Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, I would love my job almost as much as my awesome new computer.

*WARNING* Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 7: Knocking on S.P.R's Door

"...How is he?"

Slender fingers anxiously tucked a stray wisp of dark strawberry-blonde hair behind a free ear, the other pinned to a phone clutched tightly in her opposing hand. Even if patience had been her precious student's forte (which it certainly wasn't), knowing how close he and Lin were to finding Gene, yet being unable to do anything other than watch as two years worth of silt was pumped from the waterbed must be pure torture.

Noll deals with feeling useless almost as well as he deals with being wrong...

"Not good," The ill-fated guardian admitted with a composure he probably didn't feel, "But better than I expected."

Madoka felt a smile tug at her lips, speculating that Mai's daily reports had probably 'soothed the savage beast' to some extent. Lin may not have directly told her anything regarding the teenage genius and his cheerful assistant's budding relationship, but she was a smart woman and knew when to read between the lines.

"Martin and Luella have been a little distracted since your last phone call, but for the most part, I think they're more concerned about whether or not Noll will be able to put Gene's death behind him."

Thoughtful silence swallowed any insight he may have provided on the ghost hunter's emotional progress, the Chinese man's slow, worn-out sigh merely mirroring her own hopes and fears.

"How do you think the Professor and his wife might react…" He breathed hesitantly, pausing to debate the wisdom of completing his sentence, "If Naru wished to stay in Japan?"

Madoka blinked, momentarily stunned by the simple question. For some reason, even though she had long been aware of the possibility, hearing it said aloud stirred mixed feelings within her.

If Noll stays, then so will Lin.

"…Because of Mai?"

The words, tainted by childish resentment, left a bitter aftertaste as they rolled from the strawberry-blonde's lips; shame quickly overshadowing the pang of jealousy that had unexpectedly gripped her heart.

"Mai is part of the reason." Lin conceded; the subtle, but clearly defensive lilt in his voice causing her to wonder what had startled him more – her awareness that Oliver Davis actually had a love-life, or the tone of voice she'd used. Either option was plausible, but somehow the latter seemed far more likely.

"Whether he chooses to acknowledge it or not, he's made friends here, Madoka."

There was no need for his gentle reprimand – she was well-aware that her remark reeked of selfish motivation, but was it really such a crime to want to be with the man you loved?

Not that you've ever told him…

Her consciousness whispered; taunting her with possibilities she didn't have the heart to face.

...Coward.

Madoka hung her head in defeat, silently admitting it was true. She just didn't have the courage to risk losing the bond between them by asking for more. It was too easy to imagine things going back to the way they were before – he'd barely even registered her presence.

"Madoka...?" Lin's worried voice echoed through the phone, pulling the strawberry blonde from her thoughts; "Is something wrong?"

"Ah! No, I'm fine." She assured him, even though his doubtful silence made it clear that he didn't believe a word, "I was just thinking about what you said."

It was true, in an unconventional sense. Her thoughts had inadvertently led her to an answer to his previous question, since she felt the way Noll's parents might react may not differ too much from her own.

"After waiting so long for Noll to come home, it will definitely hurt them…"

Just like it hurts me to think that you might not be coming home.

"…But I think it would hurt more if he keeps quiet about what he wants for their sake." She advised, hoping her voice didn't waver and make him suspicious enough to see through her words, exposing the feelings she had long kept hidden in her heart.

If you wish to stay, I won't stop you, but...

"Martin and Luella love him and want the best for him, so I'm sure things will turn out okay." She concluded with a pathetic attempt at a smile, wishing not for the first time that Lin had been born a telepath.

Don't just stay for Noll's sake.

-x-

Looking down at the hastily scribbled address in his hands, Kazuo was beginning to wonder if he was in the right place. He wasn't sure what he had expected Shibuya Psychic Research's office to look like, but this definitely wasn't it. The building was far too normal. The pale yellow, modern exterior didn't stand out even remotely from any of the surrounding businesses, and it was easy to imagine someone mistakenly wandering in expecting to find an accountant or an administrator of some kind.

