Mai heaved the shopping basket onto her other arm as she reached up for packets of noodles. She had no idea how she was going to get all her groceries back to her apartment, but she knew she would have no time later in the week to get anything in.
She pottered down the aisle checking her list for anything else she needed when the shelf of chocolate bars caught her eye. Mai started checking out the available deals when she felt a tug on her skirt. She looked down to see a small girl pulling on her skirt and pointing up at the chocolate that she obviously couldn't reach.
Mai was shocked to notice that while the girl had perfect Japanese facial features, her hair was golden blonde. She had never seen such a combination, but this girl had to be the cutest child she had ever seen.
"You want this chocolate?"
The girl mumbled something Mai did not understand, but she kept pointing at the chocolate.
"You don't speak Japanese?" Mai asked with a frown. "English? You want chocolate?"
"That one please!" the girl said, Mai's level of English was poor, but she caught the gist of what the girl wanted. She was about to pass down the chocolate bar when a harsh voice called out to her.
"Don't give her that." Mai spun around, chocolate in hand, to see someone she had not seen in several months; Dr Oliver Davis.
"Naru?!" Mai felt her mouth fall open in shock. He'd been flitting between the Japanese and British branches of SPR for several years, but for the last few months he'd been in England with no planned return date.
"Mai," Noll acknowledged. "Do not give that chocolate to Hana."
The small girl, Hana presumably, said something in English to Noll, who replied likewise. Mai watched as the young girl pouted up at Noll, who stared sternly down at her.
"Who is she?" Mai asked tentatively.
"Her name is Hana. She is my daughter," Noll replied, stiffly.
Mai rapidly backtracked mentally. She was twenty years old, which made Noll a maximum of twenty one years old. Hana could not have been older than four or five years old. He must have been about sixteen years old when she was conceived. Had he even noticed females at that age? Had he noticed females in that way ever?
"Legally at least," Noll added at Mai's expression.
"You're going to have to explain this, please?" Mai requested. Noll looked at war with himself.
"She's Gene's child. He was always better with girls. But when I returned to England, the mother pulled child support card and the DNA test said I was the father. The judge wouldn't listen when I explained I was a twin," he said, obviously annoyed at the judge's incompetence. "So legally, I am now her father, despite being a virgin."
"Wow. That is…" Mai trailed off rather pathetically.
"Unfortunate," Noll finished.
"But why are you in Japan?"
"Lin and Madoka's wedding next weekend. Jenny, Hana's mother, dumped her on me two weeks ago and said she was going away with her boyfriend and that I had her for the few weeks. So we're both here as my parents thought it'd be good for me to bond with Hana." He sounded bitter.
Mai watched as Hana went and clung to Noll's trouser leg. She could see the little girl obviously wanted approval from Noll, but he seemed unable to show her any affection.
"Does she know?" Mai nodded her head towards the girl.
"No."
"Does Gene know?"
"I have no idea; he still seems unable to contact me. You should tell him if the idiot hasn't moved on yet."
"Will do," Mai said, smiling awkwardly. "I should finish shopping."
"Yes," Noll agreed. "Come on Hana." He took the small girls hand and led her away. Mai watched them go and then hurried to the checkout.
"Hello? Taniyama-Mai speaking," Mai answered her phone as she flicked TV channels early on Tuesday evening.
"Mai." It was Noll. Mai dropped the remote and sat up straighter. "Are you attending Madoka's hen night tonight?"
"Oh hey! Um, no, I'm not. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow so I can't drink. I don't want a hangover…"
"Good."
"Well not really!" Mai protested. "I hate the dentist!" Mai could almost hear him roll his eyes. "Why? What do you want?" It was unlikely he was calling just to chat after all.
"A babysitter," Noll said.
"Everyone else is attending the hen night?"
"Or the stag do," he finished.
"And where are you off to?"
There was a pause.
"The stag do."
Mai burst out laughing.
"Really?"
"My mother declared that the best man had to attend," Noll said, the disgust obvious in his voice. "Even if I refused to organise the debacle."
"Who org-"
"Martin."
Mai laughed again.
"Oh dear," she muttered.
"Will you do it?"
"Babysit?"
