Author's Note: I write this chapter for my Mum, who has always been there for me, though the best and the worst times in my life.

P.S. I also want to thank Iloveanimex and borntoflyhigh. They both have given me some inspiration in parts of this chapter.

-Chapter 2-

Mai's Birthday

Mai awoke with a start and looked nervously around. The light blue walls, the large bulky wardrobe and the shelves filled with books on Psychology came into view though the darkness. Mai sighed in relief. She was in her own bedroom once more. That, however, didn't changed the fact on what she dreamed about.

Mai sat up and switched on her lamp on her bedside table and shot a glance at her digital clock, 6:57 am. She got up and walked over to the longitudinal mirror next to the draped window. The reflection showed a tired, thin teenaged girl with large brown eyes that had a puzzled expression in them. Her skin looked a sickly yellow in the misty glow of the light.

She was trying to recall her dream. It was about 3 people… she didn't know any of them… Mai frowned as she tried to remember… It was like tiring to hold water in cupped hands, the details were slipping through her fingers.

The scene of a big study with a desk, one behind it and two in front, floated into Mai's mind. And… a name… what was it? Skylark… Shylock… Skylock? Yes, that was it. And those blue eyes… she could still see them in her mind… Mai shivered, it was as though they were x-raying her. It felt so real…

But Mai had her fair share of 'for real' dreams, this one was not the scariest. She could still re-live the memory of the blade against her neck. This made her shivered for the second time that night.

To distract herself from her train of thought, Mai undid the tie in her plaited brown hair. She ran her fingers through the length of her hair and looked at the strands critically. It brushed her shoulder blades and the ends had started to split.

'I need to get it trimmed again soon.' Mai thought and sighed as she looked at her favourite pictures on her bedroom wall.

One of them was of her parents. Her Mother and Father were hugging each other, bright smiles on their faces. Mai smiled sadly as she remember taking the picture that day, two days before her Dad was killed in that car crash when she was five. Her Mum was grief stricken and barely spoke of him after that, so she didn't know much about him. Then, suddenly, when she was fourteen, her Mum died of unknown causes. That was when her life fell apart. Mai was alone, and lived alone until her school found out. They have helped her ever since, as did her friends. Memories were being replayed in her mind of all the good times she had with her Mum and Dad, than she remembered the worst.

Another sigh escaped her lips as she'd turned her head to look at the larger photograph. Now, Mai genuinely smiled. It was a photograph of her beloved co-workers, her new family.

Houshou Takigawa, the twenty-five-year-old ex-monk and bass guitar player, was standing behind the sofa with an arm around his girlfriend, Ayako Matsuzaki, a shrine maiden/doctor, both grinning madly as they tried to elbow the four-eyed university graduate, Osamu Yasuhara (Yasu), away from the poor monk. John Brown, a Catholic priest, and one of her best friends Masako Hara, the famous spirit medium, were sitting on the arms of the sofa.

And there, sitting on the black couch was a smiling Mai and her boss who was frowning in annoyance. This nineteen-year-old man went by many names. The first was Kazuya Shibuya to the Japanese community and owner of Shibuya Psychic Research. His true identity is Dr Oliver Davis, a famous English PK user and is known as probably the strongest psychic in the world. And finally as Naru or Noll the Narcissist to his close friends and family. He was the one who brought them together… and the one who left them.

Naru originally came to Japan to find his dead twin brother, Eugene Davis, who was also her spirit guide. In fact, Mai was usually dreaming about Gene, but at first she thought he was 'Dream Naru'. On that horrible day, he found what he came for. Eugene's body was at the bottom of a dark, murky lake, in the middle of nowhere… completely intact… and breathing. He was still in a coma, worrying his brother to hell and back. Naru left for England with Gene and didn't contact the rest of the gang for one year.

Right at the back stood the stoical, quiet Kōujo Lin, the expert on onmyoji and the use of shiki, also Naru's bodyguard and mentor. He has a faint smile on his lips as he watches the group of people before him.

