Important note: THERE IS A POLL ON MY PAGE. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK ON MAKING THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS IN LIN'S POINT OF VIEW. PLEASE GO VOTE. THE POLL WILL CLOSE IN SIX DAYS (MAY 4th, since that's my birthday.) THANKS FOR VOTING!
Are you guys happy? I cut my fingers because of you! No... I was actually just emptying the dishwasher and grabbed a knife by the blade, slicing the fingers on my left hand... and that's the hand I write with too... T_T BUT! If you ever need bandages, I'm your girl. I got like... fifty on me at all times, even at night. I also have an ace bandage, a bag of pain killers, and aloe vera patches... and disinfectant. Let's just say I've walked straight into my fair share of accidents, most of which are walking into walls, trees, glass doors, doors, and falling up and down stairs. Uhm... thanks for the reviews! I feel so happy! Nobody has hated this... but if you do... please tell me! I'd rather know what's wrong and be able to improve it, than not know and not be able to.
Lovenarumai: I actually pictured Lin's face as more of a look of "What the fuck..." while I was typing. Trying to picture Lin in despair is just too unsexy. Hmm... I don't know why Lin didn't rescue her. He was probably too busy registering that he looked unsexy in your mind when you imagined him being desperate... or.. Well... that's what he was doing in my mind :D. I don't know what to do about Naru. He's just so narcissistic, I've never really pictured him to give a shit about others... But now that I think about it... maybe the reason he's narcissistic is because Gene was like him and he liked Gene, thene he just took it on as an act? God. I love you! You're just getting my brain fluids moving! Thanks for being curious. This chapter's dedicated to you! And thank you for liking my notes! It makes me feel so special! Yes, she told Lin, and how about you read this chapter to find out what's going to happen! :D This update is just for you! If I could, I'd give you a cookie. But I can't. Thank you for reviewing!
Now I'll shut up and get on with the story :).
Chapter 4: The fourth chapter! (Already!? Wow!)
"What!?" Lin snaps at me as I whisper the words.
"The bad men grabbed me and put me in a black van, so I called you for help, but I fell on my phone when one of the bad men tackled me, so the call ended. Don't tell anybody though. It's a se-cr-et I want you to keep. They were bad men, but I don't want Naru to be mad at me. I don't want Yasuhara to be sad for me. I don't want Monk to love me and feel bad for me. I. DON'T. NEED. ANY. FUCKING. BODIES. PITY!" I choke out the last parts in a sort of yell that Naru can probably hear. I feel like I'm dying on the inside. I didn't want to tell Lin while high on some pain killers that must be slowly fading away, for I'm growing tired and sane. I also feel the faint pain in my hand, legs, and arms.
"Mai..." Lin says, freezing as he comprehends all I just said.
"Lin... I'm... Im scared." I choke, tears spilling down my face. "I don't want anyone to hate me. I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot. It's all my fault! I'm worthless! I'm a huge burden!" I cry harder.
"Mai..." Lin speaks in a cold, yet comforting voice, "stop. You are not worthless. You should know everyone here at SPR loves you, even Miss Hara and Naru. You should never be sorry that you were raped. If anything, the one who should be sorry are the scumbags who did this to you. You will never be a burden on any of us, and without you, some of our cases would never have worked out. We found out about Tomiko from you. If you hadn't gone into the sewers, we would never have found where those wooden dolls were hidden, and we wouldn't have known about all the foxfires consuming each other if you didn't dream of it. We wouldn't be SPR without your kind, caring personality that warms people up when they come with their issues. You make our costumers feel cared about. You'll cry with them, or laugh with them, and it makes our office much warmer than before you came along. Even if this sounds stupid, I'm glad you knocked over that shelf and caused me to hurt myself. You even found it your responsibility to yell at me about my hatred for the Japanese. You are just like the boy, Eugene, who said the same thing you did that time." (A.N.: I know... what kind of Lin comforts Mai? But I had to put that in there... I know it's way ooc.)
I sniffle, "Lin, I'm tired... can I sleep now?"
"Yes. Go to sleep. Naru and I will take you home and put you to bed. You just sleep for now. You need it."
I nod my head as I close my eyes, resting my head on Lin's shoulder. Soon afterwards, I feel my body being lifted into a warm seat, resting against another body as I drift into my meadowy paradise once more today.
Soon I awaken in a fairly warm bed. I moan and turn in bed, pain shooting through my arms, legs, and left hand.
