*YUASA HIGHSCHOOL*
*Day 01*
"Haaaay..." Mai sighed as she gathered all the clients to be interviewed. She pressed the 'Talk' button on her walkie talkie."Boss. I already finished my job. Can I do my homework now?" Mai said sarcastically and rolled her eyes.
"Yes. Return to the base. Good job,Mai." A cold voice rang from the walkie talkie as Mai smiled at the group of student and lead them towards the base.
They have a new case today. Apparently, they received 5 requests from different people saying the school is haunted and many are seeing things and are possessed by spirits. Naru rejected it at the first 3 requests but Bou-san came in with his rock band outfit and described the case.
He said that one of her fans came to him after knowing that he do exorcisms saying that there's a desk in her classroom that they think is cursed. He said that all four students who sat on that desk meet an accident for the past three months and all of them experienced the same type of accident. All of them were dragged by a train in the same manner. Their arms caught between the doors.
And before Naru could even answer if he would take the case, the principal of the Yuasa Highschool came in requesting for investigation. Naru had no choice but to accept the case.
Mai walked towards the base and guide the clients inside. She went straight to her desk next to the stoic Lin after that. Lin just glance at her for a second and continue monitoring his laptop. Mai opened her own laptop to do her homework as she listen to what the clients say about the case.
"Kiyomi Ito-san, correct?" Naru coldly asked as he concentrate on his notes. The girl was slightly trembling as she nod in acknowledgement.
"You came to our office saying that you're friend is probably possessed by a fox spirit after conducting a seance. May I ask where is she now?" Naru asked.
"She hasn't come to school for quite a while now."
"You mentioned that she jumps into her desk and eat sand. And that's not the end of the story. You said she jumps into the school pool with her uniform on even though it was very cold that day. Did she hurt any of the students?"
"No. She hasn't."
"Normally if someone is in that kind of situation, they would usually think that she has a mental illness or she's pretending, why do you think that it's some paranormal phenomena?"
"Because she told me that she is a white fox, a servant of Oinari-san. She also started acting strange after we played Kokkuri-san."
"Other than using paper, what else did you use in the seance? Goblet? Glass? Either of those?"
"No. Our version of Kokkuri-san is done by writing the entire Hiragana alphabet and using a pencil on a sheet of paper. And we didn't have any issues like Kokkuri-san's spirit wouldn't return home or making fun of Kokkuri-san or anything like that. But when were about to leave, she said she's been possessed. We told her that it's impossible but she replied that her shoulders are heavy. The next day, she started acting strange."
"Where did you performed Kokkuri-san?"
"1st grade, Room 03"
"Can you tell me what's happening at the track team's locker room?"
"Sometimes the lockers would tipped over and the equipment would be scattered all over the place. It happened so frequently that we thought someone is pranking us so we decided to stay overnight to catch the prankster but when we are not paying attention, the shot puts that are stored in a box somehow placed on the floor arranged in a perfect line."
"The gymnasium has a storage room that is usually locked. We did a test of courage in there last month to see if a ghost would really appear. Ever since then, I've been seeing weird things like silhouettes. A friend of mine was also hospitalised the other day, she was with us that day. I heard that ever since that day she's been seeing ghost appearing on her desk."
"Her desk?"
"Yes. I heard that in the middle of the class, she became paralyzed in fear. Then she felt something touching her stomach, she look down and saw a hand out of her desk massaging her. Apparently she experienced it so many times. Days after that, she discovered a hole in her stomach."
The team organized the papers and saw a teacher came into the base. He look so depressed and signs of fatigue were visible on his face. He is the teacher who toured them around, Mr. Yoshino.
"Are you also experiencing something?" Naru
"Ah yes .. At night I always hear someone knocking on my window. That noise won't just stop so I opened the curtain and saw a pale hand knocking on my window glass. The hand disappeared and the knocking stops but it continues the next day. If I ignored it, it would continue until morning. I can't even have a rest from all of this."
"Can other people hear that knocking sounds too?"
"Yes but it doesn't seem to bother them that much."
"Okay. Thank you for the information, Mr. Yoshino.
"Hello!" A student came and saw Bou-san.
"I'm impressed! You really came!" She said and bring out her phone to take a picture of Bou-san.
"Yes. Naru, she is Yuko Takahashi-san. She's the one who introduced the case to me. Now let me introduce you to the team." Bou-san said covering her camera.
"That good-looking guy over there is my boss, Kazuya Shibuya. And his two assistants. The tall guy is Lin Koujo and the cute one over there is Mai."
"Hello! It's nice to see you!"