Brrrrrrrr, Brrrr.

Mai snapped out from her thoughts as she turned to find the source of the noise. It was her phone, letting her know that she had a text message.

Brrrrrrrr, Brrrr.

Another message.

Brrrrrrrr, Brrrr.

And a third. She trudged over to her bedside table, picked up the said item then checked who it was. Mai pressed a few buttons and these words appeared on the screen.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAI! Hope you have a great day!

From Monk.

Mai stared at her phone. How could she have not remembered? It was her nineteenth birthday! That dream must have really gotten to her. A big smile broke out on her face. She read the next text, which was from Ayako.

Happy Birthday!

Remember to look nice for you party after work!

And the last one from Yasu.

Dear Mai,

Happy B'day!

Have a super swell day! Don't forget yourself for the party! ;-)

As she locked her phone she once looked at the time again. 8:02 am.

'I've been daydreaming for 2 hours?' Mai though stunned. 'I'm going to be late!'

She ran to her bathroom, got undressed and hopped into the shower.

'I wonder what I should wear…' Mai was thinking as she finished washing her hair, 'The white top with the blue skirt would be-'

"AAAHHH!" Mai screamed, clasping her right shoulder in pain.

Then, as quickly as it came, the pain was gone. She panted for a few moments then peered down to see what had caused such agony.

On top of her upper left arm was a scar in the shape of diamond. Inside of that, there was a capital G, no blood was present.

"What the…" Mai said in total bewilderment. Mai stumbled out of the shower and dressed into a spaghetti strap, white top and a dark blue knee length skirt with white flowers embroidered on the hem. She also chose a dark blue three-quarter length cotton cardigan.

"How did it get there?" Mai thought, for what seemed like, the tenth time that morning, as she applied her make-up, pausing to glance at her shoulder. She put on the last of her blusher and headed out the bathroom, into the kitchen.

Mai placed some bread into the toaster, switched it on, and started to make some tea. As she did so, she continued to think about the dream and its significance. The last case they had been completed three days ago. She poured the tea into a mug and started to sip it. Maybe it was telling her a future one?

A burning smell reached her nostrils.

"Oh no! The toast!" Mai quickly popped up the toast. It was a bit darker than it was meant to be but still edible. Mai glanced at the time. Her eyes widened. 8:52 am!

"I'm late!" Mai shouted.

She grabbed her cardigan, keys and phone, with toast in mouth, Mai Taniyama zoomed out the door.

.:***:.

A boy, dressed in his usual black, was staring out of his office window, onto the street below, watching and waiting. One of his employees' was late, by seven minutes to be exact.

He started to tap his patent-leather shoe impatiently. "Where on earth is she?! When is she going to get here?" His eyes scanned the crowd again to look for the familiar girl. "What if she's hurt? What if she's in trouble?" He was getting fed-up with all these 'what ifs'.

Relief swept over him as he saw the brown-haired girl weave herself through the crowd towards the building. She finally reached her destination and started to climb the stairs to Shibuya Psychic Research.

Naru walked back to his desk, sat on his hide-bound chair and started to go through some possible cases. Naru hadn't changed that much in the last two years. The nineteen, nearly twenty, year old man had lost the last of his puppy fat, making him look much more mature, grown a few inches in height and became more muscular. His raven-black hair was the same as ever, and eyes were just the as usual, blue and easy to read.

There was a tinkle of a bell and the usual greeting of, "Good Morning Naru, good morning Lin-san!" In an especially cheery tone today, indicating that his assistant, Mai, had arrived.

"Mai, tea." Naru ordered in a monotone. The grumbling of Mai was heard from the other side of the door, and words like 'Stupid, tea-loving jerk.' could be distinguished making Naru smile slightly, and the stomping of footsteps.

Back in the small kitchenette, Mai began to make tea. She placed, more like slammed, the kettle on the stove, while thinking 'He doesn't even give me a 'Hello Mai' or 'Happy Birthday', Jerk!' She added the last finishing touches and took the two cups on their usual tray into the main office.

