Pairing: Lin Koujo x Taniyama Mai
I hope you guys will enjoy this one!
xxxxx
"He was practically walking into her dreams to guide her and help your cases, yet he doesn't remember her?"
"Madoka," The patriarch of the Davis family started. "You can't just instantly assume that Gene would remember all of it considering that he was in a coma the entire time."
"His spirit and physical body aren't bound by the same rules." Lin interjected.
"Lin's right." Noll agreed. "Gene did say that during his dreams, he always felt like the events had already happened."
"Which actually did happen." Madoka added as a point of fact. "Could it be possible though that his spirit actually remembers her but when his spirit went back to him, his physical body veiled over the memories?"
"What do you mean?" Luella inquired, eyes darting from one person to another. "How could Gene's physical body block memories from his spirit when essentially they are one?"
"Like what Lin said, his spirit and his physical body aren't bound by the same rules." Madoka countered.
"There have been a lot of theories going around," Lin took a seat to the nearest couch and settled his gaze on Noll's mother. "Some theories say that your spirit is purely spiritual, therefore material desires and memories do not get transferred to the next body. Because if you do remember your previous life, you would have remembered innumerable births and unpleasant memories that will drive you insane."
"Also," Noll interjected. "Another theory stated that God places a veil over the mind of the newly created body which restricts the body to remember memories from a previous life."
Luella's face scrunched up. "Those theories seem too far-fetched though. Gene is alive, for one." Luella crossed her legs. "You boys are talking about the transfer of a spirit from a dead body to a new one. Gene's body may have died for a few minutes, but Gene's body isn't a new body."
"Like the boys said, Lu," Martin shifted in his own chair and crossed his arms in front of him. "Those are just theories. We can toss theories back and forth all afternoon, we still wouldn't be able to answer Gene's situation."
"What time is Gene supposed to be home?" Madoka asked off-handedly while looking at her watch. "He is in the BSPR building, right?"
Noll stood up from the couch and straightened his button-up shirt.
"Where are you going, Oliver?" His mother asked.
"I'll just make some calls."
Luella raised an elegant eyebrow. "Calls? To who?"
"Just some people. I'll be in my room if you need me."
She was met with his back and the silent click of the door.
"A £100 says he's calling his old team in Japan." Madoka raised the bet with a smirk on her features.
Lin simply shook his head and gave a small smile of his own. "I'm actually with you on that."
"There's no point for that bet anymore if anyone is thinking the same thing." Luella grinned from her seat. Her son may not be vocal, yet she could predict him so easily.
"Darn it, I needed that £100…" Madoka pouted for dramatics.
"Is BSPR not paying you enough, Madoka?" Martin asked behind the huge folder he was holding, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Why Martin, I was waiting for you to ask that!"
Everyone in the parlor just laughed.
…
"John! It's been so long!"
As usual, John sent his old friend a sweet smile. "It certainly has been, Ayako-san."
They both sat at the nearest booth that could house at least 10 persons. "So, is anyone here with you?" Ayako started, looking around the restaurant.
John shook his head. "No. Masako is on her way though."
"Oh?" Ayako's eyebrows raised in question. "Last time I remember, you always called Masako as Hara-san. You guys kept in touch after all these years?"
The blonde Australian laughed sheepishly. "Ah, well, you can say that."
"My, my John," The redhead sent John a knowing smile. "Didn't know you had it in you, what with you being a priest and all."
John laughed at Ayako's antics. She was a lot like the female version of Yasuhara. "Actually, I stepped down a few years ago."
John's statement was so sudden, it took her a few seconds before she actually processed what he had just said. "Eh?!" She exclaimed in complete surprise. "You did?! Why?"
"Why, his God wanted him to be with me, of course."
The addition of a different voice jolted Ayako from her shock and looked at the new arrival.
It was Hara Masako.
Ayako looked at the celebrity. As expected, her skin was flawless like porcelain, hair shining under the bright lights and her kimono looking expensive. And – wait, what did she say?
"I'm sorry, his God did what?"
For the first time, she heard Masako laugh.
