Chapter 4 – A New member… or not?
[A/N]
I've been traveling a lot lately, looking for inspiration... ^_^v
She woke up five in the afternoon, she slept for three hours, she's tired and she's not in the mood to sing. She pick up her phone and called the manager of diner that she's working in, faking her cough, she told him that she caught a colds from one of her classmates, her manager who trusted her so much, believed in her. When she hang up, she let out an exaggerated exhale, she went to the kitchen and made some crème caramel, cooking and making tea is her joie de vivre, after sometime she put her finished product on the fridge. She went back to her room and took her laptop, it was a gift from Akira last year, on her nineteenth birthday. She open her email, she saw a lot of emails coming from her friend, she smile and write an email back asking him if he knows them, then she attached the picture of Naru and Gene, that she secretly took earlier, she clicked the 'send' button when she heard a soft knock on the main door of her apartment, she looked at the email once again making sure it was sent before closed the window and shut it down, she stood up to open the door, and saw her friend pouting, she raised her eyebrow denoting the 'what' question.
"Why did you run away earlier?" she asked, as she entered and lay down on her couch, when Mai didn't answer she continued "I went back in the building and Hashimoto-san keep on shouting 'what a ridiculous idea!' and when I went to the second floor, where they were gathering, I saw a bruised on Shibuya-san's face." She looked at Mai who snorted, she widened her eyes "Don't tell me you're the one who made that?" she asked, trying to stifled a giggle.
"Of course, I did that to him." She proudly said, her friend burst out laughing
"Why? Why did you made such obvious damage on his beautiful face?" then she told her what happen, what he did to make her blood boiled.
"I think he likes you" Akira commented after listening to her story
She shrugged "Huh? I don't think he likes somebody else aside from his self."
She laugh at her pronouncement, she stood up and grabbed her hands "C'mon, let's have dinner at my house. Bring some clothes too, for a sleep over." Without a second thought she went to her room and grabbed some clothes for tomorrow and a coat and followed her outside. Akira brought her car and drive their way to her home.
Madoka patched Naru's bruise with an ice pack while stifled a giggle, Gene and Lin are the same as they looked at the bruise on his right face. Naru rolled his eyes "C'mon let it out and laugh, don't hold it." He said sarcastically, Madoka and Gene mockingly laugh at him, Lin chuckled.
"I really want to congratulate that girl." Gene said between giggles, he ignored his brother's signature glare.
"Yeah, she got some nerves. She punched Lin, and then you?" Madoka chuckled, and looked at the guys "You found yourself a rival, especially to you Noll."
"She's not worthy as a rival" he deadpanned bluntly
Three of them raised their eyebrow "Didn't you notice how she confidently answered your off guard questions? And she even sensed that you're lying about your identity." Lin asked
Naru was silent for a moment "That's why I want to know more about her." He looked at Lin, "And your report?"
Lin opened his laptop, and click the folder which contains his report about Mai Taniyama, they all read it and sadden – she's an orphan and live on her own, no other living relatives, and got into the university thru scholarship.
"That's… not what I'm expecting" Gene plaintively said
Madoka softly nodded "Who would've thought that that witty girl's an orphan."
Naru stared at the picture attached to report, Madoka was right, who would've thought that she's an orphan and living alone? She looked so happy, and positively living with her life, it can be seen thru her bright smile, and her eyes that full of life but somehow the same as his… its hiding something.
"Ah!" Madoka exclaimed remembering something, "I'll get my report on the land that you asked me to research." She went to where Lin put his briefcase and pull out a folder and handed it to Naru.
"So the building sunk 0.2 inches earlier."
Gene looked at the file too "So Mai was right, land subsidence?" he asked, Naru nodded and give the folder back to Madoka.
"I still have to read what Yasuhara managed to research, tomorrow. But now, let's rest and we will wrap up the case tomorrow" He ordered, and he went to his room.
"If I know, he's looking forward on seeing Mai again" Madoka commented and the two guys remained, nodded.
"I want her to work for us." Gene suddenly said
Lin chuckled "I bet he's thinking for a plan to make her work for the company."
"He likes her!" Madoka and Gene exclaimed, then Naru's door abruptly opened revealing the young boss
"I didn't!" he interjected and close it again, and heard Gene and Madoka's laughter. "Well, it's true that I'm thinking of a good plan and reason to make her work with me" he mumbled.
Mai and Akira arrived together at the school, well why wouldn't they? The former slept on her friend's house. When they entered, they noticed Hashimoto-san's dreadful stare at them – or at least at Mai, their other classmates are also staring and whispering, she shrugged at the view, and choose to ignore it.
"What's wrong with them?" Akira asked irritably
"Ignore them Aki, they will do worst if you will get affected on it."
Her friend didn't argue with her any further. In class, they are all quiet listening to their professor. The two are bored hoping their class will end soon, so she can go to the old library again. As if their hopes were answered, their professor dismissed them early because of some emergency that can't be ignored; they stood up immediately and went out the room before their professor. They took different route – Akira went to the canteen, where her boyfriend is waiting; while Mai went to the old library building.