If it weren't for the company's name displayed in elegant English letters on the front door's tinted window, Kazuo would have walked away without a second glance.

Maybe this isn't such a good idea...

Originally, he would have happily dragged his sister into town and left her with a good psychologist for a few hours, but entirely apart from how much of a disaster it had been the last time he'd broached the subject with Cho, recent events were beginning to make him question the assumptions he'd made. Maybe she really was haunted.

I was too quick to judge...

At the very least, she's family, and deserves to be given the benefit of a doubt.

From what he had heard, S.P.R was reputable, though their members were considered to be an odd assortment, even among their own field of expertise. The popular medium, Masako Hara, was probably the only addition to the team that raised eyebrows for the right reasons (such as her fame and appearance), rather than for oddity's sake.

He'd heard about them from a colleague at work, having gone drinking with the restless man while his daughter's school was being investigated. While neither of them were totally sold on the existence of ghosts, it was undeniably true that many strange things had been going on, and S.P.R. had stopped them without encouraging hysteria or exploiting the situation for media attention.

Determined to get some answers, he'd rashly looked up their name in the phone book during his lunch break, unable to stand the thought of worrying about Cho's recent behaviour any longer.

With one last brief glance at the initials on the glass, he hesitantly pushed open the door, preparing himself for the worst. Once again he was surprised by the office's lack of eccentricities, his eyes finally coming to rest on an auburn-haired girl sitting at a receptionist's desk, eyebrows knitted together in concentration as she worked. Presumably in her late teens, her clothing suggested she was a friendly, approachable sort, and failing all else, wasn't covered in unique piercings or spider-web tattoos. Since she had yet to notice him, Kazuo cleared his throat, stepping towards her.

"Excuse me; I'd like to make an appointment..."

Cinnamon eyes shot towards him in surprise, the folder she had been studying so intently slipping from her grasp, some of the sheets escaping across her desk while others fluttered indifferently to the floor. Leaning down to retrieve the papers closest to him, he offered the elusive sheets back to the girl, unable to ignore how pale her face suddenly seemed and the slight tremble of her fingertips as she accepted the remainder of the file from his hands.

"Are you alright? You look like you've..."

...Seen a ghost.

The common phrase died on his lips as he realised it's irony, but the shaky quirk of a smile on the girl's face suggested she knew what he had been about to say. She bowed politely, colour slowly returning to her cheeks as she introduced herself.

"I'm Taniyama Mai. Sorry if I worried you! I can't believe I didn't notice you enter..."

"Hayashi Kazuo." He returned respectfully, privately wondering if there might be more to the brunette's initial reaction than she was letting on, "It happens to the best of us."

Surely someone who hunts ghosts for a living wouldn't be so easily startled, right?

"So, how can I help you?"

The simple question cut through his thoughts, dredging up memories of Cho's most recent incident. This time he'd woken up just after three in the morning, the sound of running water infiltrating his dreams before making him aware of it's presence in reality. The image of her shivering as she knelt in water overflowing from the sink, eyes blank and unseeing while she fiercely scrubbed her skin raw was still fresh in his mind.

I'm not sure how much more either of us can take…

"My sister..." He rasped out, the words caught in his throat, "I'm here on behalf of my sister. Strange things have been happening..."

Grabbing a slim, black note book with a matching pen, Taniyama guided him towards the seating area, gently asking if he'd like something to drink as he settled down on the nearest couch. Accepting coffee, Kazuo watched absent-mindedly as she made her way to the kitchen, trying to fathom how such a sweet young girl had managed to get herself mixed up in such an odd profession.

There are all types of people in this world, I suppose.

Returning with the drink, she sat down opposite him, giving him time to collect himself before he continued on with his story.

"I received a worrying phone call from Cho a few days ago…" Kazuo began, feeling a weight he didn't realise he'd been carrying lift from his shoulders as the words tumbled from his mouth, "A neighbour, Maruyama-san, got her to contact me after finding her sitting outside her apartment, bleeding and refusing to step so much as a foot back inside. The mirror in her bathroom was shattered, and though I'm not entirely clear on what happened, it seems to have something to do with her dreams."

