Recap:

Chihiro was being stubborn and pulled away from his grip.  “I don’t wanna come with you.  I came to end things between us.  Even though I know there’s no such thing as us,” she calmly said.  Hurt was expressed in his face but it didn’t stop him from pulling her in the bathhouse. “Can we talk about this later Chihiro?  It’s not safe her please!” he pleaded but her stubbornness got in the way.  “You don’t wanna listen to me? Fine!” he grabbed Chihiro by the waist and carried her like a potato sack as they made their way to the bathhouse.  “Put me down! Now!” she demanded as she was punching his back.  “You weren’t listening to me so I won’t listen to you.  It’s that simple,” he smirked.  “I hate you Wufan! I really do!” she shouted with annoyance.

As Wufan carried her towards the entrance, a bird engulfed by fire blocked their way to the entrance of the bathhouse – a phoenix to be exact.

The phoenix transformed into a shape of a human boy.  Suddenly, a middle aged man engulfed by fire appeared in front of him out of nowhere.

“Is this a lovers’ quarrel I see before me?” the old man smirked.  “Step aside and let us through!” Wufan ordered.  “Wufan let me down!” Chihiro demanded once more.  The phoenix boy frowned as his eyes fell upon a familiar face other than Wufan’s.

“Chihiro?” he asked with confusion.  “Why is she with Wufan? She’s human, isn’t she?” he questioned himself asking the true identity of Chihiro then something sparked in his mind.  “No she can’t be Sen! She can’t be the dragon boy’s girl!”

Wufan was shocked as he heard the phoenix say Chihiro’s name.  As a result, he put her down.  Finally her feet were touching solid ground.

As Chihiro turned around, she was surprised to see another familiar looking face.  “Oh! Chanyeol? What are you doing here?” she was puzzled.

“My son, do you know this girl?” Chanyeol nodded with his head down at the man’s question.  Chanyeol’s father, Sooman took a step forward.

“Stay away from him Chihiro!” Wufan warned and blocked her as if he was protecting her from the enemies.  “So you’re being the knight in shining armour all of a sudden now?” he mocked Wufan’s actions.  “How do you have the guts to be all mighty around her when you weren’t there for her for five years?”

“Shut up old man! And you know the reason why I wasn’t there for her!” Wufan retorted.  Chihiro looked at Wufan’s profile confused.  “What does he mean that he knows the reason why he didn’t show up for five years?  Was there a reason why he didn’t keep his promise?” she silently thought.

Sooman smirked at him.  “And you dare talk to me like that?  You don’t own the place Wufan.  Not you, not Yubaba!  You work for me!”

“Father, please stop it!” Chanyeol begged as he lost his balance.  “Are you alright, my son?”  Sooman’s eyes were filled with concern.  “You must be tired.  Let’s go inside and rest,” Sooman supported Chanyeol’s weight as they were walking towards the entrance of the bathhouse.  “Wufan Chihiro inside.  It’s getting cold out here and she must be tired,” Kris nodded at Chanyeol’s kind order.  “Chihiro, I hope you can stay here a little while?” Chanyeol smiled as he saw Chihiro nod and smile at his request.

“Wait! You know him?” Wufan asked. “I met him a couple weeks back at our local market,” she simply answered.  “I didn’t know he was a phoenix then,” she continued.

“You should stay away from him especially his father.  They’re dangerous.”  Wufan warned.  Chihiro rolled her eyes at him, “You’re not my father, don’t tell me what to do,” she scoffed as they entered the bathhouse.

A sea of familiar faces greeted Chihiro as they got inside the bathhouse.  There was the boiler man Grandpa Kamiji, Lin, Grandma Yubaba, Grandma Yubaba’s son Boh was there too along with the others.  Boh lost most of baby weight but he was still the big baby Chihiro became friends with.

“Chihiro!” Lin and Boh screamed in unison as they dashed towards the entrance with their arms wide open.  Chihiro’s face lit up like the summer’s sun as she saw her excited friends.  To Lin’s disappointment, Boh was the first one to throw himself to Chihiro with a big hug.

“I know we’re not from the human realm but I think the rule ‘Lady’s First’ still apply in our realm,” Lin lectured Boh.  “And you should’ve let me hug her first since I’m older than you, you punk!” Boh pouted and had his head down as he was being scolded by his elder.

“How are you guys?! I missed you so much!” Chihiro hugged them tightly to the point that they have become breathless.  Wufan felt a pang of jealousy inside them as she hugged them wholeheartedly.  But he ignored his childish mentality as he saw happiness in her eyes.

