Impossible. But it does make sense to her. She remembers being confused at the dream she had when she had stood in front of the mirror and wondered why she looked like a better version of herself. She whispers, completely in awe, "Who is this Yasu?"
"Nanami Tamako," Yasu answers, "Nagisa was confused by the resemblance. And that is why she attacked you twice."
"She resembles you," Lin says, very much awed himself, "It is like you are her doppelganger."
The painting was of a woman in her mid-twenties decked in a traditional kimono. She had black hair and grey eyes. Her expression is sad though. Mai touches the face in the painting, "She looks so sad doesn't she?"
"Yup," Yasu says, "I reckon it was soon after when her first son died."
Mai nods. Then they hear footsteps outside the door. They look up to see John panting at the entrance. He says, in between breaths, "Ryo, he is dead."
Tsugumi had taken in a late tea snack to Ryo's room. The blinds were drawn down and the room was ridiculously dark. She tiptoed across the room, trying to find the light switch. When she turned on the light, she screamed. That brought out Kaorin from her room, who fell to her knees, nauseous.
Ryo Kasuga was dead. There was blood pouring out of his eyes, mouth and ears.
The doctor ruled it as either a case of cranial pressure or brain aneurysm when Tsugumi informed that Ryo was having chronic headaches. But the family and those from Shibuya Psychic Research knew better.
Day Seven
Yasu does not like it. But he wasn't going to go butt his head against a wall. And by wall he means his arrogant, obnoxious, relentless boss, Kazuya Shibuya. So he grudgingly sits back in a corner, about to watch his girlfriend getting possessed by Saito Tamako.
Naru had decided to talk to Saito. And Masako will get him to possess her. Sure there is the danger of anybody else possessing her, so Houshou, Ayako and John stay alert on their toes. Yasu silently prays that everything goes well.
They are all seated in the men's sleeping quarters. Masako has Ayako on her right and John on her left. They are seated around a kotatsu. Lin stands guard behind Masako with Houshou on his side. Yasu, Naru and Mai stand with their backs pressed against the wall, opposite them. They are all edgy.
Masako tries to calm her mind and composure. Ayako is scared. John clutches his Bible and vial of holy water hard enough to leave an impression on his palm. Houshou keeps his eyes both on his wife and the medium, getting increasingly worried by the minute; he had been attacked by the angry spirit, and that little experience left him rattled. Lin is calm on the surface but his shikis are prepared to jump in action anytime he feels something is wrong. Naru is relaxed but that doesn't mean he isn't nervous, Lin had told him more than once that his little stratagem is highly dangerous. Yasu is angry and worried; if anything untoward happens to Masako, he will make sure Naru pays. Mai chews her lips, she is scared and she won't deny it.
They all feel it, spiritualists and non-spiritualists included. The air gets colder, the atmosphere heavier. The afternoon sun is bright outside but it feels like dusk inside. Masako makes a choking noise as her eyes remain closed. Her expression changes. She says in a rougher, heavier voice, "Who are you people?"
Naru kneels across Masako and says, "We are ghost hunters. Your family has hired us to dispel the curse that has haunted them for centuries, Saito-san."
"You know my name," her forehead wrinkles.
"We know a lot more: you have been protecting the family from Nagisa, haven't you?"
Saito sighs through Masako's lips, "Yes. It is all my doing. Everything."
"What did you do?"
"Nagisa and Nanami were step-sisters. Even though Nanami loved her step-sibling, Nagisa hated her. People said she practiced witchcraft. We didn't believe anyone at first but then…when Nanami and Kenji's engagement was announced, Nagisa went insane. Cattles died, people fell ill…" Lin gets suspicious, it felt like the old man was holding something back.
"Then she set Nanami on fire and you killed her. Not before she cursed you all."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"She—."
He is cut short when a strong gust of wind rips around Masako's hair. Her head snaps back and her eyes open to show her eyeballs rolled so back that only the whites were visible. A horrible blood-curdling screeching fills the room. It is Masako making the unholy sound.
She gets to her feet and she looks straight at Mai who gasps at her. It is a truly terrifying sight to see Masako with her eyes like that, her hair wildly dancing around her head and then she bares her teeth at Mai. A raspy voice says, pointing at Mai, "Nanami."
Then she jumps on her. Before Mai could fathom, Masako crashes against her leading Mai to lose her balance and both girls to fall, crashing on the floor. The tatami mats do nothing to pillow her fall and the pain shoots up Mai' back. Next she chokes when Masako starts asphyxiating her by wrapping her fingers around her neck. Her strength surprises Mai.
Even though her oxygen is getting limited and her eyes get watery she sees Lin, Naru and Yasu trying to wrench Masako off her. It doesn't work. Nagisa in Masako's body screams, "Mine, Kenji was supposed to be mine! I loved him! More than Nanami did! She was in love with Saito! I knew everything! EVERYTHING! But Kenji never listened…" a sob shakes her entire body. Mai starts seeing stars behind her eyes, "So I cursed them! I cursed them all! But that Saito kept interfering! AHHHHHHH!"
Mai finally feels air returning to her brain when the hands around her neck are removed. She blinks to see Masako clutching her head and screaming. John has started chanting and spraying her with holy water. But that doesn't stop her. She lunges at John.
Yasu shouts, "Masako!"