"Yes," Noll said. Mai thought he sounded a little tired.
"But I don't speak English. I won't be able to talk to her!"
"So? Just sit her in front of a TV."
"But-" Mai began to protest, but Noll cut her off.
"Please."
Mai spluttered.
"Did you just…"
"Yes, now will you do it?" His tone was impatient.
"Alright, but if it goes wrong, it's entirely your fault."
But Noll had already hung up.
"Jerk," she mumbled as she dumped her phone down.
Mai looked around her apartment and swore softly. It wasn't a tip, but it was certainly not childproof.
Nor was she exactly dressed for seeing No- babysitting. She hurried to her room and changed into something slightly nicer and by that, Mai meant her nicest pyjama bottoms and she put her bra back on. As she closed her bedroom door behind her, she realised that she had not agreed a time with Noll.
Hurriedly, she began tidying things away. But she'd barely started when there was a knock at the door.
"Damn."
Mai ran to the door, pausing only to check her reflection in the mirror and flatten her hair. She opened the door and there stood Noll. He was holding Hana in one hand and a pink rucksack in the other. It occurred to Mai that he had got here far too quickly. He had decided to dump Hana on her before she'd agreed to it.
"Hi," Mai said. "Let me take that for you."
She reached out to take the bag, but Noll passed her Hana.
"Hello," Mai said to the young girl before looking up at Noll. "Would you like tea?"
"Were I permitted to stay, yes."
Noll strode into Mai's apartment and deposited the bag on her sofa.
"Maybe another time," Mai offered with a small smile.
"Perhaps my mother would let me off if I told her I was with a female," Noll mused. Mai rolled her eyes. "It would be the lesser of two evils."
"Cheers," Mai muttered darkly. "What have you told her?" She nodded her head towards Hana.
"To behave and that you don't speak English."
"Is that it?"
"Is there anything else?"
Mai sighed.
"When will you be back?" she asked.
"Three hours," Noll replied. "I am required to stay for two, plus travel time."
"Well I'm sure you'll have a lovely time," Mai said, smiling sweetly. She knew exactly how painful his evening was going to be. Noll grimaced.
"Look after Mai," he said to Hana and left.
"Just you and me then," Mai said to Hana after staring at the closed door for a moment. She placed the young girl down and headed to the kitchen. She heard Hana follow.
"Would you like a drink?"
Hana stared at her blankly.
"Drink, um… Water? Coffee? Tea?" she demonstrated drinking with an invisible cup.
The girl nodded.
"Which? Water?"
She nodded again.
Mai turned and filled a cup with water, but when she turned back Hana was gone.
She located her a minute later in the cupboard, evidently looking for something.
"What are you after?" Mai asked with a frown. Hana mumbled something so quiet that Mai could not hear her. "Speak up." Mai cupped a hand to her ear.
"Chocolate," Hana whispered, staring almost fearfully up at Mai.
Mai knew that word. She laughed, put the cup on the table and reached to the top of the cupboard – her chocolate stash.
She pulled down a bar of milk chocolate and broke off a square. When she handed the piece to Hana, the girl beamed and began sucking it happily.
"Now what do you want to do?"
Hana seemed to understand the question and ran to her rucksack, where she pulled out colouring crayons.
"You want to draw?" Mai asked as she brought the cup of water and the chocolate to the lounge.
Hana pulled out a pad of paper and showed Mai some of her drawings.
Most of them contained a small blonde figure holding hands with a taller blonde figure.
Hana and her mother, Mai thought.
Later pictures included a black haired man in clothes. Mai couldn't help but notice that he never looked particularly happy. In some, he looked downright cross.
"Why don't you draw something for me?" Mai suggested. She didn't know if Hana understood or not, but the girl began drawing nonetheless.
"You brought a case report to the stag do?" Yasuhara asked, astounded.
"If I'm forced to be here, I might as well do something useful," Noll retorted as he straightened the paper down.
The stag do wasn't anything fancy, just 'the guys' meeting up for a drink at Monk's apartment, as it had the most suitable socialising space. Only John had politely declined.
"I have an idea!" Yasuhara proclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Noll.
"Go on?" Lin prompted.
