A/N: New chapter! Again, I also wanted to say thanks times a million for all of the awesome reviews I'm getting

Disclaimer: You get the picture.

Chapter 8: Seeing is Believing

Her time spent in the soundless library, cleaning, dusting, muttering to herself about why Naru needed manners lessons seemed never-ending. Eternity seemed to pass before the clock even struck one real hour. So far, all but one bookcase had been cleaned, Mai was covered head to toe in filth, and the stack of already finished books at Naru's feet seemed to be growing by the minute.

Being the person she was, Mai had tried talking to Naru. Her attempts made in the past hour were nothing short of desperate, but friendly nonetheless. Evidently, only the desperate part had made it past Naru's thick skull. His responses were nothing short of rude and she didn't want to elaborate afterwards. Why try to make conversation with someone who obviously just didn't care? She was stuck, end of story.

But there was still one thing that was dead set in her mind, something she knew she had to say. And Naru was going to answer whether he liked it or not. She had to ask him about all of these books. Mai hadn't gotten anywhere in the giant almanac; she had fallen asleep after the first three pages. So how could he possibly be interested in ghosts enough to keep hundreds of book about them in his own personal library?

There was only one way to find out.

"Ne, Naru," Mai started again for what seemed like the twentieth time. Naru no longer bothered with looking up from his book. His long legs were stretched out across the sofa, the thick book perched in his lap, jet-black bangs hanging over dull eyes and framed reading glasses. The same indifferent Naru as always. "What's with all of the books being about ghosts and stuff like that? Why are there so many? They can't all have something completely different to give, can they?"

There was a beat before Naru replied. "So you've been snooping around and reading when you were supposed to be working."

Mai blinked. That was his idea of a decent answer? "That doesn't tell me anything I just asked you!"

There was no beat of silence this time before Naru's quick tongue and wit lashed out at her again. "I never said it would."

With her grip forcibly tightening on the rag she was holding, Mai desperately tried to keep her cool and retorted, "You know, it's common courtesy when someone asks a question you're supposed to answer it."

Somehow, he managed to evade her comeback for a third time, merely saying, "It's common sense to do your job as you're told."

Ignore the books - that could be used for bashing his head in. Ignore the bookcases - which she could drop on him… somehow. Ignore the cleaning supplies - which she could spray in his eyes to blind him with. Just keep still so you don't strangle him or kick him and everything will be okay… as long as he keeps his mouth shut.

"It's not like ghosts are real or anything," Mai grumbled to herself, turning back to her last bookcase, and kneeled down to the lowest level. She was so close to being done, so close… until Naru stifled a scoff. Mai looked back up at him with her eyes narrowed. He quickly collected himself and glared back up at her again like his composure had not been sacrificed whatsoever. He responded with a perfectly even monotone.

"You really believe that? That ghosts do not exist?"

It took Mai a few seconds to respond, slightly perplexed at his actions beforehand. "Well, yeah. There's no proof of a ghost's existence yet, even though there's reported hauntings and psychics and other useless crap like that. People just want to be famous. They just want attention. It's not actually real."

"Hn."

Mai shoved the newly dusted books back on the bottom self with a grunt and a half-satisfied smile after his last rejoinder. He was obviously unable to come up with anything better to say. And now she was done. Finished. Her job was complete. Finally. And then Naru, the smart-alecky, bubble-burster he was, had to go and destroy all of her pride.

"Don't look so accomplished. You still have the windows."

Mai groaned out loud, her head hung. It was always her that was stuck. Always, and she had no way to get out of it. Dragging her feet loudly across the floor, she gathered her supplies and made her way across the room to the crimson curtains. Mai cast a glance over her shoulder at Naru, still contentedly reading his book and pretending she didn't exist. She sighed softly, her daydreams taking over her mind completely. He really was handsome… all except for his eyes, always so cold and hostile. But she saw… she saw he could be nice when he wanted to be, even if it was only in her one dream, she was convinced that she could see it come true.

