Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt.
Chapter 1
It was awfully quiet in the SPR building when a soft knock coming from a tall Chinese man breaks its silence.
"Naru, your tea" Lin said as he placed the cup on his table. Naru didn't look up, he just gave a small on nod as a response.
"Lin, call everyone, we have a case" he said still he didn't look up.
"Of course" then the tall man made his way to the door.
'Everyone' doesn't make sense in SPR. It's been eight months when Mai left Naru. And SPR. But still Naru didn't show any emotion after that day. Shock can be seen in his face, but after that, he regains his composure, bow and apologize to everyone, announcing that the wedding is cancelled. He's nowhere to be found for five days.
Naru shut his book with a tud. Without even looking at him longer, it can be seen that he's not gotten any sleep, maybe because of stress or maybe something else. He stared longer at the cup of tea in front of him but dismissed the thoughts that could lead him to despair. He let out a deep sigh. He didn't want to permit his mind to go beyond and uncover the questions that he spent nights to answer. Mai. His mind says. He never felt alone in his life not even when he found out that Gene is dead. But how could Mai make him like this? Helooked at the ceiling with the sign of resignation.
Bousan barged into the spacious space of SPR with hesitant look in his face, he was greeted by Naru who is sited on the couch.
"You're late. Where are the others?" Naru demanded "Then I'll just discuss the case with you"
Bousan took the couch opposite to Naru's. Signs of thinking twice can be seen from him. He's considering if whether to tell Naru or not but decided to do so.
"Naru, it's about Mai she-" Bousan started but cut off by Naru.
"The case is about a haunted house. The owner says that her family could hear weird sounds at night, lights turned on and off by itself, banging sounds in the ceiling and claims that one of her family member is possessed, she believed that ghost-" he was cut off by Monk this time
"Naru, maybe, we found Mai" he said locking his eyes with Naru "we believed it's her"
Naru was the first one to look away. "It doesn't matter to me. We have a case it's now my top priority"
"What the hell are you saying?" Bousan slammed the table "she's your wife. You should at least be concerned where she is."
"When she runs away, I took the conclusion that she wants to cut ties that connect the both of us, if not she wouldn't runaway, anyway. She's old enough to take care of herself hence to make her own decision I don't want to interfere with her life and I don't want her too to interfere with my life. Since she left there's nothing left between the both of us. " he paused "And, she's not my wife, remember she left me?" Naru said with compulsion
"She has reasons!" Bousan fought. All this time he stands as Mai's older brother. Being there through tough times. They laugh, tease and argue with each other like family. It pains him to hear that from Naru when he knows how much Mai has loved him. "Mai would do it if she doesn't have reasons" he said firmly.
"That doesn't concern me anymore" Naru said ready to drop the conversation.
"You," Bousan rose from his seat, he's just so angry that he's shaking. "When I found her I'll see to it that you won't have her again"
Naru looked up he was about to speak when the door flew open. Its Yasu.
"It's her! It's her!" he screams at the top of his lungs with hint of happiness in his voice. "It really is Mai! We found her!"
Bousan is dumbfounded. After eight months of never ending research, the sleepless nights to travel to look if it's really her, everything paid off. They found her. "Is it…" Bousan can't finish his sentence he's just too happy or shocked.
"Yes, it is her." Ayako appeared next to Yasu, she looked ragged because of lack of sleep. Even though she doesn't show, Mai is a family for her.
"I found her address if we leave now we can make it to her place before she leaves for work" Yasu said excitedly.
While all of them looked really happy Naru remained emotionless. His eyes focused on the book he's holding.
"Then let's go!" Bousan announced.
"Naru, didn't you hear that?" Ayako turned to Naru whose eyes still belonged to the book.
"I'm not going" he replied.
"What are you saying?" Ayako dared to raise her voice to her boss. "It's Mai we're talking about!"
"Again, it doesn't matter to me." he shot back. The edges of his eyes sharpen, he made it clear that she didn't matter to him anymore. "We have a case. Make sure to be here in one hour." he said flatly.
"Wha-" the maiden wanted to start to pick up a fight when Bousan stopped her.
"Let him be." Bousan sigh. Naru nor the case is his top priority right now. Mai is more important. He wanted to know if she's fine, how is she doing in eight months he hasn't seen him. But most of all he desperately needed to know why she takes off suddenly. She better give a good reason.
Naru just sat there emotionless, he's clearly satisfied with the fact that he's a jerk.
"Are you okay with that?" obviously Lin heard everything, came out after he heard them left
In response, he looks sideway but did not meet Lin's eyes. "It's fine"
Lin shook his head disapprovingly he really did not know what to do with this misanthrope person. "Would you like some tea?" he asked as he was just going to make for himself.
"No, thank you"
#
"I hope she's still there" Bousan said in clenched teeth. His hands tighten on the steering wheel. "And I hope she's fine"
Ayako overlooked the fact that Mai went through danger these past months. Mai is stronger that she looked if she's not she wouldn't leave Naru in the altar. Naru's pride crumbled into pieces, she left him open not even curing the wound she indeed can only make.' Mai, why did you do this? Did you and Naru fight before the wedding or are you having that nonsense wedding jitters? You need to give me a reason that wouldn't sound nuts or else I'll slap you really hard. '
"Ahaha…you guys look really nervous. Come on, it's just Mai" Yasu stated amused by the two. Though he himself is excited too he didn't want to add another freak person to meet up with Mai.
"Yeah, it's just Mai who suddenly pace to the door on her wedding day." Bousan said sarcastically.
