Chapter 4 – I need an explanation, Now!

Mai was still watching the ever-changing scenes in front of her, the part of her memories that was lost, most of them is when she's still in Russia. The memories together with her team, brother, and with Ryuu.

"Mai" she turned around to looked who called her name, and she saw Gene. She sadly smile. "Gene"

"You remember me now? You remember that night?" he asked.

She nodded, "yeah… I'm glad you're alright"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

"I thought the barrier was not enough underwater" she said, without looking at him. "Why are you here anyway? I mean, these are my memories. You shouldn't be here. "

He reached for her and hugged her tightly; "I'm part of your memories that you've forgotten." She heard a sob, "I know, a simple 'thank you' will not be enough for what you've done to me, Mai. And that idiot brother of mine has the nerves to hurt you." Although his crying, anger was clearly in his voice, she patted his back to comfort him but she can't help herself but cried when she remembered Naru's response to her confession.

"Gene…" she look at his eyes, "don't tell Naru about this, or rather, not now. My mind still confuse, I don't want to be asked with lots of questions. Please." She pleaded to him. She really don't want Naru to know that she's the one who saved his brother's life, for some reasons. First, he might think that I truly love his brother, to the point of losing my memories in order to save him. Second, she don't like to explain the details to him. And third, she's still keeping her identity to the SPR, knowing Naru, every question is like a road to a trap. She might lose control of herself and accidentally tell him about her.

She heard him sighed. "I understand. I will handle Noll's outbursts."

They both laugh.

Mai is really a kind girl, and that idiot scientist easily hurt her. The reason he saved Mai from the falling bookshelves in the abandon building at her school, was because he recognized her, he know that she's the girl who saved him from that night. But when she called him "Naru" he was hurt, it been a half a year already, did she forget about me? Naru? Did she mean Noll? They already met? Gene thought at that time. So he just let her called him Naru, although he really wanted her to call him by his name - and that was the thing that he regretted, if only at first, she told her about him, she won't get confused and Naru won't ask such stupid question. Really, his brother is the most idiot person he ever know, that he want to give him a trophy, plaque, and medal for his own idiocy.

Maihime, Gene-sama, you have to wake up now.

They look at each other before Gene asks a question How long did we sleep?

Almost two weeks already. It answered.

Understand but, I want you all to rest, go back to the Demon world and recuperate your powers. She said with a worry tone.

But they declined, that won't do Maihime, we're doing fine. Being underwater didn't reduce our powers.

Really? But the SPR didn't know about me… yet. And Lin is a sorcerer, he can feel your presence, and I, personally, don't want to explain complicated things to him.

Gene chuckled. "You can trust Lin, you know" She glared at him, "I know… but, if I will tell him, and Naru will get suspicious, he will never stop bugging me or Lin with questions. I don't want him to be in trouble." He only shrugged and smirked.

Alright Maihime, we understand. But if they will know who you really are, we will go back and guard you again.

Okay! That's better. She cheered. With that they went back to the Demon World.

There's an awkward silence between the two before Mai decided to speak first.

"So~ see you soon?"

"Yeah. See you soon." He gave her a warm smile.

Naru was starting to get impatient waiting for his brother and Mai to wake up. He decided that the two will share a room, so that it is easy for him to ask a lots, lots of questions that even Lin can't answer.

Gene… useless medium, wake up already… I need an explanation, now! He thought impatiently. As if he was heard, Gene's fingers started to move, and groaned can be heard.

"Lin!" he called. When he came to the room, Lin saw Gene's head moving, and he didn't need to be told what to do, he immediately called a doctor. When he opened the door SPR members (or at least, Ayako, and Bou-san) entered inside.

"Gene" he called softly. His attention went to the other bed when he heard Mai groaned, he sighed of relief knowing she will wake up soon too, but he furrowed his eyebrow when he realized something. Don't tell me these two were together? His own thoughts made him angry.

"Mai!" Ayako and Bou-san called. Almost yelled. "Jou-chan, finally! You're awake."

She can only groaned, and slowly open her eyes.

Thwack!

"Get her something to drink, you idiot monk!" Ayako hissed. "You don't have to hit me with old hag." Thwack! Thwack! "Just go already, idiot!" Afraid that Ayako will give another thwack, he hurriedly went out.

Few minutes later, Gene finally opened his eyes too. Lin came back with the doctor and check the two of them, when he gave his "okay" and told then what to do, the doctor left the room and silence fill in, it seems everyone's afraid to speak first. Gene looked at his right side and smiled at Mai.

"Hi Mai, so I finally meet you in person huh. I mean, you are prettier than in the astral plane you know. Right Noll?" Mai blushed at his statement, Ayako just giggle, and he saw Lin smirked.

"I don't know, I didn't saw what she looked like in the astral plane, so, I can't compare" his emotionless answer.

Gene

Yeah?

Shut up!

Oh, why's that? Is that how the Great Oliver Davis get jealous?

He went to Mai's bed and asked if she's alright, when she nodded. "How did you know that Gene can still be save?" he bluntly asked.

"Lin, can you punch Noll for me please." Gene said, before Naru can say anything, Lin's fist already hits his face and he was knocked-out on the floor. Bou-san, who came back from getting drinks and food stopped, and watched the scene before him.

"What the hell, Gene!" he's yelled angrily.

