A/N: Umm... I think I should change this story to mature now.
Disclaimer: All characters in Ghost Hunt are the creation of the Goddess Ono Fuyumi-sama.
Three months. It had been three months and Mai was blissfully happy. She could hardly believe her relationship with Lin was going so well. Sure, they sometimes bickered, but that was understandable considering how stubborn they both were.
The majority of the time, though, they got along perfectly fine. And Mai was finding that, sometimes at least, there was comfort in sharing silence with another person. She definitely enjoyed the quiet moments she shared with Lin and she enjoyed it even more when he began spending the night every Saturday.
Once he started staying over, the two of them just sort of fell into a comfortable routine of everyday life. Mai would work on homework or some sort of hobby and Lin would do his own thing. Mai would call it, for lack of a better word, domestic.
Occasionally, though, Mai would wonder if their relationship was in a slump, but then Lin would unexpectedly wrap his arms around her and lovingly kiss her neck. Following that, all doubts would disappear. They still hadn't had sex, of course, but it was enough for Mai just to be with Lin.
And today, they had made it to three months. It wasn't much in terms of anniversaries, but when you were just starting out, you had to count the little things. They didn't go on too many dates anymore, but Lin had promised that tonight he would do whatever Mai wanted.
Mai considered that she might be wasting a golden opportunity, but she really wanted to see a popular horror film that just came out. It was about ghosts and she was curious to see how they were currently being portrayed in movies.
Right now, Mai was waiting at the theater for Lin. He said he had some things to wrap up at the office and she didn't want to arouse Naru's suspicions again by waiting for him there.
She looked at her wristwatch. It was almost time for him to arrive.
"You weren't worried I'd be late, were you?" Lin asked from beside her.
Mai quickly looked up at him and her heart swelled with joy.
"You? Never," she smiled.
Lin barely managed not to smile himself. He could hardly believe how beautiful she looked bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yup!" Mai nodded cheerfully.
With that they headed inside to watch the movie.
~oOo~
"Wasn't it scary?" Mai asked excitedly as they exited the theater.
Lin shook his head. He didn't think it was scary, but he certainly enjoyed having Mai cling to him throughout the movie.
"I wouldn't call that scary," he said calmly. "We've been through worse. Although, I will say it was interesting."
"I read it was a real story based on the writer's own experience as a child," Mai informed him proudly. She had done a little research on the protagonist's backstory.
"Then perhaps it's an accurate account of the events," Lin replied. "It certainly portrayed some of the known spiritual phenomena well."
Mai nodded firmly.
"I think it is," she asserted. "If it happened to the writer himself, then he'd want to tell the facts."
Lin smiled at her enthusiasm. He loved the way her eyes lit up when she was excited.
"However, don't forget it was a dramatization," he pointed out, "not a documentary."
"Oh, I know," Mai conceded, "but all ghost stories are dramatizations to make them scarier for the audience. And on top of that, there are many diverse cases."
"That's true," Lin agreed.
Mai smiled happily at his willingness to accept her view. Following that, they lapsed into an easy silence as they walked down the street, their arms bumping every now and then. Not long after, however, their silence was interrupted.
"Taniyama-san, is that you?" came a man's voice from behind them.
Recognizing the voice, Mai quickly turned around. Lin turned slightly and looked over his shoulder.
"Akifumi-san!" Mai greeted cheerfully.
Akifumi quickly looked Mai over. She hadn't become taller, but her body was more womanly since he had last seen her and her skin had a beautiful glow to it.
"It is you," Akifumi replied. "How have you been? You look amazing!"
He smiled at Mai charmingly and Lin felt a pang of jealousy soar through him.
"I couldn't be better," she said happily. "How are you? How is your family?"
"I'm well," Akifumi replied, "and my family is doing great now thanks to you. It's been so long. I'm really glad I ran into you."
He smiled at Mai once again, then suddenly looked at Lin as if just realizing he was there.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Akifumi said apologetically to Lin, "I remember you, but I can't recall your name."
Lin turned around fully and reached over for Mai's hand. He intertwined their fingers and pulled her a little closer. Mai looked up at him in pleasant surprise as she affectionately clasped her opposite hand over his arm.
"Lin," he replied curtly.
Akifumi's eyes widened in surprise.
"I… I didn't realize you two were so close," he stammered.
