A BIG HELLO TO THE PERSON WHO'S CURRENTLY READING THIS CHAPTER! It's been eons since I last updated. I can't exactly tell you guys what happened but all I can say is that I've been terribly busy with college and other personal things. To all those who have been following this story, I really am sorry for letting you guys down.
The reason why I am able to type this chapter down is because second semester just opened and... our school is still on the adjustment period. Changing of schedules, dropping or withdrawing of subjects and whatnot. So no formal classes yet. I've been itching to finish this story but I seriously didn't have the time. Programming is just that hard. And when I do have the time, I end up sleeping all throughout the day.
So uhh, I'm not gonna keep on rambling here.
Here's chapter 21 for you guys! :D
...
Claude examined the very limp body of his Young Mistress that is now lying on a bed of dry leaves. As Mai's faithful butler, he had to make sure that Mai was comfortable in every possible way even without the proper things. Mai's expensive red kimono is now in tatters. There were bruise marks on her chest, ankles and wrists. And there were wounds all over her face, legs and arms.
The handsome butler sighed heavily. He was absolutely sure that once his foot steps inside the base, he's gonna have to dodge a few punches from Mai's family. Slowly but surely, he carried Mai back to the hotel so that Ayako can get them patched up.
...
"Hikari. Kaori. Are you absolutely sure that you don't know anything about Claude?" Naru asked again, trying his best not to show his impatience.
The twins sighed in annoyance, their cute little eyebrows meeting on the center of their foreheads. Not only were they forced to wake up, these adults even have the audacity to question them again and again, clearly implying that they did not believe them. For the love of God, they're just kids! Don't they know that kids don't know how to lie?
"Papa. We don't know anything okay?" Hikari huffed and turned away from Naru.
Kaori nodded vigorously, completely agreeing with her twin. "All we know is that Claude is very faithful and kind to us so it's absolutely impossible for him to be the mastermind... or whatever you guys call it." Kaori glared at her father, clearly displeased about accusing Claude.
Rika sighed impatiently. "If he's not the mastermind, then how does he know where Ma –"
KNOCK. KNOCK.
Everyone turned to the door. The silence that fell upon the group was deafening.
"Who is it?" Lin asked who was standing nearest to the door.
"Claude. I have the Young Mistress with me."
Lin swiftly opened the door and found Claude carrying a very wounded Mai. Lin inwardly hissed. He had planned on not letting Claude in, but with Mai's wounds, it was best that he let him in and put her down the bed. Jostling her more might add more injury or pain, and they didn't want that. Lin stepped to the side so that Claude may have more space. "Put her on the top bed." Lin said.
Claude simply nodded and swiftly went inside the suite. He ignored the glares that were sent his way. His top priority was to make sure that his Young Mistress would get immediate medical attention. He gently laid her down the bed, making sure that his Young Mistress was comfortable. As soon as his hands left Mai's flesh, he was instantly dragged away by a strong hand. He didn't have to look to know that it was Mai's father, Takigawa Houshou, who was gripping his wrists too hard and dragging him out of the room.
"You've got some explaining to do young man." Bou-san tugged harder at Claude's wrists, not caring if Claude was feeling pain over his vice-like grip.
As soon as they got outside the room, Bou-san viciously glared at Claude while Claude was... just simply Claude, staring back at Bou-san with no ounce of emotion written on his face. And this got Bou-san extremely riled up.
"What is your role in all of this Claude?!" Bou-san shouted at the emotionless spectacled man. He wanted to punch the bastard in front of him. He wanted to bring his soul straight to Hell. But he couldn't bring himself to do any of those. Why? He didn't know. He was just trying his best to keep his hands to himself. He didn't want to spill anymore blood. "How did you know where Mai was when she was kidnapped? Why are you doing this?! Aren't you supposed to her loyal servant?!" He shouted again. His anger towards Claude was flowing out like an angry waterfall. He stole a glance at the butler who was still unmoving. His heart ached at the betrayal. "Why..."
"I always know where Young Mistress is even without her telling me. I am not a part of any of this mess. And yes, I am her most loyal servant that will serve Young Mistress for as long as I can. I am one hell of a butler after all." Claude dutifully answered Bou-san's questions.
Bou-san instantly looked at Claude, confusion written all over his face. He can clearly hear the sincerity in those words. He wanted to believe him. But everything just doesn't add up. "Claude," Bou-san started slowly. "I don't –"
"Takigawa-sama. It is hard to understand." Claude interrupted. "Only Young Mistress knows who I really am. If she knew from the beginning that I was dangerous, would she have kept me?"
The ex-monk was stunned at the very simple logic. Of course, Mai wasn't stupid to keep someone dangerous. She valued her twins more than anything in this world. Mai's 'animalistic instincts' usually guide her in almost everything. So if her instincts aren't telling her that Claude is a bad man...
