Day Five

10:30pm

The Koku Inn

And the answer is yes.

Mai fell back against the mattress.

It was a final reminder that she was not the person she had been impersonating that night. If she were Masako she would be laying there in a blissful swoon. Instead, she laid there in confused exhaustion.

Naru.

Naru gave me that moon lily.

Mai stared hard at the dark ceiling above her, images dancing before her eyes as if projected there.

Naru walking through the Inn's halls, moon lily in hand.

Naru stopping at her door, knocking.

Naru opening the door when there was no answer, slipping inside.

Naru standing in her room, his eyes taking in her unmade bed and unpacked suitcase.

Naru approaching her bed, his hand reaching out to place the-

Mai squeezed her eyes shut and the scene cut off.

Impossible.

Even her imagination couldn't picture it.

This wasn't a fairytale. He wasn't prince charming.

But he admitted to it.

And there it was shimmering next to her.

What did it all mean...?

Like uninvited guests, Wise Obasan's and Bou-san's words invaded her mind:

"You are a match!"

"Naru likes you..."

Mai's eyes flew open.

Impossible.

With a tired groan, wishing the lumpy mattress she was sprawled across would swallow her, Mai turned over- and then gave a cry of pain.

She had forgotten her injuries. Sitting up sharply, she drew her knees to her chest. Miserable, she swiped at one of her pillows, pulling it to her to hold, looking for some kind of comfort- when a strange crinkling mixed with her labored breathing in the silence.

Mai blinked, surprised. It was coming from the pillow. Tentatively she ran a hand over the white case, and discovered the cause. There was something stuffed inside, and all at once she remembered.

The picture.

The picture that started it all.

The mystery she had been trying to solve.

The reason she and Bou-san had formed this mission.

Mai pulled the aged photo free, and stared down at it in the dim of her room.

A small girl smiled up at her, her features filled with joy.

Mai suddenly stiffened as an unexpected connection was triggered. In washed Bou-san's voice again, as clear as if her were speaking before her:

"Unless- think about it...Naru could have been the one to give you that moon lily, and if that's the case- then guess who saw that picture sitting on your nightstand?"

"In fact, maybe he gave you that moon lily purely as an excuse to break into your room?"

Mai had been against his theory then. She just couldn't believe it.

But now she knew. Naru had admitted it himself.

It all suddenly made sense. She had never agreed with Bou-san more.

After that conversation Mai had begun to tuck the picture in her pillow to protect it from Naru's sight, just in case...but the damage was already done, he had already seen it.

It wasn't him being romantic, it was him being Naru. He was investigating, the moon lily was his excuse.

There was a crinkling, and Mai looked down to see that she was gripping the photo in her hands too tight. Quickly she let go, smoothing out the wrinkled corners. Her head was spinning again. She desperately need to speak with Bou-san. To ask him what he had discovered that night, to tell him what she had just realized. Surely he would agree with her? Surely he wouldn't take back his original theory, even with all his talk of Naru liking her lately?

It's the only way Naru giving me a moon lily makes sense.

Fresh determination coursing through her, Mai slipped the picture back inside the pillowcase. Gingerly, she began inching her way toward the end of her bed. She was going to see her partner, even if it took her the whole night to get there. She was careful as she went, not only of her injuries, but of not examining her feelings. If she did she might notice, underneath the triumph she felt in figuring out her boss' motives, there was a strange sinking in her heart.

She had made it a painful couple of feet from the bed when there was a knocking at her door. Surprised, Mai looked through the gloom at the light shining through the door frame, wondering who could be on the other side.

For a panicked moment she thought it might be Naru, coming back to make sure she wasn't disobeying his orders.

That happened to be exactly what she was doing.

That Naru!

There was more knocking, Mai's heart began to race. She would be caught, there was no way to get back to the bed before he opened the door.

Frantically, her tired mind worked to come up with an excuse for her standing halfway across the room when she should be resting. She couldn't be sent back to Tokyo, not yet.

"Mai?" a voice called from the hall, "are you in there?"

"Niko?"

"Mai, um- you know, I can come back, you're busy...I'll just come back."

Mai frowned in confusion.

