Chapter 2

Mai bent down and examined the collection of small trinkets in front of her, softly murmuring in approval every time she came across something cute. Michiru was the one who insisted they stop by the small shop and she immediately went towards a stack of plush stuffed toys and heavily contemplated which one she should buy, leaving Mai and Keiko to peruse around casually by themselves. A rack of cellphone charms caught Mai's eyes and she excitedly skipped toward it, exclaiming, "Oh, I see something interesting!" She navigated her way towards her target, doing her best to avoid stumbling over rows of display tables and tall glass cases featuring delicate porcelain figurines, retro video game platforms, books, and other miscellaneous small things. Mai thought fleetingly about how easy it would be to get away with stealing something here, but quickly recoiled at her naughtiness. Upon reaching the glass counter where the rack of tiny cellphone charms sat on display, she ran her fingers through the tiny animal figurines hanging at the end of the strings and smiled, then suddenly pouted and turned toward her friends, lamenting, "I can't believe today is our last day here! It's been so much fun."

Knowing that Keiko was slightly claustrophobic, Mai wasn't surprised to find her outside, standing in front of the counter opposite to where she stood. Her friend nodded and replied, "Last year was the first time you've been able to come with us on school trips. It was thanks to your part-time job that you were able to pay the fee, right?"

"Yeah, well I'm very sad that it's our last day here, but I guess I'm also looking very forward to getting back home."

"Is it because you're looking forward to seeing Yasuhara-kun again?"

"No, maybe she's missing Shibuya-san!"

Mai rolled her eyes and playfully admonished her friends. "Michiru! Keiko! Geez, can you guys quit with the teasing already?"

"Although it's not like they were completely wrong", she thought to herself. It wasn't that she missed them specifically, but rather the whole group and the job. After two months of taking on new cases just like they used to, her SPR work had again become a huge part of her routine. It was truly a job she looked forward to doing everyday and she wasn't sure if Keiko and Michiru could understand as they've never had the need to take on part-time jobs before. She went back to fiddling with the charms, lost in thought. Suddenly she found her hand hovered over a mini figurine of a black, angry looking chibi fox, causing her to snort out loud. She chuckled to herself and took two copies, one for herself and one for him-if he would ever accept any gifts. Still, it was too funny to pass up and she figured she should try to give it to him as an omiyage* anyway. It was tradition after all.

"Keiko, Michiru, can we also stop by the sweets shop? I still have to buy omiyage for the others back home!"

By ten in the morning the sun had reached a high point and with very little clouds to obscure its rays, illuminated the pale blue sky blindingly bright. The three friends spent their last two hours in Okinawa hopping from store to store before they had to report back to their designated meeting location. They arrived a few minutes early so they sat around, idly chit chatting before getting interrupted by their teacher's booming voice, announcing that the class representatives would now be taking roll call to ensure no one gets left behind before they take the bus ride back to the airport. Although everything had gone smoothly, Mai still felt a bit harried. It wasn't until she was seated in her own chair with nothing but the constant hum of the plane engine that she took the chance to rest up.

She doesn't do it as often now, but then and again she would find herself helplessly wishing to meet Gene in her dreams, which would always lead to her waking up disappointed and depressed. She dreamt, but there was never any sign of Gene, not since their final farewell (if you could call it that) on day they found his body. Her mood didn't improve throughout the rest of the journey, even up to the point where the bus arrived back in school grounds. She was absent minded even during the final roll call and could barely even remember saying goodbye to Keiko and Michiru when they parted.

As she left the school gates she sighed and looked at the orange sky. The sun had begun to set, sitting just above the horizon. "It's getting late now. I wonder if the others are still in the office?" Her watch said it was currently 5:30 pm. She took a deep breath and decided that seeing everyone back in the office might lighten her mood.

"Maybe I can still catch them and if not, then I can at least drop off these gifts so I don't forget them at home." She clutched her luggage and made her way to the office.

The door was locked when she got there. She reached in her bag and pulled out the spare key Naru had given her a while back and opened the door, mumbling a soft, "I'm back..." But the office was empty and the door to Naru and Lin's office were closed. She entered and made her way towards the kitchenette, leaving her luggage by the sofa. "I guess everyone had already left after all." She took her gift bags and neatly arranged all the sweets on the counter, smiling to herself as she imagined Bou-san and Yasuhara getting needlessly excited over them.

"-What do you think you're doing here at this time?"

