A/N: Just something I had in my head. My husband insists it has to be a prequel to Sway and A Troublesome Child. It can be thought of as such.
Disclaimer: All characters in Ghost Hunt are the creation of the Goddess Ono Fuyumi-sama.
Mai and Lin were standing in the office kitchen taking a rare tea break together. It was late in the evening and Mai was feeling slightly sleepy. She didn't want to think about work anymore, so she let her eyes wander around the kitchen. They came to rest on Lin, assessing his features. She had never really given him a good look before.
'His hair is actually pretty cute,' she thought cheerfully.
She continued to stare at him openly. She never thought about it, but his features were very masculine. It was a strong contrast to Naru's boyish beauty. She admired Lin's strong jawline. It was well defined and stood out from his neck. This thought had the effect of drawing her eyes to his aforementioned neck. The collar of his shirt was fastened snugly around his throat. His prominent Adam's apple bobbed as he took a sip of tea.
Mai swallowed hard, her heart beginning to race. Looking at Lin like this was starting to have an effect. It was a new sensation for her. She had to admit she hadn't even felt this way toward Naru before.
Lin leaned back on the counter, his right hand bracing himself while his left held his teacup. He stared into his tea in contemplation. He was wondering about the strange lights he had seen on the videos he was re-watching and considering what tests he should run. That was, until he heard Mai speak.
"Wow, he's so hot," she said, amazed.
Lin lifted his head in confusion, eyebrows slightly raised.
"Oh no," Mai panicked, "did I say that out loud?"
Lin continued to stare at her in silence.
"I wasn't talking about you, Lin-san," she said quickly. "I don't think you're hot! I mean, I'm not attracted to you."
'That was harsh,' Lin thought, frowning. He was just minding his own business. And here she was, calling him unattractive to his face.
"Is it the hair," he asked, feeling insecure, but feeling he needed an explanation.
"Oh no," Mai said, seeing she had offended him, "your hair is very cute."
Now he was really confused. She said he was unattractive, but he had cute hair. Then that must mean it was his face.
"What then?" he asked, upset.
"Huh?" Mai said.
"What is it about me that's so unattractive," he said angrily.
"No, no, no," she said quickly, trying to fix her mistake, "you're very attractive, Lin-san!"
"Now I'm confused, Taniyama-san," he said.
"I was just thinking how good looking you are," Mai confessed, turning bright red, "I didn't mean to say it out loud."
"Thank you," Lin said, relieved. "I find you attractive as well, Taniyama-san."
Mai laughed nervously. "Thanks," she said, not knowing what else to say.
There was an awkward silence.
"I should get back to work," Lin told her, feeling he had said something wrong. He left without waiting for a reply.
Mai sighed. 'That couldn't have gone any worse,' she thought. 'What the heck was up with that?'
Mai had never thought of Lin in that way. Their relationship had always been rocky, but recently it had started to warm. That had made her really happy, but she hadn't realized that she was attracted to the quiet man. And he said he found her attractive, too.
'Does that mean he likes me?' Mai questioned. 'More than a colleague? More than a friend even?'
The man in question sat at his computer, trying to focus. He was feeling a bit confused. All he had wanted was a cup of tea to help him concentrate. Being in the kitchen had caused the opposite effect. He hadn't expected to end up confessing his attraction to the very person he felt it towards. But she had told him first, so he thought it was okay. It didn't exactly seem like it had been.
If he was being completely honest with himself, he had no idea about dating. It wasn't something he did because he had never cared to and he didn't enjoy being intimate with other people. The only people he allowed physical contact with were Naru and Mai.
So, he didn't think he'd mind being intimate with Mai, but he wasn't sure where to start. He knew Japan had certain dating rituals, but he didn't think he'd be comfortable with group dates. Then again, perhaps Mai wouldn't want to date him at all. She had initially tried to hide her attraction, so maybe, she wasn't really interested in anything more from him.
All these thoughts were starting to drive him a little crazy. He had already admitted to himself, the moment he arrived back from England, that he wanted to be with Mai. So far, there hadn't been any progress and he was starting to think he'd never get his chance.
Lin heard Mai walking down the hall to Naru's office. She quietly knocked on his door before opening it.
"I'm going home now, Naru" Lin heard Mai say.
"Fine," Naru replied to her.
As he heard her make her way back down the hall, Lin made a decision. He stood from his chair and walked to the doorway.
"Taniyama-san," Lin called after the girl.
"Yes," she said, turning to face him.
"Would you care to join Naru and me for dinner?" He asked her, hoping she'd say yes.
"Are you sure it's okay?" She asked hesitantly.
"I'm positive," he told her. "We can leave now if you'd like."
"Okay," Mai responded.
Lin went to Naru's office, knocking before he entered.
"Naru, we're going to dinner with Mai," Lin told him.
Naru stared at Lin for a few moments before shrugging. "Fine by me," he said as he stood up.
And with that, the three left the office to share their first dinner of many to come.