Yo! Thank you to all readers so far!

Barely five minutes later, Naru and Mai were holed up in one of the bedrooms, Naru trying to get himself to stop stalling and Mai wondering why they were even in here.

"Um, Naru? What's wrong? Did something happen?" Naru had a weird look on his face, the expression something Mai couldn't quite place, though it was starting to make her a little apprehensive. It couldn't mean anything good, she was sure about that.

Naru had no idea how to begin this conversation. He knew the truth was going to hurt Mai, and though he didn't want to do it, he also knew he had to do what was right. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to talk himself into starting.

"You said you're now aware that the man who died alongside your brother Ryou was your step-father, right?"

"Y-yes?"

"Do you remember your biological father at all?"

Slowly, Mai shook her head. "Not really. He and mom divorced right after the Jack stuff, I guess, and I was only three."

Naru wasn't surprised to hear that. "You said the name Yaoshima Akira sounded familiar, didn't you?"

Mai wasn't sure she liked where this was going. "Un..."

Naru hesitated for an instant, then said, "The reason you recognize it is because it's the name of your biological father. Yaoshima was your original surname."

Mai blinked, Naru's words taking a moment to fully register in her mind. "But...didn't we say that Yaoshima Akira is Hideki-san's real name?"

"Yes."

"Then, are-are you saying that our client is my biological father?"

"I am," said Naru.

"But...Naru, before, you said that our client may have killed my family," said Mai slowly, her hands pressed to her bosses chest so that she could look at his face. "If he's my father, then does-does that still stand?"

"It does," said Naru reluctantly. "In fact, we now know that it's true."

"True...?"

So Naru told her everything he knew. Everything they had learned, everything he had deduced. He told Mai all of it, watching her face carefully. Mai didn't say a single word as he spoke. She remained still and silent, eyes locked on his until he finally finished speaking and fell silent.

After a long moment, Mai said, "So, what you're saying is that-that everything that happened is-is my fault? Me taking the blame for what May did started all of this?"

"That's not true."

"But-"

Naru took Mai's hands in his own, and when he spoke again, his voice was steady and firm. "This isn't your fault," he said. "Even if you hadn't taken the blame, Jack's spirit would have reacted the same way, only he would have specifically targeted May instead. This is not on you, and nor is it truly on May either. This is Jack. It has always been Jack."

"We have to get rid of him."

"We do." Naru was a little surprised that Mai hadn't begun to cry, but then again, maybe she was all cried out by now. The thought of that honestly kind of hurt.

"Where is he?"

Naru didn't even blink at the question. He knew exactly who Mai was talking about, but he hesitated. "Mai-"

"Don't worry," she said, "I won't freak out on him or anything. I just...want to see him. He-he isn't just our client anymore."

Naru acknowledged that, of course, but still, he hesitated. But Mai noticed that, naturally, and she was the one to smile at him reassuringly.

"It's alright," she said softly. She leaned into him and kissed him gently. "I promise."

Finally, Naru relented. "Downstairs, in his office."

Mai stood. "Let's go pay him a visit, then."

That's it for now. Another highly edited chapter. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!