Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt
…
A cowboy, or just a cow, could be seen walking down the streets in the Shibuya district one afternoon heading towards a specific location with confident steps - not caring about every head that turned when he walked by.
The reason? Takigawa Houshou knew he was handsome.
Of course, everyone knew that. They just wouldn't accept the truth. I mean, with his blond hair and brown eyes, and the oh-so-radiant smile no woman could escape - and that was just the beginning of everything great about him. He had good physique and loved children, could make anyone happy again in a heartbeat. Knew how to be serious at times when needed, and the very best of all: he played in a band! No woman could possibly turn him down when he had all this. He was in two words a catch. The only thing that screwed this up was his dressing style and - oh did I forget to mention? - he's a part-time monk who deals with the supernatural. That part had made sure that if he was lucky he now only got about two or three dates a year.
But that didn't bother him now. He was on his was to SPR so that he could tease the hell out of the cute part-time worker Mai over her crush on her boss, and possibly Ayako about her age if she was there. His snickering came to an abrupt halt when he came to face, well a mass of people. They were all screaming and trying to get closer to the celebrity who was sure to be in there somewhere, getting smashed at all sides of them. His former experiences when seeing mobs like this had never been good; and from those experiences he knew that there was no chance in hell that they were going to calm down and leave soon. He'd seen this sort of thing outside clubs, airports even in the middle of the street – like now.
With a defeated sigh he turned around and started to walk away, now he was never going to get there in time to find Mai alone in the office while Naru and Lin was out eating lunch. That was the ultimate chance and opportunity to get Mai to talk about her feelings towards her boss. If they were in the office… well, lets just say that the walls are pretty thin.
"…Masako! Please, just one picture!"
"…Hara-sama, Hara-sama! I'm a great…"
"…Just one picture, that's all I'm asking for!"
The monk stopped mid-stepped and slowly turned around. Masako was in there? He knew that she was famous from TV, sure. But he never could've thought that she was this popular that she could attract this many people by just walking on the streets. A sudden urge to go and help the poor girl from this mess was overwhelming. But trying to do things from thought to action have, once again, proved to be more difficult than one would've wished for. Bodies slamming into him everywhere he went, a sudden wind catching his very expensive cowboy hat and sending it off to who knows where, but he got closer. He could now see different parts of her kimono that she always wore. After several minutes of struggling (both to get there and not losing the bass he was carrying) he finally came through.
Takigawa was unable to move. He always knew that Masako had to keep some standard, being famous and all, but how she managed to not scream and swear things while trying to shove her way out was beyond his understanding.
Instead there she was, Masako the famous psychic in the middle of what could turn into a mob; standing perfectly still with her sleeve covering her mouth, eyes cast downwards while silently answering one of the many questions that were shot at her trying to be as polite as possible.
"Masako?" after numerous of cases and life savings, almost everyone in the team now called each other by their first name.
"Bou-san?" a confused Masako asked. Her sleeve dropped to her side while her eyes turned big. "What are you wearing?"
"Oh, this? Well my gig was put off and… – never mind that! I was planning to help you get out of here. Want my help or not?" there was one thing he couldn't take, and that was people criticizing his choose to wear.
Masako looked around, no one seemed to notice that she wasn't paying them any attention any more. She couldn't find an opening where they could escape; there was no other word, which would suit this whole thing. "I would like that very much," her sleeve covering her mouth once again as a grateful smile came upon her features; "if you know how to get out while not being crushed in the attempt."
That made Takigawa think. How would they get out? The crowd would follow them everywhere they went. They needed some sort of distraction long enough to get by unnoticed… A light bulb appeared above his head as an idea came to his mind.
"Hey, Masako I've got an idea! Faint."
A neatly plucked eyebrow raised as Masako clearly didn't believe that the monk before her was serious. "You do know that not everyone is quite as natural when it comes to fainting as Mai clearly is."
The monk sighed. This was going to take a while… "Ok, I'll explain to you. You faint. I catch. Pretend to take you to hospital. You free."
