Yo...here's the next chapter...oh, and no, I won't be repeating all the information here...
Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters...
As the water boiled, the two took up their usual kitchen positions. Mai was seated on the counter with Naru standing in front of her.
"What's wrong?" asked Mai.
Naru looked at her, right into her beautiful brown eyes. He sighed softly, fingers coming to gently caress her cheek.
"I need to tell you everything Mai," he said. "About your family and what happened when you were little, what's happening now and how it's all connected."
"Really?"
"Yes... You're not going to like hearing allot if it, but you have to know."
Mai didn't answer right away. Instead, she leaned in and lightly pressed her lips to Naru's, kissing him softly.
"It's alright, Naru..." she said, pulling away. "I don't care how bad it is...I want to know."
"You brave, brave girl," Naru said in a voice barely above a whisper.
His lips descended upon Mai's and their kiss resumed. Hands roamed, tongues clashed, but the kettle went off before they got any further.
We really have to stop doing this in the kitchen, they thought in unison. That damn kettle must have a mind of its own or something.
Pretty soon, the teens were in their room, both sitting on the bed. They sat there in silence while Naru sipped his tea. Mai had taken Naru's notebook (with permission, of course) and was now trying to decipher the scribbles within, while her boss merely gazed at her, a faint smile on his face.
Once he had finished the tea, he placed the cup on the side table, pulled Mai onto his lap and leaned back against the headboard. Then, he gave a sigh and began to speak.
"Mai...do you know that the man who died alongside your brother Ryou, was your step-father?"
"...Yes."
"Alright, do you remember your biological father at all?"
Mai shook her head. "Not really..."
"You said the name 'Akira Yaoshima' sounded familiar, right?"
"Un..."
Naru hesitated for a brief moment. "...You recognize it because it is the name of your father. Yaoshima is your true last name."
"But...isn't that the name of our client...?"
"Yes Mai, it is..."
"Then...our client is my father...?"
"Yes," said Naru. "Kiyoshi Hideki, whose real name is Akira Yaoshima, our client in this case, is your father."
"But...Naru, before, you said that our client may have killed my family," said Mai slowly, her hands pressed to her bosses chest so that she could look at his face. "If he's my dad, then...does that still stand?"
"It does," replied the boy. "In fact, we now know it to be true."
"True...?"
Naru shifted Mai in his lap so that she was facing him, legs on either of his sides. Mai blushed a little at the fact that she was basically straddling Naru, but the feeling didn't last very long, for Naru began to speak once more. Now, he told her about the spirits in the house, why they were there, some things about her past and everything he had deduced earlier. Mai didn't speak the entire time, she simply sat there, listening carefully and quietly.
After what felt like forever, Naru finally finished.
"So...basically what happened and is currently happening is...my fault...?" said Mai, her voice a little hoarse. "Me taking the blame for what May did...that's what started everything!"
Naru wasn't really sure how to respond to this. Technically, Mai was right. If she hadn't taken the blame to protect her sister, then none of this would have happened. Or would it? Jack would have gone after May then and who knows how things would've changed that way. If that happened, would Mai even be alive and in his arms right now?
Not even wanting to thing this, Naru pulled Mai right up to his, embracing her tightly.
"I'm sorry, Mai..."
And just as he had expected, Mai began to cry. Her fingers tangled into his shirt as she quietly sobbed. Hearing all this had been so overwhelming that the girl just couldn't help but react this way. Naru didn't say anything. He just held her, waiting for her to stop on her own, pretending that he wasn't in pain at the moment. Mai sad or crying always seemed to do that to him.
Finally, a few minutes later, Mai pulled away slightly and wiped her eyes.
"Sorry, Naru," she mumbled.
Her boss leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"There's nothing to apologize for, Mai," he said.
She gave him a small smile, but then said, "Where is he?"
Naru didn't need to ask who she was talking about. There was only one person she'd be asking about right now.
"Downstairs in his office."
"Do you think I can..." Mai began hesitantly.
"As long as you don't tell him anything," replied Naru. "You can't let him know. Not yet."
"Okay..."
"Oh, and don't hurt him," added the young man as an afterthought.
The corners of Mai's lips tugged upwards into a smile.
"Aww. I can't?"
"No."
"Hmph...fine."
And that's all for this week...Sorry if it sounds a little rushed, I really wanna watch 'Over The Limit'...Anyway, looking forward to reviews! Laterz!