"A drinking game!" Yasuhara declared. Monk grinned, perhaps because he had an inkling of where Yasuhara was going with this suggestion. "We'll let you read the report, if and only if we can play a drinking game with it. And you-" He waved his finger at Noll. "- have to join in! Or else!"
"Or else what?" Noll challenged.
"Or else I'll your mother that you did not comply and were a frightful bore," Martin said quietly. Noll glared at his father. "She'll make your life hell, so…"
"Excellent idea!" Yasuhara said. He looked around for paper and Monk provided. "What rules should we have?"
"Drink on the word 'spirit', 'ghost' or anything of that sort," Monk started.
"Drink for equipment damage," Martin suggested.
"And down it every time Mai gets saved by Big Boss!" Yasuhara finished as he scribbled the rules down.
Noll sighed and weighed up his options. His mother would make him suffer if Martin did snitch on him. But drinking any quantity of alcohol seemed like an awful idea.
Chances are the alcohol would be weak, Noll thought, as Yasuhara had brought it. Poor students could not afford strong alcohol.
He sighed again.
"Fine," he said and they all cheered. Yasuhara poured them all a drink and Noll began to read.
Mai watched TV as Hana drew on the floor in front of her. She did not notice the chocolate slowly disappearing. But she did notice the lateness of the hour. Noll had said three hours. It had now been four.
Perhaps he's having fun, she thought. Then she chuckled at the idea. Hana looked up at her and yawned.
"Are you tired?" She mimed going to sleep and the young girl nodded. "Let's get you to bed then."
Mai had no choice but to let the girl sleep in her bed as she only had the one bedroom. She even leant Hana a t-shirt to use as a nightie. Short as Mai was, her t-shirts were long enough to dwarf the young girl.
"What about Daddy?"
"Daddy? Your father?" Mai clarified and Hana nodded. "He will be here when you wake up. Um, Daddy here in morning."
"Okay!" Hana settled down and Mai tucked her in, wondering if the girl was used to be left in strange places.
Mai returned to the lounge and noticed what she guessed to be a drawing of herself on the floor.
She picked it up and took a better look. She was on one side with a bar of chocolate in her hands and on the other side were Hana and Noll. However in this drawing, Noll was smiling. Mai frowned, replaced the drawing and picked up the empty chocolate wrapper.
"That rascal," she muttered as she binned it.
Then she settled back on the sofa to wait for Noll with the intention of telling him Hana was staying the night. It would be cruel to wake her up now.
"And then-" Hiccough. "- the spirit-"
"Drink!" Yasuhara interrupted. They all drank, even Noll who was swaying where he stood.
"The spirit-"
"Drink!" Monk called. They all drank.
"It attacked Mai-"
"Drink!" Yasuhara roared. They all drank.
"And I saved her!" Noll finished loudly.
"Down it!"
The flat felt silent as they all chugged down their drinks.
"I was thinking about why exactly I save Mai," Noll said as he waved his glass around. "Do you imbeciles know why?"
A grumble greeted his ears as Yasuhara refilled their drinks.
"Why?" Lin asked at a nudge from Martin.
"It's because I'm an idiot," Noll declared. "Because I am too scared."
"Of what?" Martin asked with a frown.
"All you idiots hype everything up," Noll complained. "I just want to love Mai in peace and quiet and instead I have to save her to get attention from her."
Everyone was, at this point, too drunk to realise exactly how little sense this statement made.
"Back to the case," Noll continued. "I saved Mai-"
"Drink!" They all drunk.
"-and I remember her being flat on her face and her knickers were showing. They were pink and frilly!"
"Drink?" They all drunk.
"Why were you looking at Jou-chan's underwear?" Monk pressed Noll with a glare.
"Because he fancies her!" Yasuhara declared dramatically. "Just like I love you!"
Yasuhara launched himself at the monk, who promptly pushed him away. He wasn't that drunk.
"They were in my face. I couldn't not look right at her bum!"
"Bum!" Yasuhara repeated with a giggle.
"Drink!" Lin called. They all drank.
"And then Mai went all pink!"
"Like her underwear?" Yasuhara prompted.
"Just like her underwear!"
"Drink!" And they all drank. And drank. And drank.
