Day Five
7:45pm
The Koku Inn
The dining room doors swung open, and the two of them were carried in on the tide of people hurrying to their dinners. It was then that Mai was met with a sight she had not encountered since arriving in Nozomi: empty tables. She wasn't late for once. They had their pick of places to sit. A bit surprised, Mai halted, and threw the monk beside her a questioning look: where?
He made to answer, but there was a second surge of people coming through the doors now, and he was forced to shuffle forward. Mai felt herself bumped by someone from behind.
"Excuse me. Are you alright? Oh...!"
Recognizing the voice, Mai turned to face her accidental assailant with assurances of being fine, determined to secure a table for their group before they were all filled, but all these thoughts and ideas failed when she caught sight of Miss Miyuki's expression, her bright blue eyes wide with what only could be called shock,
"Well, look at you- my…"
"My god, Mai...?!"
A second voice rang above the heiress and in the next instant Ayako was upon her. The miko seized Mai's shoulders; her keen gaze taking obvious notice of her dress and it's flattering cut,
"Hmph, well you'll have Masako beat with this one, but who did this to you? Tell me this isn't that monk's work," she muttered with a shrewd glance toward him.
Did this?
That Ayako.
"Uh, Nari helped-"
"Hm, that's why it's familiar."
Mai blinked and swung her attention around to Miss Miyuki.
She recognizes the dress?! But Nari said it was fine to borrow, that no one would notice!
"Oh, about that…"
Mai's words died in her mouth. She was properly looking in the heiress' direction now, attempting to explain the loan from the costume department, and there- right behind her, was Naru.
Startled, Mai snapped her mouth shut, feeling a warm flush spread across her skin. From somewhere over to her left, she could practically hear Bou-san silently shouting:
This is it! Mission commence!
Her thoughts traveling at the speed of light, her instinct was to act, but her body language was lagging behind…
Think Masako. You are Masako.
Against every usual feeling, Mai dared to return his stare, imitating what she thought was an elegant and distracting gesture: her hand coming up touch lightly at her collar bone. It always seemed alluring in the movies. But Mai wasn't preforming on the silver screen, and Naru wasn't a leading man.
With her focus so entirely on gazing back at him through her eye lashes, and holding her hand just so- Mai's composure failed her in other areas. Already unsteady in her towering heels, her ankle gave out.
In a flailing motion completely inelegant, and the wrong kind ofdistracting, Mai lost her balance, and would have fallen, had not Ayako grabbed at her,
"What in the world..? I knew it. You're feverish, aren't you? Are you having some kind of seizure? Hold still-"
Seizure?!
"I'm fine! I just stumbled, let go-" Mai protested, her cheeks burning, though more in anger now than embarrassment. She had no intention of letting the priestess sideline her.
Yanking herself free from the woman's nursing ministrations, Mai pointedly dodged her partner's alarmed looks. The cause of his panic was a toss-up: at this point it could be concern for her health, the mission, or both.
This wasn't how things were supposed to go!
"Feverish, who? Mai...?" A voice spoke up, belonging to none of those crowding her. A sharply dressed John then peered past Miss Miyuki's shoulder.
"Mai is," Ayako persisted with a frown, snatching up her wrist again as if she were an unruly child.
"Really? But just look at you, you look amazing…"
Mai paused in her struggle against her captor, to summon a genuine smile for John,
"Thank-"
"It's no wonder she's warm, it's boiling in here. Good thing she left the rest of her dress back in her room."
Mai's smile stiffened and her gaze shifted from the young priest's face to the coyly smirking one beside his.
That Masako!
"Hey, I don't know about everyone else, but I'm starved and we should probably find a table …" Bou-san suddenly chimed in, with a meaningful jerk of his head towards the mass of people bottled up behind them.
Oh.
In the unexpected commotion around her, Mai had forgotten where she was, still standing just a few feet from the double doors she had so confidently passed through. What a difference a few minutes could make.