Mai returned her gaze to Akifumi and smiled brightly. If Lin was holding her hand, it meant he didn't mind her telling Akifumi about their relationship.
"Not until recently," she admitted. "Three months now actually."
Mai lightly squeezed Lin's hand, enjoying the contact. He caressed her thumb with his in return and Akifumi quickly averted his gaze in embarrassment.
"Well… I'm glad to see your doing well," Akifumi said awkwardly. "If you'll excuse me, though, I'm supposed to meet some friends."
"No worries," she reassured, bowing her head slightly.
Akifumi quickly bowed his head in return and departed. Mai couldn't help noticing how uncomfortable he looked as he left.
"Hmm… that was strange," she said quietly.
Lin didn't comment on her words. Instead, he tugged on her hand.
"Let's go," he said flatly.
He was upset, but he couldn't find a rational reason for his sudden bad mood.
Mai instantly knew something was wrong.
"Is everything alright?" she asked as she let herself be led along.
"It's fine," he muttered.
Mai knew what that meant. He was trying to hide that he was upset. She decided to wait until they were safely back at her apartment before addressing it, though.
The rest of their journey was spent in uncomfortable silence. Despite this, Lin refused to let go of Mai's hand. Even on the train, where they received several disapproving glares, he still wouldn't let go. She was torn between enjoying it and being worried. He had never acted like this before and she wondered what had caused it.
The moment he got inside Mai's apartment, Lin immediately went to sit down and fell deep into thought. He didn't like the idea of anyone smiling at Mai the way Akifumi did. He knew he was being irrational, though. He had full confidence that Mai would never cheat on him and if she left him for another man, then he no longer had a right to be jealous. But did he have a right to be jealous at all? Mai had willingly accepted his hand and didn't try to hide that they were together. If anyone was in the wrong, it was him.
After watching Lin brood for several minutes, Mai decided he had taken long enough to think things over. She sat down in front of him and gently placed her hand on his knee.
"Koujo, what's wrong?" she questioned.
"Nothing," he replied tonelessly.
Mai sighed.
"We promised we would be more open about our feelings," she reminded him.
He didn't reply.
"Was it because of Akifumi-san?" she asked cautiously.
Lin frowned deeply.
"Don't call him that," he requested tersely.
Mai sighed again.
"Are you really jealous of him?" she asked.
There was a short pause before Lin nodded once.
Mai found it a little hard to believe that he was jealous of that short interaction, but she was no stranger to jealousy and knew it wasn't always rational. In the past, she would get jealous of the girls that fawned over Naru. There was no justification for how she felt back then, but she thought it was at least reasonable for Lin to feel the way he did since she was his girlfriend.
If the roles were reversed, she considered that she might be jealous herself. In fact, she knew she definitely would be. She would hate having someone trying to cozy up to Lin. As she thought about it, she nodded angrily and clenched her fist.
Mai was suddenly brought back to the present as she heard Lin laugh. She quickly looked up.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"You," he laughed, "thinking about beating up anyone that dares to flirt with me."
For a moment, Mai looked at him in shock before shaking it away.
"Hey!" she protested, lightly pushing his shoulder. "I didn't laugh at you!"
"I know," he said with a smile. "It feels good, though, that you would be jealous."
Mai laughed a little.
"It does, doesn't?" she agreed.
Lin nodded and leaned over to kiss her. She gladly accepted. After a moment, he pulled back slightly.
"I want to keep you to myself," he told her.
Mai smiled.
"And I you," she replied as she grabbed the front of his shirt to pull him in for another kiss.
He easily allowed it and captured her lips with his. His body tingled as Mai applied a light suction to his bottom lip and he couldn't help thinking that their mouths fit together perfectly as if designed to do so. To him, there was nothing better than kissing Mai.
'Except maybe that,' he thought as she gently ran her fingers through his hair. He unconsciously stopped moving his lips and sighed against her mouth.
"I think I found your weakness," she murmured as she lightly massaged his scalp.
He leaned his head into her touch, but didn't respond. He looked like he was in absolute bliss.
"Hmm… it really is your weakness," she noted. "Why haven't I done this before?"
"No idea," he mumbled. "But don't ever stop."
Mai laughed a little.
"Anything for you," she said.
