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M.C.
After finally reaching her breaking point of listening to Bou-san and Ayako bickering, Mai turns to Naru, asking, "What's your conclusion? If there's no spirits haunting this building, what's going on?"
"Land subsidence," Naru answers matter-of-factly. "According to my research, which Lin-my assistant-was gathering proves it."
"How does that explain the windows breaking!?" Bou-san demands.
"What's beneath the school, then?" Mai wonders.
"A dried up well," Naru answers, ignoring Bou-san completely. Mai frowns, thinking of all
the peculiar incidences…
"And the stories that surround this building?" Mai asks. "Surely those can't all be attributed to land subsidence or storytelling?"
"While it is true that a teacher committed suicide in the building, there is nothing to suggest that the accidents that occurred to workers was anything more than negligence and subsidence of the land below the building."
"Correlation doesn't always equal causation," Mai murmurs, thinking of what Ayako had taught her. Just because the presentation of symptoms occurred around the same does not mean they're connected, though it certainly doesn't mean that they aren't, either. Simply put, explore all options and listen to what the patient is telling you. They know their body more than even the most experienced doctors...except you, maybe.
"Exactly," Naru answers, causing Mai to jump. She honestly hadn't expected anyone to hear her. "As such, this case is solved."
"You cannot be serious!" Ayako hisses with Bou-san (for once) nodding in agreement.
"As Shibuya-san said, there is no evidence to support your ridiculous belief," Masako sniffs, "which would be why I don't sense anything."
"I need to get going," Mai informs Ayako before the latter can verbally retaliate. "I have to grocery shop. I'll see ya tomorrow; same time, right?"
"Yes. Text me when you make it home!" Mai nods and waves goodbye to the rest. She doesn't escape wholly unscathed, however. Bou-san manages to trap her in a crushing hug that takes the breath out of her lungs for a moment before she's released.
"It was nice to meet you, John-san," Mai says, smiling brightly.
"It was nice to meet you, too, Mai-san," he answers, returning her smile with one of his own. With a final wave, Mai's out the door and headed toward the store. She pulls out her list, scanning through the items written there, making sure she didn't forget anything earlier.
"What were you doing in the Schoolhouse?" a voice demands, causing Mai to jerk her head up.
"Kuroda?!" Mai blurts. "What are you doing here?"
"I asked first; what were you doing in there?" the girl demands, crossing her arms, not about to budge on the subject.
"My sensei and some others are investigating the building," Mai answers, studying the girl quizzically.
"I can help," she proclaims. "I am psychic, after all. And there are spirits in the building."
"It's land subsidence," Mai answers. Well, maybe. "So your help isn't necessary; thank you for the offer, though."
"The Old Schoolhouse is haunted; I swear it is!" Kuroda says icily. Her hands clench into fists. "I've seen spirits from the War in the windows; I think it was a hospital in the War."
"Really?" Mai asks. "Can you describe them to me? For the case?"
"There was a man. He was wearing a uniform; it was dark green in color, with big buttons that had a flower and anchor engraved on them. He also had a soiled bandage wrapped around his head."
"You're lying," Mai says softly. It's not an accusation; merely an observation.
"I. Am. Not," she hisses. "There are spirits in there!"
"And you would've been able to see what was engraved on a spirit's coat button?" Mai asks incredulously. "Not to mention your body language speaks for itself! You haven't been able to look me in the eye during this whole exchange and I can see how quick your pulse is. If you want me to believe in your abilities, you need to stop lying to me!"
"You-you believe me?" she asks softly, surprised.
"Of course," Mai answers, "when you're not over exaggerating your experiences!" Mai steps closer to the girl. "Kuroda, if you want people to believe you, you need to tell the truth all the time. No exaggerations; no made up stories; no faking. That's the only way to get people to believe you, if they even do at all. Not everyone can wrap their head around this, whatever it is. And it's not your job to make them see, Kuroda."
"What if my…powers don't come?" she asks, sounding almost tearful. Mai had never seen the girl so...anguished. Or anything besides confident, irritated, or, well, spiteful.
"Once again, it's not your job to convince them of your abilities. If they're your friends, they may not believe in such things, but they'll accept them as part of you. If they're not, then who cares?" Mai shrugs. "Because I certainly don't." Like Kuroda, Mai, too, had to learn the hard way.
"Do you have abilities too?" Kuroda asks curiously. Mai itches to deny it; she is an exceptionally good liar in the rare times she needs to be. But Mai knows Kuroda needs someone like her-yet different. Unique like her, that is.
"Yes," Mai admits. "Though not a lot of people know about them and I'd like to keep it that way." Kuroda nods and smiles.
"Since...ah, you know…I just...I have seen some things in the building. Stuff moving. Like, floating. No figures, though."
"Thank you," Mai says brightly. "Why don't you come by tomorrow and tell us what you've seen? Here, if you want to let me see your phone for a second, I can add my number into your contacts."
"Oh...yeah. Yeah! Sure," she stammers, clumsily pulling her phone from her pocket.
"And...there! I'll see you later then." Mai beams. She'd been hoping this conversation would happen for quite some time, though was unsure of how to go about doing it.
"Thank you," Kuroda says, seemingly back to her usual composed self, though Mai hopes that she'll be less distant toward others. Or at least stop her fictitious storytelling. If telling her secret helps her move forward, Mai decides, it was worth it.