Judging from the expressions of the hungry inn guests trickling past them, they had caused quite a traffic block. Not to mention a scene. Gossip flowed freely. Hearing bits and pieces, it apparently had gone around that someone was deathly ill. Busy tongues whispered concerns of it being contagious. Then someone recognized Mai, and things went from bad to worse.
"Isn't that Wise Obasan's chosen?"
"Yes, that's them. Oooh see, they're not partners. Scandalous."
"Well, she's quite something! Look at that dress!"
"Yeah, hey- where have I seen that…?"
"Her? Catch sight of him."
Coloring, Mai opened her mouth to set the record straight- scandalous, us?- but felt herself suddenly torn from the wash of snide remarks. It was time to move on, and Bou-san was taking the lead. Traded from the miko's grasp to the monk's, Mai hurried to follow without tripping.
"What was that back there?" her partner demanded out of the corner of his mouth, on their way to an open table. Mai absently noticed that there weren't many left now.
"What was what?"
The monk raised his free hand and waved it around clumsily, "That. Was that your Masako impression?"
"Hey, I'm working on it," she hissed back, knowing full well he had a point. Her antics might have distracted the silly people of Nozomi, but Naru…?
Mai let out a breath, blowing her bangs from her forehead as they came to a stop.
"Just remember, our mission depends on this," Bou-san murmured in parting, releasing her arm.
There were eight chairs before her. Naru would be sitting in one. She should sit next to him. That's what Masako would do. Masako.
Wait. That's what she will do-
Mai's head snapped around to see the rest of their group approaching the table. Miss Miyuki was walking slightly ahead, Ayako close on her heels. Masako trailed somewhere behind, but she couldn't immediately make out who she was walking beside.
If I plan this right…
Mai's attention then turned to Naru. Timing was everything…her boss and his assistant (which she realized she had completely missed in the chaos of her dining room entrance) were working their way around the edge of the group, talking in that low, suspicious, way they always did.
It's like they're never not up to something.
"Here, Miss Miyuki."
Behind Mai, her partner had pulled out a chair next to his.
Watching the monk with interest- he was obviously following his objective- her eyes darted to the heiress.
Graciously she smiled, murmured thanks as she took the seat, but Mai caught the quick glance she threw back towards Naru. He was to sit on the other side of her.
Not so fast.
But that was exactly how things went.
Yanking out the chair in front of her, Mai clumsily reenacted what she had just seen her partner do for his target.
"Here Nar-"
But in a rush of tea scented air, he was already past her.
That. Naru.
What followed was a succession of musical chairs the likes of which Mai had never seen. Miss Miyuki was speaking to Naru before he even reached her side of the table, breaking free from the flow of questions Bou-san was assailing her with,
"You didn't tell me your office is in Shibuya?"
Naru pulled out the seat, "Is it important?"
There was a flash of red and then,
"Oh, are we neighbors or something? Do you work in Shibuya?"
Ayako. Appearing out of nowhere the woman had helped herself to Naru's chair, and just like that- successfully stole both his spot and his conversation in one swift motion.
"Thank you," the priestess remarked, acknowledging Naru who stood behind her, hand still holding the chair back- all appearances seeming as if he had gallantly pulled it out for her. Without missing a beat, she launched a new stream of questions at the heiress beside her.
Faced with the undesirable options of sitting on Ayako or physically prying her from her captured seat, Naru turned to the next vacant spot. His expression, though vaguely irritated, was no match for the flustered surprise barely held in check by Miss Miyuki. Superseding them both though, was Bou-san. Naru wasn't the only one who had had the heiress' attention stolen away. Mai could feel his displeasure at the miko from across the table.
The monk's predicament suddenly startled Mai into action- the mission! She had a second chance now; there was a free chair on the other side of Naru!
She had made it only a half a step though when, in a flutter of black and blue, Masako helped herself to the place beside Naru. Mai halted, a fresh wave of heat flushing her face, this time not from her fever…
That. Masako.
Seats completely occupied on that side of the table, still not even sure how it happened, Mai desperately threw herself in the next best spot- sitting directly across from her target.