When she got there, she can already heard Ayako and Bou-san's never ending bickering, she sighed and went to the second floor, there she saw Lin's typing whatever Madoka's telling him; Naru's reading on his notes, she don't feel any guilt when she saw the faint bruise on his face, he deserve it! She control herself not to laugh; Ayako and Bou-san are squabbling and John is there referee; Masako's staring at Naru; Gene is constantly yawning, he looked… bored; and Yasu reading his report and give it to Naru.
She noticed that all of the cameras in the second floor are gone, when Gene saw her, he sighed from relief "At last you're here Mai, I thought I'll die from boredom." He leads her to the vacant sit next to his brother, when she looked at him to protest, he winked at her and smile meaningfully, and she can feel Masako's torturing glare. She rolled her eyes, she's about to ask something when she heard her phone beeped, she open and read it, and widened her eyes for a moment when she read the reply of her friend, I see, that's why they looked so familiar she mentally smirk, and typed a reply. She put her phone back after she click the send button and looked at the twins
"How's your investigation?" she asked.
"It seems your right, its land subsidence." Naru deadpanned bluntly, without looking at her, "we will wrap up the case today."
"There are spirits! I can sense them! Why would you listened to her?" They all turned back to see Hashimoto-san standing at the doorway in the second floor and glaring at them.
Naru glared back at her, letting her see his irritation the others looked at her disgustingly "If I were you, you should stop impressing us. We are professionals, and our findings are final."
Hashimoto-san clenched her fist "Then why did you agreed at her pathetic theory?" she yelled pointing at Mai "she's not a professional either."
"Because her theory makes sense at all. She's a psychic, not a psychic wannabe." Naru grated, she looked at Mai, who's still quiet at the moment, and then looked back at the girl. "You tag along with your classmates when you know that they will be having their test of courage, to make them believe that there are spirits in this building, and you're a strong psychic. You're the one who made those bookshelves rattled when you noticed that nothing's happening which regards to paranormal." He noticed that she widened her eyes, and her body is trembling.
She tried to regain her composure "What about the bruise on my neck last time? How will you explain it?" She's won't give up easily at her claim, she want them to acknowledge her, when they were silent at her question, she smirked "What? You can't explain it –"
"Makeup." Naru and Mai said together, they looked at each other and she saw a light smile on Naru's face that only her can see, and she feel the blush on her cheek, and she averted her gaze from him to her classmate. She heard the others gasped, can't believe that someone will do such thing just to stand out from the rest.
She blanched "W-What? D-don't be ridiculous! Why would I do that?" she stuttered, she's nervous and ashamed.
"'Why' you ask?" Naru glared at her, challenging her "to make your act more convincing, to your classmates and to us. That's why you didn't let Yasuhara touched it yesterday, right?"
"And also Hashimoto-san," Mai added "We saw the residue of the makeup on the neckline of your shirt yesterday."
They went all silent, waiting to hear her reasons to defend herself. Then a sob fill in the air, Hashimoto -san covered her face with her palm as she continue crying.
"So Naru, how come she made the bookshelves rattle?" Ayako asked, she don't feel any sympathy towards her.
"Isn't it a poltergeist?" Yasuhara asked too.
"Yeah, it's indeed a poltergeist. But half of the poltergeist cases are caused by human." He looked at the woman who's still crying and being comforted by John "A poltergeist is a form of latent mental power. For some reason, when stress builds up, there comes a subconscious desire for attention and protection. I also research about those students who went here with you Hashimoto-san, they are all your schoolmates since middle school and high school, and you've been known to have a strong spirit sense. If we proved that all the happenings in this building were caused by a subsidence, then you would, no doubt, lose your credibility as someone with spirit powers, and you can't accept that fact. There had to be a poltergeist." Naru explained in one breath.
"You unconsciously caused that to happen, huh?" Yasu uttered, looking at her.
Bou-san still confused "But still, it doesn't answer that old woman's question." Pointing at Ayako, who give him a hard thwack in return!
Gene sighed "I believe that she is a latent psychic. And maybe she's not aware of it."
"Perhaps she has a certain level of PK ability." Madoka concluded, this made Hashimoto-san looked at her.
Naru saw Mai looking confused, he smirked and said "For Mai to increase her IQ, I'll explain what is PK. PK is the ability to turn thoughts into physical forces. An abbreviation for psychokinesis."
She glared at him, "I'm not stupid, I know that already, you jerk!" she exclaimed, but she sober "what would you tell to the president? The building will collapse soon anyway."
"I will tell him the truth." He bluntly said, and Hashimoto-san looked at him with pleading eyes "That's what I intended to do, but it will give more stress to Hashimoto-san, and there's no need for further persecution."
Others sighed from relief. So Naru – Mai's thoughts were cut off when she saw Masako clinging onto him.