A knock on the door woke Mai as she dozed on the sofa.
She answered it to find a staggering, dishevelled and red-faced Noll.
"I am here for Hana!" he declared.
"You're drunk," Mai mumbled in disbelief.
"Where is my daughter?" He staggered past Mai and looked around the apartment.
"She's asleep in my bed and she's staying there," Mai stated. "Now go home and sleep this off." It felt off to be issuing orders to Noll, but Mai tried adamantly to take it in her stride.
"I don't have a home," he said as he flopped on her sofa. "Home is where the heart is according to my mother and my heart was stolen from me." His voice was muffled by a cushion.
"Oh really?" Mai repressed a giggle. "By who?"
"Gene took half," he began sadly. "And my dinkie little tea maid took the other!"
"Dinkie little tea maid," Mai repeated slowly and deliberately.
"This is comfy."
"Then sleep," Mai suggested. She prized his shoes off and found a blanket.
As she made to cover him with it, Noll turned and pulled her closer.
"You'd like my dinkie little tea maid, Mai," Noll told her seriously despite the fact his eyes weren't exactly focused. "She's nice to everyone. Even me. And I'm an arse."
"Sleep Naru." Mai tucked him in as she had done with Hana.
"And she wears frilly knickers…" he mumbled as sleep over took him.
Mai stared at him a moment longer, then shook her head. She imagined that surely.
Definitely time for bed, she thought.
When Noll woke the following morning, he desperately wished he hadn't. He vaguely recognised his surroundings, but wasn't quite sure where he was.
Wherever it was, it was too bright and too noisy.
Gingerly, he sat up and clutched his head. Had he been knocked out on a case?
He must have been, that was the only logical reason for his head to be pounding.
"You awake?" a bright female voice said. Noll winced at the sound. He looked up and opened his eyes just a tad. It looked like Mai. Perhaps it was Mai. Noll couldn't tell. Everything ached too much.
"Is Daddy okay?" a softer voice said. Noll knew that voice too.
"Yes," the voice he thought was Mai replied.
He felt small hands patting his back and he groaned.
"Maybe Daddy needs to sleep more?" the soft voice suggested. Was that Hana?
He groaned again and lay back down on the sofa, pulling what he believed to be a blanket over his head.
"Yes," Mai's voice said again. "Naru, do you want to move to my bed? It'll be more comfortable."
He made a guttural noise as a response.
"What does that mean? I'll make Hana jump on you if you don't give me a decent answer."
"Fine," he grumbled. He felt two sets of hands, one small and one even smaller, take hold of his arms. Had this been any other time, he would have protests at the physical contact and at the aid they were giving him, but right now, he could not care less.
As he hit the impossibly soft bed, he groaned yet again, but this time it was in relief. He closed his eyes and within seconds was asleep again.
The second time Noll woke, his head was not quite as painful. He sat up and forced himself out of the bed. Torturously, he stumbled to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face, which helped a little.
He found Mai and Hana in the living room. They seemed to be drawing pictures, but they both looked up at his arrival.
"Hey," Mai greeted him. "How are you feeling?"
Noll did not like the smirk that Mai was trying – and failing – to supress. He did not respond.
"Daddy! Look what I drew you!" Hana ran up to him and hugged his leg while thrusting a piece of paper into his hands.
"Very good," he replied before realising. "Very good."
She beamed up at him and then grabbed his hand and pulled him over to sit on the sofa. Noll did not resist the girl.
"Do you want tea?" Mai asked. Noll nodded curtly as Hana began passing him more of the drawings.
"Daddy, guess what me and Mai have been doing?"
"What?" he asked, refraining from correcting the girl's grammar.
"I've been teaching her English and she's been teaching me English."
"She's a very good teacher," Mai commented from the kitchen.
"See, we did pictures and then shared words!"
She began thrusting more pictures into his hands with words written on them in English and then Japanese. Noll noticed Mai had written it out in kanji and hiragana, or katakana and then romanji underneath.
"I suppose a five year old's vocabulary is about all you can hope for hmm?" Noll muttered.
"Do you want tea or not?"
He shut up.
"I received an interesting call from your father this morning," Mai continued as she poured out two cups. "Hana, juice?"
