Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt. I do own an active imagination. Which is how things like this pop up.
Dedication: To my husband, who actually read something I wrote (well part of it), even if it was purely selfish motives.
Note: Italics indicate the author's dislike for writing prolonged sections of past-perfect tense.
Found in the Translation
Outlining the Past
She wrote the first one after she'd had the third nightmare about Urado's death room. Turning it into fiction seemed to help. Yet, what had started as a quick cathartic exercise turned into a creative way to relax and end the day. Borrowing bits and pieces from her friends' personalities, she created a fictional group of competent ghost hunters led by a friendly and not too self-flattering female investigator. So what if they were all third year high schoolers? Changing the facts to be a bit more fanciful (though, really, only a bit), just helped her to distance the problem.
~~x~~
She started the second one during the three weeks she was waiting for Naru to recover. At some point, Yasu and Bou-san had caught her at it and insisted on reading the first one when they found out she had it on her. Bracing herself for their laughter (which there had been, but thankfully only at the right parts), she handed it over for their quick consumption. Once done, the both of them spent the next few days giving her feedback, pointers on pacing and/or where to add in a different scene of character development here or tension there. So, by the time Naru had checked himself out of the hospital, she had almost completely edited the first and had an even better grasp on the second.
~~x~~
She wrote almost all of the third one during her down time at work while Naru was in England. By then, the first two had made the rounds to all of the irregulars and only Madoka had been surprised to find out about the hobby. The interim leader of course insisted on reading them too. That had brought on the decision that Mai needed more formalized training on how to ghost hunt so that she could better depict it – or explain it – in her stories. When Mai argued that she did not really intend to publish them, Madoka had just smiled and said that it was still important to do things right.
~~x~~
The fourth one began as a way of distracting herself from obsessing over her too handsome, too arrogant boss. What it ended up doing, however, was provoking even more conversation between them as she idly picked his brain about different ideas she'd been working on for the novel. Refusing to tell him what it was all for, the two still fell into a habit of spending a couple of hours on Sundays they weren't working a case discussing ghosts, curses, spiritualism, PK, ESP, and a number of other topics.
While Mai had originally been surprised (though delighted) at his willingness to take part in the discussions, she quickly grew to cherish the time spent together. All the same, she ruefully realized that she had accidentally achieved the opposite of a distraction as her very youthful crush was beginning to develop into something much deeper than before as more time was spent in thoughtful conversation between, if not equals, at least two people who respected each other. Those conversations shone a light on how such opposite personalities could benefit each other's thinking making Mai wonder if perhaps there might be some chance of something between them some day and, after each smirk he gave her when he caught her staring at him, even she realized she was in trouble of creating an irrevocable attachment to him.
~~x~~
It was those conversations that made it so difficult to say goodbye to Naru again, six months after his return. His father had suffered a stroke and, unwilling to lose more family without saying goodbye, Naru was on a plane only hours after hearing the news.
Mai had gone with them to the airport – Lin and Madoka were returning too. Part of her had been sad that the others hadn't been able to come. Yet, she was glad to not have had any witnesses to her throwing her arms around him in goodbye, compulsion winning out over the silent, invisible barrier they had all allowed Naru to create around himself.
"Call me. I'll always be here to listen."
"Mai," Naru almost whispered in response, his hands grazing over her waist in an action caught between returning the embrace and pushing her away.
"It's okay to talk, Naru," she whispered, pulling away to look at him with tears in her eyes. "At the very least, keep me updated when you can."
He had looked at her, eyes fathomless, for several heartbeats before giving her a curt nod.
Then he was gone.
~~x~~
Three weeks later, Madoka had called to tell Mai they were permanently shutting down JSPR. While Martin was out of danger, it could be years before he was back to full strength – if ever – and Naru would be staying in England to help manage his affairs.
Mai had offered her understanding and sympathy even as she sat in quiet panic about how she would support herself. The idea of working multiple jobs in her third year of high school while studying for entrance exams was an unfortunate reality she could not ignore no matter how much she wished to just be sympathetic.
When Madoka showed up the following week to pack up the office, she brought with her a hefty severance check ("courtesy of Naru") and an idea.
"I have a friend in the publishing industry here in Japan. I told her about your books a few months ago and she has been badgering me about them ever since."
"You mean get them published?" Mai exclaimed in surprise, pausing in the action of placing an entirely different sort of book into a box.
"I know that you still want to pursue ghost hunting, but you really should think about this opportunity. It could help pay your way through college while giving you enough time to actually focus on your studies. You've already done a lot of the work, Mai. See if you can make money off of it."
"I guess…."
"And then," Madoka added slyly, "when you graduate you could maybe come to work for BSPR. If you are interested in working with…us."
Mai had blushed at the idea, but agreed to meet with Madoka's friend.
~~x~~
Two weeks later on Sunday, she received an email from Naru. It was short - one line between salutation and signature - and continued a point he had made during their last philosophical discussion. It said nothing about the office closing or his father. It made no mention of their undefined relationship or even a polite inquiry about how she was doing. Yet, Mai could read between the lines. He wasn't ready (or willing) to talk about himself or whatever problems he might be facing. Nor had he suddenly grown more friendly or polite. Nothing of his closed off personality had changed. But he still wanted to talk.
So, with a smile, she replied.