Chapter 5 – Settle Down With Me

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, if I did the series would never have ended and Mai and Naru would have little paranormal grandbabies for Martin and Luella running around by now.

Author's Note: I think that I must be totally obsessed with Ghost Hunt. I recently ordered quite a few t-shirts, and phone case of the Ghost Hunt persuasion from some online retailer that uses indie artists, and I really can't wait until they get here!

Kuroda can be really overbearing can't she? I found this part so hard to write because of her, but never fear – we shall find a way to help her become the best Kuroda she can be…eventually. Not edited again, one day I will return and cringe at all my errors, but not today! =) Thanks for all the support, reviews, favorites and follows… I never expected this to be more than a way of literally getting this idea out of my dreams each night.

Thanks to tropical storms, power outages, and late laptops this took an extra long time to get out, so I am sorry guys! But hopefully you'll enjoy the extra long chapter, and the surprise near the end.


The final bell at the high school rang, leaving Mai to pack up her bag as her friends surrounded her desk. The first one at her side, Keiko asked, "Hey, Mai, are you going home? Weren't we going to meet with yesterday's senpai?" Mai, playing along with the events from her vision answered, "Shibuya-san?"

"Yes, let's meet him," responded Michiru, who had joined them at this time. Mai looked at her two friends and shook her head saying, "Not me, I have something I need to do instead of staring at another pretty face."

Keiko stared incredulously at Mai before saying, "Why Mai? What a weirdo you are. That guy has got a godlike coolness, don't you think so?" Michiru nodded in agreement and said, "Well, fine, the lesser rivals, the better. We'll be the only ones to enjoy his enchanting eyes." Mai rolled her own eyes at this proclamation, thinking of how her friends only noticed the beauty of his eyes but not the sadness within them.

"You really don't want to come? Are you sure? You were quite interested yesterday," Michiru asked again as she smoothed out her uniform, and Mai glanced around the room to check if anyone was listening in yet. Keiko grabs Mai's arm and says, "oh, come on Mai that guy was so hot! Maybe we can ask him to bring a couple of friends, and instead of karaoke we can have a ghost story gokon! Think about what other kind of hot guys he must know, and the atmosphere yesterday was sooo tense! Don't tell me you didn't feel it! I almost thought Shibuya-san was a real ghost," Keiko laughed and gave Mai a beseeching look.

Michiru agreed and said, "Today, we'll tell stories again, but it won't be the same without the ghost story master. You have to come Mai!"

A girl with dark hair styled in pigtails walks up to the group of three girls and says, "Wait a minute, just what were you talking about?" The girl glared at them, light glinting menacingly off the lenses of her eyeglasses as she stands directly in their escape path from the classroom.

Mai smirked to herself, and thought, right on time. Now we meet Naoko Kuroda, the class 1-F rep, and self-proclaimed psychic. Mai looked over at Kuroda and dismissed the rep with her eyes before saying, "Nothing that concerns you, it was a private conversation, but since you have no respect for other's privacy, we were discussing telling ghost stories yesterday."

At the exact moment Kuroda opened her mouth to begin a tirade, murderous intent clearly visible on her face, Naru poked his head into the open doorway and gave all the girls in the small grouping his charmingly fake smile and said, "Mai, there you are, I thought we were meeting in the AV room?"

Hearing the masculine voice, Kuroda turned towards the door to begin questioning the interloper, "What year are you? What are you doing here?"

The teenage boy looked over at the girl interrogating him and answers, "Ah, I had an arrangement with these girls . . ."

Turning her entire attention towards the young man, Kuroda asks more aggressively, "Arrangement? About the ghost stories?" He nods quietly, watching the girl facing him with an intent look on his face and replies, "Yes, we met yesterday when they were telling stories and I have an interest in such things myself."

Kuroda barely waited for Naru to answer before turning her wrathful gaze back to Keiko, Mai and Michiru and hissing at them with gritted teeth, "Didn't I tell you to stop doing this?!"