She first went to Lin's office, the one closest to the entrance. Mai knocked gently and waited. The tapping of keyboard keys stopped signalling for her to enter.

Turning the doorknob, Mai came into the office and looked up to see Kōujo Lin sitting in a black straight-backed chair, laptop on, waiting for her.

"Good morning Lin-san!" Mai addressed happily, putting the tea carefully on the polished work surface.

"Good morning Mai, Happy Birthday." Lin replied, with a hint of a smile.

"Thank you so much Lin-san!" Mai cheerfully said.

"Please, we don't need honorifics." Lin reminded her.

"OK, Lin-san, I'll try and remember!" And out of the room she went. Lin sighed, has it really been three years since they met that bubbly girl? It seems to be much longer.

Mai now was standing at her boss's door. She knocked twice, and remained still for an answer.

"Come in."

Upon entering she saw the man, his normal stoic mask in place, leaning on his own desk, arms crossed.

"Hello Naru! Here's your tea!" Mai exclaimed handing him the cup.

He went around his desk to sit down then took a sip of the liquid. He drained it quickly, put it down and carried on looking through some files.

Mai stood there, waiting.

"Is there something you want Mai?" Naru asked coolly when she didn't move, knowing what the answer was.

"There is something I want." Mai said irritably, "A thank you would be nice!"

"Yes, that would be nice." He replied and continued to read. He could feel her anger level skyrocket, 'Wait for it… One, two, three…'

"WOULD IT KILL YOU TO SAY THANK YOU ONCE IN YOUR LIFE?!" She screamed, face a bright red.

Smirking, Naru said, "I don't believe a thank you would be lethal."

With smoke coming out of her ears, Mai turned on her heel and began to storm out the room.

"Wait a moment." Naru's words made her stop in mid-stride. She spun around, a hand on her hip, still fuming.

"I was planning to give this to you later, but I think now would be more appropriate." He said, opening one of his desk drawers and drew out a square box in shiny light blue paper, with a white box to match, that was about the size of her palm, "Here." Getting up once again, he walked over and gave her the package.

"Happy Birthday Mai." Naru said quietly. Stunned, Mai took the gift.

After she carefully undone the wrapping paper, it revealed a white leather box. She looked up questionably and saw Naru had an apprehensive look in his eye. She slowly opened it and smiled.

It was a watch. It was silver with a metal strap, and 'OMEGA' was written on the white watch face in silver. Little crystals were encrusted around the edge of the watch itself.

"Oh Naru! It's gorgeous!" She cried and hugged him.

Mai suddenly realised that she had just embraced her boss. She jumped back, blushing furiously, and found that her slip-on shoes looked very interesting.

"Well… I… I have some work to do… Th-thanks again Naru!" And with that she literally ran from the room, slamming the door behind her, holding the box and tray to her chest.

Naru stood there, staring blankly at the white door. He felt happiness swell up inside him at Mai's display of delight. Smiling a tiny, rare smile, he sat himself down and carried on working.

Mai, on the other hand, was not doing so well with the said subject. She had also sat down at her desk, with a couple of piles of files to one side and a picture of her friends on the other and the watch box in the middle, open so she could look at it.

'Why did I do that? I made myself look like a right idiot.' She complained to herself. Mai's love for Naru had increased since he came back to them; there was no doubt about it. She even confessed to him, on that dreadful day by the lake where they found Gene. But he had asked her that question. 'Me or Gene?' All she wanted to do was say 'It's you!', but the words wouldn't come out… she just cried and cried.

Mai spent the next year trying to forget him, picking up the fragments of her heart. She gradually lost contact with the team, only with the occasional email or phone call. Monk had gone on a long trip with his band, Ayako was working at her parent's hospital, and John had to go back to Australia because his mother was ill. Masako was busy with her TV show and Yasu was working on his university degree.