"Niko? Niko wait-"

"It's late, I was leaving anyways, sleep well-"

"Niko!" Mai called with more force than she had before, wishing she could reach her door, but she was stuck where she stood. Her shout had the desired effect though.

"Mai? Are you okay...?"

"Niko, you can come in- open the door."

Niko's voice was close again, the door handle turned, "Are you sure, really I can come another time..."

The orange light of the hall poured in, revealing a red cheeked, flustered looking Mai, standing as if planted in the middle of her room. Niko didn't look much better, his face flushed. Half of his body lingered outside the door frame, his gaze remained on the floor.

"Niko?" Mai persisted, bewildered by his odd behavior.

Finally, the young heir glanced up. There was a beat. Mai could visibly see the relief wash over him,

"Oh. You're alone?"

Mai blinked, and unnecessarily she glanced around, "It's just me. Why, who did you think-"

Niko's gaze darted back to the floor again, he rubbed at the back of his neck,

"Oh, well- my grandmother, people in the hall were talking...they said Shibuya-san had carried you to your room."

Mai felt heat rise of up her neck.

People in the hall were talking?

"Uh, Naru's not here. He didn't stay, he just...dropped me off," she mumbled, hurriedly trying to correct his ideas.

Niko nodded and properly entered the room,

"It's dark in here, were you sleeping? I'm sorry, I must have woken you."

Mai waved away his apologizes a bit distractedly, her mind full of what the busy-bodies of Nozomi must be gossiping about.

"No, it's okay. I wasn't. Not yet, anyways," she finally managed to say, "I was just too tired to turn on any lights."

"Here, let me help you then," Niko offered, and within moments the glow of Inn's gas lamps filled the room.

Mai took one last long look at the door she had been approaching and turned back for her bed. He wasn't Naru, but what Niko told her was enough to change her plans. People were watching, she couldn't be seen sneaking off to another room in the middle of the night.

Sorry Bou-san, I tried.

In the better lighting that now filled the room, both Mai and Niko made further discoveries about each other.

"Mai, I didn't notice before- why are you up? Did you get up just to answer the door?"

"I- well..."

"You shouldn't have done that, you should have just let me go. What if you hurt yourself worse? Look you can hardly stand."

Niko came over to give her support, offering his arm. His eyes took in her feet.

"Niko, what's that you have?" Mai asked, pointing at the small flat box tucked under his arm.

"Mai, did they not- you still haven't been treated?"

Mai blinked in surprise at the earnestness in Niko's voice, her attention moved from the object he carried to her own feet.

"Oh, I hadn't thought about it yet. I guess I'll need something better than Naru's vest..."

"He really did just drop you off, didn't he? Yes, you will need something better- those cuts are deep. Lucky I brought this. I almost didn't, I didn't think you'd need it at this point."

Mai read the cover of the box Niko showed her. It was a first-aid kit.

"Here, let's get you to the bathroom, I can bandage you up there," Niko suggested, and changing positions, put his arm around Mai.

The two of them hobbled toward the bathroom, and making it there, Niko turned on the only light. Mai leaned against the counter, breathing a bit heavily from the exertion of crossing the room. The first-aid kit was opened and set next to her. Niko faced her a second later with a complexion redder than before.

"Um, I think it would be easier...can I help you up?"

It took Mai's sluggish mind a moment to understand.

Help me up? Why? Up where?

But then she glanced down at her feet and realized,

Oh, he needs to reach my feet. He can only do that if I'm up.

"Sure, thank you," Mai answered, and reaching behind her she gripped the countertop, looking to hoist herself onto it. But she was weak from fatigue and fever. She would have only rose a shaky inch from the floor if it weren't for Niko. He lifted her from her waist and in an instant, she was sitting on the counter, her injured feet swinging above the floor.

"There," he announced, and knelling down in front of her, he began to unroll the bandages. His work was light and careful. In removing the shreds of Naru's vest, he repeatedly glanced up at her, trying to gauge a reaction. Mai appreciated his concern and smiled reassuringly through the stinging.

It wasn't long before her thoughts were distracted from the pain. Staring at the pile of her original bandages, a thought was sparked that she couldn't ignore. Unable to contain the curiosity that suddenly filled her, uncertain when she'd have a chance like this again, she spoke:

"Niko, back in the cellar-"

"You know I actually came to see you because- oh, sorry, go on-"

Mai shook her head, "No, sorry- you go ahead."