Mai stared at her class rep in annoyance and responded, "Actually, no. You have never once spoken to me before butting in during today's private conversation. So, what exactly have you supposedly been telling me?" Mai asked in a falsely sweet tone, making Naru smile internally at how much she has grown since they first had this conversation during the AVE.

Kuroda sighed dramatically and growled at them, "No wonder I've been having headaches since this morning. Didn't you know, when you tell ghost stories spirits gather. These are mainly low-level spirits, but even if they are low-level ones, when a lot of them gather they attract stronger spirits. You will be in trouble if that happens, just wait and see! And for your information Taniyama-san, I am sensitive to spirits. I have headaches when a lot of them gather, and I am having terrible headaches today. Spirits have definitely gathered here, all thanks to your reckless storytelling," she turns to Shibuya-san then with a thoughtful expression and says, "It would be quite troublesome if senpai did it too. I'd have to do an exorcism."

Naru catches Mai's eye, smirking slightly as he was the only one who heard Mai mumble under her breath, "that's so not how that works," and he had to compose himself before he looked over at Kuroda as he shrugged his shoulders, "Isn't it just your imagination?"

Kuroda sneers at Naru and states, "that's why people who can't sense spirits are annoying, if you were psychic you would understand!"

Naru knew the part he was to play here well, and he quickly interjected, "if you can really sense them then do you sense something from the old school building?" At this question, Kuroda gave him a smug look and replied, "the old school building? Ah yes, it seems spirits of those who died during the war are gathering there." At the teenage boy's look of disbelief Kuroda quickly said, "I often see a man's shadow looking at me from the windows and it looks like a man from the war, you know World War II. During the war there was a hospital on that place, and it was even air raided at least once. The spirits of the dead nurses and patients can be seen there every night."

Naru seemingly deep in thought at this information, paced closer to where Mai was standing and said, "I didn't know this was a hospital during the war. From my research on the old school building, I heard that this school was here since pre-war days, so maybe it was a medical school then?" he asked with false sincerity.

Kuroda glared at the ebony-haired male and straightened her back in resolve as she said, "I wouldn't know such a thing, anyway, I've seen them myself. Like I already said, if you aren't psychic you would not understand," she sniffed and turned her back on him, but asked over her shoulder in an uninterested voice, "The school principal is bothered that the ex-building's demolition failed and was complaining. Are you saying you're here to exorcise it?"

At this point, Naru smirked at Kuroda acidly, and stated, "I never once said I was here to do anything but tell ghost stories with these girls, isn't that right Mai?" He looked over at Mai, and she could see the gears turning in his head and nodded in agreement before he turned to the other girls giving them a courtly bow and asking, "Are you ladies ready to commence with story time?"

Looking over at Kuroda, the other occupants of the room could almost see a dark cloud emerging from her like a deadly aura as she nearly snarled at them in frustration, "Even after I tell you my expert opinion you're still going to continue on with this harmful behavior? You all deserve whatever horrible things that are going to happen to you!" She snapped at them, attempting to intimidate her audience into complying with her wishes.

Kuroda is clearly no match for Naru though, and he turns to shrug at her and says, "I see no harm in it, even if it did draw in spirits like you claim." As he turned back to Mai and her two friends, he noticed the other girls were not looking happy anymore, and he projected telepathically to Mai, "Right on cue!" Mai's eyes widened slightly at his mental intrusion before she responded to him slowly, "Naru, you scared me! I already forgot that we can do this now. Let's finish up here quickly, ok?" Mai turned to Keiko and Michiru, motioning for them to continuing grabbing their stuff so they could depart soon.

"Let's…," an extremely intimidated Keiko says, "let's put it off for today?"

"I agree . . . I'm not in the mood for it now," but Michiru still says, "Shibuya-senpai, sorry. . ."

"I see, then some other time" Naru says and turns to Kuroda, who seems extremely pleased with herself, and says, "You are satisfied too, right?" He smirked haughtily at her dumbfounded look, and turned to Mai once again, "Mai, could you please come with me?"

Keiko, Michiru and Kuroda all steal disbelieving glances at Mai; each girl noticing for the first time the informal way their "senpai" refers to their auburn-haired classmate. Mai smiles softly as she nods to the young man in their midst, waving at her friends before embarking with him out of the classroom.