So Mai was back in school, and she put all her effort into homework and exams', making her the top for her class in English, Science and History in less than two months, but Maths was her down point. She eventually caught up with her class when he came back. He asked her personally if she would be happy for him to employ her again. Mai was furious that he just came in oh-so causally, but was overjoyed at the same time, and had begrudgingly agreed. Everything seemed to have gone back to normal, well as normal as you can get at SPR. Naru had acted a though Mai had never confessed.

Now, two years later she was wondering again if he really felt anything for her. Mai took the watch off its cushion and put it on her right wrist, and admired it. The watch twinkled in the morning sunlight. She smiled a bit, feeling that this day couldn't get any better.

Bang!

Mai's head shot up as chatting and laughter filled the room. Monk, Ayako, John, Masako and Yasu entered the room, with the bell ringing in the background. They all caught sight of her and rushed over.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAI!" Monk and Ayako said in sync.

"I was going to say that!" Takigaswa shouted to Ayako.

"Well too bad! I said it first!" the shrine maiden retorted and another one of their squabbles broke out over who copied who.

"Happy Birthday Mai-chan." Yasu said, doing a handshake with Mai, who didn't know what to do, but tried anyway.

"Yes, Happy Birthday Mai." John said, giving Mai a cuddle, but hurried off to the two 'adults' as soon as he saw Ayako raising her fists.

"Mai, happy nineteenth Birthday," Masako said giving her a hug. "It will be mine soon too! I can't wait!"

"Me neither!" Mai replied, still smiling.

"Mai! You're nineteen! I can't believe it!" Ayako exclaimed, leaving the argument for now.

"My little Mai-chan is growing up so fast!" Monk pulled Mai into a bone-crushing bear hug.

"Bo-san… can't breathe… need air…" Mai said in a choking voice.

Thwack!

Monk had just received a blow to the head by Ayako's red handbag.

"Ow…" moaned the Monk.

"Don't squeeze the life out of her!" Ayako shouted angrily.

"Now, now, no need to get violent." John chucked nervously, leading the two to the sofa.

"This is an office, not a café," Naru said coming out of his office, papers in hand. He dropped them on the birthday girl's desk, "Mai, sort these out."

"Yes Naru!" Mai chirped, and sat down and got to work.

"Naru-bou, you can't have Mai tier herself on her birthday!" Monk complained.

"Don't worry Bo-san! I can do it!" Mai said without looking up.

"I agree! She has to be all rested for the party!" Ayako exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"You agree with me? That a first." Takigawa commented, in mock astonishment.

"Why you…" Ayako growled, and they once again, started to argue.

"What's that?" Masako asked, pointing at her friend's wrist, pulling up a chair to sit down in front of Mai. Her eyes widened, "No way! That's an 'OMEGA'! How did you afford that?"

"Well, um, Naru gave it to me today." Mai shyly said, showing it to her best friend.

"No wonder you're in such a good mood, even if you have work on your birthday," Yasu smirked, "You liiiike him!"

"Sh-Shut up!" A blush crept up Mai's face.

"Yasuhara, stop disturbing my assistant and make yourself useful," Naru said, over the arguing, a frown on his face.

"Sorry boss man, we didn't realize that we were interrupting your and Mai's 'Alone Time'." Yasu said while quirking his eyebrows.

Naru glared at the smirking man and retreated back to the comforts of his office.

"So, Mai," John said, "Are you still coming to the party after your shift is over?" Ayako and Takigawa both stopped talking to listen to their 'daughter's' reply.

"Of course! It is a Friday so we can stay out late if you want."

"Great!" Yasu shouted, "We'll go to eat, then hits some nightclubs!" The others agreed.

"Well, I'll better be going then," Masako announced looking at the clock on the wall, "I have an interview in an hour. John and I will join you all this evening."

"Yes, so goodbye for now." John said, getting up and they walked out of the office, hand and hand.

John had just recently become an ex-priest, because, as he told them, he had found someone to be with in life. They all knew who that person was, since he had started dating Masako. However, the Church allowed him still to perform exorcisms.

