Chapter 21: Confusion

"Mai, tea." Naru called from the table.

Mai was sitting on the couch warming herself with a hot drink, it was almost Christmas and the temperature outside was slowly turning cold. "There's oolong in the fridge."

"I didn't ask where it was," Naru said. "Get me a hot cup of tea."

Mai grumpily got up from her comfortable position, trudging to exit the base. Just as she was about to open the door, someone beat her to it and the door opened from the other side. Mai stared at the beautiful lady in front of her, with long black hair and green eyes.

"Oh, is there anything wrong miss?" Mai asked the pale girl.

"No, no, my brother told me to come here," she said smiling, "You asked for me yesterday but I was at the hospital."

Mai's mouth formed an 'o' and she turned to face Naru, "Naru, Mr. Takeshi's sister is here."

Mai opened the door to let her in and she smiled at her, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

The girl smiled at her gratefully and Mai left to go prepare some. She brought her can of earl gray and prepared some hot water. Minutes later, the kettle whistled and Mai poured into to each cup.

"—woke up from the shuffling beside me, I opened the bedside light and I saw Yuu hovering over me," the wife says as Mai hands a tea to her, "Thank you dear— but at that moment, I can't help but feel that he wasn't himself, please believe me, my husband isn't capable of hurting me."

"Clearly," Naru said taking his cup and Mai sat beside the girl, "When you saw him with the knife, why did you not move away?"

"Because I saw him, for a second. It wasn't Yuu, there was someone behind him," the lady's hand turned white when she clutch the cup tightly. "And before I knew it, the knife was coming towards me and all I could manage was to dodge it for a few inches."

"What did you see?" Naru asked.

"I didn't see much, it was just a shadow," the lady shook her head, "It was a male."

Naru nodded.

"Thank you, you are free to leave now." Mai smiled at the lady as she left and then she turned around again, "Did you leave something?"

"You have to be careful," the lady said to Mai, Naru watched them curiously. "As far as the maids told me, it targets females with long hair."

Mai touched the tips of her hair; it was until her waist now. The lady's slender fingers work through Mai's hair, tying it into a careless bun, "Don't keep your hair down, even when you're asleep. I had made a mistake believing it wasn't real, and I ended up in a white room."

Mai nodded and the lady smiled, "And keep to your boyfriend at all times, the least he can do is protect you."

Mai's brows met, "Who's my boyfriend?"

"Is it not the Kyle?" she asked and Mai saw her eyes meet Naru's behind her and the lady gave a small gasp. "Oh! I'm sorry, is he your boyfriend?"

Mai turned to Naru who was reading a file, and she turned red. "W-what? Who would be stupid enough to fall for a narcissistic prince?"

The lady giggled and left Mai with a ghost of a blush, "Curious, right Naru?"

"Tea," Naru only said and considered what the woman earlier said, "I'm coming with you."

Mai looked at the guy in surprise, but shrugged it off, both heading to the kitchen. She kept giving glances at her boss who kept walking straight in a slow pace to match her own small steps.

When they had arrived the kitchen, maids were preparing dinner. They made their way to the empty counter and Mai made tea as fast as she could, handing it to Naru when she finished. Naru silently drank their tea, watching as the maids scuttle around, preparing the food they would eat.

Mai noticed that every maid had their hair short; all of their hair was styled in a bob, not a strand touching their shoulders.

"Mai!" Kyle rushed into the kitchen, startling everyone. Kyle hugged Mai's head, to his chest and started chanting something in the same watery language, when he finished he let go of the shocked female.

"Kyle?" Mai says

"I heard someone was attacked again, from Takeshi," he said, "He says it's from the team that came here with the black guy so I thought it was you who was attacked."

"From…?" Mai paled, "Our team?"

Mai rushed outside and Naru followed behind, Mai saw Ayako on the floor collapsed. Monk and John was bending near her in panic.

"What happened?" Mai asked.

"I don't know," Monk shook his head, "We were just walking and then suddenly Ayako fell on the floor with a loud cry."

A scream was heard and everyone knew that high pitched scream, it was the medium. Mai and Naru, being the only ones not tending to the unconscious woman, entered the room the girls were staying at and they saw Masako on the floor, clutching her stomach.

"Masako?" Mai asked, Mai was breathing heavily from running and she must look very flustered right now. Masako fell into her chest and she leaned a bit backward to make sure she doesn't fall from the medium's weight.

"Mai," Naru's commanding voice said, "Fix your hair up."

"What?" Mai looked at Naru as if he had asked her if she liked him, her long strands falling into her face and blocking his view. Mai realized the bun the kind lady did was as loose as it had felt and had fallen down.

Naru knelt beside Mai and she felt Naru's cold hand on her neck, fixing her hair. His fingers brushed by her cheeks as he gathered the wandering strands on her face. When Naru pulled back, Mai was red to the neck.

With her free hand, she went to check behind her nape to make sure not a strand was stray and she stood up abruptly, making sure Masako was fine by herself.

"Mai!" Yasuhara's voice snapped her from her fantasy, she and Naru looked at the out of breath student.

"What's wrong Yasu?" Mai asked him curiously.

"I thought you'd pass out too," Yasuhara sighed and looked at Masako. "I'll carry her to the base."

