Chapter 3: A case. (After that so cheesy and mind boggling chapter. :D)
The SPR Gang turned to the direction where Mai and the potential client came from. They stared at the two people who are standing there awkwardly. Based from what they heard, it seems that Mai knows the person who was hiding behind her, literally. Naru glared at the "boy" who was clutching Mai's shirt from behind. (A/N: Well, if I was on his position.I would really do the same thing if everyone was looking at me fiercely. And if a certain Naru was glaring at me. Creepy.)
Naru cleared his throat making everyone stand up and go to the floor to sit. Well, it was always cleaned by Mai so that it was safe from dust and germs. Madoka walked to the group to sit with them. Lin went to his office to get his laptop.
Naru turned to face Mai and the client. "Mai." he called out. He knows that Mai knows what he meant.
Mai sighed and turned to her companion. "Toranuseke, they're not going to eat it you." He looked at her and looked at the rest. They smiled at him reassuringly and he relaxed a bit. "See?" Mai said, smiling.
He nodded and smiled. "Well I am Haga Toranuseke. I am here to ask for your help."
Naru answered. "I am Shibuya Kazuya, the owner of SPR. The one who owns the shirt you are clutching is my assistant and girlfriend Taniyama Mai. How can we help you Haga-san?" he asked in business manner tone.
Upon hearing this, Toranuseke dropped his hands to his side. Seeing his actions, the Gang snickered and tried to suppress their laughter. Mai just shook her head and motioned him to sit at the couch in front of Naru. Lin came back with his laptop and sit on the couch beside Toranuseke as Mai sat beside Naru.
Everyone was silent until Naru broke it. "What's your story?"
Toranuseke sighed and started to tell the purpose why he was there. Lin positioned his hands on typing position. Everyone turned their attention to the young man.
"Well, I worked as a bodyguard to the one of the world's powerful family. They are the Burnsworth. I am the personal bodyguard of Harry Burnsworth's only daughter, Kajika-sama. "
Upon hearing this, everyone gasped. Except for Naru, Lin and Madoka. Naru exchanged glance with Lin. "I have a hunch on who sent them here." he thought to himself.
Yasuhara interrupted. "The high and mighty Harry Burnsworth? Owner of the world's largest conglomerate company?" he asked with enthusiasm.
"Yes. He personally asked me to come here for your help." Toranuseke replied.
Mai was unnaturally quiet and didn't go unnoticed by Naru. "I'll just ask her later." he thought. He turned back to the client. "You may continue."
The client nodded. "Well, last month, the Burnsworths went back to Japan after staying in Los Angeles for years to prepare for the upcoming wedding of Kajika-sama and Fang Li Ren, the former leader of the Huang conglomerate, now an advisor to the current president and was her guardian before, you know, they fell in love. We went back to the old house to stay there while we were preparing for the wedding. Kajika-sama and Li ren-sama wants to do their wedding here so that they could celebrate it with their friends. Kajika-sama wants it badly because her mother's grave is here. She wants to show her mother how happy she is. And another reason is that Kajika-sama and Li Ren- sama want to make it up for an old friend." He looked at Mai and smiled sadly. Mai didn't look at him. She just stared at her lap. Naru noticed this but he promised to ask her later.
"So they are engaged now?" Mai said to herself. "Li Ren would never forgive me." she smiled sadly to herself.
Toranuseke proceeded. "We are now staying at the old house. Of course, when we came there, it was so dirty so we had to call a group of people to clean it. After five days, it was clean as new. We moved their on that day. But shortly, after a few days, strange things had been happening in the house. Things were gone missing. Most of the time, it was the car keys and other important things. Lights will flicker all of a sudden, causing the annoyance of Mr. Burnsworth. We have surveillance cameras that would be taken down of the ceiling."
"Don't you think that it may be a prank by somebody who hates the Burnsworths and the Huangs?" Naru asks with his monotonous voice.
"At first, that was everybody's idea. But when serious things happened, it alarmed Mr. Burnsworth."
Surprisingly, Mai spoke in a low voice "Like what?"
The Gang and Naru looked at her; confused looks were plastered on their faces. Toranuseke answered. "At first, the maids were starting to scream for help at night. When we came to them, they were crying and they claim that they saw a man holding a butcher knife. It was headed towards them and he was about to throw it at them when we came. It went on for several nights and it stopped. When we thought that everything was just their imaginations, another wave came in. This time, it happens in the morning. At the kitchen, all the utensils were floating and suddenly it will swirl and will be thrown on whoever present at the kitchen. It frightened the maids to the extent that they make our food at the backyard. Other strange things happened after that. But the most recent event made me really scared, as well as the Burnsworth and Li Ren- sama." He took a deep breath and continued. "Yesterday, when everyone was asleep, Kajika-sama went out of her room and made her way to the balcony. At that time, I woke up due to bathroom call. I saw her walking, her back on sight, with a man behind her. A tall, muscular man holding a butcher's knife. I started to panic. I made my way to Li Ren- sama' s room and woke him up . I told him what I saw. We immediately made our way to the balcony when we heard Kajika-sama's voice. She screamed for help. When we got there, she was on the other side of the balcony and she was holding tight on the railings. She was about to lose her grip. We ran towards her and pulled her up. Luckily, she was strong enough to hold on the rails. We were so scared for her as well as for our lives. The wedding is set three months from now. Harry Burnsworth does not want a tragedy to happen before the wedding. So please, accept our case." He stood up and bowed his head to plead.
