Mai Taniyama was the kind of person that automatic doors did not always open for. The small supermarket just down the road from the SPR office had two sets of automatic doors and neither seemed to want to open for her. She had tried several approaches from different angles, but each time she ended up with her nose touching the door and being nowhere closer to getting inside the shop.
"But it's my birthday!" She whined as she waved her arms around in hope of setting off the sensor. The doors stayed resolutely shut. Mai crossed her arms and huffed. "If I'm late back to work…" She growled, thinking of what Naru would say if she was late from her lunch break. He wouldn't let her off even it was her birthday.
Resolving to just wait for someone else to open the door, Mai took out her mobile to check the time. She had 15 minutes to get back to the office.
There was no way on earth Naru would let her off early this evening if she was late back from work and she desperately wanted to leave early because Yasuhara had promised to take her out for dinner. Mai suspected that everyone else would be joining them and as it was thankfully a Friday; they would be able to stay up late and celebrate.
But that exciting prospect did not change the fact that these damn doors were not opening for her. Why was no one else going to the supermarket at lunch time? She couldn't be the only one that bought lunch at this time, could she?
Mai glanced at her phone again. She would have to head back to the office now if she wanted to get back on time.
"Damn you doors." Mai scowled at the contraptions before turning on her heel and storming back to the office, trying to ignore her rumbling stomach. "It is too hot." Mai complained to no one in particular. No one else seemed to be about. They probably had the sense to stay inside while it was so warm; the sun was bright in the sky and its rays were relentless in their attempt to burn everything.
A few minutes later, Mai pushed open the office door to see both Naru and Lin's office doors shut. Sighing, Mai dumped her phone on the desk and started work.
An hour passed and Mai's stomach was still rumbling. She was surprised that Naru hadn't demanded tea yet. Usually by this time he would have asked for at least two cups.
"Well I'd like tea." Mai mumbled and got up from her desk. "Does anyone want any tea?" She called out, but there was no reply. "Suit yourself." She muttered.
Mai hummed as the kettle boiled and she made herself a cup of steaming hot tea. She smiled to herself and took it back to her desk. The smell was wonderfully relaxing. As she retook her seat she looked down at the documents she was supposed to be sorting.
"Eugh, this is so dull." She complained and took a sip of her drink. But she did not feel the liquid in her mouth. Nor did she feel it run down her throat. Spluttering Mai pushed back away from the desk.
The liquid had passed straight through her body and onto the floor.
"What?"
Filled with anticipation, Mai tried to take another drink. Again, the tea fell straight through her body the tea, this time onto her chair. Confused, Mai poked her legs; they felt solid enough. Then she tipped the cup over and watched as the liquid seemed to pass straight through her body and pooled in the chair. She could not even feel the liquid under her body.
"What's happening?" Mai asked, then dropped her cup and sprinted to Naru's office. He would be able to explain it, he could explain anything. "Naru?!" She almost shouted in fear as she barged into the room. But he wasn't there. "Naru…?" She repeated somewhat desperately.
She ran to Lin's office but it was also empty. Had they gone out without her? Without leaving so much as a note? No. Naru would never leave the office unlocked.
Then a new idea crossed her mind.
Was she astral projecting? But if so where was Gene? Gene was almost always there. But they weren't on a case? How could this be happening?
"Gene!" Mai shouted. "Gene! If you are there, show yourself please!"
There was no response.
Panicking now, Mai ran out of the office and onto the street.
"Gene?!" She screamed. "Anyone?"
But there was nothing. No cars, no birds, no noise from buildings. How had she not noticed this earlier? Had she been that away with the fairies?
She collapsed to the floor, tears leaking from her eyes.
"Am I dead?" She whimpered. "Am I really dead?"
Mai wiped her tears away angrily; crying was not going to help. She couldn't be dead. Nothing had happened to kill her, had it?
She strained to think back. That morning had been like any other, she had gone to work, made Naru tea and completed her own work until she went for lunch. Had she just fallen asleep? But that never happened unless they were on a case.
Mai stood up and stumbled back to the office. Naru had books that might have something helpful in them. She was still able to touch solid objects, so getting a few books down from his office wouldn't be so hard.
Once back in his office, Mai closed the door behind her and started taking down books from the shelves. It only took her a minute to realise she had a big problem.
"Damn you Naru! Why are they all in English?!" She cursed. Mai pulled down more and more of the books, desperate for one to be in the familiar scrawl of hiragana, katakana or kanji. "Wait. Kanji…"
She raced to Lin's office and looked at his pitiful number of books. Compared to Naru's office, which was lined with the damn things, Lin had barely any. Mai searched through the titles. Only one was in Chinese.
She pulled it down and flipped it open, but although she recognised many of the kanji, she made barely any sense of the sentences. Where were the particles? How did this language even write anything that made any sort of sense to anyone?
"Stupid language."
Dejected, Mai returned to the main office space and then plonked down onto the sofa. She tried willing herself back to her own body. Nothing happened.
Surely Naru or someone would notice she hadn't done anything in the real world? Wouldn't they try and wake her?
Sighing, Mai retrieved her phone in order to check the time. It was almost 3pm. Then a curious idea came to her, what if she tried calling them? It sounded like a stupid idea but she had no better ideas.
So she opened up her contacts list and scrolled down until she found the office number. Hitting the call button, she held her phone up to her ear apprehensively.
There was no reason it should work, but she still wanted to try. It'd be an experiment. Mai giggled at the thought, what a proper little paranormal researcher she was.
She almost dropped the phone when she heard the connection tone and it started ringing. Would anyone pick up?
It rang.
And rang.
And rang.
"This is the SPR office, we're currently unable to get to the phone right now so please leave a message after the tone and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!" Her own voice said out of the little speaker. Mai hung up.