"The pleasure is ours." Mai responded and continue her work.
"I've brought one of the students who sat on that desk. She just came out of the hospital. The others are still there." Takahashi-san said as they sat in front of Naru.
"I was the second one to get in an accident. I was just getting off the train when I feel someone pull my arm and was caught between the doors. The train began to move. I tried to keep up with it but I fell down and was dragged along the platform. I was pulled 5 meters before the train finally stopped. I had a dislocated shoulder and a broken leg. I just got my casts off last week."
"Did you see anyone near the train door when that happened?"
"No. In fact, the train is pretty much empty."
"Can you think of any reason why these incidents happen to anyone who sit in that desk?"
"No. I can't think of any."
"Neither do I." Takahashi seconded.
"I'd love to see that desk." Naru said while thinking.
"Okay! We'll take you!" Takahashi-san volunteered. They stood up and Naru put on his coat.
"Mai, you're coming with me." Naru said.
"Ugh." Mai just groaned and shut her laptop and put her coat on.
"Does anyone sit here now?"
"Not anymore. The last girl is still in the hospital."
"You haven't move this desk before?"
"No, we haven't touch it."
"I also heard that your teacher is acting strange."
"Yes! He claimed that he's been seeing ghosts in the prep room and stopped coming to school! He never believed in ghost before! He's in the hospital now. He said that he's even seeing thing there. "
From then on, numerous students started coming to the base and telling their situations. It forced Mai to stop her work and help Naru and Bou-san in their job.. It was afternoon when it finally come to an end.
"What the heck is happening in this school?!?!" Bou-san whined as he slumped on the desk.
"Who's going to get rid of this many evil spirits? Is it going to be me?! That will be exhausting! Let me cry here! Waaaaahhh!!!!!" Bou-san whined and covered his face.
Mai just laugh at him and gave him his tea. She went to Lin and hand him his.
"But we're not sure yet if it's was really caused by evil spirits." Mai said as she handed Naru's tea.
"I really hope so. But this is strange." Bou-san.
"Correct. I feel that these incidents are not really severe but having this many of them is unusual, don't you think?" Naru
"These many cases in the same location, at the same time. If all were true, there must be a reason behind it."
"You're right. Should we call the others? Let's just consider this as a ghost haunting and get evil spirits out if there's any. If it doesn't work, well just have an alternative plan." Mai said as she hold her phone up.
"Okay." Naru said and take a sip on his tea.
*Day 02*
Masako Hara, John Brown and Ayako Matsuzaki came and perform exorcisms together with Bou-san on the locations where paranormal phenomena happened. Naru and Lin conduct their research about the school and as usual, Mai was left in the base alone, doing her homework. Later, Takahashi-san came and chat with her.
"Honestly, I don't really know what's happening in this school. Curses, Supernatural powers , ghosts..."
Mai stopped typing when she heard that..
"Supernatural powers?" Mai asked and Takahashi-san explained it more clearly to her before she left for class.
"Kasai Panic?" Naru asked
" Yes. There is a senior here named Chiaki Kasai-san. It is said that she can bend spoons by her preternatural powers. It was right after summer break that she show it to others for the first time. She became famous because of it. Bending spoons became a cool trend. But problem arises after that. Although many believe in her, many opposed it saying that she's faking it. One day, she was asked to stand in front of the school to test her. She was asked to bend the key by a teacher and she bent it. The teacher didn't believe it and start attacking her with insults. Kasai-san got fed up so she loudly told him, 'I'll put a curse and kill you.' Everything started after that. That was the information I gather." Mai stated.
"So they think that it all started because of Kasai-san's curse?" Naru
"Yes. You want to see her? She's mostly in the Biology Prep Room because of the accusations she receives. "
*BIOLOGY PREP ROOM*
Naru knocked and the door was opened by a female teacher.
"Excuse me. Is Kasai-san here?" Naru asked
"Yes. How can we help you?" The teacher asked and smiled. The girl with a long black hair turn around after she noticed them. She must be Kasai-san, Mai thought.
"I'm Kazuya Shibuya and I'm with the Shibuya Psychic Research. I'm here to speak with Kasai-san."
"Oh. Sure. Please come in. I'm Ubusuna Kei, the biology teacher."
" Ubusuna? That's an uncommon name." Naru said as he and Mai walk in. Kasai-san don't want to talk to them since she believe that they wouldn't believe her but Ubusuna-sensei comforted her saying she can trust them. That girl turn to them and glare. Mai saw her eyes. It's the same with Kuruda's eyes when they were investigating the case in her school. She must be looked down upon, this must be the reason for having those kind of eyes. Mai pitied her but she just smiled at her
"I heard that you can bend spoons and keys with your preternatural powers."
