11:45 P.M
There's nothing left for me to do, I've washed the laundry, scrubbed the bathroom, mopped the floors, alphabetically organized my CD collection, washed the dishes, re arranged everything on my desk, sharpened all fifty of my number 2 pencils, and watched three hour re-runs of Masako Hara's T.V show- - that's it! No more procrastination!
I nodded, plopping myself down in my desk chair. You can do this Mai. It's just math, just think of how Naru's face will look when he comes back from England and finds he can no longer call you an idiot! I clenched my hand tightly around my pencil. Ha, we'll see who will be calling who an idiot after I ace tomorrow's test.
11: 51 P.M
"Uhhhh. . . I can't do this." I moaned, accidentally letting my head hit the desk top harder than I meant to." Oww."
11: 53 P.M
Come on Mai, snap out of it. Staring at the clock and blowing pencils off your desk isn't going to make you smarter.
My eyes widened at the calendar and the thirteen red ex-marks crossing out each day. . . there's still one more thing left for me to do. I got up, grabbed my red marker and walked to the calendar, using my teeth to uncap the marker. I hesitated, thinking back on what Mom had said to me once, when she was alive. " It's bad luck to turn a calendar ahead before the new month." I wonder if that superstition applies to crossing out a day before it's ended?
Since there was only seven minutes of February 13th left, I crossed off the day anyway. Then, not bothering to change out of my school uniform, I grabbed my purse and went out the door, locking it behind me. What better way to procrastinate a test then by catching a bus to a convenient store in the Shibuya disctrict- - close to the long closed SPR office- - to buy chocolates?
.+ . + . + . + .
With a lollipop in my mouth, I stood outside the quiet building of SPR, holding a bag full of chocolates in my left hand, while I sadly gazed up at the curtained windows. Naru. . . it's been six months, aren't you ever coming back? That jerk, when he does come back, I plan on slapping him hard in the face. Last time I checked, England had phones too! It's not like it would kill him to call me to say hi or something!I sighed, turning to walk away when I crashed into someone.
My bag of chocolates for Monk, John, Yasu, Naru and Lin- - hey, they'll show up out of the blue someday, a girl might as well be prepared- - spilled out of the bag and scattered across the sidewalk. The boy I had crashed into- - who wore a striped tie, white dress shirt, and tan slacks ( the male uniform of my school), dropped a single rose which landed over one of the boxed chocolates.
"I'm so sorry. I'm such an idiot, I should've been paying attention instead of daydreaming." I apologized, bending down to pick up his rose." It looks like your rose is okay, that's good." I handed him his rose, shocked to see that he wasn't Japanese, but a foreigner who resembled John , except the boy had straight blond hair that was the same pale shade as his skin. He had a bewildered expression on his face. I gave him a crooked smile, great. He probably doesn't understand a thing I'm saying. Okay think Mai, what was it you learned in English class again?
"Rose yours is good. Idiot I am Mai. What is your name?" I asked in my best English.
The boy smiled, bending down to scoop my chocolates back in the bag. He took the rose from my hand as I gratefully took my bag from his.
"Thank you." I said in English.
"You're welcome Senpai," He smiled, replying in perfect Japanese with a slight Australian accent.
"Oh, you do speak Japanese." I said, while trying to hide my embarrassment. Obviously, since he was amused, my English isn't as great as I had thought.
The world around me disappeared into darkness, including the boy from my school.
I blinked twice, everything was dark except for a single street lamp that stood above me.
"How did I get here?" I wondered, suddenly realising I wasn't in front of SPR anymore. Instead , I was standing in front of the dog statue of Hachiko and I wasn't alone, the foreigner I had bumped into was standing beside me, staring at the statue with the tip of the rose pressed against his lips.
The boy turned his head in my direction. I noticed he wasn't seeing me, but seeing something past me. I turned around, catching a glimpse of a man in black clothing, whom took out a long blade from inside his pocket.
Run! Get out of here! I screamed, wrapping my hands around my throat as I realised my voice wouldn't work. No! Don't just stand there!
The foreigner didn't suspect a thing as the man briskly walked to him, he probably thought the stranger needed directions or something, not suspecting the man would stab him in the chest, steal his wallet, and leave him in a puddle of his own blood to die a slow, lonely death.
I wanted to run to him, to help him in any way I could but my feet wouldn't move. I covered my face as the boy shuttered, his eyes dimming as his breathing shallowed, then stopped.
