*takes deep breath* This is it, this is the last chapter... I'm sad. I've worked on this story for a little over two years now, and now it's ending... *sighs* But thank you so, so, so much for all the reviews, favoriters and followers! Yall seriously have no idea how much it means! :') And also, of course, thank you to the 46 reviews on the last chapter! Okay, enough talking, here's the longest chapter I've ever written for this and my Christmas gift to you! Hope it's okay...
Disclaimer: It's good that this is the last chapter because I'm running outta ways to say that I DON'T own Ghost Hunt! XD
Mai's POV
Sitting on my small couch, I sighed to myself as I looked around at my seemingly empty apartment. After being surrounded by Naru's family day and night for the past week, it just seems lonely all by myself now. Though I was use to it before all this happened, so I guess I'll just have to get use to it again. 'I just need to forget everything that's happened and try to act like things were the way before.' I told myself.
It's been almost five hours since I arrived at my apartment from the airport—and I had already called Luella to let her know I arrived back safely; I'm not sure why, but by the tone of her voice, it kept sounding like she was grinning like a crazy person. I had also considered calling Monk or Ayako to come pick me up from the airport, but I had just decided to take a train home. If they knew I was already back in Japan without Naru and Lin, they'd just ask questions. I know I'll have to tell them all the truth soon, but I can't do it right now. Perhaps tomorrow...or the next day.
I was a little happy I got some answers out of Lin though. On the way to the airport I had kept talking, demanding that he'd tell me, until he finally sighed and began to speak just so I'd shut up. Apparently Luella and other two never told Lin that they knew the truth, nor did Luella and them know that Lin also knew it. Lin also told me that it was him who locked Naru's bedroom door that first night we were in England. I then felt guilty for blaming Luella—I had really thought it was her. Well, no one had expected it to be Lin anyways. Least I'm not the only one. And it seemed the reasons why Lin never told anyone about mine and Naru's fake relationship was the same as Luella's. Does everyone think Naru loves me?
Also, I now understand some of the things Luella did, which I thought were completely insane at the time. Like putting me in Naru's room. She knew nothing would happen between us because we weren't actually together; as she said before, she was trying to push us together, so she was only trying to make us spend more time with one another. That being said, I know why she had the two maids make all the guest rooms look as though they were being remodeled too. She knew Naru would insist I sleep in one of them instead of his room, so she had to plan ahead and make it seem there was no other space for me except with him. I have to hand it to her, Luella thinks of everything, and thinking back on it all...I wonder how I could have never noticed any of this before.
I stood up and walked into my bedroom, looking at my suitcase, which I had yet to unpack, and all the bags full of clothes from the shopping trips with Luella and Madoka. I never did take out the clothes in any of those either. 'I still can't believe Luella spent so much money on me...someone who she hardly knew and who was lying to her...' I thought. Mentally shaking my head, ridding myself of the pitiful thoughts, I knew just by looking at the multiple bags that there was no way everything would fit in my dresser.
After standing there for several minutes, I decided to throw out my old clothes—just the ones that were beginning to get too small and that looked old—to make room for the new ones. I went to my closet and got a box or two to put the old clothes in before walking back into my bedroom. As I went through them all, I decided to give the clothes to one of my neighbors. Her daughter is around fourteen, so maybe she could use them. So, after I was done sorting them all out, I placed the two boxes next to my front door. I'd give them to my neighbor later on.
Worn out after everything that's happened in the last day or two, I made myself a cup of tea. Then I sat on the couch and watched TV until I dozed off. I'm not sure how long I was asleep, but I was woken up by a loud knock on my front door. Groggily, and slightly off-balance, I got up to answer the door. I honestly expected it to be my landlady since she was the only one who knew I was back. However, when I opened the door, I instantly became wide awake and alert upon seeing who was on the other side.
"Na-Naru...?" I stuttered with wide eyes. What in the world was he already doing back in Japan? And at my apartment no less! "Wh-what are you doing here—" However I was rudely interrupted when my boss ignored me and walked passed me to go into my apartment. My shock—and embarrassment—was immediately placed with annoyance. I hate how he makes my emotions change in an instant. "Come in why don't you?" I mused sarcastically as I closed my door. With crossed arms, I turned towards Naru and waited for him to give an explanation. Whether it was why he was already here in Japan again, or why he so rudely barged into my home, I didn't care. I just wanted some sort of explanation.