"Yes please!" Hana replied enthusiastically.
"What did Martin say?" Noll asked as Mai brought them all drinks. She took a seat and a sip of tea before responding.
"Well, he first just wanted to know where you were as you obviously did not make it home," she began. "And once he knew you were safe he began telling me about your evening."
Noll frowned. His evening? What exactly had happened? Mai went on.
"He did not finish the story before he had to go off somewhere but he promised to send me a video of everything you did last night."
Noll froze. Through he could not remember he had a feeling that it was not good.
"Of course," Mai said before taking another sip of tea. "As soon as I began watching it I realised it was not suitable for Hana's eyes or ears."
Noll kept his face blank.
"Do you want to see?"
He finished his drink, grimaced and nodded.
Mai retrieved her laptop and a pair of headphones. She passed them to him and he took a deep breath before pressing play.
"Naru-bou, what do you think about all of us?" Monk asked with a smirk as he waved his glass slightly. No one else seemed nearly as drunk as Noll. In fact, all of them were grinning and waiting to see what he'd say next.
"You're all annoying," Noll stated. He was still waving the report around, though they had long since finished it. "But none of you are pumpkins anymore."
"Who's your favourite out of us?" Yasuhara asked as he subtly topped Noll's drink up.
"Lin," he said without hesitation. "It used to be Martin but he lets Luella force me into doing things I don't like."
The other men all sniggered.
"What's your favourite thing about Mai?" Lin prompted, earning himself grins from the other men. Noll paused at this question.
"Eyes," he said finally.
"Why?" Martin voiced the question the others were all thinking.
"They tell me everything she is thinking!" He answered as if this was obvious. "And show me just how annoyed she gets when I insult her."
"So why aren't you two dating?"
"She's my assistant, it'd be inappropriate." Noll began to frown. "Maybe I should sack her."
"But she needs a job and she loves what she does. Sacking her would make her unhappy," Yasuhara reasoned.
"I could pay for her living costs and she can make tea in return."
"Isn't that what she does now?"
"Yes, but this way, she wouldn't be my assistant," Noll said with a exaggerated roll of his eyes. "She'd be my-"
"Dinkie little tea maid?" Yasuhara supplied.
"Exactly."
"You could get her a costume and everything," Yasuhara continued with a stifled giggle. "Just think about it. Mai in a frilly maid outfit and-"
"Thigh high socks," Noll finished. He downed the rest of his drink and then began staring at the clock on the wall. The other's watched him attempt to focus on the clock face. "I need to get Hana."
"Where is she?" Martin asked, suddenly a bit more focused.
"Mai's house."
"Go home Noll," Lin advised. "Mai will look after Hana for the night."
Noll frowned and nodded before gathering up his papers and staggering from the room.
"I'm just going to make sure he's okay," Martin said. He stopped the little camcorder in his lap and hurried after his son.
"Get him a taxi!" Yasuhara called after him. Martin acknowledged this with a wave of his hand.
Noll stopped the video and shut the laptop down.
He felt disgraced and disgusted. Mai seemed to notice his change of mood and took the device from him.
"Are you okay?"
He did not respond.
"Why are you sad Daddy?"
He looked down at Hana's earnest little face and felt even worse.
"Will you look after Hana for another few hours?" he asked Mai in a low voice.
"Of course," she replied quickly. "Though could explain what you are doing to her."
"I'm going out for a while, stay with Mai."
He got up and made for the door.
"When will you be back?" Mai asked.
But he just turned, made eye contact for the briefest of seconds and then closed the door behind him.
"Jerk."
"When will Daddy come back?" Hana asked. Mai did not understand the entire question, but got the jist.
"I don't know," she replied. "Let's draw some more."
Noll knew he had no reason to be angry at his so-called friends. He had agreed to the stupid game. Yet he couldn't help but feel slightly victimised. They had definitely taken advantage of the situation.
In hindsight, he knew he should have declined and taken Luella's wroth.
Even ignoring how his body felt physically, anything would have been better than the shame he felt now.
Noll didn't know how long he walked around for, but eventually he found himself back at Mai's place.
The door was answered by Hana, who seemed to be wearing a kimono that was slightly too big for her.
