A/N: Happy Valentine's Day! Enjoy the weekend and… yes I'm sorry for the late update because this week is our examination week. And I'm still thinking…. And thinking… to be continued.


2. Mansion in the Woods

By jjampong

Mai was silent for a moment. Letting her thoughts be carried away with… well, nothing in particular. Even herself, didn't know what her thinking is about. Or maybe she's halfway of being crazy?

"It's strange, indeed, why Kazuya-san immediately accepted this case. He most likely tell clients to go see a psychiatrist before anything else. Hmmm, there must be some logic about this strange occurrence."

Mai was disrupted by Yasuhara's voice that quickly drag her to reality. That's it! She threw a look at the gang behind her. Ayako was sitting next to John and Yasuhara was with the equipments, holding some research files with him while Takigawa was the one maneuvering the wheels and she was hunkering beside him.

They were currently riding the van to Okutama which probably take 1 hour and 39 minutes from Shibuya district to meet their cryptic client which only Naru knew about. And that's the reason why she felt so restless.

Naru told them to head off first without telling them why. Of course, Lin is with him and Masako still hosting some show will probably show up the next morning.

"Don't tell me, Naru has another sibling? A triplet…" John was saying a horrible presumption which everyone just completely ignored.

"An ex-lover maybe," it was Ayako.

That clogged her mind. What… What… W-What…

"Mai, are you okay?" She turned to her side and saw the Monk's concerned feature at her sudden stillness.

"Wha—yes! I'm fine B-Bou-san!" Her baffled reply doesn't convince the people on board.

"Sound suspicious Mai-chan. Are you somewhat affected about Naru's ex—"

Mai cut off the priestess' teasing by pointing something at the front. "Aaah! Look we're here! We're here!"

They all look at the headstone. LOVELIEUR. Yes, they finally reach their destination but the place was somehow feels off.

"Ah, yeah. That's what Naru told us but seriously, in the forest?" Takigawa carefully steered the rolls and drove the rest of the straight path enclosed by the thick trees and bushes.

The cool winds touching their bare skin made them shiver. And the dimness of woods can stir the imaginations of the SPR members. They pictured something old, haunted two-storey house with ugly hosts lurking in the shadows ready to snarl their wits away! Maybe this wasn't such a good case after all.

But when they reached the end of the road… gone were the bête noire.

Just gasps of grandeur.