And then the unexpected struck. Finally looking up from his book, he slowly took his thin reading glasses off and stared almost thoughtfully up at Mai. Purposefully and his words chosen carefully, he said, "I don't think it will be possible for you and I to get along in this place if you don't believe in ghosts."

Because we totally got along before you knew I didn't believe in something a stupid as ghosts, Mai scoffed inside her head sarcastically, but kept her head turned towards Naru. She couldn't deny she was intrigued. What was he going to do then?

"So… let me tell you a story and then we'll see whether you still don't believe in ghosts or not. Deal?"

Mai bit her lip, thinking. No work… no insults… just Naru telling her a story for the heck of it. He really did want her to believe him, didn't he? Mai spared a smile and nodded. Who could turn this down?

"Deal."

He pointed her to the chair facing the sofa across from him and Mai scrambled over with the rag, examining it. When she look back at him and cocked her head to the right with wide eyes, Naru exhaled sharply, exasperated at her ignorance.

"I meant for you to sit in the chair. It doesn't need to be cleaned."

Realization dawned. "…Right. I knew that. I mean, sorry. Um, I'll sit now." Mai plopped herself down across from him, a bright red blush staining her cheeks. She dropped the musty rag on the ground at her feet and looked back up at him intently. Naru stared at the rag for a second in slight disgust, but then returned his attention to Mai. He began his story.

"A long time ago, in a house much like this one, a girl about your age was hired as a maid. She and all of the other hired servants all lived at the mansion together. But the girl, before she had left, had herd dozens of stories about the place she had been hired to work in. The house had an… interesting history. People were said to go missing in the dark of night. Screams were often heard from out of nowhere. And then people who went missing were replaced without a second thought. No one heard from them again, but no one really ever had the courage to ask.

"The house itself was constructed like a surreal painting. Stairs on the ceilings, window on the floor, doors that lead to nowhere, and dead-ended hallways. No one could get anywhere without a guide or a map of some kind if they were new. This new maid was foolish and didn't believe any of the so-called stories that warned her to be careful. She merely completed her jobs as she was told, but ignored any of the rules that were given with such caution.

"One night, when everything was silent and everyone who worked around the house had gone to sleep for the day, the maid was just heading to bed alone. She had heard that no one was supposed to wander the halls alone, but she had done it many times before and nothing bad had ever happened. But this night… this night was very different and would change her life forever."

Naru paused for an increase in tension, wetting his thin lips for a moment, and continued. Mai sat at rapt attention, keeping her eyes trained on Naru. Mai could have sworn her heart was beating loud enough that Naru could hear it - not because of the story, but because of his piecing gaze, his eyes more alive than she had ever seen them.

"The maid heard footsteps behind her, and turned to look. She saw nothing and so she continued forward. Right as she began to walk again, something grabbed her shoulder. And before the maid knew it, before she could scream, before she could wrench herself for the grip and run for help, before anything could happen at all - the maid found she had been paralyzed.

"Three more hands reached out to grab her and drag her backwards. The young maid could do nothing about it."

Naru's voice had gone quiet and raspy, building the drama. This was truly the first time Mai had ever seen him so enthusiastic about anything. He went on, "She knew something was wrong. The maid could not speak, scream, or make any sort of noise to alert others in the house that she was in danger. Out of the corner of her eye, she managed to catch a glimpse of her kidnappers. Translucent hands held tight on her shoulders. The maid knew her suspicions had been false. No human could be this strong. No human had translucent hands. She knew, even though fear struck her as she thought it, that was had kidnapped her was not living.

"Further and further back she was pulled, more and more scared she became. Silence deafened her. Suddenly, she felt her heels drag across gravel and saw the door fade away in front of her. Hedges ran along the sides of her and an iron fist clenched her heart. She had heard far too many stories about this path. She was being led to her death. The young maid knew anything else was useless. Slowly, she closed her eyes and gave up.

"When she opened her eyes again, she found herself strapped to a lab table, the two men standing over her with a butcher knife."