Mai jumped and ended up knocking some items off the counter as she whirled around fast enough to make her momentarily dizzy. She hadn't even heard his footsteps. Naru was watching her with an inscrutable face, with a look akin to something like bewilderment, surprise-and what Mai imagined to be some sort of muted joy? But that was impossible and it made her question whether she was in some kind of trouble. "Naru! I had no idea you were still around. Where did you come from?"

He didn't answer right away. He closed the door behind him and moved in his own pace, smoothly and without unnecessary frill as he leaned toward the coffee table and deposited the letters he was holding in his hand. "I went to pick up our mail since no one else was able to do it."

"Ah, sorry..."

She saw him look at her sideways-his trademark move which never failed to cause her heart to flutter-and said, "I had wondered why the door was ajar when I got back since I would never make such a stupid mistake as to leave it open." Mai cringed here because she knew he was pointedly reminding her of both times she did it, implying her stupidity. She would have said something in an angry retort but was cut off when he continued, "Why are you here? Didn't you say you'd be back to work on Monday?"

"Yes, I just got back and went straight here. I figured I might be able to catch everyone before they left for today so I can give them their gifts, but I see that it's dead here." Mai picked up the things off the floor and held them up to him, asking, "Since you're here, would you like to try some of these?"

She blinked as Naru paused to consider before approaching her and sitting down by their kitchenette table . "Prepare some tea to go along with it."

"Okay." She reached behind her ears and gathered her hair in a messy bun. Now that it was long, it tended to get in her way and she had a mind to get it cut but never really had the time to. With her expert hands, the tea preparation was finished within ten minutes and she placed Naru's steaming cup in front of him. She settled on the chair across and handed him the platter of sweet sugar cookies.

"Where is Lin-san, by the way? Isn't he still here?" she asked.

Naru took a sip of his tea and spoke tersely, "He had been coughing all day so I told him to go home early because it was irritating."

She laughed sheepishly at this but found it amusing to imagine how the scenario played out. "Poor Lin-san..."

They munched in silence for a few minutes while Mai tried to think of topics to talk about, remembering Madoka's words back then telling her that Naru wasn't particularly secretive and would most likely answer questions if asked. It wasn't everyday she gets to spend some one-on-one time with Naru like this. This was a big chance! What personal things could she start pecking him about? But before she could say anything, Naru had broken the silence.

"How was your trip?"

Mai almost choked on her tea and looked at him in bewilderment. "M-my trip? You're actually asking me about how my trip was? Aren't you being particularly social?"

He stared at her through his long lashes, practically rolling his eyes, and snapped, "If you'd prefer not to answer that is your prerogative and I will keep in mind for the future never to ask again."

She put her tea down and waved her hands frantically in front of her. "No, no, no! I was just teasing, geez. Lighten up!" She sighed and took her hair down, letting it fall loosely around her shoulders. "I was just surprised, is all. Anyway it was fun, really fun. I'm really glad I was able to go this year as well, especially since it's our last year together as a class. I think school trips really force students to make stronger bonds with each other." Then, suddenly hit with an idea, she clasped her hands together and exclaimed, "We should go on a trip! Everyone! It will make us stronger as a team, surely!"

The finality in Naru's voice as he said 'no' made Mai reconsider bringing it up again, even as a joke.

"Ah well, I tried." She reached for the gift bag to look for other sweet variety she could offer Naru and felt something small and hard at the bottom of the bag. She pulled it out and found herself clutching the forgotten cellphone charm. "Oh yeah, Naru, look! It reminds me of you, see?" She held the charm out to him. It was an image of a tiny black fox, it's puffy tail curled around its body similar to what an angry cat does when it wants to be left alone, its eyes stern and cartoon-ish looking. She felt herself stiffen up a bit as his hands brushed against hers lightly when he grabbed it to have a closer look.

"I fail to see how."

"It definitely screams 'Naru'." She bit her lip and continued shyly, "I saw it while I was on the trip and I immediately thought of you. It's my gift to you, if you'd like to accept it." To her immense surprise, Naru pulled out his cellphone and deftly installed the silly trinket. It looked out of place; his flip phone was sleek and black, and when he held it in his hands looked entirely business like, making the trinket stick out like a sore thumb. He paused and looked at her uncertainly when he realized she was gawking at him.

"Isn't this how you're supposed to use them? It's a cellphone charm, isn't it?"

"No, no-yes, I mean, yes. It's a cellphone charm. I was just surprised that you decided to use it. I thought you were going to just refuse it and say it's stupid or something."

"It is stupid, but I'm not an ingrate and will gladly receive gifts that are given to me." As he spoke this, Mai could have sworn she saw a slight smirk.

