Disclaimer: All characters in Ghost Hunt are the creation of the Goddess Ono Fuyumi-sama.
Mai trailed after Lin as he wheeled the last of the equipment to the van. She was feeling melancholy after her talk with him. He had said there was something missing between them, but she honestly didn't know what. She liked Lin a lot, even considered him one of her closest friends, if not the closest. At times, she considered that she might want more from him than just friendship. But there was something holding her back. There was some fear that she couldn't reconcile with her budding feelings for the man. It upset her greatly. She didn't understand why she just couldn't admit her feelings to him. Was she really afraid that Lin might reject her?
"Mai, hurry up!" Naru ordered.
"I'm coming!" Mai replied, quickly picking up her pace.
She made it to the back of the van where Naru stood off to the side. Lin had already started unloading the cart.
"Mai, you should have just stayed home until everything was packed," Naru commented. "It would have gone faster without you."
"That's not true!" Mai protested. "Lin-san, tell Naru that's not true."
"It would have gone faster with less chatter," Lin stated.
"Lin-san!" Mai exclaimed.
She gave him a doleful look, hurt by his words.
"What?" Lin asked, honestly confused.
"Why do you always agree with Naru?" she questioned.
Lin looked at her in surprise.
"I honestly wasn't agreeing with Naru. I only meant that, with your help and less conversation, it would have gone much faster. I wasn't in any way equating the two. Your help is always appreciated."
Naru scoffed at his explanation.
"She's a distraction in your case," Naru muttered.
Lin frowned at Naru, not quite hearing what he said. He decided to ignore him in favor of speaking with Mai.
"Taniyama-san, will you please help me load the rest of the equipment?" Lin asked.
Even though she knew he was only stating facts, Mai was still upset with him. She somehow felt like he was saying he would have preferred not talking to her. The thought of that hurt her deeply.
"Fine," she finally conceded.
Mai worked on handing Lin equipment from the cart as he loaded it in the van, and after she handed Lin the last camera, Mai went to the passenger side.
"Naru, move over," Mai said, "I want to sit by the window."
"Go to the other side and sit in the middle," Naru replied dismissively.
"Naru, please," Mai begged, "let me sit by the window."
Naru ignored Mai's request, refusing to speak with her any further. He wasn't going to be a part of her and Lin's lovers' spat whether or not they knew they were having one. Regardless of the fact that they hadn't realized it yet, those two were a couple. It was so stupidly obvious it made him sick.
Mai knew she had lost the battle to Naru. He always sat by the window. There was no changing it. Even so, Mai wasn't happy with Lin at the moment, and she didn't feel like sitting next to him for the next several hours, so she figured she'd at least try. Resigning herself, she walked around the back of the van to get in the other side.
Lin noticed Mai's sour mood as she passed him. It was difficult not to notice when she was upset due to her expressive face. The only problem was that Lin didn't always know the reason for it. But with the way she was currently avoiding looking at him, he found it likely that he was at fault.
"Taniyama-san," Lin said, reaching out to grab her hand.
He held her hand in his, preventing her from leaving. She turned to look at him expectantly.
"Are you angry with me?" Lin asked.
Mai sighed.
"I was," she admitted.
"But you're not now?" he asked.
"How could I be?" Mai told him. She wondered why she was so angry in the first place.
Lin was slightly confused by her quick change in mood. Had he done something right this time?
"Just forget about it," Mai said, removing her hand from his.
She went to the driver's side and slid in until she was sitting in the middle seat. Lin closed the back of the van and quickly left to store the supply cart in the office before returning to the van. Once everyone was in the vehicle, they set out to the site of the investigation.
The drive was a long one and it would take several hours. After the first hour, Mai was already bored. She thought that, perhaps, she was sitting between the world's two quietest, most obstinate men. She had attempted to start up a conversation a few times, but neither of them offered much of a response and after Lin's remark about her "chatter" earlier, Mai didn't feel like talking much either.
The heat and boredom were starting to make Mai sleepy. She knew it was only a matter of time before she drifted off. When she finally felt herself falling, there was nothing she could do to wake herself.
She hit the water with a loud splash, a painful sting exploding across her back. The sea engulfed her, saltwater burning her nasal passage as she involuntarily inhaled. She was disoriented, unable to find which way was up as her body sank deeper.
She was roughly pulled from the water, vaguely conscious of her surroundings. Someone leaned her on her side before turning her onto her back. She felt his presence close by and suddenly he was forcing air into her body.
When she came to, coughing and spitting up water, he was at her side, a look of relief on his face.
"Why are you so clumsy?" he demanded. "You can't even walk down a mountain."
She frowned up at him, trying to focus.
"Why were you kissing me?" she asked, saying the first thing that came to her mind.
He closed his eyes, breathing out slowly before opening them again.
"That's the first thing you ask?" he questioned, his tone admonishing. "And anyway, I wasn't kissing you. You stopped breathing. It's a proven technique, but I wouldn't expect you to know that."
"I still think you were just trying to kiss me," she countered.
"If I wanted to kiss you," he said seriously, "I'd do it when you were conscious and fully capable of responding."
"Fully capable of refusing, you mean," she challenged.
"You wouldn't be capable of refusing me," he informed her, smiling smugly.
She blushed and looked away to stare past him up to the cliff side.
"Did you jump from the cliff?" she asked with a frown.
"Yes," he replied, serious again.
"Just for a kiss, Master?" she teased. "If you were that desperate, you should have asked."
"Be silent, woman," he murmured as he leaned down to actually kiss her.
"Yes, Master," she whispered just as his lips touched hers.
Mai woke suddenly, feeling lost and out of place in the world. She leaned forward, burying her face in her hands. Her eyes were damp with tears. She didn't know why she was crying. That was one of her happier memories of the man.
"Mai, what's wrong?" Naru asked from beside her. His tone was neutral.
"Nothing," Mai replied. "Just a dream. I've had it before."
"Then pull yourself together," Naru ordered.
Mai leaned back, taking a deep breath. She tilted her head slightly to the side to look at Lin. His posture was stiff, indicating he was unsettled. Mai knew it was difficult for him to respond to a crying woman, especially when he was driving. Comforting her wasn't generally something he did. He usually stood by helplessly watching. But Mai didn't care; she was just glad he was there.
Lin felt Mai lean her head on his shoulder. He quickly glanced at her, hoping she was okay. He didn't know what to say. Naru had already asked her what was wrong and Lin was fairly sure he already knew. She said she had a dream. He knew the type she meant.
When Mai nestled her face again his arm, releasing a gentle sigh, Lin felt himself relax. He cared about her so deeply, but somehow he couldn't express it. He thought he had given her plenty of hints. If she was interested in him, he was sure she would have acknowledged his feelings by now. It seemed that, perhaps, all she wanted from him was friendship. That was enough for him at least. But that didn't stop him from quietly contemplating their relationship for the remainder of the drive.