After leaving the group of students behind, Naru and Mai made their way quickly to the old school building where the SPR van had been parked since that morning. In companionable silence, and with the ease of years of practice the two teenagers quickly set up their base within a large empty classroom on the ground floor. Both Mai and Naru remembered clearly from the AVE which locations in the building needed the scientific equipment the most, even though both knew there were no outside spiritual disturbances to be found in the building at the time. The two ghost hunters did decide to add a second, well hidden camera in the second-floor hallway unlike the last time they lived this case. The importance of this camera is that it could only be accessed from Naru's laptop to prevent any tampering of the footage obtained with it. Finally satisfied with the work they had accomplished, they decided to split into two directions, Naru left the school campus to return to their hotel to go call his parents, and Mai to confront her friends she knew would be waiting outside.


Mai left the old school building several minutes before Naru, knowing that she could provide as buffer for him to escape without her classmates fawning over him for the moment. It was strange enough that both Keiko and Michiru were out so late together, but to see them both still in the area surrounding their high school was peculiar as well. If Mai had not already known what their purpose was beforehand, she would have easily discerned it by the looks on each of the girl's faces when she exited the building alone.

Keiko rushed up to Mai, gripping her hand excitedly as she asked, "What was it that Shibuya-senpai wanted with you all alone in that creepy building full of ghosts?" Mai laughed sheepishly and rubbed at the back of her neck with one hand and said, "So that's why you're ambushing me over here?"

Keiko pulled on Mai's arm, dragging her to a nearby bench so that they and Michiru could sit and talk, "Right, MAI," she said putting emphasis on her friend's first name, and asked with barely concealed jealousy, "So, exactly what did you guys talk about?"

Mai took this as her cue to enlighten both girls, and a hidden but eavesdropping Kuroda, about Naru's true purpose at the old school building. After explaining that he was there to investigate the reports of ghostly activity and not as a student, Keiko looked disappointed and Michiru asked hesitantly, "Then, Shibuya-senpai. . . Isn't a transfer student?"

Mai shook her head and said, "Nope, he's just a liar and super narcissistic to boot. I mean sure, he's smart, successful and handsome but he must be the most egotistical guy I have ever met! To tell you girls a secret… I've been calling him Naru in my head, for Naru the narcissist," she tried to explain to them but noticed the two girls still appeared starstruck.

"So that's how it is," Keiko mumbled listlessly but Michiru waved her hand in dismissal at her friend's sad face and said, "Don't be so disheartened Keiko. Since he's not a student at our school, that means . . . less rivals for his love!" In response to this Keiko squealed and bounced happily on the bench, while Mai looked at them both, feeling somewhat regretful since she already knew the outcome of just who the boy in question would end up with. Mai started to warn her friends it was possible he was already taken, but she was once again rudely interrupted as Kuroda came out of her hiding place in the shadows and said, "Taniyama-san!"

Mai groaned to herself and thought, and so it begins before looking over at the girl interrupting their private conversation yet again and said pleasantly, "Yes, Kuroda-san, how might I help you?"

Kuroda, emboldened by Mai's helpful tone asked, "That person . . . Is he a psychic?"

Mai decided not to outright lie about Naru's psychic gifts, instead she deflected with another truth, "He's a ghost hunter, or paranormal investigator," she replied.

"Ghost hunter?" Kuroda raised her eyebrows at this information and Keiko and Michiru looked puzzled while one of her friends asked, "Hey, what does that mean? Isn't that just another word for a psychic?"

Mai shook her head and replied, "He brought in lots of expensive equipment, like video cameras and, computers and various high-tech gadgets that are set up all over the building to test for spirits, or any other causes for the things happening there. I think he is more like a scientist, doing an experiment to gain empirical evidence to prove or disprove a hypothesis of what is causing disturbances there," Mai concluded, but earned herself some confused stares from her friends at her technical explanation.

Kuroda looked smug, and interjected before Mai could further clarify Naru's profession, "Taniyama-san, can you introduce me to that guy? I have psychic powers, so I might be able to help him with his work," she proclaimed proudly and looked expectantly at Mai.

