As I walked into the office ten minutes early, I anticipated the look on I'd find on Naru's face when he saw today's wardrobe choice. It was time for me to learn to act more mature, more professional. At least in Naru's eyes, and in his eyes the most mature, professional, perfect person in the world was himself. It seemed all too easy to make fun of that after being scolded.
I must admit I was a vision in black.
It'd been taxing trying to find dark clothes to wear to the office. I'd never been in the habit of wearing much black so I'd had to piece together an outfit from slim pickings. A black button-up shirt, I at least had that. I rolled the sleeves to three-quarters length and created an outfit with my one and only black skirt. Of course, it was a mini like most of my skirts, but I hoped that wouldn't distract from the point I was trying to make.
To top it all off, black nylons and black flats. I looked like a brunette, female Naru. I'd even opted for black mascara instead of my usual brown to add to the contrast.
My plan was straight forward: dress and act like my boss until the conclusion of whatever case he took next. It shouldn't be too hard, I'd put up with more Naru in my lifetime than most. I couldn't master the half-assed pout Naru usually pulled after someone said something whimsical, but that was borderline inhuman anyways.
Yesterday's storm was well over, and a crisp, beautiful late summer day greeted me as I left my apartment. On my way to work, I considered how exactly I was going to act. Humor was definitely out, no matter how much Ayako complained. Even if Bou-san laughs his ass clear off, I will keep my composure.
I sat down gracefully at my desk and stashed the few framed pictures I'd brought from home in my drawers. Naru'd never said anything about them being unprofessional before, but if I was going to do this I had to be thorough. I draped my bag lazily over my chair and headed to the kitchenette. I loved making tea. Green, earl grey, you name it. Three cups: one for myself, one for Lin-san (who I assumed would refuse, yet usually I'd set the tea down, leave, and he'd drink it) and one for Naru.
I received a slight eyebrow-raise from Lin-san as I set the teacup next to his keyboard. I didn't attempt to make small talk while on my Saturday morning tea rounds. Naru said nothing, either, though I did hear a very exasperated sigh as I left.
My morning was fairly uneventful: I typed up dream notes from five more cases and sent them to Lin-san before lunch. No prospective clients came in for me to be cold to, and I was glad. I wouldn't have been mean to them -that's not in my nature- but I'd have to be quiet with clients. Having to be a zombie to kind people was the part of the experiment I dreaded most. Lin-san and Naru did little but turn pages and abuse keyboards.
Some time after four o'clock, a desperate man and his young daughter entered the office. I brought tea and called SPR's brilliant minds to listen to them. As the father told Naru about the rapping noises, etc., his household experienced, I went back to my desk and continued working on my files.
The little girl was probably around five years old and said nothing. She must've been terrified... I tried to shut out the man's story: I'd have been scared along with him, and I'd most likely have consoled him and his little girl.
This case seemed like one Naru would accept.
"...Yesterday, I came home from work and couldn't find Hitomi. I called for her for half an hour- finally, I heard this tapping noise upstairs. Hitomi was... My daughter was inside her bedroom wall. I couldn't hear her crying, but I found her once she started hitting the wall... The noise was so soft... Wha-what if I hadn't..." The father, Takata Kenji, faltered and said no more. Hitomi-chan sank further into the sofa.
Naru gave Lin-san a look. Spirits that could manipulate human bodies... We'd seen it before. Lin-san jotted quick notes as Naru continued questioning Takata-san, then came the usual:
"We'll call you when we make our decision." Naru gave one last look to the morose pair as they parted.
"N-Naru?" I hadn't said anything to him the whole day, but I needed to tell him to take that case. That sad man... His speechless daughter... They needed our help.
Naru didn't acknowledge me at first, but pondered something a moment before turning to me. "How many cases have you transcribed today?"
"Seven." I kept my word count to a minimum. It was tricky, but I hadn't been reprimanded for anything during the whole charade.
"That makes ten out of twenty six cases. Do five more, then call Matsuzaki-san and Bou-san. We'll be taking this case. I'll call Takata-san myself, we'll leave tomorrow." With that, my boss and his taciturn assistant went into Naru's office to discuss Takata-san's case.
I waited until i heard the soft click of the door closing behind then, after a long afternoon of being a cold, heartless young woman, allowed myself a warm smile.
I checked the hanging rack again just to make sure they didn't have that cute shirt in my size. Medium, Large, XL. None of which could fit me under anything but tragic circumstances. I sighed again and headed to the saleswoman who'd been eyeing me since my first footfall in her store. Two more skirts added themselves to my wardrobe, a moderate sum of SPR's pay left my bank account, and I finally headed home.
After that morning's scramble to find something "suitable" to wear to work during Naru-week, I'd realized I was seriously lacking when it came to dark clothes. I never liked wearing them, but after a whole day wearing the stuff, I'd found certain perks. For one, darker shades did not make me look twelve years old like certain ensembles in my closet.
My key turned with ease, and once again I was home. The apartment light flickered on and I slouched my way over to the kettle. Naru'd been a bad influence. My tea intake at work skyrocketed after his return from the hospital, and I developed a habit of downing (several cups of) non-caffeinated tea every night after work. Making tea was my favorite part of office work, though. I'd ready the kettle, select what SPR would drink that day, let it steep, and serve it. Easy and enjoyable.
On the best days, I'd serve to people who sat in the office lounge with me. Bou-san and Yasuhara made the best tea-drinking company, followed by John and Ayako. Masako was better handled in small doses or diluted by Ayako or Bou-san. Then again, she'd never been in the habit of stopping to chat and drink tea with the likes of me.
My tea steeped as I changed into shorts and a tank top. A manga novel I'd finished reading weeks ago rested on a table by my window, and I snatched it up. I needed something mindless after a day of being Naru.
"How the hell does he do it...?"
Cozy on the sofa, I read my favorite manga. Hours passed as my kettle drained itself and the graphic novel found its way back to the table, finished again. I tried my hand at an English novel a girl at school had recommended.
Half an hour passed before I gave up on that and exfoliated my face. Still not sleepy, I glanced at the alarm clock next to my bed. 11:56. I got off work early, five, to get ready to leave for tomorrow's case. Shopping killed two hours tops. My night was entirely too long. As a last resort, I filled a hot bath and soaked, letting my mind flow like the water. Steam filled my small bathroom and I closed my eyes. The dripping faucet was music on my weary ears.
Drip, drip drip drip-
I opened my eyes to darkness. My bathtub was nowhere to be found, indeed I was on my feet instead of laying comfortably.
"Mai." Naru? To my left, a light glowed blue. Under it, Naru stood waiting. I walked over and he gave me a gentle smile.
Ah~ a dream. "I've missed this- You've been out for the past few cases. A-Are you here to help me with this one?" I returned Naru's smile, only to find him looking concerned. He grabbed my hand.
"Where have you been?" his question confused me. Where've I been?
"N-Naru-? I-"
My body lurched forward as I gasped for air. The bright light of my bathroom mirror burned my eyes. I fell asleep in the bathtub. Stupid! I drained the tub and dried off, hoping I could continue talking to the Naru in my dreams after I went to bed. Once I'd dressed I went to hang my towel. I saw something that stopped me cold.
My mirror. My fogged mirror. The fog had cleared somewhat, though I'd neglected to dry it with my towel. Water condensed and dripped down the front of the glass in familiar shapes.
My mirror. Covered in handprints. Handprints too small to be mine.
Suffice it to say I did not sleep again that night.
Poor Mai! Will her friends find out? What's the cause of her insomnia? What will SPR's next case be? We'll find out soon.
Review, SVP. T'would make me many kinds of happy.
x thief.