"I spoke over you, please- what were you saying?" Niko graciously urged her.

Mai sighed, she suddenly had second thoughts about saying anything. What was she hoping to hear, anyways? She had already settled the matter. She cleared her throat,

"Um, I guess- well, we got interrupted before, you know when you mentioned the moon lily..."

She was conscious that her face must be very red, and she saw that Niko's had turned a similar shade.

"Oh, that- um...you know it really wasn't any of my business, I really shouldn't have brought it up at all."

Mai stared at the back of Niko's head as he bent down to continue tending to her injuries.

"But I'm asking you to bring it up, what did you mean back there? You said something about your... grandmother?"

A sigh somewhere near her feet told Mai that Niko was relenting, standing up he faced her,

"Alright, if you really want to know, but it's really nothing. I had just wondered...but anyways- my grandmother. She told me last night, after the festival, that she had seen- she likes to gossip, I try not to listen, but she said she had seen Shibuya-san go into your room. With a moon lily."

Without thinking, Mai brought a hand to her chest. Her heart was doing funny things, she was sure it just skipped a few beats. Hearing what Naru had admitted from a second source had more of an effect on her that she had been prepared for.

"You look as surprised as before. It wasn't there, was it? I'm sorry. My grandmother must have come behind him and taken it out, she's gotten so strange in her old age..."

Mai attempted to recover. He was misunderstanding her shock, she had received it, she had just never imagined it was from Naru.

The silence around them turned thoughtful. Quieter than before Niko spoke,

"I didn't realize you were in that kind of relationship..."

Mai's parted her lips, her head telling her to explain,

"It's not that kind, really- um..."

Mai struggled for something to support her argument, but was left with nothing. For what could she say? The gift of a moon lily meant there existed strong romantic feelings between the presenter and the recipient. And Naru and had given one, there was no denying it.

"Really though, it's none of this is my business," Niko repeated, a tone of finality in his voice. The subject was over.

Niko bent down and returned to treating her. There was an awkward stall in conversation. Mai sat there miserably trying to think of anything to say, but her fevered mind made her a poor conversationalist.

Finally, after a few more long and painful minutes, Niko remarked that he was finished. When he stood up Mai could see his face had reassumed it's usual pleasant expression. With a bit of relief, and real gratitude, she thanked him for helping her.

"How did they feel now, any better?"

Mai experimentally curled her toes, and nodded,

"Better, thank you very much."

Niko nodded with a satisfied smile and began packing up the first-aid kit.

"So, about what I trying to say earlier. I was sent by my grandmother to inform you of tomorrow's festival rules."

Mai raised her eyebrows, looking from her new white bandages to Niko who stood beside her. Tomorrow hadn't even entered her mind.

The festival! Of course, there's still three more days!

"Tomorrow symbolizes growth and happiness. A festival is held all day, no one is to work. Everyone is encouraged to do whatever makes them happy- eat, sleep, dance, sing, ect...at the end of the day, instead of a play there's a feast. It's all in honor of the birth Mr. Miyuki's only child, his surviving daughter: Miss Kioko Miyuki. It's fortunate she's in town this year, normally she isn't present for the festivities."

Miss Kioko Miyuki.

Mai had stopped listening, locking eyes with him, she reached for Niko's shoulder-

"Oh. I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

Startled, Mai jumped- and snapping her head around she faced the person leaning against her bathroom door frame.

"Ayako?"

"No, of course not," Niko said, answering her question. Quickly he put space between himself and Mai. Her hand slipped from his shoulder. Any chance of questioning him now was gone.

"What are you doing here?" Mai said struggling to conceal her frustration at the miko's awful timing.

"Naru sent me."

Niko nodded and picked up the first-aid kit he had packed, he addressed Mai as he walked backward out of the bathroom,

"I think I've done a passable job, the bandages should stay secure. Be sure and get plenty of sleep, I'll see you tomorrow at the festival."

And with a final friendly smile, Niko left them.

There was a soft click as the door to her room shut. Ayako, turned her attention to Mai, and Mai braced herself.

Great. Here it comes.

She had been found alone with Niko late at night, the miko would not miss her chance.

