Spirited Away: The Wait [ORIGINAL]

Lost Hopes

“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart. I’ll stay there forever.”

–A.A. Milne

     It was dead silent in the dining room, an unusual thing to see in the Ogino household. Only the knocking of cutlery could be heard in the room, with the occasional questions from Yuko and Chihiro to help ease some of the tension. Nothing much was working.

     Haku was quietly eating his dinner. He looked like his own composed self as usual, except that the aura he was emitting was rather dark. Put it bluntly, Chihiro got the vibe that he was ready to do something very violent.

     “I must say,” Rei began, clearing his throat awkwardly as he did so under the piercing gaze of Haku’s, “this is remarkable. It’s rather different from the food we eat. How did you make this, Mrs. Ogino?”

     “It’s very simple, really. I can give you the recipe if you want,” Yuko said in delight. “What kind of food do you eat over… um, pardon me. Where do you live again?”

     “I doubt you’d know the place even if he told you, Mom,” Chihiro said.

     “Ah, I’m not very good with places,” the elderly lady said with a chuckle.

     Rei only offered a small chuckle in return before thanking her and continued with his food. He was finishing his food much quicker than the rest, probably because he had to leave for the shelter soon. 

     “So, what do you do, Rei?”

     “I’m still looking for a job. I just graduated,” he said. Chihiro’s gaze flickered over to meet him, and she quickly spotted a mischievous glint in them.

     Yuko bought it all the same. She nodded, saying, “That’s nice. What jobs are you considering?”

     “Perhaps a teacher?”

     “Which subject would you like to teach?”

     “History,” he answered.

     “I see… I was never good with history back in my time,” Yuko chuckled.

     Chihiro smiled as Rei continued to humor her mother. She noticed Haku moodily eating his food. A small pang of guilt hit her for leaving him out of the conversation. He looked like he needed a friend, the poor thing.

     “Haku,” she called. His head snapped up. “Yes?”

     “You’ve got some stuff on your face.”

     “What?” He reached for a napkin and wiped his mouth. “There’s nothing,” he frowned, staring at the clean sheet.

     Chihiro smirked as she leaned over to poke his forehead, nose and then his cheeks. “You’ve got stuff here, here and here. This is bad, Haku. It’s everywhere.”

     “What’s everywhere?”

     “You look like a prune. There’re wrinkles everywhere and gloom hanging on your entire face.”

     Immediately, Haku’s eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at her. She struggled not to burst out laughing. Before he could say something back however, Yuko had her attention now turned to him. “Haku, where have you been lately? You haven’t been coming over as frequently.”

     “I have been more busy with work, lately,” he replied.

     “I see. A new research project?” she asked.