"You're an idiot."
At his words, my eyes went wide with disbelief. That's the first thing he has to say to me? That I'm an idiot? What am I stupid for this time exactly, saying I loved him again? If you asked me, I'd say he's the idiot—for various reasons obviously.
"Excuse me? How dare you barge into my home and say—"
"I didn't stay in an airport for half the night and come here all the way from England for no reason at all." He said, cutting me off again. That was becoming too bad of a habit for him, and it irritates me. He can't just cut me off when he likes. I was suddenly aware that he had one fist clenched, which was weird. He usually only does that when he's mad, but why only one this time?
"Oh, really? Then what's this 'reason'?" I demanded. The embarrassment from earlier when said I loved him again had surprisingly vanished, instead I'm back angry at him for all the things he said to me before I told him that.
"I think you know, Mai." Naru scowled at me. I furrowed my brows. Does he expect me to read his mind? I don't have those kind of abilities you know, Naru!
"No, I'm pretty sure I don't." I insisted. That seemed to make Naru indignant.
"You gave back—" However, this time Naru cut himself off. His mesmerizing blue eyes moved their gaze from me to behind me. When he narrowed his eyes, I looked behind me to see what had his attention. All I saw was the two boxes of clothes I'm going to give away. "What are those?" He asked gesturing to them, but he didn't look back at me. I let my arms drop to my sides.
"Boxes of clothes. Why?" I questioned in confusion, my angry slowly fading. Naru tightened his clenched fist before sliding his gaze on to me and taking a few steps until he's right in front of me. He opened his hand up and in the palm of his hand laid a key. It looked very familiar.
"If you think you can leave that easily, then you're more of a dummy than I thought." He stated, forcing the key into my hand. I opened my mouth to yell at him for the insult, my words were at the tip of my tongue, but I suddenly recognized the key. It's my key. To the SPR office. I know because when I turned it over in my palm, I saw the letters 'SPR' written in permanent marker—which I had done—on the other side. Naru gave it to me right after he came back to England, saying there wasn't a reason why I shouldn't have one now. But where did he get this from...? It should have been on my key ring with my other keys.
"How did you...?" I trailed off as I looked at the object. My eyebrows were knitted together, puzzled. Just to be sure, I decided to confirm whether this is mine or not. Ignoring Naru, I walked passed him and went into my bedroom where my keys were. Once I found them I checked each key carefully, but in the end, the SPR wasn't on it. So the one Naru had actually was mine... I placed the keys on my dresser by the door, still holding the SPR one, and walked back to the living room to Naru. He hadn't moved much but he did turn around so he had been watching me. "How did you get this?" I asked, holding up my key.
"What are you talking about?" He questioned, the tiniest bit of confusion leaking into the great Oliver Davis' voice. "You already know how I did."
"Just tell me, Naru." I ordered. He now seemed hesitant and annoyed at the same time, but he complied thankfully. I haven't understood what's been going on since he got here, and I think he's beginning to feel the same way too.
"You gave it to Mother before you left and told her to give it back to me." He muttered, flicking his gaze to my hand before back at my face. I what...?
"Naru... I didn't give this to Luella... I didn't tell her to give it to you either." I said, almost warily. I immediately had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something tells me this is another one of Luella's schemes. Ah, now I understand why she let me leave so willingly!
"Mother." Naru hissed, instantly coming to the same conclusion as I did. His facial expression hardened, scowling, as he glared at the wall behind me. How stupid we are to fall for Luella's plans again? I especially can't believe Naru did...
"We should've known." I sighed, tucking the key into my pants' pocket. "Wait, why would you even think I'd quit in the first place?!" I demanded accusingly. "Do you really think so low of me as an employee to just quit over this? Not likely, narcissist!"
"Of course I don't." He said coldly. He looked at me like I was stupid for even considering such a thing. Well, he's an idiot for ever thinking I'd quit. "But after everything that happened I didn't know what you'd do anymore." He admitted, stunning me into silence. 'Wait...is that why he was so concerned over those boxes? Did he think I was moving away or something also?' After a few moments I cracked a small grin, almost as if to reassure him.
