A/N: This is meant to be a short story set just 3 weeks after Akumu no Sumu Ie, possibly 3 chapters long.

Sorry for those of you who were waiting for the new chapters to Game, Set, and Match! I just absolutely had to write this one out first. I hope I can get back on schedule.

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT! You should have knowledge of the anime/manga/GH novel and Akumu no Sumu Ie sequel.

Chapter 1

Mai's P.O.V

The steam from the freshly brewed Earl Grey tea temporarily wavered in the air as I turned the knob and slightly cracked the door open to Naru's office. Luckily, I managed to stop myself from swinging it open all the way when I remembered his order to always knock first. Normally, of course, that is just proper etiquette and I do as he says, but for this case it was stupid so I always forget since I never make him his tea unless he expressly asks for it moments before, so it's not like I would be bursting in on him completely unexpected. But whatever, I respect his privacy. Heaven knows every one of us SPR members now fully understand just to how much length he'll go through to preserve it.

But that's neither here, nor there. I don't begrudge him for lying to us about his identity for an entire year.

So I knocked gently and called out his name. "Naru? I have your tea." I waited until he grunted in response before stepping inside.

I was surprised to see him sitting deep in thought behind his cluttered desk, lost in a sea of strewn papers and paperclips. He was leaning on his table, his hand loosely clenched and resting against his lips. I noted his worn appearance, but it annoyed me how even when tired Naru can still be as handsome as ever. The hair on his right side was jutting out against the natural flow of his hair, which told me he must have repeatedly kept running his fingers through that part of his face, and his black dress shirt was unclasped at the first two buttons. The only thing that looked familiar to me in that rare setting was one corner of the table upon where a small stack of neatly piled papers (which I assume must be the ones he's already finished going through), which was the only place where the dark mahogany wood table underneath can be seen.

There are only two reasons why his office would be in disarray like this. One, either he was currently working on an exasperatingly difficult case and was currently going through all relevant files to scrounge for clues, or two, he was perusing documents pertaining to his mysterious personal affairs. And since the Kosori case we worked on with Detective Hirota Seigi had been fully closed three weeks ago, this only leaves me one conclusion.

"Naru... are you going somewhere?"

He spared me a glance with his eyes only, not even bothering to shift his position and grunted, "Yes."

"Oh... when do you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

I stifled a surprised gasp in the back of my throat and fought back the gentle tremors originating from deep within my body. Instead, I forced myself to nod in understanding.

What was I so afraid of? After all, didn't Naru use to do these kinds of things frequently before? There were times where he would hole up in his study for hours and emerge only to suddenly declare he'd be out of office for several days. This should be something I'm used to. But deep down inside I knew the reasons. Ever since that incident at the lake just three months prior, the rest of the team and I had come to fully realize just how easily Naru and Lin-san can decide to disappear from our lives.

After the Kirishima case, we found ourselves blindsided by the truth: that Naru's, or rather, Oliver Davis', sole reason for being in Japan was to find the corpse of his twin brother, Eugene Davis, using SPR, which wasn't actually Shibuya Psychic Research (apparently it stood for Society for Psych-something or other, a branch of a famous society in Britain), as merely a front. While the search for Gene's body was going on, Naru had declared that he was going to leave Japan for good and close the SPR office once everything had been confirmed. I was of course, devastated. My entire family was in danger of dissolving right before my very eyes. His initial response had been so callously thrown around, but thankfully he ended up retracting and instead decided the leave would only be temporary. Still, he didn't bother letting us know exactly how long he was going to be gone, and anyway the damage had already been done. Now I find myself living in a constant state of a strange mixture of appreciation and apprehension, forcing myself to treat everyday like it's the last and making sure I remember to treasure every moment I have with everyone, while at the same time constantly guarding my heart knowing that one day Naru, and perhaps the entire SPR team, will eventually decide to leave for good.

It is exhausting and mind numbing, and there are some days I wish I'd never gotten burdened by his secrets, but then immediately I feel ashamed of myself for being so selfish. He was the one living in that nightmare that forced his hands to act as he did. If I found this exhausting, how much more for him?

