love's side and never left, neither eating or sleeping the entire time. I was growing weak, but the love Chihiro and I shared was the only thing that was keeping me going.

On the third day, Chihiro finally opened her eyes to me. I swear that I've never been so happy in my entire life, except for our first kiss.

"Thank God!" I cried out, hugging her neck.

I sat back up, expecting to see her warm smile as well. Instead was a look of confusion.

"Kao?"

I shook my head and held her close.

"Don't worry about him, love," I explained. "He won't bother us anymore."

All of a sudden, she pushed me aside and sat up.

"Where is he? Where is my love? Where is my Kao?"