Disclaimer: Do not own Ghost Hunt

Chapter 4: Bairn part 2

August, Monday

6:45 am

Mai sat up, the angry beeping of her alarm clock making her aware that it was time to wake up. She groaned, it seemed like her body was begging for her to sleep more, even though the time she woke up today was at least an hour or so more than whenever she had to go to school. She got up and got ready for the day, no, for the week ahead of her.

Mai wore her hooded light green sweater that stops till her mid-thigh, dark jeans and her brown boots. She had learned that jeans are better if she wanted attention away from her, which wasn't really doing its job that well, even if she goes out with Ayako and Masako who wears clothes that were eye catching, for some reason she still attracts them. Mai sighed and if what she learned from their cases jeans were better for running from crazy ghosts, so when she had her growth spurt she bought jeans instead of skirts. She still own at least three skirts which she hadn't even wore even once because there wasn't a need to.

Everything was supposed to be where it was, but Mai felt like something changed. Physically – no, but something had changed and she couldn't pinpoint out what. She decided that she would check it out later, or maybe she could even consult with Bou-san and the rest, or maybe even Naru – she shuddered she had a feeling that she'll be in for a lot of scolding when that happened. Mai sighed, and then picked her knapsack (which was heavier unlike when she goes to school) and a medium sized light lemon colored carry all bag for the things that she couldn't fit on her bag that was on the floor and opened the door to leave. She went out of her apartment and locked the door behind her.

It was still early but there are already many people on the street on their way to work or school. She rode the bus and got out a couple of blocks away from the office, she would just walk to the office – since it was pretty near. Mai arrived at SPR with at least 30 minutes to spare. She was not shocked that she could already hear shuffling noises from the two private offices in front of her, after working with them for almost a year she was already accustomed with their work ethics. And Mai wasn't at all surprised to find Yasu sitting at the couch on the lounge; he turned his gaze towards her when he heard her footsteps while she was making her way to her desk to place her luggage on top of it.

Yasu just looked at Mai with look saying "We need to talk."

Mai sighed and put her luggage at her desk and then went and sat next to Yasu. She looked at the two offices in front of her to check it was totally closed and they wouldn't overhear what they would talk about.

"What?" Mai whispered, so that she wouldn't alarm the occupants of the closed offices.

"You know what I am talking about. Didn't I tell you to not keep secrets from me? You already told me most of what was happening with your powers but why didn't you tell me that the reasons that you were zoning out was because of visions?" Yasu whispered too, afraid to be overheard as well.

Mai glared at Yasu "May I remind you that I didn't willinglytell you that." she hissed still keeping her voice low. "You blackmailedme into telling you."

"Yes I did." Yasu said firmly "And I did it because I was worried, you'll just suddenly shift your gaze somewhere and will seem like you're seeing something that no one sees." he's now on his full 'listen to me or else' mode.

But Mai won't do it, as she still feels that what she did was the right thing. "And you'll confirm your suspicions by following me home?!" she chided with a controlled voice. She glanced at the offices and almost breathed a sigh of relief when there weren't any visible traces of it being opened without them noticing.

"You should thank me that I did, if I didn't you might'vebeen dead by now." Yasu scolded whilst controlling his voice. "What gave you the idea to cleanse spirits that you see on the road? Didn't it occur to you that it might show you how it died? And of course it did. A car accident. You almost walked in the middle of the road without you noticing it totally immersed with what the spirit was showing you. If I didn't pull you to the sidewalk you'll be probably the one whose spirit waiting to be cleansed."

Mai winced. "I know, and I already told you most of it except for now, I can see Lin's shiki ever since they came back and the visions started since two weeks ago." defeated, Mai just told him the truth. Yasu could be scary when he wants to, aside from the fact that Yasu might tell Bou-san and the others about what happened that time when she had almost got involved in a car accident, her being the victim. It will not be a pretty sight; they might not leave her on her own ever again, Mai shuddered, that might be something utterly impossible last resort to keep her out of trouble for other people, but she wouldn't put it past them. "Sorry."

Yasu smiled, happy that Mai understand the severity of the situation she was in. He patted Mai's head and then hugged her.

With their luck or maybe the lack of, just as they finished their conversation and was now hugging, the door slammed open revealing Bou-san and the others in his tail. At the sound, Naru and Lin opened their doors as well, Naru's gaze stayed a moment too long at the sight of Yasu and Mai hugging but said nothing. Lin smirked at this and then went back to his office to retrieve his laptop case since he already loaded the van with their equipment and their (Naru and Lin) baggage. Yasu and Mai separated but Bou-san then chastised Yasu.

"Yasu, I had told you, time and time again, not to hug Mai whenever no one's looking."

"What gave you the idea that we just hug? And that we only hug whenever no one could see?" Mai just rolled her eyes as Yasu hugged her again and then kissed her on the cheek.

"Why you!" Bou-san was now on his way to attack Yasu. Naru just narrowed his eyes even at the sight.

Masako, John and Ayako just ignored the two, just greeted Mai after she got out of Yasu's grasp. Mai hugged Ayako and Masako and greeted them 'good morning' and 'I missed you' they just smiled and replied the same thing that the brunette said. Mai then went to John to greet him as well, minus the hug and I miss you, she just told him 'long time no see'.