"Daddy! Look! Isn't it pretty?"
"Yes," he replied automatically. "Go and change, it's time to go."
"But I don't want too! I like playing with Mai."
Noll glared down at his daughter and she wilted.
"Naru? Is that you? What-"
But she was cut off by Hana running at her.
"I don't want to go! I will not go. Tell Daddy!" she cried as she clamped onto Mai's leg.
"Hana, if he wants you to, I can't make him let you stay," Mai said in a placating tone. "Let's go and get you changed."
She sent Noll a challenging look before guiding Hana back to her bedroom. Noll took a seat and waited.
Hana looked like she'd been crying slightly when they reappeared. Mai helped her get her things together, but pulled out a few of the pictures.
"I want to show these to Naru," she said to Hana as the young girl collected up her colouring pencils.
"Show me what?"
Mai stood up and passed the drawing's to Noll.
"Do you understand these?" she asked.
"They are childish scribbles, what is to understand?" he retorted.
She pointed at something on each of the pictures.
"These are you," she explained. "And in every one of her drawings you look unhappy or cross. Hana is a child, Naru, it's harder for her to understand that you care when you treat her the way you do. That is, of course, assuming you do care about her."
Noll didn't say anything at first. Her words had pierced him like ice.
"Mai, you should know as well as anyone that I do not-"
"Stop, Naru. I know what you are going to say, but it doesn't matter. You don't have to smile at her; you just have to show interest in her life and the things she likes. We-" She indicated herself and Hana. "-don't even speak the same language. And she prefers it her with me than with you. Does that not tell you anything?" She took a deep breath. "Now if you don't want to look after her while she's in Japan, leave her with me. I do not mind in the slightest. But if you're going to do it, buck up your ideas."
"I see," Noll said.
"So are you taking her or not?"
"I will."
"And stop feeling sorry for yourself. You got drunk and told people that you cared about them. It's hardly a bad thing at all. Now get out of my apartment, I have things to do."
If her brusqueness shocked Noll, he did not show it. He held his hand out for Hana to take, but she ran to Mai and gave her a final hug first.
They left and Mai sighed, hoping desperately that some of her words had gotten through to Noll.
A few days later and it was the day of Lin and Madoka's wedding. Mai had soon taken charge of looking after Hana in the run up. She'd helped Hana with her hair and dress. They even held hands during the ceremony.
Noll had, of course, noticed this. He had attempted to improve his behaviour towards his daughter. Though it wasn't like he had wanted to mistreat her, Noll just found the child incredibly dull.
Yet he had found, the more interest he showed, the more Hana gave back. This did make the situation less tedious. But she was still a lot more vocal with Mai, despite the woman only understanding a tiny fraction of the words spoken.
After the wedding as the meal came to a close, Lin leant towards Noll.
"I think everyone is expecting your speech now."
Noll rolled his eyes. Yet another pointless waste of time.
"Fine," he muttered. He tapped his glass with a spoon and stood up.
"Speech!" Yasuhara yelled from his seat near the top table. Noll glared at him, which earned a few sniggers.
"I understand it is customary for the best man to make a speech that tells some sort of funny story and ends up with a compliment," he began. "But after the events of the stag do, I would be quite content to just embarrass Lin."
Noll noticed a few more sniggers and presumed that the video had leaked. Out of the corner of his eye, Noll realised Lin had stiffened slightly.
"I first met Lin when I was eight years old, having just arrived in England and in need of guidance. With my parents and Madoka's aid, Lin taught us to control our abilities and improved my quality of life. But I did not need psychometry to realise that something was going on.
"I think almost everyone at SPR knew that there was something occurring between Lin and Madoka and I think I am right in saying that I was not the only one that found it tiresome to pretend that no one had noticed."
This earned a few laughs, a shocked expression on Martin's face – had he really been oblivious to their actions? – and Lin blushed. Noll went on.
"But my brother once told me that 'as long as they were happy and not hurting anyone' that I should leave them to it. Valuable advice that I follow to this day." He took a deep breath. "Lin was there for me when Gene died. Not perhaps in the conventional sense of comfort, but his presence was enough.