Then re-dialled.
It began ringing again.
It rang.
And rang.
And –
"Hello? This is the SPR office, how may I help you?" Lin had answered. Someone had answered. She could speak to the real world through her phone from this different plane.
"Lin? It's Mai! You have to help me!"
"Wait, what? Mai?" Lin sounded thoroughly confused.
"Lin, I'm stuck on some astral plane and-" Mai started, but Lin cut her off.
"Wait, Naru, Mai is on the phone."
Mai could hear Naru's voice in the background.
"But how? She's right here?" He sounded confused. Imagine that, Naru sounding confused, Mai giggled again. "Mai?" His voice came down through the speaker.
"Naru! You need to help me! I can't get back to my body and I'm on some weird astral plane and Gene isn't here and all your books are in stupid languages and please help!" Mai said, all in one breath.
"So you were the one who threw my books everywhere?"
"What?"
"Your actions in that plane seem to reflect in this world." Naru said coldly. "I presume you were responsible for the slamming of doors and the wet patch on the chair? You didn't wet yourself did you?"
"Eww! No! How old do you think I am?"
"Well judging by your mental capability…"
"Jerk." Mai scowled. "It was tea."
"Right." Naru replied, a hint of scepticism. Mai stood up and opened Naru's office door. "Why are you going in my office?" Mai did not reply, but pulled down another book and threw it to the floor. "Mai, that is childish." Mai pulled down another. "Do you want help or not?"
"The sooner you help the less of your office I trash."
"I will only make you clear it up."
"It's my birthday you can't do that!" Mai protested.
"I am your boss." Naru pointed out. It was odd, even though they were arguing, the normality of the conversation made Mai feel 100 times better than she had about five minutes previously.
"Just get me back."
"I am going to lay your body in this world on the sofa, head facing the door. Mimic this in your world." Mai sighed and then did as instructed.
"Okay, I'm lying down." She said into the phone.
"Place your arms by your sides and then close your eyes and listen to my voice." Naru commanded. Mai complied, propping her phone by her ear and placing her arms by her side. "I think aligning both bodies will help the transition." He explained. "Now I want you to break in and count to four, then break out for a count of four."
Mai followed his instructions, slowing her breathing right down.
"Continue the breathing exercise, and think of your real body. Not just your longing to return to it, but give reason to your want to return."
Why did she want to go back? It wasn't so bad here. Then the thoughts of her friends filled her mind's eye. Lin's calming presence and Yasuhara's laugh and Monk's smile and Ayako's bickering and John trying to please everyone and Masako hiding behind her sleeve. And Naru of course. Naru teaching her and saving her and those rare precious real smiles that sometimes escaped.
She had to go back for her friends, her family.
Then all of a sudden, she could hear the cars outside, birds tweeting, and the buzz of the electronic fan keeping the office cool. Tentatively, she opened her eyes.
Naru's handsome face was staring down at her, blank as ever. He was still holding the phone to his ear.
"Naru?" Mai whispered.
"As it is your birthday, I won't sack you for sleeping on the job." He said, standing up and putting the phone down.
"What happened? How could I phone you?" Mai asked. "Why couldn't I get back?"
"You used your own abilities to bridge the gap between the two astral planes; the phone was merely the device through which you channelled the power." Naru explained in a bored voice. "You couldn't get back due to lack of focus, I presume you were panicking from the state of your body this end."
"What do you mean? What was I doing?" Mai sat up.
"Shouting a lot and fidgeting." He replied, turning away. "You seemed quite distressed."
"Sorry." Mai mumbled.
Naru didn't say anything, but walked into the kitchen area and returned a moment later with what appeared to be a takeaway bento box.
"Eat this; you'll be hungry after using so much psychic energy." He said. "Then clear up the mess you made of that chair and you can go home."
"Really?" Mai's face brightened as she took the food from him.
Naru only rolled his eyes at her before returning to his office and begun returning his books to the shelves. Mai ate the food greedily and then cleared up her mess. She collected her stuff together and stuck her head through Naru's office door. He was just replacing the last book to his shelves.
"Sorry again." Mai said. "Thank you for the food."
Naru merely nodded as he sat down behind his desk.
"Thank you for letting me off early too." Mai continued. "And for helping me get back."
Again, he nodded his acceptance of her thanks.
"Well, I'll be off." Mai did an awkward half wave as she turned to leave.
"Happy birthday Mai." Naru said. "Enjoy your evening." Mai spun back around.
"You could come too!" She said quickly. "I mean everyone will be there, it's only right you join us."
"I have to catch up on the work I missed due to your little episode back there." He said sternly. Mai felt her face drop, but she nodded and turned to leave again. "I appreciate the offer."
"Maybe another time then." She smiled sadly. Mai turned and left, closing the door behind her.
"Perhaps." Naru said quietly before mentally shaking himself and returning to work.
~X~
Much later that evening, everyone was making to leave the restaurant after a thrilling evening of laughter and friendly banter. Monk had just mentioned going to get the car to take everyone home when Mai popped to the loo, promising to meet everyone outside.
Once finished, she left the bathroom and could see the car waiting outside. Mai strode confidently towards the automatic doors, only to smack straight into them.
"Oww…" She whined and then realised the implications. "No, not again…" She whispered in horror. But before that thought could go any further, Yasuhara walked towards the door from the other side and it opened.
"Are you really that short?" He said, laughing. Mai rushed forward, escaping the confines of the restaurant.
As she climbed into the car, she looked back at the automatic doors. Was she just too short to set off the sensors? Frowning, she turned away. Or was that other astral plane closer than she'd thought…?
Today had been too long a day.
Author's note: Thank you all for reading! This literally all stemmed from that first line that I have had floating around my head for months and I love the line so much. Please leave a review!