I immediately remember the events of yesterday as I shoot up in bed. I look to the clock. It reads 15.12. (A.N.: 15.12= 3:12pm) It's late... I should get up... I look around for my phone, which I find on the small table next to my bed.I pick it up in my hand and check for messages. I find none and sigh in relief.
I feel glad that it's Saturday, meaning no school.
I look back over at the table and find a small note. It read:
Dear Mai,
We put you in bed last night after you fell asleep. I'm not sure why you or Lin were acting so weird, but come into work by 15.30, or I will be forced to dock 5,000¥from your pay. (A.N.: 5,000¥= 39.15€, or $51.00) Oh, and Lin says he's bringing some food in to work for you, since you probably haven't eaten since 'it' happened and are probably famished. I know you're probably still sitting in bed reading this, and I would like to remind you that I really will dock your pay that much. Oh, and when you get there, tea.
–Kazuya Shibuya, or as you prefer to call me, Naru the Narcissist.
I launch up and throw on a casual long sleeved black button up shirt and a short skirt as I collect my bag and phone, running from my house, locking the door, and continuing towards my goal of not losing 5,000¥.
I dash into the SPR office just on time, too.
"Take that you slave driver! I made it!" I yell at the top of my lungs.
"Hello to you too, Mai." Ayako says, looking at me strangely.
"Oh... uhh... Hi Ayako, John." I say, blushing.
"Tea!" Naru calls, walking out.
"Hello Naru." Ayako says.
"G'day, Kazuya." John greets, his Australian accent clearly accented on his voice. (A.N.: on his sexy voice.)
"This is not a place for you people to hang out! How many times do I have to say that!?" Naru sighs at the sight of the miko and priest.
"You're so rude, Naru. Can't they hang out here? It's not like they're harming anything. Well, Ayako might. But John won't." I sigh, as I walk towards the kitchen, Ayako's eyes glaring daggers at my back.
I enter the kitchen and find a bag on the counter as I prepare tea.
"Mai," Naru calls, "we have a client coming in, so make six cups of tea!"
"Hai!" I respond, as I open the bag.
My stomach growls as I see four sandwiches inside. I smile in gratitude. But before I can take a bite, the kettle whistles, meaning the tea is ready. I sigh and rub my stomach, carefully preparing six cups of tea.
I hear a knock on the door as the client enters the office. I walk out of the kitchen with my sandwiches and hand my friends the tea, setting my sandwich bag on the coffee table.
Lin strolls out of his office and grabs a cup of tea while I hand Naru his and turn my attention to the client.
I freeze as the man smiles at me.
"Hello there, madam. I see we meet again. But I was unable to catch your name last time I had the pleasure of meeting you."
"You know Mai?" Naru asks the man who raped me. The man who stole my purity from me on that cold night.
I avoid eye contact, trying not to show that I was afraid of him, as I hand him his tea and sit on the arm of the sofa Ayako and John were sitting on. I then reach for my bag, only to find no sandwiches left.
I look around and find one in Ayako's hand, one in John's, one in Naru's and one in the rapist client's.
My stomach growls impatiently as I stare at the floor, depressed over the loss of the only food I've laid my eyes on since lunchtime at school two days ago.
Suddenly, there is a sandwich under my nose. Looking up, I find John looking at me in pity, giving me the sandwich he took. I smile gratefully as I accept it, eating the seemingly small goodie.
Lin then hits Naru upside the head, saying, "I bought those for her you moron. If you wanted any, you could have purchased some yourself."
Looking rather annoyed, Naru hands me his, which I consume in ten seconds. Surprisingly, nobody questions why Lin got me food.
Ayako and the rapist don't give their stolen goods up however, due to the fact that they had already eaten them.
With the matter of my stomach under control now, I focus on the perverted client's story.
"Well, you see. In the middle of the night, I will be sleeping in my bed alone, when suddenly, I can feel someone beside me. I look over, and can see my ex-wife in the bed. But when I blink, she vanishes. I also will look out the window into the garden, and see children running about. But my two kids are usually at school when this happens. One day, a couple years ago, my third child was pushed down the stairs and died from the fall. They later found a large man's hand prints on her back. My two children haven't been up the stairs since, and have told me they were raped by ghosts. Also, there are noises coming from rooms that have been locked up for years, and when the maids are asked, they say that the doors are locked. There are also several maids missing." He sighs.
"Have you ever tried moving?" Naru asks.