"By my side, we put up with the rabble in Japan-"
"Hey!" Monk protested.
"- until they became our friends." He paused again. "It is no secret that Gene and I often switched places in school to get out of dull activities, but had Gene been capable of speaking to you all here today I would still have given this speech. This, I believe, is a testament of my high opinion of the man beside me."
"The only opinion that matters, eh, Big Boss?" Yasuhara called out.
"Of course," Noll said with a smirk. The listening guests laughed a little before he continued. "Though we do not see eye to eye on everything, his taste in women for example-" Madoka rolled her eyes.
"You love me really Noll,"
"- I wish the pair of you every happiness," he said as he turned to look at the couple. "Especially now I own noise-cancelling headphones for use at BSPR." His audience laughed again as Lin turned a deeper shade of red. Madoka, however, seemed unaffected by this comment and was joining the laughter. "Please raise your glasses to Lin and Madoka," he toasted the newlyweds and was echoed by the guests before turning back to the main audience. "Enjoy the rest of your meal before we are all forced into dancing, thank you."
Noll took his seat and everyone clapped dutifully.
Voices began chattering as Lin turned to his best man.
"You know, I think that speech was almost heartfelt," Lin jested. Noll rolled his eyes. "I think I might even let Madoka go ahead with her little plan."
"What plan?" Noll pressed.
"You'll see," Lin said with a knowing smile. Noll glared at him, but many years of this treatment had left Lin impervious to Noll's gaze.
Noll did not have to wait long to find out what Madoka's plan was though. He had thought that as best man, he would have to dance with Madoka's maid of honour, some woman from her high school that he did not know.
Yet when the time came, the woman called upon Martin to dance. Noll frowned, but did not question it. He had no desire to dance at-
"May I have the honour of this dance?" Mai's voice said from behind him. He spun to see her still dressed in her bridesmaid dress. "Madoka's orders," she added with an awkward shrug.
"Yes," Noll replied and took her hand before leading her to the dancefloor. Mai was by no means a graceful dancer but he found he did not care.
"Nice speech by the way, I think you only insulted everyone twice," Mai teased.
"You lied to me," Noll said, ignoring Mai's jest. She frowned.
"About what?"
"Hana's pictures, you said I was unhappy or cross in all of them. That's a lie," he said. Mai continued to frown up at him and he elaborated. "In several of the drawings that had both you and me in them, I looked quite content."
Mai blushed furiously and Noll smirked. But before she could come up with a retort, Noll felt a small hand tugging on his trousers. He looked down to see Hana.
"Yes?"
"Daddy, I need to talk to you quickly."
"It's fine," Mai said with a smile. "Dance with her."
Noll frowned at Mai, but she had already pulled away. He took Hana's hands and twirled her around before lifting her onto his hip. She giggled.
"So what is it you want to tell me?" he prompted as he made his way to the edge of the dancefloor.
"I had an idea!" she told him excitedly. "Auntie Madoka told me earlier that she's going to throw her flowers after the dancing and whoever catches the flowers is going to get married next."
"And?"
"And I want Mai to catch them," Hana admitted. "So you can make her catch them with your magic. They aren't big flowers, so they'll only take a little bit of magic, right?"
Noll stared at his daughter.
"Why do you want Mai to catch them?"
"Well, Mummy said that Darren might become by second Daddy. And I want Mai to be my second Mummy."
Noll vaguely remembered the name Darren, wasn't he Jenny's boyfriend?
"I see," he said slowly.
"Because I like Mai, she gives me chocolate and does drawing with me," Hana went on. "And she makes you happy. So we can all be happy together."
"I don't think so Hana, using my ability for something so pointless could have negative and unwelcome effects."
"But…"
Noll placed her on the floor and took a seat.
"Go and dance, Hana, enjoy yourself."
Hana frowned at him and then ran off. He watched her find Mai and drag her back to the dance floor. He watched them without really seeing them.
"What's got you so pensive?" Martin asked as he took a seat next to Noll.
"Something Hana said," he confided.
"Care to share?"
"Not really," Noll said. He continued to watch Mai and Hana twirl about. "I want to return to the Japanese branch."
"You have obligations to Hana though," Martin said.