Mai answered her quickly, "But . . . Kuroda-san, didn't you already meet him? A formal introduction isn't necessary. He will be working at the old school building for several days until his investigation concludes," Mai said looking innocently over at her class rep, but at the same time thinking, "gotcha Kuroda!" before continuing, "But it's best if you don't get involved with that Naru, he made it very clear to me that he dislikes talking to amateurs."

Kuroda glared at Mai, and snapped waspishly at her, "I am not an amateur like you, and you're working for him!"

Mai gave Kuroda a seemingly thoughtful look before asking her, "Kuroda-san, we have been classmates now for several weeks, correct?" When Kuroda nodded at Mai in the affirmative, Mai went on, "and before today you have never once deigned to speak to me, is that also correct?" Kuroda looking slightly paler than moments before, nodded her assent once more, and Mai continued again, "so it is safe to say that you are very unaware of just what I am capable of, no?" Mai asked rhetorically not giving Kuroda any time to answer her with even a nod, before delivering her final coup-de-grace of the conversation for all three girls watching her intently, "Kuroda-san, as a highly trained medium myself, I can assure you I do understand far more about the spirit realm than you could understand. Some people just do not go around proclaiming their gifts for all to see and hear."

Mai looked intently at Kuroda and gave her a very Naru-like smirk and continued speaking, "You are in luck though, Kuroda-san. While I can attest with certainty that your assertions about the old school are completely unfounded, I do believe you have gifts that can be trained, and I know people who can help with that if you do desire to fully explore them?" Mai said while still watching Kuroda's face intently, her gaze completely unflinching. She then smiled to herself as Kuroda dropped her gaze, signaling silently to the two of them who the winner of their little standoff was.

Kuroda scoffed and accused Mai, "As if, you're just lying to get the attention of a guy like that aren't you? I'll show you who is the real psychic here," she almost yelled before storming off, leaving Mai alone with Keiko and Michiru once again.

Mai looked over at Michiru and asked, "Didn't Kuroda-san go to the same middle school as you?" Michiru nodded at Mai's question and answered, "Right. She was quite infamous in middle school, always going on about her psychic powers, her warnings 'oh~this is dangerous', her sensitivity to ghosts, and always wanting us to do this and that. Not that anyone ever believed her, and we knew she just likes to be the center of attention, its probably the only way she'll ever get that much attention anyway," Michiru said bitterly as they watched the form of Kuroda grow smaller in the distance.

Keiko turned to Mai accusingly, "Wait a minute Mai! What do you mean you're a medium, you were just saying that to shut Kuroda-san up right?" Mai rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly and replied to her friends, "ah…actually no. I'm a medium with some other um…gifts too. I just don't talk about it, my parents warned me very young never to tell others unless necessary for my safety, and it sort of slipped out. I mean, I am working for a ghost hunter right now, and using my skills as a latent psychic to help him with his investigation, and I guess Kuroda just made me angry enough to let the cat out of the bag. I'm sorry girls, I just promised my mom, ya know?" Mai said and stood. "Anyway, speaking of work I do need to be here early tomorrow. I have to help Naru with the whole ghost hunting thing, you mind if I head home to get some rest?"

Her friends nodded at her quietly, each one thinking about what Mai had just revealed about herself to them. Keiko and Michiru both waved Mai off to go get some rest and the two girls left together to go to Michiru's house to continue their own conversation about everything they had learned since the previous day.


Several neighborhoods across town, at the hotel Naru was presently residing in, he was currently pacing the floor of the suite they had booked as he spoke to his parents on the phone. Oliver knew Mai was making her way to meet him there, so he wanted to finish this conversation as quickly as possible, so as not to stress her out about meeting his parents yet.

Naru glared at the wall, as he repeated his last statement again for both of his parents, "No, I said you don't need to come to Japan right now. We should finish this case, and have Gene recovered by next weekend, and I will bring him home to you. You know I can't leave a case unfinished, that's why I sent Lin ahead with the information about his location," he reiterated, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Noll's mother, Luella, responded to her youngest son, recognizing his annoyed tone, "Oliver Davis, do not take that tone with us, you're still a minor, we have every right to come and be there as support for you," she said then softened her voice, "He's your twin Noll, its ok if you need us there when you find him. We love you both so much."