"Yes. Twice already. The haunts happened shortly after my ex-wife's suicide. She slit her wrists due to the depression of the divorce I told her I wanted. I took my three children and moved a month after, and it seems like the spirits have been following us since."
"We will take your case, please leave any extra information with my assistant, Lin. We will need two rooms upon arrival, however." When hearing two, instead of three, I was shocked.
"One sleeping quarters to fit eight people, and one for a base."
"That can be arranged very quickly. Please arrive in two days."
After they finish talking, and the man, who turns out to be named Kokori Takeo, leaves, Naru turns to face me. (A.N.: Takeo Kokori, if you want his first then last name. Takeo means "violent warrior".)
"Where did you meet him before, Mai?"
"Oh, nowhere..." I say, looking down and avoiding the question, as I slide off the arm of the couch and walk over to start filing.
"Miss Taniyama... is he..?" Lin asks me.
I look over to Lin, and look him right in the face, nodding my head yes.
Lin looks taken aback by my answer.
"Miss Matsuzaki, Miss Taniyama, may I speak with you two privately for a moment?" (A.N.: For those who don't know, Ayako's name is Ayako Matsuzaki.)
"Hai!" We both say, walking with Lin to his office, Lin firmly shutting the door.
Lin then turns and says to me, "Mai, sit on the desk."
I do as I am told.
"Miss Matsuzaki. Please check Mai's hand."
"Hai." Ayako says, softly grabbing my bandaged hand and unwrapping it.
She pokes at it for a few minutes before saying, "it seems pretty badly burnt. Though it should be fine in one or two weeks."
"Alright. One more thing." Lin says.
"Hai?"
"Check the inside of her thighs."
Ayako sticks her hand up my skirt and touches each of my thighs, (A.N.: sexii ;o... KIDDING!) receiving flinches from the slightest pressure.
"They seem to be badly bruised. What happened?" Ayako asked.
"Mai was climbing a tree because she found a kitten stuck in it. She slipped and fell hard onto another branch. I guess she bruised her thighs from the fall." Lin states, simply. I am taken aback how easily Lin lied like that.
Ayako shrugs and stands back up. "Is that all?"
"Yes. Now if you'll please leave me to speak with Mai for a minute."
Ayako exits.
Damn... here it comes. He remembers what I said to him last night!
"Mai. Why don't you want anyone to know?" Lin asks.
"Please... don't tell them... I just don't..." I cry.
"I have no intentions of speaking a word to any of them. But, I would like you to know that Naru and Yasuhara are not stupid, and will most likely figure out what's going on."
"I know..." I sigh, getting to my feet and walking out the door to do my paperwork.
At 20.30 (A.N.: 8:30pm) I finally exit the office with John, who Lin had made walk me home, saying he didn't want me heading home alone. John had agreed immediately, knowing Lin would probably kill him if he said no.
I look up into the sky, and notice one of Lin's shiki above me.
"Really, Lin? You sent a shiki to follow me?" I sigh, knowing the shiki will tell him what I'm saying.
"You can see them?" John asks.
"I guess I can..." I say, walking towards my house. "Shoo!"
I smack at the shiki, which backs off and away from me and John, back towards SPR.
John leaves once I enter my house, and I watch him walk off from my window.
Once he is out of sight, I walk to my small kitchen and pull the tiny wooden box out from under the loose tile in the corner of the room.
I slide the lid off of the box and pull out the small blade.
My whole body shakes as I hold back the tears threatening to spill from my eyes.
I roll up the sleeve of my shirt to reveal my small, delicate, and pale arm. I then press the cold blade to a spot on my wrist that looked undisturbed.
I pull the blade to the side, my wrist growing crimson as I reposition the small tool a little higher above the line I just created. I stroke the small "brush", drawing a beautiful, yet sad, picture on my burning arm. My tears finally spill out of my tortured eyes. I gasp and shudder as my painting grows more confusing, the lines getting deeper and clashing with each other.
Soon, my red paint dries on my infuriated arm. I slowly put my brush away in its hiding place as I walk over to the sink to wash the paint off of my miniature canvas.
My arm burns with the silent pleas to get away from the stinging water, but I deny it the pleasure of hiding beneath my shirt once more. But that is before I hear the sharp knock on my door.
I jump, at the hollow rapping sound, calling for me to come let the owner of the knocking in.
"Coming!" I call, letting my sleeve droop down to my hand once more, successfully covering my partially faded art.
