Disclaimer:

Not mine.

...

Marriage

...

Naoki Osora or simply called Nao by her friends, stared at the lady standing away from her. Shibuya Mai, the president's wife.

So pretty and petite. Her eyes, a vibrant shade of brown, widened ever so slightly when the door of the president's office opened. She hid behind the wall of the kitchenette right before her husband Shibuya Kazuya could notice.

Her long shoulder-length hair was the same color as her eyes- only darker. She looked so innocent— almost childlike— in the way she tried to spy on her husband. Nao never would have thought that Mrs. Shibuya was very young. Not only that but she never expected her to be so very friendly with the staff.

Her assumptions were entirely wrong. She felt somehow guilty. And yet after distressing herself by imagining what kind of woman Mr. Shibuya was married to, Naoki was quite surprised and quite glad by her discovery.

So, this is the woman she's going to keep an eye on.

Mr. Shibuya wanted her to report each and every action done by his wife. It was rather strange to do such a thing since the woman seemed completely harmless nor was she capricious. In fact, she's meek and dainty to ever warrant Mr. Shibuya's intense scrutiny. What did Mrs. Shibuya do? Or maybe she had some ailment and on the verge on dying that's why she had to be monitored at all cost? That seemed unlikely since the woman was quite energetic and her figure looked fine enough. There's no sign of swooning or paling or anything at all that might indicate a weak disposition.

And there's something else too. When she applied for the job, there's no interview at all. She was instantly accepted. She thought it odd and while going through the job details Ms. Madoka somehow confirmed her doubts.

"Report to me everything that she has done and keep her away from trouble at all cost." Ms. Madoka quoted rather cheerfully. "That's the president's order."

"However, there's one important requirement," Madoka said while ticking her forefinger at her in a no-no attitude. "That requirement is— you must not absolutely tell her any of this, if you want to keep this job, that is. Although you've been accepted quite easily, your performance will be based impromptu— meaning you're fired if she got into any trouble." She finished with a wide grin.

... Wha?

She could only gape at the woman at that time. She got a job with such a high pay but she never would have thought that she'd be a secret bodyguard. Really.. That's what the job really entailed even though they used a nicer word.

Nao took a deep breath. Maybe she should resign after all.

"Ah! Ms. Osora, there you are!" Madoka waved her hands as she hastily approached. "You'll be working with a partner since you have no skills and experience about our business."

Nao blinked. ... She has no skill?

Naoki frowned. She wrote all of her skills and experience in the resume. What did she mean? Come to think of it, she said it in an odd way.Confused, Naoki followed her to the room. The manager was also there with the new employee. They came upon them just as they finished discussing his role in SPR.

"Naru." Madoka smiled at the manager who nodded at her in return. Nao felt nervous all of the sudden. Mr. Shibuya possessed such an imposing character. Well, he did frighten her during the interview, and even though he was very polite at that time, Nao couldnt help but feel otherwise. He made her feel puny and self-conscious. Since she would be working for him, Nao felt her confidence slowly disappearing. He had this image of sublime dexterity, as if he's proficient enough on his own and that he doesn't need the help of other people. Well, since the true nature of her job was to keep his precious wife from any harm, she doubted that their contract was exclusively reserved for that.

"Ms. Osora, this is Sakuraba Kyousuke." The man across the manager stood up and shook hands with her. "He's a mechanical engineer. His job is to make sure that the equipments are in top working condition. And since it's also the work of an assistant to know the functions of the equipments—" She turned to the other employee. "Mr. Sakuraba? Can you bring her with you to the storage room?" She nodded to the employee.

"Of course. I also have to check some of your equipments— Mr. Shibuya just informed me that there's a problem with one of the thermal scanners."

.. thermal scanner? Whoa, what a high kick business. Why do they have such a thing?

Madoka beamed. "Good! Then, we'll be leaving the two of you at the moment. The storage room is right there," she said and pointed to the other side of the room. "I'll be back later. So if you need anything, just approach Mr. Yasuhara. He's in the storage room checking a few records regarding our last case." She turned around and was about to walk away when Naru called out.

"Where is she?" Naru said.

Madoka turned around to face him and exhaled a sigh of exasperation. "Sulking in her office. She mistook your intentions and thought that you're replacing her. I heard from Monk that she's packing right now. Why won't you just talk to her? Your silent animosity is not helpful at all, you know?"

There was a long stretch of silence between the two. Naoki blinked several times at the awkwardness. Even Sakuraba had noticed.