For a moment, he saw Taniyama's hand draw still over the page she wrote on, but her expression changed too quickly for him to determine if there was any special meaning behind the action.

It's probably nothing...

"Yesterday morning seems to be the first time she's allowed herself to sleep since I took her home to stay with me, and I woke up to find her locked outside and completely hysterical. At first I thought the stress of her broken marriage was the problem, but now I'm not so sure…"

Kazuo ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he confessed, "Last night she confided in me..."

The words stuck in his throat, but he knew there was no turning back.

"She told me that she's being haunted. Cho actually wished she was insane." Swallowing hard, he shakily reached for his half-empty coffee cup, staring through the inanimate object as if it didn't exist.

"Around three this morning, I found her kneeling in water, trying to scrub her skin off. I don't know what's going on anymore…"

Exhaustion settled in quickly as Kazuo shed the emotional burden he'd been carrying for the last few days, and he shut his eyes for a moment, sinking deeper into the back of the couch.

"Has she mentioned who, or what she believes is haunting her...?" Mai inquired delicately, her cinnamon eyes filled with empathy, quietly yet constantly appraising him as they spoke, "Any details about what she's been experiencing?"

"She did mention something about Yutaka, her husband, but I was pressing her to talk about what had happened in her apartment at the time. She probably only said it because she knew I'd back off..."

He hung his head in self disgust, ashamed that his sister had felt the need to go to such lengths.

...She knew I wouldn't believe her.

-x-

Steel blue eyes stared blankly at the hotel room's cream-coloured walls, subconsciously drawn in the direction of the lake hiding his twin's remains. Fingers itching with impatience, he'd begun rummaging around for something to occupy himself, eventually stumbling across a worn pack of playing cards in one of the bedside draws.

In the absence of anything better to do, the slightly warped stack of fifty-two provided a welcome distraction; his nerves strangely comforted as he numbly turned the cards with his thumb and index finger. For so long, all he had cared about was finding Gene, no matter what the cost, giving little to no thought to the way his actions might affect others.

Looking back, it was a wonder his parents had let him leave England in the first place, let alone support his decision. He and Gene were not their biological children, but it was plain to see that grief did not discriminate between the bonds of blood and love when it came to the loss of a son.

Yet I left them to pick up the pieces alone...

A soft melody sprung to life in the pocket of his discarded black coat, temporarily diverting Naru's self-destructive train of thought. Reaching for the source of the sound, alarm bells went off in the genius's head when he noted the three capital letters lighting up his mobile's screen, clearly reading 'S.P.R.'. Mai didn't usually call until she was closing up the office, and that was at least an hour away.

All too aware of the trouble his precious part-timer was capable of getting into whenever she was left to her own devices, Naru answered in record speed.

"Mai?"

The girl in question stuttered slightly in response, clearly startled by the urgency in his voice.

"Ah, y-yes...I-I, um, I just..." She paused briefly to collect herself and quickly supplied, "Is it alright if I finish early on Saturday? H-Haruka asked me if I could help her with something..."

Naru arched an eyebrow, breathing a sigh of relief as he settled back on the bed, absently staring down at the disarray that still vaguely resembled his game of Patience. Perhaps not being able to personally keep an eye on her was making him a little paranoid.

"That should be fine," He consented, giving a subconscious nod, "If there's an emergency I can always phone your mobile."

Suddenly recalling the last time he'd tried, Naru added, "Make sure it's fully charged and don't leave it behind – it defeats the purpose of having one if no one can contact you."

"Yes, boss." Mai's voice echoed sarcastically back at him, though her retort seemed to lack it's usual passion, and instead of grumbling under her breath about whatever had possessed her to like such an arrogant narcissist, she lapsed into distracted silence.

He didn't have to be a genius to know that something was wrong.

"Naru..." Mai breathed hesitantly, "I think there's a case you might want to take a look at. The client came to see us on behalf of his sister, so I'm a bit short on information, but..." She halted, uncertainty dampening her courage.