The medium took a seat next to the supposedly priest… and laced her hand through his.
Oh… OH!
"You guys are together?!"
Masako nodded demurely, unfazed by Ayako's surprised face. "For almost 2 years now, actually."
Ayako leaned back on her seat and ran a hand through her red locks. "Wow…" She gazed at the two people in front of her. They were real. John and Masako are holding hands. This was real. "This surely is a huge surprise." She commented.
"If you're thinking about how totally unexpected our relationship is, then it's understandable." Masako said.
Ayako nodded. The medium was absolutely right. "Years ago, you were so into Naru…"
Masako simply waved a hand and chuckled. "Time changes people, Matsuzaki-san."
Ayako grinned. "It's Ayako, Masako – and yes, I absolutely agree to that."
"Hello my fellow minions!"
"Ugh…" The priestess groaned. She knew who that was.
"Wow, Hara-san, looking beautiful always and – oh, what is this?"
Masako giggled. "You're quite handsome yourself, Yasuhara-san."
Ayako stared at the SPR jester. Without a doubt, Yasuhara had grown into a good-looking man, his glasses adding to his mysterious appeal. He was wearing a simple plain white shirt tucked into his straight-cut jeans. Yasuhara Osamu looked pretty clean, handsome and smart to boot. He'd be a lady-killer if he wanted to be.
Yasuhara took the space next to the redhead. "Ayako-san, have you known about this interesting progress?"
"Just a few minutes ago, actually."
"Oh wow…" Yasuhara's voice softened and looked at the pair in front of him. "It's been so long."
"Are you in university, Yasuhara-san?" John asked out of the blue.
Yasuhara nodded. "I'm a 3rd year, studying Information Technology. I'd like to thank SPR for the inspiration." He grinned. "Seeing Lin-san and Naru do all these technical things made me realize my love for technology."
As always, John smiled in response. "I'm glad that you're enjoying your studies, Yasuhara-san."
"But enough about me!" Ayako could sense where the bespectacled man wants the conversation to go. She smirked at his scheming antics; he definitely hadn't changed. "What about you guys? Last thing I remembered, John here was a priest!"
"Yo, guys!"
Ayako couldn't help but laugh at Yasuhara's sudden change of facial expression. Just a moment ago, he was looking like a puppy, waiting for his favorite food to come but with the sudden interruption, his face just morphed into an evil demon waiting for blood.
Her husband's timing was sometimes impeccable.
Ayako grinned at her husband. "Houshou, perfect timing."
"Aren't I always?" The monk winked at his wife and looked at the man seating beside her. "Oi, shounen!"
"Bou-san!" Yasuhara exclaimed, his grin very evident in his face. "It's finally high-time for the both of us to be together!" He stood up from his seat and swung an arm around the monk's shoulder. "I'm pretty sure John would agree that this reunion is a part of God's plan for us to be together forever! Am I right, John?"
"John, don't even –"
"I would have to agree with Yasuhara-san."
Ayako roared in laughter.
Monk groaned and covered his face.
Masako covered her giggles with her kimono.
And Yasuhara, well, did his own version of a happy dance.
"Hey guys! Did we miss anything?"
Every former SPR member turned to the female voice that joined their merriment.
Finally.
"Yo Lin, Naru-bou, Madoka-san, Gene. It's been a while."
…
She stroked the pink petals with gentleness. The moonlight shining above the flower beds made the flowers twinkle; they all looked so alive and fragile. "They're blooming quite wonderfully today."
"That's because you make them bloom as they are, Ojou." A man standing behind her replied. "You check on them every single day, making sure they get enough water and sunlight. You tend to these flowers with love and care. In return, they bloom beautifully, just for you."
The man watched as the woman in front of him stood up and turned to him with a soft smile. Ah Ojou, you can't do that to me. "You're starting to sound like a poet, Tomoe. What has gotten into you?"
He saw her shiver a bit when the wind passed by. "Ojou, it's time to go back. You'll get sick."
The girl giggled. "Hai hai, Tomoe-sama."
Tomoe smirked at his charge's playful response. "You really wanna get scolded by Lin-sama just because you got sick?"
