A/N: So sorry I haven't updated. I was really busy this summer… I got a job! Good for buying Ghost Hunt manga… Bad for updating my stories…
Disclaimer: I think maybe I should think of a theme before I think of a clever disclaimer… I own squat.
Pairing: Mai and Naru
Theme: Keeping a secret
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"Don't forget about… our plans, Mai." Ayako emphasized as she left the SPR office. Mai giggled and waved.
"Of course I won't." She responded before sitting at her little desk to actually do some work.
"Plans?" Bou-san asked from one of the comfy couches. He was going to finish his tea before leaving.
"Yep. I'm sure Ayako will tell you about them sooner or later. I think she already told John and he probably told Masako... And Ayako heard from Madoka so Lin most likely knows… So then everyone who needs to know knows!" Mai smiled brightly and straightened out some papers.
"Know… what?" Bou-san asked, thoroughly confused.
"That's on a need-to-know basis and I can't tell you here." Mai said looking around. Bou-san finished his tea and stood up.
"Well then I'm go stalk Ayako until she tells me what's up. See ya!" He ran out the door after saluting Mai.
"Uh, yeah, you do that…" Mai sighed.
"What's going on?" The emotionless voice made her freeze.
"N-Nothing really." Mai stammered and started frantically messing with the papers scattered all over her desk. "Oh, look at that. I have a ton of work to do. D-Don't you?" Mai asked, rubbing the back of her head and laughing nervously.
"Hn…" Naru gave her a suspicious look but turned back into his office anyway. Mai heaved a sigh of relief and then moaned at the sight of her now messy desk.
-
"You don't know how hard it is to keep a secret from Naru!" Mai moaned into her cell phone. She had taken a break to call Madoka and let her know of her difficult position.
"But hey, when it's all over it'll be totally worth it!" Madoka's cheerful voice only made Mai more depressed.
"When is the real thing again?" Mai asked, hoping for it to be soon.
"I'd say not for another two or three weeks."
"W-WHAT?!" Mai yelled in surprise then slumped over her desk again in defeat. "If he finds out before then, you'll know it's all my fault. Why did you have to tell me right away?!" Mai whined and kicked her feet like a child.
Naru stood in his doorway, listening to every word. He smirked, knowing that it would be easy to extract the information he desired from his flustered assistant.
"Mai." He spoke after she hung up. He carefully kept his face devoid of any emotion as she looked at him startled.
"N-Naru! How long have you been standing there?" Mai asked worriedly.
"Do you have any plans this afternoon? I would like to take you to a tea shop not far from here." He said before turning back into his office to think of clever things to say to get Mai to talk… It was much better than working… Or pretending to work when Mai came in.
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"S-So… tea. I like tea. I like all kinds of tea. But I've only ever tried black tea and green tea. Maybe I should try some other kinds of tea? What kinds of tea do you recommend Naru?" Mai babbled as they walked into the store. She had been fretting over the idea of being alone with Naru while keeping a secret from him.
"I like hiden tea." He smirked at Mai who stiffened. (A/N: 'hiden' means secret in Japanese… or so says my translation site.)
"O-O-Oh really… W-Who knew there was such a thing…?" Mai forced a weak smile as she tried to read the menu.
"I'll take a large black tea and a medium green tea for the girl." Naru told the young man at the counter before putting a 1,000¥ on the counter and walking away. Mai silently followed, praying that her big mouth would stay shut.
"H-Hey, if you like hiden tea, why didn't you get it? Mai asked, trying to keep up a happy face.
"Didn't feel like it. And speaking of secrets, are you keeping one?" He asked bluntly, looking Mai over with his cold eyes. She was fiddling nervously with a packet of sugar and kept biting her lip.
"No, of course not. What kind of girlfr- girl do you think I am?" Mai caught herself. She knew that Naru hated it when she called herself his girlfriend… Even though it was true… And however bad Mai wanted to declare it to the world, she wouldn't speak a word of it to keep Naru happy.
"Really then. So what is it that everyone knows and that I do not?" He asked, getting straight to the point. But before Mai could stammer a reply, the waiter came with their orders.
"One large black tea and one medium green tea. And here's a little special something for you miss." The waiter winked and handed Mai a small slip of paper. She took it, confused, and blushed when she was the phone number on it.
"He was flirting with me…" She whispered to Naru before giggling. Naru stared at the paper in utmost hate. Sure, he never acted like it, but he did love his Mai. But you'd be lucky to live more than two seconds knowing it.
"…" Naru couldn't really think of anything to say to that so he sipped his tea and decided to be more direct.
"Mai, all I'm asking is to know what it is that you know and I do not. You shouldn't keep secrets from your boyfriend." Naru said, partly because the waiter was within hearing distance and partly to soften Mai up for her to speak.
