Disclaimer: Ghost Hunt doesn't belong to me. All the rights are with Ono Fuyumi.
Note: This is about the current story that I'm writing. Apparently, I've told all of the readers that I have joined a new course… that is, I'm doing my B.A. in German. I also have English classes along with German. Well my English Professor is a linguist and when I told him that I write stories he asked me for them, to read. So I gave him my stories to read and he said that they were bad. He said that what I write does not at all feel like he's reading the main story of Ghost Hunt (I gave him the translated Novel of Ghost Hunt to read, well how much ever of it is translated). So I'm writing my story again, but in a very different way. I'm going to add some actual facts from Ghost Hunt as well. So please be aware that there are going to be spoilers. If you know the details, you can skip through the spoiler part. Thank you
Previously—
"Yasuhara-san, please move."
"Why, that might not be possible. I've come to fancy this door."
"I can get through by force."
"Hmm… It'll be bad if your wounds reopen. But if I call the ambulance… and say that Lin-san attacked us, even police will come. But all the things that Shibuya-san has been trying to hide might be revealed as well… so? How about it? Can you cooperate with us?" Yasuhara suggested. There was a brief silence.
"Five minutes." Naru said.
"Don't be stingy. I want thirty minutes." Monk said.
"Fifteen minutes."
Monk sighed,
"Okay. Fifteen minutes."
Now—
(In flashback)
"Oh wait! I don't know what's going on! I don't really get it!" Ayako said.
"But you are about to explain all of the things that you are hiding, right? Then I won't go easy on you." Monk said, ignoring Ayako.
'Hmm? Maybe these three are planning something…?' Mai thought.
"So. The first thing I want to ask… is about the name." Takigawa started.
"Name?" Mai asked, confused.
"Don't you think that it's weird that… the name of the director of an office at Shibuya is named Shibuya?" (A/N: Shibuya is a place in Tokyo. It is pretty famous. But Shibuya is also used as the last name in Japan.)
"It is not a coincidence?" Ayako asked.
"Well there are three possibilities." Takigawa answered.
"ONE: A mere coincidence.
TWO: He made the office in Shibuya purposely.
THREE: It's an ALIAS."
"ALIAS?!"
"If it was me or Shonen, it would have been quite possible. But for Naru, it wasn't. Then the most probable reason is a coincidence. But there is also ANOTHER thing that bothers me."
"WH-what is it?" Mai asked.
"Do you remember, Mai? What Naru had said to you? When we all first met?" Monk asked. Mai thought for a moment.
'"Mai's senpai…"
"Ah! You called me without honorific!"
"You did as well."' Naru's words resounded in Mai's head.
"I remember, but…"
"It was a weird sentence, so I remembered it. Mai called him by his nickname, "Naru the Narcissist", but it didn't mean that you called him without honorific, right?"
"Ah-"
"And one more thing… why does Lin call him that too? Isn't it weird?"
"Why?"
"Does Lin look like the type to call his boss 'Naru the Narcissist'? If 'Naru' is a nickname that comes from 'Narcissist', then Lin is definitely the only one who would not call him 'Naru', right?"
"Now that you mention it…" Mai started.
"You might… be right… right?" Ayako completed the sentence.
"Well, we need to ask them, but I just laid out a theory. Maybe 'Kazuya' is an Alias and 'Naru' is your real name?"
"Your real name is… Naru?" Mai and Ayako said, shocked. Masako looked quiet. Naru smirked coldly.
"Don't imagine too much."
"Fufufu. The fun hasn't even started yet." Takigawa too smirked. "If your real name is 'Naru', then it wouldn't be weird even if Lin were to call you that. When I think about it and remember, I realized, I've never seen any proof that 'Shibuya Kazuya' is your real name."
"Bu… but, isn't that the same for everyone?" Mai asked.
"Yeah, But we are in a different situation from Naru."
"What do you mean?" Ayako asked.
"Wasn't there a time when Naru had to be hospitalized?"