"But how did you –"
"Like I said, Takigawa-sama," Claude interrupted again. "Only Young Mistress knows who I really am. Unless Young Mistress tells you everything, it will be hard to understand." The handsome butler explained.
Bou-san huffed. He sent another glare towards Claude. "We're not done with you. I may not have sliced your head off but I'm pretty sure Naru will. Stay right here while I go check on Mai."
Claude bowed. "Understood, Takigawa-sama."
With that, Bou-san left Claude in the corridor.
...
"Why is Maman so dirty?!"
"What happened to Maman?"
"Why does she have all those red stuff all over her?!"
"Is Maman okay?!"
Naru remained quiet while his daughters were bombarding him with questions that he cannot bluntly answer without hurting them. He simply held them tight and waited for Ayako to tell him Mai's condition. He can hear a muffled shout coming from the outside. With the thick walls, he can't understand what Bou-san was saying but he was sure that Claude was getting an earful from the ex-monk. A few punches here and there wouldn't hurt... he thought.
Ayako was wiping the dried blood on Mai's arms and legs. "She has a few shallow wounds, probably from the dragging... but they'll heal in no time."
Everyone in the room sighed in relief.
"Yasuhara." Ayako called.
"Hai?" Yasuhara moved closer to Ayako who was fishing something inside her bag.
Ayako pulled out a small white tube and handed it to Yasuhara. "Put that cream on Mai's wounds. Be careful not to put too much pressure."
Yasuhara nodded and started working on Mai's arms.
"Ayako-san," Masako started. "What about –"
Masako was interrupted by the sound of the door closing. They all looked at Bou-san expectantly. He shook his head. "He says that he's not a part of all of this."
"That's a lie!"
Every person in the room turned to a raging Masako. John was holding her fisted hand, trying his best to calm his fiancé down. "Masako..." he whispered.
"He expects us to believe THAT?!" Masako's violet eyes dangerously glinted. With everything that's been happening, Masako has always been the reserved one. She doesn't voice out her worries. She rarely shows her caring side. Most of the time, she's mean; the female version of Oliver Davis. But when it comes to things like this, when one of her most treasured people are in danger, her pride and rationality flies out of her mind. Right now, is one of Masako's rare moments.
John was holding Masako back. She looked like she was ready to punch the everliving shit out of Claude. "Masako. Dear... calm down, please." He used his softest tone, hoping to calm his raging fiancé. "You might wake up Mai. She needs the rest she can get."
Masako turned away and buried her head on John's shoulders. Her shoulders were slightly shaking and John was trying his best to comfort her. "She doesn't deserve all of this John... not Mai." Masako whispered.
John stroked Masako's hair lovingly, knowing how hurt she is over Mai's situation. "I know. We all know Masako."
The atmosphere in the room was heavy. Naru kept his arms around the twins while the rest were just standing, looking absolutely grim.
Naru patted the heads of the twins and stood up, catching the attention of everyone.
"What is it, Noll?" Lin asked, using his English nickname.
Naru eyed Masako, who was still clinging onto John's shirt. "Hara-san?"
Masako backed away a little from John, wiped her face with John's handkerchief, and turned to face Naru. "What is it?"
"If it's okay with you, I want you and John to take a look at the park. See if there's anything there."
John and Masako nodded, both slowly leaving the room. Naru looked at Bou-san and Yasuhara. "I want you two to go with Lin. Help him with anything. Check the temperatures and cameras. The ghost might still be out there searching for Mai."
The men left the room silently, leaving Ayako, Rika and Naru. "How about us Naru?" Rika stepped forward, wanting to help with the team. He shook his head. "You both stay here with the twins and Mai. I'm going back to base and deal with Claude myself."
He felt a few tugs on his pants. He looked down and saw that his twins were looking at him with unsure expressions on their faces. "What are you going to do with Claude, Papa?" They asked in sync.
He stroked their black locks softly. "I just need to ask him a few questions, that's all."
He felt another tug at the right side of his pants. "Papa."
He eyed the older twin, Hikari. "What is it?"
Hikari looked down, looking unsure with herself, then turned to Kaori, who in return nodded and looked at Naru with determination burning in her eyes. "It's not Claude, Papa. We swear."
Naru narrowed his eyes a bit at this. For a second right there, he could see a 16-year-old Mai clutching both her hands together near her heart, saying 'It's not Kasai-san...'. "Why do you say that?"
The twins looked at each other before facing their Father again. "We can feel it. We just know it."
Naru had to stop himself from smiling. The expression that the twins were wearing, it was so much like Mai. The way they tilted their heads to one side and those eyes... I just hope they don't have their mother's magnet for trouble. Naru sighed and nodded. "I won't promise anything but I'll just talk to Claude. That's all. Is that okay?"
The twins smiled a little and let his pants go. They padded their way towards Mai's bed and sat at the edge. "You both be good girls and stay here. No leaving the room, okay?" He said in his stern voice.
