Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, my mind might be more accustomed to the rampant explosions of wandering plot bunnies…
WARNING Contains Spoilers.
Chapter 2: No One Knows
The blonde, blue-eyed exorcist had felt moderately uncomfortable in S.P.R.'s office even before Yasuhara had begun interrogating him about the events of the past few weeks, but since Lin had returned to his room shortly after Mai and Naru had taken their leave, his presence seemed all the more superfluous. Watching the typically arguing monk and miko whisper sweet nothings to each other was becoming increasingly unnerving, as was the cunning gleam in his inquisitor's eyes - fortunately, they were no longer aimed in his direction, but John knew how much the young man loved to tease Takigawa and figured it was best to take his leave before things got out of hand.
Excusing himself, the priest was surprised when the charcoal-haired youth opted to join him, guessing that he either wanted more information, or didn't wish to be the only other person in the room with the eerily affectionate couple. The gleam in Yasuhara's eyes appeared to dissipate when they stepped out into the sun, earning a sigh of relief from John's lips as he spied a familiar brunette making her way towards the base of S.P.R.'s stairs.
"Maeda-san!" The blonde exclaimed, "Were you hoping to talk to Mai? I'm afraid she and Naru just left…"
"Ah. T-that's okay – I'll catch up with her another time." The girl answered with a forced smile, catching the priest off guard. While she had been under a great deal of stress when they first met, once the case had been solved, the teen had come out of her shell quite spectacularly. It was obvious that something was troubling her, but Haruka's reserved body language screamed that she wasn't ready to talk about it.
"Actually, I was just about to head for the Library – my grades suffered during the haunting, and mum will have my head if she sees another report card like the last one."
Ah…
John had to admit that he'd had his own problems concerning parental expectations, and an argument with loved ones always left a bad taste in a person's mouth. He'd been about to offer some words of encouragement when his unpredictable companion made his presence known.
"I could tutor you, if you like."
John hesitated to look at his team-mate, as if having developed a sixth sense for the high school student's antic of sliding his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose, the flash of sunlight glinting across the lenses announcing the return of 'the gleam'. John offered up a silent prayer for the girl, wondering for a moment how well Haruka might hold her own in a battle of wits – even if her grades had fallen recently, the girl's sharp observational skills could not be questioned. Even Lin had seemed impressed.
"My name is Osamu Yasuhara," The boy announced, holding out a hand in greeting, "and you are Haruka Maeda-san, correct?"
She took his hand and shook it warily, nodding in affirmation.
"I help out S.P.R. on occasion." Yasuhara explained, sensing her distrust and slight confusion, "John-san was just filling me in on the details of the last case, although he failed to mention how attractive you are…"
Haruka's flustered blush told John that now might be a good time to be on his way, and this time when he bid the couple goodbye, no one exhibited a need to protest or follow.
-x-
Dark steel eyes narrowed in annoyance as they examined their reflection, cataloguing each immaculate detail - her porcelain skin was delicate and soft to the touch, face framed by sleek, shoulder-length black hair that always fell perfectly in place, the elegant kimono she wore accentuating her natural grace and style. Masako's intellect was as sharp as her manner was feminine, and her title as the number one medium in Japan was hard earned, not merely for the sake of her celebrity status. What was not to like?
Yet Naru seemed to prefer Mai; a nomad of a girl who wore her heart on her sleeve and seemed to spend more time arguing with him than not. Her rival claimed that the only special treatment she received was purely negative, insisting that S.P.R.'s director merely enjoyed picking on her the most, but Masako suspected otherwise. Even if Mai was too dense to realise the implications Naru's teasing held, it was becoming more and more evident to the medium that she was fighting a loosing battle.
The last 'date' she convinced the dark youth to accompany her on had not gone well to say the least, and Masako got the distinct impression that his thoughts had not left Mai since running into the auburn-haired girl on the way out of the office. Her arm had been linked with his as the part-timer swept past her boss in panic, no doubt hurt by seeing the two of them together. Unaware of the tensing of Naru's limbs as she inadvertently brushed against him, Mai never saw the hardened expression Naru wore as Lin's office door was closed behind her - only Masako had seen, felt the change in him, and been left behind.
Out of habit, a kimono sleeve lifted to cover the medium's discontent, only her flashing eyes betraying the young woman's schooled appearance.