"So, he bandaged you up, hm? Let's see how he did..."

Mai blinked, uncertainly she watched Ayako take one of her injured feet in her well manicured hands.

That's it? No teasing?

"Not bad. He must have siblings he takes care of?"

"Um- I don't know actually..."

"Well, I'm satisfied. This will do. Now to take care of the rest."

And with that, Ayako released Mai's foot and breezed out of the bathroom. Following her both physically and mentally proved to be a challenge. Mai's head felt disconnected from her body, her thoughts an indistinct swirl of confusion and surprise. Like a broken neon sign, one name kept flashing through her mind, making anything else hard to focus on:

Kioko Miyuki

Kioko Miyuki

Kioko Miyuki

Mai eased herself down off the counter. She needed to see her partner. Now.

The pain in her feet no longer as intense, Mai left the bathroom- determination in every step. It didn't matter if she was seen in the halls. Let them talk.

"There you are. Put on- wait...where do you think you're going?"

Mai was halfway to the door, she glanced over at Ayako with impatience.

"Bou-san."

"Bou-san?"

"I need to talk with him."

"You can't."

"Who says? Those Nozomi gossipers? I don't care about them-"

"Naru."

Mai frowned,

"Naru?"

"He doesn't want you leaving this room tonight, and I agree. You're in no state go anywhere."

Mai felt a flash of heat rise in her cheeks, but this time she's wasn't blushing.

That Naru.

She was sure there was more than one motive in him giving Ayako those orders. He was interfering with her mission, and he had succeeded. Mai was foiled for a second time. Unable to take her eyes from the door, Ayako stepped into her field of vision,

"Don't make that face, you'll get to talk to Bou-san tomorrow, now here- put on these."

Mai found a set of clothes dangled in front of her, in taking them she realized there were a pair of black spandex shorts and a large worn t-shirt.

"Go change, it's about time you got out of that dress," Ayako urged, giving her a nudge towards the bathroom.

Reluctantly giving up on the door, Mai relented and let herself be guided, but then paused-

"Wait, I know this shirt."

"What?"

"This is Bou-san's..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ayako, what are you doing with Bou-san's t-shirt?"

"I told you to go change, but if you don't want to then fine-"

Swiftly the miko reached for the incriminating shirt, her face turning as red as her hair.

"Alright, I'm changing," Mai answered hurriedly dropping the subject, barely escaping Ayako's snatching fingers. She really did want out of that dress.

In the bathroom, she could hear Ayako rummaging around her room, muttering.

"It's so dirty in here, you've picked up such bad habits."

From Bou-san she means, Mai thought, unzipping.

"How do you even find anything to wear in the morning?"

Mai stepped out of the green dress, feeling as though she had officially stepped out of her mission role.

I'm no longer Masako.

"Are you done yet?"

"Just about."

Taking extra care, Mai slipped on the black shorts she was given, definitely something out of Ayako's closet, and then grabbed the large worn shirt that went with it, definitely not something out of Ayako's closet.

Bou-san.

The scent of him cascaded over. She drew in a deep breath, comforted.

With the infamous green dress tucked over her arm, Mai exited the bathroom to find Ayako waiting. She had the bed sheets pulled back, in her hand was a glass.

"Here, hand me that dress, we'll return it tomorrow."

Mai nodded, only to glad to comply, her legs felt leaden. Crawling into bed, the dress was exchanged for the glass.

"Swallow this, it'll help with your fever."

Mai accepted the two small pills she was handed and drank from the glass until it was empty. Finally sitting still, she now felt just how tired she was. There was a moment of settling as Ayako helped her to lay back, pulling the blankets up over her.

Mai blinked with burning eyes, taking in the room around Ayako's ministrations. She had really tidied up. Mai's suitcase was open in the corner, full of folded clothes. The gas-lamps were turned on low.

"Is that good?"

Mai nodded, her head sinking into the pillow like a stone. She made to speak, to thank Ayako for her help, thinking the miko would be leaving now, but was surprised to see her sit down beside the bed.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep," she offered, her hand reaching for Mai's wrist, "hold still, I'm going to take your pulse."

Mai did as she was told and laid there, closely watching Ayako at work.

Bou-san's right, she should have been a nurse.

"So, what is even going on between you and Naru anyway?"