But sometimes, I do wonder. Was Naru as heartless as he makes himself out to be? According to him, he kept everything a secret because it made the most logistical sense for his situation, but what if he really decided to keep it a secret because he wanted to put us all at a distance to guard himself, so that when the inevitable goodbyes came along he wouldn't feel too hurt parting from everyone? I would like for this to be true, to know that he saw the potential of us becoming dear to him, but I digress. I just can't see Naru being too overly sensitive about his own emotions to think ahead like that. Or, even more wishful thinking on my part, what if the reasoning is reversed: that he did it to protect us all, knowing that with our personalities we would come to see each other as family and feel hurt when the time came for him to leave? This one I can kind of buy; Naru would be narcissistic and self-assured enough of his person and brains to believe with certainty that he would become dear to our hearts and get hurt by him leaving. The only thing is that would mean that he cared about us.

Ah, I'm over-thinking it too much.

I tried to smile at him, but I know it didn't reach my eyes. It's hard to smile in these moments.

I walked up to his desk and tried to find an available spot to deposit his cup of tea and took a step back. "And how long will you be gone?" Damn, my voice wavered. I really am afraid of his answer.

He finally turned his head to look at me fully and dropped his arm down, elegantly folding it on top of each other on the desk. His deep, azure colored eyes bore into me for a second; it looked sharp, sharp as it's always been, but for some reason his voice, when he spoke, was surprisingly gentle in a striking contrast. "It depends how it goes. I don't plan on being gone for more than three days. I might even have to go back the same day."

I closed my eyes and sighed softly, not caring if Naru could see how relieved I am. Knowing him, he already knows everything that came through my mind in those moments anyway. "A-ah… okay," I managed to stutter out. When I opened up my eyes, I met his unmoving gaze. He kept his eyes trained on me, as if inquiring if his answer was satisfactory enough, and only looked away once I smiled back sincerely. See? He isn't heartless, really.

"Will Lin-san go with you?"

"Shouldn't that be obvious? How else do you propose I get there?"

"Well you could take the train instead?" I joked, but he only raised his eyebrow at me in that condescending way of his.

"Idiot."

Ah. Ah. But he still has a sharp tongue and a very limited sense of humor.

"Where will you be going?" I ventured to ask again, deciding that I wasn't going to respond to his baiting.

He turned his attention back to reading his papers and answered me curtly, "Chuo. In Yamanashi."

Chuo? Why there, all of a sudden? My eyes wandered back over to the papers, hoping to quickly scan it over (yes, I realize I'm being nosy) and paused when I recognized the name, 'Eugene Davis' written in English. Gene... now I am definitely curious and want to ask him a million questions, but I held back since I know that he would probably just deflect the question by saying it was "something that does not concern" me anyway. Really, after going through that entire scene in the forest [1], to think he would still say it that way!

Oh? But wait, he didn't actually say anything. I haven't done anything. I just played out the scenario in my head and believed he would say that. But still, he would say that. The nerve!

I mentally shook my head and watched silently as he reached over a stack of files to get to his tea and placed the cup to his lips, taking short, tentative sips of the drink. "Is there anything else?" he asked.

There was a slight hint of irritation in his voice so I shook my head and made to excuse myself, but then realizing the situation, something clicked in my head. I changed my head shaking to head nodding, earning me another eyebrow raise from the narcissist, but I just blurted out, "Uhh, well now that I think about it, I was wondering since you and Lin-san will both be gone for tomorrow, can Yasuhara-san and I also take tomorrow off?"

Naru narrowed his eyes. "Why should you get the day off?"

"Well with Christmas coming up in three days... It'll probably be a really slow day tomorrow anyway."

"And?"

"We'll probably end up spending the whole day just sorting files..." I led on.

"Then sort files. That is what I pay you both to do."

I cried out in irritation and suddenly felt all energetic again. "Naru! Why not? All the irregulars are already out for the holidays, and it's been slow these past few weeks so all we've really done so far have been paper work, and tomorrow you and Lin-san will be heading out of town for your trip. Everyone else gets to go outside somehow; it's not fair to me and Yasuhara-san, being stuck here all by ourselves! Sorting files is not exactly urgent stuff, you know?"

