14AmyChan: I know I'm super late, and I am SO SORRY, but-
Naru: You really have no excuse. You were simply being lazy.
Mai: Naru!
14AmyChan: He's right, though... And I'm so sorry to everyone who was waiting for this to come out, but it's here now and I sincerely hope you enjoy it~!
Naru: Chan-san does not own Ghost Hunt
Mai: If she did, I'm sure I would have ended up in the hospital a lot more
14AmyChan: Hey!
The first thing that could be said about this new client that entered the office was that he was obviously a businessman. Well-kept, professionally dressed, and an expression that left no room for dilly-dallying or funny business of any sort made this man. He entered the room in confidence and visually swept the room until his eyes landed on Naru.
"I am to assume you are the head of this establishment?" he asked, his voice perfectly polite in sound, though cut and dry in nature. Though surprised that the man had spotted the true boss immediately—many others would have guessed either Lin or Martin as head—Naru nodded curtly and gestured to the couch where the man should sit for any talk of business. The man nodded his head briefly before taking the seat offered to him.
It was then that Madoka and Luella came out of the kitchen, curious as to the nature of the new potential patron. The man did not speak to them, yet he appropriately waited for them to become comfortable before revealing his purpose in coming to this establishment.
"I am here because there are disturbances which my employees believe are of supernatural nature," the man stated after everyone else in the room had taken their seats. "I myself do not believe them, though they are speaking of refusing to work if I should not do something about it. I have researched many 'supernatural' businesses and decided that if anything is amiss, you should be the first to catch it. You do, after all, test all rational options before proceeding to ghost stories, do you not?"
"We do," Naru answered bluntly. He had seen the thinly veiled barb at his business through the man's tone and mannerisms. The raven haired man decided he was probably not going to take the case. "However, there has to be a problem for us to investigate. Tell us what is bothering your workers and we shall see if it is worth our time."
The challenge hung in the air for no less than a minute. During that time, Mai had finally come out of the kitchenette with enough tea for everyone, including the guest. The businessman took the offered cup with a curt and obligatory nod of thanks while Mai easily made her way to her normal position next to Naru, though she did give a slightly wider berth between them than she normally would have.
This did not escape the notice of Madoka.
"Currently, my business has been employed to expand upon a cottage roughly a mile to the north of the Kumamoto castle. We cannot build upward due to some fiscal and construction concerns, so our remaining choice has been to build outward. However, power tools are shutting themselves off, becoming easily misplaced, security footage has been tampered with, and our blueprints have been found in soggy shreds," he explained, keeping an even glare with Naru the entire time. Naru matched it easily. The rest of the group in the room were surprised that the man had come such a long way from the Kumamoto prefecture to Shibuya.
"Could it be the work of a delinquent with nothing better to do?" Naru proposed, though his question had the assertion of a full-blown statement. In his mind, there was obviously no case.
"That is what the current security system is for. Personally, I believe it is one of the workers trying to get a pay rise or vacation time, as they are the only ones with key cards to get in or out of the building, but the security footage—as I have said before—is always tampered with, so I have no viable evidence to back my theory," the man rebuked. Visible sparks were flying between this new man and Naru, and not the type that would make a fangirl squeal, either. "A worker would not tamper with your equipment, as I have already informed them that any damages to said equipment would result in a cut in the pay of every worker across the board."
"That is extremely thorough of you," Naru remarked. The man seemed to have thought of everything to deter their shady charlatan, and would use the SPR establishment as a backup security system.
Naru was displeased with this idea to say the least. He ran a paranormal research team, not a security service.
"Please come and investigate," the man stated bluntly. However, even though he used the word please, everyone could tell that this was nothing short of an order.
"No."
And Naru hates being told what to do. Unless it is Mai or his parents who tell him what to do. Then he will hate doing whatever was commanded of him, yet he will comply anyway. This courtesy does not extend to possible clientele.
"Why not?" the man demanded in a deceptively calm tone. Mai was certain if this man held half of Naru's PK, the room would have shifted a few degrees.
"You have not said anything to indicate that your problems are of a supernatural nature, and have actually advocated for the opposite. As a man of business, I am sure you understand the importance of not wasting your time," Naru stated coolly as he stood. Everyone in the room followed suit, even the obviously displeased businessman.
"I see," he stated with frowning features. He reached into his coat pocket and brought out a company card. "Should you change your mind, here is my name and the number where I may be reached."
The man held the card out to Naru, who ignored the card. The card was eventually taken by Mai, who had felt the awkward tension in the room mounting rapidly. The man left without another word. Naru escaped into his office.
"That was…" Mai struggled for a word to describe the encounter. She looked to the people around her and found their expressions to be quite comical. Martin and Luella were staring at their son's door, one in shock and the other in study. Madoka seemed to be fuming at the boss' lair—and Mai guessed the action was triggered by Naru's lack of adequate business manners. Lin kept typing with a passive expression.