"Okay Papa! We'll take care of Maman!" They piped happily.
Naru pointed Ayako a look who instantly understood what he meant. She nodded and looked at the twins. "C'mon, be good girls and go to bed already."
Naru heard some whining before shutting the door behind him. His blue eyes instantly locked on Claude, who was also looking at him. "I assume that I am to go somewhere with you, Young Master?" Naru glared at the butler. "Base." With that, he stalked straight to base with Claude behind him following in a slower manner.
...
"This is...odd." Masako commented. She was currently standing in the middle of the small park that once held happy memories. She closed her eyes again, hoping to feel something from the place. "This is really odd." She said again.
"What is odd?" John slowly approached Masako. He looked at his surroundings. "Do you feel or see anything?"
Masako shook her head, her black locks swaying with the movement. "That's the odd thing. I don't feel or see anything. It's like, the place has been cleansed." She moved to another side of the park, hoping to get something. She closed her eyes again, concentrating. After a few seconds, she sighed in disappointment. "Nothing." She felt John's hand on her back.
"Don't worry." John placed a quick kiss on Masako's forehead, hoping to comfort the disappointed medium. "You did your best. Maybe the ghost isn't in this place anymore."
Masako nodded. "Maybe. Should we check inside?"
John smiled and guided his fiancée back to the hotel.
...
"Nothing? That's it?" Naru asked again, incredulity lacing in his voice.
Lin nodded grimly. He pulled up a few documents from his laptop and showed them to Naru. "There were no temperature fluctuations, no odd video, no recorded sound or static, nothing."
Naru turned to Yasuhara and Bou-san who were simply standing on the sides waiting for any order. "Did you check the cameras?"
They both nodded. "None of them moved." Yasuhara said. "The tapes that we put on one of the legs of the camera stand hasn't been removed or touched."
"Yeah." Bou-san scratched the back of his head, clearly distraught about the lack of additional information about the case. "Every room is clean Naru. No clues at all."
Naru pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling an incoming headache. He sighed in annoyance and returned his gaze back to the monitors. "We'll have to wait for John and Hara-san. Hopefully they'll bring good us good news."
Yasuhara wanted to raise the 'what if' question, but decided against it. He can actually feel the frustration coming from the young CEO of SPR. Everyone knew that Naru had already checked every angle of this case, hoping to find something substantial, but nothing came up. With Claude's intervention, the case had come to a stand-still. Or maybe not... he thought, his gaze landing on the silent man who'd been ordered by Naru to stay and wait for further instructions. More like 'further punishments'... He shivered at that thought and decided to leave it, focusing his attention back at the case.
He absolutely didn't want to imagine an extremely angry Naru and a cleanly sliced head in his hands.
...
"Careful, you might hit the wounds." Ayako instructed sternly. Both women were currently undressing Mai. They had to remove the dirtied kimono from her body so as not to infect the wounds.
"I know, I know..." Rika mumbled, her eyebrows furrowing in deep concentration. "Just a little more...and there!" Both sighed in relief and slowly removed the once beautiful kimono from Mai's wounded body. Rika threw a blanket over Mai's body to keep her warm while Ayako was rummaging inside the closet for a loose and comfortable shirt.
Rika eyed her boss slash best friend. "Ne, Ayako..."
"What is it?" Ayako kept her head inside the cabinet, still looking for a comfortable shirt that Mai can wear. If I can't find anything, might as well mess up Naru's closet... the priestess thought.
"I know that this may sound a bit offensive considering -" Rika flailed her pale hands, trying her best to describe the current situation. "- all of these crazy things happening towards Mai but... can I ask you something?"
"Go on." She was now rummaging in Naru's luggage, finding something comfortable AND not black.
"These wounds, will they leave a scar?"
She heard Ayako huff in relief. "Finally..." She took one of Naru's gray undershirts that seemed thick enough to keep Mai warm.
Rika raised her eyebrow in amusement. "Naru?"
The priestess smirked. "He'll thank me for this."
"You ruined his luggage though." Rika pointed at the strewn clothes lying on the carpeted floor. "He'll thank you THEN kill you."
Ayako clicked her tongue and started dressing Mai with Naru's undershirt. "I'll deal with that later. And for your question, no. She's got a lot of wounds but they're shallow. They'll heal up in no time. With Mai's strong spirit, nothing's gonna stop her from walking down that sparkling runway next month."
Rika chuckled softly. "Yeah, I know that."
"Ugh..."
Their eyes widened at that groaning sound. "Mai?" They whispered at the same time.
They can see Mai trying to wiggle slightly, wanting to move. But Ayako placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mai, with the wounds that you've sustained your body is definitely sore. Don't move too much." She instructed.
"I'll go and tell the others." Without waiting for Ayako's reply, Rika flew out of the room and went straight to base.
