DAY 2. Part 1.

The sun... I know it feels good to be under the sun... but...

Am I just imagining these feelings? My skin... doesn't feel anything.

My... skin...?

"Mai," Naru's voice was cool and calm as always but it pierced through Mai's mind and violently shook her awake. "Stop slacking around and start preparing. The others will be here soon." Mai blinked for a second and then hung her head. She had slept again.

It'd be one thing if she started having those dreams again but there was nothing. There was no excuse for her sleeping again. Naru was going to fire her soon, she just knew it. She'd been sleeping on the job so much lately... Having finished with her thoughts, she hung her head again and let out a big sigh. Dredging off her seat she made her way out of the Base and to the kitchen.

"Taniyama-san," said a gentle voice just before her. Mai noticed immediately that she was about to bump into a tray. A chuckle.

"Oh! Usami-san, you were in the kitchen," Mai said with a sheepish grin. Usami Hiro, middle-aged, married with no children. He was the kindly type... with slight wrinkles around his eyes, showing that he'd aged quite a bit.

"I over heard that two more were going to arrive so I was just preparing some snacks," he said, smiling equally sheepishly at her.

"Oh there wasn't any need for that, Usami-san. But thank you!" Mai said looking up at him. "I'll get the tea ready so you can just sit down and relax!" Mai went past him and started rummaging the cupboards cheerfully. Usami set down the tray on the counter and sat down watching her equally cheerfully.

"Your parents must be very proud of you," Usami said after several minutes of silence. Mai nearly poured the hot water on herself in surprise and started blushing.

Laughing a little she said, "Well, I used to be quite the klutz when it comes to these things. It's only when I started this part-time job that I got better at it. How about you Usami-san? Those sandwiches you made looked so good, my mouth started watering just from looking at it."

"Would you like to try one?" Usami asked, pulling the tray towards him and then offering the plate to her.

"Yes please!" she said, taking one from the tray. "Uwaa...! This is so good!"

Usami laughed, cheeks reddening slightly in pleasure. "Really? Thanks. When my wife left, I started learning to cook by myself. Not bad for a man living on his own, huh?" Mai looked a little taken aback. Usami had mentioned that he was married, but said nothing at all about his wife, even after they'd taken the job.

"Where did your wife go, Usami-san?" Mai asked, trying her best to fake an innocent posture. It can't be that the wife left him... for divorce or anything right? Usami-san looked like such a nice person.

"She left for Europe to study music," Usami said, with sad look sinking into his eyes. "I... haven't heard from her for some years now."

"Eh!" Mai was surprised. For some years?

"We never fought, so I thought that our relationship was alright. Maybe..." Mai looked at the pain now etched in his face and regretted asking. "Do you play any instruments, Taniyama-san?" Mai shook her head in answer. "Well, if you ever feel like trying out piano, there's one in study, I'm sure you saw it, right? You're welcome to it any time."

"Thank... you," she said, looking at him. Both of their expressions were unreadable.

"Well," Usami said, being the first to break the tension with a poignant smile. "Do you want to learn how to make this sandwich?"

"Yes please!" Mai said enthusiasticly, taking the cue. Usami smiled kindly at her and reached out to pat her head. Mai looked up questioningly.

"It would have been nice to have had a daughter like you," he said, turning a little red again as he scratched his cheek. Mai let out a grin.

xoxoxox

This man... again. What is he doing to me? Why are you looking at me like that? Why... why do you look so familiar...?

Get away from me.

"There's nothing special about this doll," Lin said, putting it down.

"Mai found it so at least keep it on the shelf where we can see it." Naru had replied without even turning to look at him. He was shuffling through some of the equipment.

"Yo! We're here!" suddenly appearing inside the room were Takigawa Houshou, the monk from Mt. Kouya and John Brown, an Australian priest.

"It's been a while!" John greeted.

"Thanks for coming," Naru greeted back, courteous as he could be. Not a second later Mai and Usami came through the door laughing about something or other with trays of tea and sandwiches with them.

"Nice timing!" Houshou instantly grabbed for a sandwich. "This is good!"

Mai and Usami caught each other's gaze and started laughing again. The rest just looked at them in amusement. Mai was usually the first person a client would warm up to, so it wasn't particularly unusual.

"How is your survey doing?" Usami asked after setting down the tray.

"We're analysing the data samples now," Naru reported. "I asked these two to come for a second opinion just in case it turns out to be a real ghost."

Mai quickly introduced the two newcomers to the client. "We've all worked together before." Usami nodded in acknowledgment, but his brow was still furrowed.

"A ghost..." he muttered. There was still some disbelief in his tone. "I don't understand how... I've lived here all my life. How did a ghost just suddenly...?"