No. Wake up Mai! This is just a dream! Wake up, wake up, wake up. . .
"Mai."
My eyes snapped open at the sound of Naru's voice. I wiped away the tears from my eyes and lifted my head from my desk." Naru?" I called out, but there was no answer. Of course it wasn't him, he's in England. It was just a dream.
9:00 A.M ! I'm late for school! I jumped from my chair, tripping over the chocolates in the bag on the floor in the process. What? I wasn't dreaming? I really did buy them! A small card sticking out from under one of the boxes caught my eye. I frowned at the roman letters written on the card, which definitely wasn't Romanji. Only the name the card was addressed to was legible to me," Yumi. . . Watanabe."
I pressed the card close to my nose.
It smells like roses.
...
Lunchtime
"Michiru, do you know a girl named Yumi Watanabe?" I asked, reading the name from the card I found earlier.
Michiru looked up from her obento, I reached out to wipe away a grain of rice stuck to her cheek.
"Yeah. . . she's a Senpai I think. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, a friend wanted me to give her this card is all." I said, laughing nervously. Only a select few know of my psychic abilities. Michiru is one of my best friends, but I don't want to scare her if I don't have to. Finding out your best friend can see ghosts would be a lot for anyone to handle, unless you're a paranormal researcher, Priest, Priestess, Monk, Psychic Medium, Omnyoji, or Yasu. No, that's not something I'm ready to bring up to my friends quite yet.
Michiru gently took the card from my hands. I laughed at her puzzled expression, she can't read the writing either.
. + . + . + . +
After asking around, I finally found out what class Yumi Watanabe was in, but instead of approaching her during lunch, I decided to wait for her after school, next to her bike.
A girl with short black hair raised her eyebrows as she approached the bike. I gulped, this must be Yumi.
"Did you need something Taniyama?"
Well, here goes nothing.
"You're Yumi Watanabe right? Please don't freak out, but a friend wanted me to give you this." I said, handing the card to her. I anxiously stood there, biting my lower lip as her eyes scanned over the writing on the card.
"Thanks, but what does it say?" She asked, raising her eyes to meet mine.
"Huh?"
Yumi sighed, letting the card fall to the muddy ground. Dumbfounded, I watched Yumi get on her bike and ride away. I bunched the side of my shirt with both of my hands, suddenly feeling very angry. My gut instinct was telling me Yumi knew exactly what the card said. I may not be able to read English, but even I could tell it was a card full of emotion. . . and love. Tears sprang from my eyes as I thought of the boy who died with that card, and a single rose which was most likely meant for her, alone in the dark.
Wiping away the tears with my sleeve, I bent down and picked up the card. I may not be able to read the card, but I know someone who can.
. + . + . + . + .
"Sorry I'm late," I panted, almost falling over as I hastily took off my shoes.
Yasu, Bou-san, Ayako, and John, turned away from the T.V screen, which was showing a live program of Masako's medium show, to greet me." Welcome home."
I smiled widely, remembering a time when I wasn't an orphan, when my parents used to say the same to me so long ago. I handed John the card," Can you translate this for me? Thanks." Then I ran into my room, grabbed the bag of chocolates, ran back to the living room, set the bag on the floor, and ran into the kitchen to make some tea for my friends. Balancing five cups of tea on a single tray, I steadily walked back into the living room, roughly letting the tray hit the coffee table as John produced a box of chocolates and handed it to Bou-san, smiling cheerfully," Happy Valentine's day."
We stared, slack-jawed, at what John had just done. Bou-san paled, staring at the chocolates as if it were a bomb ready to go off at any minute if he made the wrong move. John fidgeted nervously, unsure of what to make of our reactions, before finally producing four other boxes of chocolates, which he handed to each of us.
We broke into laughter. John blinked, not getting the joke, but joined in the laughter anyway.
"You got me," Bou-san chuckled, wiping away the tears that fell from his cheek from laughing so much." I thought you were making a love confession."
This time, John paled.
Yasu smiled." In Japan, it's the women who give men chocolates on Valentine's Day, it's a day for lovers."
"Oh," John said, laughing at his mistake." Sorry. Yes where I'm from it's not a national holiday, but it's also a day for lovers or for friends that wish to do something nice for other friends. Also, it's the men who give the gifts instead of the women."
