Mai groaned at the constant ringing of her phone, she looked at the time on her nightstand it reads five in the morning. It's still too early for her to wake up. Then it rings again.
"What?" she snapped
"Whoa, sorry I wake you up!"
She looked at her phone screen – it's her brother "Det är fortfarande fem på morgonen här , Erik" [It is still five in the morning here, Erik]
"Jag vet...Hur mår du?" [I know... How are you?]
"Jag mår bra. Är du hemma nu?" [I'm fine. Are you home right now?]
"No I'm not. I'm in Netherlands attending a conference."
"So, what's up?"
There was silence; she can only hear his breathing "The Palace is now starting to prepare for your engagement."
Mai grunted, great! "Så det är dags för mig att gå hem?" [So it's time for me to go home?]
"Ja, Mai" [Yes, Mai]
She sits up, and rubbed her temple "Alright. But I will stop by in England, and give my respect to the Queen."
"Are you sure you will do this? What about Oliver?"
She took a deep breath when he mentioned Naru "I will go home to notify father that I am now oppose to the engagement."
"Mai, is Oliver worth it?" when she didn't answer, he ask her again "Jag frågar en gång till, bara för att vara säker. Älskar du honom?" [I'll ask again, just to be sure. Do you love him?]
"Yes."
"Honom då?" [What about him?]
She gripped her bed sheet "Jag vet inte…" [I don't know...] her voice cracked as her tears rolled on her cheeks.
"Madeleine..."
Mai heard muffled noises on the background.
"I'm fine brother, don't worry. I'll be home soon."
She heard him sighed "Vi ses snart. Ta hand om dig!" [I'll see you soon. Take care!]
"Okay…
Mai was spacing out again, it's been a month since she got a phone call from her brother, she looked at the calendar and sighed. In two weeks' time.
"What's wrong?" Naru's soft and worried voice eased her.
"Nothing for you to worry about, I'm fine." she smiled at him "Tea?"
He gave her a soft smile "Yes."
After his birthday, Naru become less reserved to her. Both of them are now less cautious in physical contact, he become more open to her, and Mai like that.
They went on dates here and there, he's still a narcissistic jerk but with emotions, he solely shows his emotions to her.
The team haven't see Naru genuinely smiling, his smiles and laughters are only for her. He wanted her to feel special.
The thing is, he still hasn't told her about his feelings.
"Here, Naru."
He raise from his chair and carefully approach her "What wrong Mai?"
She closed her eyes to feel his touch, his warm... She doesn't want to be away from him, but she doesn't want him to get caught on her problems either. She will solve it on her own.
"Mai?" he panicked when he saw her tears, "Hey, come on tell me." he brushed off her hair that covering her eyes.
She opened her eyes and look straightly to him "I..." I love you Naru
"Yes?" he urged her to continue
"I... I... want to ask a leave of absence from you."
He blinked at her, then he softly laugh "That's it?" she nodded, he hugged her and stroke her hair "May I ask why?"
Mai looked at him "Family issues." she simply answered
He kissed her forehead "For how long?"
Until I can settle down everything. "A month?"
He raised his eyebrow "That long?" she nodded again and buried her face to his chest, inhaling his scent.
"Alright. I guess its one hell of a month for me without your tea."
She playfully smacked his shoulder "Jerk! Try not to be snappy at them."
He chuckled "I can't promise though." He's lost to his world when he saw her eyes lovingly staring at him "Before you go I have to tell you something..."
"What is it?" She asked without looking away from him.
He took a deep breath "I love you, Mai... I fell in love with you the moment I saw you singing at the bar."
Her eyes widened, but she was somehow sad... so it seems that he still don't remember her. Even so, she's happy and can't help but cry "I love you too Naru... I love you so much. But I have some family issues to face first."
"I can wait Mai, even if it means forever."
"Thank you."
He cupped her face and he slowly leaned down.
"Noll! I bought some snacks for us!" A smiling Gene abruptly open the door and barged in.
The two sprinted away from each other. Naru is beyond frustrated, he wonder if Gene have a kiss radar above him. He's been interrupting them every time!
"What's wrong? Your face is red!" he exclaimed when he saw him blushing.
He glared at him, a glare that can pierce to the deepest part of his soul. Gene cringed, and immediately left the room.
Mai laugh out loud seeing Naru.
"It's not funny!"
She wrapped her hands around his neck "You're so cute, Naru-chan!" she tiptoed in attempt to kiss him but a worried Lin barged in.
"Noll –" he blushed when he saw the young couple about to kiss "Sorry. Next time please, close the door." then he left.
"Dammit! Why they keep on interrupting us?" he spat.
She giggled "I don't know." The front door bell chimes, then voices of the irregulars follows, "It seems they are here again." she kissed his cheek "I'll make some tea for them."
He reluctantly let go of her and nodded.
"Yo Mai! Come on join us!" Bou-san called from the couch.
She's on her table filing the last set of documents that Naru gave earlier, she need to finish this before she can take her absence. She made tea, and bake cookies for them to enjoy, to Naru's annoyance.
"Yeah, you don't need to finish that all today~" Yasuhara chimed.
She shook her head "Thanks but I need to finish this today."
"Why?" John softly asked
Before she can answer, Naru spoke "She asked for a leave of absence."
Everybody halt from their seats, and looked at Mai. Silently asking for confirmation, she softly nodded at them. Masako's eyes gleamed, now that Mai will be gone, this is her chance to get Naru back!
"Where are you going Mai?" Ayako asked sadly.
She pause for a moment, then softly she answered "Home..."
Akira looked at her worriedly, she's going home... And they don't know if she will ever come back.