She leaned her forehead against his and ran her fingers through his hair for several minutes, simply enjoying the softness of his hair. As she continued her attentions, though, her eyes started to drift shut and she gently yawned.
"I'm sleepy," she admitted.
Lin opened his eyes. He had forgotten about stopping to get food when he was upset.
"But you haven't had dinner," he reminded her.
Mai removed her hands from his hair and sat back.
"Can't we just skip it?" she asked.
Lin shook his head.
"If you want something quick, I can go to the convenience store and buy some onigiri," he offered.
"No, please don't go," Mai begged.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because I'll miss you," she admitted.
Lin paused for a moment. He was slightly overwhelmed by a sense of fondness for Mai and her adorable quirks. And if he spoke now, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to hide the immense emotion from his voice or stop himself from saying something foolishly sentimental.
He hesitated another moment to take a steadying breath and recover his equanimity.
"Come with me," he calmly suggested.
Mai sighed and leaned back to lie on the floor. She was really exhausted and it was finally catching up with her.
"I don't want to go anywhere right now," she complained.
Lin softly exhaled. She was just too adorable for words. Shaking his head, he stood up and walked to the entrance way, where he started to slip on his shoes.
"You're just tired and hungry," he replied knowingly. "I'll go to the store and come right back."
He waited a few seconds to see if she would respond before he grabbed the door knob.
"Wait!" Mai cried out. "I'll go, too."
~oOo~
After they returned from the store, the pair quietly ate. It didn't take them long to finish their snack.
"You should get ready for bed while I set up the futon," Lin suggested.
"Okay," Mai softly responded.
She was very tired and due to her fatigue, it took her some time to wash up and change. By the time she got back to her main room, Lin had already changed into his night clothes. Seeing Mai was done, Lin walked past her to finish up his night routine.
Mai went to the futon and laid down, trying to leave enough room for Lin. Feeling drowsy she let her mind wander to random things while she waited for him. She didn't want to fall asleep before he joined her. She mostly thought about the things she had to get done before the summer holidays and, by the time Lin laid down beside her, she was definitely ready to fall asleep. His body was warm and comforting against hers.
"Are you feeling alright?" Lin asked.
Mai looked at him and nodded sleepily.
"I'm just a little exhausted from school and work," she admitted. "Even with the scholarships, it isn't easy completely supporting myself and going to university."
"You did choose a difficult degree," Lin noted.
Mai shrugged her shoulders.
"Technology is the future of Japan," she replied. "And if I continue ghost hunting, it will help with work. Just think, I'll be more useful to you with the equipment."
"You're already really helpful," Lin assured her.
"You're the helpful one," Mai countered. "You've been supporting me a lot with my schoolwork and my work at the office."
"I'm happy to help," he stated. "You're a hard worker and I enjoy being able to look after you."
Mai sighed and closed her eyes. Lin was always taking care of her. She was, of course, very grateful for everything he had done for her. And if it wasn't for him and that whole shoe shelf debacle, she didn't know where she would be right now. However, he was a little overprotective.
"You should move in with me," Lin suddenly suggested.
Mai quickly opened her eyes.
"What?" she questioned.
"It will make things easier on you if you move in with me," he restated.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Mai replied. "Don't you live next door to Naru?"
Lin frowned slightly.
"That is a bit of an issue," he agreed, "but I still want to take care of you. We could work something out."
Somehow, Mai didn't find the idea appealing. It just didn't feel right.
"I'm not going to be someone's kept woman," she answered.
Lin was surprised by her reply. He didn't know how she had come to that conclusion from what he had said.
"You know it wouldn't be like that," he responded. "We would support each other."
"So what, then?" she questioned skeptically. "We'd have some kind of domestic partnership?"
"I don't know," he answered. "I guess so."
Mai shook her head.
"That's not a situation I want to be in," she told him frankly.
"But we've practically been living together already," he pointed out.
"One day a week is not the same as living together," she insisted. "And maybe things are different for you, but I want to have a family someday and living unwed with a man doesn't portray that message."
"So what does that mean?" he questioned. "You won't stay with me unless I agree to marry you?"
Mai sighed. She knew he had some kind of issue with the whole marriage topic, but she didn't know what. She had once tried to ask him if he had any intentions of ever getting married and he outright refused to discuss it. He wouldn't even discuss the topic in relation to others either. The whole subject just made him irritable and she really didn't want to get into an argument over it. The day had been going so well and she wanted it to continue in that way.
