CHAPTER 9: WHEN EVERYTHING FALLS APART

I'm so sorry for the late update. There are so many requirements to finish before the exams. Our instructor is a sadist I tell you! I mean, who in their right mind gives so many requirements just before the exams? Sure instructors/professors can give us requirements but 4 f-! written reports is just too much! We have other subjects that have requirements too! I seriously want to rip her head-off. Too bad that's too plain so I'll stick to psychologically torture her. MWAHAHAHA!

ANYWAY ENJOY! I do not own ghost hunt.

'…' – inner thoughts but shouting

'…' – plain inner thoughts

italized - flashback

(T-T)

Naru went directly to his brown-haired assistant when he saw her in their usual place whenever he entered his dreams. But this scene is different; it is night time with a sky full of stars. He only dozed off while they're heading back to their office and he was a bit glad that Mai's there.

When the case ended, Naru, Lin and Yasuhara took the van to head to the office while the remaining others rode at the monk's car. Ayako was very frantic when her phone's battery died and was anxious to get to her family's hospital. Somehow, this made Naru anxious more than ever.

"Mai," he called but she never turned towards him. She only kept staring at the sky.

He was growing impatient with the mind games and the anxiousness he feels. He took Mai's shoulder to face him, only to find himself staring at those brown, teary eyes.

Naru couldn't take it anymore. He hates it when she cries. He pulled his assistant and hugged her fiercely letting his mask off for the moment. "Mai, tell me what's going on." He pleaded, while his chin rested in between her neck and shoulder.

He knows that his actions were out of character of him but he can't help it when he's feeling something unnatural, especially when it concerns Mai.

"I-I…can't Naru," she stuttered and let her tears flow. "I can't."

Naru pulled out from the hug and looked at Mai fiercely. "What do you mean you can't? Tell me now!"

His tone only made it worse as Mai continued to cry with pain evident in her eyes. Naru flinched but he has to stand his ground in order to find the answer he's looking for.

Mai slowly cupped his face. "Can I whisper 'I love you'?" she asked permission.

Naru didn't understand. She can say those words, but why not out loud? She pulled him slowly and tiptoed to kiss his lips

The narcissist was taken by surprise. He didn't know that Mai can be aggressive. But he didn't care about that anymore. He was mesmerized by the softness of his assistant's lips and only wants to deepen the kiss.

'More,' he thought and nibbled Mai's lower lip. She complied and opens her mouth to let Naru gain full access.

"I love you," she whispered as they stopped to take some air in. New trails of tears visible in her cheeks again.

Naru didn't like the tone of his assistant. It was as if she's saying goodbye. He quickly grabbed her wrists in order to prevent this dream from fading. He stared those beautiful brown eyes again. This time, he'll answer. Because this time, he knew what he really felt for his assistant.

"Mai," he said lovingly. "I—

He didn't finish what he'll going to say. Or rather, Mai won't let him. Tears trickled down her cheeks again as she put her finger to his lips to prevent Naru from speaking.

"I love you. Always and forever."

His grips tighten. But fate must hate him so much when he was thrown back to reality.

He's not an idiot to not let the hints pass by. A thought came to his mind but shrugged it off. He didn't like it. The sickening feeling that he knew had come back to haunt him. He didn't want it to come true or worst, he didn't want it that it must have come true.

(*-*)

Bou-san looks at the front view mirror for the third time. The look of distress in Ayako's face is still visible. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I…I don't know, Monk. It's just, I feel really, really nervous but I don't know what it is."

"I can feel it too." Masako joined. "It's as if there's something wrong going to happen."

"I'll drive faster so that we can check the hospital."

The three stayed silent and as minutes passed, they've arrived at Ayako's inherited hospital. They strode off towards the entrance but stopped when some guards and nurses are looking frantically. Then, a nurse came towards them in a hurry.

"Ma'am, he escaped."

"WHAT!" Ayako yelled. "How did that happen?"

"W-We don't know how he passed through the heavy surveillance ma'am," the nurse said slightly shaken.

"No! This can't be happening," Bou-san exclaimed in disbelief.

"He must be heading there," Ayako stated. "Let's go. We might still be able to catch up with him."

The three of them quickly left. Masako had to grip her seat tight because of the car's speed.

'John', she called the name of the priest in her mind.

(T-T)

"Naru-chan did you have a bad dream?" Yasuhara said when Naru's eyes darted open but only answered by a deathly glare.

He pouted. "Oh come on! I'm just concern about you since your scowling in your sleep."

"Just take the equipments inside," the narcissist ordered when the van finally parked in a curb close to the SPR building. Naru took the lead towards the office, the two men just behind him.