Naru nodded and Yasuhara picked Masako up, disappearing to the hallway as he turned to the corner. Mai glanced at where Yasuhara disappeared and back at Naru several times, before Naru broke the silence.

"Let's go, Mai," Naru said.

"To the servant headquarters?" Mai asked her boss nodded. Mai smiled as they made their way down to their destination. Mai knocked on the door while Naru waited.

The door opened after the fifth knock and a bob of orange head poked out of the door, Mai smiled, "Hi, can we enter?"

The girl looked like she was about to say no, but her eye flickered at where Naru was standing momentarily and she blushed, opening the door wider.

"Good job Naru!" Mai skipped inside the room and Naru followed.

Inside the room were two large white couch, a table and on opposite walls were single doors. The girl opened the door to the left, it was the maid's headquarters.

There were a rows of beds pushed into the wall, disorganized and messy. There were several bobbed hair inside the room, some were talking and some doing their own business. Naru entered the room and stood beside Mai, catching every girls' attention on the room.

In a flash, every maid was up, fixing their dress and patting their hair, putting a smile on. The only maid that didn't do it was the head, an old woman with white hair fixed tucked tightly and neatly into a bun, without a strand hanging about.

"Stop moving about," the old woman snapped and every maid stood straight, looking at their own feet in obedience, and then she turned to the two. Mai took a small step back. "Is there anything you need?"

"Have you been here long?" Naru asked the woman, ignoring her question. The maid looked displeased but she hid it well.

"Her mother and her grandmother lived here," the maid earlier said, more than obliged to answer, "her family has been maids for generations."

"Manners," the woman snapped. "He hadn't allowed you to speak. Yes, I have been here long; I worked her since I was three. I still am 67 years later."

Mai's eyes widened, "That long?"

The woman looked displeased again, "Yes, though I'm not the only one who have been serving this family."

"There's another?" Naru asked, suddenly interested..

"Yes, but he claims he was serving the house." The woman, this time, didn't hide the bitterness in her voice, "Ask for him in the other room."

Naru nodded and both went to the opposite room, this time, the door opened in a single knock. The room was a mirror image of the one earlier, except everything was neat and tidy. Even the beds were made. Only 3 boys were there and they were minding their own business.

No one paid attention to them until Mai cleared her throat. The one closest to them, reading a book, looked up and quickly shut the book, setting it aside and standing up to bow slightly, "How may we help you?"

Mai almost swooned at how everyone was professionally trained here, unlike the mess the maids quarters was. Naru spoke up, "The head?"

"I'm afraid he's out for some business," the man said. "You needed him for…?"

"When is he coming back?"

"We need to talk to him." Mai said glaring at Naru, who looked annoyed.

"He's not coming back until Sunday," another man said. "He's supposed to be retired already but he comes every Sunday to check on the mansion, making sure everything is in place."

"Why is he the head if he only comes seldom?" Mai asked, her brows meeting.

"Goutokuji-sama said he seemed responsible," the last man said, shrugging, "The old man may not look like it, but I'd say he's a bit crazy, trusting the old butler."

Butler One glared at the man, "Goutokuji-sama said the man had been serving the mansion since beyond his grandfather's age. They're acquainted."

"By relatives or by the man himself?" Mai asked.

"I heard he's immortal," the man shrugged, meaning the man had lived since then.

"Is that even possible?" Mai asked.

"It's a rumour, he might just be a splitting image of his dad. There is such a thing you know, looking alike each other, being mistaken as immortal."

"Oh." Mai nodded, understanding somehow, "Naru, what day is it today?"

"Friday." Naru said in deep thought.

"The day after tomorrow then," Mai confirmed, "What do we do until then?"

Naru turned around and left the room, heading to the base. Mai frowned and thanked the three men, following after Naru.

"Naru," Mai called, trying to match his pace, she stumbled while trying. "Naru! Not everyone has long legs like you!"

Naru noticed the girl's efforts and slowed his pace, but he was still silent. They entered the base just in time Masako and Ayako got up. Both were in a daze and both were handed a glass of water.

"Ms. Matsuzaki and Takigawa," Naru said catching their attention. "Change into your sleepwear."

Ayako spat the water she was drinking in surprise, "What?"

"Ms. Hara and John, go change too," Naru said, and Mai suddenly understood what the guy was saying. He's trying a test. "The possibility of being attacked as a couple is higher. But so far, no significant thing has happened."

"No significant thing?!" Ayako screeched, "I fell on the floor! I hit my head!"

"I believe what triggered your stomach pain was the drink you and Masako had earlier. As for the headache, that's most likely from your shouting."

Mai and Yasuhara covered their mouth to prevent them from laughing. Who knew Naru would say something like that?

Ayako scoffed.

"Wait," Mai said realizing something important, "Masako and John? That's not believable at all, besides you need Masako to keep in check. And John too, if in case something happened,"

"That's true," Yasuhara agreed, "Mai and I will do it in their place!"

"What?" Mai asked surprised and the said guy winked at her, Mai shook her head. "Well, it might work."

Naru's eyes narrowed for awhile, but he agreed otherwise, "Go change."

Edited 07/03/16.