Masakos mouth made something, which might be interpreted in common language as "Oh". And then she fell. Takigawa had no idea how she thought she weren't a natural; everyone went quiet immediately. She even scared him a little, made him think that she actually did faint as he caught her petite figure in his arms. The rest was so easy that it left the monk smirking. Telling everyone to leave her some room and that he was taking her to the hospital, it was almost as if he had told them this area would explode in a matter of minutes. It's incredible how much respect they actually did have for her.
"Oi, Masako. You can wake up now."
"Just five more minutes mom, I promise…"
He couldn't believe it. She had fallen asleep! The famous psychic Hara Masako had fallen asleep in a number of two minutes against his shoulder. He was never going to let her forget this; it's just that sort of thing big brothers don't let people forget. He was just about to say something witty (just for the pleasure of seeing her blush) when he noticed. This is not the amount of weight a teenage girl should have in the prime of her youth, nor should there be any bags under their eyes.
His lips compressed into a thin line as the symptom was clear to him - fatigue.
"Oi, Masako. Come on, I'll buy you a coffee."
The girl stirred in his arms as she looked up at him. Blush stained her cheeks when she realized where she was, and what had happened. "Oh no, you really shouldn't-" and thus she was cut off as he nearly started to drag her along side himself to the nearest coffee shop.
How did this happen?
"Yasuhara-san? Are you alright?"
This is not how it should've gone.
"Ah, yes. Perfectly fine, thank you!" a radiant smile on his lips to prove any one that states the different, wrong.
Was it perhaps the wrong words?
"Are you sure…? I mean you look a bit pale, would you perhaps like some tea?"
Or was it just him that was wrong?
"You're right, Mai. I do need something to drink. Think a cup of coffee will do me some good, all this studying must've taken some toll on me," he rose to get his coat.
No, it wasn't him. It was Naru.
Speak of the devil. "Hello Shibyua-san, Lin-san. Had a pleasant lunch?"
The man had her in his grasp, all he had to do was to reach out and she would happily comply without any protest.
A slight bow of the head inclined that the Chinese man had acknowledged him before he went to his office. "Yes, Yasuhara-san," Naru answered. He did not notice that the man he was talking to had been alone with Mai for over an hour, let alone that he had asked his assistant out.
But, of course, the narcissistic man was too dense to understand the simplest thing of emotion.
"Well then, I'll be going. See you later!" and he left, not bothering to look back.
"Wait, Yasuhara-san! I can make you some coff-" the door slammed shut, silencing the rest of her words.
He chuckled bitterly to himself. Maybe this was the better way.
Maybe now the narcissistic man still had a chance of someone defrosting his heart.
Maybe now Mais love would acknowledge her as something else rather than a tea making assistant and see her as whom she really was. A loving, caring woman, not some silly teenage girl who get a crush on every handsome looking guy that walk past her.
A sneeze came. Maybe he did need that coffee.
"So then, Masako. How often does that sort of thing happen?" Takigawa asked as he seated himself opposite of the psychic.
A shrug of shoulders was used as an answer. "Usually I have some sort of a bodyguard helping me to my car."
"Huh, really. I had no idea you would have to go to that sort of extreme just to get to a car."
"Well, that's show business," a grim smile took its place on her face.
Be subtle or else she'll run off. "You know, Masako, it's pretty amazing that you have the energy to be on TV as often as you are, come along on cases and still being able to handle school."
"Actually it's not that hard. I'm pretty sure that it would be a lot easier if it was the other way around; considering TV wasn't invented yet when you went to school and-"
"Hey! How old do people really think I am?"
A sleeve hid her mouth; clearly she wouldn't let him see the smirk that now was on her face. "Besides, Yasuhara-san was able to be the president of the student council in his last year of high school. Why shouldn't I be able to have a somewhat tight schedule sometimes?"