"A – Ayako...?" Mai croaked; her throat feeling very parched.
"I'll get you a glass of water, stay still."
As Mai felt the bed shift, she slowly opened her eyes, trying her best to adjust her sight from the harsh lights coming from above. Everything was kinda blurry at first but she can see things getting clearer by the second. She felt the bed shift again. "I'll help you sit up. Can you manage to sit up on your own?" Mai nodded weakly. She felt Ayako's arm slide through under the back of her neck and gradually lifting her upper body for her to sit down. She brought the lid of the glass to Mai's lips. "Here, drink." Mai started gulping down the water like she hadn't drunk one in years. While waiting for her to finished, Ayako started talking. "You gave us quite a scare." Ayako smiled at her adopted daughter. "It's been years since you've been kidnapped by a ghost. That got us all freaked out."
With one final gulp, Mai closed her eyes and sighed in relief. She looked at her new mother whose eyes were full of love and concern for her. Her heart warmed at that. She sent her a beaming smile. "I'm sorry." Mai fiddled her blanket with nervous hands. "I wasn't able to do any of the mantras that you guys taught me. I sorta freaked out too."
Ayako simply shook her head. "That's okay. Like I said, it's been years since things have gone this crazy. But you know Mai," The priestess slightly tilted her head. "You've got some serious explaining to do."
Mai's elegant eyebrows rose at that comment. "Why is that?"
The priestess turned a serious gaze on her adopted daughter. "We're accusing Claude of everything that's been happening to you."
"What?!" Mai shrieked, her throat feeling a bit itchy. "Why?"
Ayako sighed. "Mai, when you were kidnapped, Claude didn't bat an eyelash. But when all of us were scattered around the hotel looking for you, he simply left the room and instantly found you." Ayako paused, letting the information sink in on Mai's head.
"So," Mai drawled a bit. "Claude was the one who found me?" When Ayako nodded, Mai sighed. "I guess I have some explaining to do then?" Ayako nodded again.
Ayako slightly shifted on the bed. "Let's just wait for the –"
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
"Ayako? Is Mai up already? Can we come in?" Rika's muffled voice floated inside the room.
"Sure. Come in." Ayako replied.
The sound of a doorknob twisting and a slight creak can be heard. Heavy and light footfalls padded their way towards Mai's bed. As she was in view, they all sighed in relief as they saw Mai smiling and waving at them. "Hey guys." Mai greeted.
Naru instantly fled to Mai's side. "Hey..." He softly stroked her hair. "Shouldn't you be lying down?"
Mai shook her head and gave Naru a soft smile. "I feel sore everywhere but I can manage."
"With all the trouble that you're causing, you should pay me back by making me tea when we get back."
Naru's signature smirk appeared when he saw Mai's eyes flash with annoyance. Mai will always be Mai. "Talking about compensation now, are we? Jerk..."
Everyone chuckled at the familiar scene except for Lin who simply offered a small smile, also feeling glad that Mai was okay.
"So uhh," Mai started, feeling a bit awkward. She looked at Ayako who nodded slightly. This exchange was seen by everyone. "I guess I have some things to tell you? Okaa-san filled me in."
She could literally feel the instant change of atmosphere when she said that. She looked at the expectant faces from her SPR family. Might as well set everything straight then. She thought. "But first, where's Claude?" She looked at her twins who were sleeping sound – Wait a minute... Their blanket was miraculously clean and their bodies were looking a bit stiff. Hikari and Kaori moved a lot when they're asleep. "Okay you two. The jig is up." In an instant, the sheets were off and both sat on either side of Mai, completely ignoring their Father.
Hikari grinned up at her Mom, who was sitting at her left side. "You know us so well, Maman."
"Mmhm!" Kaori nodded with vigor. "So, the story?" Kaori reminded.
"How long were you two awake?" Bou-san asked, a tinge of disbelief lacing in his voice.
The twins looked at each other for a few seconds then shrugged, telling the occupants that they don't know. Bou-san simply sighed and gave an encouraging smile at Mai. "Go on Mai."
Mai looked at Claude who had somehow stealthily edged his way near her bed. Claude simply nodded.
"It was during the renovation of the house that I bought when Rika and I were just starting the company..."
|| "We still have to go back to the office to double-check the clothes that will be displayed next week." Rika flipped another page from her handy-dandy black notebook. "Then, we have a meeting with Ihara-san at 3PM." Rika looked up from her notebook to see her boss spacing out. Rika sighed. "Mai."
Mai swiftly turned her attention to Rika, who was now frowning at her. "You're spacing out. Again." Rika emphasized. "Is something wrong? You've been doing that a lot lately."
Mai shook her head and gave a reassuring smile at Rika who still looked a bit hesitant. "Sorry. Just a lot of things on my mind. The house. The twins. The company." 'And the dreams...' She thought.
