Wow! What a large amount of reviews! Thank you everybody!

sHang - I'm a girl :D, are YOU a guy or a girl? (I seriously am just genuinely curious)

Ayjah- You'll find out in this chappie how I dealt with the whole Ayako old thing:D

MimoriFanForever- Mai WILL get into lots of danger, which of course Naru will have to save her from. :D

And next chappie will be dedicated to Azamiko, for her wonderful idea which I shall 'borrow.' If you don't know what it is, and dont want to know, then DONT LOOK AT MY REVIEWS! Just review at the bottom instead!

My Voice Sounds Different on the Telephone

Over the next few weeks, Naru quickly started to adapt to school life. He was still mobbed by girls, as it had gone around the school twice that Kazuya Shibuya was now only extremely good looking, and extremely cool headed, but also extremely wealthy. And that his driver was just as good looking. As he left every day, hundreds of girls pressed themselves against windows and fences, so that they could see him and his driver.

Everyday he turned down at least three offers for dates, and some people just didn't know when no meant no.

Every lunch time, he and Mai met with Takigawa, Ayako, and John. He began to find out more about them all. For example, John had come from Australia to begin his training early. Training to be a priest. Naru didn't feel it was polite to ask any more about his 'Calling.' Takigawa actually had two piercings in his ear, and had a band, though their singer wasn't very good. His parents worked on a mountain, which was why he worked part time as a monk. Ayako…

"So Ayako, how come it seems to be that you are the only girl who is unfazed when they stand near Naru?" Takigawa asked one lunchtime. Mai blushed slightly- Takigawa had therefore included her as one of 'those girls.' (But we'll come back to that.)

Naru said nothing. Not even a blush. Mai, after recovering, stared at him in amazement. He was more narcissistic than she had imagined.

Ayako snorted, and began filing her nails.

"He's too young for me," she explained. Mai blinked.

"Er, Ayako…um…" she didn't know what to say without sounding rude. Good thing Naru didn't care.

"How old are you then?"

"Yeah!" chimed Takigawa. John laughed nervously.

"I don't think you should ask…" Ayako had reddened slightly. Slightly was slightly an understatement. She remained silent.

"Come on, tell us," whined Takigawa. "Please. Please. Please with cherries on top."

"Are you embarrassed or scared?" asked Naru bluntly. Ayako glared at him.

"Shut up! I'm getting round to it, ok? She spoke through gritted teeth. "I. Gotheldbackafewyears." She spoke very quickly. Takigawa knew what she said, but smiled, a hint of mischief glinting in his eyes.

"What was that?"

"I GOT HELD BACK A FEW YEARS. ALRIGHT?" she yelled hotly.

The entire cafeteria went silent. Not one head was not looking at Ayako. She looked back at all of them.

"If any of you dare mention this again, I'll sue you!" she cried. Immediately everybody started bringing up conversations again, and turned around.

"Hey Ayako?"

"What?"

"How come John knew already?"

"Because…because I knew he wouldn't laugh at me!" her face was pouting like a child.

"I didn't laugh!" protested Mai.

"You know, I don't think you could sue me," began Naru casually. Before the argument could begin, the bell rang.

"Damn that bell," muttered Mai. "Why does it keep ringing? I haven't done my homework for the next lesson."

"It rings because we go to a school." Came Naru. It was Mai's turn to pout.

"You're so mean!"

"Not mean. Honest."

Naru hadn't found out much about Mai. All he knew was that she was sixteen. He didn't know if she had brothers or sisters, or where she lived, or what her parents did. She didn't seem to be awfully rich.

And Mai hadn't found out much about Naru. She didn't even know who the man that she had seen drive him home was.

As Mai woke up earlier than usual one day a few days later, she yawned hugely while struggling into her uniform. Once teeth and hair were in order, she hunted around in her small kitchen until she found some cereal. It took longer than she expected. After hunting some more to find a clean bowl and spoon, and milk of course, she sat down and surveyed the kitchen. She needed a big clean up. Quickly. What's more, Mai was usually a clean freak. But something had been nagging her inside her head, and she wouldn't be able to rest until she had sorted it out. She needed to buy things. But to buy new things, she needed money.

Once she had finished munching, she grabbed her bag, and headed out, locking the door behind her.

"Ok, off I go!" she cried in her usual optimistic voice.

Today she had set herself two targets.

1. Find out more about Naru.

2. Get a job.

Naru, who was currently reading a boring book, (boring even to him) apparently hadn't noticed that a shoe had just flown over his head. He was very absorbed in his own thoughts. He too had set himself some targets for the day.

1. Find out more about Mai.

2. Get Lin a job.

He was strangely curious to know more about Mai, and was just about to close his book when the subject of his thoughts strided in, clutching a giant newspaper that was usually left for the adults, and old men, and Naru to read. He kept his book open, and didn't look up as Mai threw herself into the chair, and spread the paper over the desk.