John smiled "Yeah, how are you Mai?"

"I'm good. Thanks for asking."

On the background they could hear Bou-san and Yasu bickering.

"Aww Bou-san if you're jealous that you didn't receive one you could've just told me." Yasu then stood up and began to advancing towards Takigawa.

"Ayako, help." Bou-san said, scared. still keeping an eye on Yasuhara

"What? Now you can't handle a university kid? How low would you sink?" Ayako said, trying to distract Takigawa.

"Hey, what did you say?" Takigawa said, he then turned around to look at Ayako, only to find her and every one (Mai, Masako and John) trying to hide a snicker. Suspicious he was going to turn around. Too late. Yasu hugged him while he was distracted.

"Yasu, get off." Bou-san said, trying to pry Yasu's arms off of him.

"Bou-san there's no need to be shy after all-" Yasu got cut off without finishing his sentence. And Takigawa just sighed in relief, as Naru's voice rang throughout the room.

"If you are finished dawdling like a bunch of children, may I remind you that we have a case that we need to go to." Naru said scathingly his face devoid of any other emotion except irritation.

They then sprang into action, Masako, Ayako, Takigawa and John left the office and went to the waiting vehicle (Takigawa's) which contained their luggages while Yasu and Mai just shrugged and went to their desks to retrieve their bags. Mai grabbed her carry all bag and just as she was reaching her hand to grab her knapsack, someone beat her to it. Yasu just grinned at Mai before passing by her to place their bags on the van.

"Thanks."

"No biggie."

After seeing that everyone else had already piled in Bou-san's car, Mai and Yasu went to the van and sat at the back seat (but not before waving goodbye to the people residing on the other car) that was rarely used 2 years ago, while Lin sat on the driver's seat and Naru sat on the passenger side. Not even reaching 10 minutes through the journey Mai nodded off to sleep, seeing Mai's uncomfortable position – leaning on her bag, Yasu moved Mai's head and rested it on his shoulders. Lin was too preoccupied in driving that he didn't notice a flaxh of emotion that passed in his eyes, as Yasu who was also getting sleepy so he leaned his head on Mai's head that was resting on top of his shoulders.

The ride went uneventful except for a certain someone was sometimes furrowing his eyebrows while looking at the rearview mirror.

10:15 am

There wasn't any traffic since most of people are at their schools and offices and not at the road, with minutes to spare they arrived at the inn that was as traditional as a ryokan can get.

The parking area was cemented but the front of the inn was the pebbled. The inn was made of white and dark wood with traditional Japanese roof tiles. It was understandable why there would be an inn at this place, it was on the south edge of Tokyo (if not, more) where you would have to go through if you would want to go to more un-urbanized area of Japan. So it was unsurprising if there would be a lot of people that would check-in for a night or more to sleep the night away and continue their journey the next day.

They all got out of their respective vehicles with the intention of entering the inn, but they were greeted by a boy about Masako's and Mai's age, who opened the sliding doors just before the SPR opened it.

"Welcome to the Inukami Inn, do you have a reservation?" he welcomed them with a pleasant smile. The boy was good enough to look at he had black hair, brown eyes and about Mai's height. He was wearing a plain white shirt and faded jeans, which were kind of out of place in a traditional ryokan.

"My name is Shibuya Kazuya the owner of Shibuya Psychic Research, we were hired by the Inukamis to investigate the mysterious events that is happening here." Naru said with a no nonsense voice of his. Mai just rolled her eyes.

Then the boy widened his eyes in recognition and swept his eyes to the people in front of him. Mai was behind Naru on his left side while Lin was behind him on his right side and Yasuhara who's directly behind Naru so he was in the middle of Lin and Mai while Masako is at Mai's left, Takigawa, Ayako and John were behind them listening on the exchange (it was kind of hard to oversee what was happening with all the tall people in front of them (except Masako)). His eyes stopped a bit on Masako and longer on Mai who's the same height as him so they were eye to eye.

"My name is Inukami Takashi, I'm Inukami Yoru's nephew, nice to meet you." he said, still looking at Mai.

Mai arched and eyebrow at him while Masako giggled behind the sleeves of her kimono and Yasuhara snickered and then poked Mai's side. Mai glared at Yasu.

"Come in, you can sit at the lobby. I will call my uncle and tell them that you're here, Shibuya-san." Takashi said as he returned his attention at Naru.

The SPR gang went in. The interior was unsurprisingly Japanese, with wooden floors Japanese paintings to decorate the interior with some modern touches here and there. There was a counter that seems to be for the reception.

Before they even settled themselves at the couches (modern ones) that were on the lobby, Inukami Yoru clad in traditional kimono unlike the casual clothes he wore when he went to the office (I know, I know, I didn't specifically put what they wore so let's just say it were casual) came still wearing that worried expression on his face but when he saw them he visibly relaxed.

"Welcome to our inn, we have prepared your 'base' and two more rooms for sleeping." Inukami Yoru informed. "You can actually use all of the rooms here in the inn but we only prepared the rooms you asked. We closed the inn because of the things that have been happening, we don't want to endanger the lives of the children or the people that comes here." He sighed. "Takashi will lead you to it."

"Please follow me." He then trekked the hallway on their right. And lead them to their base which is second last room on the right.