Sinking Feelings and Frustration
It was the next day, Kazuya had called others in to help. Those being Ayako, John, and Masako much to Kurobara's annoyance. Lin was also here, setting the equipment as they speak.
"We won't be able to spend much time researching each individual case, as there are too many of them," Naru explained now that everyone was here. All were standing by watching him as he spoke to them. Kuro, Looked disinterested, almost cold looking.
"We'll just have to try to get rid of as many spirits as possible. And if that doesn't work, we'll just have to come up with an alternate plan. Hara-san, please look around the school. Start with the desk that the ghost supposedly came out of, and then the art prep room. Then, the desk that's supposedly possessed by spirits, and the track team's locker room."
"I wouldn't mind at all if you were just to call me Masako," Masako told him with a bold, ladylike smile, covering her mouth with her fancy kimono's sleeve.
'So, Bold!?' Mai thought, Glancing to the side of her, now looking at her best friend Kurobara, who looked angry — suspecting that her Raven-Haired friend had a 'Crush' on there boss.
What Mai didn't know was her 'Crush' was more than a crush. Something Kurobara was dreading and denying.
Kurobara didn't understand why her body was acting this way, trying to deny everything her logical and emotional side was telling her. Her jaw was clenched very sharply, mouth twitching in anger and jealousy. Eyes were darkening and glaring at Masako with sharp annoyance.
Her body and facial reactions were taut and unresponsive to her demanding mind to stop. She didn't want to feel this and from a simple comment? She wasn't petty to be jealous at a simple remark, but here she is feeling bubbling jealousy and anger. Kurobara needed to get this under control.
She kept asking herself why was this happening? But deep down, inside that golden heart she has, she knew she was undeniably fucked. She had feelings for him, and she didn't want that.
They gave a soft sigh, un tensing her body language, trying to put her mask back onto her face. She felt a stare on her back, so turning her head to see Mai looking a little smug of herself, mouth pulled into a teasing smirk. Kurobara shook her head rolling her eyes, trying to shake it off like nothing happened.
Like she wasn't jealous at all? I mean she wasn't… (Yeah Keep lying to yourself, You're totally jealous…)
"Matsuzaki-san, would you please accompany Hara-san?" Naru proceeded as if he hadn't heard her."And if you see any spirits, please exorcise them." Not noticing Kurobara's outlandish behaviour.
"Oh? Aren't you going to say anything to Masako?" Ayako challenged with an astute grin as if she had discovered some sort of weakness. "If it were someone else, you would have given them a hard time."
Kuro tensed upwards again, gritting her teeth. Mai moved next to her to show her support to her. Bumping into her before grabbing her hand, unexpectedly causing her to flinch before glancing down. Her brunette friend gave her a friendly but playful smile, finding amusement in the suffering of her raven-haired friend.
"If you have time to go on about such extraneous matters, why don't you try using it to prove your talent for an exorcism? I would love to see you succeed for once." Naru replied sardonically.
Ugh…!" Ayako grumbled as she turned away, humiliated. Kurobara biting her lip, holding her laughter. Body shaking at Naru's comment.
"Why do you even challenge him when you know you're going to lose anyway?" Monk asked quietly, sweat-dropping. Kurobara being the only one to challenge him without him being hard on her. Something she was quite proud to think about, she was known to be slightly stubborn, so winning an argument would be very hard.
"At any rate," Naru said, picking up where he had left off, "There isn't enough equipment to cover all the cases. I'll need to rely on everyone's spiritual sensitivity. As you patrol around the grounds, please wear these." He said, gesturing to the headsets Lin had prepared so they could keep in touch.
"MaI, Kuro You two stay here, on standby and wait for everyone to contact you"
"Of course Aein, ready when you all are" Kurobara spoke up, catching everyone's eyes on her from. "Anything for you" She blurted out, keeping her mask on display. Mai snorted before looking at Naru "What about you, Naru?"
"Lin and I will continue our research."
(Timeskip)
Mai sat there in silence at the base while everyone else was out investigating, waiting for them to call. 'Here, I end up being the only one left out…' She thought. 'Well…' she glanced at a pacing Kuro who looked alarmed or a little frustrated. 'At least Kuro-san was here, but she looked a little… angry' She sweatdropped.
That reminds her, why didn't Naru send her out with Masako? Kurobara had psychic abilities that can help to find spirits, so why didn't he…" Nee Kuro-san?" Mai started, trying to get her attention, but her raven-haired friend kept bouncing forward and back. "Kuro-san?!" Mai raised her voice slightly, snapping them out of there… pacing.
"Hm? Oh sorry Mai-chan" They spoke out sighing at herself from her erratic behavior, she noticed that her friend was looking at her with concern " Are you okay Kuro-san you have been pacing around the room for some time." Kurobara gave a sigh, forcing a small smile on her face " I am alright, don't worry your small brain about it."
Mai gave her a playful glare, amusing her so very much. "Excuse me I have a normal-sized brain! Sorry for being worried about you!" She pouted, causing them to snigger "I appreciate your concern, I was merely joking Mai-chan."
Mai huffed. "Anyways, I have a question," She responded.
"You always have questions," Kuro sighed out, her tone coming out playful, eyes shining playfully at her friend. Arms were crossed as she straightened her posture.
Mai glared at her, making her snort, shaking her head "Go on tell me you're question."
"How come Naru didn't tell you to go with Masako to investigate the spirits? You have powers like her. I would have thought you would be with her" Mai asked, curiously. Her face pulling a confused expression as she didn't understand why Kuro was here with her on stand by.
