I'm not sure reenacting everything in Rea life is such a good idea, there was plenty of painful memories that were literally cut out of her brain and although some lingering feelings are there, it's best she is a care free "blank slate" that might actually now start a "normal life" she wished for so much... at least until her pedophile father is away...
Rea feeling for Chihiro is tied with her hunger for his flesh, but within her strong feeling stopping her, she will not hesitate to eat him.
Author is making Darin x Chihiro ship?
There's already Ranko x Chihiro that's doomed to fail...
Darin cutting her hair, trope "mark of change"...