I Hope You

by AmyNChan

Mai is out with a couple of old friends for an old past time pleasure. Can she use this as a catalyst to get all that she's feeling off of her chest?

14AmyChan: You can ask anyone I've talked to, I've had this idea stuck in my head for a good long while now. XD

Naru: It just happens to come out while you should be working on the next chapter of your other story.

14AmyChan: TT^TT

Mai: Naru!

Naru: *shrugs*

Mai: ugh! In any event, Amy-chan doesn't own Ghost Hunt

14AmyChan: Also, even though I hate reading stories like this for the most part, I want you guys to look up the song when it says to, okay? Okay!

Mai: wut...?

It was a well-guarded secret that Mai enjoyed to sing. As she had grown up, singing aloud with her mother and father had been a treasured time with family. When her father had passed away, her mother had continued the tradition, and they had all sang songs that the head of the Taniyama household would have enjoyed singing with his family. When her mother had died, Mai's sole source of venting her hurt feelings and cries of desperation against the world had been through song, sung in secret. Though she did not consider herself to be the best singer the world had ever seen, she believed herself to be fair at the pastime, so long as no one heard her.

As she had entered high school, her friends had brought her to a karaoke bar for a good time and had introduced her to the realm of microphones and backup music. Random listeners would jump into the background as back-up dancers, and the host would always find a helper to assist those too shy to sing loudly on their own. At first, Mai was one such person who had needed the help.

As time had progressed, she became more comfortable in the environment of karaoke. Even with her new job with SPR, Mai had done her best to visit the bar every Saturday night with her friends. It was a fun time for all of them.

And now? Three months after the shift in leadership with her job, Mai was back at the karaoke bar once more, hanging out with two of her best friends in the whole world: Michiru and Keiko.

"You go, girl!" Michiru cheered as a frightened girl made her way to the stage. She grabbed the microphone shyly from the host as he introduced her. Keiko and Mai followed Michiru's example and encouraged the obviously shy girl into this new and boisterous atmosphere.

Within no time at all, the music was playing and the shy girl was singing her heart out. Contrary to the first impression she gave off, the girl had a loud voice and was obviously having fun.

"Well, what do you know, she sounds really good," Keiko smiled, bobbing her head to the beat. Mai nodded, remembering when she herself seemed so shy on that stage.

"She does," Mai agreed. However, the statement—probably with a lack of its usual luster—earned pointed looks from her friends. The brunette girl sweatdropped. "What?"

"You tell us," Michiru pouted. "You've been a bit gloomier for a few months now. You gonna tell us what's going on?"

"Yeah," Keiko joined in. "Ever since that Shibuya guy left, you've been really sad. You wanna talk about it?"

"Keiko!" Michiru scolded, having seen Mai's facial expression drop at the mention of her former boss. Keiko's hands flew to her mouth. "Not so forward!"

"Sorry!" the girl apologized, bowing her head for forgiveness. Mai waved it off.

"No, it's fine," she said hurriedly, trying to remove her friends' worries with the wave of her hand. Michiru, however, would not be swayed.

"No, Mai, it's not," the girl refuted. "You need to let out what's bothering you. Since Keiko already said it, did something happen before that guy left?"

"N-no, nothing, really," Mai stammered, scratching the side of her face lightly in a contemplative manner. Though her friends knew better.

"Fine, if you're not going to tell us," Michiru began, only to have Keiko interrupt and finish for her.

"You're going to have to sing it out!" Keiko supplied happily.

"What?!" Mai exclaimed quietly. The other girl was, after all, still performing.

"You heard us," Michiru grinned. "Either way, you gotta let it out and let it go. So you either get to tell us everything that's been going on, or you get to pick a song and sing yourself to some closure over whatever happened."

Mai contemplated her three options. There were the two that her friend had given her, and then there was running out of this place like greased lightning. Though, of course, she could not pick the third option. Michiru and Keiko would surely catch her and force her to explain. And Mai did not even want to run from them or this situation. She had been given three months to sit on it, after all.

She had not quite gotten over the hurt that Naru had given her, but she had become able to see through it in order to use her proper judgment. And now that she could, she felt sorry for Naru. Sorry that he seemed to believe himself unlovable. Sorry that he could not take a break out of his work to enjoy all that the world had offered him. Sorry. Just sorry for him.

Because there were just some certain details that she could not divulge to her friends, no matter how much she trusted them, she had to pick the second option. Seriously, Mai could not tell them that Naru was actually a renowned celebrity that had been in Japan looking for his dead twin brother who had been guiding her dreams and when she had finally gathered the courage to tell Naru that she loved him he had told her that she instead loved the boy from her dreams. Not gonna happen.

As the singer finished up her song, everyone clapped at her performance. Shyly, the girl returned the microphone and bolted back to her seat. During the switching of singers, Mai searched through the songbook, picked a song, wrote her name and song choice on a piece of paper, and slipped it onto the pile of song requests and names that was on top of the DJ's list.

About six more people went up before Mai's turn came. During that time, she and her friends danced back-up to a duet singing "Love Shack", were called up to help a girl sing "Just The Way You Are", and generally had a great time.

"All right, let's give Adrina a hand!" the host announced, offering applause at the latest performer. The audience clapped loudly, for she had really given it her all singing "Ring of Fire". "For our next song, we have a Miss Mai Taniyama singing! Let's give her a warm welcome, shall we?"