They hummed standing in a thinking position hand on her chin before looking at her. "Well, That's simple… Kazuya knows me that is why I'm here instead of with Masako-san" at the end of her words her tone became bitter.
"I don't get it…"
"Of course you don't" Kurobara spoke jokingly, making her friend glare for the fifth time today. "He knows how headstrong I am and how close I am to you. I would simply argue with him and challenge his 'authority' to stay here with you. I'm here because I want to protect you."
She gave Mai a soft smile, eyes with affection for her friend, showing her tender side only to her. Her brunette friend felt a grin forming onto her lips, happy that she had told her that. Having the chance to see her caring side. To see the real Kurobara Akamia.
"Awww, so kind"
"That and your accident-prone and very clumsy. I bet you'll trip on-air" Kurobara remarked sniggering, smugly smirking at Mai's flushed face and glare.
"I take my words back your the meanest person I ever met!"
Kurobara couldn't help but laugh, finding it so endearing. She felt much better about her circumstances, forgetting all about her sinking feelings.
"So you and Naru… I saw the way you reacted." Mai snorted, having an evil smirk on her face, trying to tease Kuro as she had always done to her. Kurobara suddenly tensed, blushing slightly knowing her friend had caught her… annoyance.
"You saw nothing Mai-chan... " She calmly told her, almost groaning at herself for not being careful. Mai shook her head sniggering with a self-righteous smile "I know what I saw, and it was so adorable… You were so jealous."
"Mai… please" They spoke, getting a little upset and embarrassed
"Don't worry I won't tell Naru, but I can't help to ship you two, even more, You two were cute before but now your just perfect for each other. You have my total support; I'll be cheering you on!" Mai exclaimed.
"Mai please stop" She groaned, blushing. Shaking her head in her hands.
"I even made ship names for you two!"
"..."
Mai looked at her excitedly, getting a notebook from her pocket. Giggling like she was the one with a crush. " Okay, there's Kazmia!" She said, smiling cutely at the name, glancing at Kuro's expression, which seemed like she was disturbed.
"Or Kakamia"
"..."
"What about Kazia?"
"Mai will you just listen to me… It isn't going to happen. Please get it through your head that Kazuya and I will not be together. It can't happen" Kurobara says raising her voice slightly, head throbbing. Eyes narrowed, her fingernails digging into her skin.
"Why can't it? You two have a thing for each other" Mai pouted, looking at her full-on, not backing down, not understanding why it was not going to happen. She wanted Kurobara to have someone.
"Because…"
"Because of what? Kuro-san."
"Because I'm too broken!... I am too broken for someone to love me, that is why Mai… no one would love me because I have so much fucking baggage that it fucked me up. No one would want a broken tool." They almost yelled out, tearing up at her words. Frustration, anger and sadness enveloped her tone. Voice cracking, like her heart.
As she calmed down the door opened, making Mai jump up while Kuro flinches, turning to a familiar figure. Takahashi Yuko was here glancing at the both of them.
"A-Ah… You scared me…" Mai said, wilting as she exhaled a sigh of relief. Thanking Kami-sama that it wasn't Kazuya or he would have heard everything.
"Sorry, Sorry. I thought Norio might be here." Yuko apologized with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her neck, as she approached the conference desk and took a seat across from Mai. "What are you two doing?"
Kurobara sighed, walking around to where her friend was, forcing a small smile. "We are holding the fort, so to speak. Takagawa-san is currently out, patrolling the school under the command of our egotistical twat of a boss."
Mai sniggered at her raven-haired friend, finding her words comical, but she had a feeling that Naru would not like it.
"Wow. Are all those cases that have happened just in this school?" Yuko asked when she noticed the vast stack of case notes sitting out on the table.
"That's right," Mai answered sweat-dropping.
Kurobara sighed tiredly, looking at the case notes caused her a headache, knowing how much they had to do. She kind of just wanted to go to sleep.
"Honestly, I wonder what's going on here," Yuko spoke with a sigh. "Curses, ghosts, and preternatural powers…" Both Mai and Kurobara's eyes widened at her words, glancing at each other in alarm. "What's next, a UFO?"
'What did she mean by Preternatural Powers' Thought Mai, while Kurobara eyes narrowed thinking a similar thought.
'Did she just say Preternatural Powers? If so then…"
"Excuse me Takahashi-san but did you just say 'Preternatural powers' What precisely do you mean by that? Is there someone with… theses powers? If so, I am intrigued." She asked, trying to gain information for their investigation of this school. She might have an idea of what's causing the spirits.
Yuko glanced at them "Do you not know?" She questions looking confused, thinking they already knew. Both Kuro and Mai shook their heads "Know what? What are you talking about?" They questioned.
"I thought you knew, I am surprised no one told you guys yet" Yuko looked very confused, while Kuro got irritated.
"Just tell us"
Author Note
Hey Guys! It's me, Little Sunflower, finally I have been able to write a new chapter, still haven't gotten my new Laptop but I am waiting patiently. My sister gave me some time on her Laptop, so I was able to finish this today.
Thank you for waiting patiently for this new chapter and hoped you enjoy it. I enjoyed writing Mai and Kurobara, interacting with each other. Mai being excited about Kurobara's feelings while she dreads it.
Anyways Thank you for following my work, favouriting, reading and commenting. This story wouldn't have been possible without you guys who gave me the motivation to keep this story ongoing.
While I have been unable to write on a laptop, I was able to keep practising on my phone, Ironically I have 78 chapters of a story I made on the phone. Not going to upload it as it's… not great XD.