After I calmed down, I handed Yasu, Bou-san, and John the chocolates I had bought them, giving the leftovers to Ayako. I guess, Naru and Lin wont be here to receive chocolates this year.
" A holiday dedicated to women? I could get used to that," Ayako remarked, biting into one of her chocolates.
I waited for John to finish telling the story of St. Valentine before asking him about the card.
John cleared his throat, and the room became quiet as he read from the card,"Will you be my Valentine? Meet me in front of the dog statue at Shibuya Station, I'll be waiting for you. Love, Thomas."
"That's so sweet," Ayako cooed." Does this mean you're over Naru, Mai?"
Dream on Ayako, dream on.
"It's not for me," I shouted as a sneaky look spread across everyone's face." It's for a girl called Yumi Watanabe."
John handed the card back to me,"Mai's right, the card can't possibly be for her. It's dated two years ago."
Ayako snorted."There's no point in giving that card to your friend Mai. I doubt he'd still be waiting there after two years."
"You're wrong," I whispered, staring down at the floor. I raised my head, meeting with every pair of my friends' eyes." He's still waiting for her. He'll keep waiting for her until she comes." With that, I told them the full story of meeting the boy with the rose, hoping they could help me come up with a way to help him.
.+ . + . + . + .
"Maybe we should've asked Masako to help. I mean, she helps spirits pass on everyday."
"Stop whining Mai." Ayako ordered, shoving a black wig on my head." There. Operation Look Like Yumi Whatever is a success!"
Bou-san playfully ruffled the wig." Relax kiddo. Remember the case we had where that mother spirit was looking for her child? You know, the one with the possessed doll?"
"Monk, I fell down a well, how could I forget that case?"
Bou-san ignored my sarcasm." Anyway, she finally passed on when Naru gave her the effigy doll representing her deceased kid, tricking her into believing she had finally found her child."
Yasu nodded." Oh, I see. This plan might work."
"I'm completely lost." I admitted, feeling like the number one idiot of the group.
Bou-san grinned," Mai, if we can trick the spirit into believing you're this Yumi girl, maybe it'll be enough to help the spirit pass on. It's worth a shot."
" I guess I'll do it if you think it will help him."
. + . + . + . + .
Five minutes till midnight, I stood by myself in front of the dog statue, waiting for Thomas to show up. Everything is fine, just because I can't see where Bou-san and the others are hiding doesn't mean they're not watching me. The plan is simple, just wait for the spirit to show up, help him pass on, then go home and go to bed. Simple.
"Taniyama?"
I jumped, not expecting Yumi Watanabe to sneak up on me. By her expression, I can tell she didn't expect to sneak up on a Yumi Watanabe imposter, either. I sighed, removing the wig and tossing it on the ground." You can call me Mai."
"Why are you dressed as me? What are you even doing here?" Yumi demanded.
"I didn't think you'd show up and I didn't want Thomas to . . ." I trailed off, noticing the boquet of flowers she held in her hand.
Yumi followed my gaze, answering my question before I could ask it." Every morning on Valentine's Day, I bring a bouquet of flowers to this spot. I woke up late, so I couldn't do it this morning." She leaned forward, setting the flowers at the base of the statue." You know, when you showed me the card, I thought you were pulling a prank on me at first, but everyone at school knows you work for Shibuya Psychic Research, so I figured Thomas must've really given that card to you. A lot of people think it was my fault Thomas died since he was waiting for me to show up. . . and they're right. If I hadn't stood him up, maybe I could've done something to save him." She smiled thinly." Please don't cry. You're going to make me cry."
"I'm sorry." I sniffled, not bothering to wipe away the stream of tears flowing down my cheeks.I know what she's going through. With Gene. . . he was so nice to me, but when I found out he wasn't Naru, it was too late, he was already gone. I never had the chance to really get to know him. . . to thank him. . .to properly say goodbye.
"I love you Naru."
Naru smiled, raising my hopes and foolishly making me believe he might actually feel the same way. "Me? Or Gene?"
I gasped, feeling a person embrace me.
"Mai? Somebody help!" Yumi shouted, rushing to me as my body fell to the ground. I heard Ayako and Bou-san shouting my name, but I couldn't respond to let them know I was okay. My body no longer belonged to me, not while Thomas possessed it.
My Apartment. 2 A.M.
I sat on the couch, with a mug of hot cocoa in one hand, and a remote in the other. Bou-san, Ayako, and Yasu stood over me, smirking like evil foxes. John, sensing I wasn't in the mood for another round of teasing, began to gently push the crowd of "friends" to the door.