"You're early," he remarked.

"Yup." She said brightly. "I had to buy something."

"Something being that newspaper you probably can't understand?"

"Yes- no! How dare you! I understand it! Most of it! Lots of it! Some of it…" her enthusiasm died out.

"Why did you need to buy it?" Naru asked calmly, still not looking up from his book.

"Aha! I need to find a job!" Naru finally put down the book.

"A job?" Why do you need a job?" For once, he looked genuinely surprised. Mai grinned mischievously.

"You know Naru; people usually get a job because they need the money." She grinned, obviously pleased with herself for 'getting one up on Naru." He frowned.

"What sort of stupid new gadget do you want to buy? An ipod? A new PS3?" Mai quickly lost her smile.

"Not exactly." Then she laughed, and her mood changed back so fast that Naru could have been unsure as to whether it actually had changed. Except that he knew it had. And he wanted to know why.

"So what is it that you want-" he began to press, but then Mr Cullen strolled in, and flung 32 Latin books on his desk. They slowly toppled off the desk, and onto the floor. Mr Cullen watched them fall. Two or three students cried, "Hey! That's my Latin book!" But he ignored them. Putting his hands on the now empty desk and leaning on them, he sighed. Then he looked up and saw 32 eyes staring at him, utterly confused. He began to grow angry.

"What? Bugger off! It's time for your lessons kiddies! I NEED A CIGARETTE." He wheezed out of his mucus filled lungs. Then he collapsed onto his chair and his head fell forward onto the desk.

The class slowly and silently left the classroom, a few patting him on the shoulder as they passed. He flinched every time he was touched.

Naru swore that he would find out more about Mai at lunch time.

Lunch time came, and Mai was no where to be seen. Neither were Ayako and Takigawa. As he and John silently ate their lunch, Naru suddenly remembered what John had said before about Mai. Now would be a perfect chance to ask him more.

"So John, how did you three meet Mai?" John looked up.

"Well, she had always been in the same school as us, but never as one of our friends. Then…" He hesitated, and gave Naru an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how much Mai would want you to know. It's not really my story to tell. But I'll tell you that she just sort of drifted, and soon became part of out group." He shrugged. Then Mai herself came along and sat down with Ayako. John greeted them.

"Where were you?"

"I had to use Ayako's phone to call about a job. He said to ring later."

John was going to carry on the discussion, when they were met by another person. A girl, with a very short skirt.

"Hi Kazuya, Hi John." She began, twiddling a strand of hair around her finger and fluttering her eyelashes slightly. Naru looked up, noticed she had ignored Ayako and Mai, and then looked back down again, and continued eating.

"Hi." Said John, nervous but always polite. Ayako glared at her.

"Hey, Kazuya, it just occurred to me a while ago, and I've been meaning to say it from some time, but- have we met before you came here?"

"No." He replied bluntly without looking up. Mai felt a burst of anger inside her. Who was she to start using pick up lines on Naru? She lingered for a moment longer, as if wanting to say something, but then turned to Mai.

"Mai. Meet me by the toilets after school." Her voice had changed and was now brutal, like she was disgusted with having to talk with her. Mai stared bemused at her. What did she want? Naru was now avidly paying attention. What did Masako want to do with Mai? All he knew however was that after school, he was going to be there.

Ayako laughed once she had left.

"That was a poor attempt. I mean, if I were a few years younger…gee, I would be so irresistible," she sighed.

"You? Irresistible? Are we talking about the same person here?" Takigawa sat down next to John.

"Are you insinuating that I couldn't get a boyfriend if I tried?"

"Yep. You don't have one now, do you?"

"Neither do you!"

"I'm cool though, so it doesn't matter."

Whack.

"Stop it!!" he whined. Ayako sniffed haughtily. "I so could get a boyfriend."

"I bet you a fiver that you can't in the next week get a guy to go out with you. And I'll get one too."

"A guy? Deal. We'll meet next Saturday at the pizza place with our boyfriends"

Ayako smugly looked away, and Takigawa suddenly realised he was supposed to find a guy for a date. But he wasn't going to back down. No way. He needed the money. He had just opened his mouth, when:

"Shut up and eat." Naru said coolly. He was annoyed that he hadn't found out anything. But he would definitely find out later on.

The lessons came and went, and soon it was time to go home. Naru said goodbye coldly to Mai, then watched her go to the toilets, and then followed her around via a different route, to prevent his being seen. Naru hated creeping around and eavesdropping. It was beneath him by far. He vaguely hoped that they weren't going to meet inside the toilets-what would he do then?

Passing the library, he noticed a sign for a job opening; for a librarian. Hm. "That would do well for Lin," he thought. But now he had reached the corner of the corridor. Turning left would lead him to the toilets, where he would be in plain sight of the others. Best to stay here and 'listen in'.