"And all I'm saying is that it's nothing you should concern yourself with. Now, thank you for the tea but I must get home… M-My cat needs to be fed." Mai fibbed up a reason to leave as she firmly denied Naru the pleasure of knowing her secret.
"What cat?" Naru muttered as he silently admitted defeat. He'd never heard Mai speak in such authority and, honestly, he kind of liked it.
-
"He knows that I'm keeping something from him." Mai whispered as she took her break outside the SPR office. She glanced at the door, making sure that Naru wouldn't eavesdrop again.
"Well then tell him a secret you have to throw him off. Do everything in your power to keep him in the dark!" Madoka cheered Mai on through the cell phone. Mai sighed.
"I don't think I have any secrets he doesn't know. Give me something to tell him!" Mai whined, not caring that she sounded like a child. This time, Madoka sighed.
"Tell him… your Great-Great- Great Aunt Gertrude-or-something is having a baby. Or make her my great-geart-great aunt so he doesn't get so suspicious." Madoka quickly made up. Mai's frown deepened.
"Like he'll believe that."
"Sure he would. I almost got away with not inviting him to the wedding but then Lin just had to ruin my fun." Madoka sighed as though she really regretted having Naru at her wedding… Even though he was Lin's best man.
"… Oooook. I'll try it." Mai said, not believing that Naru would fall for it. She closed her cell phone and opened the SPR door. She was about to go in but there was a large, black wall in front of her.
"Mai, can I talk with you in my office?" Naru asked, colder than he had intended. Mai winced but followed Naru in.
"So. Care to explain what it is you're keeping from me now?" He sat at his desk and faced his guilty looking assistant. He really didn't want to resort to direct confrontation but… He was really curious as to what it was that Mai wouldn't tell him.
"Um… Madoka's Great-great-great-great Aunt Gertrude uh, had a baby and she didn't want anyone to know yet." Mai had to have been the world's worst liar at that moment.
"Right…" Naru almost couldn't believe how ridiculous (and obvious) that lie was.
"But that doesn't explain why everyone knew except for me." He pointed out.
"Well that's because… The uh, baby was named after you! And we, um, didn't want you to know until Madoka had pictures of it… Which will be here in two weeks!" Mai frantically explained. She tried to sound like she believed in what she was saying but it wasn't working as well as she would have liked.
"… I see. You can go." He waved her out and Mai happily obliged, practically running out of the room.
'Please, God, let these two weeks pass by without another interrogation!'
-Two weeks later-
"Oh, Naru!" Mai poked her head into Naru's office and treated him to a bright smile. He nearly smiled back but caught himself at the last second.
"Yes?"
"Those pictures of Madoka's Great-great-great-whatever's baby came in! Come out and look at them!" Mai giggled and took Naru's hand and gently pulled him out to the main part of the office.
Multi-colored streamers were taped to every corner of the room. Balloons hug from the ceiling and were taped to the walls. A large banner that said 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!' hung above the SPR door. Naru stared at the decorations for a second before Madoka, Lin, Masako, Ayako, Bou-san, and even John jumped out and yelled "Happy birthday Naru!"
"I was just joking about Madoka's Aunt. Happy birthday!" Mai smiled at him and but an oddly shaped present into his hands. He held it a moment before asking,
"What is it?" Mai sighed.
"You have to open it." She said and took a step back to watch. Naru's nimble fingers tore at the paper and then held an oddly shaped piece of clay in his hands. He turned it around trying to figure out what it was until Mai yelled at him.
"It's a cup, stupid! See? The handle is here and this is where you would drink the tea, or whatever else is in there." She pointed and showed him how to work the contraption before setting it on the table.
"I made it myself." She proudly added.
"And this is from the rest of us." Madoka quickly came to Naru's aid, who was at a loss for words as to what he should say to Mai.
"A… camera?" He held the small digital camera with one hand, confused.
"Yeah!" Mai grabbed the camera and then took hold of Naru's arm. "Smile!" She grinned and snapped a photo of the two of them before Naru could protest.
"Then you take this little chip out and put it in your computer…" Mai walked over to Naru's work computer and put the chip into the correct slot. Almost instantly, Naru was hovering above her trying to prevent her from deleting anything important.
"And, there! You now have a fabulous picture of your girlfriend as your desktop background!" Mai smiled at him and Naru stared at their picture. It almost looked like he was… happy.
Without another word, Naru pulled Mai to him and kissed her. Mai squeaked in surprise but warmed up to his kiss.
"Thanks for the best birthday ever."
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A/N: I don't wanna go to school tomorrow! (cries)