I don't own Ghost Hunt ... if I did, the anime would run FOREVER. (and ever, and ever.)

Small spoilers if you haven't read past volume 9 of the manga.

A Confession

November 19th

Morning

She awoke early despite the restless sleep she had endured that night, and with a yawn she arose and began to sort through her more casual school clothes. With a mental run through her schedule, she decided that it would be a good day to stop by the SPR office, as the rest of the week would be too busy to try to fit it in. With a frown she wondered if she would appear too eager, arriving the very next day. She then shrugged, that narcissist could think whatever he wanted, and she selected a hooded sweatshirt to wear over a long-sleeved dress and pulled a pair of clean tights from the drawer.

As she was early, soon the kettle was on the stove and she was eating breakfast. When it whistled she hurried to take the boiling kettle from the stove, switching off the gas, and she began to make tea.

The girl seemed to appear without warning and she jumped, startled as her roommate entered. Her surprise quickly faded and she smiled brightly. "Morning, Keiko-chan!"

Keiko looked at Mai, her dark eyes narrowing slightly. "Where were you last night? I was surprised when you didn't come home on time."

"Oh, I had dinner with my co-workers." Mai said, waving her hand as she elaborated on the truth. She couldn't tell Keiko that she had met up with her friends from SPR, much less that SPR was being reinstated. "It was Masa-kun's birthday. We all went out for karaoke."

Keiko relaxed at this and nodded. "Oh. Yeah, I guess you mentioned that..."

Mai shivered slightly and sipped her tea. As always, the room became colder when Keiko appeared, and as always, she would offer tea and Keiko would decline. She stood and took her bowl to the sink. "Would you like some tea? I need to leave for my class soon and there's enough for two."

"No, thank you," Keiko said, standing and walking with a glide to the other room. "Don't forget your coat today, Mai-chan."

Her eyes followed the other girl's pointing hand, settling on a navy wool coat that was draped on the back of a chair. "Oh, you found it for me?"

There was no reply.

...

Nnnnt nnnt. Nnnnt nnnt. The phone buzzed on the table, slowly turning in a small circle as it waited to be received. The man picked it up on the third buzz, the room silent for a moment before he spoke.

"Takigawa-san?" He paused, listening, and nodded. "Sure. I'll be there in a little bit."

...

The two met at a small cafe, and were soon sitting in a secluded corner with their coffee.

John pursed his lips, watching the other man. He was obviously bothered by something, and seeing him so anxious was unsettling. "What's troubling you, Takigawa-san?"

The monk sighed and rested his chin on his fingers. "It's sort of a weird situation, so I wanted to ask you about it before I did anything... you know, rash. I trust your insight, so..." His brows furrowed and he looked at the priest seriously. "Last night, you rode the train with Mai. By any chance, did you offer to walk her home?"

The priest chuckled, trying to make light of the serious atmosphere. "I hope you're not jealous, Takigawa-san."

The older man blushed slightly. "Not in the least. I think of her as my little sister... we all do."

"I know, I'm sorry, I couldn't help but tease you." John sipped his coffee and nodded. "I did, actually. But she refused, she said she lived too far from the station and insisted that it would be too much of a trouble. I, well... I didn't press the matter so I let her go." He frowned. "Should I have insisted?"

Takigawa shrugged and sighed again. "I don't know. She's occasionally come along with Ayako and I to help out on exorcisms.."

"Do you ask her to come along?" John interrupted, curious. "Or does she volunteer? Since she can't actually do exorcisms herself, exactly..."

The monk shrugged. "Obviously, her intuition can be a great help. But... I like to check up on her every so often, and she loves spending time with us when she's not busy." He chuckled. "I'm selfish, right? And... and I worry about her."

"You don't need to justify your affection." John said, smiling. "We all enjoy each other's company."

"Yes, that's true. Well, after our jobs, I would always walk her home if we took the train or drive her. One day when I offered to walk with her she suddenly refused—quite vehemently, actually. I thought maybe she was uncomfortable being with me alone, but if Ayako offered with me she would still refuse. Excuses, like the one she used yesterday, even though it's really not too far and I'd walked her before."

John's eyebrows furrowed. "Something changed."

The monk nodded quickly. "If we drove, she'd insist on being picked up or dropped off somewhere else, if she could justify it. If I dropped her off at her apartment building, she seemed extremely anxious and hurried." He paused and continued. "I'd like to say I was imagining it, but the few times I was in her neighborhood, I sensed something from her building. I've never thought that my sensitivities were honed in that direction, so at first I thought I was imagining it. But it happened more than once, so I can't shake the feeling that there actually is something there. And lately... I've begun to sense that presence around her."

"What sort of presence?" John asked sharply, the worry showing clearly in his bright blue eyes.