"I don't know," she mumbled, trying to divert the conversation.
"Don't," he warned. "I want an answer."
Mai sighed again and looked at him contemplatively. Did marriage really matter enough for her to give up what they had? She eventually wanted to have children, but that wasn't something one did outside of marriage in Japan.
Even so, she didn't know if she could let go of Lin. While she wasn't completely sure what one would consider 'romantic love', she felt wholly content being with him. It was something beyond what she had felt for Gene. Back then she had thought she was in love. Now she had to question what being in love meant.
She honestly didn't know if she was in love with Lin, but she could hardly imagine being without him anymore and the thought of it made her slightly tearful.
Lin lightly frowned. He always regretted his actions when he made her cry. It was a weakness of his.
"I'm sorry if I upset you," he quickly apologized. "I just… I don't want to lose you."
That was exactly the reason Mai had begun to cry in the first place. She didn't want to lose him. The fact that his thoughts so perfectly mirrored hers made her cry even more. This caused Lin to grow seriously worried.
"Mai, please forgive me," he pleaded. "If the idea of living together upsets you this much, I won't bring it up again."
Mai gently wiped at her eyes.
"Dummy," she laughed, "it's not that."
Lin furrowed his brow in confusion.
"Then what is it?" he asked.
"I just love being with you so much," she replied. "But I don't want to think about the future. I want to continue what we have right now for as long as possible."
Lin gently placed a hand against her cheek.
"Mai…" he whispered.
He couldn't find the words to express what he felt. Of course he loved being with her, too, but it was something so much deeper than simply enjoying each other's presence.
Even so, there was an air of melancholy surrounding their relationship. It was as if they both knew it wouldn't last and they were desperately trying to hold onto each other. He didn't want it to be that way. What he had with Mai meant so much to him. He wanted to give his entire self to her.
"What are you thinking about?" Mai asked.
Lin was silent for a long moment as he let his eyes roam over her face. What words were there to express these feelings?
"I never thought I'd feel so connected with someone," he murmured. "Being with you has gone beyond all my expectations."
"I feel the same way," she whispered. She paused for a moment. "Do you think this is what falling in love feels like?"
"I don't know," Lin admitted, "but I don't think we need to make that distinction."
"Why not?" Mai asked.
"I love you," he stated, "you know that, and I know you love me. We make each other happy, so it doesn't matter if we're in love."
"I see what you mean," Mai said. "I just wonder what the difference is between loving someone and being in love."
"I suppose it's hard to tell in our case," Lin admitted. "Since we already had a deep connection."
Mai looked at him as she considered his words. It was true that they had a connection before their relationship. She had never noticed it until recently, but they had shared a friendship fueled by mutual concern over the other's well being. And that friendship had grown into something unbelievable. He was more than a simple friend now.
"Koujo," she whispered.
"Yes?" he asked.
"You're my best friend," she confessed.
Lin's expression softened, a gentle smile forming on his face. He looked at Mai intently.
"You're mine," he replied.
Leaning forward, Mai placed a light kiss on his mouth.
"I never want to let you go," she murmured against his lips.
Looking into her eyes, Lin raised a hand to softly stroke her hair.
"You won't have to," he promised. "There could never be anyone else other than you."
Mai gently sighed.
"I think that's called being in love," she whispered sleepily, her eyelids drifting shut.
Lin quietly stared at Mai. She was right. He had fallen in love with her and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with only her.
"I'm definitely in love with you," he admitted.
"...love you, too," Mai mumbled.
Lin smiled at her sleepy response and, feeling the need to be closer, he draped his arm over Mai's waist, lightly caressing the dip of her back as he breathed deeply in contentment.
"I'm so in love with you," he sighed.
"Mm…" she replied, already half asleep.
Lin closed his eyes, wondering if she would remember this conversation in the morning.
~oOo~
Mai slowly awoke to the warmth of being held from behind. She immediately felt a painful, tingling sensation in her arm. Very slowly, she began to move her arm, attempting to get the blood supply flowing in once again while at the same time trying not to wake Lin. She used her opposite hand to massage the muscles. After a minute, the tingling had dissipated. Sighing, she rolled onto her stomach. Moments later she rolled onto her back.
