Hello all, Maron here again. I decided to take a break before our two psychics and focus on the other person in the office. It's a little longer than the other ones. Hope you guys enjoy it!
ALSO! I want to thank everyone who is following/favorites this story. It make me really happy to see those notification pop up in my email. Comments as well! It's nice to put some views to usernames and icons. It lets me know you guys want them to keep coming. If you guys notice something amiss, such as OOC or grammatical errors, I appreciate constructive criticism.
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Alright, let's get to the story.
Lin finally talks to Mai in the office and decides to ask for a hot beverage of his own. Lin's POV
*WARNING: MANGA COMPLIANT. SCURRY OVER AND READ THE MANGA BEFORE YOU READ THIS. SERIOUSLY! I love it so much that I don't want to be the one to ruin it for you guys.*
The keys flowed beneath his fingers.
Day 2
Bedroom exhibited signs of paranormal activity. Temperature dropped steadily after 19:00 at a rate of 2.47 degrees Celsius per half hour. Temperature leveled off at 0 degrees Celsius at 4:53. Temperature gradually began to return to normal temperature at 5:22. Microphone 4 and Microphone 5 did not detect any sound. Camera 4 did not detect anything of note.
Lin's eyes flickered to the screen to his left to confirm the data points.
Kitchen exhibited signs of paranormal activity. Temperature stayed constant throughout the night. Temperature of room dropped to 2 degrees less than average in the middle of the night. The room to the eastern side of the kitchen is the bedroom. Room temperature may have dropped because of this. (See attached blueprint) Microphone 6 recorded knocking sounds at 3:27:47 until 3:48:04.
The Chinese man felt his eyes begin to droop.
Camera 6 ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd
"Mai, tea."
Naru's voice startled the man awake. He pressed his palms to his eyes, attempting to wipe the sleep away. The fruitless trip to yet another lake left Naru in a poor mood. However, during the drive back Naru refused to go to sleep.
"Noll, you should get some sleep." Because they had not seen the other members of SPR, English slipped from Lin's lips.
"I'm fine Lin." The rather grumpy psychic insisted, also in English. "Just keep your eyes on the road."
In an effort to get to the office the next morning, they left late that night to get back to Shibuya. The walk from the car parking lot to the hotel room was long as well. Both enjoyed two sleepless hours before having to head to the SPR office.
It wasn't like the two weren't used to sleepless nights. It was just, this particular location seemed so promising. Noll scoured the area for an additional three hours before deciding to leave. Naru would never show his disappointment, but Lin could tell. He'd known the seemingly emotionless child for years. The walk back to the car was indicative. Naru's shoulders were slightly slumped, though his stride never faltered.
Lin got up from his chair.
Alongside the Japanese and British, the Chinese also love tea. However for Lin, tea was never as enjoyable as coffee. After his first sip years ago, he was hooked. But not the cheap instant coffee. Freshly brewed coffee had always been his preference. I could really go for a cup of coffee.
But the tall man was not comfortable asking for coffee from the Japanese girl. Well meaning, sure. Ignorant as well. But rude? Cruel? Mai was not like the Japanese of the past. Lin liked Mai, just not her country. Lin dreaded coming to Japan, being forced to learn the language. Lin was bitter.
When Mai confronted him, he softened a bit, even going so far as to laugh at her. She was very much like Gene. Excitable, impulsive, loud, but also kind, thoughtful, and caring. NO wonder Naru talks to her like he spoke to Gene.
Lin yawned. Pondering for another moment, he headed toward the door of his office. Flinging the door open, he saw the young girl's eyes widen with surprise.
"Taniyama-san, would you mind making me a cup of coffee?" Lin wondered if his tone made him sound angry or nervous.
The brightest smile sprung on her face. "Sure! Do you take sugar and cream?" The girl began to walk to the kitchen.
"Just creamer." For some reason Lin found himself following her to the kitchenette.
The brown haired girl began searching through the cupboards for the coffee. Smiling when she found it, she proceeded to head toward the coffee maker.
"Um, Lin-san?"
"Yes, Taniyama-san."
She fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "It makes me nervous with you watching me make your coffee."
The man was taken aback. It was a little odd to follow her to kitchenette. After all, Mai seemed to be the only one who used it. He wondered if the refrigerator were ever stocked. I don't leave food here, but Taniyama-san always brings out something for the potential customers. "I'm sorry Taniyama-san. I will leave now."
She shook her head. "No, I didn't mean you should leave. I just don't know what to say." The girl scratched her head.
"I'm not a very talkative person." Lin said.
The girl laughed. "Just like Naru." The girl thought for a moment. "But I think you'd be less rude in conversation than him. He just always calls me an idiot."
Her hands flew to the cupboard again, this time to pull out a tea cup. "I'm sorry Lin-san. There aren't any coffee mugs right now. Is it alright if I use one of these tea cups?"
The man nodded.
She poured the coffee into the tea cup, careful not to spill any. She walked over to the fridge to pull out some creamer. From behind the door, she called out to Lin again. "There's only this caramel creamer that I keep for Monk in the fridge. There's also milk, if you'd like."
"The creamer is fine."
Mai pulled out the creamer and began to search for a teaspoon. "Do you like it sweet?"
"Not really." The man replied.
The girl began pouring the creamer into the teaspoon. "Then two teaspoons should be enough?"
He nodded.
Swirling the drink with one hand, Mai retrieved a saucer. Leaving the spoon, Mai presented the coffee to Lin. Taking a sip, he frowned.
"Oh no!" The girl flushed. "Is it too sweet? Did I make the coffee wrong? But you just make it with a coffee maker, right?"
"The coffee is old. Coffee tastes best freshly ground." The man said.
Scurrying to the cupboard, Mai checked the date on the coffee. "You're right, it's a few months old. You can taste it?"
The man nodded.
"I'll be sure to buy fresh coffee beans tomorrow." Mai cupped her hand around her mouth. "What kind should I buy?"
"I like Columbian, but Brazilian is good as well."
The girl nodded. "Okay."
An idea popped in his head. "I could teach you more about the paranormal if you make me a better cup of coffee."
"Really?"
Lin was not used to being vocal. He found nodding was appropriate for most occasions. But he felt he needed to be more willing to speak with Taniyama-san. "I promise."
She flashed him another smile. "You can call me Mai."
This girl really knew how to surprise people. Lin hadn't expected a simple cup of coffee to start a new found intimacy with a coworker. But this was Tani-, Mai. She had this odd ability to worm her way into people's lives. She really is like an overzealous puppy, quick to make friends. But Lin did not think he would mind being friends with the young girl. He gave her a soft smile.
"Okay, Mai-san."