The monk sighed. "It's so faint that it's hard to tell. Last night when I held her hands I could feel it, though if I hadn't been anticipating it... who knows if I would have felt it or not. My guess is that she has had extended contact with a spirit over the past couple of months. I can only suspect that she knows it's there and doesn't want us to know about it. I mean, she's sensitive enough that I can't imagine her not noticing. And why else refuse offers to walk her home? It must be in the area around where she lives."

"Why wouldn't she tell us?"

The monk sighed again, lifting his coffee. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"What's your other question?" John asked after a brief silence.

The monk sighed again, absently tugging on the cuffs of his sleeves. "Do you think I should ask Naru about it? Or should I confront her? I don't want to go behind her back... but Naru would know what to do."

"If Mai-san is in danger, then we should do something."

Takigawa exhaled, shaking his head. "I hope with all my heart she's not in danger."

...

Mai stepped onto the familiar street, looking around and gathering her bearings. She hadn't had a reason to come back to this area since the SPR office shut down, and there were several differences that she noticed immediately. A corner deli was now a flower shop; a shoe store was being remodeled into a salon. Otherwise, the neighborhood looked very much the same.

Her hair blew into her face with a gust of wind and she began to walk, even as she wondered what was she doing by coming to the office today.

She wanted to see him. Up until several days ago, the mention of her life working at SPR would have received a melancholy and nostalgic smile, but she told herself she was ready to move on. She hadn't found a good opportunity, but she no longer pined for her former boss the way she once had.

Yesterday had changed that. Now, thinking about SPR, about Naru, made her heart pound and her breath catch in her throat.

She wanted to see him. She found herself hurrying up the stairs, the light soles of her boots tapping against the floor.

She hesitated at the door, gazing at the words Shibuya Psychic Research, and with a gentle knock, finally pushed the door open, stepping inside and disappearing from the outside view.

In her preoccupation, she did not notice the black car parked on the street, and how the man sitting in the driver's seat watched her with interest as soon as she approached the office.

"Ah, Taniyama-san. Good afternoon." Lin said, smiling slightly, turning to her as she stepped into the office. He stood from the bookshelves he had been arranging. "Thanks for coming by. Naru will be glad."

A blush threatened to spread across her already-rosy cheeks. "Good afternoon. It's good to see you, Lin-san."

"Please, make yourself comfortable. Naru is with a client and should finish shortly." Lin said, turning his attention back to the bookshelves. She watched him, a small smile on her lips. He was as she remembered him; his tall quiet form in the smartly pressed shirts as always. It was as if Lin hadn't changed at all.

As she removed her coat and scarf she stood awkwardly, unable to keep her gaze from the desk she had occupied as Naru's assistant and receptionist. When Lin stepped into his office, she found herself going into the kitchenette and began to make tea.

...

Naru opened the door to his office, walking with the man toward the door.

"Shibuya-san, please don't hesitate to ask me for anything. If there's anything I can do to expedite your investigation, please let me know and consider it done."

"Of course, Igarashi-sama. We will be in contact." He ushered the client out the door, bidding him a polite good afternoon, and as the door closed behind him he turned, suddenly standing quite still.

Lin exited his office, an eyebrow raised as he gazed at his younger boss, watching surreptitiously as he selected a volume from the bookshelf.

Naru stood, his body absolutely still, silently sniffing the air in the office and listening to the quiet sounds that came from the kitchenette.

Mai appeared, holding two teacups by the saucers in her hand, and a smile spread across her lips as she saw the man. "Ah, Naru! I made some tea, I thought you would like some."

He stood, silently, staring at her, unconsciously taking in every detail of her appearance. His facial expression finally changed, though she would have been hard pressed to explain what expression he wore at that moment. "Finally, tea made by a professional." He smirked slightly. "I'll take it in my office."

If this statement annoyed her, she covered it beautifully. "Lin-san, would you like some tea?"

"That's very kind of you, Taniyama-san, but no thank you."

With a nod she followed Naru into his office. She set the teacup gently on the desk next to his hand, then turned and sat at the chair that was set in front of the desk, lifting the teacup and sipping.

Naru lifted the cup and inhaled deeply before taking a drink. Mai certainly hadn't lost her touch at preparing tea the way he liked it. Always superior leaves (and of course only those he preferred), steeped at just the right temperature for the right amount of time, the tea was perfect.

"So, um, how was England?" Mai finally ventured. She had been afraid to break the silence, as it had been comforting and she enjoyed watching Naru drink his tea thoughtfully.

He gave a short nod. "It was fine."

The words certainly did not invite discussion. She sat awkwardly as he sipped his tea, making no attempt to continue the conversation. "Why did you come back to Japan?" She finally blurted.

He looked amused. "To continue to solve cases, of course. In England I was able to write uninterrupted, but once the book was finished I decided it would be best to return here, where there is more paranormal and spiritual activity."