"Stop wiggling," Lin grumbled.
Mai sighed.
"I can't help it," she whined. "One futon just isn't big enough for two people."
Lin was silent for a little while. Just as Mai was thinking he had fallen asleep again, he slowly rose to his feet and groggily made his way towards the bathroom.
After he left, Mai stretched out in the middle of the futon. Enjoying the relief it brought her muscles, she closed her eyes, sighing as she released the stretch.
A few minutes later, Lin returned. He silently stared at Mai, wondering if she was going to make room for him. Another minute passed before he gently nudged her leg with his foot.
"Hm?" she hummed sleepily.
Lin grunted softly.
Understanding his request, Mai lightly shook her head in negation causing him to sigh. He briefly rubbed his hand over his face before kneeling down. He laid down half on top of Mai, resting his face against her chest. He stretched one arm above his head and snaked the other beneath her shirt to rest against her side.
After a moment, he began to softly stroke her warm skin. Mai mumbled something.
"Hm?" Lin asked.
"It tickles," she said a little louder.
He paused in his attentions.
"Don't stop," she whispered.
At her request, he resumed stroking her skin and she sighed. Shortly after, she began to run her fingers through his hair, gently scratching his scalp in the process.
A while later, Lin's hand paused again. Mai stopped her own hand.
"Did you fall asleep?" she asked quietly.
Lin was silent for a few moments before lightly humming. He gently cleared his throat.
"No, I'm awake," he mumbled.
Mai nodded and continued to run her fingers through his hair.
He lightly sighed and momentarily tightened his arm around her, gently squeezing her against him.
"You like being pampered, don't you," she gently teased.
Lin remained silent as he slowly ran his thumb across her skin.
"...I'm loathe to admit it," he said, "but I'm finding that I do enjoy it."
"I enjoy it, too," Mai agreed. "But what do you want to do today?"
"This," he mumbled as he nuzzled her.
Mai laughed.
"What about when you get hungry?" she questioned.
"This is all I need," he insisted.
Mai sighed gently.
"It is nice, isn't it?" she replied.
He remained silent and continued to stroke her skin. There was such an overwhelming sense of comfort in this small act of contact. The feeling caused Mai to close her eyes in contentment.
After a moment, Lin looked up at Mai. Her face held a soft smile. The sight of it caused his heart to soar.
"Mai…" he murmured.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked down at him.
"I love you," he said earnestly.
"I know, Koujo," she said with a smile. "I love you, too."
Lin lightly shook his head.
"No, Mai, I'm in love with you," he clarified.
Mai's eyes filled with tenderness. She felt as if she had been waiting an eternity to hear him say that, yet she didn't even know she had been waiting for it.
"Koujo, I'm in love with you," she responded in kind. "And I never want anyone else but you."
Lin nodded in agreement.
"You're the only one I want," he told her softly.
Mai's eyes lightly watered and a lazy tear slowly formed a trail as it made it's way down the side of her face.
Wanting to be nearer, Lin gently readjusted his body until he was resting between her legs. He supported himself on his elbows so that he could look down at her. Looking at her, he felt a warm, fullness pervade his chest.
"You're so very beautiful," he whispered as he brushed away the tears pooling at the sides of her eyes.
Mai softly smiled and Lin leaned down to kiss her. She couldn't help sighing the moment his lips touched hers. His kisses were always full of such warmth and gentleness. The way it built her up was like a slow growing madness, making her lose control of herself. Just his lips made her mind burst with emotion clawing to escape. She needed more of him. Needed his warmth.
As he kissed her, she slowly trailed her hands up his back, inching his shirt up as she went until she finally stopped to pull it over his head.
Being freed from his shirt, Lin looked down at Mai and gave her a small half-smile.
"What are you doing, Mai?" he questioned, though he knew perfectly well.
"I want to feel your skin against mine," she told him desperately.
He stared at her momentarily before nodding in acquiescence.
He shifted his weight to his left arm and, starting from the top, slowly began to unbutton her nightshirt. He leaned his head down close to her chest and tenderly kissed each new section of her skin as it was revealed.
Every time his lips touched her skin, Mai felt a pleasurable ache surge throughout her body. The sensation caused a slight pressure to build within her chest, sending her breaths into a slow, heavy rhythm.