Lin kneels down beside Mai. She coughs and thinks she has never seen this expression on him before. He looked so troubled, his pupils are diluted and she never remembers him to be this scared. He doesn't say anything as he lifts her by her shoulder and presses her against his chest. Mai calms down a little as his clean scent fills her olfactory senses, but not calm enough as she sees the rest of the horrific scene unfold over his collar.
None of the chants—John's and Houshou's—were working. They all seem to instigate her more.
Ayako didn't want to, but now she sees she has no other choice. She mumbles sorry and begs Masako's forgiveness in advance as she shouts aloud by waving her hands vertically, "Rin, toh, kai, retsu, zen," then the rest quartet by slashing her hand through the air horizontally, "Pyo, sha, jin, zai."
With great sadness in her eyes, Ayako watches as the poor girl's blood seeps through the back of her kimono. Masako finally reverts back to her original self and gurgles before swaying and falling. Yasu catches her just in time.
No one says anything, as the air gets back to normalcy again. Yasu whispers, "Masako? Masako? Are you okay?"
She hears him. Masako opens her eyes and tries saying something but then loses her consciousness. Houshou kneels down and checks her pulse. He solemnly says, "It is feeble. Yasu, John? Let's go to the hospital now! Lin?"
Lin, who hasn't moved from Mai's side or released her from his embrace, nods and says, "Ayako and I will take care of things here."
The three men leave with Masako bundled up in Yasu's arms.
Later in the evening, Ayako, Lin, Mai and Naru are at the base when Ayako sighs, "I didn't want to use the Nine Cuts on her."
"She would have killed Mai otherwise," Lin says, his voice flat. He sat beside Mai and held her hand. Mai squeezes gently to let him know that she isn't mad at Masako for anything. He gets it as he relaxes a bit. He says, with much more feeling now, "I am sure she will be all right."
Ayako nods.
Suddenly the door slides open with enough force to rip the door off its frame. It is Yasu. He beelines straight for Naru. He grabs him by his collar, dragging him up. Then fisting his hands, lands a solid punch on Naru's face. Naru's head lolls back. Lin tries to get to his feet, vexed, when Mai grabs his sleeves. She whispers, "Let him. He is mad. Naru feels bad enough, he isn't using his powers. And he will heal fast."
Lin nods his head. He sees blood trickling out of Naru's nose. Yasu then punches him in his guts. Naru doubles over and falls to his knees. Yasu is about to kick Naru in that position when Ayako gets in between. She cries, "Stop it Yasu! If you hit him anymore, you will have to hit me too. I hurt her as well!"
Yasu stops. The wild look in his eyes fading a little. His breathing gets back to his normal pace as he gazes blankly at Ayako. He mutters, "No. You had to. But this son of a bitch knew it was dangerous! If anything happens to Masako, I will kill him."
He turns around and hurries out of the base. On his way out he nearly bumps into John and Houshou who had heard the last sentence Yasu uttered. John takes off after him as Houshou enters the base. He looks alarmed at Naru lying on his side with blood running down his nose.
Mai untangles her hand from Lin and crawls up to Naru. She crouches over Naru and strokes his head. She says, "It was kind of you to not use your true powers."
Naru coughs and sits up. Mai removes her hand. He touches his nose and says, "I did allow this to happen when I knew it was dangerous. Yasu's actions were justified. It would've been wrong to hit him back." He reminded her of Gene so much right now that nostalgia manages to rip a whole in her guts as she swallows back the tears.
"I will get some first aid," Ayako says as she gets to her feet. She looks at Houshou and asks, "How is Masako?"
"The cuts were deep but not lethal. However, it seems she might be in a coma of sorts. The stimulants they gave her didn't work. Her organs are okay. The doctors think her subconscious decided to turn her off. Only she can will herself to wake up," Houshou says as he runs a hand through his hair.
"No," Mai says and cannot really help it as tears start streaming her cheeks anyway.
Suddenly Ayako remembers something, "Uh, Mai? Why did Nagisa call you Nanami?"
"Mai is Nanami's doppelganger," Lin explains, "Of sorts."
Ayako gasps and covers her mouth. She leaves the base. Houshou decides to go check on Yasu. He knows no one is to blame but his heart cries for poor Masako. She didn't deserve this. The faster they exorcise Nagisa, the happier he will be.
When they had all left, Lin says, "Mai you should leave." Ayako's reaction had triggered a new worry in hi.
Mai whips her head around and asks, "Why?"
"Nagisai might attack you again."
"I am not leaving y—I am not leaving!"
Naru says, "He is right. It is dangerous for you here. Nagisa is mad, she can't distinguish the obvious differences between you and Nanami."
"Yes," Lin says.
"I am not leaving and that is final!" Mai shouts.
Lin gets mad at her stubbornness. He raises his voice, "If you care about me, then leave!"
Naru raises his eyebrow in surprise. Mai gasps and her eyes widen. She just gets angrier still. She shouts back, "Why you! You would use my feelings for you against this! You are despicable! I am not leaving you here!"
"I can take care of myself!"
"So can I!"
Lin sighs angrily and rubs his face, "Mai, for gods' sakes, why are you being so adamant?"
"I don't want to run just because a spirit has mistaken me for her dead step-sister!"
"Mai please."
"No."
"Mai. Why are you being so difficult? Nothing is going to happen to me," he sighs exasperatedly and says in a low tone, "Why do you have to care so much?"
"Because I am in love with you that is why!"