If it were not for my busy schedule, I would already have...!
Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt – what exactly did she hope to accomplish? Did she really want to learn just how close Mai and Naru had become in her absence? Since Mai, not Naru, had been the one to answer her last phone call, Masako knew something significant must have occurred between the two. It wasn't as if she had phoned the office after all – his mobile was the number she had rung, and to her knowledge, Naru always kept it on him. Though oddly enough, Lin had been the one to intervene before she had been able to grill Mai for information, informing her that the person she sought was 'currently unavailable'. He'd offered to take a message, but Masako knew Naru would most likely ignore it unless he actually had to deal with her personally.
As depressing as her final admission was, she wasn't prepared to let go just yet. What if it was merely a misunderstanding and she still had a chance to convince Naru how right they were for each other? Could she forgive herself if she looked back, years from now, and wondered what might have happened if she had chosen not to give up?
-x-
A light knock on Naru's office door caused the corner of his mouth to twitch upwards in anticipation and he kept silent, waiting for Mai to take the initiative and walk in on him regardless of whether she was interrupting or not. Quelling the grin that threatened to emerge when the part-timer fulfilled his expectations, Naru barely looked up as he took the files she held out for him.
"What do you think of them?"
Mai looked taken aback, as if she were tempted to glance behind her, just to make sure he hadn't been talking to someone else.
"You're asking me?" She stuttered in disbelief, causing the young man watching her to raise an eyebrow – surely his question couldn't be that unexpected. It wasn't the first time he had listened to or acted on her input, although he supposed that he rarely went to the trouble of asking for it. Mai tended to tell him what she thought whether he liked it or not.
"I don't believe there is anyone else in the room aside from the two of us," He drew out slowly, as if contemplating her question seriously, "So I would assume that I was asking you."
"Why you -" Mai began, undoubtedly about to say something unfavourable about his character when he smiled, effectively disarming her. Although, he did hear her mumble something under her breath about not always 'being able to get away with it, just because he was handsome' – Naru made a mental note to reward her for the compliment later.
"If your link with Gene can provide us with a location, Lin and I will be away from the office for a few days." He explained, "I want you to check S.P.R.'s messages while we're gone and report to me if there are any relevant cases."
"So basically, you want to know if my version of 'relevant' matches your's?" Mai's shoulders seemed to sag for a moment, and Naru realised that she had avoided eye contact with him as she spoke. Was she upset at being left behind, or had he inadvertently offended her? In all honesty, he hadn't meant to – it was one thing to tease her, but seeing Mai depressed and knowing he was to blame was something he would prefer not to have on his conscience. If nothing else, the rest of S.P.R.'s members would instantly know who was responsible and do everything in their power to make sure he felt bad about it.
Unfortunately, Mai must have mistaken his thoughtful observation of her for impatience, and she spat out irritably, "…Fine! I think the most interesting case is the woman who contacted us about being unable to sleep for several years. She's consulted doctors as well as psychologists, and so far, no one has been able to help her. Since the trigger seems to be her mother's death, she's decided to explore other possibilities, but I'm sure you'd agree with the general opinion that trauma is the most likely cause." Mai took in a quick breath of air, pausing to sort out her thoughts before continuing, aggression fading as she became lost in her answer.
"Aside from that, I think the girl who collapsed in the bathroom after playing 'Bloody Mary' is the only other case worth taking – she's been in a coma for a few days now, and the mirror in front of her was smashed when she was found. No other strange incidents have been reported though…"
Naru nodded, glancing briefly at the files she had given him. A few held possibilities, but there didn't seem to be enough activity to suggest an actual haunting.
"…Thank you."
The blush that flamed across Mai's cheeks at the simple phrase was priceless, her cinnamon eyes wide as they flew to meet his, a trace of her earlier annoyance returning momentarily before her gaze darted away once more.
"I-I'll go make you some tea…"
-x-
He was an enigma, Mai decided as she watched the kettle boil, wondering one moment how on earth she had fallen for such an irritating man, and the next thinking that there was no way she couldn't have. It was a little odd, learning to adjust to the mixture of the logical, workaholic side of Naru that she'd been used to dealing with for the last year and the man who smiled and tenderly kissed her in between the teasing.