Mai's pulse spiked,

"What?"

"You two disappear tonight, you're found later alone together, he carries you across town, and now while I was cleaning, I find this-"

Something white and shimmering danced before Mai's eyes. She sat up, pulling her arm from Ayako's hand-

The moon lily!

"It's from him, isn't it?"

Flustered that her most private secret, something she had only learned the hour before, was about become public knowledge, Mai struggled to find a way to keep it,

"What about this shirt?"

"What?"

"It's from Bou-san, isn't it?"

Mai was now no longer the only one flustered. There was moment of intense staring- then, Ayako sat back. She let out a breathy snort,

"Men. If only we had Masako's luck, hm? She's got the best one of the bunch."

Mai leaned back against her pillow, brow furrowing.

Masako's luck?

"Mr. Sachi?"

Ayako adopted a look of disgust, "Ugh, that fool? Who would call him a catch?"

For an instant, Nari's face flashed through Mai's mind, but other thoughts quickly drove it out as the miko answered:

"No, I'm talking about John."

John?

Mai's eyes widened, she sat forward again,

"What do you mean John?"

"Oh," Ayako replied, reading the surprise in her face, "I forgot. You weren't at the festival tonight."

"What happened?"

"You mean while you were getting cozy with Naru?"

"Ayako..."

"Fine. What happened?Wise Obasan happened. It came time to pick her chosen, and while we all stood there expecting you and Naru to be announced...she called on Masako and John."

Mai sat back against her pillow,

"Masako and John?"

Ayako nodded, adjusting her blankets, "Masako and John."

Stifling a yawn, Mai frowned,

"But how- John's a..."

"I know, but it's just pretend, isn't it? They aren't really together."

"What about Wise Obasan choosing Naru and I?"

"I was wondering that too, but after what Nari told us, apparently she had you right where she wanted you? She didn't need to announce you as her chosen, she picked you from the start."

Right where she wanted us...

Mai blinked longer than she intended. She felt as though here eyelids had become weights. Ayako noticed. Reaching up, she turned off all the gas lamps but one.

"You're tired Mai, you've had a long day."

"Mmm, but the festival..." she murmured.

"We'll talk more tomorrow, you owe me answers too. Get some sleep now, okay?"

Mai nodded, her breathing already becoming slow and even. She closed her eyes on one of the longest days of her life.

Mai groaned, she was hot. Why was she so hot?

In protest she began to fail around, pushing off the blankets covering her. There was a slapping sound, her hand had made contact with something soft.

Mai's eyes flickered open. Darkness, the gas lamp had gone out. She blinked a few times, letting her vision adjust.

She turned her head to her right, and found what her wayward hand had hit: Ayako.

The miko was fast asleep. Still seated beside the bed, she was leaning over the mattress, her face buried against the covers.

She didn't leave.

Mai felt herself fading. She made a vague attempt at apologetically rubbing the spot where she had hit the miko, and turned her head back. Miserable, but too exhausted to attempt to do anything about it, she felt her eyelids slipping closed, a bead of sweat slipping down her temple.

So hot...

And then she saw him. Standing there, at the end of the bed.

Mr. Miyuki.

This was the moment that her heart would normally stall, her pulse would quicken, goosebumps would spread across her skin...but as she laid there, Mai felt none of it.

She stared at him in a strange kind of complete calm. It occurred to her sleepy mind that it had been some days since she had seen him in person, not since she told Bou-san of his existence.

She studied his face for any sign of anger, resentment, but he just blinked back at her with a small smile. She felt kindness in his look, and something else...

Concern?

Mai managed a small smile back. Why was he here? Did he know what she had discovered that night, that she now knew Kioko's identity? She wanted to ask him, but her throat was so dry. No words would come.

Mr. Miyuki's attention shifted suddenly, to just the right of her. Mai followed his gaze to Ayako,

Did he just notice her?

She looked back at him to find him holding a finger to his lips. She nodded slowly, and watched as, with the same hand, he gave a quick wave.

There was a soft thud. Mai's eyes snapped back to Ayako, the woman made a slight disgruntled mumble. Her elbow had been bumped. The the glass she had given Mai earlier that night laid on the blankets next to her arm. It had somehow jumped from the nightstand to the bed.

