Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt and the characters :) hehe but I do wish to marry Naru someday ^_^

Okay, so this is my first chapter-based story so please please be kind ^__^ No Flames but constructive criticisms are appreciated. Oh and if I get enough postive feedback I would continue the story- really there's no point in continuing a horrible story, yes? ^__^ And to those who know me from my one shots, I hope you would give my new story a chance ^__^

Okay kiddos you know the drill: Read and Review!


Mai gave the final steps towards the front door of the SPR office a sprint, taking two steps at a time. As usual or almost as usual, she was late. And the moment she entered the office all she saw was Naru sitting by the sofa with his black notebook on hand.

One day, I will find out what exactly he is writing in that black notebook.

"Good Mor-" she stopped short in the middle of putting on her office sandals. Only now did she notice that Naru was not alone, he was with two men- most probably a potential client. Embarrassment flooded her, which in turn caused her cheeks to flare up, seeing how the four set of eyes (the two men, Naru and Lin) stared at her.

"Oh! I'm so sorry for the interruption. Please please do continue." She said hurriedly putting on her office sandals, and hanged her coat.

Naru sighed. He forced his attention back to the two men sitting across him only to stop short. The two men stared at Mai quite intensely that it made him uncomfortable.

He knew Mai had effect on people. She may not be what you would call gorgeous, but she has a way with her, like she brings sunshine into a room with her, as if one could actually bring sunshine. He as well, notice her most of the time. Okay…maybe not most of the time…definitely always.

As much as he would like to deny, he had been counting the minutes till Mai arrived at the office. And in ordinary days, he would be quite please and relaxed as soon as Mai enters the office with that cheerful "Good Morning", but today was one of those days that he wished, she had the day off.

"Mai tea." It was the easiest and most subtle way for him to send her off somewhere for the moment. He couldn't quite hide her everytime they had a male teenage client.

"H-Hai!" Mai said a pitch higher than necessary as she excused herself towards the kitchen.

Content that Mai was "hidden" in the kitchen, he turned his attention back to his potential clients.

"Sasaki-san…Mori-san…" Naru called out trying to get their attention politely, but that didn't seem to budge them in any way.

Naru cleared his throat.

"You know, in most places it is rude to stare with your mouths open." Naru said in his arrogant cool voice, crossing his arms.

Lin looked up at that and if he wasn't "Lin" he would have snorted.

That seemed to do the trick as both men spun their attention to Naru again.

"Oh I'm sorry Shibuya-san, I just…" Sasaki tried to explain but failed to do so, and turned to Mori as if asking for help.

"…it's just that she looked rather familiar." Mori added trying to help his friend. Naru just nodded.

"As you we're saying…" Naru started recounting their conversation a while ago..

"Yes, there are knocking sounds on the door when it strikes midnight… but when we go and open it, there's no one there." Sasaki-san confirmed after Naru recounted what they have shared so far.

"It wasn't that creepy at first but then, as it progressed, the knock became louder and louder and by the time we open it, we hear footsteps… like someone were running and we hear laughter from every direction." Mori-san explained.

Mai shivered at this while she poured the hot water onto their tea. She carried the four tea cups with a tray and placed it on the center table.

She could feel Naru's gaze fell on her and felt her cheeks blush, what she didn't notice was how Sasaki was staring at her too- but Naru did.

Naru cleared his throat.

Sasaki heard Naru and was immediately embarrassed, but still he said,

"Ano…"

"Eh?" Mai said shifting her attention to Sasaki as she sat beside Naru.

"Mai, this is Sasaki Kyoske and Mori Mamoru, and this is my assistant, Taniyama Mai." Naru interjected with the proper introductions.

"Uhmm, have we met before Taniyama-san?" Sasaki asked.

"hmmm… no I don't believe so Sasaki-san. Why?" Mai asked genuinely intrigued.

"It's just that, you look really familiar." Sasaki explained staring intently at her big brown eyes, which made Mai uncomfortable.

"Oh… I get that a lot… I guess my face is what you would call ordinary." Mai explained giving a sheepish smile.

Naru gave her a sideways glance. Never did he consider Mai's appearance as ordinary. But most of all, there was something in Sasaki-san's intense stare that steered something within him he can't quite explain.

"Shall we continue?" Naru asked trying to control his tone of voice.

"Oh yes, there were times when the doors get locked for no reason, causing some students to be trapped inside their own rooms." Sasaki continued.

"We can't tell you everything though since some students might have experienced other incidents that we didn't." Mori said apologetically.

"You said this has been going on since the beginning of the semester. Why did you decide to come forth only now?" Naru asked his eyes void of expression.

"Well…you see… at first it all seemed like a prank. Then as it progressed, we thought we could ignore it as long as it doesn't hurt anyone-"

"But yesterday, Maria-san was locked inside her room. We heard her scream, so we went up to check on her. Then we heard the furnitures' being dragged, we thought she was the one dragging them, but when we heard a crash then her scream, we all knew something was wrong."