Seeing as no one was quite up for idle chit chat, Mai turned over the card in her hand.
Yan Kappuri & Co.
Construction and Refurbishing for Antique Homes and Offices
Mai hummed quietly over the card for a moment before setting it down on her desk. She could tell the instant she had walked into the room with the tea that Naru had not been interested, and his logic did seem sound for dropping the case. The only thing about the case that intrigued her was the fact that the blueprints were found in soggy shreds. Why not simply rip the blueprints up? Why get them wet?
Naru's not taking the case anyways, Mai reminded herself as she sat herself down in front of the papers she needed to organize. She began her job with none of her customary complaining, too lost was she in her thoughts. Besides, there's no point really in worrying about it if no one's getting hurt.
Somehow, that fact did not seem to sit with the girl. Not for the rest of the day.
"Excuse me," a polite voice with a Kansai accent said as its innocent owner entered the SPR office. It was fairly early and it seemed as though no one were in at first.
But one person seemed to always be at the office.
Besides that fact, the front door had been unlocked. Someone was bound to be in the office, despite it being six o'clock in the morning.
John walked across the carpeted floor of the main office and made three sturdy raps on the door of the boss' lair. Quite a funny name for an office if one asked John, but the name had somehow stuck with the priest after hearing it for so many times. There was a slight amount of shuffling behind the door before the blonde man was bid to enter.
When he opened the door, the office of Kazuya Shibuya seemed in perfect order, as well as its seemingly sole occupant. As usual, papers were neatly organized on the boss' desk and his desktop was humming with activity. A file was propped open on the desk, obviously having the raven haired man's attention for the past few minutes.
All of this was seen at first glance.
"What is it, Father Brown?" Shibuya asked with a curt tone. John stopped his eyes from wandering to the leg of the seemingly innocent desk. The young man instantly remembered his reason for coming.
"Ah, I have a possible case that was brought to me by a friend," he said. After Shibuya gestured for him to take a seat, the priest continued. "It seems as though a project in his company is being haunted. Tools and blueprints are disappearing and the workers always feel like they are being watched or judged. He and his fellow workers are scared that the activity may escalate to physical harm and are afraid to keep working."
"I suppose they are working on the cottage approximately one mile north of Kumamoto Castle," the raven haired man stated after a few moments of consideration. Surprised, John nodded the affirmative.
"My friend told me that he saw something while he was on the late night shift. Evidently, they had been told to put the equipment back inside the shed when he saw a shadow in the corner of his eye," John explained. He waited a few moments before Naru spoke again.
"Could it have been another worker?" the boss inquired, looking as though he might actually be interested in the case. As far as John knew, this was the first he had heard of it. The boss' interest was heightened when John shook his head.
"He was the last one there that night, it's why he was the one to lock up," the blonde man explained. In the back of his mind, he wondered vaguely why Shibuya would ask such a Mai-esque question. Perhaps she was rubbing off on him.
Or...
"I see," the man stated, breaking John's train of thought. The two sat in complete silence for a few moments, allowing the crisp morning air to enter the room through the uncharacteristically open window and curtains. Ample amounts of morning sunlight filtered into the office most had assumed would be automatically dark. Strange...
"Was there anything else?" Shibuya asked, once again tearing John from his reverie. The polite priest shook his head and quickly stood. Anyone could recognize that as a dismissal.
"Will you take the case?" he questioned respectfully before exiting. After a moment's deliberation, Naru gave a curt—yet obviously reluctant—nod. John returned with a relieved smile.
"Thank you, Shibuya-san," he thanked as he gave a slight bow, something by the leg of the desk catching his eye once more. A very conspicuous something, indeed. "I will see you both tomorrow then?"
A small 'eep' sounded from under Naru's desk and the usually impassive boy scowled. His face dusted itself a light shade of pink as the uncommonly early Mai peeked out from underneath the office desk. Her face betrayed guilt and embarrassment at being caught.
"How did you know I was here?" she asked, dusting herself off to avoid direct eye contact. John, embarrassed on both of their behalf, pointed to the leg of the desk. He chuckled nervously.
"Your foot was sticking out," he admitted. Mai made a sound of recognition as she finished patting her kahki shorts free of any dirt. She was red all the way to the tips of her ears.
"I see," she finally said. As if noting something for the first time, the girl turned to John with wide, pleading eyes. "Don't tell anyone? Please? I don't even wanna know what Bou-san and Ayako will do if..."
"I won't tell anyone, and I am happy for you both," John reassured the duo, seeing as how Mai was evidently on the brink of panic and Naru seemed extremely tense as well. However, it seemed as though the rest of the team had been rubbing off on the sweet priest—especially Yasuhara—for he could not leave without one final comment. "…though I do hope you are using protection."
For a few moments after John had escaped, nothing was said. Naru and Mai had been caught red-handed. Admittedly, by the most trustworthy of the group and the least likely to push them in a direction they were not ready for, but they had still been caught. Red frigging handed.