Completely unaware, Mai had walked to the toilets, where she found a flustered Masako waiting for her.

"Hey Masako. What did you want?" She hesitated.

"Why is it that Naru only talks to you?" she demanded. Mai took a step back. Was this all she wanted to talk about?

"He does?"

"Are you making fun of me?" she cried angrily. Her face had gone red.

"No!" she hastily recovered herself. "You don't want him to talk to you! He only insults me anyway!" Masako wasn't listening, and instead was shaking her head.

"Mai, what happened to you? We used to be the best of friends! But then-" she cut herself short, unsure of how much to say.

"We were. And then…stuff happened and you were the one that changed. But we can still be friends!" Masako's face darkened.

"Not if you keep hanging around Naru. And anyway-I hate you." She spoke her last words quietly. Mai didn't know she was being hated. A few tears seeped from her eyes, and she hurriedly tried to brush them away.

"Why do you hate me?" she asked as calmly as she could. Masako laughed.

"You didn't know? Mai, when you came back to school afterwards, did you never hear of those rumours?" Mai looked up in confusion.

"Yes- what about them?"

"Mai, it was me who started them." Mai shook her head, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"You wouldn't do that!" se protested. Masako smiled.

"You always were too compassionate. You should have been clever enough to notice it was me. Because I hate you," she walked away, leaving Mai standing there, unaware that she was crying. Mai was silent for a minute longer, then breathed in a haggard breath.

She should go home now.

Naru leant against the wall, troubled. He hadn't found out anything after all. But what troubled him most was why he wanted to know so badly. Surely he could get along without having to know her history? Yet Naru wasn't sure if he could. Naru didn't know how much she meant to him. He remembered a few days ago, when Takigawa had been talking about all the girls who were affected by him. He had included Mai in with them. Did that mean she was affected by him in some way? In any way? But why did he want her to be? She was just another girl. He had too many questions. He should be patient and wait until Mai wanted to tell him of his past. After all, he hadn't told anyone of his.

Footsteps behind made him turn around quickly. Mr Cullen was walking towards him.

"Women," he began. Naru assumed he was drunk, and took a step away from him. Mr Cullen continued. "Don't ever tell them anything. You'll just confuse them." He staggered away. For the first time ever, Naru wondered if Mr Cullen may actually have a point. But he could think about that later. Lin would be waiting for him outside, (not that he cared about making him wait) and he had some work to do. But not school work.

Mai nervously dialled the number. The advert in the newspaper hadn't been very clear about the job it wanted, but the pay seemed to be extremely good.

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Person wanted for part time job, must be able to clean and do mild housework/ administrative duties.

£10($20) an hour

Contact Oliver Davies 0245 789 948

Must make good tea.

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Mai could make tea, so she thought. The phone rang on the other end.

Ring ring.

Ring ring.

Ring-

"Yes?"

"Um hi, I'd like to speak to Mr Oliver Davies. It's about the job ad."

"One moment." The voice was deep and didn't seem to like talking. Mai heard it put the phone down, and shout, "Naru!"

Mai slammed the phone down on the receiver.

He had called for a Naru. She had asked for an Oliver Davies. Were they the same person? What was going on?

The phone rang back, making Mai jump. After staring at it, she finally picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Did you just phone this number about the job advert?" came a voice. It sounded different, and Mai could only tell it was Naru because she knew it was him.

"Y-yes. There was a bad reception. Is this Oliver Davies?"

"Naturally." Still as obnoxious. "Are you interested in the job?"

Couldn't Naru tell it was her?

"Naturally." Mai grinned at herself for getting one over him for the second time recently. There was a silence. It seemed he was choosing to ignore that.

"Will you be able to start at 4:00PM on Thursday?"

"Yes."

"Can I take you name then?" Mai hesitated.

"Sure. Its…Takiyamo… Masako." Naru hung up. Mai stared at the phone in disgust.

"How rude!"

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Thursday.

Mai rang the doorbell to an extremely large house, tilting her head as she thought about what was going on. She decided to inspect her nails while waiting for someone to come to the door. It must take a long while for someone to travel around the house.

But this was way too long. Mai had just stepped right in front of the door to hammer it down, when it opened, and Naru stood behind it. Mai noticed how close they were standing, but ignored her pulse, which was sneakily accelerating, and her cheeks, which were reddening. Mai blinked in shock/horror. (You decide).

"Mai?" Subject of said statement put her hands on her hips.

"You've got some explaining to do, Mr Oliver Davies…"

OOoooo! Cliffie! Next chappie will continue from there! Please, you know what would make me an extremely happy person- review! I need any ideas and comments i can get!

Also, you'll find out the outcome of Taigawa and Ayako's bet! That was kinda mean of me, I know.