When he relieved the final button of its fastening, Lin slowly slid his hands up Mai's body until they rested against her lightly heaving chest. He gently cupped her breasts and kissed his way up her belly.
Finally bringing his face level with his hands, Lin softly placed his lips against one of her erect nipples. Mai gasped at the contact and her chest involuntarily rose up against him.
He gently kissed against her chest before slowly running his lips upwards to her neck. Mai wrapped one arm over his shoulders and buried her opposite hand in his hair. Her hands clenched against him as he slowly kissed up her neck to her jawline.
Lin continued his trek upwards until he reached Mai's lips and captured them with his own. She moaned into his mouth and pushed her hips up against him. He returned her moan and thrusted against her.
Grasping the futon tightly in his hands, he continued to thrust against her. The feel of his pant fabric was rough against his erection, but the heat and pressure from Mai's body was immensely pleasurable. She was driving him mad again and he didn't know where this would lead if he didn't stop now. He wanted so much more, but he wasn't yet ready to take her virginity.
"Mai," he gasped, not sure if he meant to stop this or ask for more.
Mai responded before he could finish.
"Don't stop," she begged. "Please don't stop."
Closing his eyes, he consented to her request and continued to rub against her. Soon, without realizing it, his forehead came to rest against hers. She gently nudged him and he tilted his head to take her lips again. Their kiss was messy and hot. It portrayed the desperate need they felt for each other right now.
Without warning, Mai suddenly broke the kiss.
"Right there," she moaned. "Just like that."
Her words aroused Lin beyond anything and he wanted to return all the pleasure she was giving him.
"Mai," he moaned, "come for me."
She made a needy mewling noise as her body rose to meet his. In an instant, her body was convulsing against him and she clung to him desperately.
Continuing to thrust, Lin slid his hands beneath Mai to wrap her in a tight hug and hid his face in the crevice between her neck and shoulder. After a few more thrusts, his body stiffened and he groaned quietly.
Stilling, his body relaxed. He kept his face hidden against her neck. His breaths came out hot and unsteady against her skin and his body was wracked with small tremors.
Mai panted as she tried to catch her breath. She was amazed at just how incredible that had felt, but as she came down from her high, she suddenly worried about the level of intimacy she had forced on him. They had never done anything like this before.
"Koujo, was this okay?" she questioned.
She felt him quickly nod, but he made no comment. It was several minutes before he calmed.
"Mai," he finally spoke, his words muffled against her skin, "stay with me forever."
Mai's breath momentarily caught in her throat. When she could breathe again, she tightened her arms around him and nodded.
"Always forever," she promised.
~oOo~
After washing up, Lin and Mai sat in the bath together with Mai secured snugly between Lin's legs. The pair were quiet as Lin slowly massaged Mai's back.
Lin felt mesmerized as his hands slid smoothly against Mai's skin. She was so remarkably beautiful and she had chosen him. Really, they had chosen each other. And somehow, they were perfectly matched. There was no one who could ever replace Mai in his heart and he knew no one ever would.
He never wanted to lose Mai. He wanted her to stay with him and be his wife. He wanted to make a family with her.
"If someday I asked you to marry me, would you?" Lin quietly asked.
Mai opened her eyes and sat silently for a moment. She could hardly believe what she had heard.
"Lin Koujo, did you really just bring up the topic of marriage of your own free will?" she questioned.
"...well," he hesitated, "maybe if… never mind."
Mai sighed. Maybe she had addressed that the wrong way.
"Just so you know, I'd say yes," she informed him.
Lin didn't reply, but was infinitely pleased. That was the first hurdle. However, if he really wanted to make it happen, and he definitely did, he had to find a way to convince his parents.
For the time being, he put the thought out of his mind and wrapped his arms tightly around Mai's waist. Leaning his head down, he gently placed a kiss on Mai's cheek.
"I love you," he murmured against her skin.
Mai leaned back against his chest.
"I love you, too, Koujo," she said quietly.
~oOo~
By the time Lin made it back to his apartment, he was determined to call his parents. When he got inside, he set down his overnight bag and walked to the phone. He stared at it for a moment, getting ready to pick up the receiver from the cradle, when he remembered to check the time. It was just after 9:00 pm, which meant it would be around noon in London.
