And now…Bou-san! The funkiest monk ever!

Disclaimer: As usual, Ghost Hunt isn't mine.


The loud humming of the bass pulsated through the small concert hall, while the barytone voice of the singer on the stage was hammering some undecipherable words. Beside me an overly-excited teenaged girl was bouncing and cheering like crazy, bumping into my side every second. To my utmost relief, a guitar solo finally ended the song, and thus the high-pitched shrieks of Taka which were threatening to permanently damage my eardrums not a second before.

"Mai, this song was awesome! And Norio was definitely the coolest!"

Norio, aka Bou-san, a prominent member of our ghost hunting team, was also the actual bassist of the rock band. And Taka, my occasional co-worker, was one of his most hardcore fan.

I simply nodded, grinning at her enthusiasm. Truth to be told, the music, if a little bit rough for my taste, was quite good, and in spite of his strange western outfit, Bou-san was shining like a rock-star.

The clamor reverberating on the walls of the room finally died down when the singer took the mic to announce that the group was about to perform their newest song to end the show. The crowd of spectators, which was previously yelling with energy, became miraculously subdued when they began to play. The melody was a lot softer than the previous ones, almost a ballad, and I enjoyed immensely the change of pace. Moreover, the lyrics, in Japanese and not incomprehensible English this time, suited my tastes perfectly. I found myself cheering wholeheartedly at the end, joining in the deafening round of applause and screaming of the fans.

"Mai!"

Bou-san was waving at me, a huge grin plastered on his face. I made my way through the human sea heading inconveniently to the opposite direction to join him backstage. Taka, who was -to her opinion- plagued with what I called responsible parents, had taken her leave to be at home before curfew. That is, not without complaining loudly about her lost chance of having a private encounter with the members of her favorite rock group. For my part, I was only staying so that Bou-san could give me a ride back, as he had suggested.

I finally reached the monk, who grabbed my arm to lead me to a quieter place. Looking at him up close, I noticed with astonishment he was gliding with sweat. His playing had looked as natural as breathing air, I couldn't have guessed that being a professional musician could be that physically demanding.

We finally stopped in a small room, filled with guitar cases, armchairs and what I supposed were the personal belongings of the group members. He searched for a towel in his bag and began to wipe his face while plopping his tall frame in a seat.

"So, how did you find it? Not too shabby, uh!"

The man so obviously pleased with himself that I couldn't help teasing him a little. I replied with my most innocent expression.

"Yeah, the singer was really great! And the guitar player too! Well, the guy at the drums was also super cool."

I stopped there intentionally, witnessing the cheerful face of my companion falling in discomfiture.

"Jou-chan, I was talking about MY performance! You wound me, dear!"

I laughed out loud, and addressed him my most blinding smile.

"I was joking, Bou-san! Of course you were fantastic, you looked like a real rock star! Taka was also definitively under your charm."

He brightened significantly at my words, and his smug smile returned in full force.

"He he, I am not too bad looking for an old man, right!"

That wasn't really a question, so I just rolled my eyes at his antics. He let out a happy sigh, and gestured to me to take a seat. The rush of adrenaline he was under was wearing a little, and his features took a more relaxed stance.

"So, Jou-chan, did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yes, a lot. Thank you very much for inviting me."

I was really, really glad he had done so. This had been my first concert, and the experience was quite thrilling. Moreover, I had always been intrigued by the monk's other persona. All my team mates were so secretive that I was always happy to learn a little more about them. Seeing Bou-san playing the bass in live was for me like becoming a part of his private life, and made me feel much closer to him.

He waved his hands dismissively.

"Nah, it is nothing! You deserve to go out once in a while to unwind a little. And like that, I am sure you are safe in my company."

I frowned a little at his words. I was perfectly able to look after myself, and felt quite offended that he thought otherwise. He seemed to read my mind, since he added hastily:

"Not that I doubt you Mai, but for my peace of mind, I prefer being here giving you a ride back than knowing you are somewhere walking out late."

I smiled fondly at him, my irritation immediately forgotten. In fact, it was nice having a paternal figure worrying about such things. I knew we weren't really related, of course, but sometimes I felt like it didn't hurt to pretend.