I walk to the door and look through the small glass hole to find myself gazing upon Naru and Yasu.
"Can I help you two?" I ask them, sliding the door open.
"Yes. Mai, we want to know what happened two nights ago." Naru says.
Then Yasu adds to what Naru said, speaking the words I never wanted to hear.
"And this time we have evidence."
Oh. My. Gosh! Do Naru and Yasu know yet? What's going to happen next? Will I get the vanilla and strawberry cake I asked for on my birthday? All these questions and more will be answered in the next chapter of: The Darkness of Love! Since some of you might not know your stuff, I'm posting this information for you guys:
Hosho Takigawa is a 25 year old hakkaisou, a Buddhist monk who has left his position at Mt. Koya. He claims that he left because they did not allow music CDs, (Suck it up!) and his day job is playing bass guitar in a popular band. He is one of the more powerful and effective members of the group and takes the lead in Naru's absence. The other members of SPR refer to him casually as "Monk". (Monk in Japanese seems to be Bou-san.) He is also very protective of Mai and acts like an older brother to her, (Cute!) even teaching her some Buddhist warding chants. "Nau maku san manda bazara dankan" (Had to read the manga to find this, but I found it, eh.)
Ayako Matsuzaki is an outspoken 23 year old self-styled Shinto miko. She is confident and proud of her abilities, though her attempts to demonstrate them have almost always fallen short. (Ha. Never liked her anyways, until the tree thing... pretty cool!) She does teach Mai some defensive sutras. "rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen!" It is later revealed that her powers only work when she is around living trees as she draws power from the spirits in them. As a child, the spirit from a large tree in front of her house taught her much of what she knows now. Being near such trees allows her to purify spirits through a particular Shinto ritual. This makes her a unique priestess as she performs her rituals not in a shrine, but anywhere that has trees nearby. However, she has to let the spirits from the trees to rest for six months after she uses them.
John Brown is a nineteen-year-old Caucasian Catholic priest from Australia who learned to speak Japanese with a Kansai accent, thus giving his sentences a rather odd, humorous structure. (I like the way he speaks, thank you very much.) Good-natured and helpful, he helps Mai and Naru however he can. His means of exorcism is spraying holy water while reciting the first passage of John from the New Testament of the Bible. In most cases SPR relies on John's exorcisms whenever a person is possessed by a spirit. (Like in the Christmas episode, which is the best case...) In the Cursed House File, it is revealed that John's exorcisms, unlike Houshou's Mantras or Ayako's Shinto Kuji, do not cause physical harm when used on a something possessed.
Masako Hara is a 16 year old spirit medium with a popular tv show and has the ability to channel the dead. Aside from Mai, she is the only one who can sense spirits and their natures. Because she is always wearing a kimono, even while sleeping, she is remarked as resembling a Japanese doll. She has romantic feelings towards Naru and is jealous of how casual and free Naru is when dealing with Mai. This initially causes friction between Masako and Mai, as she views Mai as a rival; however, after Mai saves her in the Blood-stained Labyrinth File, they reach a shaky truce. In personality, she is often serious and condescending towards Ayako and Mai. However this is most probably because she viewed Ayako and Mai as rivals for Naru. In the novels, it is revealed that Masako knows of Naru's true identity and his psychic powers and has used that secret to extract favors out of Naru himself, despite his reluctance to participate in social events. (Recourceful bitch. Leave Mai's Naru alone... grr...)
Osamu Yasuhara is a 3rd year top-ranked high school student and president of his school's student council. Yasuhara first appears as a client of SPR as a result of unexplainable phenomena occurring at his school. After the case is solved, he continues to help out SPR on other cases, including standing in as "Kazuya Shibuya" at the request of Naru and performing background research off-site while the others are on a case. He has no psychic powers of his own, but his sharp mind and work efficiency make him a great help to the team. In the Cursed House, he was called to research the folklore of the surrounding areas and was able to determine the source of all the spirits being manipulated to kill the family. (Smart cookie!) He has an unorthodox sense of humor that usually consists of telling convoluted lies that creep out or irritates the other party. (Damn funny is what I call it) He does it mostly to people who tease or are rude to him. He refers to it as "being a jerk to a jerk". He also does not scare easily.
Sorry for the long author's note, and just before I end this, I would like to ask you guys a question. Does anybody know where I could find a place to read the Ghost Hunt novels? They seem to have more information than the anime or manga. If you do, please PM me? Thanks! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review! I'll be back with chapter five soon!