"...But?" He reiterated, prompting her to keep going. If the potential case was bothering her as much as it seemed to be, then that alone made him curious. While he didn't like to make a habit of depending on them, Mai's instincts were uncannily accurate.

It's not like I have anything better to do with my time right now, anyway.

"When I saw his face, it felt like something inside me froze." She explained, struggling to find the right words, "It felt like I recognised him, even though I'm sure I've never met the man before. For a moment I thought I was going to be sick..."

"Read out the notes you've taken to me and send a copy of the file to Lin's e-mail address," He ordered, deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, "If necessary, I'll take care of the rest from here."

As she read, he re-wrote her notes out in English, saving himself the trouble of having to wait for Lin to translate the kanji for him. He could understand why Mai had been reluctant to tell him about the case when so much of the information lacked the sister's side of the story, but the woman's actions didn't seem to match the most probable explanation.

Secretive, panicked behaviour and sleepwalking could easily be attributed to a traumatic experience, but Naru doubted the problem stemmed from her husband leaving her. The woman's terror at the prospect of re-entering her apartment combined with the way she'd tried to clean herself suggested something more along the lines of assault or possibly rape.

Survivor's guilt, perhaps?

Feeling responsible for someone's death would account for her firm belief that she was haunted, but it didn't explain Mai's adverse reaction to her brother.

"What's the contact number?"

Sucking in a quick breath, Mai answered hastily; as if afraid he might change his mind - Naru could almost see the sweet brunette crossing her fingers as she spoke, itching to ask whether or not he would take the case.

"For the moment, just keep me informed of any new developments," He advised, setting the notes aside on the bedside table, "I'll let you know if I want to take any further action."

"Okay." She sighed, her relief loosening the tension that had been steadily gathering between his shoulder blades since he and Lin had set out to find Gene for what would hopefully be the last time. Closing his eyes, Naru allowed himself a moment of peace, blocking out everything but the sound of Mai's breath and the slight rustle of her clothes as she moved.

"…I miss you."

The whispered confession drew an instant smile to his lips, quickly turning into a smirk as he gave the classic answer.

"I know."

Expecting the response, she scolded playfully, "Narcissist…"

"Your narcissist." He clarified huskily, fingers unconsciously gripping the edge of the bed as a familiar surge of warmth flooded his chest and worked it's way through the rest of his body. Saying he missed her didn't cover the half of it.

An enthusiastic burst of noise from Mai's end of the line heralded the arrival of what could only be members of S.P.R.'s irregular crew, the monk's greeting clearly discernable over the other muffled voices colliding in the background. Aware that subtlety wasn't high on the group's list of priorities, Naru reluctantly indicated that he should go, recognising that any further conversation was essentially futile.

"…Stay safe." He breathed; the simple request resonating with deep, genuine concern.

"I'll try."

Unsure whether to be worried or relieved by Mai's impish reply, he lingered for a moment longer, savouring the connection between them even as he pulled away to end the call. It was good to hear her voice, but the sooner he had her back in his arms, the better.

Heaven help anyone foolish enough to interrupt us then...

Hot, heady memories and desires stirred the blood pulsing heavily within his veins, taunting him with the knowledge of what he possessed, but could not currently obtain. Pushing aside the images of his alluring assistant in the hopes of avoiding the need for a cold shower (and the potential embarrassment of Lin walking in and seeing him lost in sexual fantasy), Naru firmly redirected his attention to the notes at his side.

Though difficult at first, re-examining the dictated scrawls eventually cooled the heat that had once threatened to overwhelm him; pride ensuring that every element of the case be committed to memory, as even the most trivial of details could quickly become a stumbling block if overlooked.

The only issue remaining was whether or not the sister would be willing to talk about her experiences – she certainly hadn't been forthcoming with her brother, but perhaps that was the very thing that gave her claim weight. Disbelief and denial often followed an encounter with anything unfamiliar, so she would have tried to rationalise the dreams at first. It was hardly surprising that the woman had been reluctant to tell anyone if she was having trouble accepting it herself.