She looked startled. "You wrote a book?" Her shock faded into amusement and she laughed. This was the renowned Dr. Oliver Davis, after all. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Nothing less from Naru." His brows narrowed slightly and she could tell that he was discomforted by something. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he said shortly. He picked up the teacup once more and drank, lowered the now empty cup and placed it on the saucer. "Madoka told me that you're currently taking classes at Waseda and working at an office in Ginza as well as a cafe in Ikebukuro. How is that for you?"

Mai looked at her hands, surprised at the abrupt statement. "It's, um, you know, it's fine. I can't complain. I'm pretty busy but I manage. And it's nice to have a full schedule sometimes." She raised her gaze and instead studied the rows of books lining the walls, avoiding his eyes.

I should tell him, she suddenly thought. Naru would know what to do.

She glanced toward him, biting her lip, but as quickly as she had decided she also lost her resolve. His calm, cold profile and sharp eyes—what would he say when she told him? He would call me an idiot. Which maybe I am. But... I don't want to hear him say it.

Naru did not seem to notice the changes that had just flitted delicately over her face. He leaned back in his chair gently and nodded, as if contemplating something, and finally spoke. "I don't suppose you could make time to help with cases or in the office?"

This sentence startled her enough to forget her earlier train of thought. Despite all the obvious clues, Mai had not expected him to say something like this. At the very least she would have expected him to say I'll see you in the office tomorrow morning and don't be late. Was he asking her to come back to work? She wasn't sure and so she voiced her thoughts.

Naru glanced away, glaring at the bookshelves. "I'm sure you're very busy."

"I can make time, cut back or quit my other jobs." She said simply.

He was silent for a moment, listening to her proposal. "Why don't you think about it for a week before you quit anything." He said, sighing. "If you remember how much you hate filing and quit, I'll be out of an assistant. It will be inconvenient to try to train someone in the middle of a case."

"I wouldn't quit!" She said resolutely, annoyed at his lack of trust. "Why do you think I would?"

"I don't recall you ever enjoying the prospect of setting up equipment."

"Well, no one in their right mind would." She glared at him. "Just because I don't enjoy that particular part of a case doesn't mean I would wimp out."

He smirked at that statement. "You're very confident, aren't you, Mai?"

She stood and pointed her finger at him, leaning over the desk. "Naru the narcissist, you have the biggest ego of any—"

Her words broke off when the office door opened and Takigawa stepped in. "Oi, Naru-bou!" He walked over to the open door of Naru's office and knocked, leaning his head in. "Oh, hello, Mai-chan. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Good afternoon, Bou-san." Mai said cheerfully, dropping her aggressive stance toward the man that was her former boss.

Naru crossed his arms over his chest, somewhat annoyed at being interrupted, as well as curious about what other names Mai had been about to call him. "What can I do for you, Takigawa-san?"

The monk glanced from Mai to Naru several times before sighing. "I wanted to ask you for some professional advice, Naru, but if Mai-chan's here... maybe I'll just be direct." He glanced over his shoulder at Lin who was watching with interest. "Let's sit on the sofas out here... everyone might as well be comfortable."

...

Several minutes later, the four were seated in the main room with fresh tea. Mai could tell that Takigawa was obviously anxious and concerned about something, and he kept looking between the three with furtive glances.

"What is it, Takigawa-san?" Naru said coolly with his normal disinterested tone.

Takigawa clenched his hands tightly and relaxed, cleared his throat and glanced at Mai before speaking. "I have a friend that I am concerned about. I believe that there is some paranormal activity, but unfortunately I don't have any proof at the moment. However, I think that very easily I could prove that there is and with that, if you were interested, I would like your consensus on an action to be taken."

Mai felt her heart begin to pound. She should have known that she wouldn't have been able to fool the monk. She should have been more careful—

"What sort of paranormal activity?" Naru asked.

The monk hesitated again. "I believe there is a spirit—and a strong one, at that—that is plaguing this friend of mine. I don't know how long this has been going on but it's too long for my comfort. Unfortunately, as of yet I don't know anything about it. But I have felt its presence in the air, and I have felt the effects of this spirit on my friend's body. I am very concerned."

Mai looked at her hands, fully aware that Takigawa was looking at her.

"It would indeed be a situation to be concerned about, if that were the case. How do you intend to prove this?"

Mai looked up at the monk, large brown eyes pleading. "Bou-san, please..." she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Jou-chan."

Naru looked between the two quickly, eyes narrowing. "Mai?" He questioned. Lin sat silently, watching the small girl, his serious eyes flicking to the monk and his boss.

"Tell me the truth." Takigawa said shakily. "Why do I feel the presence of a spirit on your hands?"

Naru's body immediately tensed with jealousy, but he dismissed the emotion and willed himself to focus. "Mai, is this true?"