Naru sighed irritably. "Your argument does not make sense. The others are not operating on my dime so they are free to do whatever they please. Also it's not as if Lin and I will be engaging in a pleasure trip tomorrow, and lastly, your claim of 'unfairness' does not concern me. The office must remain open in the off chance we get a request."

I retorted, "You know no client will be coming in tomorrow anyway."

"Need I remind you that last year John came to us on Christmas to request help with the orphanage?" With an insolent grin he finished, "But perhaps you've already forgotten since your mind is incapable of retaining information anything longer than a week?"

What is this jerk saying now!? But wait, if you think about it... I could feel my mind cogs turning. I huffed out triumphantly, "Okay, then say a client comes in with a case. Even if Yasuhara-san and I take their information, we can't even let them know if we'll accept their case or not since you'll need to review with them first. It's a waste of time. Unless of course, you want me to make the call whether or not we accept the case? I don't mind, of course, but still in that case, Yasuhara-san and I can't do anything until you and Lin-san get back anyway. It's all the same."

Naru just stared at me through his long lashes and I think he must be waging a silent, internal battle with himself, but I can't be sure. His face was so blank and unreadable. Suddenly, he flashed me a sardonic smile and commented, "You really have started to use your brains more."

"Why you-!"

"—Fine. Take the day off. Now leave, I need to get back to these papers."

Oh? My mood immediately brightened and I chirped, "Thanks, Naru!" I turned to exit the office and close the door behind me and walked a few paces. I paused to look at the clock in the office. Five fifty P.M. Only about three more hours until closing time. So far, no sign of any clients to come. I wasn't lying when I told Naru it's been painfully quiet these past few days.

I looked over to Yasuhara-san's desk and saw him in the middle of working on our latest project, which was to reorganize a bunch of loose notes and file them away to the correct folders they belonged to, along with the rest of its relevant case files. I called out to him. "Yasuhara-san!"

He tapped the edge of the stack of papers he was holding so that it was properly straightened before setting it aside. He looked up at me with a smile and gave me his full attention-so unlike Naru. "What's wrong, Taniyama-san? I thought I heard you and the Boss arguing back there."

"Ah, well, what's new? Actually I have good news for you." I walked over and sat on the edge of his desk, being careful to avoid manila folders littered across it. "Naru has given us the day off tomorrow!"

He blinked in confusion. "Really? Shibuya-san did? Why?"

I shrugged. "Because he and Lin-san will be out of office tomorrow. He's doing one of those things he used to do often—where he would leave for days doing some secret stuff. He said he'd be back probably same day, but three days at most depending on how his plan turns out. So since everyone else is gone for the holidays and it would just be us part-timers holding the fort, I told him there's really no point in keeping the office open."

"Still," Yasuhara-san mused, "I can't believe the workaholic boss agreed. We could still file paper works; there's quite a ton of stuff we still need to go through." He motioned to the papers still scattered on his desk and to the open file cabinets on the wall. We were still only about 30% through our sorting.

"Geeze Yasuhara-san," I reply with a pout, "do you not want to take advantage of such a rare display of kindness from Naru? You can show up by yourself tomorrow then, if you'd like."

He laughed in his usual choppy, kind of sarcastic way. "Okay, okay, then I will gladly accept the offer to slack off. Say, I don't assume you have any plans for tomorrow since this day off was something that just happened out of the blue?"

"Hmm." I tried to think of things I've been needing to do, but all that came up was homework. I don't return to school until next month, the day after New Year, so there's no rush. Honestly I had asked for the day off on a whim, simply because it didn't make sense for us to have to come in, but it wasn't like I was planning on doing anything special. I shook my head when nothing came up.

"Great! Then would you like accompany me on an outing to Fuji-Q Highland? My friends have told me it's a great theme park, and the scenery is really nice there particularly in this time of the year."

"Oh, Yasuhara-san, that's a great idea! I've never been there! True, this time of the year Mt. Fuji must surely be capped entirely in white!"