Shortly following her were the abandoned partners of Ayako and Masako. To her left and right, Lin and John sat. Mai snuck a glance at them, but neither seemed upset at the table politics. John had ended up opposite Masako, and Lin seemed only too pleased to be seated away from Ayako.
Everyone settled, happily or not- focus then turned to the real reason they were all there: food. As if on cue, a waiter approached. He looked as if he wanted to start at Bou-san's end of the table, but the monk was so concentrated on stealing Miss Miyuki's conversation away from Ayako, throwing in a comment every time the priestess paused for breath, that he completely missed the waiter's attempts at getting his attention.
With no other choice he addressed Lin instead, followed by Mai, John, Naru…he arrived at the miko, but she- like Bou-san, was oblivious to the world outside her conversation with the heiress. Taking pity on the helpless waiter, who kept clearing his throat in futile hope of being heard over Bou-san and Ayako's competing voices, Mai ordered for them:
"They'll just have what I'm having."
The waiter gave Mai grateful smile and then paused, taking her in properly for the first time. A sudden brightness came to his eye; he lowered his note pad and leaned against the table between herself and Lin.
"Hey, you aren't from around here are you?" he began, his gaze lingering on her.
"Uh- no, Tokyo actually…" Mai mumbled, a bit surprised at his closeness. He reminded her a bit of Niko, friendly, about the same age, but…
"You attending the festival tonight?" he continued, his eyes still fixed on her in that way… definitely not like Niko…
Mai blinked under his stare. Her mind felt miles away, but something was nagging through her fatigued state…
"Oh- yes," she answered.
Why is he looking at me like that?
"You got a partner?"
A partner?
"Um-" delayedly Mai made a vague wave at the monk sitting across the table, still rambling on at Miss Miyuki. The waiter raised an eyebrow,
"Well, you know…OUCH!"
The young man lurched back from the table, grabbing at his foot. Lin was standing.
"Sorry, did I get you there?" he asked calmly, casting a glance at his chair, which Mai realized he must have pulled out over the waiter's foot…
"I think you've taken all of our orders." That was Naru's voice.
Red in the face and breathing a bit hard, the young man released his foot. With nothing more than a grunt he departed their table, sparing not even a second look at Mai.
Lin sat back down in his seat, noticing Mai's stunned expression, he merely commented:
"I was uncomfortable. I had to adjust my chair."
John, who witnessed the whole thing, looked slightly concerned,
"You don't think he's- uh, hurt...do you?" he murmured, turned in his seat to watch the waiter hobble away.
"Let's hope he's not, and that Mai's flirting was enough to get us our food on time."
Mai stiffened in her seat and snapped her head around to face her rival,
"Flirting?"
Masako shrugged, adjusting her sleeve, "Just calling it as I see it…"
That Masako.
Grudgingly, Mai let the remark pass. She could just hear Bou-san shouting in her head: now is not the time to pick fights! She had a mission to complete. It didn't stop her from glaring darkly across the table though.
Thinking of her partner, she directed her attention a few chairs over. He hadn't said a word during the whole flirting incident, which she thought was odd- but then she saw why.
Leaning against Miss Miyuki's arm rest, he was pulling out all the stops.
"Well, we'll just have to do lunch there sometime..."
"Ha, don't listen to him. He's spent half his life exiled on some mountain. When we get back I'll take you to some place really trendy."
"Exiled…!"
"That's not necessary-"
"I insist!"
The charming smile fixed to the monk's face cracked with each interjection. Ayako was taking no prisoners. The question was why though?
I thought she couldn't stand Miss Miyuki.
Mai shifted in her seat, her gaze slipping from Bou-san to the woman of the hour. Unexpectedly, her flustered attitude had vanished. Poised with a cool smirk, she had seemingly relaxed into the conversation being thrown at her.
Mai pursed her lips and her eyes darted further down the table…Naru's profile, his head turned, listening- a disheartening thought began to form….
Great. It isn't just Miss Miyuki.
Her stare continued along, finding Masako. The medium was sitting just so, her hand subtly resting next to Naru's.
