Spirited Away Fan Sequel: Chihiro Returns

CHAPTER 1

Another day, another useless hour of math. School has gotten so boring since she entered middle school. Her friends all get to attend the same public school while her parents make her go to this stupid private school, thinking it’ll get her ahead in life. But how hard can success really be? All it takes is determination to stay on the path regardless of how long or hard the road is.

Besides, if a private school is supposed to better her education, then why are the subjects so easy? A little challenge would at least make things more interesting. She might like to have a little anxiety over a test, find a hot senior to tutor her, or at the very least, flunk out of this place and be back with her friends again.

She brushes a hand around the long hair tied behind her head and pulls it over her shoulder. This long hair is such a pain. She thought it’d be pretty, but it’s just annoying. Her eyes flick over to a corner of the room. A spiderweb? In the center of its unusually thick webs, a big black spider waits patiently. Rather, Chihiro assumes it’s patient, because it isn’t moving. But it’s legs look ready to jump.

A snicker escapes her nose at the thought of a giant leaping spider terrorizing the classroom. Go ahead little guy, pick a victim. Make my day.

Wait, something is off about this spider. It looks like there’s something in its mouth. Chihiro squints her eyes and leans forward in her chair. Is that a human nose? Hold on, the spider’s face looks human!

There isn’t anything in its mouth, this spider has a giant bushy moustache, and black goggles. Chihiro blinks hard a few times and rubs her eyes. There’s no way. She looks again, and the spider is still there, and it seems like it’s staring back at her. Chihiro swallows hard.

A tiny poke on her arm makes her leap in her chair, but she relaxes, sighing in relief to see her classmate next to her.

“Miss Ogino, are you okay?” he asks in a whispered tone as the teacher goes on. Chihiro cringes at being addressed so formally, but she shrugs it off, knowing it’s just because she hasn’t tried hard to make any friends here. This guy isn’t so bad, despite how popular he is.

“I’m fine, um...Mister Tadashi,” she whispers back. “It’s just that spider in the corner. It’s a little freaky, that’s all.”

“Please, you can call me Yamato,” he smiles, turning his attention to where he eyes were before. “It looks like the spider’s gone now. Are you afraid of them, Miss Ogino? I assure you, they’re quite harmless.”

Gone? Chihiro furrows her brow at the freaky arachnid that now seems to be glaring at her. She points to it. “Right there!” She covers her mouth as the teacher shoots a glare in her direction.

“Miss Ogino, I am in the middle of a very important lecture. Since you’re so concerned with boys, you can listen from outside.”

Yamato stands from his seat. “Please ma’am, it was my fault. I was worried, so I asked what was wrong.”

“It’s fine,” says Chihiro as she stands from her seat. “I could use the peace and quiet. Thanks anyway, Yamato.”

Chihiro’s face heats up and she hears giggles and whispering from her classmates, but her gaze is stuck on the spider, whose glare seems to be following her. When its legs move and the spider turns to continue facing her, she catches her breath and dashes from the classroom, slamming the door behind her.

That thing. It was really staring at me!

What’s worse, I feel like I’ve seen it before.

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