Holiday
Chapter 1 - Buried
The sun shone down from a blue sky over the coastal city. The girl laughed as the boy made a joke. They came to a crossroads, where their street crossed one of the main roads. They stopped, watching the traffic, waiting for the lights to change so they could continue. The cars slowed. They walked across the road.
Suddenly everything was noise, the world was upside down and she couldn't see anything. There were shouts, lights, something bearing down on them. Her brain froze in panic. The pain shot up her side, while he cried out as something hit his legs. They were on the floor, they were bruised, battered, lying broken on the warm tarmac.
Someone called an ambulance. He couldn't move, but he could see the empty blue sky, watching him. He heard the voices, speaking in animated Japanese. All he could think of was the girl, but he couldn't move to see her.
"Bachiko!" A woman called out. He saw large blue eyes regarding him curiously. Dark curls surrounded a round face. She must have been six or so. He tried to smile reassuringly at her, but couldn't. They regarded each other solemnly. Suddenly the little girl was snatched from his eye line, and as his vision blackened he remembered those large blue eyes filled with sadness neither of them could understand, and her name. Bachiko. His eyes closed, never to open again.
Mai couldn't believe her luck. She stretched out in the hotel's bed, not wanting to get up.
"Mai! We have things we're going to do today!" Ayako called.
"You sound like Naru." Mai murmured, but she detangled herself from the sheets anyway.
"Yeah, but Naru doesn't usually tell you to get a move on or else we'll never get to the beach on time!" Ayako yelled at her. Mai grinned.
That's right. You'd never believe it but SPR were officially on holiday. Well, it had taken a lot of persuading, and of course a case, to get Naru to take them to the coast. But the case was finished, and he'd promised them a few days more before heading back to Tokyo.
She dashed around, and in no time they were ready. They went downstairs and joined the others who were heartily tucking into breakfast.
"So, Naru-chan, you coming to the beach with us?" Monk asked, imagining the scene in his head. Somehow the pale teen looked somewhat out of place next to the sea. Naru shrugged.
"If you don't go outside you'll develop rickets." Yasuhara said seriously. Naru ignored him.
"And the fresh air's just good for you anyway." Ayako mused.
"Fine, I'll come." Naru snapped. A victorious look was shared around the table. Even Lin smiled.
And so Naru found himself lying on the beach with a book in hand, trying to read amongst the flocks of gulls cawing and children laughing and women chatting and the slap of men's sandals against the tarmac road.
There was a suppressed giggle. Naru frowned, but kept his focus on the book. That was until something cold and heavy landed on his legs. What the?
He twisted round, trying to see what was going on. Mai, Yasuhara, Ayako and Monk had dumped a load of sand on him and were busy piling more on.
"Naru, stop squirming." Yasuhara laughed. Naru glared at him.
"It's not going to work if he keeps moving." Monk sounded disappointed. Yasuhara clicked his fingers.
"Mai, sit on him!" Mai stood up and took a step, but then stopped when she realised what Yasuhara had said and that Naru's expression said she'd never see the light of day again if she continued. She hovered, unsure of what to do. Meanwhile Naru had dusted himself off and returned to his book.
"Jou-chan! You let him get away." Monk turned on her. Ayako and Yasuhara advanced too. Mai squeaked.
"In that case…" Ayako grinned evilly. Suddenly Mai was lying on her back and sand was already starting to cover her legs.
"Wait, stop it!" She cried out, trying to get up but Monk held her down. Twenty minutes later she was buried up to her neck in the cold sand, next to a smirking Naru. Monk, Ayako and Yasuhara were admiring their handiwork, having spent a while trying to shape a vaguely symmetrical mermaid tail.
"You look very nice." Yasuhara smiled.
"That's nice, but can you help me up now?" Mai asked. They shared a look.
"Sorry Mai…" And they ran off, leaving her there. She was not impressed, to put it mildly.
"You could at least have given me some shade!" She screamed after them. Yasuhara turned round and waved. She growled.
"Tea." Naru said absentmindedly turning a page. Mai glared at him. As if she could get him tea in her condition. He looked up and caught her eye, a fleck of amusement growing in his own.
"Could you help me please?" She begged, appealing to his better nature.
"No." Oh yeah, he didn't have one, Mai reminded herself bitterly, watching him start reading again. Somehow he was even better looking in the glittery light coming from the sea. The light breeze lifted his fine, dark hair so it gently blew against his face. His eyes looked a deeper, darker blue, and the light brought out flecks of grey and light blue. Sand had caught in his long eyelashes and perfectly shaped eyebrows.
They realised at the same moment that she was staring. His eyes flickered up to her face again, and she blushed and looked away, choosing to survey the beach rather than meet his gaze. She looked everywhere, and finally back at Naru, who was still watching her. He smirked then, and returned to his book.
"Jerk." She muttered.
"You were looking at me." He countered.
"No I-I was just…" She said, blushing madly. "Staring at the drinks van." She said desperately. Naru turned his head slightly. "I'm thirsty…" She said, feeling that some explanation was called for. Naru raised his eyebrows. He didn't believe her, but accepted it anyway.
"And anyway, you didn't have to make it awkward!" She said.
"I wasn't the one who was staring." He said, returning to his book again.
"I am really thirsty though, could I have some water?"
"Whatever."
"Okay, what I meant was, can you go and get me some water, seeing as I'm quite limited at the moment in what I can do." She said exasperatedly. Naru sighed, but book marked his page and got up. She watched him go.
"Mai-san?" Lin appeared, staring down at her.
"Hi." She smiled.
"Where's Naru?" He asked, completely bemused.
"Over there. Can you help me please?" She asked sweetly. Lin looked awkward.
"He's coming back, why don't you ask him?"
"I already have." She glared in Naru's general direction.
"And he said no." Lin sounded crestfallen.
"Here's your water." Naru said, placing it near the edge of the blanket. "Yes Lin?"
"Madoka called." He said, conveying something to Naru with a look.
"Naru, how am I supp-?"
"One minute Mai." He interrupted, before speaking quietly with Lin. He scowled, then nodded several times. Mai was sure she heard him muttering something about him seeing. Lin gestured towards her and then Naru frowned.
"Thanks Lin." He nodded and Lin left. Then he turned his attention to Mai.
"How am I supposed to drink it?" She exploded.
"I believe most people use their mouths."
"You don't say. Please, just undig me?" She begged. Naru sighed. He shifted the sand from her front and legs onto the beach next to her. She squirmed slightly and blushed as his cold hand accidentally (sure Naru…) brushed along her stomach. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled.
"Go get the others, I need to talk to all of you." He said, brushing himself off. Mai knew there was no point in asking him anything, he would shut his mouth like a clam and not speak until everyone was right in front of him.
"Hai!" She said and ran off. Naru watched her go with an unreadable face, and it was only when she was coming back that he realised he was staring.
"Madoka called." He started once everybody had arrived. "And she's asked us to take a case." He frowned. More like forced…
"Now?" Ayako asked.
"Yes. A man called Omura Ukito came to the office. His daughter is being haunted, and seeing as he lives in a village about 10 miles away from here she promised him we'd take it." He scowled.
"Ahh, so we're on holiday and doing work." Monk grumbled.
"Then we're not on holiday." Yasuhara frowned.
"We're supposed to be…" Monk sighed.
"We'll leave tomorrow." Naru said, turning back to his book. The others took that as a dismissal, and returned to the sea.
Hey!
I know, new story. I've got writers block, and this just popped into my head. It probably won't even work plotwise, as I'm not sure this could happen, but oh well XD
Anyway, thanks for reading this, please tell me what you think! ^^
-PorcupineDirectory-