Ok. I took a while to Update. Be glad I did. Thank you. Sorry for being rude, but I'm sick. I have an excuse to be.
Disclaimer: Um...yeah...
Beating Hearts
Chapter three: Stuff Happens.
Naru was sitting at his desk. Everyone was going to be there soon. Much to his annoyance, Naru had to leave the comfortable tranquility of his office to greet them. That was Mai's job, but she hadn't shown up for work. Of course, Naru being Naru, didn't really give it much thought. He just decided to dock it from her pay. He decided that if she was going to be irresponsible for her actions, he wasn't going to lose money over it.
But still...something tugged at the back of his mind like an annoying string attached to a sweater that wont come off. A nagging feeling that maybe something was wrong...
But then again, Naru scoffed, Why should I really care about it? Her decision, her money.
Naru sighed and then looked at his watch. The others should be arriving soon. As if on cue, the door swung open on the other side of his office door, and Monk-san's voice rang out, "Hellooo! Anyone here?"
Naru rolled his eyes and reminded himself why this man was indeed, useful.
After a while, everyone had shown up (with the exception of Mai, of course). A few questions, however, arose as to her current whereabouts.
"Hey, Naru. Where's the kid?" the self-proclaimed priestess wondered. Naru, of course, didn't reply. He wasn't really sure about where Mai was, but why let her know that?
"Mai said she was taking the weak off, or something. I met her a few days ago. She was totally out of it. So lost in her thoughts, she would've been run over if I hadn't gotten to her." Monk-san said. This registered in Naru's mind as a bit peculiar, but then again, Mai was always getting hurt. But that was always when they were working on a case. Something was indeed wrong...
Naru closed his eyes and mentally berated himself for getting off Topic. What goes on outside of work holds no interest of his. Mai was certainly...an interesting character, but she had nothing to do with him.
(A/N: right naru. Keep telling yourself that...)
"Well, Mai was lying to you. I never gave her time off." he said. Everyone looked around at each other. Of course, in their minds, they were wondering if something was wrong because knowing Mai, she was in some sort of trouble. John spoke up first.
"Well, maybe she has a good reason." he said, "I mean, Mai wouldn't just take off without having a good reason."
"A good reason and a good intention are two totally different things. Mai might be doing something stupid, or dangerous right now, with a good intention in her heart." Asako said. She was speaking the truth, but it didn't help ease down the bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Thanks. That makes me feel loads better." Takigawa said. Asako stuck her tongue out at him and he chuckled.
"Whatever her reason is for leaving, it's not important now. We have to focus on our case." Naru said, pushing the files into the center of the table. John was the first to get his hands on them.
"Um...this is in an apartment complex, right?" he said, looking on the back of the paper. Naru nodded.
"People have been complaining about a certain apartment. They say they hear things coming through the walls and when they question the occupant, she denies anything is wrong." he explained. John's eyes grazed over a few lines and then they stopped, and got wide. Everyone notice the change in his expression. Asako asked, "What's wrong. Kid?"
"The occupant of the apartment..." he said. Takigawa took the paper from his hands, and then let his eyes fall over the words.
"Oh..." he said, and then looked at Naru. "Did you know?"
Naru stared at him boredly. "Know what?"
Takigawa's eyes darkened and then he handed the paper to him. Naru took the paper and reread what he seemed to have missed. His eyes widened slightly, but not enough to be noticeable.
"Taniyama Mai." he said. Asako gasped.
"You mean, that's her lace that is spooking people? Well, why didn't she say something?"
"Maybe," John spoke up, "She didn't want us to know."
"STOP it." Mai demanded. She was sitting on her bed, trying to read a book when a picture frame suddenly fell off of her dresser. Mai rolled her eyes.
"Every year..." she said. She flinched as the lamp zinged past her fast and smashed into the wall. She sighed in annoyance and snapped her book closed.
"I can't concentrate with you people around!" she exclaimed, and then marched out into her living room. The pillows were dancing around in the air, and when her presence was made aware, the pillows threw themselves at her. She swatted a few away, but still got hit by two.
"That's enough! I can't take this! If you guys don't calm down, I'm leaving!" she shouted. And then everything dropped to the floor. The dishes shattered, and the pillows knocked things over. Mai sighed.
"Every year..." she said, and set to work on cleaning everything up. She bent down to pick up the pillows, and winced as a familiar pain shot up her back. She put her hand on he rlower back and sighed.
"This is why I hate Zakuro..." she said
If you have come this Far, it means that I must be doing something right. thanks! And now a preview for next chapter: (and just so you know, the words the come below the Chapter title might not be the first one syou see when I actually put it up)
Beating Hearts
chapter four: It begins.
Mai opened the door and gasped. There standing in front of her was John. Her eyes glanced over her shoulder, as if worried he might see something. John swallowed. he was nervous because he had come see heralone when everyone else would be at her home in two or less days. He opened his mouth to speak.
"Mai," he said, "We need to ta--" he was cut off by a crashing sound coming from inside the apartment. Mai winced. This was not a good time to have a visitor. Especially a male visitor.
"Um, yeah, about that... can we do it some other time?" she asked. kind of tugging on the door. She was edging it closer to him. John blinked. She was trying to get him to leave.
"Well, it's important but--"
"Thanks!" she said, and the slammed the door in his face. On the other side of the door, he could hear Mai yelling.
"STOP IT! STOP IT! He's just a friend!"
"WHO IS HE REALLY!?" boomed an angry male voice.
"A FRIEND!" she screeched.
"LIES!" the male voice bellowed, and then there was a crash.
"...Mai?" John knocked on the door. He recieved no answer.
"Mai?" he began pounding on the door. "MAI!?"
THERE!
THAT should keep you interested enough for you to review. I need at least four reviews for me to update soon! LOL bye.
L.A.S.