"Didn't I say in the beginning that I wasn't going to lose my job over all of this?" I smiled softly, a bit sadly, to myself. "I meant it, Naru. No matter what was done...or said...I'm not going to quit, and I don't want to be fired over this." I confessed. I hoped he knew what I was referring to. I feel like crying again. I hate this; I've felt so many different emotions in the half hour he's been here. 'Why is this so hard?' When Naru made no move to speak, I continued, hoping to resolve this. "Look, just...just forget everything that was done or said between us, alright? And I'll try to do the same." I tried to smile and wave my hands in front of me to say I was okay with it. But I wasn't. However Naru's gaze was focused on the floor.
"...Can't." I heard part of him say. It was so low it was almost a whisper.
"What?"
"I can't." He said louder, finally looking at me again. "And I don't want to."
When he saw my eyes widen slightly, he looked away once again. Why does he keep doing that? It was like he couldn't look at me because he was... No, wait... Is he embarrassed—or something along the lines of it?! I had to hold back a smile. I wouldn't comment on it though. If he's actually willing to talk about this, then I'm not going to say something so stupid like that in front of him and jeopardize it. I don't want him to close back up to me.
"Why?" I asked. But he stayed silent. A minute went by before I spoke again. "Please tell me, Naru. I just—I just want to know where we stand right now... You don't have to feel the same way about me as I do with you, in fact I never expected you to. Not even the first time around, which you approved that you didn't... You don't have to act on my feelings for you. I just wanted you to acknowledge them for a moment then you could forget if you wanted to. I just wanted you to know."
I started to feel really stupid when Naru still stayed quiet, and embarrassed because of all the things I just said. 'Another indirect confession...' I should just keep my mouth shut for once. Standing here feeling awkward about this isn't helping me, Naru... Why can't he say something, anything?! 'I just want to know how you feel about me...' My mind suddenly paused and flashbacked to what Luella had told me. "Noll doesn't say much; it's the little things you have to look for to know what he's thinking or feeling because God knows he's not going to voice them out loud." Thinking on that, I closed my eyes for a moment and visualized everything Naru's done and said to me.
He always argues and insults me, but he doesn't do it to be mean, he just picks on me for his own amusement. I have to say, it would be weird if we didn't have our little spats all the time anyway. And then there are the times when he's always there for me when I'm in trouble. He's always, I mean like always, the first person who gets to me before anyone else. Every time something happens to me on cases, sooner or later he always finds a round about way to ask me if I'm okay, even when I'm perfectly fine and didn't have a scratch on me. But the thing is, I've never ever seen him do these things with anyone else. These past two weeks have been the only times I've really seen Naru when we're not at the office or on a case, and he's been more nicer to me. Considerate even. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't notice that sometimes Naru would put his arm around me or hold my hand when he didn't really have to. His parents and Madoka wouldn't even be paying attention to us, just talking among themselves, but he'd still do it. I never thought anything about it at the time; I just thought he was just taking precautions... And then there was how he acted when he thought I was out with Luca—it wasn't just because of his parents. And also how he acted when he thought I was leaving SPR... Leaving him. Could it be...?
These are things I've noticed, Luella. I have a feeling you may have been right all along. We both know how emotionally stunned your son is. He doesn't exactly know how act on them even if he does know what he feels. I know he's not a robot, he knows how he feels. 'He's not that much of an idiot.' I giggled silently to myself.
"I don't understand you." Naru finally spoke, causing me to snap my eyes back to him. Thankfully he was looking at me this time, his gaze dark and scrutinizing. "I know you. I know everything about you, things I doubt you would think I'd know," I raised a brow at that, but I was ignored. "but I still don't understand you. You're very complexing to me, yet you always find a way to surprise me. Of all the things in the world I don't understand why you would want to choose me when you could have anyone you wanted. There isn't any logical reason why you should lo—"
"Love doesn't have to have a reason, Naru." I blurted before he could finish, not really knowing why. I just gave him a soft smile and blushed, continuing to speak. "I love you for you whether you choose to believe it or not..." My blush deepened at saying this out loud. "Honestly, I-I had tried to date other guys to try to m-move on from you, but you would never leave my mind. I now know moving on from you is impossible for me..."
"And you're sure this is your answer?" Naru inquired, still staring at me. What answer? He didn't ask a question, did he? Apparently seeing my confused expression caused Naru to let out a defeated sigh. "I never meant to make it seemed like I 'rejected' you, Mai." He said, and I finally realized what he meant. "You just never gave me an actual answer, so I never knew what to think. Even if you had though...I don't think I would have known what I thought of you as then anyway, I suppose." He looked thoughtful. I looked down at my floor.