The elders had to disturb the younger ones’ reunion with each other. “Sen, it is good to see you again after all these years,” Grandpa Kamaji felt happy seeing her.  She was like a granddaughter he never had.  Chihiro became hesitant to exchange heart warming hugs with Grandma Yubaba.  She could not help but feel a little bit of fear.  No one could blame her.  Yubaba made her life hell in the spirit realm but thanks to Zeniba and Boh, she was finally free.

“Chihiro, come here!” Grandma Yubaba said as she was extending her arms to her.  She hurried into her arms, smiling.  “It’s great to have you back child,” Grandma Yubaba could not help being nice to her as Chihiro was the type of person who would thaw an ice, cold heart.  That was a trait of hers that many loved especially Wufan.

“Yubaba!” The woman turned around as Sooman shouted.  “What are you doing?! Make sure my room and bath is ready as well as Chanyeol’s!  He needs to rest immediately!” All of the workers in the bathhouse instantly forgot about Chihiro’s existence as Sooman ordered them.

“Yes sir!” Yubaba replied obediently.  Boh glared at his mother’s obedient behaviour towards the two.  This confused Chihiro.  “Sir? Why are you addressing him so formally? And why is everybody starting to move frantically?” Chihiro watched the two go upstairs before she questioned them.  “They will explain everything to you,” she pointed at her friends who seemed very displeased at Sooman’s demands.  “I have to cater to these so called royalties,” Yubaba stomped her way to Sooman and Chanyeol’s room.

“I don’t get why we have to be slaves for the two of them! We own this place not them!” Boh whined.  “You know why we have to do this Boh.  We have no choice but obey.” Lin said with her shoulder slumped.  “It’s not our fault that he was born with this curse!” Boh said exasperatedly.  “What curse?” Chihiro asked with curiosity.  “Come guys, it’s been a long day.  We should rest.” Wufan interrupted.  “And you should help your mother.” He continued.

Chihiro became annoyed at Wufan’s sudden interruption especially now that her curiosity was at its peak.  As Lin and Boh left, he noticed Chihiro’s irritated expression plastered on her face.  He knew exactly the reason why.

“Why must you ruin everything Wufan?” she sighed.  “Come on.” She moved her hand as he was about to grab hers.  “Don’t be like this.  It’s been a long day.  Just rest and I will explain everything tomorrow okay?” He insisted.  “No! I won’t rest until someone explain what’s going on with this place!” she refused his request.

“Chanyeol is a phoenix.  Phoenixes are like royalties in this realm as well as dragons,” Wufan explained. “You consider yourself royalty?” Chihiro smirked at the thought that Wufan would have been considered as royalty.  She only considered him as a royal pain in the .  However, in her case he was a royal pain in her heart. “Sorry. Go continue.”

“As I was saying, they are from a higher order in this realm so we have nothing to do but agree and do whatever we are told,” Wufan continued.  “Chanyeol, he...he was born with this so called ‘curse’ by his father,” he said as he made air quotation marks at the work curse.

“What curse?” Chihiro asked.  “Phoenixes are born to die with its own ashes and they’re reborn again from it.  Chanyeol may look like a normal teenager in your realm but he could but a hundred years old.  I actually don’t know since I didn’t ask.  His father wants him to live longer.  Sooman wanted to end the cycle Chanyeol has been going through for centuries.  Now I that have explained everything will you please go to bed and rest? I’ll you to your room.” Wufan said, ending the conversation.  He looked at Chihiro who had sadness written all over her face.

“Phoenixes are born to die and are reborn to die again?” she sadly thought.  She wanted to comfort Chanyeol even though she only met him once.  She snapped out of her train of thought and finally agreed to Wufan’s request to rest.

“Wufan?” she called out. “Hmm?” Wufan peered through the door of her room.  “Can..Uhm.. Can you come with me to Granny Zeniba’s?  I want to pay her a visit.  It has been a while and I miss her.” She hesitated asking him but she did anyway.

“Sure I’ll come with you.  Meet me at the garden near the piggery tomorrow morning okay?” he happily said.  The thought of being with Chihiro made him very happy and excited.  He was now looking forward for tomorrow’s events.

A/N:

Annyeonghaseyo my dear readers! I'm sorry I have been MIA for quite a while.  To be honest, I wasn't very inspired to write/complete this story.  This is because I haven't been getting any feedback on my story to be quite honest with you all.  I know it is so demanding of me but your comments do inspire me to update.

Anyways, I would like to thank everyone who has been reading this!  I apologize in advance for the spelling and grammar mistakes and if the story is not up to your liking!  I am no writer but I just wanted write this!

I will see you guys in the next update! Saranghaeyo!