"Hurry up, Naru-chan! This monitor is too damn heavy," Yasuhara complained when their boss stopped on his tracks. But his boss still didn't move so he looks towards the front. The three of them heard a crashing noise, the monitor that he was holding slipping from his grasp not minding how much it cost as he runs toward the pale blond guy sprawled outside the SPR door.

"Brown-san!" Lin called as he also kneeled beside the young priest. Naru only stood closely with questioning eyes.

John managed to lift his eyelids up, only to see directly those blue eyes. "S-Shibuya-san."

"Don't talk for now, John. W-We should get you to the hospital—

"No!" John yelled in pain while clutching his chest. He was breathing fast and gasping for air.

"Lin, get John inside." Naru ordered with a slight edge on his voice. 'Something's not right.' He thought. 'Something is definitely right.'

(' '-)/'~~_~~\\(^-^)

Madoka stepped on the gas pedal as hard as she can. She doesn't care if she hit off the speed limit. She just wants to get there. Her mind is in overdrive when she received a call earlier while she's wallowing in her hotel room.

"Madoka! John escaped from the hospital you have to go to the office now before Naru and the others get there!"

Madoka cringed. She doesn't want to do this anymore. "A-Ayako…don't you think…Naru deserves the truth?"

"As much as we want to, we can't!" Bou-san said, apparently he must've snatch Ayako's phone away. "And besides, do you want Naru to be a recluse again?"

"Okay! I get it!" She yelled back, most unlikely of her then she hangs up and got up to get her keys slowly hoping it would buy the time for Naru to see John.

"Mai, I'm sorry but we have to," she whispered.

(_-)/TT-TT

Takigawa raced towards the SPR office, leaving the two ladies behind trying to keep up with him. He opened the door with a bang. He noticed that Lin and Yasuhara just aided him to sit on the couch while Naru was just standing there watching him with a glare.

Sensing that John hasn't told them anything yet, he crouched down in front of him. "John, let's go back. You're still not feeling well." Masako and Ayako were out of breath when they've reached the office.

John whimpered when Takigawa said-ordered him to go back. 'He's not this weak before,' Masako thought while hiding her lips with her kimono sleeves and trying not to whimper as well. 'He was full of life before. Why must you take it away from him?' Masako asked to no one.

"I believe he has something to say," Naru said with a glare.

Before, Takigawa would've flinched by the sight. But this time, this time it's different. With also a glare, he answered, "There's nothing to say. If there is, we won't say a thing!"

"S-Shibuya-san…I-It's my fault," John cut them off. "It was my fault! I was…so weak. Ma— He didn't finish what he's saying when he coughed hardly making Masako ran to his side.

"M-Monk…I think," the priestess mumbled. "I think we should—

"No!" he yelled to her.

"I know she asked you to, but Naru has the right to know!"

They were all surprised to the person who yelled at them. Madoka was leaning to the door; tears kept running down her face. Lin strode her side when she slumped down.

"Tell him the truth," Masako said softly. "Tell him what really happened to Mai."

'No!'

"You really want to know, ha?" Takigawa grinned bitterly.

'It can't be! No!'

"Dead."

" .dead."

(TT-TT) (TT-TT) (TT-TT)

Naru strode towards the kitchenette when he heard a loud thump. When he reached the area, she saw Mai clutching a teacup while trying to glue it together with its broken handle.

"You can't fix what's already broken."

Mai looked at him with a pout. "Yes I can."

"It has already a chipped on it. You can glue it back but there's still a hint that it's broken. Face reality, what's gone is gone."

"B-But! What if it's something really important to you? What would you feel if can never put back?"

Naru remembered that scene pretty well when they were preparing before going into the case of that creepy manor. He hadn't had a chance to reply Mai's question.

'M-Mai's…no!'

Mixed emotions are trying to clutch his heart making him harder to recognize what he's currently feeling.

Everything around Naru became hazy. All he knows is that…everything is falling apart.

(TT-TT)

I apologize for the late update.

Anyway, those of you who have read my other fanfic, The Ghost Bunny, I'll put it on hold for a while. I've used my aunt's laptop in writing for the next chapters of that story but unfortunately, she went on a vacation bringing with her the said laptop. She's a workaholic and really needed the break but I didn't know she would also bring her laptop with her. Really sorry for that. I want to put an A/N but I've read that it's against the rules, I think? Or am I just hallucinating again? Anyway, it's my first time writing a fanfic so I want to get on the higher ups good side, if you know what I mean. *wink* *wink*

Until next time! I still have to review for my exams.

I need at least 10 reviews for this chapter to lift my spirit up. Seriously, I need it. Maybe it will brighten the dark bags under my eyes. Yep! I haven't sleep soundly for a week. Damn you sadistic instructor!