"To be honest, after you left, you made me confused. You made reconsider my feelings for you, and you made me doubt myself and think I was stupid for not knowing my own feelings!" I lifted my head up and looked at him accusingly, though it was half-hearted. "But then...that night Gene actually appeared in my dreams to say goodbye before leaving. And you know, when I saw him I didn't feel the way I had when I usually saw him. I knew who he really was, so... I didn't get those stupid, irritating butterflies in my stomach like I had. It was then I realized you were wrong, and I was right. I knew he wasn't my narcissist boss who I thought he was anymore; he was his brother and basically a stranger to me... I guess I never wanted to tell you I figured out my answer because I thought what difference did it matter. I thought nothing would've changed. I never expected you to actually love me back..." I gave a small shrug of my shoulders with a weird, unsure smile.
Naru's eyes went a bit wide with shock.
"I only just figured it out a few moments ago..." I confessed and grinned kind of sheepishly. Naru's shock dispersed and slowly he gave a small smile, making my heart beat faster than it already was.
"At least you're not a complete idiot." He said quietly, though I don't think it was suppose to be intentional for me to hear. "It wouldn't be like a normal relationship, Mai. Don't get your hopes up."
"I know." I nodded in agreement. I know being with him might be challenging, but I'm up for it. "And I don't care. I just want to be with you." My face burned hot when I thought about what I wanted next. If Naru didn't, then I guess he can stop me, push me away, or something. Deliberately, I took one step closer to him so I was right in front of him.
"I love you." I stated, staring into his eyes. Because I was so nervous, I tried my best to keep my voice from shaking. However, Naru didn't say it back, though I didn't expect or really need him to. I knew now that he did, and he kind of admitted it in his own little way anyway. Knowing that he did was enough for me—for now.
Instead of saying anything else, I went up on my tippy-toes and pressed my lips against his before placing my hands on his arms to steady myself. I instantly felt him tense under my touch, and as I was going to pull away after a few moments and apologize for doing something stupid, I then felt him slowly relax. He placed his hands on both sides my cheeks and dipped down a bit, so I wouldn't have to reach up so much, as he responded enthusiastically yet gently to the kiss. I smiled into it. 'I love this.'
"YES! FINALLY!" A voice shouted, after a bright light flashed on us. Naru and I immediately jumped apart from each other, startled. My face burned even more as we looked towards my front door to see Luella grinning like a fool while looking down at her camera in the doorway. Martin was standing behind her shaking his head with a smile. Eyes going remarkably wide, I glanced at Naru to see that his expression was one of shock too. When did they even open the door...? How did they get here...? How long have they been there?!
"Mother." Naru growled, already composed. He glared at her and she looked up at us with owl-like eyes.
"Oops..." She smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, but you see, I couldn't let a moment like this go... I knew this would happen so I got Lin to drive us to the airport after he drove you..." She laughed, waving it off. Naru narrowed his eyes.
"Out." Was all he told her. Luella pouted and dropped her arms to her sides, her camera in one hand.
"Fine... But just tell me this so there won't be anymore confusion and more planning, you two are together now right?! You know, dating? Please say yes, my poor heart can't take much more of you two dancing around each other!" She exclaimed dramatically. Martin rolled his eyes in the background. Naru looked at me from the corner of his eye, like I was doing to him albeit nervously, before sliding his gaze back to his mother.
"Yes, we are." He answered, making Luella squeal again and me incredibly happy. After she got what she wanted, Luella energetically waved goodbye to us and dragged Martin out the door with her. Naru shook his head at his crazy mother's antics while I let out a laugh. Then Naru turned towards me again.
He gently grasped my chin and pressed his lips back on mine, which I gladly welcomed.
THE END! Can't believe I'm finally done lol. Hope the 'confession' part was okay...I suck at that part... Ugh. Anyways, again, thank everyone sooo much for all the support you've given me throughout these two years! I can't thank you enough! And even the silent readers who don't have accounts, thank you! I'm able to see how many views I get for each chapter, and it's a lot more than just my followers, so thank you for just clicking on to my story! I feel so honored!
Just so yall know, I do plan on starting another story later on. Not any time soon though, I wanna try to get Stay Safe a good bit of more chapters in before I start writing another story. I have no idea what I'm gonna call it yet, but I do have most of it planned out, I think. ^.^
So...for one final time, please review, okay? And Merry Christmas to everyone! :D I love you all!