"Are you sure?" Rika inquired again, looking a bit unsure. "Coz I can rearrange some of these things for you –"
"Rika. It's okay." Mai insisted with a smile. "I'm fine, really." She shifted herself in her leather seat. "So after my meeting with Ihara-san, what's next?"
"If you say so..." Rika, still looking a bit hesitant to drop the subject, continued on listing Mai's schedule for the day. "Then, hopefully by 8 or 9PM, you're done for the day." Rika flipped the notebook close and looked at her boss. "And, Ayako called. Said that she'll take care of the kids today since her shift finishes early."
Mai nodded, feeling satisfied that the twins will be with Ayako. "That's good. With Okaa-san, I'm pretty sure she'll take them out for snacks."
Rika nodded and looked at her boss who was busy signing some papers. "Are you sure you don't need anything else, Mai?"
Mai looked up from the paper that she was reading and smiled at her very-concerned best friend. "I promise. I'll tell you if I need anything, okay? Don't worry so much."
The bob-haired girl grinned. "That's a promise." With a slight skip on her step, Mai's secretary walked out from her office. Mai chuckled at the antics of her half-American friend and continued her work with a small smile on her face.
...
"Thank you so much for taking me home Mai." Rika said while pulling her jacket closer to her body. Even with the advanced heater inside the limo, she can still feel the cold seeping through her thin jacket. "The weather's really weird today." She looked at the window. Huge droplets of water were falling from the sky. She can see a few people running to find some shelter. "I watched the weather report this morning, today was supposed to be a fine day."
Mai, who was also looking through the window, nodded. "Yeah. With this cold weather, I might not be able to get anything done when I get home."
Rika's cheerful demeanour instantly shifted into an angry one. "Don't even think about –"
Mai laughed heartily and waved an elegant hand in front of her. "I get it, okay? I won't slack off. I swear."
Rika was about to respond when she felt the limo stop. She looked through the window and saw her condo in view. "Well, here's my stop."
"Your umbrella." Mai reminded. She waved at Rika and smiled. "See you tomorrow."
Rika saluted. The chauffer opened the door for the petite girl, who jumped out from the limo with a small umbrella in hand and ran straight to the entrance of the condominium.
The chauffer went back to the driver's seat and opened the privacy window. "Straight home, Mai-sama?"
"Please."
The chauffer pulled up the privacy window again, knowing that his young passenger will be getting a few minutes of shut-eye before reaching the mansion.
But unfortunately, Mai didn't. The drive was slow because of the heavy rain, and this gave her a lot of time to think about the dreams that she's been having the past few weeks. It was about a mysterious man who was in deep emotional turmoil. Everytime she dreamed about him, his body was always in fetal position. Then, he'd slowly stand up with extremely shaking knees. When he walks, he would always stay at the sides, never leaving the dark. On his back were two parallel scars. For a man who seemed to be in an absolute state of depression, his entire physique was worth drooling over. Well-defined abs and muscles, strong-looking hands, and pale skin. 'He must've been tortured...' Mai thought at first, referring to the long scars on his back. She tried calling out to him once, but he didn't respond. So she decided to ride out all of her dreams, but in the end, she gained nothing. The dream was always the same, never changing. But there was one thing that Mai never saw while she was having 'that' dream; the face of the mysterious was never shown, always hidden in the dark. Ever since then, Mai would just simply watch the man struggle on his own with an aching heart, sincerely hoping that she could meet this person and help him.
Mai was suddenly snapped out of her reverie when she felt herself lurching forward from the abrupt stop of the limo. She looked outside through the window and saw that a few cars had stopped also. She rolled down the privacy window. "What's going on Kei?"
The chauffer looked at the mirror to face his Young Mistress. "A man suddenly collapsed on the road Mai-sama."
"Is he okay?" She looked again at the window, hoping to see the man.
Kei, the chauffer, had to smile at Mai's sincere concern. Ever since he got to know his Young Mistress better throughout the years, he was instantly captivated with Mai's kind personality. "I think he's okay. A lot of people are helping him."
Mai, suddenly feeling unsatisfied, decided to exit the limo and help the man. She made her way to the front of the limo when all of a sudden, her vision instantly focused on the man who was lying on the wet ground... in a fetal position. Mai's heart pounded heavily. Even with the blanket covering his obviously naked body, she could identify who he was. Without delaying for another second, she approached the man who was shaking the 'mysterious man' on the ground. "Sir, excuse me..." She asked timidly.
The man, who looked to be in his 30's, was wearing a business suit. His gaze instantly locked on Mai's chocolate orbs. "Uhm..." Mai started awkwardly, feeling a bit conscious from the man's stare. "I know this ma –"
"You're Mai, right?" The man questioned. "That supermodel?"
Mai's usually soft brown orbs instantly sharpened at the man's question. The audacity of this man... "Sir, will you please carry this man inside my car? I know him and I need to take him to the hospital right away."
