Mai was yelling.
Naru ignored her until he had enough.
"Why can't you just listen to me for once?" he questioned quietly yet sternly. Mai was taken back, but only for a second. Her anger filled her, not thinking about his side of things. Naru could tell. Her eyes were teary and her face was slightly red from yelling.
"Masako was in trouble! I had to go to her!" Mai argued back.
"Both Bou-san and Lin were injured. And you—you just got discharged Mai. Don't you remember what happened?"
"Masako was going to get hurt! That spirit wanted mediums. I wasn't going to lose her!"
"And I was going to lose you?! You almost died on me twice!" The room immediately turned cold but neither cared nor even noticed.
"But I didn't," Mai said quietly. Her head hung low. She was fighting away her tears.
"If you want to continue on being the selfish hero, then so be it," Naru said. Mai finally met his gaze. His eyes were dark, glazed, and icy. Mai felt a deep pang in her chest. "Don't expect me to save you this time." His voice was quiet and calm. Mai gasped as her eyes widened. She watched Naru walked inside their bedroom and slammed the door shut. Mai was glued in the living room from where they were fighting. She let her tears fall, even when she went on her knees as she hugged herself tightly.
After crying, Mai stood up. She quietly walked inside the bedroom. She found Naru already in his navy blue pajamas, in bed, and reading his book. Mai frowned. Not once did he acknowledge her. Two can play it that way.
Mai went inside their closet and packed her pajamas and an extra set of clothes in her backpack. The strap was placed on her shoulder. Her hand rested on the doorknob, her body trembling from holding in her tears. Mai debated on telling him her whereabouts but decided against it. With a slam of the door, she left.
Naru closed his book and closed his eyes. What was he going to do with her? He put down his book and lied down with his arms crossed behind his head. Blankly, he stared up at the ceiling.
It's been a week. The two weren't on speaking terms and it worried the SPR members. Naru watched them bother Mai, curious to why they weren't speaking. He will admit that when they thought they broke up, she would reassure them that they didn't and he would feel relief.
Naru doesn't ask for tea. Even when Mai makes an extra for him, he'll make himself a cup.
They walk past each other without a single word.
Naru usually joins them in the lounge area when clients aren't around. Now he's locked up in his office.
He noticed that Mai was crying more than usual. He'll listen to her cries even though it hurt him.
"Noll, Ueno Daisuke is here," Lin said. "Mai is making tea. He seems very frightened at the moment." Naru nodded.
"I'll be right there," he said. Lin closed the door.
Naru pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed loudly. The fight with him and Mai was taking a toll on him. His heart broke hearing her cry. The traces of her dried up tears tempted him to comfort her. Passing her, Naru wanted to grab her wrist and pull her in to a hug. He missed kissing her, especially after their drinks of tea. It was like having a second cup right after his cup. Most of all, he missed showing how much he loves her. He was too prideful and stubborn to give in right now.
And Mai is just as stubborn as he is.
"We'll accept your case, Ueno-san," Naru said. "Please give your contact number to my assistant and we will call you by the end of the day." Ueno-san was in tears and thanked them tearfully with constant bows.
Base was set up. Naru assigned assignments for everyone, except for Mai. The room slightly dropped a few degrees in temperature when Mai slammed the door shut and walked around the house herself. Naru sighed and watched the monitors with Lin.
"When will you two stop being stubborn and make up already?" Lin asked.
"Until she admits that I'm right," Naru answered as he kept an eye on Mai who was walking along the corridors by herself.
"Do you want an opinion?" Lin asked curiously. Usually, Lin would avoid situations like these, but it's definitely different when it comes to Mai and Naru.
Naru was quiet. Lin knew that he was having a mental battle with himself on the question.
"Sure."
"You were right but also, you were too much towards Mai. Keeping her locked up and left out made it worst. You know how she feels about that," Lin said.
Naru stayed silent after that. He watched Mai stop in the middle of the hallway and look around. Mai bit her bottom lip and continued her walk. Naru sighed and stood up. As long as she doesn't see me.
"I'll be back," he muttered quietly. Lin nodded with a small smile on his face, knowing very well that he was just going to make sure that Mai was safe like always.
It's been three days. There was still no acknowledgement between the couple, except for when Mai had her dreams. Naru would ask what had happened. Mai answers.
"An American man, his name is Roger. He-He caught his wife cheating on him. He loves her too much to leave. Eventually they stopped talking and...". Mai was quiet. Everyone patiently waited. Naru held himself back from comforting her.
Stupid stubborn pride of his.
"I watched him in the shower with a knife in his hand. I watched the knife slice his neck and he bled to death."
Maybe just this once, even a little, he'll let down his pride.
"Take it easy tonight," he said and walked back to the monitors. He didn't see but it was Mai and she was his open book. He just knows that right now Mai is staring at him with her big brown, teary eyes. Too bad he missed the small, tiny smile that appeared on her face. However, it brought him at ease to hear her voice to him again. It was a relief that she would let go of her stubbornness as well.
"Thank you, Naru."
The air felt a little lighter between the two for once. Even though they weren't speaking to each other, Naru was content.
He drank her tea again.
Naru and Lin were looking at the monitors. Masako and Ayako were making their walkthrough inside the house. Takigawa and John were outside doing theirs. Mai was recording temperatures and checking the cameras. Not once did his eyes leave Mai.
