Mai stopped at the familiar doors of Shibuya Psychic Research after three years away in America for college. The door was locked and covered in a thick layer of dust, but Mai still had the key Naru gave her while she worked for him. When she opened the door all of her memories of SPR came flooding back to her, things she didnt even remember forgetting. Closing the door behind her she leaned against it, not caring that dust was clinging to her back and her hair. It was darker with the windows covered in brown paper, and the furniture was all covered in that plastic stuff used to preserve unused couched and beds.
She walked tentatively to the old sofa and ran a hand over the plastic. Visions of the team sitting on it talking and laughing came to mind and soon tears stung her eyes. Or maybe it was just the dust. She poked her head into the kitchenette and noticed that the kettle was still there, almost exactly how she'd left it. Finally Mai wandered into Naru's office, she never really went in there when they worked together because of how grouchy Naru was. Now, flicking on the light, she got a full view of his dark little corner of the building. Empty bookshelves lined the walls from floor to cieling and a big mahogany desk sat in the centre. The window was covered in paper the same as all the others but some of the paper had been torn away letting a beam of golden sunlight stream in.
Mai reached out and touched the light, watching it glow on her soft hand. Then her eyes followed it to the spot on the floor where it landed. On the floor, was a piece of suncurled paper, becoming discoloured from the light. Mai knelt down and picked it up.
It was a photograph of Naru and Mai. She remembered asking Ayako to snap the photo with the new camera Mai had gotten for Christmas. Naru had been especially mean to her that Christmas, but before she left that night, when it was just him her and Ayako, he gave her the camera. It was some fancy camera brand from England and Mai remembered crying when he gave it to her and then asking Ayako to take the photo as Mai slung her arms around his neck and gave him a hug.
Mai's face was turned away from the camera, buried in Naru's shoulder, his arms were only half around her and half trying to regain his balance, and Mai never noticed in her own copy o the photo, but there was a small smile on Naru's mouth as he looked at Mai. Now Mai was really crying and it wasnt just the dust.
There was a bang in the office and Mai sprang to her feet, still clutching the photo in her fist. She held her breath listening for any proof that it was just her imagination. Some shuffling and a grunt. At least it wasnt a ghost. She thought. She looked around for something to use as a weapon in case she needed to defend herself. Three years in America taught her that strangers arent all friendly. Before she finished that thought she came face to face with... Yasu.
"Who are you?" He asked just as startled as Mai had been moments before.
"Yasu? It's me, Mai Taniyama," Yasu split into a grin and enveloped her in a tight hug.
"Mai, what are you doing here? I thought you were in school?" He asked still holding Mai by the arms. Mai beamed right back.
"I was in the neighbourhood. What are you doing here?" Mai asked. Just then another man came in, not someone Mai recognized. He looked from Mai to Yasu with confusion.
"Who's this?" He asked, he was taller than Yasu and had floppy black hair that hung over his eyes. His hands were in his jeans pockets giving him a more passive or shy look.
"This," Said Yasu letting go of Mai, "Is Mai Taniyama, the one i was telling you about, she was part of the original SPR team. " Yasu grinned. The man nodded politely and smiled, also politely.
"Nice to meet you," Said Mai holding out her hand for him to shake, then she remembered she was in Japan again and bowed blushing. "Sorry," She said once she straightened back up "I spent too much time in America I guess." The man still said nothing.
"Mai, this is Kiritsugu. My partner." Yasu said filling the silence. Mai looked confused between the two tilting her head slightly.
"Business partner," Kiritsugu clarified. Though Mai swore she saw hurt flicker on Yasu's face when Kiritsugu said that.
"Yeah," Said Yasu again, "We're restarting SPR. We even have our first case!" He said excitedly.
"Restarting SPR?" Mai asked. "But what about Naru and Lin and the gang? She began to see her vision blur, and her knees swayed.
"You okay Mai?" Yasu asked holding a hand out to steady her. Mai nodded and leaned a hand against the desk to keep her balance.
Yasu continued hesitantly, "Monk and Ayako are still in the city somewhere but we lost contact a couple of years ago, Madoka and Lin got married and live in England, and Naru lives in England too, last i heard he was teaching at a university."
Mai nodded her understanding, "What about John and Masako?" She asked. Yasu's mouth tightened into a thin line.
"Masako was driven insane by her powers as a medium, and John unfortunately died of cancer six months ago."
That news seemed to be the final straw because as soon as he was finished talking, Mai hunched over and threw up all over Yasu's shoes.