"Ah, during the Yuaki High school incident—"
"Do you remember that there was no name tag on his door? They write your real name on those name tags, but his was blank. But this time, there was a name tag that said 'Shibuya Kazuya'. Also he refused the visits the first time, but this time he didn't mind even if we visited him every day. And I don't know about the last time, but this time he said that he didn't have healthcare, so he was in a special part of the hospital."
"So… that means that the last time he went to the hospital, he forgot and used his real name, and he put a blank name tag on the door?" Mai asked.
"Probably."
"That means that the doctors, and also the nurses knew his real name. So he didn't want us to go and visit him, or else we might have found out. So this time he purposely said that he didn't have healthcare so he could use his alias?" Ayako asked.
"Those are… just our assumptions. However, I think that 'Shibuya Kazuya' is definitely an alias." Monk said.
"Ah! Then that's why this time he named himself 'Narumi', which the name's shorter version is 'Naru'!" Mai put her theory up front, excitedly.
"That's why he said you called him without honorific." Takigawa said.
"Ah… I see."
Takigawa continued.
"So, I just want to know… if 'Shibuya Kazuya' is an alias or not."
"I don't feel the need to answer you."
"Oh, I see. So then, let's move on."
"Eh? There's something else?" Mai asked.
"Of course there is." Takigawa smirked. "I also don't think that Naru = 'Shibuya Kazuya' is the only weird thing. His lifestyle is also a mystery. Do you know why he doesn't tell anyone… his address or phone number?"
"No, no matter how many times I asked him, he didn't answer me." Mai replied.
"How many time…? You are a challenger." Ayako whispered to Mai. Mai blushed.
"Right?" Takigawa continued. "He obviously wanted to hide where he lives. The question is why?"
"Why… because he's trying to hide himself from his fans?" Mai said dumbly.
Monk sweatdropped. "What's that? There is no meaning to hiding only his home if people know where his office is." He then continued, "Then I had an idea. Maybe if people find out where he lives, then, they'll find out about… what he really wants to hide, right?"
"What he really wants to hide?"
"Naru's real identity."
"Iden…" Mai was cut short by Monk.
"He's obviously trying to hide his identity. However, if people find out where he lives, they might find out his identity as well. That's why he hides it. Am I wrong? Naru?"
"Aren't you pushing it too much?"
"So stubborn!"
'Identity…'
'What is Naru's real identity? Isn't Naru just Naru? I feel like if I find out Naru's real identity… something bad will happen—'
"Hey Mai," Mai was removed from her train of thought by Monk.
"W-what?"
"If 'Shibuya' is an alias, it would be a problem if people had his address and looked it up and found out his real name. So I understand why he hides it. Then do you know why he hides his phone number?"
"Because people can find out where he lives by the area code?" Mai said.
"Ah! People can look it up in the directory?" Ayako helped.
"If that's that, all he has to do is not put his number in the directory. Then… what if Naru doesn't have a real phone number? What if he only has a disposable phone?"
"You mean a pre-paid phone?" Ayako asked.
"I can't imagine him living like that…" Mai sweatdropped.
"Well, that's true, but…" Takigawa continued, "If someone who doesn't know his address calls him up and a family member or a friend picks up, it would be bad."
"Because the person who picked up might say something accidentally."
"Right. He could probably make sure people around him don't talk about his identity, but apparently he doesn't do that… no he can't do that, so he doesn't give us his number."
"Then why doesn't he get a personal line? It's more natural than keeping it a secret. Naru has his own income, so that wouldn't be too hard." Ayako suggested.
"Maybe his family or landlord doesn't allow it?" Mai put in her suggestion.
"It's unlikely his family is against it."
"Why?"
"Hey, Naru is underage remember? Whatever he does, he needs his guardian's approval. But he's responsible for the office. That means that what Naru is doing is not opposed by his family in any way, so they wouldn't mind giving him a personal line, right?"
"I see… wait. Then they wouldn't mind helping him keep his identity a secret. Right? So maybe the landlord said no?" Mai asked.
"That's a possibility but I don't think so. If he can't get a personal line even though his family isn't against it, it means that wherever Naru is living, they put him under a contract. Meaning—he's living somewhere, where he isn't allowed to get a personal line."
"Eh? Is there such a place?"