With a smile, Yasuhara-san nodded and pulled out his cellphone, I assume, to schedule it on his calendar. I did the same. Then he asked me if I was planning on doing anything the next day after, on the 24th. I blushed and shook my head. Meekly I answered, "No... I have no plans for Christmas Eve..."

He smiled teasingly. "What? How can no one have asked you out for a date?[2] You're pulling my leg, right?" I scowled at him and stuck out my tongue, but he didn't seemed phased by it. "Or is it that you just rejected all the invitations?"

I laughed self-deprecatingly. "Who's going to ask me out, Yasuhara-san? I skip out a lot on school and don't get to hang out with others from school because of this part-time job. You should know, we're in the same boat."

"Yes, we are, but you are wrong! I've got a social life outside of SPR, I'll have you know."

I huffed. "Well good for you, but as for me, I've got no social life outside of SPR. The only guys I have daily contact with are Lin-san, Bou-san, John, you, and Naru. And it's not like anyone of you guys are ever going to ask me out, are you?" I blushed again, this time for opening my mouth faster than my brain could catch up, and for the fact that I said those words with a tone hinting of wishful thinking. Of course, to my chagrin, the ever sharp Yasuhara-san, our very own Shounen Tantei, caught it.

His glasses reflected a knowing glint as he held out five fingers. "John would be out of the picture because of priesthood," he ticked off one. "I don't peg Lin-san as a lolicon [3], unless of course, I severely misunderstand his personality," he ticked off another. "I can see Takigawa-san risking the law and taking you for himself, but between you and me," he leaned in towards me a little bit in a conspiratorial manner, "I think he has a thing for Matsuzaki-san."

I laughed. Actually, I had thought that for a while now, too. But nothing ever came of it so far and now Ayako was taking a holiday vacation somewhere with her current boyfriend. Bou-san had been in low spirits when he found out she was dating someone so he's been doing more band gigs than usual and haven't been coming by to the office as much as before.

I pulled out my phone again to make a reminder to myself to call him later.

"That leaves me and Shibuya-san."

I groaned. Does Yasuhara-san know of my feelings for Naru? I never told him. But then again, I never explicitly told the others either. Bou-san just kind of knew by the time we did that park exorcism [4] and the others just picked up on it. Was I really that obvious? I thought for sure Yasuhara-san's next words was going to be something about Naru, but his next words left me in a daze.

"Would you like to go to a party with me as my date then? My college friends are throwing a party on the 24th."

"D-date? P-party?"

He nodded, then paused. "Well, it's really a mixer of some sort rather than a normal party, I guess." But I was still hung-up on the word date and just stared at him with wide eyes. Yasuhara-san continued, "Date, Taniyama-san, but really it just means I will be attending the party with you so and hopefully no one will bug us."

I sighed in relief. "So you just want to avoid the actual mixer?"

"Mm... yes and no. I don't mind the mixer, but I guess I'd feel more comfortable if I didn't have to work so hard to mingle."

"Why not just skip?"

He pushed his glasses up and replied seriously, "Well part of what 'having a social life' means is that I have to participate in these kinds of events. I need to keep up appearances, after all."

I rolled my eyes and groaned. This guy, really!

"And I definitely wouldn't mind spending the time with you."

When he said those words, I looked up at his genuinely smiling face and couldn't help but smile back. "I'll think about it," I answered truthfully.

"Okay, the party is at 9 pm. Since it's on a Sunday, it shouldn't be a problem since work ends at 6; we'll have a few hours to get ready. I can pick you up, if you decide to come." I gave a noncommittal nod. "Is there a reason you're so hesitant to come? It'll just be you that Christmas Eve, right?"

"I guess I just don't like parties with strangers..."

Yasuhara-san seemed surprised. "But you're so good at dealing with clients. How can you not like partying with people?"

"Nn... It's different. When we deal with clients who genuinely need our help, they bare everything to us and trust us to protect them and we make sincere connections. Partying with people you don't know... it's fake. Everyone puts on their best behavior and force themselves to act outgoing and friendly so that people can like them, but everything is guarded. I don't like the insincerity of it all."