"I know." Noll sighed.
"Her mother might be open to negotiations," Martin suggested. "Perhaps-"
"Jenny will not let her stay with me in Japan, but equally she will want me to see the girl. And it would not do to disrupt the girl's education either."
"You're not wrong," Martin conceded. "But perhaps you ought to ensure you have something to return her for."
Noll looked around at his father, who nodded towards Mai. The young woman was quite clearly being chatted up by one of Madoka's cousins; a young man with a carefree smile. Noll did not notice his father leave; he was busy watching Hana glaring at the man. Her gaze looked somewhat like his own.
"Time for us to be off!" Madoka's voice said, magnified by a microphone. "Everyone outside!"
The guests all dutifully made their way to the front entrance, and the single women – Mai and Hana included – grouped together as Lin and Madoka stood by the car that would take them to their honeymoon.
"Ready?" Madoka called. A cheer answered her as she turned around and clutched the flowers in both arms.
Noll watched, as if in slow motion, as the flowers arced out of her hands and into the air. He knew they were going to land nowhere near Mai. Then, as if a sudden gust of wind hit them, they changed direction.
And landed straight in Mai's arms.
Hana beamed at him. Mai looked incredulous at her 'luck' and oblivious to his interference.
"Subtle, Big Boss, really subtle," Yasuhara said from just behind him. Noll did not bother to reply. "Just look after her, alright?"
He nodded.
"Mummy mummy mummy!" Hana yelled as they arrived at her home. "Mummy I have so much to tell you!"
"Really?" Jenny bent down to catch her daughter in a hug.
"Yes! I got to wear a kimono at Mai's house and we did colouring. And I got to dance with everyone at the wedding! And Daddy is going to marry Mai so you have to let him go back to Japan!" Hana gabbled. "And Mai gave me chocolate even though Daddy said not too! Look, I drew pictures of everything!" She began rummaging in her rucksack and pulled out a stack of drawings.
Jenny took each one as Hana handed them to her and explained exactly what was going on. Noll appeared a minute later with Hana's suitcase.
"Seems like you had fun huh?"
"Lots of fun! I wanna go to Japan again!"
"I need to be going," Noll interrupted.
"Wait," Jenny said. "Hana said you wanted to return to Japan? Is that true?"
"I have obligations here," Noll stated and made to turn.
"Other than Hana?" she asked and Noll stopped. "I didn't think so." She sighed. "Look, why don't you come in, we can talk about it there."
"I don't see how we can come to a suitable arrangement."
"Your parents aren't moving to Japan, are they?" Jenny asked. "Do they not want to see their granddaughter?"
She turned and led Hana into the house. Sighing, Noll followed.
"Mai! Hurry up! We're going to be late," Noll called down the corridor. Mai appeared a second later trying to put her socks on as she walked.
"I'm here, I'm here!" she mumbled. "What time is her flight?"
"In half an hour, if we get the train now we might just make it before she gets through customs and passport control."
They hurried from the apartment and down to the nearest station.
An arrangement had been made so that Hana visited her grandparents every weekend while in England – something Luella was very happy about – and then for one month in Hana's summer holidays she would visit Noll in Japan.
Today was the day she was due to arrive.
Noll had noticed Mai was evidently excited to see Hana, possibly with good reason, as she had a very important question to ask her.
They only had to wait five minutes at the airport before Hana was escorted through the gates by a kindly looking woman. The young girl ran to hug Mai.
"You've grown so much!" Mai said. "Do you have any drawings for me to see?"
"Yup," Hana replied. She laughed at Mai's frown. "Grandma has been teaching me Japanese!"
Noll smiled at his mother's efforts. It would certainly make things easier.
"Well I have a question to ask of you," Mai said, her own smile growing. "Will you be my bridesmaid?"
"Yes!" Hana squealed before hugging Mai again and then releasing her to hug Noll. "Now we can all be happy…" she mumbled to herself.
And hand in hand, they left the airport.
Author's note: Well some of you might recognise the beginning of this from my Ideas story (which is just a dump of potential ideas I've had). I had the inspiration to write more for it and this happened. I hope you enjoyed it! It's the longest one shot I've ever done!
Please review!