Mai looked at her hands, unable to speak. She looked up when Takigawa grasped her shoulders gently.

"Mai-chan," he said gently. "You know I only want what is best for you. If I'm wrong, tell me."

"You're not wrong." She finally said weakly. Her hands were shaking and she clasped them in her lap. The monk noticed and he took her hands gently in one of his. Naru and Lin noticed as well, the former's eyebrow's narrowing slightly with the gesture and the latter observing the younger man's reaction.

"Keiko-chan... My friend from high school." She sighed and dropped her head into her hands. The monk kept a reassuring hand on her shoulder and she continued. "About six months ago she disappeared. She was gone for about three weeks. Her parents were frantic. Nobody had any idea what had happened to her or why she would run away. But," she drew in a steady breath. "Then one day I came home after classes and she was waiting for me there. At first I didn't understand... but it didn't take long for me to realize that she had died."

"Did you go to her family?" Lin asked quietly.

Mai shook her head. "No, she said everything had been smoothed over and that she wanted to go out for coffee or gelato later. I wasn't really sure what to do..." Her voice trailed off and she gazed with unfocused eyes at the table. "But the next day I got a call... they had found her body. Her funeral was held immediately. I didn't see her for three days after that, but then, she was waiting for me again. When I told her that her family was worried, she laughed and said that everything had been a mistake, but it was all cleared up now. And she asked if she could live with me."

"Mai!" Naru said sharply, exasperated. "How could you be so stupid?"

"I didn't know what to do!" Mai cried softly. "I thought I could help her find what she was looking for and help her move on. But she hasn't."

"Why didn't you come to me?" Takigawa sighed, pulling the girl into a tight hug. "I could have helped you, you know." Lin glanced once more at Naru, trying to read the expression of his boss.

"Mai, I'm extremely disappointed in you." Naru said coldly. "You know that the longer spirits stay, the more human emotions they pick up from their surroundings and distort the being they once were. She is not the friend you once knew."

"She was just lonely!" Mai protested.

"That doesn't change the fact that she's dead!" Naru said sharply. "And you knew it the entire time!"

"Well? I've had people that were dead who have cared about me." She snapped.

Naru's flinch was barely perceptible as he remembered Gene, but Mai saw the flicker in his eyes and regretted her words immediately. The two glared at each other, and surprisingly, it was he who finally conceded. He let out a short sigh, lowering his gaze from Mai's. "Takigawa-san, I suggest you convince Mai to let you do an exorcism. That is my advice. Hopefully this spirit hasn't had the time to become more troublesome."

Mai stared at her hands, and the monk finally patted her head gently. "Mai-chan, would you allow me to accompany you back to your apartment?"

She nodded and stood abruptly. "Let's go."

She took her coat and left the room without looking back at Naru or Lin, and Takigawa raised his hand in goodbye as they left.

Naru let out a sigh as soon as they were gone. "Idiot." He muttered.

"You did the right thing." Lin said, opening his laptop. He began to quickly type some notes. "Taniyama-san should have alerted Takigawa-san to the situation long ago. I'm glad that Takigawa-san came here, and we're fortunate that Taniyama-san listens to you."

"But she's not happy about it." Naru mused.

"No doubt about that. But it is her well-being that we are concerned about, is it not?" Lin said, continuing his typing without interruption.

"Yes." Naru sighed. "What if I'm wrong? What if her friend is like Gene—a truly benign spirit that is truly looking out for her?"

"Gene was a different circumstance. You know that he was exceptional."

Naru stood and walked to the window, gazing outside, resting his chin between his fingers. "Yes, that is probably the case."

...

When Mai unlocked the door to her apartment and slowly pushed it open, she drew in a large breath, staring at the mess that confronted her.

"Good god..." Takigawa murmured.

The entire apartment was in shambles. Every cupboard in the kitchen was open, the contents strewn on the floor. The cushions had been thrown from the sofa, chairs knocked over, and the books and magazines that had once sat peacefully upon shelves were dumped unceremoniously onto the floor. On the clear wall in a greasy looking liquid read angry words written with hasty strokes.

MAI YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME

...

The office was utterly quiet. After Takigawa and Mai had left, Naru had retreated to his office, and Lin had done the same. His preliminary organization of the office complete, Lin began an outline of the research Naru had asked for by the end of the week. He was not the sort to use a notebook, so once again the laptop screen was lighted, the quiet sound of the keys breaking the silence.

He could not have said how long he had been typing when the phone rang. It rang twice before the sound seemed to register in his concentration, after which he quickly reached over to pick it up.

Naru was immersed in a thick volume when Lin rapped on his door, a worried flicker in his eyes betraying his otherwise calm face. "Naru, Takigawa is on the line. I think you should speak with him."

...

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