He relaxed when he saw that I wasn't going to argue, and leaned forward to muss my hair. My throat constricted a little.

When I was younger, I would often fantasized about my father. About how it could be to have someone lifting you up in the air, or carrying you on his shoulders. And one of the things I had imagined him to do was this particular gesture of mussing hair. Each time I felt the large masculine hand of the monk on my head, patting it, I was reminded of my childish delusions of what a father could be. It was comforting and hurtful all the same, and sometimes left me to the verge of crying.

Bou-san didn't seem to sense my discomfort, but changed the subject nonetheless. "In fact, Jou-chan, I wanted you to come to this gig for a specific reason."

I cocked an eyebrow at his statement. What specific reason?

He went on, his eyes shining with a strange mixture of anticipation and anxiety.

"What did you think of the last song?"

"Well, it was really good."

"Care to elaborate?"

Was it me, or was Bou-san adamant about knowing my opinion? I wasn't any music critic after all. Whatever, I took my time to answer truthfully.

"Hmm. The melody was soft and soothing somehow, that was very different from the rest of the repertoire. The lyrics were nice, too, though I am not sure I understood what it was exactly about. It was kinda…poetic?"

I glanced hesitantly at his face. This time he was beaming with pride. I eyed him suspiciously. What was that about? He answered my unspoken question, grinning foolishly from ear to ear.

"Jou-chan, you just praised my first song."

I jumped from my seat.

"No way, you composed it? The lyrics, too?"

He nodded smugly. I was speechless.

"Bou-san, you're…you're amazing!"

I suddenly felt a newfound respect for my coworker, who was in the meantime almost bursting from joy and failing at faking modesty.

"Well, it's my first try, so it's not perfect, but I am glad you like it. In fact I found my muse during one of our case."

The cogs in my brain finally began to turn. And it clicked. The meaning of the lyrics was now obvious: what I thought was a sort of love song was in fact about the spiritual life!

"Speaking of muse…"

The monk didn't get to finish his sentence, since a man who looked exactly like the blond guitarist I had seen a few minutes before on stage barged into the room. And stopped dead in his tracks, obviously surprised to find us there. He smiled apologetically to Bou-san.

"Sorry Norio, I thought you were already out…"

Then he pointed his head towards me, asking with waving eyebrows and a suggestive grin "your girlfriend? A young and pretty one, uh…"

I blushed scarlet to the roots. How could he…I wasn't…He was…That couldn't…

Since I obviously couldn't speak properly, my friend took upon himself to clear the misunderstanding. He threw his towel at the man's face who dodged it playfully.

"Get lost, she's only in high-school, you pervert!"

That didn't seem to deter the guitarist, who said devilishly "Well, if you're not interested, I am!"

Bou-san turned half-serious, and told me solemnly.

"Jou-chan, never let this man approach you, he's a notorious heartbreaker. And you," he added threateningly to his peer, "don't you dare make a pass at her! She's family."

The blond man only laughed, then winked at me and left, apparently pleased to have annoyed the monk. But I didn't pay him any attention. Bou-san's words were still ringing into my ears like sweet bells. She's family. She's family.

No Mai, don't get your hopes up. It was just so that this weird guy leaves you alone.

I cleared my throat, which was painfully tight again. "Thank you," I whispered, "but there was no need to lie to him."

Bou-san shot me a confused look, before narrowing his eyes in understanding. I kept my eyes downcast, feeling inexplicably gloomy, watching his feet move forward to stand right in front of me. I suddenly felt a heavy hand on my head, patting it affectionately.

"I didn't," the tall figure in front of me replied serenely. "You're family."

I did my best to fight back tears which were dangerously accumulating in the corner of my eyes, while staying emotively silent. My favorite monk then crouched down to reach my level, and pinched my cheeks slightly.

"Mai, before this dumbass came in, I wanted to tell you something about my song."

I moved my head up and down, indicating that I was listening.

"I told you I found my muse on a case, right? In truth, someone inspired me."

I leveled my gaze to meet his, curiosity finally overcoming my emotivity. Who could that be?

Bou-san smiled tauntingly.

"Do you want to know what is the title of that song?"

I nodded hesitantly.

He smiled brightly, albeit a bit watery.

"I named it Mai."

This time, I cried for good.