... eh? What's going on?

"How can I possibly talk to her when she's avoiding me all the time."

"It's because she's upset with you."

"That's not the answer to my question, Madoka."

"Well, I don't know! You're her husband. You should know what to do."

Naru apparently had nothing else to say, so Madoka left, shaking her head and grumbling something about prideful men.

Nao swallowed the lump in her throat and bravely faced the irritated manager. "Mr. Shibuya, we'll be.. going ahead." She bowed, wanting to get out of the the room as quickly as possible. However she couldn't help but notice the lack of response from the man. He barely even nodded to her before walking out of the room.

... What's that look on his face? So rude!

She scowled all the way to the storage room. She's still puzzling over what happened earlier when they entered the room. She nearly jumped in shock at what she saw. Shelves full of equipments that she had never seen before towered over them. The tables were also the same and even the cabinets and the floor.

She's going to study all these?

"Oh, you're the newcomers!"

Nao shifted her shocked gaze to the man waving at the two of them. He was siting in front of a desk in the middle of the room. The lights from the laptop screen in front of him made his eyeglasses gleam as he smiled at them.

He must be Mr. Yasuhara. Nao let out a deep breath, thank god he seemed normal, unlike the manager and Ms. Madoka. Well, Ms. Madoka was very nice but sometimes her cheerfulness was frighteningly too blunt for her peace of mind.

"Ahh, Sakuraba-san." Yasuhara nodded his head to the other man. They probably met each other already. Then he shifted his eyes at her and smiled. "And you, young lady?"

"I'm Osora Naoki. It's a pleasure to meet you, Yasuhara-san." She bowed.

"Oh, a pleasure? Hmm." He grinned and scratched his head shyly before turning quite serious all of a sudden. "Will you marry me then?" He winked at her, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

... He's not normal at all!

Naoki thought with grimace, she nearly fell to the floor.

"Ah! W-What's this?" She dashed to the side, changing the topic and leaving Yasuhara to sulk in a corner for being ignored.

What's wrong with the staff here? The only one normal so far was Mrs. Shibuya and Mr. John.

And well, is there something normal with a bass-guitarist monk and a super model priestess? Nao didn't even want to think about it.

"This looks so complicated.." She muttered, staring at the contraption.

"That's a thermal scanner. It is kinda complicated."

"How do this function then?"

"Huh? It detects changes in the temperature of course." Yasuhara said matter-of-factly, making her blush in embarrasment.

...Of course, she knows that!

"Mr. Shibuya uses a thermal scanner to monitor and pin point cold spots." Sakuraba said with a smile.

.. ohhhh.

After a few minutes, they settled in a companionable conversation as she tried to memorize the functions of each equipment. Sakuraba was sitting across from Yasuhara as he started dismantling the thermal scanner he mentioned being broken.

"What's this one?" She bent over the weird looking camera on the table. Sakuraba looked at the device.

"That's a night vision camera."

"Ohh, like the one they often use in prison?" She saw one when her step brother was hired as prison guard. It was used to monitor dark places around the prison hulk in order to prevent escapees.

Yasuhara chuckled. "Our equipments here are far superior in quality since we have to monitor unidentified beings and all."

"Then, what about this?" She pointed to a microphone-like device.

Yasuhara took his eyes away from the monitors and looked at the object of her fascination. "That's an EVP recorder."

"EVP?" Nao frowned. It's the first time she heard such a thing.

Yasuhara stared at her, he found her question quite puzzling for some reason. "You really don't know anything about ghost hunting, do you?"

Nao's eyes widened in dismay. "G-Ghost hunting?"

...Silence.

.. Is this a lame joke or what?

"Nao-san.. could it be... that you don't know anything about this business?" Yasuhara said, all but amusement dripping from his tone. He's not joking after all.

She paled.

"O-of course not!" She sputtered in embarrasment. Actually, she didn't know anything at all.. "This is a law firm, right?" She ended lamely. The silence became even more distressing as the two men stared at her. Their faces were very blank.

"Oh, dear.."

As it turned out, SPR specialized in paranormal research or in other words 'Ghost hunting'. As for her excuse, the desperation of her circumstances could be blamed. Her father was admitted in a hospital near Shibuya a few months ago. The doctor told her that he needed to operate on his heart but she was short financially and so she borrowed money from one of the Mafias in town. She had to return the money before the year ends but she was currently unemployed. So when she happened to pass by Shibuya street and saw the paper stating that SPR needed an assistant, she leapt at the opportunity quickly before someone else took the chance.

