Hello.
I'll try to make this short.
1. English is my third language so my grammar is far from perfect
2. Updated won't be regular, I write when I write. I know it's annoying, I'm annoyed by it too, but that just the way I am
3. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt, I make no profit from this story, I write purely for my own joy and if I did own Ghost Hunt there would be a lot more romance in it (it would probably be horrible if I owned it, I would ruin it, oh well...).
Despite Mai's optimistic and cheerful behavior, her life was far from perfect. Her parents died when she was still a young girl and soon she had no other choice that to learn to survive in the big, cruel world. Mai knew how much it hurt losing someone, knew that this world was far from perfect, but she didn't let that get in the way of her morals. It was her pure heart that made her so strong and unique, attracting people to her, both dead and alive.
However even Mai had moments when she let her sadness get the best of her and it was in that moment that she was crying in her small apartment, her head low as tears ran down her cheeks. It was the day Naru left. No, not Naru, Oliver Davis was his real name, thought Mai.
She always knew that he was hiding something, it wasn't that hard for her to figure it out, she after all spent almost every day with him in the office, even if it was only to make tea and fill the paperwork. Naru's remarks about her intelligence, were far from true, Mai was the top student, she knew that after her parents deaths she had no safe net to catch her if she failed to get good grades or a job, no, she had to finish high school, go to college and get a good job, otherwise she would spend the rest of her life working long hours for little money. Yes, she had a temper, but it was rarely out of control, except when her ex-boss was included, but Mai was no idiot. She noticed Naru's ''work trips'', his reluctance to talk about his personal life or family, the strange habit of always writing in English, how even Lin called him Naru, even though Lin was the far most serious person in the office… The mystery was just gathering and Mai could do only so much to ignore it, so she acknowledged it, accepted it and let Naru have his privacy.
There was however one thing she couldn't ignore, couldn't let go and that was the dream Naru. Who he was? Why was he helping her? Is he real or just her imagination? Why does he never speak? It kept bugging her and she knew she had to do something about it. She spent many hours wondering who he was, Naru or her imagination. In the end, she decided that he couldn't be Naru, he was just so different. It wasn't anything she could define, but she knew in her gut that it wasn't Naru.
So, Mai let herself think that the boy in her dreams was just her imagination, letting the explanation of his existence be some ghost stuff that she was tempted to ask Naru or Lin about, but far too embarrassed to truly do it. For her the dream boy was just a friend, he helped her, guided her and he was a nice person as far as she was concerned, she liked spending time with quiet boy, but she liked to spend her time with Naru much more.
Mai didn't know how it happened, but she fell for her narcissistic boss. She knew he was far from perfect. He was so successful at such a young age, smart and handsome, but he expressed emotions so rarely, sure there were anger, annoyance… Yet no matter how much Mai tried, she saw him smile, smile a real smile just one time and even then it was so short she most likely just imagined it. She knew that a heartbreak was most likely to be result of her love, falling for cold, confident Naru, with his smirk and moments of compassion, that made her feel special.
"Me or Gene?" Of all the things he could say to her, of all the scenarios of this moment she played in her head, this was the one she never even imagined. How could he doubt her feelings? Emotions were something she was good at, she knew emotions well, be it sadness or joy, she knew what she was feeling. She guessed this was his refusal, this insulting question. She cried when he said that. Words left her. "I don't love Gene!" was what she wanted to scream, but all she was capable of at that moment were half sentences. It was horrible.
Then Naru left with his brother's body to England. That day she cried until she fell asleep. But as he eyes closed, she found herself in familiar place; the world in between or at least that's what she called it. Gene was waiting for her there, with his soft smile and sad eyes. She knew it was his goodbye, his brother found his body, he had no reason to stay in this world anymore and Mai was touched by his visit, even if it left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. He hugged her, his strong, gentle arms wrapping around her. "I'm glad to have met you Mai." he spoke for the first time. A tear fell down her cheek, she wished that the twin she fell in love with truly was Gene, even if he was dead it would be easier, less painful. "I'm glad that I had the honor to call you my friend." softly spoke Mai, she always hated when people were leaving. The hug ended, he smiled his sad smile that she knew was on her tear stained face as well. "Goodbye." said Gene, but Mai couldn't say it back. Instead something her ex-boss said when they found Gene's body crossed her mind. It was a sad thought, yet not. "Until we meet again, Gene." replied Mai, because she knew, be it tomorrow or in 100 years, one day she will die too and then she will see him again. Death was scary, it meant losing someone, but she realized that it didn't mean the end, because she saw enough spirits to know that there is something after, where she will see her loved ones again.
Mai's eyes slowly fluttered open. The soft sun rays were shining through her windows, but she didn't care all that much. It was sunday today so she didn't have school, she decided to travel to her parents old house to think.
The trip took a hour, her old house wasn't in Tokyo and there was another family living in it now. It was sad to see the home she grew up to be occupied by someone other and at the same time she was happy that the place that brought her happiness as a child, was now source of happiness for someone else. It was strange how life was full of ambivalences. She felt sad and happy at the same time and she didn't know how that was even possible. Her talk with Gene helped her realize that end is just the start of something new, like after every sunset is sunrise. Now she just had to find her new path, but she knew that her path will be connected to the paranormal, to SPR.
She was walking down the so familiar street she used to live in. It was relaxing. She remembered all the happy times she had with her family, her both families. Soon she found herself on the old playground, that resided in the middle of a park, not far from her old house. The playground was strangely empty. She sat on the swing and started moving her legs forward and backward, until she was swinging. Her hair, that now reached her shoulders flew around her face and Mai smiled. She was having fun. As the wind blew around her, her head was clear, she knew what she wanted to do. She wouldn't give up on paranormal just like that. She decided to study parapsychology. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, then again nothing ever was, but she was going to do it.
As Mai was swinging her phone started ringing. She stopped herself and looked at the caller. It was Yasu. "Hey Yasu." He sounded worried. "I'm okay." She appreciated his concern for her, he was her friend and it was nice knowing that someone cared that much about her. "I'm sad, but I am okay Yasu. I won't let it get to me. I'll live." She talked to him for quite some time and she told him her plans. He supported her.