I don't own Ghost Hunt, if I did the anime would go on forever and ever.
Mai Taniyama glimpsed out the frost dusted window that out-looked the busy streets of Tokyo.
Only that night, Tokyo's streets were not filled with its' usually busy occupants. Aside from the odd wayfaring stranger scurrying by under an umbrella as white drifts of snow fell upon them, the city was quiet and unsettlingly bare.
Mai sighed from her desk in the Shibuya Psychic Research Office. She'd never considered how odd of a coincidence it was that her boss, Kazuya Shibuya, had chosen a suburb of the same name to lease his office in.
Her train of though was interrupted as an impatient demand for tea was called from said boss's office. Sighing again, Mai removed herself from where she sat at her desk and walked to the small kitchenette at the front of the office.
Reaching into the cupboard that was not-so high up anymore due to her recent growth spurt, she lifted the lid from the tea canister, hurriedly making her boss's beverage.
She sat the teapot and cup at her boss's desk. When he didn't lift his head from his work to acknowledge her, she turned to leave the room.
'You spilt some again' He said in a quiet and almost raspy voice. Small streams of tea had dribbled down from the spout of the tea-pot, replacing old stains that covered the once, pristine-white china.
'You're welcome Naru!' She said in frustration.
Naru rolled his eyes, earning him the nickname given to him for behaving like a narcissistic jerk.
Mai knew that he was no such thing, perhaps just a little self-absorbed with a tendency to be permanently grumpy. But he was kind in ways that Mai could not explain, and when she dreamed, she could sometimes catch a glimpse of one of his rare smiles.
Naru examined her, a bemused expression on her face. She had faint blue circles under eyes from exhaustion and recurring nightmares that upon waking she couldn't remember.
Her warm chestnut hair was longer, reaching midway down her back, her bangs shaping her face and slight, dainty curves had begun to form at her waist. She was beautiful. Of course, but Naru would never admit such a thing.
'Have you finished the filing I asked you to do?' he asked in a bored, drawling voice
'Of course Naru!' she exclaimed. 'What do you take me for?'
Naru sighed. 'Then you can go home for the evening, but I expect you here first thing tomorrow, we have a client coming.'
'Okay Naru, I'll see you tomorrow'. She left the office, retrieved her coat from the cupboard by the door and ventured out into the cold night.
Naru sat at his desk and quietly drank his tea. His thoughts meandered to his purpose here in Japan, the reason he had upended his previous life, a purpose he had been neglecting of late.
Naru sighed, burying his face in his hands, his dark hair falling over half of his face like a curtain. He shook his head, disassembling the thoughts that had knotted together like black clumps in his mind.
He decided it was time to lock up, and then too, made his way out into the desolate night.
Mai trudged through the shin-deep snow, arms wrapped around her waist in a cold embrace. Who did Naru think he was, keeping her at work so late? All the other shops on the street had long-since closed, but of course Naru didn't believe in closing the office a minute before the set closing time, regardless of the weather conditions. Of course, working at the office overtime was completely fine for Naru.
A glimpse of red in her peripheral vision caught Mai's gaze.
A woman in a silk-red kimono sauntered through the snow that clumped at her feet.
What on earth was she thinking wearing such a thing in the middle of the snow storm?
"Hey, excuse me! Do you want my coat? You really shouldn't be out here in the middle of this storm.' Mai shouted.
The woman just stared at Mai, and continued walking. Mai regrettably realized that as the woman walked, she left a trail of red staining the pristine snow.
Mai gasped and began to tremble.
'Are you okay?' Mai yelled.
The woman simply smirked, crossing the snow covered streets as she began to move closer to Mai. The woman pulled out a blood-stained dagger from her kimono.
Mai stepped back, trembling uncontrollably. But she slid in the snow, and as she fell back onto the pavement she hit her head on the curb, pain throbbing from her skull. But her eyes never left the woman's face as black began to cloud her vision and she lost consciousness.
Naru traipsed down the street, being careful not to slip in the ice that glazed the foot path. His apartment was not far from the office and Lin would be waiting up for him to return. He looked up at the sky, straining to see the stars through the barrage of snow that fell upon his cheeks and clung to his scarf. He looked down to his feet, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his black coat.
He was two blocks from his apartment when he noticed a girl lying in the snow, blood trickling from where her head had hit the curb. He rushed to her, knowing exactly who would be foolish enough to walk home by herself on a night like this and be clumsy enough to lose her footing and fall. Panic itched in his chest. He hurriedly crouched down to her, checking the gash on her head. It was not too deep, but she would most likely have a mild concussion. He removed his coat and wrapped her in it, hoping she would not get a fever. Cradling her head in his lap, he pulled his mobile to his ear and dialled Lin's number.
'Lin, Mai's slipped and hit her head on the curb, we're just near the Tokyu Den en toshi Line', Naru explained.
'I'll be right there', a deep faraway voice replied.
Naru sighed, cursing at himself for not accompanying Mai. It was just like her to do something like this. Her friends often likened her to a danger magnet.
Naru held his hand to the gash on her head, attempting to slow the bleeding until it clotted.
Naru frowned. Fresh footprints in the snow showed that Mai had been walking backwards before she fell. But why? Naru glanced around the forlorn streets. There was no-one in sight. A look of terror had been plastered on her face. Looking up to a low-beam car light, Naru saw Lin turn onto the street. Bundling Mai up into his arms, Naru stood and gently placed her across the back seat of the van.
Lin looked back at Mai's unconscious form, concern plaguing his features.
'It seems to be a mild concussion. She shouldn't have been lying in the snow for too long, but we should keep an eye on her temperature.' Naru explained.
Lin gave a curt nod and turned the ignition key and they made their way back to the apartment.
Chapter One is up! I'm so excited!
Hello everyone- thank you so much for reading, it means more to me than I can say! I'm new to this so I'm sorry if there is any disastrous formatting or obvious spelling mistakes. Please don't hesitate to let me know and I will fix them ASAP.
This story will delve deeper into Mai's past and the deaths of her parents. It will also explore Naru and Mai's relationship and Naru's secret identity. I'm sorry but I won't be using the proper Japanese honorifics (san, sama etc) because I would probably mess it up.
I will update as often as I can, (hopefully at the very least, once a week.)
Read and review and you'll bring me eternal happiness!
Love, wistfuldreams98 x