Pulling back the cuff of his sleeve, Naru glanced at his watch and began dialling the number Mai had supplied. Listening to the repetitive ring tone, he leaned back against the wooden bed head and waited, expecting to have to leave a message when the call remained unanswered at first.

"Hello?" A feminine voice interrupted the monotony, momentarily surprising the paranormal investigator. Double-checking the mobile number he'd rung, Naru introduced himself, presenting his purpose.

"…I was hoping to speak to a man named Kazuo Hayashi about a case he presented to my assistant earlier today. Would you be his sister, Cho Sasaki, by any chance?"

There was a slight pause before the woman answered, suspicion and uncertainty lacing her tone.

"Y-yes. I can get my brother to phone you back in a moment if you like."

"That may not be necessary." Naru dismissed, explaining briefly, "Since Hayashi-san came to us on your behalf, he was unable to provide a detailed account of your recent dreams and experiences. I need to know what I'm dealing with in order to properly consider his request."

She seemed to process the information slowly, clearly stunned by his words.

"…Kazuo came to you?"

Managing to bite back a sarcastic answer, Naru's eyes narrowed in considerable irritation as he made his reply as emotionless as possible.

"Yes."

Is that really so hard to understand?

Finally breaking the prevailing silence, the woman apologised for wasting his time, explaining that she had also consulted someone who dealt with problems like hers and hadn't gotten around to telling her brother yet.

"…I didn't realise how worried I'd made him." She mused, thanking the ghost hunter with an air of superficiality as she hung up, leaving Naru frowning at the unexpected turn of events.

Why do I feel like I've just been lied to?

-x-

Omake:

Grimacing at the initials on the glass, Naru hesitantly pushed open the door, preparing for the worst as his gaze came to rest on the auburn-haired girl sitting at the receptionist's desk, eyebrows knitted together in concentration as she worked. Since she and the small group of socialites gathered in the lounge area had yet to notice him, the black-clad teen mentally crossed his fingers and strode towards his office as quickly as possible.

Apparently, it wasn't quick enough.

"Yo, Naru-bou!"

Tensing instantly at the monk's welcome, Naru froze like a deer in headlights when Mai's cinnamon eyes shot towards him, widening in surprise as she stared open-mouthed at his face.

While it was hardly unusual for the girl to stare at her handsome boss, there was usually a little more admiration, and a little less shock in her gaze, so it was only natural that her startled reaction drew the instant attention of those relaxing in the couches nearby.

The medium narrowed her gaze at her rival before stealing a curious glance at the object of their affections and paling considerably; the priest looked towards the doll-like medium in concern, holding back a grin when he saw what had caused her to pale; the intelligent third year's interest was sparked, but his mirth seemed primarily drawn from the fiery red-head that looked ready to kill the clearly oblivious monk, who had continued talking and didn't notice a thing until the folder Mai had been studying slipped unceremoniously from her fingers, sheets escaping across her desk and fluttering indifferently to the floor.

Throughout all of the chaos, Naru stood stock still; violently hoping Lin would walk through the door and serve as a distraction, giving him a chance to escape Mai's wide-eyed stare and whatever sentence her gaping mouth was trying so hard to form.

"P-pink..."

The single word that finally slipped from the brunette's lips caused the heat already emitted from Naru's reddened features to reach a considerably more painful level, and for a split-second he was almost grateful that his mentor had forced him to 'get out and have fun for once'. Then again, if it wasn't for Modoka's insistence that he begrudgingly spend some time in the sun, he would never have been in this predicament in the first place.

Retaining what was left of his dignity, Naru spared a moment to glare in warning at the room's inhabitants, disappearing into the sanctity of his office with a sharp slam.

Stunned, Takigawa pointed towards the recently closed door in mild astonishment.

"Am I imagining things, or did Naru just blush?"

"You could tell through the sunburn?" The spectacled boy quipped with a grin; amused even further when Ayako chimed in, unable to resist a chance to get back at the monk.

"My, someone's been paying an abnormal amount of attention to their boss..."

Wailing in accusation, Yasuhara brought a hand up to his heart in mock agony, "Bou-san, how could you?! I thought I was your one and only!"