The man shifted unconsciously, feeling slightly guilty for forgetting the current situation. "Ye – yes, right away."
With a help from a few bystanders, the 'mysterious man' was safely deposited in Mai's limo. Before stepping inside, she gave a sincere smile to those who helped. "I wanna thank you for helping him. Please, come to my office when you have the time. All of you." She fished a business card from her jacket pocket and gave it to man nearest to her. "Don't forget."
With that, she stepped inside the limo, leaving a few blushing and slack-jawed men.
...
Looking at the white-washed walls and bright lights, the memory of her being rushed to the labor room invaded her mind. She smiled wistfully, remembering how she cursed Naru a lot for taking advantage of her and getting her pregnant. She shook her head lightly and focused on the current matter at hand.
"Is something wrong, Mai-sama?"
Mai's insides jumped, looking at her chauffer with wide eyes. She momentarily forgot that Kei was with her. "No no. I'm okay. I just remembered something."
Kei simply nodded. "Okay. Are you sure you don't want me to call –"
"Taniyama-san?"
Mai instantly got up from her seat and flew straight to the doctor who was standing in front of the ER doors. "Is he okay?" She immediately asked, gazing directly in the doctor's emerald eyes.
The doctor nodded and smiled. "Don't worry too much Taniyama-san. You might get wrinkles on your face." The doctor jested, hoping to alleviate the worry from the young woman.
Mai laughed, releasing out all the anxiety that she felt while she was waiting. "In fact," The doctor continued, his eyes twinkling with happiness. "He's totally fine that you can bring him with you now."
In that exact moment, the double doors on the ER room opened. Mai could seriously feel her heart dropping to her stomach. 'No friggin' way...' She thought, still not believing what her eyes are seeing.
"Ah. See?" The doctor grinned this time, softly patting the shoulder of the person who just came out from the ER. "He's already up and about. Claude just needs some rest."
Hearing a name snapped her from her musings. "Claude?" She repeated, looking at the extremely tall man in front of her. But the doctor hadn't heard her. He was busy ticking off some lists from his clipboard.
After a few awkward seconds, the doctor lifted his gaze from his clipboard to Mai and gave her a soft smile. "Well, if there are no more questions, I'll be off to my rounds then."
With that, Mai was left to face a very awkward situation. How was she supposed to talk to this 'Claude' person? Not only that, he was ridiculously good-looking so much so that if she were to stare at him all day, she'd definitely forget what Oliver Davis looked like. That flawless skin that would give off a little shine when hit with light, that perfectly sculpted nose and jaw, that shining black hair, and those undeniably piercing golden eyes hiding behind a pair of square-shaped specs. 'But why is he wearing that butler suit?' Mai thought. Of course, he looked devastatingly gorgeous in that suit but...
"Young Mistress?"
For the nth time of that night, she was brought back to reality by a deep voice and recognized that it was from Claude. "Eh?" She uttered dumbly, not really understanding the sudden high regard.
Claude gave the smallest hint of an amused smile. And for the first time, Mai could literally feel her heart stop beating. 'This is absurd...'
"Mai-sama? Is everything alright?"
Kei finally interrupted the bubble between Mai and Claude. He was silently observing the interaction between the two. Mai claimed that she knew him but when Claude stepped out from the ER, he looked at Mai's expression and there was pure disbelief written all over her face.
Mai straightened herself, determined not to get side-tracked anymore. "Yes Kei. Everything's alright."
"Are you sure?" Kei looked at her with questioning eyes. "You seemed... shocked."
She let out a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of her neck. "It's been uhh, so long since I've last seen him so..." She chuckled nervously.
Kei's gray eyes narrowed a bit, feeling that something was a bit off. "Well, since Claude-sama is –"
"Just Claude." Claude interrupted. His tone gave shivers up and down Mai's spine.
Kei nodded. "Since Claude is already out, shouldn't we go home now and let him rest?"
"Uh, yeah. We should." Mai snuck a glance at Claude. He was just staring at her with those golden and emotionless eyes.
'Kami-sama, what do I do?'
...
'First, in the hospital. Now this.' Mai sighed heavily and decided to cut the thick silence covering the two adults. "Claude."
"Yes, Young Mistress?"
'Why does he keep calling me that?' They were in Mai's temporary office situated on the first floor. With renovations still going on, she accepted and welcomed guests in her office. The room, meant to be the guest's waiting area, were filled with bookshelves and paintings. On the left side of the room was a mini-bar where guests could serve themselves a few drinks. On the right side was where Mai's small mahogany desk was situated. A fireplace was supposed to be in its place but because of the temporary arrangements, it'll be installed once the entire house was finished. In the middle of the room was a beautifully designed coffee table with a small sculpture as the centrepiece. Then lastly, comfortable Victorian couches surrounded the table.
Mai and Claude were sitting facing each other. The former shifted in her seat, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the relentless staring coming from Claude. "Why... do you call me that?" She asked, her voice cracking a bit from her jumping nerves.
