Chapter Two -- Naru … Has … Fun.

YES!! The character from Ghost Hunt that I don't own actually has FUN! MWAHAHA!

Shibuya Kazuya (or whatever the hell you want tot call him) was not particularly happy. It seemed rather stupid, he knew. I mean, really, how many secrets could one guy have? It was a rather superficial secret, all things considering, but he had this awful feeling that it was the one the others would have the most fun with.

Naru liked music. A lot.

He knew what a capella meant, he knew how to tell if a voice or instrument was in tune, sharp, or flat, and he knew which composers had been drunk or on drugs while writing their music (more than you would think). Most of the time he was wearing headphones in his office, trying very hard to sing too softly for Mai to hear. In fact, he only took them off when he called for her. Naru had even been planning on buying to this concert, before he found out that Bou-san was playing. If the rest of the SPR group found out he was actually having a good time, they would never let him live it down.

Flashback!! To: Arrival

Naru stepped out of the back of the van with a sigh. For the millionth time, he wished he hadn't almost run Lin over the last time he tried to drive himself. What was the point of buying a 50,000 Mercedes if his assistant made him ride around in that stupid van all the time?

Anyway, everyone else was already there when the Incredibly Slow Driver finally reached the concert. Naru wasn't quite the kind of person to pay attention to everybody's clothes, but he did notice that Masako was not wearing anything resembling a kimono. She had been wearing Western-style clothes during the last case, but not like this. Oh no, this was more like see-what-you're-missing? clothes. Naru didn't approve; he had this very uncomfortable feeling he was supposed to be missing something.

"Nice to see you got all dressed up," Mai snickered. Naru spared a glance down -- black shirt, black jacket, black pants. Would Mai ever get tired of complaining?

"What for?"

"Oh nothing, nothing," Ayako assured him. She had gotten dressed up, even he could see that. He wondered if she though the monk would be able to pick her out of the crowd.

All right, on the subject of clothes … Mai looked nice too.

Fast-forward!! To: Now

There was no way Naru would ever dance here, or do that stupid waving thing everyone else was doing. Lin had somewhat reluctantly been pulled into a bunny-hop type thing by Madoka, which actually looked very funny. That left only Masako standing next to Naru, trying to spark up a conversation (he thought).

Mai and Madoka had already tried to coerce him into moving, several times. Even Madoka had failed miserably. Mai had complained, and threatened not to inform Bou-san the next time they needed him for a case. She said he wasn't being supported. Little did Mai know, however, that his feedback for the monk would be much more useful than any of theirs.

Naru was focusing intently. He was listening to every note carefully, memorizing the good points and the bad. Bou-san would appreciate it.

Fast-forward!! To: After the Show

Bou-san was looking suspiciously red when they all forced themselves backstage. At first he pretended not to see them, until one of the other band members helpfully pointed them out. He looked very embarrassed, though he had at least taken Mai's advice to heart. His clothes didn't resemble a cowboy's outfit.

"… Well?"

Mai looked ready to start, but she looked at Naru first. "Let's get it over with."

Naru gave her a moment's glare, but started with no hint of a sigh. "You were right; you're singer's not very good, and the bridge of the second song was a little shaky." Bou-san looked ashamed, like he knew it, but Naru wasn't done yet. "But the chords were very strong the whole way through, and the coda was well done on the last song. Very impressive."

Naru ignored the stunned looks directed at him from the rest of the group. He stood back and waited for the rest of them to get on with it.

"Ah … thanks," Bou-san said.

Insight to Bou-san's mind:

What …?

Sorry, guys, this chapter really sucks, I know that. I couldn't think of any way to get rid of the concert! I swear, I know exactly what I'm doing for the next few. They'll be a lot better.