"It isn't a house or an apartment. He's staying at a hotel." Monk smirked. Everyone was shocked. "If he lives in a hotel, it would be bad to give out his address, since the front desk would pick it up. It might be hard to explain the situation to the front desk. He could try to get a private line, but it would be a little hard, so it's easier to hide his number."
"But why a hotel? He can go to the office from his house—wait, maybe…"
"Exactly. Naru isn't from Tokyo. He said he was looking for his older brother, right? That's probably why he came to Tokyo and started living in a hotel. He probably didn't think it would take him this long, so he never looked for a proper place to live. Am I wrong?"
"I don't feel the need to answer you."
Monk sighed. Ayako intervened.
"Wait a minute; he didn't have to live in a hotel for so long just to stay in Tokyo. He could have looked for his brother from home. Wasn't he looking for his brother all over Japan? That would have been cheaper and easier."
"That's true. But what if his home is farther away… than the distance between Tokyo and Hokkaido?" Monk suggested.
"Huh?" Ayako exclaimed. "What's that? It's not like he is from another country." Realizing what Ayako had said, everyone was shocked.
"Another country—" Mai repeated.
"That makes sense more than anything else." Takigawa said. "For example, he doesn't know a lot of expressions and proverbs. He doesn't know a lot of Kanji either. Even in his data and notes there's Yokomoji. I've seen him reading in Japanese but—I've never seen him writing in Japanese."
"Now that you mention it, the first time I saw him… he answered in a weird way." – 'What year are you in?' 'I'll be seventeen this year.'
"Right?" Takigawa smirked. "If I tie it to the 'He has an alias' theory, everything makes sense. HE ISN'T JAPANESE."
"Bu—but, wait…"
"He might look Japanese and speak Japanese, but he might not be Japanese. Isn't Lin the perfect example? If you think that way, it makes sense to why doesn't he go to school. If he's living in a hotel, he obviously hasn't taken care of the papers to transfer here."
"So he's Chinese like Lin-san?" Mai asked.
"I thought so too at first," Takigawa said, "But I don't think that 'Naru' is a Chinese name, so we have to ask him. Where were you born, Naru?" Naru remained silent.
"So you are not going to answer huh? Then I'll keep on going. Okay? Next."
"Next?! There's more?!" Mai exclaimed.
"Yeah. Another thing that's very strange is… how he got all of the equipment. How much do you think everything is worth?"
"Who knows?"
"It's probably a few millions." Mai nearly fell over, getting a comment like 'such a reaction at this point?!' from Ayako.
"Even if he's rich, all this equipment isn't something a 17 year old kid could afford. Will you answer this question, Naru?"
"I can't take away Monk-san's spotlight."
"Then… let me say one more thing. Is the office really Naru's? Don't you think that it's weird that the owner of the building agreed to rent a room to an underaged kid? Also about Mai."
"Me?"
"Why doesn't he let Mai, who is a part-timer, pick up the phone, and sort the mail? Isn't that what her job is? Any mail that Mai touches is inspected by Lin first. Correct?"
"Yeah." 'I was told not to pick up the phone or touch the mail. But why?' Mai thought.
"It seems like he's trying to keep outsiders away from the phone calls and the mails. Because… in the case of the letters, there might be a return address and also the information that he might not want people to find out, so he hides it, right?"
"I see! If 'Shibuya Kazuya' is his alias, his real name might be written on the letters." Ayako suggested.
"Is what we think? But that place is an office, so all the mail comes to 'Shibuya Psychic Research' not to Naru's address."
"Then he doesn't have to hide it!" Ayako cried and Mai agreed with her.
"That's when I imagine a lot of things. What if the person who it's addressed to is different? What if 'Shibuya Psychic Research' is also… a fake name?"
"But if the name of the office is different, then the mail wouldn't arrive right?" Mai stuttered.
"That might be true. There's the name 'Shibuya Psychic Research', but there's also 'SPR' at the same time. One of them must be the real name, right?"