Claude tilted his head to one side, his emotionless face never changing. "I am your butler. I should call you that."
If skin were incredibly elastic, she would've let her jaw fall straight to the ground. "I don't understand where you're coming from. I haven't seen you before."
"You have."
Mai blinked a few times before answering. "I have? Where?"
"Your dreams."
A flash of recognition passed through Mai's eyes. "You knew that I was there..." She mumbled, still in a state of shock. She bravely gazed at Claude's golden eyes. "Why won't you answer everytime I called out to you?"
"I do answer, Young Mistress. You just couldn't hear me."
Mai's brown orbs widened at that. 'So I was the one who wasn't answering him...' "I – I'm terribly sorry." She stuttered, looking absolutely downcast at the discovery. "I didn't know. Everytime I see you, I can't see your face."
"It's okay, Young Mistress."
"But, why do you appear in my dreams?" Questions suddenly poured out from her mouth. "Is there something you wanna tell me? Do you need help? Is there a reason why you're here? Are you some kind of sign to me?" She knew that she was spouting a lot of inquiries. But she couldn't help herself. She needed answers.
"I appeared in your dreams because your powers were strong enough to reach out to mine. Yes Young Mistress, I wanna tell you something. No, I don't need help. Yes, there is a reason why I'm here. And no, I'm not a sign." Claude deadpanned.
Mai could feel her jaw dropping by the second but kept her composure. She cleared her throat before continuing. "So, what is it that you want to tell me?"
Claude stood up from the couch with elegance and took a few steps to stand in front of Mai. He held his hand out. Mai looked at his hand in confusion. "It's better for you to see it Young Mistress."
Mai unconsciously bit her lip, weighing her options. Her psychic visions can sometimes harm her and with what she have seen from this man's back, she didn't want to feel it; how his scar came about, she didn't want to know. But at the same time she knew that she had to know. If she wanted answers, then she has to pay a small price for it.
"You don't have to worry about anything Young Mistress." Claude offered her a comforting smile which sent her heart beating like mad. "Nothing will happen to you. I am one hell of a butler after all."
Mai nodded, her mind filled with determination and trusting Claude to keep her from harm. She reached out slowly. As soon as she felt Claude's cold flesh, images suddenly flooded her head. Claude as an infant; the scars on his back were very pronounced when he was a baby. Claude as a teen; a disfigured man walked up to him and patted his head lovingly, making Claude spread out his angelic wings and grin. And finally, Claude as an adult; he walked alone in a very dark place. There were no buildings or stores or house or even people. The place that he was walking through was like a void; an endless abyss. She can hear him muttering one name, over and over, dolefulness and misery dripping everytime the name was spoken.
"Olivia... Olivia..."
During his staggered walk, Mai could see a faint purple light glowing on his left side. She didn't know what it was but she could feel that it was something important.
A flashing light invaded her sight, blinding her for a second. And just like that, she was transported back to reality. She can feel Claude's smooth and cold hand against her callous ones, she can feel her pulse on her neck and wrist, she can feel herself breathing deeply, she can feel reality.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. She can see a black outline in front of her. 'Claude...' Without missing a beat, she asked. "Who was Olivia?" By this time, her chocolate orbs were now locked on Claude's golden ones.
"She was a demon." Claude replied, his voice lacking of emotion. "She somehow stumbled into one of the most sacred gardens in our town, the Garden of Eden."
Mai's elegant eyebrows rose slightly at that. Claude caught the meaning and chuckled. "Yes, Young Mistress. That place does exist. Although not in this world."
Mai laughed lightly, feeling the tension fly out from the room. What with all these sudden revelations, she needed a peaceful atmosphere. "Well, what happened next?"
"The Garden of Eden was one of the most peaceful places to rest. At that time, I just got back from chopping wood for my grandmother's fireplace. So I decided to take a nap at the garden. She was there." At that exact moment, Claude's golden eyes softened, and Mai's heart skipped a beat at the wonderful sight. "She was standing under a large oak tree, completely looking lost." Claude smiled at the memory. "I knew that she wasn't one of us because of the brand that she had on her left hand."
"Brand?" Mai questioned.
With a dash of elegance, Claude removed the button of his left hand glove and slowly removed it. Mai's eyes widened at the sudden realization. She knew that she wasn't talking to some human, as seen from the vision, but she never expected that this dashing butler in front of her was a demon. 'But if he's a demon, then how come...?' She shook that question out of her mind knowing that Claude will reveal everything to her once she asks.
"Each and every demon in our world holds a brand, but we all have unique shapes." He showed his brand that was on his left hand. His brand had a star enclosed in a circle. On every V-corner of the star was a rough line connecting to the circle. "When I become myself, my demon self, I transform into a spider."