"Oh, ho, ho." Ayako raised her hand to her mouth, as if she couldn't wait to spread the juicy new gossip." When's Naru coming back? I can't wait to fill him in on everything that's been going on."
"Nobody is allowed to tell Naru or Masako about what happened. . . in fact, we will never speak of this again." My hollow tone left little room for an argument.
Yasu leaned his face close to mine," Was that really your first kiss? I can kiss you now and we can say I was your first kiss."
I let go of the remote, grabbed my pillow, and gently whacked Yasu across the cheek with it. I had to be gentle, Yasu was just being Yasu and if I hit harder, I would've spilled my hot cocoa. Spilling hot cocoa is something only an idiot would do. Which I am not.
Thomas had possessed my body for an entire hour. My form had even changed to resemble his, which had alarmed everyone at first. Thomas and Yumi had an intimate chat, holding nothing back, apparently, since Thomas passed on, quietly, while locking lips with Yumi. Unfortunately, I came to before the kiss was even close to finishing.
"How come none of you stopped them?" I shouted, whacking Bou-san in the head harder than I had done to Yasu.
"Hey, that's the price you pay when you stick your nose in other people's business." Ayako shot back, observing her painted fingernails in a bored manner.
Bou-san held me back by the arms, leaving me to kick in the air like a maniac. Someday Ayako! Someday Bou-san isn't going to be around to stop me! I stopped kicking my legs as a thought came into my head." So, if Yumi loved Thomas so much, why did she stand him up two years ago?"
Yasu adjusted his glasses." Well, Thomas was a foreigner. Like John mentioned earlier, men are the ones who make the first move instead of the women in other countries. That's exactly what Thomas had done, but I guess it must've insulted Yumi and she decided not to show up in retalliation. It's unfortunate he was mugged and killed before he had a chance to confess his love." Yasu smirked." But thanks to you Mai, he was able to get his feelings through in the end."
. + . + . + . + .
After being hit in the head a few more times, Bou-san, Yasu, Ayako, and John finally went home. I ended up spending ten minutes cleaning up the hot cocoa I accidentally spilt when Monk was holding me back. I made sure the windows and door were locked and the oven and lights were off before laying on my bed. I glanced over at the framed picture of Naru and Gene on my desk, which Naru had given to me, before falling asleep.
"Me? Or Gene?"
Vmmmm Vmmmmm
I yelped, rolling off my bed at the loud sound of my cell phone vibrating on the desk. Oh my gosh! I thought there was an animal in my room! I stubbed my toe into my chair as I stumbled to find the light switch. I picked up my phone, surprised to see that there wasn't a number on the screen. Was it my imagination? Normally it would display the number of whoever it is that's calling.
I dropped my phone as it began to vibrate in my hand. No, someone is definitely calling. That's so strange. Is it broken?
Hesitantly, I flipped my phone open and raised it to my ear. "Hello?"
I strained to hear a response or someone breathing on the other end, but I could hear nothing. I was about to hang up when someone spoke." . . . Mai. . ."
I gripped my phone tightly, unable to believe whose voice I was hearing. My heart began to do somersaults in my chest, making it clear I wasn't imagining his voice. He really did call me!
"Naru?" I asked, hoping to hear a 'Of course it's me, idiot' or something narcissistic, something only Naru would say. Then, something registered in my brain, telling me this wasn't Naru at all. Naru would never call me just to say hi. He wasn't compassionate like that. And why wasn't his number showing? My heart began to beat in fear and excitement as I whispered a different name." Gene?"
Vmmm vmmmm vmmmm vmmmm
I blinked up at the dark ceiling of my bedroom, my vibrating phone stirring me from my dream.
Was it a dream? I wondered, getting up to turn on the light switch, stubbing my toe in the process. My hands shook as I carefully lifted my cell phone from the desk. The phone vibrated in my hand, but I couldn't hear it. I could only hear my heart frantically beating in my ear drums.
The number isn't showing on the screen.
What if it isn't Gene or Naru on the other end, what if it's something bad? What if it is Naru? What if it is Gene? What if one of them is in trouble? What if it's nobody, just a prank call? I flipped the phone open, knowing whoever it is that's calling might need my help. Whoever it is, I have to answer it and find out.
"Hello?"
". . . Mai. . ."