Naru's POV


I sighed rubbing the bridge of my nose. I knew that it would be difficult to get a hold of everyone, that there was a possibility that they might still be angry with me with how I left. I thought it was better for them and for myself if I left with minimal notice. I didn't expect them to fall completely apart. I didn't realize I mattered to them that much.

Madoka was supposed to come back and continue where I left off, but apparently that never happened. I was, putting it mildly, upset that she never kept her word on taking over SPR and training Mai further with her abilities. I knew they cared deeply about each other especially Mai, so it came as a shock that they never stayed in touch.

Mai… I missed her so much, but I would never tell anyone that. After all I had a reputation to uphold. I suspect that Madoka and Lin told my parents of their suspicions on my feelings towards Mai, as my mother was ecstatic that there was a possibility of me liking someone from the opposite sex. She'd badgered me for details about Mai for weeks on end. I was able to dodge the questions when I was in Japan, but the moment I was back in England she demanded every detail I knew of her. Lucky for me Madoka supplied her with the information and I was able to hide in my office.

When I declared that I was going back to Japan to re-open SPR, my parents demanded that they also would be coming along to meet the rest of the gang. Their excuse was so that they could make sure everyone was qualified enough to work with me. In all actuality, they just wanted to meet Mai and there was nothing I could say that would discourage them.

I was somewhat grateful that everyone, but Mai kept their old numbers. Lin had been able to get a hold of everyone asking for them to meet with us at the Blossoming Tea Shop at two thirty, in which they agreed somewhat reluctantly, not that I could blame them. I didn't want to meet up at the same tea shop Mai would get my tea from, but my mother insisted upon it. I knew my mother was trying to get me to drink tea more often again as I had stopped drinking it when I left Japan. She was afraid that I no longer liked tea and would look to something else to drink. It's not that I no longer liked tea it was just everybody else's tea didn't taste like Mai's

I was nervous about meeting everyone again and it irritated me. I was Oliver Davis and nothing had made me nervous before. Lin had gone out earlier and when he'd returned he had this smug look about him and every time he looked at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention he had this smirk on his face. It was getting to the point where it irritated me to know end, it was like he knew something major and wasn't going to share it. It made me a little afraid because he never got that look unless mother and Madoka were up to something.

"Noll." Speak of the devil and she will call.

"Yes, mother," I replied knowing full well that if I didn't answer she'd come and reprimand me for not answering.

"Come here a moment," was her response which didn't bode well for me.

I sighed setting aside the black folder I had been trying to read for the past two hours. It appeared that no matter what I wouldn't be able to keep my mind focused on anything, but Mai. I found it quite worrisome that she vanished from the group she considered family. Though I also found it unsettling was how mother was acting around me. She was up to something and I wanted to know what it was that she was scheming. Even though I was curious as to what she was up too I knew better than to ask.

Entering the room, I prepared for the worst and said, "Yes, mother. What is it?"

"Come sit next me we need to talk." I sighed and complied to her wish and sat down next to her. Once sitting next to her she continued talking with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I want to know more about this Mai Taniyama girl that Madoka and Lin have mentioned."

I sighed and plotted my revenge against Lin and Madoka for mentioning Mai to my mother. Knowing that I had to say something I said, "There's not much to talk about. When I was last here she was my assistant/secretary. She helped out on cases and filed reports when we weren't on a case."

I knew that mother wanted to what I felt for Mai more than she wanted to know about Mai in a work sense. I wanted to hold off on telling her what I felt for Mai for as long as possible, but I know she will somehow get me to say it before the end of our conversation.

"You know that, that was not what I wanted to hear. I also wanted to remind you about the two thirty meeting at the Blossoming Tea Shop, which is in half an hour. So why don't you fess up and tell me how you feel about Miss Taniyama before you get ready to go? And don't you dare and try to lie to me and say that you don't know what I am talking about."

How I feel? What do I feel for Mai? Every time I thought about Mai and what could have happened to make her leave without telling anyone my chest tightened. It was the same tightening I felt when I saw Mai with another male. I couldn't stand the sight of her and another. Gene always said that I was in love with her and I might admit that there is a possibility that I am in love with her, not that I would admit it to anyone, but even if I did love her she's in love with my brother.

"To be honest mother I don't know what I feel for Mai. Even if I did know what I felt what does it matter when no one can find her?" I said a little too bitter at the fact that Mai couldn't be found.

My mother looked at me funny as if she couldn't tell if I was lying or not, which somewhat surprised me. In the end, she smiled nodded and walked away, but not before I caught another glint of mischievousness in her eyes. Seeing that made me worry at what she was planning.

"Mother!" I yelled realizing a small detail that could be detrimental to my goal.

"What is it sweetie?" she asked turning around to look at me at with a confused look.

"Who all are we going to be meeting at the tea shop today? Who is coming with us?" I asked hoping she wouldn't list the one person I despised.

"Let's see there is you, me, your father, and your brother, Lin, Madoka, John, Takigawa, Masako, Yasuhara, Ayako, and Stephan. Why?" she asked looking even more confused.

"Please don't let Cousin Stephan come to the tea shop to meet the rest of the gang. And before you ask why I will tell you. He will defeat the purpose of trying to get them to come back to SPR. He would probably make sarcastic remarks and would judge them the moment he meets them," I replied in all honesty.

"All right sweetie if that's what you want. I will see that it is done," she replied with a smile.