Chapter 3

Mai couldn't move her eyes from him as she ran her eyes over him looking for any differences.

He had become a man.

Standing more than six feet, Naru had become more solid in build but still retaining his lean physique. Wearing his normal black slacks, but with a light blue button up shirt with his black blazer over the top, his fashion hadn't changed much. Moving her eyes further up, she could see that his jaw had become more pronounced and he had lost some of his baby fat. His hair was still the same, maybe a little longer, almost as if he needed a trim but not quite.

And then his eyes.

The eyes she always remembered as being stony and cold as the winter she so loved, were warmer than she remembered, though not obviously so as that a stranger would be able to tell. But to Mai, she could see it. His mouth, usually pursed and tilted down was tilted up slightly to give a crooked smirk, making him look like his usual cocky self.

Finally done with her perusal of him, Mai calmly turned to face forward again, looking towards the worried faces of her friends.

Leaning forward and gently setting the teacup on the table, Mai smoothly stood from her seat, grabbed her bag from the ground before effortlessly moving towards the door.

Reaching the door, Mai finally grasped the doorknob and tried to open it, but it refused. Looking down, Mai finally noticed the keyhole and came to her own conclusions.

"Bou-san, unlock the door", Mai gritted out while facing the door, hand tightening on the doorknob.

She could hear him stand up, "Mai, let's-",

"Open the goddamn door, Bou-san", she gritted out before leaning her head against the door and sighing when she heard no further movement from behind her.

She was so tired. She just wanted to go home and curl up in bed under her warm sheets with her electric blanket. Why was this happening now? She was better now. She didn't need him. She needed to be strong.

Hearing no movement behind her, Mai once again sighed before heaving herself off the door and walking back to her seat next to Yasu who tried to grab her hand before she slapped it away.

'He knew', she thought. He knew and didn't tell her. He let them trap her like this.

Yasu recoiled his hand with a wounded look before putting it on his lap. He recognized she was mad at him and decided to leave well enough alone.

Looking up, face tired, but determinedly clear of emotion, Mai waited.

'Don't you dare crumble', she grumbled in her mind, 'Don't you dare forgive him'.

Finally hearing movement behind her, she saw Lin in the corner of her eye walk around her couch before, surprisingly, sitting next to her. Naru strode across the floor and sat on the armchair next to the couch, closer to Lin on her left.

Keeping her gaze forward, shoulders back, chin up, face like stone, Mai said a simple "No",

Stuttering, Bou-san grasped at straws, "But Jou-chan! We need you! Please, it can be like old times!" he pleaded.

"Are you forgetting I already have two jobs on top of my course work? No, Bou-san. I have other commitments. You'll be fine without me," she explained calmly, refusing to give in.

"Mai, this isn't just for us. You need this too. Your powers are-" Bou-san began.

"Don't", Mai hissed, sending a look of warning to him.

"No, Mai. You think I haven't noticed your powers increasing? I saw you put your hand through a table, Mai. A table." Bou-san emphasized, Lin and Naru's eyes widening fractionally.

Mai winced, remembering the incident. She knew her powers were flaring up randomly, but it wasn't a big deal. Really. It wasn't hurting anyone.

"That's my business," Mai explained, "Don't worry about that. It's fine."

Bou-san looked like he was working himself into a frenzy, his face reddening, before Ayako calmly interjected, resting a hand over Bou-sans, calming him down.

"It's not that simple, Mai", she began gently, her gaze focusing on Mai, "You can't leave them like that. At the rate they're growing, they could seriously hurt you. People have gone insane with less power than you."

"If you can use them again during cases, train them, then you'll be safer. There'll be less danger", Bou-san interjected, much calmer than before.

Mai sighed, leaning forward and rubbing her temples trying to release the headache building up.

"Okay, I get that, but like I said; I already have two jobs. Good jobs. Plus I have classes," Mai went on to explain, desperate to get out of it.

Mai finally heard the voice she had been dreading begin talking from her left, "You would be on your previous salary, plus more since you'd be an investigator rather than our secretary" his rumbled in smooth Japanese, a hint of his British accent seeping through. "I'm sure that would more than compensate", he finished.

She could feel his eyes burning into the side of her head, but she refused to look at him. She was so mad at him. She wouldn't give him the privilege.

Yasu finally spoke up. "Well, we're on holidays right now. So classes won't be a problem. And wouldn't you rather hunt ghosts than serve coffee?" he argued, wiggling his eyebrows up and down, mouth spread into a grin.

Mai just glared at him. 'He still isn't forgiven either', she thought darkly. Yasu seemed to wilt a little under her fierce gaze.

Mai closed her eyes, leaning her head into her palm. Her mind wouldn't stop scrambling. Her resolve was slipping. She couldn't lie to herself about one thing, because God, she missed investigating. It just wasn't the same without it. But she was really getting used to being without it at this point. It had been 4 years, after all.

But, there was one thing she was sure of. No more pining after Naru. If she did this, she would not do that to herself again. The only real negative seemed to be working with Naru. But, no more weird working hours, better salary, spending more time with the group. So many benefits. She wanted to accept so badly, but she couldn't just give in that easily.

And she couldn't decide with all these eyes on her, she could practically feel them burning into her head.

Finally standing, Mai locked eyes with Bou-san. "I'll think about it," she said, picking up her bag.

"Bu-", Bou-san began.

"This is the most you're going to get out of me tonight. I'm tired. I want to go home," Mai interrupted him, giving him a tired look.

Bou-san gave her a searching look before looking around to the others and nodding to himself.

"Okay. I'll take that", he grinned, producing a key from his pocket and walking towards the door.

Mai, finally strode to the now open door, her boots clacking against the hardwood floor and her coat rustling as she tightened it, preparing for the frigid winds.

She heard movement behind her, and turned to see Naru standing with his hands in his pockets and his calculating eyes locked onto her.

"I'll give you a lift", he said, while slowly starting forward.

'Is he stupid?' Mai squinted at him 'what's his game?'

After a second or two, Mai finally tilted her head up with a saccharine smile, peering up towards Naru.

Everyone seemed to lean forward in preparation for her answer.

Taking a breath, her smile still firmly in place, Mai replied.

"No,"

Naru paused in his steps, "Thank you," she finished sarcastically, her smile finally dropping from her face and spinning on her heal and making her way out of the apartment.

Hearing footsteps, she spun around "No!" she shouted while pointing at a frozen Yasu, who had started to follow her out, "Don't even try it."

Yasu pulled a wounded face, but Mai wouldn't be swayed. At this point, she wasn't speaking to any of them.

Finally making her way out of the doorway and down the eight flights of stairs while pulling on her gloves, Mai finally made it out of the entrance and disappeared into the frigid and white night, her footprints leaving a trail behind her.

Wow, guys! I'm so happy by the response for my first story! I'm still learning, but the more reviews I receive, the more encouraged I'll be to write more chapters! So please, review. :)

So to all those who reviewed; a big thanks to you! ;)