"Ow, what...?" Ayako persisted, further bumping into the glass as she roused from her sleep. She blinked disoriented, brushing her long hair from her face.

"...Mai?"

In a moment the miko was sitting up properly, her hands reaching out to her. Running her palm under Mai's sticky bangs, she drew in a sharp breath, and cursed,

"Your medicine has worn off. You're burning up."

She picked up the glass from bed and stood. Mai watched her cross the room to the bathroom, her stare fixed on the spot where Mr. Miyuki stood, but he was no longer there.

There was the sound of running tap water. Mai's eyes fluttered, she so desperately wanted to close them...

"Here, sit up."

Ayako was back. With some fumbling, Mai took the two pills she was being handed and brought the glass of water to her lips. Nothing had even tasted so good, she drained the entire glass.

"There you go," the miko approved, gently easing Mai back down onto her pillow.

With her eyes already shut Mai managed a hoarse, "thank you" before sleep took her once again.

Mai rolled over. Slap, the sound of skin against skin.

Prying her eyes open, Mai found herself face to face with Ayako, and that somehow her hand had found it's way to her cheek again.

Whispering apologies to the sleeping miko, she took in the window just beyond her. A dim blue-gray glow was spreading through the room.

It's almost dawn.

Mai adjusted herself, putting some space between herself and her snoring care-taker. More than once her eyes darted to the edge of the bed, recalling through the fog of sleep, her ghostly visitor. With these thoughts, it was no wonder that she startled so badly, when in the next moment, there was a click and her bedroom door opened.

Heart pounding, Mai pulled up her blankets and shut her eyes just as the intruder entered. There was the sound of creaking floor boards and then silence. In the stillness, Mai sensed, whoever it was, they were near, and strained to hear anything that might give them away.

Remarkably it was her nose that gave the hint. Sandalwood, incense, and some trendy cologne.

Bou-san?

Tentatively, she peered through her eyelashes and was startled again as she saw Bou-san standing directly beside her.

As her heart-rate began to return to normal, she made to open her eyes fully, to speak to him...but something gave her pause. He wasn't looking at her, but rather at Ayako.

He stood over her sleeping figure with a softness of expression she wasn't accustom to seeing, especially directed at the woman he seemed to live to bicker with.

With more than a little curiosity, she watched as he leaned down towards Ayako. For a split-second, an unbidden thought seized Mai's mind,

What if...

Her heart-rate rose again, a flush coming over her cheeks at the private act she was about to witness.

What if he's going to...

The monk's descent was in slow motion, part of Mai thought she should close her eyes, but another, more stubborn part, kept them open.

She didn't know whether to groan or sigh in the next instant, when it was his fingers that touched her and not his lips.

Bou-san was crouched close to her, he carefully brushed Ayako's hair from her face. His touch traveled...down along the shell of her ear, along the curve of her neck, across her collar bone, over her shoulder where the strap of her black dress had slipped off.

He righted the errant strap, the miko drew an extra deep breath, swallowing, and shifted where she lay. She would have certainly fallen off the edge of the bed, if the monk didn't act just then. In one swift motion he gathered her up, lifted her into his arms, and carried her from the room.

Mai watched him go through her eyelashes until the door was shut. Then she opened them. Color still in her cheeks, she plucked at the shirt Ayako had given her to wear,

Definitely Bou-san's.

And then there it was, the nagging pull. Mai shook her head, attempted to sit up, she didn't want to sleep, not now...

But while she felt noticeably better, she was still weak and tired. Sitting up was out of the question. As was staying awake.

With her mind full of what she had just seen, realizing that that had probably been her chance to talk with her partner, she felt her eyelids sliding closed, the growing light of the day being shut out.

Mai stirred, she wasn't quite dreaming yet when she felt the mattress next her to compress. Someone was sitting beside her.

Before she even smelled the sandalwood, she knew it was Bou-san. A large hand came to cover her forehead, and she heard his relieved sigh.

"Good. No more fever."

Mai felt the monk shift, the bed squeaked as he stood up.

"Rest," he spoke to her quietly, his every word stirring her bangs, "we have a lot to talk about when you wake up."

With a quick kiss to her forehead, he was gone. Smiling to herself, Mai fell to sleep.