"Wow. Shibuya-san must be rubbing off on you. That is quite insightful."

"Don't tease me, Yasuhara-san!"

He held up both his hands in a surrender and replied softly to mollify me, "I'm not teasing, really."

I sighed in acceptance. Then to change the subject, I returned to our previous plan. "Fuji-Q is in Fujiyoshida, right? Naru said he was heading for Chuo tomorrow. It's on the way! Maybe we can have him drop us off so we don't have to pay for the train ride there."

"Ah, to ask that after he'd graciously allowed us the day off..." he began, but before he could tell me of his doubts, I caught Naru striding out of his office, papers in hand, making his way over to Lin-san's office.

"Ne, Naru!" I called out to him, making him pause half way to his destination. He eyed me suspiciously, but I ignored it and continued, "Yasuhara-san and I are planning on heading out to Yamanashi tomorrow as well to visit Fuji-Q Highland, in Fujiyoshida. It's on the way to Chuo. Can we hitch a ride with you? In return Yasuhara-san and I can help you pack anything you might need and we promise to get through a lot of the filing for today."

"It's not a case so I don't need any help packing. And I thought I already told you that filing is what I pay you for. The promise of you finishing what I already expect you to do is pointless."

Damn. Well there goes that idea. Let me try this! "We'll definitely finish the filing."

Behind me, Yasuhara-san whispered in a hiss, which I'm sure didn't go unheard by Naru since his eyebrow gave a bit of an annoyed twitch, "We're only 30% through! There's no way we can do all of it today!"

I raised my voice higher to drown out his remark and said, "We will also reorganize the bookshelf, and to top it all off, I'll also make sure to buy you more special tea leaves to try-as a souvenir from the trip."

Naru sighed in annoyance once again and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then with a frown he drawled out, "Never mind the impossibilities of some of your promises, but I do wonder what could you have eaten to make you so bold, asking all sorts of favors from me?"

I wasn't, or pretended to not be, deterred. I'm not asking for anything too outlandish, am I? Seriously, it's already on their way. Is it really too much of a favor to ask?

I smiled at him and answered with a fakely sweet voice, "I actually haven't eaten anything yet since you asked me to come in earlier than I usually do, right after school ended, all because you were in such desperate need of tea. You know I usually take that extra thirty minutes after school to eat my dinner, but I came straight away because my Boss is my priority." When he didn't have a reply, I pressed on, "So can we tag along for the ride?"

Naru stiffened for a bit and suddenly there was a pause in the office as the three of us stared at each other. Both Yasuhara and I waited with bated breath until the narcissist eventually relented. He waved his arms nonchalantly about and answered, "Fine. There's something I could check out in that area as well anyway." Then he resumed his walk and before disappearing inside Lin-san's office, turned his head back and said to me in his typical deadpan, "We leave at 6 a.m tomorrow so both of you must be here by then or we will leave without you. Oh, and make sure to avoid getting blends that have ginger."

"Roger!" I saluted after him. When I turned my attention back to Yasuhara-san, I caught him smirking up at me, obviously amused at something. "Anything you want to share, Yasuhara-san?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, nothing, don't mind me. I just noticed something interesting that's been happening quite often as of late, but I'll save it as a topic of discussion for tomorrow."

I stared at him suspiciously, but he decided to ignore me and returned to his work. I shrugged and sat down on my own desk, hoping to get as much of my work done as possible before the day ended. I had promised Naru I would try to finish, after all.

Footnotes

[1] "...Entire scene in the forest" = when she confessed to him that she liked him in a special way, but both ended up realizing she must have meant Gene.

[2] "How can no one have asked you out for a date?" = in Japan, Christmas isn't a religious holiday. It's more seen as a lovers' holiday. Also Christmas Eve is more important than Christmas day itself.

[3] "lolicon" = someone who's into younger girls.

[4] "...Ever since we did that park exorcism..." = you know that one, with the water and Masako being possessed.

A/N: Thank you for reading! I do hope everyone has been in character? Please review!