"When will you come back? Because you're the only one who can tame Naru, you know." Gene stated. Everyone chuckled.
I don't know. "A month"
"So you mean, we have to deal with big boss' snappy attitude for a month?!" Yasuhara exclaimed, and buried his face to Bou-san's chest "You will protect me my love, right?"
Bou-san got goose bumps and shove him away "I will gladly make you a bait, shounen!"
The irregulars stayed for another two hours before they left. Masako throw a pity look at her before she left.
She streched her hands, and cracked her neck. She glanced at the wall clock, it's six thirty in the evening.
"Finally, I'm done!"
"You're done?" Mai jumped at Naru's deep voice. He's standing at his office door, with his coat on.
"Yes. Going home already?"
"No." Then he took her coat and wrapped it on her shoulders "Care to join me for dinner?"
She smile brightly "With pleasure!"
They walked hand-in-hand, they are both blushing, until they reached a high-end sushi restaurant. Both of them were surely happy at each other's company.
Will it happen again? If Naru will know the truth about her, will he treat her the same? Nobody knows.
She was sending an email to Ren when she heard a soft knock on her door.
"Mai?" Akira called from outside.
When she saw the sad look on her best friend's face, she let go of the tears that she's been holding. Akira was trying her best to soothe her.
Mai broke down, she told her that she's not yet ready to go home, that she loves Naru and don't want to leave him.
She's scared... she's scared that her father might forbid her to come back.
Akira console her by saying that Naru will always wait for her to come back, she musn't lose hope. Mai sighs, she's right she must do everything to make her father agree to cancel the engagement.
But Mai also know the huge impact if the two countries do unite.
She fell asleep on her best friend's arms.
Mai woke up from the smell of fried bacon. She look around and realized that she fall asleep on her couch, Akira didn't leave her last night, she smile at her best friend's thoughtfulness.
She get up and greeted her in the kitchen.
"Thank you for last night, Akira."
She smile at her "It's alright Mai. So, you're going to pack some clothes?"
"Yeah a little, I will stop by in England for two days before I will go home. Ren and I have some serious things to talk to."
"I can tell. What time is your flight?"
She glanced at the wall clock, it's still seven in the morning "Eleven-thirty. I still have four hours to prepare."
An hour after breakfast, Mai went to take a bath, then Akira pick an outfit for her that suitable for long flights. She's preparing her small carryall for a few clothes and necessities when someone knocked on her door. Akira went to open it. Her eyebrow rose to see Masako not wearing her usual kimono, smiling sweetly at her.
"Hi. I'm here for Mai"
"She's busy."
Masako made her way to living room and gracefully sit on the couch "I have some proposal that can benefit her, and to her future."
"She has no time to talk to you."
The medium frown at her "You're not her, so shut up."
"Masako..." Mai is wearing a long-sleeved white shirt with hooded capote coat, and stretch-knit leggings with blue loafer casual shoes. She looked at her friend.
"Akira, can you please continue packing for me while I talk to Masako." Akira glared at Masako before she went to the bedroom.
Mai sit in front of Masako "So... what are we going to talk about?"
"Mai, I want to help you in your family issues." Mai raised her eyebrow but she didn't comment "I know it's hard for you to work and the same time go to school, that's why..." she pushed a check on the table, it has five million yen written on it "Please accept this."
"What's the catch?" she decided to play along, it's rude to laugh at her.
"Don't come back to SPR ever again, with that amount you can start a new life. Don't show yourself before Naru again, use this chance to leave."
"What?"
Masako glared at her "I met him first, we've been working for some quite time before he met you. I almost have him if not because of you, do you understand it? You took him away from me!"
Honestly, Mai wanted to laugh at her "You almost have him? How can you say that? Did he even try to call you by your first name?" Mai wanted to rile her up, she's enjoying it when Masako's face turned red from anger.
"Shut up! If you and that friend of yours weren't in the picture I can force him."
Mai furrowed her eyebrow "Force him? Force him to love you by blackmailing him?"
"I will do anything to have him back!"
"Yeah, are you planning for extortion again?" Mai smirked.
Masako didn't answer, "I don't know what Naru sees in you, you're not famous like I am, you're not gifted like I am." then her eyes widened "Are you only using Naru for money?!"
She can't hold it anymore, Mai burst out laughing. Masako is killing her.
"What's so funny?"
"You. You are funny Masako." she took the check handed it back to her "Get that piece of trash away from me"
"You're declining it? Right, because you can have more money if you will marry Naru!" Masako stand up but left the check on the table "Now that you will not be on Naru's side for a month, I will use that time to make him realize that you're not the one for him, but I am."
Masako slammed the front door when she left, when she's finally gone Mai stare at the check then laugh "I can't believe her!"
"If she will do that again, shove your tiara on her face!" Akira huffed. She clearly heard Masako's ranting earlier.
She laugh again.
Buckingham Palace, London, England
Ren was staring at the photo of a woman in his room when he heard his phone began to ring. He grinned at the caller.
"Yo!"
"Don't 'yo!' me, Richard Edwy Nathaniel Philip!" she yelled.
He winced at her voice, he place the phone away from his ear "Mai, calm down."
"I'm not going marry you!"
He rolled his eyes "Don't worry, the feelings are mutual."
Mai sighed "We have some serious things to talk about Ren."
"I know. I'll be waiting for you, take care Mai."
"Yeah. See you soon." she hang up the phone.
He placed his phone back to his pocket and stare at the photo on his hand. "Have a faith on me. I will come back for you, I promise..." he whispered.
[A/N]
Here it is! She's going home now. ^^
xOxO
- BSOL