"Oh, stop. We're here" Yasu suddenly announced causing Bousan to step on the brake on crucial time. The car jerked abruptly making them feel a little sick.
"Don't ever do that again, kid." Monk warned feeling his stomach checking if it's still there. Luckily it's there and did not escalate the part of her heart.
"I feel sick" Ayako proclaimed.
"It took us eight months to find her when it's only a 45 minute drive from SPR?" Bousan stated neurotically with a tone of annoyance. "Seriously, we're a crappy detective"
"That's why we're ghost hunters" Yasu said while patting Monk's back.
"Stop fooling around, what floor is she?"
The trio arrive at an apartment building that has no elevator, typical for people who wants independence or people who want to hide.
"Don't tell me she's on the topmost floor" Ayako warned, she's ready to whine when Mai is living on the last floor.
"Good guess, Ayako she's on the ninth floor" Yasu said, the look on his face isn't clear if he's really complementing or teasing.
They were on the fifth floor when Ayako started complaining loudly. "My feet are killing me."
"Come on, it's just stairs. No wonder you're fat you only use elevator. You should start exercising, now that you're getting older and old-" -followed by bag smack.
"I get it, thank you for the lecture, grandfather" Ayako said annoyed with the fact that she's with the most annoying person.
"Okay, keep that vibe you two. I'm sure Mai missed that" Yasu said jokingly
"Seriously, if she did not give me a good reason to why she runaway, I'm gonna slap her, really hard and no one ca-"
It was Ayako's seventy step and her feet just landed on the ninth floor when a brunette girl stopped in front of her, there's no suspicion that the girl just run before she stopped. There was a minute of silence between the two. The brunette seemed skeptical, it can be read that she's deciding to run away again or hug the person before her. She decided to choose the later.
Ayako welcomed her hug. "Silly girl" is all Ayako could manage to say.
"Mai!" the two men who are surprisingly weak when it comes to stairs shouted in unison.
Mai found herself crying, she cried the tears that she refused to shed ever since her wedding. Worries, the thoughts of being alone, fears, and helplessness began to fade away but one remained; regret. She regretted everything but it's the right choice. "I'm sorry" she said while she buried her face in Ayako's shoulder. "I'm really sorry". Bousan pat her head, finally they found her.
Mai calmed down a bit when they entered her apartment. It was tidy, perfect for someone like Mai. "I'm so sorry" she repeated again.
Bousan took a look at Mai. On his perspective, she suffered too, he knows Naru suffered a lot but Mai, she looks like she's been put to hell this past eight months and until now. Eye bags on her eyes, petite, Mai is petite since Bousan first met her but if possible, she appears to be smaller than before. She has a lot on her mind he can say and Bousan is sure that Naru is one of them.
"You idiot!" Ayako fumed "what kind of girl would run on her wedding day? Did you know what we've been through just to find you?"
Mai looked being pressured. She didn't want that feeling, she just bit her lower lip to at least prolong the time that she's not crying.
"Ayako-san calm down. We came here to check on Mai not interrogate her" Yasu said "Mai-chan, how'd you been?"
Mai drew her eyes away from them, she knows this time will happen, she thinks that by that time she had a perfect alibi to say, this just feels so soon for her. "I'm fine… "she mumble.
"It's good to hear that" Yasu smiled, gently but still he wanted to know the answer to why… No one said anything to prevent hurting or offending each others side.
"I – I … have to run away" she whispered softly "you won't understand even if I told you"
"Then make us understand!" Ayako demanded her hands on her hips.
"Ayako!" Bousan whispered with a threat
"What? I came here to find answers and I'm not going home until I find what I'm looking for" she said firmly
"I just… just don't love him anymore" she choked. Tears threaten to fall from her eyes. The idea that they've come in her place is very wrong. She's supposed to be forgotten by them, like she never existed in their lives. Why hadn't she gotten a place farther than this? Like province or something that would take long period of time to find. She hated herself for this. She had to make them go away, to not try to make her find again. "I don't love him at all" her voice sounded louder this time, straight forward, blunt but they all know its forced- she knows it's just empty words.
"Then why do you still have the engagement ring?" Ayako asked, impatiently. Mai is just too easy to read, one look everyone knows she's lying, and right now she's faking it. "You should have thrown it a long time ago"
Mai reached for the pendant of her necklace. It's her ring. It's just plain silver ring, no diamond, no carve just simple polished ring. Her engagement ring. Ayako is right. Why can't she do it? If what she said is true then the ring shouldn't matter anymore. But that's the problem, nothing she said is true.
Bousan pulled her into a hug, the kind of hug that protects you that without even words you'll know that this person will never leave you. "It's okay, we won't force you to tell us the truth. We'll wait until you're ready to say it" Ayako sigh, completely defeated.
"Thank… you" Mai said between sobs.
#
Naru restlessly paced back and forth inside his office. How can he be a jerk at a time like this? He slammed his fist at his table but he's not satisfied and gives it a second slam. He hated himself. He hated Mai because she's the only person that can make him angry.
Chapter one is up! How is it? Please leave a review.
Don't get confused, this is NaruXMai fanfic, Monk is just worried about Mai, after all he always acts like older brother for her.
Naru you meanie…idiot idiot idiot!
There will be a case in this fanfic, ghost story. Masako and John and Madoka will also appear in this fanfic.
I'll update chapter 2 soon~~ oh, Chrysanthia-Sunshine and someone thank you for the review and also to those who read the prologue and chapter one ^^
Chapter 2: Maybe Naru and Mai will meet again.
Bye bye!