It hurt though – that he'd felt the need to call her judgement to question. Didn't he trust her? Would unnecessary phone calls from his girlfriend bother him?
The kettle had begun squealing, but Mai still stood there, oblivious to it's cry until a voice from behind alerted her to something else she had missed.
"I was planning on waiting until you noticed me on your own, but if even that noise can't reach you..."
His lean, black-clad form was leaning up against the doorframe, arms crossed as he watched her with veiled concern.
"Na-Naru!" She cried, fumbling for the kettle's handle to pour the tea she'd promised, but he strode over and stilled her hands, covering them with his own.
"Idiot, you'll burn yourself."
Mai blushed as she felt her boss's whispered reprimand on the nape of her neck, continuing to avoid his gaze as he turned her to face him.
"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't concentrating…" Mai attempted to laugh off her awkward excuse, but Naru would have none of it.
"That much is obvious, but you're not telling me what I want to know." She looked up at him this time, startled by the serious expression he wore.
"What..." Mai breathed tentatively, "What do you want to know?"
"I assume you are upset because of something I said. I'd like an explanation as to why."
Something about the way his words were phrased put steel in the auburn-haired girl's spine, and she replied stubbornly, "Sorry to disappoint you, but there's nothing to explain. I'm fine."
His eyes searched hers for some kind of proof she was lying, but Mai refused to back down. Their silent stand off continued until Naru eventually conceded, a small sigh of frustration escaping his lips as he began to walk away. Pain ripped through Mai's soul at the sight, dreading the thought of loosing the bond that had only recently tightened between them.
What am I doing?!
Subconsciously, her hand reached out and latched on to the closest part of him; the cuff of one of his sleeves.
"Okay! You're right – I'm not fine…" She admitted, fingertips slipping from the fabric of his shirt, hoping with all her heart that Naru's lack of movement meant that he planned to hear her out, though he had yet to face her.
"I'm sure this will sound silly to you, but when you asked me for my opinion I…" Mai's voice caught in her throat and she fell silent, trying to figure out how to put her confused feelings into words.
"Yes..?" Naru prompted, finally turning back to take in her troubled appearance, his expression unreadable. Mai hung her head, wishing that she hadn't brought so much attention to what had started as such a small, now seemingly insignificant insecurity.
"I was happy that you wanted to know what I thought, but then you told me why." She saw his eyebrows quirk upwards momentarily, the flash of bewilderment he displayed bolstering her courage. Perhaps being a genius didn't automatically mean you were good at everything - for all he could read her, Naru had certainly been clueless when it came down to the matter of who she loved.
"I felt like you didn't trust me; that you didn't want to hear from me unless you had to…"
…That was why I was upset.
If the deep-seeded frown that spread across his face at the suggestion wasn't enough to quell her doubts, Naru moved towards her, bringing his head down to Mai's level as he rested his hands on the bench either side of her, scolding her softly, "Whatever am I going to do with you…"
Her boss's sudden close proximity caused the part-timer's breath to hitch as she found herself staring into amused navy eyes, the smirk accompanying them informing Mai that her boyfriend had a fairly good idea of what he could 'do with her'. His warm lips captured hers, exploring fingers leaving her flesh tingling as he strove to prove his point. Flushing furiously, Mai's glance darted towards the open door.
"W-what if somebody sees us?!"
Naru pulled her eyes back to meet his, murmuring huskily in a language she could not understand. He'd inadvertently discovered that doing so seemed to have an interesting effect on the young woman trapped in his arms, and had been waiting for the right moment to test if his theory proved correct.
"I've heard the fear of being caught merely heightens the sensation…"
The foreign sounds flowing easily from his lips were like a drug to the girl's senses; her breath beginning to quicken as the hazy feeling gripped her body, making it harder to satisfy her lung's persistent cry for air. Every time she breathed, it was as though what she had inhaled was almost immediately stolen from her, and Mai found herself leaning on Naru's chest for support.
"That's not fair," She whispered shakily, "You know I only understand a few phrases of English!"
"Well, maybe this will prompt you to learn more. After all," The ghost hunter teased as he left a trail of maddening kisses from her collar bone to her neck, pausing just behind her ear, "I could be saying anything."