"We busted her door just to get inside, but once we got through, we saw her lying unconscious on the floor, blood on her head. Her bed has been turned upside down, the cabinet "flown" across the room, if that was possible… so that's why we're here. We would like all this to stop before anyone gets seriously, seriously injured."

Sasaki and Mori recounted the events as if finishing each other's sentences. It was clear that the two teenagers were worried and stressed over their current situation.

Mai flinched at the thought of a new dangerous malicious spirit, and who could blame her? In the last case they worked on, she was pushed off of a cliff, thankfully Bou-san was there just in time to save her. Naru on the other hand was furious the entire case. Mai felt that if only Naru could exorcise the spirit twice, he would actually do it thrice if only to satisfy him.

Mai let out a sigh of resignation when Naru said,

"We will be there tomorrow afternoon, as we have to gather some equipment and call our colleagues."

"Thank you so much Shibuya-san! We'll get everything ready for you, too by tomorrow." Mori-san said his spirits clearly lifted up.

After some discussion over the preparations, the two teenage boys stood up, but before they turned to go, Sasaki sheepishly asked, "Will Taniyama-san be there?"

Mai opened her mouth to speak but before she could get the words out, Naru has already answered for her,

"Of course Taniyama-san will be there as well, she is my assistant after all." Naru said in his cool voice and yet his glare was as heated as his voice cool.


It has been a very long 2-hour drive. Naru and Mai sat side by side inside the van while Lin drove with what looked and felt like his utmost concentration.

Naru had to concentrate on the new case ahead of them but it seems like concentrating was one of the hardest thing to do when seated beside Mai in the somewhat cramped space of the van.

He really didn't know whether to be thankful to Lin for keeping them company or to be agitated towards Lin because he was keeping them company.

After another half hour, Lin pulled up in front of what looked like an ancestral house not far from the University they had passed fifteen minutes earlier.

The place looked like it was located in the middle of nowhere. It was so different from the busy streets of Shibuya.

Mai shivered. There was something about the house that didn't feel quite right.

"Cold?" Naru asked suddenly, pulling her from her thoughts.

"No…it's just…" Mai shook her head no. Naru stared at her for a while, his eyes showing no emotion, before he turned to Lin and instructing him about the equipment.

Mori and Sasaki appeared from the doorstep after a while and came down the steps to meet them.

"Shibuya-san! Taniyama-san!" Mori shouted greeting them both.

"We have been waiting for you." Sasaki added giving them a huge smile.

"If you could show us the base, that would be helpful because we have to set up these equipments. And if you could segregate the students according to incidents that would really speed things up." Naru ordered without much delay.

Mai glared at Naru mumbling, "Geez, you are such a workaholic."

Naru obviously heard this, turned towards her and gave her one of his famous smirk.

"We are here to work Mai, and you better do that too."

"Hai hai director Shibuya-san!" Mai said with a salute acting extra cheerful. Then she turned to Mori and said, "Let's go Mori-san, you could lead the way." giving him an apologetic smile.

Mori led her towards the large oak door. He pushed the heavy door and stepped aside to let Mai walk in front of him. Mai was truly impressed by the breathtaking view inside the house. She was quite sure that this was once a mansion, owned by a very prestigious family.

What she didn't notice though was that Mori had been staring at her while she admired the place.

"Taniyama-san, you look so impressed by the building." Mori commented giving her a warm smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Oh! Yes, I am impressed. It looks like a mansion built in the 18th century, or something."

Mori-san nodded at that.

"Actually, it is. But today and for the past 15years we used it as a dormitory, since it has plenty of room to house students." Mori said as they continued to walk towards the room where they would set up they're equipments.

"So…where is everyone?" Mai asked curiously looking around the rather large hallways. It was awfully quiet for a dormitory.

"Some are at the dinning room and some are at school, while some are still asleep."

"It's really quiet in here, huh?" Mai said picking up her pace to catch up with Mori.

"Well, the dinning room is at the other side of the dorm, so you wouldn't hear the noise from here. But yes, it is kind of quiet since everyone is on edge because of all that's happening." Mori looked at her then; his eyes a mixture of concern and apologetic.

Mai smiled weakly, "Yes, I see what you mean."

And then, an ear splitting scream filled the hallway. It was as if everything happened in slow motion and yet everything seemed like a blur. One moment Mai was conversing with Mori, the next they were running towards the center of the room- towards the chilling scream of a girl. They looked around frantically trying to decipher where it was coming from, but just as when Mai was growing more frantic, she looked up.

And she saw a girl dangling from the second floor balcony, gripping the bars with all her might, a good 10 to 15 feet from the ground.