Naru looked at the gang. They were shocked and at the same time looked interested. Lin stopped typing and he looked at Naru. His eyes have a spark which tells that he interested but he turned his look on Mai. Naru followed Lin's gaze and looked at Mai. She looks at Toranuseke with sad, longing eyes. Naru asked her with concern. "What do you think Mai?"
She looked at Naru. Then to Toranuseke who was still on his "bending position" and said, "It's up to you."
Her reply shocked everyone. Normally, in case like this, Mai would even give her puppy looks to Naru for him to accept the case. But this was different. She leaves the decision to Naru immediately, without blinking. Lin raised an eyebrow. There is something that they do not know. "Mai has a lot of things to explain after this." Lin thought.
Naru made his decision. He would accept this case. For two reasons. One, it is really interesting and two, because Mai is acting so oddly. It is not in her character to be so mysterious and lonely.
"Haga- san, we are accepting your case." Naru said.
Toranuseke straightened up and smiled widely, relief can be seen on his young face. "Arigatou!"
Naru requested for rooms for the base and for the couples and so on. Toranuseke happily agreed and said that they could come tomorrow.
"Okay, we would be there by noon. You may go now Haga-san." Naru politely dismissed Toranuseke.
"Thank you very much!" He said. Everyone stood up to say goodbye to the client except for Mai. That is very unlikely of her.
Toranuseke sighed. "Mai-chan, I know you're upset. With Li Ren. But believe me; he has changed since the day you left. If the two of you cannot really avoid the verbal war, please when you come tomorrow, just ignore him. Will that be good?" he asked.
Everyone looked at Mai. Mai raised her head and stood up. She faced Toranuseke with an apologetic face. "I'm sorry for being rude, Toranuseke." She smiled. "Don't worry; I won't even look at him. I promise."
This made the SPR look at the two of them. "How come you know them Mai?" asked Madoka.
"Questions will be answered later." Mai replied mysteriously. "I'll walk him to the door."
They bid farewell to each other and hugged. After that, Toranuseke went home. When Mai came back, the gang was looking at her expectantly. "So, your answer?" asked Naru.
Mai looked at Naru and to the rest of the expectant gang.
"Well, it was a long story. But to make the explanation short, I was the friend that Kajika and Li Ren who they want to make it up to. We were childhood friends, along with Toranuseke. When we grew up, Toranuseke and Li Ren became her bodyguard."
They nodded. "And you?" asked Ayako inquiringly.
She turned her back on them and went to look outside the window. "I became her maid."
"Maid!" John exclaimed.
Mai smiled sadly to herself. With her back on the gang, she knows that they cannot see it. Then she said sadly, "The maid thing was not the problem. They did not obligate me to work full time knowing that I am studying. It was only part-time. After school, I go straight to the mansion. Then they offered me to stay there." she sighed and continued. " I was more than willing to do it because I really need a job at that time that was offered to me because… my mom just passed away and … I need to support myself…" her voice trailed away.
The gang looked at her sadly, even Naru.
Masako, determined to know the mystery behind this case even though it doesn't start yet, asked. "I don't get it Mai. If you are more than willing, what is the problem? You don't seem happy about Haga-san asking help from us. What is it that is bothering you so much?"
Mai turned to look at them, slowly. When they saw her face, they saw pain her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it in the moment." She whispered.
The once vibrant and cheerful mood of the office turned into a sad and cold one and it came from, unexpectedly, Mai. She turned to go into the kitchen without saying any word.
Everyone sighed. Their thoughts were on Mai and on the case at hand.
"I wish I could comfort her." Ayako said solemnly. "But she won't say anything. How can we possibly ease that pain visible in her eyes?"
Naru had his eyes on the kitchen. "Everything would be revealed in time."
Madoka sighed. "Yeah. Naru's right." she affirmed the statement of his ex-student. "We will know it along the case." she turned to face Naru. "You better do something to finish this case as soon as possible. I don't want a gloomy aura here. Especially if Mai was the one who was emitting it."
They all nodded in agreement as they look on the kitchen. The only sound that can be heard from there is a low sniffing of a girl.