The girl's room was exactly like Mai expected. Tatami mats on the floor and instead of bed funtos. It was actually a very nice change for the girl. Mai placed her luggage on the side. "Is there no wardrobe or something?" She asked looking around noticing the very few furniture in the room. Their futons on one side with what looked like a coffee table and one bigger table on the other side of the room with some cushions around it. Well, it might have been a nice change but still something more or less new to Mai. If she was this confused by her own culture she couldn't think of what Gene and Naru were thinking. "You can place your stuff here, Mai." Masako said as she pulled a sliding door inside their room. A few wooden shelves appeared inside. "Thanks, Masako." Mai smiled.
The girls then started unpacking, Madoka and Ayako followed them. "Ey, Madoka." Mai started as she grabbed a few items from her bag. "What is it?" The woman smiled at her. "It's kinda weird to ask now but you and Lin. How did you two get together? I was kinda surprised when the information about your marriage reached my ear." She asked. "True, It came quite unexpected." Ayako agreed. Madoka chuckled. "Well, I was really surprised myself to be honest." She added. "Lin and I had feelings for each other for quite some time now you know. We both knew what we felt but...well, we never talked about what we wanted to do with it. Then Lin went to Japan with Naru...I thought that would be the end."
She chuckled again. "When they came back after finding Gene, Lin told me how someone else's density made him aware of how strong his feelings were for me." Madoka stopped for a second. "Ah, he was so cute saying this." Mai rolled her eyes and the woman continued. "Well, he proposed. But then Naru said that he wants to go back to Japan and Gene wanted to go to and I knew Lin wouldn't let them go alone." The expression on her face suddenly changed from a housewife telling stories about her love life to a high school student who was ready to fight for her crush. "I sat him down I made him aware of my feelings. Like hell was I going to wait till Naru decided to finally come back. Well, our conversation ended with us getting married and me moving here with him."
"It looks like you really knew what you wanted." Ayako commented. With this, the miko made herself Mai next target. "And you, Ayako? How come I never heard the full story of you and Bou-san getting together?" The girl asked which made the priestess blush. "It's not that interesting. We just started hanging out more after work. I went to a few of his concerts. It kinda worked for us."
"Thank god. You're fighting a lot less on the cases now." Masako said. Ayako remembered the behavior Masako was talking about. "Please excuse my childish behavior. But he sometimes really gets on my nerve." She said. Her eyebrow twitching. "You are joining us more often these days, right?" Ayako noticed. The question was obviously pointed at Masako. To her surprise, the girl smiled shyly. "It seems like you'll have to also excuse my childish behavior." She blushed. "I was acting so weird, wasn't I? I am really glad I woke up. Now, I really see why Mai can call SPR her family. I enjoy the time I spend here so I try to get as much free time to be able to join you."
"So~, Masako. How is your love life going now?" Mai found her next target. The medium blushed more. "What do you mean. You know I don't like Naru." Mai smirked. "Of course. But I'm not talking about Naru. Come on, tell me. We are friends right?"
"Well, yes we are but…." The medium was actually embarrassed. This just showed that her feelings this time were actually real. Her running after Naru was not actually what she thought it was. "Well, yes but… I can't say it." She actually really wasn't able to say it. She once tried to in front of a mirror in her apartment but her voice would crack every time she was about to say his name. 'I love…' and silence. No name ever came through.
"But it's one of the SPR members right?" Mai asked and Masako nodded. She was sure who Masako liked but being 100% sure was not enough. "Ey, what do you all think about Yasu and Gene?" The girl asked casually but what followed was an awkward silence. They were probably all thinking the same but none of them was about to admit it. "Then, all on 3." She said. "3...2..1…"
"I ship it." They all said at the same time. A series of laughs followed. 'So it really is John. Nice choice.' Mai thought.
"I mean they just fit. There's no other way to say it." Ayako added to the conversation. "They look kinda cute together. But I still find it, I don't know, weir? funny? Gene has the same face as Naru after all." Masako stated. "Really? Their personalities are very strong so I can't really see it that way. I got them mixed up once in my life and never again." Mai laughed. "Madoka, you know them the longest. What do you think?"
"Hmmm. In my eyes, they are just two brats using the fact that they have the same face to cheat on tests." A moment of silence came. "But if I had to think about it deeper I would probably agree with Mai." The woman then smirked widely as she watched Mai close her suitcase and place it at the bottom of the 'wardrobe'. "Speaking of Mai." The girl got chills. She knew what was coming and knew it was time to flee. Luckily for Madoka, there was nowhere she could flee. "How is your love life going? Well, particularly the one with your boss."
"Ah, the non-existing one?" Mai said jokingly. "I mean the very existing one. Everyone talks about Naru acting weird towards you." Madoka argued. Mai sighed. She just gave in. "Well, he is acting weird. Sometimes he is genuinely nice, sometimes it looks forced, sometimes he teases me and I can't tell if it really is a 'joke' (yeah, Naru and joke, but I can't come up with another word, sry) or if he really means to insult me. But it has nothing to do with love. Maybe pity?"
'Seriously?' That's what Madokas' face was screaming. If she could she would yell the truth into Mais face the very second but if Lind or Naru found out they would probably skin her alive. Well, Naru would.
Before anyone could say anything a knock on the door caught their attention. The sliding door opened. It was Ryoko. It looks like the family was ready to meet them.
The girls left the room to see the boys do exactly the same. Meeting them right after the conversation from a minute ago was bit much for Mai and Masako. A faint blush was still visible on both girls. They decided to stay at the end so that they won't attract too much attention. Well, too bad for Masako as being at the end was also John's favorite place. The boy noticed her red face and got concerned. "Are you ok, Masako?" He asked but Masako couldn't look him in the eye. "Yeah, I'm fine." She managed a whisper. "Are you sure? You don't look like you're well." He continued making Masako blush harder and harder every time he spoke. Mai on the other hand was quite enjoying seeing Masako like this.
They arrived. The room Ryoko took them to was back in the main house. This time the room was way bigger than the first one. In the room was every family member. They were all seating around a wooden table. It looked similar to the one in the girls' room. Actually, Mai was almost sure she remembered the name of it. These tables were called chabudai. Or that's what she heard at school. She wasn't very interested in anything that wasn't paranormal lately. Well, this table was however way longer than the one in the girl's room. The whole family was already seated and there were still seats for the SPR members after all.
Ryoko disappeared as soon as she has let them into the room. "Have a seat." A man's voice instructed. Mai looked to see who was talking as she indeed took a seat. "My name is Fujiwara Iwao. The current head of the family."