Naru's POV for Lips on a Teacup
*WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS MANGA COMPLIANT. If you do not wish to spoil the manga, please DO NOT READ THIS. However, if you've already had it spoiled for you, be it fanfictions, etc, I suppose there's no reason to discourage reading this.*
Snapping the small black journal shut with one hand, Naru rubbed his temples with the other. Still nothing. Naru pinched the bridge of his nose. It was exhausting and disappointing to pull up map after map, shifting through pictures of the large number of lakes throughout Japan, only to visit every godforsaken place and realize it was not where his brother's body was disposed.
Opening the black book again, he flipped to the back cover. There laid the last known thing Gene had ever touched, a letter to Naru. It was found in his older brother's hotel room. It described the details of the case, as well as his brother's bothersome way of being Gene. By now, he could dictate it, word for word. Because of Naru's powers, he would instantly be brought to his brother's resting place: a nondescript lake, surrounded by foliage. How descriptive. How was Naru supposed to find Gene in a country with over one thousand lakes? With disciplined patience and persistence. He rubbed his temples again.
Perhaps he missed something and should touch the letter again. Did he dare relive his brother's death? It was exhausting both physically and mentally.
He noticed a shadow pass his room.
"Mai."
Her shadow jumped. "Y-yes?"
"Tea."
"Roger that." The shadow retreated from his door.
He would never admit to it, but he really appreciated her tea. It was pretty bad at first. Tea leaves were temperamental, he knew that, but Mai didn't seem to know the difference. Sometimes the tea was steeped too short, other times too long. Because even the ratios between tea leaves to water differed between black and green tea, cups danced around being bitter or bland. He hoped the faces he made after the first cup were good enough indicators. (Though, only Lin could really read Naru's faces.) But once she got it right, it was perfect. Of course, he never told her that, it would go to her head.
His hand hovered over the letter. He put the book down. Glancing to the clock on the wall, Naru discovered his thoughts had wasted five minutes. Where is that girl? The fact water takes time to boil, and tea leaves take a few minutes to steep completely went over his head. If he had been a little less impatient he wouldn't have walked toward the kitchenette.
Mai was humming one of her songs. Off key. Naru noted. Her right hand went to her left wrist to reveal a small wrist watch underneath her long sleeved shirt. She tapped the face of her watch in time with her foot, clearly waiting for the tea steep. For some reason Naru hid himself in the doorway. Stupid, why are you hiding? The girl continued to hum her song, all the while looking lost in thought.
After exactly three minutes, the girl strained out the leaves and set them aside. She retrieved a napkin to clean around the saucer and cup. With both hands, she picked up the tea and tasted it.
If Naru could blush, he would have at that moment. But the great Oliver Davis did not blush, he froze. It took him a moment to process what exactly the idiotic girl was doing. When she jumped back from the tea, he realized she was checking the temperature of the liquid. He hadn't realized her tea was never too hot or too cold, or that there were no rings of water or tea on the saucers when she presented it to him. He had to give the girl more credit.
Her hand went up to her lips. Before Naru realized what he was doing, he flew into the room.
"Mai."
"N-Naru?" The girl spun around almost violently.
"Where's my tea?"
She picked it off the countertop. "Right here."
Taking the tea from her hands, he felt himself freeze yet again. He brought the cup to his lips then set it back down on the saucer. Perfect. As he turned away, he could sense the girl's elation but could not fathom why.