Mai could hear the applause as she made her way to the stage. She took the mic from the host with a smile, thanking him before turning to the audience. Before her was a screen, showing her the words she would have to sing, and behind her was a projector, telling the audience what song she would be singing.

(Okay, if you guys wanna hear this song, go to any song-providing website [YouTube or the equivalent] and type in "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack)

The song began with some synthesized sounds, followed by the intro of a drum. The beat it started was slow, yet catchy enough for Mai to sway to. She had not heard this song in years, not since her mother had sung it to her.

Yet like a familiar friend, the tune washed through Mai's head and she was able to begin on the correct note and at the correct time. Her swirling emotions about Naru, his departure, and everything she wanted for him came out as a melodious song.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
Get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger

As Mai sang, she remembered Naru. While he never had some form of openly expressed wonder, she simply knew there were a few mysteries of the universe that peaked his interest. She also knew his drive for knowledge was unstoppable. It was one of those things that made Naru Naru. She hoped he would never lose that.

May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed

She hoped, that while he was in England, he would not come to hate his life. To be the twin that lived, but wished he had not. She wanted him to live happily. She really did.

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Mai knew that Naru had little to no humility; it was one of the reasons she called him narcissistic. He did, however, know his limits. She just hoped he would not push them too hard, and keep those limits in his respects, if only for the reason that he continue to live.

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

She wished that life would keep surprising him. If only to give him a challenge to rise to. She knew how much he would need that.

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

As far as she knew, her abilities were the only thing he had believed in with no scientific backing. She wanted him to learn to trust things that had no scientific explanation. Things such as trust, friendship, and companionship.

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance, I hope you dance

Mai truly did. Even if he may look like an absolute dweeb doing it (and she said that in the most loving way possible), she did hope that he would dance. At least once. Just to show himself that life was not as horrible as he seemed to think it was. She hoped he could learn to live long enough to enjoy it.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance

She knew he would never. Naru was a man who seemed to know no fear. Respect for consequences, perhaps, but never fear. And she would never want him to know it.

Never settle for the path of least resistance

She wanted him to thrive. To fight for the best possible outcome, whatever that may be. She never wanted him to give up on anything without a Naru-like fight. Cunning and clever.

Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'

Mai knew this more than anyone, and this small portion was for both herself and for Naru. Loving him hurt her. Living enough to love him had been a chance all on its own. However, if she were honest with herself—really honest with herself—she would not have taken it back. It was worth every moment.

She hoped he would allow his life to have a few of those moments. The kind he would never want to take back should he have the chance.

Don't let some helpin' heart leave you bitter

This was a slight hope on Mai's part. She knew Naru could be a bitter man, but to let someone who was just trying to help allow him to become even more bitter? That was something Mai did not want for him. If nothing else, just ignore it and press on. That was something Naru was known to do anyways.

When you come close to selling out, reconsider

Mai knew—or at least hoped—that Naru would never give up on anything. Be it life, his work, or anything else. He had that pesky pride that never allowed him to cave into anything. Except that one time, but that did not count.

She hoped he would not cave like that ever again.

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

She wanted him to live, but also to remember what life was worth. To know that the existence he had now was only temporary, and that this knowledge would lead him to live in a way he wanted to. In a way that would make him happy.

I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion)
I hope you dance
(Always rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

As she sang the chorus and the vocal backup kicked in, she somewhat wished that Naru would hear this. Hear her wish that he would continue to live and be Naru, only a happy Naru. A Naru happy with his existence, or at the very least content with it.

She wanted him to live his life as though he only had one shot at it. She wanted him to try new things and to pout when things did not go his way. He would sulk, this she knew from experience. She wanted him to live, to experience, to have fun with his life.

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

She hoped.

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

She prayed.

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

She wanted to make him promise her.

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

She wanted him to

Dance! I hope you dance

As the chorus repeated itself, she really did want him to dance. She was done being hurt with him. She was done blaming him for something he said. She wanted the best for him, she really did. She wanted him to live long. Live happily. Live freely.

She just wanted Naru to be happy. With or without her, she just wanted him to be happy.

(Tell me who wants to look back on their youth and wonder
Where those years have gone)

As those last lines came through the speaker, preceding a long instrumental exit, Mai hoped that would not be Naru. That Naru would never have to look back on the past and wonder 'what if'. She faced the applause she got with a smile, the first lighthearted smile she had given in three months. She was done being hurt. And done trying feebly to hope for a better tomorrow for herself. She wanted now to wish for something that meant something to her. That meant a lot to her.

She wanted to wish for a good life for Naru, and do so wholeheartedly.

As Mai returned the mic back to the host, Keiko stopped recording on her phone. She then sent the video to one of Mai's coworkers, who had expressed concern a few days ago. This video would be sent to another coworker, and then to another, until it finally reached its intended audience.

The intended audience would then watch the video, and then decide it was time to start living the way he wanted to. That would begin with a trip back to Japan.

Back to her. To be happy.

14AmyChan: Okay, so the ending was rushed, but I gotta move onto working on my other story. ^^;

Naru: *glare*

Mai: That's a pretty neat song, isn't it?

14AmyChan: Yup! I don't own that either, though. XD

Mai: *turns to audience* Well, we hope you enjoyed that story!

14AmyChan: Please R&R~! *^_^*

Naru: *glaring at 14AmyChan for making him look like a sap*