Naru's jaw clenched shut and the open book on his lap clapped shut. Mai waited on bated breath for him to finish the story. And…? And, and, and…? The master didn't talk. His lips didn't even part again. Mai had to step in and ask for the ending herself.

"But - but - what happened? Did the girl survive?"

There was a glimmer of amusement in Naru's eyes as he stared at her for a long while, keeping their gaze locked and the room silent. Chills had already crawled up her back and were now spreading to her scalp and arms. Naru still did not respond. Mai tried to open her mouth, tried to interrupt again, but found she couldn't. No - she wouldn't. This moment was too precious to destroy. Mai would just have to wait until--

BANG.

Mai jumped and yelped at the same time as the door swung open, with the little teacup standing there in the entry. Breathing heavily, she realized it had only been the door opening. Beginning to return her attention to Naru, the reality of it suddenly hit her. Mai leapt up, forgetting about the ending of the horror story, and rushed to the door - the open door.

"You are my savior! I cannot thank you enough, really, you completely saved me from going insane! Thank you thank, thank you!" Mai gushed, wanting to hug the teacup, but couldn't find a way. Instead, she shot him another thankful smile. Mai could have sworn she saw him blush.

"Please don't tell Madoka I unlocked the door. Hurry, before she finds out…" John ushered her outside and down the hall, out of sight but not out of mind. Not for Naru, that is.

The young master still stood next to the sofa, his gaze still focused where Mai and John had just exited. He knew she hadn't finished the windows, but he didn't need to remind her of that now. Naru knew his tea would be brought to his office within the next quarter of an hour, and he knew that she would wait for her next job. Mai was predictable, he could say that much. But the gleam in his eyes betrayed nothing, just as he had trained himself and his emotions to be a long time ago. But it looked like his friends were right - nothing could stay the same for long, not with that impertinent little servant around, anyway. His soft sigh finally answered Mai's overlooked and disregarded question.

"I hope she did."

Coming out of the kitchen with the hot tray of tea for Naru, Mai pranced obliviously down the halls, humming happily. After John had escorted her back to the kitchen, Mai had followed orders like Naru had said and made him his tea. They seemed to have an unending stock of the tea leaves for Naru alone. Really, how much would these servants do for their master?

Mai turned the corner, looking up and down the dark, dingy halls. This place needed a little brightness, a little liveliness added to its message of gloom. All the curtains were made of the same heavy material that hung in the library. The curtains, when completely closed, were like another wall - no light filtered though at all. Her next job, self-proclaimed of course, would be to run through this entire mansion and open all of the curtains. It was the middle of the day! The sun should be visible, at least.

Mai looked even farther down the hall. Had something just moved down there? Curiously, Mai slipped forward, expecting to see Ayako or Bou-san or maybe even Madoka wandering the halls. But, no, there was something else. A man. Black hair, black slacks, and a white button-up dress shirt. At first, she thought was Naru. There were no other people in this house and that was the only possibly answer. But as she looked closer, however, she saw Naru was not this tall, his hair was not that long and did not hang in front of his face like that, and this man - it simply couldn't be - this man was… transparent.

Mai blinked. The image did not waver. The tray shook slightly in her hands and she took a hasty step backward. Naru's story flooded back into her mind. She had never even heard the ending, but somehow, her gut was that it wasn't a happily ever after. The tray crashed to the ground and the man looked up, eyes wide. Mai had already turned on her heel and fled. Maybe Naru was right. Maybe ghosts did exist. There was only one way to find out.

"Taniyama-san!" Lin's voice called out behind her, but she did not stop. Her legs wouldn't let her stop. No, there was only one person she had to talk to now. And she needed to find him fast.

A slightly harried Lin watched the young girl run down the hall and turn out of sight. He closed his eyes halfway and sighed heavily. Boy, was he going to get an earful from Naru - not to mention Madoka. He turned nonchalantly and decided to pretend this whole thing never happened. It was for the best. Who was Naru really going to believe? Mai or Lin?

The tea lay utterly forgotten on the ground.

A/N: Please tell me someone recognizes that story Naru told. Please. Well, there's nothing else I can think of, except: please review!