He had planned not to mention this, but… "You're right, it's very common for seventeen year old girls to fall asleep in less then two minutes on the afternoon," He didn't care about the shocked expression on the mediums face but kept going. "Masako, I know I can't control how often your show is on TV, but I want you to know that you do know that it is alright to decline cases from Naru. Even if you love him and all that, but you need to rest more or your body wont keep up any longer."
A silence came between them, hitting the verge of becoming awkward.
"You're probably right. Besides, every attempt I do is futile. He hates me you know," and this time her sleeve did not cover up the bitter smile.
"That's not true and you know it! You just try to come up with a reason to why he would hate you. That doesn't make any sense, even if he has to borrow money from you. You're a great person – a little snobby at times, yes. But still great and you help us a lot on our cases," his voice was set on comforting while his mind was racing a hundred miles per hour. Naru hated Masako, why would she think that? Is it because he can't run his business without her money? Does he dislike mediums for some unknown reason? Argh, damn you Naru! You just keep 'em coming don't you? How many women must I comfort before you learn what the phrase "tact" means?
She smiled at his bad attempt of making her feel better. "It is true, I know his secret; and considering his behaviour towards people anyone would be better. Yasuhara-san, Brown-san – if he weren't a priest of course… even you would probably do it, if you were younger," Takigawa let this comment slide; it was not very often you could hear Masako talk about herself this freely. Maybe she was more tired than he thought.
"If only he would be a complete and utter bastard!" The monk couldn't help but stare at her, so he took another sip of the coffee that had now been long forgotten. He'd never heard Masako use such a crude word in all his time knowing her.
Masako noticed the expression on the monks face, oh right; she had only had this conversation with Mai. "I mean, if he was then I could easily ignore him and just focus somebody better. But I've heard that he does apologize when the time call it necessary, so it must mean that he isn't all bad, right? So why should I give up that easily? Even if he does seem to have his eyes fixed on Mai, I can compete can't I?"
What had she done? She had told the only person who teases Mai about her crush on Naru, that she probably had an even bigger one. He surely knew this already, but now when she'd said it – it's official. How was she going to make this correct again she had to… Oh no! She had made it sound like she was jealous of Mai! Even if that probably was some sort of half-truth. The girl was able to become friends with people with having said only a few sentences to them. She was also considered "cute" with all those mini-skirts and bright clothes she wore, and that short hairstyle only enhanced it all. Masako was considered proud – which was actually shyness by nature, even if dozens classes had finally made her blush go away, and filthy rich when she walked around in kimonos all the time. Mai always went into cases personally, even if it was little, making the client trust her. Masako on the other hand, didn't go into cases personally she just made sure that she did keep herself strictly professional. She'd once have paid a high price when she didn't; her emotions towards the client had muffled her better judgement. They ended up dead. She had learned her lesson.
This was a long shot - he knew it, but you have to try, right? "Masako, do you think it's possible that you don't love Naru?"
Of course he would've said that. Trying to get her out of the way making Naru free for Mais taking. She should never have said anything to him; he was on Mais side any way. She was just another person you have to rescue during cases, making sure they stay alive. Who knew what they would have left when her parents lawyers was done with them if she died. She knew she shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning, everything had just gone wrong. Oh crap! There was something in her eye making her eyesight muffled.
As the young medium was starting to get out of her chair, he cut her short by continuing. "What I'm saying is that, you know Narus secret right?" A nod. "And as you think he hates you, you try to do something about it; which is very understandable as nobody wish to be hated. So you use this to make him go out on dates with you, just to make him realize that he doesn't need to hate you; and during different cases you find that he is both a brat – don't try to deny it! – and a, let's call him a somewhat misunderstood boy who only try to do good. Thus you start to believe that you love him now that you know he has some good inside; and I don't know why this is, but women tend to have a desire to get the good sides of someone out, which lead back to you getting him to go out with you."
The medium sat silent for a moment, pondering everything he had told her and silently she came to a conclusion. She took her first sip of the coffee in front of her. "Thank you, Monk-san. Perhaps it's not so bad to once in a while not being able to get to your car," she said.