Mai frowned,
I'm up against half the table…
This was more than a road block; it wasn't what she signed up for. Versing a model with a fever was challenging enough, but war-games between Ayako and Bou-san, and Masako clinging to her target…
How am I supposed to distract him now?
Facing almost certain mission failure, it was then that the tea arrived. The server stood beside Lin, a new one. Mai's straightened in her seat, the very idea of a steaming cup of tea rejuvenating her. She felt anything but distracting. She had the chills,goose bumps crawling across her exposed skin...after a cup though, maybe she could tackle her competition yet?
Mai watched their waiter with as much interest as Naru watching Bou-san and Ayako, her eyes following his every reach…
The first cup of tea was placed in front Bou-san, then Miss Miyuki, Ayako…Naru…Masako…John-
Mai allowed herself a ready sigh, it was her turn now. She turned toward the server, hand out…but with a thud the cup was set before Lin. The tray now empty, the young man tucked it under his arm.
But…?
As the waiter turned to leave, Mai grabbed at his sleeve,
"Wait, what about mine?"
"Oh, uh-" he answered, pulling himself free of her, walking backwards, "yours will be out shortly, they're behind back there."
Mai hand fell away, along with her voice. Her throat was suddenly all the drier for all the cups of tea surrounding her.
Behind?
Those Kokus.
She sunk back in her seat. It was no longer just her eyes burning. Lin shifted his chair beside her, out of her peripheral vision she could see him staring intensely after someone. John peered at her concernedly,
"I don't see how they couldn't manage getting you a cup," he began, his hand pushing his towards her, "but I'm really not that thirsty-"
Mai was in the middle of summoning a smile at John's kind gesture, when a commotion was caused at the other end of the table.
"Drink!"
Two cups were shoved in her direction, half their contents sloshed on the table in the process. Mai looked over at Ayako and Bou-san, but they were already back to arguing and questioning, a willing Miss Miyuki playing along.
Knowing they meant well, she reached for the half empty cups, John helpfully passing her a napkin- when a third cup was placed in front of her. Mai blinked and followed the retreating graceful hand to Masako. She merely gave her silent nod, and then she too was once again absorbed in what she had been doing, which was watching Naru.
Mai felt her gratitude mingle with irritation, but accepted the medium's offering. Ayako and Bou-san's sat beside her in reserve.
A few swallows later and Mai was thinking clearly again. Fingers wrapped around her cup, her focus returned to the mission. Naru. She had to get his attention. It was time to take a page out of her rival's book.
What would Masako do if she was being ignored…?
But the answer was right in front of her. Mai's gaze slipped over to the medium. Naru was obviously more invested in Bou-san and Ayako's conversation than anything else going on at the table, but yet, as Mai watched, every now and then he would speak a few words with Masako. Mai narrowed her eyes, carefully noting her technique. There. Mai's eyebrows rose. Her rival's hand pressed against his arm. Touch. Her touch was what was breaking his concentration.
Mai bit her lip,
She's next to him, how can I…?
Mai drank more of her tea, openly glaring at her target. Touch. She had to touch him.
Just then Masako's hand moved to settle right beside Naru's, her fingers lightly brushing…
Hey, over here-
And in one attention grabbing move, Mai stuck out her foot, bumping his. His reaction, however, was not what she was aiming for. He gave the briefest of glances, not even turning his whole head towards her, and then his focus was recaptured by the rest of the table again. His foot didn't shift an inch.
That Naru.
It was as if she had been tugging at his sleeve and he had brushed her off, having better things to pay attention to. In consequence though, his lack of reaction fueled hers. She felt her boldness the second his eyes turned on her. Cheeks coloring, her instinct was to jerk her foot back, but no. That was her instinct. Not a Masako instinct.
That's it. I'm committed.
Fighting against the urge to retreat, persevering in the face of Naru's apparent indifference (something she normally balked at her rival for doing…), Mai planted her foot next to his.
Not for the first time, she felt ridiculous. Her attempt had failed. Spectacularly. He had barely noticed her touch, must less been distracted by such contact.
Bou-san is wrong.