"Yeah, we should go as well…" Ayako sighed, getting up, "The shopping isn't going to get done by itself."

"But I don't wanna…" Said Monk, but when he saw his girlfriend's glare, he stuttered quickly, "But as you said, i-it has to b-be done!"

"OK, we'll see you at about six?" Ayako asked, turning back to Mai.

"Yeah, that'll be fine. I can't wait!" Mai said.

"We'll see you all later!" The red-haired shine maiden called over her shoulder.

"Bye!" Was Monk's farewell.

"So that just leaves you and me Mai!" Yasu smiled creepily.

"Not to be rude or anything," Mai started, and looked up with a dull expression, "but get out. I have to finish this or I can't go."

"Fine," Yasu said dejectedly, "Bye, bye." And slouched out the door.

.:***:.

"Agh, all done." Mai sighed, three hours later. She threw the last file in the 'Done Pile' and relaxed into her chair, "Hopefully, that's the last of them."

She looked at the clock on her desk and groaned. It was nearly one o'clock and that meant…

"Mai, tea." Called her boss's muffled voice.

"Yes, Naru." She replied. And lumbered again to the kitchenette, she put the tea leaves in the cup, waiting for the water to simmer. She smiled, she was so glad it was her birthday. Pouring the water into the cup, Mai hummed to herself and was at Naru's door, not before discarding her cardigan as she was already starting to boil like the tea in her hand.

Mai tapped the door, and then entered.

Naru was on the computer, clicking his mouse now and then. She put the cup on the on the desk. He slowly started to drink it. She got tired of waiting for thanks and started go to back out to clean her desk, when…

"Mai, stop." Naru commanded.

Mai froze at the tone of his voice. She turned to face him, wondering what she had done now.

He marched towards her and went to her left side, "What is that?" pointing towards her shoulder, with the scar.

Mai mentally slapped herself, how could she have forgotten that? The reason she wore the cardigan was to hide it.

"U-um..." She hesitated, 'Maybe I shouldn't tell him.'

"I… I…" She eventually gave in when she saw Naru's look of concern in his eye, and told him what occurred earlier on.

"So it's the same with you…" He mumbled under his breath.

"What do you mean 'the same with you'? Has it happened to others before?" Mai asked confused.

"… Yes, it has." Naru said.

"Well, could you tell me?" Mai wondered.

"I think it would be better to show you." He walked to the bookshelf. Mai was convinced that he was going to pull out a book, but how wrong she was. He began to unbutton his black shirt.

'Oh my god!' Mai thought blushing, 'He's getting undressed!'

However, to her relief (or not, she didn't really know), he was wearing a white vest underneath. He faced her, then turned so she could see his shoulder. Mai gasped.

Right there, in the exact same place as her own, was the diamond and G scar. The only difference was that it was on his right shoulder, instead of left.

"I got this on my nineteenth birthday as well," Naru explained, "I haven't found another case like this one on the internet or written down."

"And my dream, it could also have something to do with it."

"Most likely," Naru agreed, putting the shirt back on, "But don't worry about it now. We will look into it more, later. For now, you can go home early Mai, so you can get ready for the celebrations."

"Eh?" Mai let the words sink in, then smiled, "Thank you Naru!" And gave him a hug, too happy to realize what she was doing.

"I think, in fact, that I will join you."

"You will?" Mai was now wondering if he was feeling unwell.

"Yes, I will," Naru decided, "And Lin will come."

"That's brilliant!" Mai shouted, "I'll go now! I'll be back here at 9:00 am sharp on Monday!" She headed for the door, jumping in excitement.

"No you won't," Naru said seriously. Mai stopped, too shocked to move. Her boss smirked, "You will be here at 9 o'clock sharp… tomorrow."

"JERK!"

Author's Note: I'm so sorry that I have not updated in such a long time, it just I wanted to make this chapter good, not a total flop. Please leave a review and tell me what you think! Thanks! *:-D*

CrazyAnimeFan1228