"Luella...Mother….Mum I will be ok, Lin will be there, and the new assistant and investigator I hired will too. In fact, Taniyama, the new employee of the Japanese branch of SPR is the psychic who put me in touch with Gene so fast. A chance meeting at the school I am investigating, and within minutes of meeting them, I had Gene's location and a way to reliably talk to him. I think the best way to handle this is to bring Taniyama to England with us as soon as an expedited passport can be procured. That way you can let Gene channel through them to speak with you himself and please trust me when I attest that they are a medium of the same caliber as he was," Noll said careful not to reveal the gender of the medium in question to his parents just yet. He knew the surprise would be worth the threats he had to level at Lin not to accidentally tell Madoka any details about Mai, including that she was a female and apparently Oliver's betrothed. (For anyone curious threats could have possibly included squishing sticky, fermented natto into Lin's keyboard and shutting it in the laptop before leaving it out in the sun to bake).

At this point, Martin Davis interjected into the conversation, "As to a new employee, I don't see why you need one, especially if you already found your brother. You will be returning home now after all," the professor announced.

"Martin, there is a lot of paranormal activity in Japan, I believe I could attain the research necessary for at least half a dozen different books here if given the opportunity. One of which will be a personal case study on our new employee Taniyama. Hiring them is just good business, and when they visit BSPR after we return Gene home, I do assure you both that you will be pleased with my foresight. I also believe that they are an invaluable asset, not to replace Gene, but someone who may be able to function very similarly to him. Gene himself told me they could possibly train to seed my PK, which would be a valuable skill for us to retain on our payroll. I am sure you must agree with that assessment Father," Naru smirked to himself as he knew he just drew the ultimate trump card with the professor.

Martin started to speak but was interrupted by Luella, who said, "Noll, you know we just worry about you, but if you are certain this is a good idea, especially if the outcome leads to your happiness and safety we can't object. Now this Taniyama, you met them at the high school, what do his parents have to say about your spiriting them off to another continent after just meeting him?"

Oliver knew he had them when his mother began asking personal questions about Mai's situation, "They have no parents, Taniyama has been completely orphaned since the age of 13 and is currently an emancipated minor living on their own. I have already contacted an attorney to help expedite the passport for them and discover what other legalities we might need to assist our newest employee with so they can continue living as they are without government interference at this late date. I have already discussed with Taniyama the possibility of residing in a shared area with the other SPR employees after we return to Japan from England. This should assist with not only being able to ease work conditions for cases, but also any research we deem necessary and any additional training they might need or want."

Luella replied to him quietly, "You seem to have put a lot of thought into this, and I am surprised you would be so open to someone you just met yesterday. Does he remind you of Gene, or is it because he connects you back with your older brother? It's ok if you don't know why yourself Noll, but I do believe that you have thought this through carefully and we will abide by your wishes for now. We will stay on call just in case, and keep our schedules cleared except for activities that can be easily moved, does that sound amenable to you Nolly?" his mother asked softly.

Making an irritated noise in the back of his throat at his mother's use of her childhood nickname for him, Oliver answered, "Yes Mother, that will work fine. As I said before, we should be finished with all of the details, and legalities by next weekend at the latest, so if you could make tentative arrangements for a Saturday or Sunday arrival depending on which day we can procure tickets for, that would be wonderful," he said then continued in a softer tone, "I told you I would find him and bring him home to you, we lucked out in finding someone honest and reliable who will also allow you us to communicate with Gene again before he moves on. Thus far he is unchanged in outlook and personality, which he and I both attribute to him being a medium in life. So, don't worry Gene is in no danger of turning into a dangerous spirit at this time, and I surmise he would be unlikely to alter in any malicious way due to the strong connections he still has to the living, especially now that he has a trustworthy medium to communicate to us through," Naru tried to reassure his parents as he knew they would still worry about both of the twins until they were back in England, and it did not matter to the paranormal experts one whit whether their children were of the living or the dead.