She pulled out her simple smart phone in a bright blue silicon case. It was one of her most cherished material possession that she was able to purchase with the help of her part-time money. At the end of it was the same black fox charm. "Now we match!" Naru stared at her so intensely for a few seconds that she felt the need to ask him what was wrong. Finally he answered, with a slight reluctance in his voice.

"Give me your cellphone number-in the case you file for leave again in the future. The past few days have been really troublesome since you had moved some things around. Both Lin and I had trouble finding where you put old files."

Mai hit her palm with her fist and mumbled apologetically, "Oh yes... I should have left a note somewhere." Then, when she realized that Naru was quite serious about exchanging cellphone numbers, she set her infrared on and held her phone up to his. In a few seconds, their phone numbers were exchanged.

Naru opened his phone and told her that he will send a message to confirm. In a few seconds, her phone vibrated and the message showed up. It simply said, "More tea." They exchange glances and she laughed out loud, while a soft smile played on his lips. She stood up to heat some more water and asked offhandedly, "Did we end up taking any case while I was gone?"

"Yes. A man came in yesterday for a quick consultation and based on his promising prologue, I've tentatively agreed to take the case. However my decision won't be finalized until he's given us the details on Monday."

"Why didn't you schedule him to come in tomorrow? Why wait until three days from now?" Mai asked. She wasn't sure if she should ask permission for school leave. What if the day ends up being a bust and they turn the case down? But it had to be an interesting case-Naru never would have agreed, even tentatively, if it wasn't worthwhile so she had to be here to hear the details for herself.

"It was the client's wish to come in on Monday. I assume he will be engaged in another business elsewhere for tomorrow." As if reading her thoughts he continued, "I might need you here in the office that day to take notes, so requesting that day off from school is best. I don't know if Lin will be healthy enough to do it by then." Mai nodded and mentally added it to her to-do list. "Also I've decided to close the office for tomorrow since Lin would be out sick and I had no idea you'd have been back by then."

She hummed an affirmative and finished preparing the second serving of tea. After handing Naru his steaming cup, she re-settled in her previous spot once again. "By the way" she said nonchalantly, "are you and Lin-san still staying at a hotel again? Are you staying here on a temporary basis?" In actuality, her gut wrenched at the idea of having to part ways again.

"No, I am planning on staying longer so I have settled in my own apartment."

She was very surprised-and quite relieved. "Oh that's wonderful! Then Lin-san is also staying with you?"

"No. He's got his own place, although he still lives nearby."

"You live by yourself? Around where did you settle?"

"At an apartment around here, about fifteen minutes away by walking."

Mai's eyes widened in shock. Living in the middle of Shibuya was definitely expensive. The man must really be doing well for himself! Then squinting her eyes with concern, she asked, "So... how do you eat? You don't look like someone who'd cook..."

"I don't cook. Microwave dinners or take-outs are my usual meals."

"That's horrible! You should take more care of your body or else you'll get fat eating those unhealthy foods!" When he merely shrugged, Mai rolled her eyes and shook her head before taking another sip of her tea. "Still, I wonder what kind of place Naru stays in. I bet you chose a really depressing place with black walls and black curtains, no pictures or decorations anywhere."

Naru went still and appeared to be having some sort of internal monologue. Just when she thought their conversation had reached a sudden abrupt end, he replied curtly, "Would you like to come by today and see the place?"

Mai blinked rapidly and felt her ears turning red as she tried to process what she had just heard. He was looking at her waiting for a reply so she definitely didn't imagine him saying that. She managed to stammer out, "Y-yes, that would... be... yes. I would like to see? But is it... okay?"

If Naru had detected her embarrassment or understood how loaded his question might have seemed to an innocent young girl like her, he showed no hint of it. His voice was smooth and easy when he replied, "Okay. We'll also stop by the grocery store so we can prepare dinner. Of course, since I don't know how to cook you would have to do the honors. Surely living on your own all this time would have given you some housekeeping skills of some sort."

Mai had recovered from her stupor by this time. "Oh, so I'm being invited to be your cook tonight?"

"Since you brought up the fact, yes. In exchange of course, you get to eat for free."

She sighed. "Well I guess that's good enough for me."

