Destined Ties:
Chapter 4:
The offer was surprising considering his attitude from the day before. The only abilities she had that could help him were her dreams and she was not sure that she was prepared to repeat that pain of her younger days.
"How can I help you destroy the curse?" she asked tentatively.
Kazuya steered her away from all the groups of tourists and towards a bench. Mai sat down doubtfully. If she needed to be seated for him to tell her then it was something major.
"Unfortunately I am going to need you to have dreams," he sighed. "But that is only small part. I noticed yesterday that you seem to have some experience in investigating curses. If we combine all of our skills together, destroying the curse is possible."
The mention that he needed her investigation skills was slightly mollifying to her. She was still not happy with the request. She felt that she needed clarify her feelings on the subject to him.
"Kazuya-san, I am on sleeping pills because I hate having dreams. I only had one last night because I was in doubt and because I don't have work today."
Kazuya held up his hand. "I have already taken all of that in consideration. I am willing to employ you as an investigator so you can work the hours that suit you."
That was a sign that he had been thinking seriously about this. Mai was now more interested. It seemed like her normal life was getting further away from her. She had to decide if it was worth losing it.
"I can match your current salary of course so you will not be losing out."
"That is good, but I am also concerned about my mental state," she admitted. "I cannot control it very well. Whilst I do want to help you, I can't be too much help to you if I am not in control."
Kazuya cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Actually I have considered a solution to that. If you are willing to live with me, I can train you to control your dreams and you won't be lonely if you had a nightmare."
Mai took a moment to appreciate how hard it must have been for someone like him to say that. Was this really the person that had so coldly said that he wouldn't marry her yesterday?
More importantly, did she want to do it?
She was aware that sleeping pills and denying that she had the ability was not a long term fix, but she pretended it was. Was Kazuya's suggestion going to be the solution to her problems? She wasn't sure that she would be able to happily live with someone like him that was mostly cold to her.
Something must have shown in her face because Kazuya elaborated.
"I may be a difficult person at times so I can understand why you wouldn't want to live with me. I have a reason for not wanting to marry you like you have your reasons for not wanting to dream. I am renting a large flat at the moment so we can stay out of each other's way unless it is for work."
Mai took a deep breath. So many things had occurred in the past two days that she was getting overwhelmed and needed time to think.
"I think I am able to accept your proposition. I am just worried that I won't be able to save you."
Kazuya smiled. It was rather dazzling considering how he serious he usually looked.
"I am glad to be working with you."
Mai blushed a little. "You should smile more often."
The smile widened. "My mother tells me that I am very charming when a smile and that I should do it more so I can attract myself a girlfriend."
His mother was right about it being charming. Mai was almost able to forget how coldly he had rejected their arranged marriage yesterday.
"Of course I prefer looking at my reflection more," he added, completely spoiling the moment.
"You are such a narcissist, narucisstic Naru-chan!" she pointed at him jokingly.
He looked more surprised than she had predicted.
"Did you miss out an honorific there?"
Mai withdrew her finger in puzzlement. "No."
His expression cleared. "You can call me Naru if you like. It's actually the Japanese pronunciation of what Lin calls me."
If Mai remembered correctly Lin referred to him as 'Noll'. She had no idea what link that name had to his actual name, but she did like the idea of being a little less formal with him.
"I will, Naru."
She made arrangements to meet him at his flat the next day in the afternoon and he walked her to the train station. She knew their relationship had changed that day because Naru called her 'Mai' instead of 'Taniyama-san'.
Naru returned to his apartment and realised that he probably should inform Lin of the new development. He was his bodyguard after all and his duties would have to extend to protecting Mai as well. The omnouji lived in the apartment next door. At first it had been an inconvenience, now it was more convenient that they did not live together.
Lin did not look happy to see him when he opened the door. He had that stern look he always had when he was about discipline Naru.
"Why did you not tell me that you were going to Ueno Park to see Taniyama-san?"
Naru was unfazed by the glare and the fact that Lin had known where he had gone and who with.
"I didn't want you to ask too many questions before I went and I knew you would send out a shikigami when you noticed I was gone."
Lin looked highly suspicious of him. "I thought that you were not interested in Taniyama-san."
"On the contrary, she is going to move in with me."
If Lin had been drinking anything he would have spat it out in surprise. Instead the omnouji looked wide eyed and shocked. It was the most emotion Naru had ever seen on his face barring a certain incident.
His bodyguard sat down heavily on the sofa. "Noll, I think there are a few things you need to explain to me so I can understand what you just said."
Naru gave a summary of everything that had happened in the past 12 hours. Lin looked annoyed with him. Naru admitted to himself that Lin had the right to be annoyed with him. Lin's concern was his safety first so he should have told him about Mai's dream before he went to meet her.
"You should have consulted me before offering anything to her. Your parents should be asked about it too. You should have also mentioned that accident in Shibuya before."
The narcissist shrugged. "It's not any of their business. Mai has abilities that we need and she needs to learn how to use them. We all benefit out of this. I don't die, you still have someone to protect and Mai is able to cope with her dreams."
The omnouji noted the first name terms and withheld the urge to comment on it. Noll had never got on with a female like this before. Or anyone for that matter.
"I understand the matter now. I do think you jumped into this a bit fast though."
"I nearly died this morning. Mai prevented that," Naru pointed out. "If anything we are cutting it fine."
Lin felt the same way now. It was so fortunate that he had outmanoeuvred Noll and approached her the day before. If he hadn't, Noll might not have been alive anymore.
"When is she moving in?"
"She is visiting tomorrow afternoon. I am planning to relocate certain items out her way so she doesn't find out about that thing," Naru said.
"Are you sure that you can live with someone else without upsetting them?" Lin questioned cautiously. "I don't want Taniyama-san to feel that you are bullying her."
"I will be polite and well mannered," Naru assured him.
"Don't take the elevator, we both die," was how Mai greeted him the next day.
Naru paused momentarily. This was going to take a little time to become accustomed too. Before the attempts on his life had not been frequent and Lin was the one to save him at the right time.
"I see. We can take the stairs then. Is there anything else I should know?"
They walked up two flights of stairs together and Mai recounted her dream along the way.
"I had trouble waking up from the dream. Ultimately it was my death that pushed me out."
"Perhaps I should start teaching you about astral projection then," Naru mused out loud.
Lin was waiting for them outside his apartment.
"Lin-san, do you live with Naru too?" Mai asked.
The omnouji looked confused by the nickname she was using. She realised that it did sound strange.
"…No, I live next door."
Mai was puzzled as to how Lin was supposed to be Naru's bodyguard if he didn't share the same apartment.
"How can you protect him then?"
"My shikigami keep an eye on him," he explained as Naru input his passcode to let them in.
Mai was impressed at the mention of shikigami. The monk she had known would be very jealous of he knew that she was speaking to someone with shikigami.
"Are you an omnouji then?" she enquired.
Both men turned around to look at her sharply.
"How did you guess?" Lin questioned.
"I think we need to ask you some questions about your past investigations," Naru said, causing Mai to feel a sudden bout of dread.