Him calling wouldn't be a problem. What he was calling about could be, though. However, he wanted to marry Mai, which meant he had to get the consent of his parents. He didn't dare marry her without their permission, so this call was necessary.
Steeling himself, he picked up the phone and dialed the number from memory. He held the phone to his ear and stood waiting. When the line finally connected, it was a woman who answered.
"Mother," Lin addressed.
There was a short pause.
"I see my eldest son has finally deemed it necessary to call his mother," she replied.
"I'm sorry for my lack of contact," he apologized, "I've been distracted by my work and training."
"So that must mean you have something important to discuss," she concluded.
"Yes, I do," he confirmed. "I'd like to get married."
"At long last," she commented, her tone tinged with sarcasm. "Are you returning to London, then?"
"No," he replied, "I've met someone here."
There was a long pause.
"Is she Japanese?" she questioned quietly.
He paused to prepare himself.
"Yes," he answered.
His mother's mood instantly soured.
"Have you forgotten what those people did?" she questioned bitterly, her voice razor-sharp. "How they won't even admit their crimes?"
"...no," he replied.
"Then how can you even bear to be with someone like that?" she demanded.
"She isn't like that," he insisted. "She acknowledges that what happened was wrong."
"Simply to ease your feelings, I'm sure," she countered.
"No, she isn't like that," he restated. "She wouldn't say something she didn't believe just to appease me."
"Then you plan to abandon your family and make a life in that country?" she questioned.
"I hadn't considered it," he admitted. "I was calling to ask for your and father's consent to marry her."
"You'll never have it if she's your choice," she informed him.
Her words caused a painful, stabbing sensation in his chest. He had expected resistance, but not outright refusal.
"I need to marry her," he said without thinking.
"Why?" his mother questioned. "Have you lain with her? Is she pregnant?"
"No," he quickly replied. "I haven't lain with her."
"Do not lie to me," she warned. "Have you forgotten the importance of a woman's virtue?"
"I haven't," he answered. "I want to marry her because I love her."
"Then save yourself the heartache and end things now," she replied coldly.
There was a click followed shortly by the sound of the dial tone. His mother had hung up on him. He placed the receiver back in the cradle and stared at it for several minutes.
That had gone considerably worse than he had anticipated. His mother's final words painfully resonated in his mind. But no matter what she said, he wouldn't end things with Mai. He couldn't. His life would be an empty routine without her. He would go on, but…
No, he definitely wouldn't lose Mai. He wasn't going to give up yet. He'd convince his parents somehow.
~oOo~
At the office on Monday, Lin briefly spoke with Naru before setting to work preparing Mai's work assignments for when she came in later in the afternoon.
He grabbed several tapes from the video catalog and brought them back to the resource room, then began typing up a memo for Mai. Once he was finished, he resumed his work from the previous week.
Before long, he was lost in his work and the next time he looked at the clock, it was nearly 2:00 pm. Mai would be there soon. He glanced at the tapes stacked on the desk. There were quite a few of them and he hoped Mai wouldn't be overwhelmed.
Suddenly, he realized there was a tape missing. He got up to go retrieve it from the video catalog. As he opened the door to the resource room, he heard several voices. Upon reaching the main office, he saw that Takigawa and Ayako were there speaking with Yasuhara.
When they looked at him, he very slightly bowed his head in greeting, but didn't say anything as he made his way to the shelf where they kept the videos.
"Anyway, Shōnen," Takigawa continued, "you should just ask Mai out."
Yasuhara sighed.
"I can't just do that," he replied. "I've tried to drop hints to let her know I'm interested, but she hasn't given me any signs that she reciprocates."
'She doesn't,' Lin thought as he located the missing tape. He turned to head back to the resource room.
"That doesn't mean she isn't interested," Takigawa tried to console. "She probably just hasn't noticed. You know how Mai is."
'She isn't and she probably hasn't,' Lin continued in his head as he walked past them.
"Hey Lin," Takigawa called out, "you think Shōnen has a chance with Mai, right?"
Lin turned and quietly stared at him. The man had no idea about the level of absurdity his question held. Of course Yasuhara had no chance with Mai.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the bell signaling someone's arrival sounded at the door.
"Good afternoon," Mai called out energetically.
She stopped in the doorway when she saw Ayako and Takigawa. After a moment she made her way over to the coat rack.