Martin coughed discreetly on the other end of the line, bringing attention back to him so he could add, "Alright Oliver, I trust your judgment and I know you would never do anything to harm or upset your mother so I will agree to your requests this time. We will revisit this discussion about a return to Japan and your new assistant face to face, but I believe it is getting later there, and you said you have a case you are working that you need to be at in the morning," his father paused and Naru noticed the whirring of a mechanical door lock in the background and smiled at Mai as she entered the room before putting a finger to his lips to indicate he was still on the phone.

Martin continued, unaware that they now had an audience listening in the background, "Noll, please keep in mind that your main objective with SPR is as a researcher here at the British division. If you feel that you can accomplish more research over there perhaps we can allocate a larger research department to that area while you are there. That would allow you to hire more staff, and for Madoka to relocate along with Lin if he continues to act as your guardian while in Japan. If you truly desire this as an outcome, please assemble a compelling argument so that we can all discuss when you are at home, but for now we better let you get some rest, or you may drive your newest employee off with your morning grumps," Martin laughed at his own jest, and Noll could hear Luella whispering in the background, "maybe we should warn this Mr. Taniyama that Nolly is a beast in the morning before he gets his tea," and if looks could kill Noll's glare at the wall when he heard his mother teasing him would have crumbled it to dust. He glanced over at Mai and caught her giggling silently at him, before she looked away chagrined and went to make him some of the previously mentioned tea.

"Hnn, good night Mother, Father, I trust you will have a gloriously caffeine free day, since my own tea habits are of such concern. I, or Lin will inform you as soon as we have news concerning Gene's recovery. Love you," he said the last line quickly and hung up before either parent could voice their shock at his announcement or return the sentiments. He walked over to the couch that he had slept on the previous night and collapsed with exhaustion before turning his head to watch Mai finish making their tea, his gaze softening as he took in her form, and said, "The tribunal outside the old school house went well, I take it?"

Mai handed him a teacup full of his favored earl grey tea, and sat down beside him, leaning her head against his shoulder as she wilted with her own exhaustion. "Can we just pass out right here, right now? They exhausted me Oliver, or rather Kuroda did. She is so starved for attention, she makes up a skill to impress people, but unknowingly she really has a different psychic skill, but isn't open to learning the truth. I even indicated I could find her a professional to help with the gifts I could sense she had, but she just accused me of being a phony. Ugh! Talk about frustrating!" she exclaimed, venting her frustration to her sympathetic beau. He pulled her close and let her snuggle tenderly against his side, and said, "Mai, just forget it all for tonight, we have both had a couple of really long days and should just get some rest while we can. You can take my bed again, and I can go sleep in Lin's room since he isn't here tonight…" he trailed off as she stared at him.

Mai moved away from Naru's side and stared at him in annoyance before saying, "You don't want to sleep with me again? I know I was asleep last night and you couldn't ask if I could consent to sharing a bed, but you aren't even going to ask now?" Mai pouted at Naru, her sad expression tugging at his heart in ways he didn't know was possible, before he answered her gently, "Mai, I would never assume how comfortable you might with such an intimate act so soon after our chronological meeting. I would like nothing better to fall asleep with you beside me as I can remember us doing for years now, but to be honest, I was hesitant to ask. I hoped you would want to resume our relationship as we knew it from the AVE, with the possible exception of holding off on sexual relations for now, but I was afraid you might not be ready and it would seem like I was pressuring you."

Mai shook her head in resignation and softly responded to his fears in an attempt to allay them once and for all, "Oliver, I already told you I will never leave you, and I consider us partners for life, no matter our legal status as unmarried. I agree with you about not consummating our relationship fully yet, we are still so young right now, and accidents happen no matter how carefully you use birth control. We have plenty of time for that, and we already know from the AVE that we are exceptionally compatible in that manner, and no one says when we are both comfortable with it that we can't do something," she winked saucily at him and his heartbeat pounded within his chest as memories of the nights they spent as a married couple filled his brain. Only Mai could ever get such a result from the normally cold and stoic scientist, and he thought to himself that perhaps that was just another reason why he fell so deeply under her spell; a condition that only deepened within him as time flowed forward with the two of them - whether time was chronological or just memory had no bearing in their own little world. They just were, and they would always be; he smiled at her as he thought this and said, "then Miss Taniyama would you do me the honor of sharing a bed with me tonight and for the rest of our lives?"