Worse though, it seemed her plan had blown up right back in her face. Mai could hear the blood pounding in her ears as she sat there unmoving, desperately trying to think of what to do next…and not think of how Naru's pant leg hovered near her skin.
Great, now I'm the distracted one...?
Looking to block out the awkward situation she had somehow plunged herself into, Mai hid behind the rim of her tea cup, drinking large swallows.
Think like Masako, think like Masako…
She didn't remove her foot. Naru didn't look towards her.
Moments ticked by. John mentioned that they never brought Mai her tea. Mai's foot remained. Naru stared down the table. More time passed. People were beginning to finish their dinners, they left the dining room. Ayako and Bou-san continued to trap Miss Miyuki in conversation, their topic turning to favorite vacation destinations. Still Mai did not move. Neither did Naru.
Mai was tired, more tired than she had recognized. Her eyes burned from her fever, she rubbed them with a frown. Somewhere, in the vague recesses of her mind a thought surfaced: she was comfortable. Mai's frown deepened as her sleepy mind pondered this. Comfortable, how?
Her leg, it was now practically leaning against Naru's, her posture no longer stiff with the anxiousness she had felt. Nothing had happened, and so she relaxed. The contact. It was nice. She had forgotten.
She was tired, he was comfortable…Mai's leg leaned and her eyelids slipped shut, but-
Wait! What am I doing?
Mai's heart was pounding again; her head snapped up- cheeks burning. Her eyes bore self-consciously into Naru's profile, but still no reaction. She hardly managed to be grateful, cursing herself for such wandering thoughts:
Naru, comforting? Snap out of it Taniyama! You're tired- contact with the table is comforting at this point!
Calming down, Mai purposefully pulled her leg away from his. She drank deeply from her tea cup.
It's the fever, you're delusional…
Then she froze, in the gulf of cool air now whispering across her skin, she felt Naru shift. It was the barest of movements, but she felt it. His leg was closer to hers again.
Mai began to choke mid swallow, the word distracting flashing through her mind and then-
"So, who ordered the shrimp tempura?"
Their food had arrived. Once again a server was standing behind Mai. The table became alive; Bou-san put an immediate claim on what he hadn't even ordered. Recovering from her coughing fit, with the aide of John, Mai watched the server pass a steaming bowl to the monk.
"And this one...?" the waiter continued, holding up another such tempura bowl.
Mai raised her hand, "Oh, that's-" but she was cut off by Ayako:
"Right here, thank you- I've only been waiting all night, what do they do back there, drive to the ocean themselves?"
That Ayako.
Mai turned in her seat, staring up at their server; pointing a finger at his tray, "That last tempura bowl is mine."
He blinked and looked down at her as he placed Lin's plate before him.
"Last tempura bowl?"
He handed Miss Miyuki her meal.
"Yes, that last tempura bowl."
The waiter continued to distribute the orders, Naru next…
"I'm sorry Miss; it seems I was only given two for your table- was there supposed to be another one?"
"We ordered three tempura bowls," Mai persisted, giving him a reassuring look, as if he would just check again he would see it, but there was only one bowl left…and that one was set in front of John.
Holding out the empty tray, the server shrugged, "I don't know what happened, were you on time to order? I might be able to ask the kitchen for another bowl, but they'll be closing down soon…"
It was the tea all over again. Mai's stomach ached for good meal. The waiter was walking away.
"Hey-" she opened her mouth to protest, fed up with the games the Inn was playing with her, when there came a loud scraping sound across the hard wood floor. Her leg was suddenly cold.
"Excuse me a moment."
Naru had left the table and was halfway to the kitchen before the words had even registered in Mai's ears.
"Quite the gentlemen, isn't he?"
Mai watched the black doors swung shut after her boss.
Gentlemen.
Gentlemen?
Thinking that she heard wrong (her fever was making her mind sluggish), Mai pulled her gaze away- and found herself locking eyes with Miss Miyuki. It was she who had spoken.