"Hey you two," she greeted as she hung her coat, "I didn't expect you to be here today."
She glanced at Lin.
"And Lin-san, you've come out of your cave," she added.
Lin lightly bowed his head in greeting to Mai before beginning to move towards the resource room.
"Wait, Lin-san," Mai quickly called out before he could get away, "do you have my work assignments ready for the day?"
Lin turned back to face Mai and nodded.
"In the resource room," he informed her.
"Okay, I'll be there in a minute," she replied as she walked over to the group.
Lin nodded and turned once more. He made his way to the resource room and left the door open to wait for Mai.
Once Lin was gone from the main office, Takigawa spoke.
"Lin never changes, does he?" he commented.
Mai shrugged.
"I guess not," she responded. "Anyway, what are you two doing here?"
"We came to discuss plans for your birthday on Friday," Ayako told her.
Mai silently stared at her. She hadn't considered spending her birthday with anyone but Lin.
"Oh… okay," she said absently. "We can discuss it after I get my assignments."
Ayako gave her a strange look.
"Are you okay?" she questioned.
Mai smiled to ease the situation.
"Of course I am," she replied. "I just didn't think about my birthday. Give me a few minutes, though."
Mai quickly walked off towards the resource room. When she got inside, she gently closed the door. Leaning against it, she bowed her head and sighed. Secret relationships were complicated.
"It's okay if you spend your birthday with them," Lin pointed out.
Mai turned her gaze to him without lifting her head.
"But I wanted to spend it with you," she admitted.
"Then perhaps they'll invite me as well," he reassured her. "And if not, then you can request it."
"Are you okay with that?" Mai questioned.
"Of course," Lin answered. "If you want me at your celebration, then I want to be there."
Mai looked down thoughtfully. She was glad he was willing to spend time with everyone for her sake, but she didn't want to have to spend the whole night pretending they were nothing more than friends.
"Here," Lin said suddenly as he held out a memo for her.
Mai took it and spent a few moments looking it over.
"You want me to analyze all of volume 15?" she questioned. "This case was ages ago. Aren't you finished yet?"
Lin shook his head.
"It was a long case and we gathered a lot of extremely good data," he stated. "And even I have limitations on how much I can get done."
Mai nodded in understanding.
"But is Naru okay with me doing this?" she asked.
"Yes," Lin replied. "He was the one who suggested it."
"I see," Mai answered.
"He's very eager to have this data processed for his new thesis," Lin commented.
Mai sighed.
"Of course," she mumbled.
"If you don't want to do it, that's fine," Lin assured her, "but Naru foresaw this eventuality. That's why he had me take the time to train you. And if you prove to be an effective analyst, he's willing to up your pay grade."
Mai softly exhaled. It wasn't that she didn't want to help. She was just nervous that she'd mess up and miss something important. Then she'd end up increasing the workload for Lin.
"Mai," Lin said gently, "it's only volume 15 and I'll be checking your work until you get comfortable with it. You don't have to worry."
"But is this really the case I should be practicing with?" she questioned timidly.
"This is the best case for you to practice with," he asserted. "There's an abundance of relevant phenomena to assess."
As Mai nodded, there was a knock at the door. She turned and opened it. Yasuhara stood outside.
"Yes?" she answered.
"Excuse me, Taniyama-san, but there's a client waiting for you," he informed her.
"Thank you, Yasuhara-san," she replied. "I'll be right out. Please prepare the tea."
"Certainly," he nodded with a smile before leaving.
Lin quietly exhaled in annoyance. Mai glanced back at him.
"What's the matter with you?" she questioned.
"It's so obvious," he muttered.
Mai shook her head.
"Even if you say that, I still don't understand," she responded. "Are you upset?"
"Not particularly," he admitted, "but I wonder how you never notice."
Mai frowned.
"Stop being so cryptic," she admonished. "And come help me with the interview."
Lin was about to refuse when he had a sudden thought. Even after they started dating, Mai had never asked him to help with a preliminary interview.
"Do you think the case will be significant?" he wondered.
Mai paused. She was unsure of why she had requested Lin's presence right now. Did she sense something peculiar about this client before she had even met him?
"I think so," she hazard. "Although, I can't say for certain."
"I'll go speak with Naru while you handle the initial questioning," he offered.
Mai nodded.
"Alright," she agreed.