Mai nodded, finally understanding. "Okay, so back to the story." She grinned. A living demon was in front of her, yet she couldn't sense anything dangerous.
"For a demon, she seemed totally harmless. But then again, demons were made to deceive people." At that statement, Mai's heart dropped to her stomach. She clenched her fists till her knuckles went white.
Claude saw the change in her expression but decided to ignore it. "I approached her and asked her what she was doing at the garden and told her that she wasn't allowed. She looked pretty scared when she saw me. She apologized and asked for some directions or spell to bring her back to where she belongs. She explained that she was reading some kind of old book back at some library and had recited an old spell which brought her there."
"Did you help her?"
"I wanted to, but I didn't know how. So I gave her a dirty glove to cover up her brand and told her to check-in at the nearest inn. The next day, I visited her at the inn and brought her breakfast. She swore that wasn't doing some crazy plan and asked again for my help. I gave in and told her that we'll do our research on the library. So everyday, we'd go to the library and browse through old spell books. But somehow, through all those –"
"You fell in love with her, didn't you?" Mai's all-knowing smile crept up from her face. "But Claude, you're a demon. What's so –"
"I was an angel when that happened, Young Mistress."
Mai blinked a few times before the statement finally sank in. "What?!" She swiftly covered her mouth, not wanting the staff to disturb their conversation. She cleared her throat, wanting to cover up her embarrassment. "I mean, what?"
"You need not to know the name of my parents. But their work is highly respected by the townspeople and the last name that I used to carry gave fear to those who would hear it."
"So, if that's the case then, what changed? How did they find out that Olivia was a demon?"
"It's a big taboo. Even with the image I carry, it's a thing that cannot be ignored. The glove that I gave to her was already worn out. When she pulled out a book, the glove just slipped from her hand. A lot of people saw the brand that she had. People screamed. I protected her. Then, I was banished."
"Wait," She interrupted. "So you're banished to the other side. Well Olivia was from the other side too. Shouldn't you be with her then?"
"She was sent to one of the circles in Hell."
'Those circles actually exist? Wait...' "Are you saying that earth is –"
Claude chuckled in amusement. "No, Young Mistress. As the rumors go, when humans live a sinful life, they fall to Hell. Same as us angels, when we violate the rules, we fall. Your world is our destination."
"So our world is like Hell to you guys." She deadpanned. "So, you're like a fallen angel, like one of those fictional books. Wait. You're here. So non-fiction, I guess." Everything was starting to make sense to her now. Her instincts weren't ringing any bells because Claude was once an angel. Despite the brand that he has on his hand indicating that he was a demon, deep down she knew that he was still a kind-hearted man.
"I still have one question to ask though." She looked at the 'fallen angel' with a whole look of wonder in her eyes. "Why me? I mean, there are a lot of better people out there..." She faltered, leaving the question hanging.
At this, Claude smiled softly at her, causing her cheeks to flush at the rare sight. 'He's handsome. I can't deny that.' "Young Mistress is undoubtedly very kind." She started sputtering out protests but Claude paid her no mind. "Your soul, which can freely move out of your body anytime, can sense those who are in need. Your soul, in our eyes, glows very brightly; truly incandescent and unstained. This is why all sorts of spirits or demons float towards you. I am no exception to that."
"But..." Her face slowly transitioning into that of horror; her once flushed cheeks turned pale. "Claude, I am not making any contracts with you." She deadpanned, her pink lips forming a thin line.
"I never asked to be in a contract with you, Young Mistress. My service, that'll last for as long as you live, is for free."
"Why?"
"Because once you die, I will die too. Living for more than 4 centuries is hell enough for me. And I just thought that having you as my last master will at least make my last service more memorable and meaningful." Another shade of red blossomed in Mai's cheeks. "Just because we're demons doesn't mean we don't have memories."
And just like that, silence has again draped the atmosphere. But the two occupants knew that they've reached a certain level of understanding; one that they're both comfortable with. Both have found alliances in each other.
As long as Claude keeps Mai and her twins happy, everything else (hopefully) is gonna be smooth sailing. ||
...
AAAAAAAAND THAT'S IT!
My comeback chapter running on 7K words! This took me weeks and all the scenes and the grammars and what not. And yes, Claude in this story is Claude from Kuroshitsuji... well, his physical aspects anyway. I had a help from my friend about his history; she's also a fanfic writer who's currently working on a Fairy Tail story. I hope ya'll liked this. It looks kinda messy to me. I'm not that all impressed with this one but I've tried editing this story several times and I think this is the best that I could give. My mind's still kinda all jumbled up. Please do forgive me :((
I hope I'll be able to post another chapter next week. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME HAHAHA.
And uhm, Advance Merry Christmas to everyone out there! :D
Xoxo,
Nana
P.S.
Please don't forget to leave reviews. It'd be very much appreciated, constructive criticism and all that. I definitely need those since I need to hone my writing skills again.