"So are you still eager for this job?" Yasuhara said.

"Err." Should she reveal the true nature of her job? Ms. Madoka stated that Mrs. Shibuya shouldn't know anything about it but she never said that she couldn't say anything to other people.

"Well.. the truth is."

"Hmm. I see." Yasuhara said after hearing her explanation. "I can understand why the boss would do such a thing." He leaned back on the chair. "But I never would have thought that he'd retort to such measures."

"What happened between those two?"

"So eager to hear something scandalous, are you not?" Yasuhara teased.

"N-no, of course not!" Nao blanched.

"Well, the president's wife is a gifted medium."

"Medium? That's someone who talks to spirits, right?"

"Yes." Yasuhara said and grinned. "And here I thought you know nothing."

"I read some books."

"I bet it's Harlequin."

Nao blushed. Well, she read some Gothic romance books, alright.

"Aside from being a medium, Mai has strong E.S.P. She can perform astral projection, clairvoyance, clairsentience, precognition, psychometry, and a bit of telepathy."

.. Alright! Alright! She knew nothing about ghost hunting. Stop rubbing it in her face. Geez.

"Sometimes she can also exorcise spirits in a unique way by simply talking to them. No chants or spiritual charms needed." Yasuhara smiled. "So that's why she's a magnet of trouble both in the paranormal and realistic sense of the word. What do you think will happen if people found out that she had strong psychic abilities? The media tend to scrutinize matters like that with no shame at all. That's why we're very explicit and careful when we accept a client— that also goes the same with our staff. You've read the contract and, needless to say, you're obliged to follow certain rules regarding the confidentiality of our company."

Nao stared at the man. Come to think of it. Everything was written in the policy of SPR. Why did she forget such an important detail?

Her shoulders stooped in defeat. Well, the president frightened her out of her wits that she barely understood what was written in it.

"So, how come you know nothing about E.S.P and such and yet you still managed to get yourself into this job?"

"I have no idea."

An hour later, Nao went out of the room at the same time Mr. Shibuya came out of his office with an irritated Madoka at his heels. "I told you she'll find out sooner or later."

He ignored her and was about to turn left when their eyes clashed.

.. Oh, no. Maybe she should run. They obviously found out that she told Yasuhara everything.. and that Yasuhara-san probably said everything to Mrs. Shibuya. That slyboot, she told him not to say anything.

"You." Naru said in a dark tone as he pierced her with a glare.

"Don't blame her. It's not necessary to hire her in the first place." Madoka said in a chiding tone.

"Not necessary?" He shifted his scowl at the older woman. "It's entirely necessary that I keep my wife from getting herself killed!"

... Uwooooo.

The SPR manager, known for having an unbreakable composure, was shouting. Nao wished that the floor would open up and swallow her whole and maybe spit her out of the building. However, that's impossible so she just kept her mouth shut as the two argued.

"It's not your fault. You're in the hospital when—

"You're right. It's not my fault. It's her fault. I told her not to do anything reckless." He bit out angrily.

"But, Naru—

"It's my fault, alright."

Nao was rooted on the spot. Mr. Shibuya's wife was standing across the room, holding a large box. Nao thought that she knew everything. So why did she look as if she's still packing?

"Mai. I'll explain everything. It's my fault too," she glared daggers at Naru before giving a pleading look at Mai.

"It's okay. There's no need to explain. I'm resigning." She turned her eyes to Nao and then smiled at her. "Please take a good care of him. Who knows what will happen if there's no one to reign that arrogant head of his." She spat, her face flushing in irritation.

.. Eh?

She really thought she'd say something nice. But.. wait— take care of him?!

How could she possibly take care of someone like him? He'd eat her alive!

"Mai-chan, Naru was only worried about you." Madoka intervened in a cajoling tone but the woman only turned her saddened eyes at the said person.

"Really, Madoka-san. I'm fine! There's no need to worry." She laughed. It sounded so strained that it actually hurt Nao's heart.

"But-

"She said she's fine." Naru cut in with an unreadable look on his face. His voice, so cold that Nao almost winched.

He then turned his chilling gaze to his wife. "Let her do what she wants. I have better things to do than have a pointless quarrel with a child."

"Naru!" Madoka exclaimed in outrage.

"It's okay. I don't care what he thinks of me— not anymore." Mai spat before storming out of the room.