"I… don't get it…"
"Listen, the office has to be registered. So I'm wondering, which name is the one registered, since the mail doesn't need a correct recipient name… as long as it has the right address. But that doesn't mean that 'Tanaka Psychic Research'… can suddenly have 'Shibuya Psychic Research' sign out front."
"Is it really like that?"
"It is. But it wouldn't be weird if 'Shibuya Psychic Research' had a SPR sign outside and also vice versa. As long as 'Shibuya Psychic Research' is written on the side, who knows which one is the registered name. No comments about this either, Naru?"
"I still don't get it." Mai was confused.
"What I mean is SPR is not an abbreviation of 'Shibuya Psychic Research' but an actual registered name."
Mai exploded with too much confusion. Takigawa and Ayako sweatdropped.
"In conclusion, the office's name must be SPR. In addition, there's no meaning to 'Shibuya Psychic Research'. It wouldn't matter what it was as long as it is abbreviated to 'SPR'. He probably named it Shibuya because it's in Shibuya by coincidence. How about it?"
"Even if that was true, why would I hide the mail from Mai if it said 'SPR' on it?"
"If it said 'SPR'. What if it said something else? 'SPR' is just an abbreviation, but what is the actual name? Let's see, what if it's zebra (Shimauma), Panda, Sea otter (Rakko) = (SPR)? And what if the mail has the whole name written on it? Not just the abbreviation? If 'zebra, panda and sea otter is written over it, even Mai would get suspicious."
"Yeah. I would definitely be suspicious."
"I'll explain it. Why the office is named 'SPR'. And it actually makes sense if I add the fact that Naru isn't Japanese, and why he hides it."
"Ah!" Ayako exclaimed.
"Exactly." Takigawa gave an evil smirk. "'SOCIETY FOR PARANORMAL RESEARCH'. It is an old paranormal activity investigative organization in England. 'Shibuya Psychic Research' is just a fake name to hide the fact that… the office is actually the Japanese branch of SPR. If Naru's one of the members of the British SPR, then everything would make sense. He doesn't do it for personal reasons but for the office. There's also another thing. I can imagine as to why he uses an alias, and hides himself if he is a member of SPR."
"Eh?! Why? Why? Why?! Hey why?!" Mai cried.
"When Mai called him 'Naru', he said she was calling him without honorific. This would make sense if he was Japanese, but it raises a question."
"What?"
"Hint: 'SPR' and 'Naru'." Mai thought. But she couldn't come up with anything.
"I don't know! What kind of hint was that?" she cried. Takigawa laughed.
"As I thought. Then hint number two: Tom is a male name, but it's a nickname. What's the original name?"
"…Why is it an English pop quiz?"
"Just answer it."
"Hmm… Thomas?"
"Correct. Mike?"
"Michael."
"Tony?"
"Hmm… Anthony!"
"Good, Good. Now it's a little harder. Dick?"
"Ugh…"
"Richard." Ayako answered.
"Amazing Ayako!" Mai praised her. Takigawa gave another smirk.
"Okay. Then— how about Naru?"
"Eh?"
"If Naru is from England, then he is an English Man. If so, even siblings call each other without honorifics. It's actually natural to do that. So what do people who care about him do, when they want to show affection?"
"Is that when they use the nicknames?" Mai asked. John nodded.
"Exactly. He was called by his nickname that only people who are close to him would use. That is why he said, 'You called me without honorifics.'"
"Oh I see. But Naru is…?
"Tell her John."
"… If it's Noll, which is pronounced as Noru or Naru in Japanese, it's Oliver. Noll is a nickname for Oliver." John explained.
"Oliver…" Mai repeated.
"Isn't there one? An important one who needs to hide himself." Mai realized. She was shocked. Takigawa continued.
"Isn't that right? DAVIS-HAKASE? (A/N: Hakase is a professor or a scientist in Japanese.)
FLASHBACK END
The bell signalling the end of lecture brought Mai back from the past. That memory was fresh in her mind. This had happened a week ago. They had discovered that their Naru was none other than The Great Oliver Davis. It was a shock to all of them. Mai sighed once again, going back again to the same day. After all that was not all that had happened that day. She replayed all what had happened after that again in her mind.
Sorry! Another Cliffie! Read and review!