And he had made a suggestive joke. John the priest had made a suggestive joke! At their expense!
"Did John just...?" she finally spluttered, wondering if the priest had implied what she thought he had implied. The priest!
"Last I checked you had perfectly functioning ears," Naru returned fluidly, his mind having already processed what the blonde man had said before leaving, and not pleased with it in the least. Obviously, the rest of the group was a poor influence for their usually good-natured and innocent friend. Perhaps it was the grey-haired researcher…
"B-but he surely doesn't think…" Mai continued, even the back of her neck turning red at the thought. She would have thought she resembled a tomato from the shoulders up had she been able to put brainpower into that matter at that moment. John was thinking… "I—I mean we weren't—"
"I believe that is what he implied, Mai," Naru said bitterly. He did not like the fact that he would be thought of in such a manner. Though he and Mai were in a relationship—a secret relationship but a relationship nonetheless—they both knew better than to go that far so soon. Not only that, but both of their adopted families would kill them, more specifically him. PK could only defeat so many enemies at once.
Mai could not find it within her to speak, her brain was hardly working. She and Naru had agreed to try and meet up earlier in the morning, due to the fact that with Naru's parents being in town they would have far less time alone. Less time to themselves.
Now Mai was suddenly wishing that the ground would swallow her up whole.
"…ai. Mai," Naru stated firmly, somehow having made his way in front of her while she was not paying attention. The girl gave a start before realizing that it was just her boyfriend in front of her.
Sorcery… the girl thought darkly after she had finished jumping of fright. She narrowed her eyes at the black haired man who seemed to have a touch of amusement behind his eyes. Had torturing her always been that much fun for him?
"Do you have some kind of vendetta against me or something?" she accused as she attempted to soothe her racing heart. Naru raised an eyebrow and Mai could practically feel the criticism rolling off of that one action.
"I know what a vendetta is, Naru, I'm not stupid," Mai grit through her teeth at the man she loved. She really hated him sometimes, but she loved him all the same. Life was so confusing for poor Mai.
"I have not made that assertion," the raven haired man said, feigning innocence. Mai saw right through the act. Most likely because she knew he was not innocent at all.
"Yes you have, plenty of times," she pointed out with a pout, crossing her arms and digging her heels in for a debate. "There's that time—"
"Today," Naru finished his statement, cutting Mai off. The girl was steaming now, and wanted very badly to wipe that self-satisfied smirk off of her boyfriend's face. Well, she could do that quite easily now, but that would hardly be teaching him a lesson. He would just keep teasing her if she kissed him every time he did so.
The other way to get him to wipe that smirk of his face was to talk business.
And she was wondering, actually…
"Why are you taking the case now?" she inquired, trying to throw him off his game. He blinked once, giving her all the momentum she needed to press on with her question. "You didn't even seem remotely interested in it yesterday, and today you looked like you were waiting for a reason to accept the case."
She knew Naru was not doing it for John, even if the priest had brought in a few new facts. It certainly made the case more interesting, and if John had presented it first then the team would have already been at the site. But once Naru made up his mind, it usually took someone with immense power over him personally to get him to change it. Someone like Madoka.
"Many new facts have come to light that makes this case worthy of investigating," Naru supplied with ease, slipping completely back into business mode.
Mai, however, now knew that this was complete and utter crud. His whole being said so. From his tense shoulders to his cold eyes that refused to connect completely with hers. He was glaring at her, but not in the eye. Rather, he was sort of glaring at her eyebrows. He was lying through his teeth.
"There's another reason you're not saying," Mai accused. Naru's eyes narrowed by the tiniest fraction.
Why is he getting defensive…?
"I assume you have some sort of backing for thinking in that manner," he stated, his tone completely even to any person who did not know him. But Mai knew him. And she knew him well.
"Nothing other than that animal instinct you love so much," she returned, sarcasm dripping from her every word. The two glared at each other, each refusing to give in on their side. Time seemed to slip away from them, the only times they broke eye contact were when to blink. The room was filled with quite the tension, a tension that not even the sun's gentle morning light could dissolve.
"Call the rest of the team and inform them we have a case," Naru ordered. When Mai refused to move, he added more to the command. "Also, call Kappuri-san and tell him we accept his case and his conditions regarding the safety of our equipment."
Mai glared at him for a moment longer. Naru glared right back. She then turned on her heel and left his office to call the team, still frustrated as to why he was not being truthful and simply telling her his real reasoning for taking the case.
"Mai?" his voice beckoned, giving her a slight hope. Would he tell—
"Tea."
Mai's scream of frustration was heard throughout the building, even by the newly arrived Davises, Madoka, and Lin. The latter two shared a look of shared grief.
Not this early in the morning…
14AmyChan: They might be together now, but Mai and Naru are still Mai and Naru. They're gonna aggravate each other
Mai: He doesn't trust me!
Naru: *glares*
14AmyChan: ahm... Please read and review, guys! *^_^*
