Chapter 4:
"So this poltergeist Noll is so sure about, has an agenda? Normally, or in many cases, poltergeists are merely spirits with a cruel sense of teasing." Misumi-chan said.
Mai was trying to explain the recent case of poltergeist activity. And it wasn't going so well, was an understatement.
Mai felt young, like she was thrown back to last year, when Naru had first asked her to help him, and how on every step of the way he intentionally made her feel worthless. Until offcourse, he found some use of her, ever since then the harassment had toned down a bit. Even though Mai knew Misumi-chan's efforts to fit in were completely harmless, it still made her feel irrelevant. Maybe the reason for that was Naru. And how he payed close to attention to everything Misumi said. How he noticed her every action. To someone else, it was nothing but to Mai, whose lives' mission had become to get noticed by her narcissistic boss, it was everything she wanted.
"Mai?"
"Is she slacking off again? My apologies, help these days has become a handful." Mai was jolted from her daydreaming, with Naru's sudden entrance into the office and his cold remark. Mai blushed.
"Noll! Where has your manners gone? This is no way to talk to Mai!" Misumi-chan chastised. Mai looked at Naru, and was surprised to see that he was smiling, and not his usual, cruel smile but a genuine one, like the Naru in her dreams.
"Who said I was talking only about Mai?" He said to Misumi, and Mai found herself overcome with a pang of jealousy, she hesitantly excused herself out of Naru's office, closing the door behind.
Today SPR was full of activity; they were starting the poltergeist case today. They were all getting ready to leave for the place in the afternoon. There was no time for Mai to think about her almost to never going to happen romance with her boss. So she did what distracted her. She started working.
As the last of the equipment was situated in the back seat of SPR van by Lin-san and Bou-san, Mai saw Misumi and Naru come out, side by side.
She sighed.
"Mai, what is it.?" Masako was looking at her with curious eyes.
"It's just Misumi-chan, something isn't right." Mai felt terrible saying it, but it was unsettling seeing Naru so open with someone else, or anyone else for that matter.
"Is it that girl's involvement in this case, or in Naru's life that's bothering you?" Masako asked quietly.
Mai blushed a deep shade of red.
"Its not that…."
"Save it Mai, I know how you feel about him. You aren't as subtle as you think you are." Masako smirked.
"Are you sure, you are okay with it? With Misumi-chan I mean. You know with your undying love for my boss and all?" Mai fired back, and Masako's smirk left her pretty face. She scoffed and left Mai to her thoughts.
She had to do something, she had to make sure all that progress she'd made with Naru didn't go down the drain, just because some random girl became a part of SPR.
As she saw Misumi and Naru approach the Van, Mai slipped to the other side where John was having no luck with talking to Ayako.
"Ayako, Bou-san wants to talk." Mai said cheerfully, and as Ayako left scowling, she turned to face John.
"John…don't you think poor Misumi-chan must be feeling so out of place here! With Naru's rude behavior, and Lin-san always stuck to his computer, she must be feeling so left out! I would love to sit with her through the trip and you know…show her the sights, but I cant! That jerk of a boss is making me write notes as he thinks its good for me to learn, would you keep Misumi-chan company John? Like you must know how it feels to come from a different country and all…." Mai knew she didn't have to go all the way with John to make him agree, but she felt as if no stone should be left unturned. And as she had hoped John smiled broadly and agreed.
And that was how 1-hour in the trip, Mai was having the worst possible time, with a unbearable headache. And Misumi seemed to be in full spirits. She and John had really hit it off, much to Naru's disappointment. He was in a foul mood, and no matter what Mai said or how much she tried to distract Naru from looking at Misumi and John every other minute, it was without any luck. She slumped back and stopped trying, if he was going to be like this, so be it.
This was going to be a long trip.
Please Review! I'm trying to be better writer, but its still work in progress! Let me know what you think of the story so far!