Mai sighed in relief as it became apparent her idiot scientist could still learn new ways to act more like a normal human and launched herself at him squealing happily. "Naru, yes! Now. never ask again and just know the answer is always yes," she pulled him closer hugging him tightly to her and gazed up into his eyes lovingly before she slowly glanced to down where he had clasped her hand in his. Her eyes widened as she asked, "Naru, what are you doing?"

He smirked at her arrogantly before replying, "Surely even an idiot such as yourself can recognize an engagement ring," he snickered, briefly reminding her of the Naru she first met and fell in love with as he used a familiar insult in a teasing manner. He rubbed her hand tenderly before bringing it closer to their faces to show her the elegant platinum band on her left ring finger. The ring was beautiful, simple in style, but delicate and intricate in design in a way that suited them both perfectly; the rich blue sapphires set into the platinum band were the exact shade of Naru's eyes and were accented by tiny chips of pale blue and yellow diamonds intricately designed into celestial motif mosaics that were nestled in between each of the channel-set sapphires.

Looking up at Naru, with tears in her eyes, Mai was utterly speechless, and he gripped her hand, pulling it to his lips, he kissed the place on her finger that the ring occupied and said, "you did tell me last night, to put a ring on it, didn't you?" He chuckled at her still shocked expression and he lovingly trailed the tips of the fingers of his free hand tenderly across her cheek and down to her chin, before pulling her closer. The barest moment before their lips touched, he murmured, his breath warm against her, "I love you Mai," and closed the distance between them.

Mai's breath hitched the moment his lips touched hers. She remembered this feeling, she knew it, and was so familiar with feel of his skin against her that her head swam dizzily for a moment. Almost as if on instinct, she pressed her lips harder to his own, breathing in his masculine scent of tea and sandalwood before she parted her own lips inviting him to deepen their connection. At Mai's signal, Naru groaned deep in his throat as he pulled her body more tightly against his and slid his tongue past her lips to truly capture her delicate lips properly for the first time in this reality. What began as a gentle exploration between the two young adults testing the memories they each held of affection and desire towards one another, quickly incited into a searing battle between the two of lips, teeth and tongue that left them each panting breathlessly as it came ever so slowly to an end. Softly kissing Mai's, now swollen lips gently, Naru breathed heavily and leaned his forehead gently against her own as he tried to calm his racing heart, and said, "As much as I really want to do that something we talked about before with you right now, I think we should each take a cold shower and get ready for bed."

Mai swallowed silently, her tongue darting out to lick at her lips nervously and agreed, "You're right. We have a long day again tomorrow. We have even more Kuroda to deal with, and the rest of our SPR cohorts to meet, then tomorrow night we won't even be able to return to the hotel to rest if nothing changes in that respect." She briefly snuggled close against him, reveling in the solid feel of him as it relaxed her, before she got up to go towards the shower in their room. She asked him, "are you going to use Lin's shower while I use ours?" He nodded at her and said, "I also need to make a few notes about the conversation with Martin and Luella before I forget. If you get finished before I do, just go ahead and rest. I promise I will join you as soon as I am finished with everything," he kissed her gently on her forehead and moved away so they could both go prepare for bed in their own separate ways.

An hour later, Naru silently entered his room at the hotel and noticed his fiancé was slumbering peacefully, her arms wrapped around a pillow with a smile on her face. He slid into bed beside her quietly, wrapping an arm around her waist as he settled down for his rest. As he was about to drift off to sleep, Mai shifted only half awakening she abandoned the pillow in her arms to turn drowsily and settle her head against his chest and entwine her limbs with his as they both fell into a peaceful rest for the rest of the night.