"It's true but I'll bet even you don't believe it."
"Why wouldn't we?" Mai said and smile at her.
"I'm also able to bend spoons like you do." Naru seconded her.
Mai turned to Naru suddenly with a twitched lips and shocked expression.
What are you doing? Are you going to perform a PK demonstration?!
"What?" Mai
"I sure can. All psychic researcher believe in PK." Naru said looking at Kasai-san but his words are directed to his assistant.
Kasai-san was also shocked but she smirked handing him a spoon.
"Prove it."
"I guess I have no choice." Naru said and reach out for the spoon.
"N-naru, are you sure..." Mai was about to stop him but Naru already positioned the spoon on his hand and push its head. Mai felt a strange but warm energy coming from his hands as she stared. Then the spoon broke into a pair. Mai facepalmed and sighed.
He really did it. PK demonstration. Thumbs up for you, Naru
But this action proved that Mai's guess about his identity is closer and closer to a 100% accurate guess.
"During summer break, I was watching a late night TV show and saw someone bending a spoon. I thought it was cool and try it. I was able to bend it. " Kasai-san explained as she tried to connect the spoon that Naru broke. Mai was surprised that she actually connected it.
"After trying a few times, it became easier. Although I can't break it like you do."
"Gellerini Phenomenon, I see." Naru said.
"Huh?" Kasai-san asked in confusion. Mai was about to explain but Ubusuna-sensei cut her to it.
"Years ago, there was a phenomenon when many people experience psychic awakening after seeing Uri Geller's appearance on TV. Those people were called Gellerini."
"You know very well. " Naru commented however Mai narrowed her eyes at her with suspicion.
"Kasai-san, can you still bend spoons?" Naru asked.
Mai noticed that Kasai-san's emotion escalate. Panic. She's panicking.
"Of course, I can!" Kasai-san said and snatch a new spoon. She bend but after a few seconds, Naru stopped her. Mai went and stopped her hand that is holding the spoon.
"If you do that, you'll be doing the same mistake most Gellerini had made. You are about to bend the spoon by pushing it against the end of the chair with the help of your shadow covering it, right?" Naru said.
"Most Gellerini's preternatural powers don't last long. In order to cover that up, they use tricks to deceive people that they have some psychic powers. This is the reason why people don't believe in them."
"But I'm able to bend spoons before!"
"It only takes one mistake to loose your credibility. Any Psychic researcher is aware that Gellerini's power is unpredictable. If you can't do it, just go ahead and admit it. If someone still doubt your ability, just ignore them. That means that they don't believe you from the start."
Mai just smiled at her and hug the pitiful girl. She pat her back soothing the crying girl.
"I'm so sorry. I'm the one who taught her the trick. Many teachers are criticizing her so I taught her that to defend herself." -Ubusuna-sensei.
"I just want to study freely and express myself. Because of me, they also start attacking Ms. Kei. I just want them to go away!" Kasai-san said.
"Is that why you made that comment?" Naru.
"Oh you mean about cursing that teacher? Yeah, I made that but I wouldn't really kill him! I can't! I have no psychic abilities." Kasai-san answered.
Mai look at the girl and fix her hair. She took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears.
"If you don't have any friends, just come to me. You're free to go to the base and talk about some things." Mai said to her and stood up.
Naru thank them and the two went out. Just when Naru was about to open the base's door, he stopped and turn towards her.
"Mai, about what happened..."
"You want me to keep it a secret?" Mai added.
"Yes."
"Why not? It's impressive.." Mai said smirking.
"No. Keep it especially from Lin." Naru said with a serious look on his face.
Mai stared at him. Oliver Davis is known for his PK. He's just using it now and Lin surely knew he has the ability. Why would he keep it from him if he already knew this kind of ability of him? Mai raised an eyebrow at him but sighed after a while. She raised a pinky finger to him and smiled. Naru's eye twitched as he realized what she is pointing at.
"I promised. Now, seal it." Mai said as she giggle. Naru just sighed at her and sealed the promised by hooking his pinky finger with her.
What the two didn't know is Lin was hiding in the hallway. He also heard their topic and was about to reprimand Naru but he saw Mai raising her finger for a pinky promise. He already know what will happen next so he brought out his camera and took a photo of the two sealing their promise.
This would be fun. Although he's not a fan of romances, seeing his ever cold charge engaging himself in this kind of field, he can't help but to be amused.