They eventually left the office together. "A weird feeling for sure", Mai had thought to herself as she walked with her boss towards the nearest grocery store. As they entered through the automatic doors, he told her to pick out any ingredients she'd need for the dish she would be making and grabbed a basket. She repeatedly asked him if he had any requests, but he just shrugged and left it up to her to decide. Her inspiration came when she saw a nice cut of beef at the meat section and made up her mind to keep it simple by making nikujaga. She led him around and circled toward the vegetable section, picking up potatoes, carrots, and onions, then made their way towards the refrigerated area to get a pack of yam noodles as well, depositing all her items on the basket Naru was effortlessly carrying. She noticed that he was looking around with interest and would sometimes ask her what some of the items were used for, driving in the fact that the whole experience was very surreal. They must have seemed like they were a couple.

The funny feeling in her stomach didn't stop there. The sun had already set once they actually reached his apartment complex, but it was still a little bright out from the sunlight's refraction through the atmosphere. She had to mentally pinch herself to ask if this was real or just a very elaborate dream as they stood in front of his door, apartment 502 up on the fifth floor. She heard him fiddling with his keys and held her breath when he opened the door and made a motion with his head, encouraging her to come in.

"Pardon for the intrusion..." she mumbled softly as he turned on the light. She leaned on the wall and removed her shoes before stepping inside, then immediately looked around. It was in the Western style: fully carpeted floor, modernized kitchen, large windows, and hinged doors. He had a side door leading to a balcony overlooking the city and mused that his silky curtains were definitely not thick enough to block out the city's bright lights at night. His walls were plain white (not black as she had imagined) and bare. There were no decorations at all, no plants, no unnecessary clutter. The only thing there was a sofa, bookshelves with books that looked similar to the ones he had at the office, a laptop, and a kotatsu*. She raised her eyebrow.

"You've already brought out your kotatsu."

Naru walked past her and placed their grocery items on top of the kitchen counter. "That's been out since September. It serves as a coffee table." He started taking the items out. "Will you be using all of these?"

She sauntered up to him and nodded. "I don't see any apron I can use..."

"You know I don't cook so I don't have one."

"Oh, right." Mai tied her hair up again and took the potatoes from his hands and began washing them over the sink. "I'll need your help with the chopping, can I trust you with a knife at least?"

Naru didn't verbally answer but instead just reached over her, gently pushing her off the side as he reached for the knife and the cutting board. He placed it on the counter and rolled up his sleeves to begin chopping. Meanwhile, Mai collected the other ingredients and began her preparations.

It took an hour for them to finish preparing dinner. Mai laughed at seeing Naru looking tired and teased him for having such a poor stamina for cooking. He scowled at her but ended up helping her set up the dining table anyway and soon the two began their meal. Mai pursed her lips to the side as she scooped several potatoes to serve into both their plates, muttering, "Geez, you could have at least tried to cut them all up in the same sizes you know."

"Does that make a difference in the taste? If not, then there is no point. The potato is cut enough that we can eat it." Mai sighed. Naru was always going to have this no nonsense attitude and he was going to apply it to everything.

They ate in a comfortable silence, with Mai starting a majority of their small conversations about random topics. After they finished, she served up more tea and resumed talking about her trip to Okinawa. She couldn't tell if he was listening, but now and again he would grunt to show that he wasn't zoning out at least. When she had nothing else to say, she asked, "So were you able to learn anything about cooking today?"

"No."

"But I showed you and explained everything to you as I was doing it!"

He took a sip of his tea and gently put it down, a thought clearly forming in his mind. "One day of teaching won't make me a master."

Mai narrowed her eyes. "So what do you mean?"

He pursed his lips and tapped his fingers lightly on the table. Without looking her in the eye he replied, "If you would be willing to come home with me every evening, you can continue to teach me. Of course you will have complete control over the menu so you can pick out anything you'll need and I will pay for it, and in exchange, you get to eat free dinners everyday."

Her heart started palpitating and the joy she felt at this offer was difficult for her to conceal. Eventually she managed to mask her joy and replied, "Well... sure, of course I wouldn't mind teaching you... But I can't help but feel like I'm becoming a housemaid."

Naru let out an easy laugh, surprising Mai. He said to her sincerely, uncharacteristic of him, "I won't expect you to come in during the weekends of course, or if you're busy. Whatever schedule works for you. You are also free to refuse; I'm not ordering you to accept."

Well when he becomes all charming like this, who could refuse? "Well okay, I don't see why not! I can come Mondays to Saturdays, but I need Sundays off because I have plans then. Don't worry, you'll be capable of cooking in no time, Naru."

Notes: Omiyage* is a Japanese term for souvenirs given to friends and family after a trip. Kotatsu* is a heated table usually brought out in winter time. Again thank you for taking the time to read.