"You two really need to let go of that stubborn pride of yours," Lin said, his eyes not leaving his laptop and his fingers still typing. Naru was silent as he glared slightly at the monitors. Lin can only sigh and let it go. If it took them two years to finally confess to each other without their help, they can eventually figure out how to speak to each other again. To think it was tiring watching the two dance around each other beforehand, it was just as annoying now.
The sound of crying immediately caught their attention. Naru made a fist. It was Mai. Leave it to Mai to forget about her bathroom attack last night. Since that happened, they left a camera and a microphone there. Naru instructed them to just use the bathroom the males have in their room.
Mai was in the corner, knees up against her chest, arms on her knees, and her face buried in her arms. Naru watched her body tremble and listened to her heartbreaking and quiet cries.
"Is it really worth it to let her cry this much, Noll?"
Naru stood up but froze for a second at the sound of Mai screaming. He bolted out of the room and straight in to the bathroom with Lin following. Naru slammed the door opened and their eyes widened to see Mai standing there, looking at the mirror. It was as if nothing happened. She stood there brushing her hair with her fingers.
The couple looked at each other oddly, however, Naru's look was bewildered while she was just puzzled.
"Are you...okay Mai?" Lin asked as he now started to walk behind Naru. Mai slowly nodded.
"I-I'm fine," she answered, her eyes not leaving Naru's. "I'll get back to work." She made her way out of the bathroom and walked away. Naru and Lin gave her a questionable look from behind.
"Lin, keep a shiki around her," Naru ordered. Lin easily agreed.
Nighttime arrived. It was too quiet for any of their likings. No activity. No temperature fluctuation. Just a light feeling of spirits around for Masako to feel.
"Where's Mai?" Ayako asked.
"Napping," Naru answered. He looked at the screen and watched her sleeping soundly. He sighed.
When she wakes up, I'll talk to her.
He stood up from his seat and joined the group for dinner. Lin and Naru listened to the group chat. It was only then, Lin immediately stood up and Naru follow suit out of the room. Lin forcefully opened the door. The balcony in the women's room was open. Naru's eyes widened as he watched Mai's body lean forward over the rail.
"MAI!"
It was too late.
Naru ran outside. Mai was on her back, blood pooling around her from her head.
"M-Mai!" Her eyes slowly opened. Tears fell down as she turned her head to him.
"He-He possessed me," Mai said. "Basement...he hides there."
"Hang in there okay?" Naru held her hand and brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
"I-It h-h-hurts. I-I'm sorry," she softly said.
"We'll talk later okay? The ambulance should be here soon." Running footsteps were heard but he paid no attention to the group coming. They yelled her name and cried.
"I-I love you, O-Oliver," Mai said. Naru shook his head.
"Stop it. You'll be okay," Naru said. With Mai's free hand, she slowly cupped his cheek. He felt her thumb sweep across his cheek. It felt wet.
"Don't cry," she whispered. Naru nodded, holding her other hand.
"Just—please be okay." The sirens were heard from afar. He turned around to see them from a distance. He turned back to Mai, hope expressed on his face. If anyone saw him, they would see the broken look in his eyes once he looked at her.
It was too late.
Ayako ran to them. She felt her pulse.
Nothing.
She checked for her breathing.
Nothing.
Naru jolted up in bed, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. He turned to his right and panicked. Mai wasn't next to him. He tried to recall what happened. His mind was too disorganized to even think back on what happened. The only memory that played was Mai's death. Naru took deep breaths before getting out of bed. He remembered now.
He picked up Mai from the hospital and they were fighting. Mai packed some clothes and left. He assumed to Masako's. He got up and went to the bathroom to wash his face. He stripped off his clothing and changed into dark jeans and a black T-shirt. Naru grabbed his keys and wallet that were placed by the door.
"Mai?" He was surprised to see Mai at the door. She held her key, about to unlock the door. Mai was equally surprised as well.
"Um...a-are you going—". Naru pulled her in their home, shut the door, and hugged her tightly. Mai quietly gasped when she felt his body trembling. And concerned hit her more when she felt his tears land on her neck. "Naru? What happened? You're crying." Naru pulled away and cupped her face. He eyed her up and down. The more he did, the more relief came.
It was all a dream. She's here.
"I love you, Mai. I love you so much."
"I-I love you too, Naru." They embraced each other again. Mai let her tears flow with Naru's. It wasn't common for him to cry and she was determined to figure out why.
Gently, Naru placed his arms under her legs and back. He lifted her up off the ground and carried her to their bedroom. They sat next to each other, legs intertwined with her head resting on his shoulder.
"I had a nightmare," Naru answered to her unspoken question. "We weren't on speaking terms for over a week, including when we were on a case. I let you do whatever you wanted. I didn't give you orders and I knew it hurt you. You were possessed and Lin's shiki didn't even know. The spirit made you fall over the ledge of the balcony and it killed you."
"N-Naru..."
"I'm sorry," he said. "I was too out of line for leaving you out whenever a case becomes dangerous. Just know that I'll always be there to save you. I'll be there when danger comes." Mai started crying. "Were you at Hara-san's?" Mai nodded.
"I-I was but she helped me rationalized things with me. So I came back. I'm sorry, too. I always worry you and if we switched roles, I would be scared to lose you too," she said and laced their fingers together. Naru smiled slightly and kissed the top of her head and pulled her in close.
"Next time, we'll do better in talking things out," Naru said.
"Agreed," Mai replied. Mai looked up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Naru smiled which never fails to make her blush.