Mai startled. There was something strange in the heiress' stare…
A dismissive snort followed Miss Miyuki's statement. Ayako, arms crossed, watched the scene with an arch eyebrow raised,
"Please, you're witnessing a rarity. This town must be getting to him or something…"
Masako suddenly sat up straighter, her silky black hair swinging with the movement,
"Speak for yourself; Naru is always courteous to me."
The medium's sharp eyes shifted to Mai, as if daring her to say otherwise. But Mai was in no state to start an argument; she was having trouble as it were deciphering the situation…
What are they talking about...?
The black doors swung open again and Naru walked out. His pace was calm as he crossed over to them, nothing like chair upsetting strides he took moments before. Reaching the table, Mai could have sworn he exchanged a glance with Lin, but then Miss Miyuki was talking and his attention was on her,
"Everything alright?"
Naru sat. His leg returned to its previous position. Mai swallowed.
"Nothing was wrong to begin with. Just an ordering mistake."
There was an odd hush at the table. Bou-san suddenly cleared his throat and Mai's eyes darted over to him in time to catch a meaningful look. She could tell he was just holding back waggling his eyebrows at her.
That Bou-san.
"Well, I've always said the service of this place leaves a lot to be desired. Don't you agree, Miss Miyuki?"
And just like that the monk was back at it again, building trust with his target as he spooned huge bites of steaming rice into his mouth. Ayako quickly followed suit, jumping in with horror stories of unrecognizable meals.
Putting a hand to her forehead, Mai winced and decided confusion and fever did not mix especially well. For all the significant glances being thrown around the table, she still didn't know what any of it had to do with her…
Naru had them fix a mistake they made with his order, how…?
There was the sound of approaching footsteps from behind her. Lin and John turned to look, and bewildered, Mai did too.
"Miss?"
A man stood beside her with a tray balanced on one hand- a waiter? Wait no-her eyes took in his crisp white apron…the chef?
"We do apologize; I can't think how your order got lost. Please enjoy."
The conversation at the table ceased. Suddenly Mai understood.
Oh.
A large plate was set before her: rich salad greens, fresh rice, and sizzling strips of tender meat stared up at her enticingly.
It wasn't his order he was fixing…
In her stunned surprise, watching the chef also place a fresh cup of tea on the table, she spoke before she could stop herself,
"But, I didn't order any of this…"
"Of course you didn't, it's not as if you could afford it. That looks like the most expensive thing they've got on their menu," Ayako interjected unhelpfully, none too subtly shooting Naru a look. She wasn't the only one. Bou-san was smirking.
"Mmm, that smells good Mai. It's awfully distracting…"
Mai choked on the generous bite she had just taken.
"Eat your own food Monk," she retorted with a bit of a struggle.
Distracting.
There was that word again. But was it true? Had she really affected Naru…?
Quite the gentlemen, isn't he?
Miss Miyuki. She had known what he was doing the moment he left the table. How?
A nagging voice at the back of her head urged her to capitalize on this, to smile and bat her eyes, croon her thanks- to pull a Masako. But for some reason, the best she could manage was a blush, and a red face was anything but alluring…
What's wrong with me? Why am I so bad at this? It must be the fever…
Mai kept her head bent over her meal, pointedly staring at her rice. She was starving and the food was good.
"Thank you," she heard Lin speak. He was dismissing the chef, who had been standing there awkwardly while the whole table was offering commentary on the plate he had brought.
Mai hurriedly added her thanks, as the man left the table. The chef wasn't necessarily the one she needed to be grateful to though...
"Delicious, hm?" John wondered. Mai nodded, stirring her meat,
"It is, do you want to try some…?"
Just then, a pale hand reached out and plucked up one of the many cups surrounding Mai. It was Masako's. She was taking it back.
That Masako.
Interested to see if her rival was wearing that sour face she did whenever she was jealous, Mai longed to sneak a look…but she was sitting so close to Naru.
Just eat your food Taniyama.
And so she did, feeling better with every bite. She would think about what just happened, the mission, distractions, after. The rest of the table fell away. She didn't hear Ayako and Bou-san' bickering, didn't feel John's smile, didn't see Lin's glances, Masako's frown, Miss Miyuki's appraisal….Naru's stare.