A begging moan interrupted her intended retort upon Mai's rapid discovery that Naru had managed to slip one of his hands under her shirt while she'd been distracted by what he'd been doing to the nape of her neck, and for an instant it occurred to her that it was unfair that she seemed to be the one most affected in this situation. She wanted to see him panting, moaning for more!
A door in S.P.R.'s reception room swung softly closed, the sound bringing the two teens to a startled halt, their motions freezing in place as Mai shot her boss an accusing look that clearly read, 'I told you so'. His reaction less than thrilled her, for he merely smirked, boldly running a finger across the inside of her thigh and watching in amusement as she fought to muffle a gasp of pleasure.
Jerk!
Hoping that no one had heard the noise she made, Mai glared at him, mood not improved by his whispered suggestion that she 'might want to make herself more presentable before seeing to their guest', prior to striding out of the kitchen as if nothing had happened. Swearing revenge, Mai took the opportunity to glance down at her clothes – her skirt was twisted slightly to one side and obviously crooked, while her rumbled shirt revealed tell-tale signs of just where the young man's hand had explored, the reality of what they might have ended up doing beginning to sink in at the sight.
Am I…ready for something like that?
-x-
Escaping work at the earliest opportunity, the popular T.V. medium was not entirely surprised to find S.P.R.'s front desk unattended, but when Naru's office also proved empty, even knocking on Lin's door to find answers proved a tempting possibility. She was debating what to do next when a muffled squeak from the kitchen caused Masako's eyes to narrow in suspicion, her mind quickly putting two and two together as Naru emerged from behind the folding screen concealing it's entrance.
"Did you want something, Hara-san?"
True to her usual form, Masako raised the sleeve of her kimono, covering her unfavourable expression as she replied simply, "It can wait. You seem a little busy."
There was a carefully crafted pause before the last word she spoke, her emphasis holding a clear double meaning. Impassive mask firmly in place, Naru said nothing, letting the jealous female come to her own conclusions.
"Does she even know your name?!" Masako bit out rashly, regretting the words as soon as they passed her lips, eyes widening as her rival's voice burst through the tense air.
"Ma-Masako knows, too?"
He had told her. Naru had actually told her. The kimono-clad teen reeled in shock at the news; she had merely recognised him from a recording of one of his experiments, he had never seen fit to willingly confide in her. It was too much to take – even the flicker of pain in Mai's eyes as the part-timer realised she was not the first of their group to have learned their boss's secret brought no satisfaction, but Masako's pride bade her keep face.
"I think it would be best if I spoke to you at a more convenient time." The medium managed numbly as she left, her words spoken with a level of composure she did not feel.
"Good bye, Davis-san."
-x-
Her fingers were shaking uncontrollably; perhaps that was why people kept staring at her as she blindly found her way home. She had tried so hard to ignore it, the many times she had seen him. Why was this time any different?
…Because he has come for me.
Somehow, deep within her, Cho knew it was true. Even if she were proven mad, she would still hold to the truth of those eyes –the way they seemed to see straight through her, rather than looking at her.
In fear she had fled, and in fear she now hid; huddled in a couch she had dragged to the point directly in between the entrance to the kitchen and the middle of the lounge room, providing the best visibility throughout the majority of her flat. The windows were covered; all doors locked, and though she knew it would do no good, she clutched at her husband's baseball bat – one of the many things he had left behind in his hurry to leave. He loved her, he said, but couldn't take the secrets. Of all the ironic things, he had accused her of having an affair. Backed into a corner, she could hardly confess the true reason for her secrecy, but he refused to believe her innocence merely on the claim that she kept nothing from him.
Tired of the arguments, he had simply left, leaving her with constant reminders of his presence, and what little she could remember of the good times they had shared. It was true that she had not been fair to him, but nothing could change that now, and nor would it matter if her horrific actions really had come back to haunt her.
No one must know…
And if no one could know, how could anyone save her?
-x-
Omake:
Her boss's sudden close proximity caused the part-timer's breath to hitch as she found herself staring into amused navy eyes, the smirk accompanying them informing Mai that her boyfriend had a fairly good idea of what he could 'do with her'. His warm lips captured hers, exploring fingers leaving her flesh tingling as he strove to prove his point. Flushing furiously, Mai's glance darted towards the open door.
"W-what if somebody sees us?!"
"Then we'll sell the rights online."