"My pleasure, and you know – whoa! They're going to have my head decapitated," Takigawa said as he suddenly realized what time it was. He was supposed to meet his band at a club ten minutes ago, and they did not forgive and forget easily. The many bruises on his arms were a living proof.
"If you want to talk, just give me a call. Or meet me in the office," he winked and laughed a little at this as he rushed out of the store, leaving Masako alone with her thoughts.
Perhaps he was right. After all, all her life she's been trying to get her family to recognize her as Masako their daughter, instead of Hara-sama the famous medium. She still shivered when she remembered those moments when her parents had screamed, and even worse, just been silent disappointed when she hadn't gotten the grades they wanted her to have, or the show wasn't as successful as they wished. Nowadays she tried to do everything right, just so that they wouldn't be angry with her. Maybe she was trying to do the same thing with Naru. He hated her for she knew his secret, and it was just instincts kicking in when she tried to make sure he didn't. She accepted every case he presented to her, and while there she pushed herself to her limit; just to prove herself useful.
She was just paying being ready to leave, when she spotted a familiar face among the customers. "Yasuhara-san?" a smile finding it's way to her lips as she greeted her friend.
He has always been able to lift her mood, and somehow her thoughts always seemed to clear when he was around. Now that she thought about it, he was quite handsome; perhaps even more so than Naru. No one could argue about his intelligence either, and he was possibly one of the few persons who could win over the narcissist in an argument.
Yasuhara didn't think he could've been more shocked to see Masako standing there, what was more; she was smiling without her kimono sleeve covering it! "Good afternoon, Hara-san. What are you doing here?"
"Funny, I was just about to ask you the very same question," her smile widening.
His chest tightened and all coherent sentences left his mind for a second until they came back again at full speed. He had to clear his throat once to be sure that his voice wouldn't sound funny when he spoke. "Just taking a coffee."
"Would you mind if I joined you?"
(…
Several people in SPR had noticed a sudden change with the medium. She smiled a lot more, and didn't cover it up quite as often.
"Masako, your TV ratings are sky high!" a happy producer said, breaking the news to her that more people was watching this show than any other.
Stunned expressions of Ayako and Takigawa as she had chuckled a little bit when they were, once again, arguing about their age. "What? You're funny," and once again she smiled, making them stand there dumbfounded not really believing it was Masako who had said and done just that
She had also stopped swooning over Naru (much to Mai and Narus appreciation) and becoming more talkative.
Stopping by once awhile in the office to talk to Mai or any other member of SPR who was currently there, not noticing Naru before he yelled, "This is not a country club, this is an office where people are supposed to work!" sending a nasty glare toward Mai.
"Oh, she was just having a break. We'll keep it down, I promise," and was now ignoring him completely as she resumed their conversation.
…)
A month later
Their newest case had just been a fraud; apparently it was not the case of a ghost taking control of a man making him go to different places and saying things to his family. It was just a man with newly developed schizophrenia who didn't know about it yet.
"Hey, Masako! Where are you two going?" Ayako asked the medium as she was walking toward the door where Yasuhara stood waiting with her jacket on his arm.
"Ohh! I know, you two are going on a date, aren't you?" said the ever teasing monk. He would practically do anything to make her blush nowadays - it had become so hard!
"Yes, actually. I'm taking her out to get a coffee," Yasuhara answered with his usual smile on place.
In the stunned silence that followed you could've heard a pin falling on the floor.
"Well, then," Yasuhara said holding out his arm. "Shall we be going?"
"Whoa! Wait a minute, how long have this been going on?"
"I would say about a month."
Masako smiled happily sending the monk a look. He understood perfectly.
…
A/N: This was rushed so it wouldn't surprise me if you find it that it jumped from emotion to emotion quite a lot. I didn't know where to put the part between "(…" and "…)", but I didn't have the heart to erase it so you don't have to remind me about it. Grammar mistakes and such are there as English is my second language, you don't have to remind me of that either.