Summary: It has been 5 years since the SPR office closed down and Naru had decided to return to Japan to visit his brother's grave. Nevertheless, is that the reason why?

CHAPTER 1
"Haunted"

"Back to Japan? All of a sudden, why?" His father looked surprised as he stopped what he was doing.
"To visit Gene, I feel bad for not visiting my own brother's grave for five years. I believe it is just the time I should." he replied with his standing straight but his eyes weren't direct to his father.
"It's just so out of random, have you told your mother yet? I don't mind, but when you came back from Japan you were-"
"I haven't told mother yet, but for sure I will let her know." Naru interrupted him and explained. His father stood from his chair and placed a firm hand on his son's shoulder and directed looked at him.
"I may not know what happened, all I can say you should face what you ran away from. Son just take good care of yourself." Naru bowed and lifted a half-hearted smile.

After being granted to go from his father, Naru went to the garden where his mother's watering flowers. Noticing her son, she greeted him and he pecked her forehead. Naru felt his palm sweat knowing his mother was the type who worries about the littlest thing. After Gene's funeral, his mother couldn't put her son into intense investigations anymore.
"What brings you here Oliver?" she asked as she stopped watering her plants. Naru explained and through the fifteen minutes of conversing his mother gave him a worried look but understood his wishes and permitted him. But she asked,
"Are you sure you're only going to visit your brother?" she knew her son became depressed coming back from Japan not for his brother but for someone else.
"Yes mother, and don't worry I'll get you something when I return." he smiled as he hugged his mother and left.

That evening he booked his flight the next morning, he was packed and all set and the only thing he needed to do was wait. Waiting was something he is no longer good at, because with nothing to do, he thinks and when he thinks he will only have a faded memory of her. But he couldn't help it and slowly closed his eyes.

****

5 Years Ago

At the end of the funeral, he stood in front of the fresh buried soil of his brother and just stared it.
"I'm sorry… about your brother," a silent whisper came from Mai's lips as she stood a few feet away from Naru. He didn't answer nor bothered to look back. Through the distant, their friends stopped and as Takigawa was going to step forward, Masako pulled his sleeve as a signal to leave them alone and they did.
Mai had nothing to say which made her believe that saying things won't solve anything and leaned her head towards Naru's back.
"I know I have no right to compare the death of my parents to your older brother,…just know that you are not alone Naru." she reassured, but it seemed that it didn't work when he walked away from where he was and stood behind her.
"I've already did accept his death, what I couldn't accept…" he stopped for a moment and recollected his thoughts.
"Let's go before it rains, you need to take your belongings out of the office before it closes." with that he didn't finished his first sentence and left Mai by herself.

The buzzing sound and the vibrant of his cell phone against his hand woke him up as he caught a glimpsed of sunshine from his window. He did what he did every morning and as he finished taking a bath, Naru decided to wear his light blue button up shirt and black pants. All tucked in his pants he didn't take time to look in the mirror, took his rolling bag, and left his house.

It was a Sunday and as he asked his parents to drop him off to the airport, the ride was about an hour long. Looking through the tinted window his mind drifted to the thoughts of his faded memories when his deepest regret had haunted him.

***
The newscast has reported a light storm during the closing of his office and the movers had requested to wait out until the storm calms down. Naru in the other hand sat besides the sofa in the interview area and watched the raindrops pitter-pattering his window. With stray dried up tears and swollen eyes, the investigator had a lot in his mind even he couldn't decipher what he was feeling. A knock interrupted his thoughts and then the door open with the ring of the bell as her voice called him out,
"Naru, I'm coming in…" the sound of her voice made him ache but he made sure she wasn't able to read it. Removing himself from his seat, he accidentally brush pass Mai but didn't bother to stop. Instead, she took him by the arm to stop.
"I'm not going to leave, I came all this way to let you know I'm here…please stop pushing me away." a tear started to shed as she tried to hold back, but Naru roughly pushed her away.

"Oliver, we're here. I guess you should get going." his father parked the car and turned to his son who was still in deep thought.
"You sure he doesn't need Lin to come?" his mother whispered to his father, but it was for him to hear.
"Oliver's old enough to go on his own. You should stop treating him like a child." he replied.
"Mother, there's nothing to worry about. Besides I'll be coming back in three weeks." Naru reassured her. Getting out of the vehicle and waved his parents goodbye he made his way to his destination. Making this decision for the first time, which was to follow his heart, made him feel the long forgotten emotions he had long ago. Naru will do whatever it takes to repent his mistakes.

hope you all like it! I own nothing!