Gene glared at him "Are you really that idiot and insensitive towards Mai? She just woke up, and you asked her that question already? You can ask directly to me instead, because it is me that you're talking about!" he yelled back.

Bou-san went in, "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Calm down, you two." he put the food on the table, and help Naru to get up, he looked at Gene and asked, "What did he do this time?" Gene told him how his brother bluntly asked question to Mai. He let go of Naru, which caused him to dropped on the floor – again. "Are you stupid? Jou-chan just woke up and you asked her like that? Are you that insensitive towards her?" He asked angrily too. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Ayako hits him three times. "What was that for again old hag?"

"You just rephrase and repeat what his brother said just now, idiot."

And they heard Gene's laughter, it echoed inside of the room.

"I never get tired watching the two of you, you're just like my idiot brother and Mai" he said between laughter. "Seeing it personally is hilarious than in the astral plane." The two blushed. Aww… Cute. He thought. He looked at his brother, Lin is helping him now to stand up.

"Are you done with your useless chat?" his voice is colder, but irritation is clearly on it. When they nod, he continue asking "Now Gene, care to explain what the hell happened to you? You're underwater for almost two years –"

"One year and ten months and eighty days to be exact" Gene cut him off, grinning. Naru just rolled his eyes "Whatever useless medium."

"I give you more details idiot scientist." He shot back, Naru gave him his signature glare, but his not affected, he used to it already.

"I need an explanation how the hell you survived, you were dead, I saw it." He asked impatiently.

Ayako step in in their conversation, "Yeah, me too, I want to know it too. It seems impossible, I mean, I don't care what Naru saw in his vision but to be underwater for one year and ten months and eighty days, and still alive?" Gene grinned when she didn't say "almost two years" but rather the detailed one.

"Do you know the owner of the shikis that protected you? And the barrier used is an ancient spell." Lin can't help it but asked too.

So this is why Mai don't want them to know, I was asked with lots of question already. Gene thought, he looked at Mai and smile.

He sighed before looking back at the people who are "interrogating" him, "Guys, there are things that can be explain when the time is right, right now, I can't give you the details because I don't want to trouble her, but I can only this – someone who is kind hearted enough to save a stranger, even if it means losing some of her powers, energy and memories."

"Her?" Naru asked. "You mean it's a girl?"

Gene rolled his eyes because of the stupid question, "No Noll, it's a boy that's why I said her."

Naru just glared at him, Ayako and Bou-san tried to hide their laughter, Lin just chuckled. Bou-san patted Naru's shoulder, "Naru – zero, Gene – two points. He's good to you piss around, Naru." Naru ignored him, "And why Mai also know that you're still alive?" he asked again.

"He told me, when I'm walking towards his body, I heard him saying that he can still be save." Mai answered him, all of them now are looking at her.

"She's right, I told her." Gene said, now their attention is on him – again. "she's the only one whom I can connect to, I tried to put a connection to you Noll, and tell you about it but I can't."

Naru sighed. All of them are quite, "fine, just rest already, so we can go."

The rest of the SPR members came later, they asked a lots of questions to Gene – mostly related to Naru, like his weaknesses – when Gene tried to answer, he can see the death glare of his brother, not for him but for his employees, so he kept his mouth shut. Mai insisted to go home first, she don't have any injuries anyway, she just collapsed when she undone the barrier and shield because her powers rushed into her body and can't keep up.

"Mai, let this idiot scientist to drive you home." Gene offered.

She shook her head, "I can manage on my own Gene. I don't want to give Naru a trouble." She smiled at him

Naru took the car keys from Lin, "You gave a lot of trouble already, so I'll drive you home" he said.

She just rolled her eyes, and follow him.

No one dared to speak during the whole ride. Why she's so quite? Usually, she will start a conversation, even though they're useless. He thought, and glanced at her. She's looking outside, watching the scenery.

"Now that my brother is alive you can confess to him properly." Naru said, as they stopped at her apartment building. Mai looked at him, "do you really buy that stupid reason, Naru?" she can't help it but raised her voice on him. "I know it's my brother that you love and not me." He said emotionlessly.

She had enough! "You know what? Just because you're Mr I-know-everything, a genius and have an IQ of who-knows-what, it doesn't mean you also know whom I really love!" she shouted, with that, she step out on the car, slam it closed, and walked to her apartment without looking back. She immediately called her brother and told him what happen, and she spent her thirty minutes listening to his brother – scolding her.

"I will let Kir, Rurik, and Vlad to take the first flight today. And they will stay there with you, do you understand Mariya Alexandra Irina?" She gulped. She knew her brother, when he called her with her full name, he's really angry, although he sounds calm. She murmured her answer, obviously he didn't hear it properly, "do you understand?" he asked again, with a sharp tone.

"Y-Yes!" she almost shout, geez, since when was the last time he called me with my full name? gah! I'm scared… she thought. She heard a chuckled. "Good, and I'm not deaf so no need to shout." She smile at her brother's answer, he's no longer angry. After their conversation, she took a shower, and go to bed.

I know it's my brother that you love and not me. Naru's words replayed in her mind.

"Idiot scientist! You're really an idiot, you the most idiot and stupid person I've ever met." She said to herself, and tears flows from her eyes. She let herself cried, cried until she fall asleep.

[A/N]:

I really, really appreciate those who reviewed, followed, and favored this story…

Soooo~ three OCs will be introduced next chapter… Look forward to it!