Just the name of her master got her legs moving and grabbed one of Tomoe's arms.
"Thanks for the warning, Tomoe."
"For you, Ojou."
…
"Hold up." Ayako gazed directly into Madoka's eyes. "So basically, what you're trying to say is you don't know where Mai is or how to contact her?"
"Have you tried her landlord?" The monk leaned forward to look at the pinkette.
Madoka nodded. "I did. Her landlord said that Mai had already moved 2 years ago."
"Did her landlord know where she was moving?" Yasuhara fixed his glasses. "Mai was still a minor when she moved, she could have at least asked where she was moving."
"Actually," Madoka started. "The landlord did ask for Mai's contact number and new address just in case anybody looked for her, but Mai said that her phone got lost at some point and she didn't bother buying a new one. As for her address, she also didn't give it to her landlord because she didn't know the address that she was moving in to. Apparently, she was moving into the house of her mother's close friend."
"Did her landlord at least ask for a name?" Yasuhara asked again.
"Oh, she did."
"Who?"
"She couldn't remember."
"The hell?" Monk uttered under his breath. He was starting to feel guilty. He did receive a few missed calls from their brunette friend, yet he decided not to call back since he was on tour and prioritized his sleep.
"She did say one interesting thing though." Madoka said as she twirled her hair around her finger absent-mindedly.
"What's that?" Yasuhara asked.
"The close friend of Mai's mother is Chinese."
"Eh?" The three cried out in surprise.
Ayako ran a clammy hand through her red locks. It was very unnerving to think that their youngest member was nowhere to be found. She may be in good hands right now considering that she's living with her mom's best friend but still, she wanted to see how Mai was doing. She felt guilty for not keeping her correspondence with their youngest former SPR member.
"Ano, can I say something now?"
They placed their gaze to the former priest who was starting to look uncomfortable with their undivided attention. "What is it, John?" Naru finally spoke.
"A-ano…" He looked at his companion with wide eyes.
Masako had to suppress a giggle. She can't even imagine how John manages to do a eucharistic mass if he's this shy. "We actually know where Mai lives and who she's living with."
Gene's eyes narrowed at the medium. "Then why didn't you say so in the first place?"
Masako leveled Gene's glare with a patient gaze of her own. "I did try, I just couldn't put a word in with everyone's voice louder than my own."
"Then shout, for God's sake!" Ayako glared at the medium in front of her.
Masako's patient gaze was directed at the redhead. "I do not shout in public places. It causes a scene and I'm not the only one here who likes privacy."
Just when Ayako was about to blurt out her own reply, John raised a hand and shouted "Stop!".
He blew out a breath and looked at Oliver. "We're sorry that we didn't say so earlier. We weren't planning to withhold Mai's whereabouts. We just waited 'til everyone was settled down so that we can discuss the things you need to know more civilly."
Ayako leaned back on her seat and continued glaring at the medium, still pissed at her for not saying anything earlier. She's lucky that John always has her back.
Naru pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to alleviate the headache that was trying to seep into his brain. He understood Masako's reasoning. She was a celebrity. She can't just act recklessly in a public place. Still, it didn't help with his growing annoyance with her. "Next time, don't wait." He said firmly, which John responded with a simple nod of his own.
"So," Lin finally spoke. "Where is Taniyama-san?"
"She's in Izumo, living in the Izumo Shrine."
Lin's eyebrows furrowed slightly. That sounded… odd. "A Chinese living in a shrine? What is Taniyama-san doing there?"
Masako smiled at him. That's definitely odd. Lin thought.
"She's being trained to become a shrine priestess."
…
"Akito-kun?"
"Yes, Lin-sama?"
"Make sure we're fully stocked. We've got visitors coming."
"When?"
"Hmm… probably a day or two from now."
"Yes, Lin-sama."
"Oh, and don't tell Mai."
xxxxx
See? Finally, another update. It feels good to update. Yes, feels good….
Okay. Enough.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! :) Honest reviews are appreciated, as always. Sending all of you guys some virtual hugs and cookies!
Ciao!
Nana xxx