"YOU!" Madoka pointed her finger at Naru. "Go after her right now!"

"Why should I? She won't listen to reason." He said. The stress and frustration must've showed in his voice. Madoka slowly lowered her arm. Her expression becoming solem and wistful.

"Just comfort her, will you? Mai knew that what she did was wrong but she did it because she was worried about everyone. You, yourself, was injured after trying your powers on that demon. So she did what she had to do in order to finish the case and to keep everyone safe." She said.

Nao watched as the expression on the president's face changed. He looked almost forlorn and defeated. It was unexpected to see that look on his face. He must have been really worried about his wife.

"I hate it.."

Madoka's eyes widened.

Naru continued, "..being stuck in that hospital when I received the news that she exorcised that demon.." Placing a trembling hand to his aching temple, Naru had no more strength to stop the words from coming out of his mouth. ".. I've never felt so powerless and afraid in my entire life."

.. Those words. Nao clutched her hands into fists, trying in earnest not to cry. The intensity of his feelings for his wife was there- in that short sentence. No flowery words, no sweetness. His tormented voice was proof enough.

"I know," Madoka said in a hushed whisper, as if she too was fighting her own tears. Then she grazed him with a gentle smile full of tenderness and understanding. ".. Just tell her how you feel. She's blaming herself for what happened to you, you know?"

Naru sighed. "She's an idiot."

"Go on— before she took the entire office with her. The others wouldn't let her go but if she insisted on leaving, they would follow her for sure."

"I don't have to hire my own wife to make this business work. I can manage on my own. In fact, that's what I'm doing right from the start."

"Oh? But you like it better when she's around." Madoka smiled teasingly at him.

Naru glared at her.

Madoka chuckled and waved her forefinger at him like a scolding mother. "You should have stayed single if you want to keep that kind of attitude. Really.. you're still a child."

"Alright. But I'm still firing her." He glanced at Naoki before going after his wife.

.. WHAT?

Her jaw dropped.

"Don't worry. I'm rehiring you.." Madoka smiled reassuringly at her. ".. as Mai's assistant."

She blinked. "Eh?"

Madoka pouted. "Well.. Naru-chan is such a difficult boss, you can't possibly endure him." She smiled at her and then pouted again. "And he won't calm down until his wife is under lock and key, but he loves her that's why he tolerates her behavior and keeps her by his side at all times. It's unfortunate that he was hospitalized in the middle our last case, that's why no one could stop Mai from being a bit.. willful since he's the only one who can match her stubborness, after all. So what do you think?"

"But what about Shibuya-san?"

"I'll take care of him."

".. Can you? He seems so.."

"I know." She grinned at her. "But I'm his mentor. I can make him do anything I want."

... Eh?

"He would not have said those things if I'm not. He listens whenever I pry into his own problem. That kid can't deal with everything without upsetting someone."

Nao agreed. It was very surprising to hear him admit his own fears.

"But will it be okay for Mrs. Shibuya to have me as a guard? You said she's willful. She may resent the thought that someone's watching her all the time."

Madoka laughed. "Mai's not mad about that. Not at all. She might even be grateful."

"Then, why did she.."

"She's angry at her husband for not telling her anything, that's all."

.. Oh..

Nao smiled wistfully at herself. If she's in Mai's shoes, she would have done the same thing.

"Then, I accept.."

Later in the evening she helped Mai to unpack her belongings. The woman finally reconciled with her husband. Mr. Shibuya seemed on edge for some reason, no doubt he said embarrasingly sweet things to his wife. Yasuhara didn't even apologize for telling Mai everything. In fact, he even teased her because of it.

"He's really head over heels for you."

"Stop it. What if Naru heard you? He's tormented enough as it is."

"I bet you'd torment him some more later."

"Well, I'm just giving him time to recover."

"Since when did you become a wicked hussy?"

"Marry someone if you want to know the answer."

Yasuhara looked at Nao and leered quite openly.

She scowled at him and walked out of the room.

Marry him?

Over her dead body!

...

FIN

...

Author's Note:

EVP recorder or 'Electronic Voice Phenomena' is used to analyze background or random noises in the environment. Psychics use it to know whether a random noise has any hidden or significant meaning/pattern.

As you've read, Mai's psychic powers improved. Yasuhara was not joking or exaggerating his statement just to irritate Nao. I believe Mai's psychic abilities were similar to Gene's. And because of that, those two managed to interact with each other in a dream.