"Such a gentleman. As expected from my boyfriend." She said emphasizing the last word while glaring murderously at Mai. Masako can feel Naru's annoyance from what she have done; she's already desperate when Mai came into the picture. Naru likes Mai, she can tell it by the way he looked at her, she's been working in SPR for more than a year already, just like the rest, and she didn't see Naru teased someone before, not even to his brother, only to her. And she won't let her have him!
The others were shocked, "B-Boyfriend?!" they all exclaimed.
"Since when?" Gene asked curiously, "Naru, why didn't you tell me?" I thought you like her? He wanted to add but he controlled his tongue, he looked at Naru, and then to Masako.
"Oh, don't blame him Gene. Naru and I were together since this morning, maybe he's planning to tell you later." She answered and looked at Naru, he's so damn angry, she leaned her head onto his arm "I'm sorry, if I told them so soon."
The room was silent, obviously stunned from the view before them, but a snort broke the silence, they all looked at Mai, who's trying to resist a laugh but failed, her laughter echoed at the building.
"Mai?" John called worriedly, Mai's still laughing and looked at him "Are you alright?" he asked
Mai let her laughter to subside "I'm sorry. I didn't expect that, I thought the only one that he loves is his self. And I don't think he knows anything about courting either." She said looking at Naru.
Naru on the other hand, instead of being insulted, he was amused, and his team is now agreeing with her, he cleared his throat to get their attention and reversed to his stoic feature "I don't pay you play around, take down the cameras on the first floor." He looked at Hashimoto-san "You can now go back to your class."
"Ah wait!" Mai called, she took out her phone, she readied the camera and gave it to her classmate, "Before you go, can you take us a picture?" she requested, she heard the others agreed to her idea, Hashimoto-san smile and took her phone, everyone is on their position, well of course Masako still clinging on Naru, Madoka sits on Lin lap, John is in-between Bou-san and Ayako to make sure they won't start a fight, Yasu cling onto Bou-san's arms, and Gene put her arms on Mai's shoulder, and click! After she took the picture the girl bowed at them and walked out the building.
She looked at it again, everyone is smiling, except Naru. He didn't smile at all he looked so angry and glaring at his brother, she just shrugged.
Naru is back at the building after reporting to the university president. Everyone is helping on taking down the cameras on the first floor when they heard a creaking sound, they looked up and they noticed the debris on the ceiling are falling.
"The building will collapse, get out now." Naru ordered them, but due to her kimono, Masako can't walk faster, she didn't notice the four bookshelves falling towards her, she got scared, she squat and covered her head with her hands, as she brace herself from whatever will happen to her, the others scream but Mai's reflex was fast and used her PK to stop it, but Masako remained frozen, still scared.
"Masako, get up now!" Ayako called, shaking her to snapped, but she's still trembling. Mai can't hold it any further, she closed her eyes, gnashing and clenched her fist swiftly, and the bookshelves crashed into pieces.
"Get out, now!" she yelled at the two, Ayako helped Masako to stand and the others looked at Mai, they were frighten when they saw a trail of blood coming out on the corner of her lips, Naru caught her when she stumble 'rött kött' is the last word he heard before she pass out.
They all got out when the building totally collapse, they heard someone calling Mai's name from the distance, and Naru recognized her as Mai's friend. She panicked when she saw her friend unconsciously carried by Naru towards their van
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed when she saw the crumbled building, then she looked back at Mai, "Shibuya-san, did Mai recklessly used her PK, by any chance?" she worriedly asked.
Everyone looked at her. "Do you know about her PK?" Gene asked
"Of course. Did she used it?" she asked again
Naru looked at her and nodded "Yeah. She crashed the bookshelves and passed out" she looked at Masako, who's still sobbing, if only she immediately get up this won't happen, he looked at Akira again "Do you know what 'rött kött' means?" He asked.
Akira giggled and nodded "It means 'red meat.'"
"Red meat? Why?" Lin curiously asked.
"That's what she will be craving to eat when she wake up from using her PK too much. Well, lean red meat to be exact." She looked at them and handed her a key and a piece of paper "She's just sleeping. Go to her apartment, while I go and buy some red meat. Wait for me until I get back." Naru still confused but took the key and the paper where she wrote her address, from her. She turned her back at them and ran to the parking lot.
They hopped-in the car, and Naru looked at the address its three blocks away from their office. On the passenger seat, he let Mai sleep onto his shoulder, he smiled lightly, and Lin didn't failed to notice it.
"Are you okay now, Hara-san?" Gene asked his fellow medium
She nodded shyly, "I'm fine Gene" covering her mouth with her kimono.
"You scared the hell out of us you know! You should've moved the first time she stopped it." Ayako's seething. Masako can't argue to that, she can move at that time, but she waited for Naru to come for her, but instead he just looked at her and helped Mai, even after she announced to everybody that he's her boyfriend now. She felt her blood boiled looking at the passenger seat.
"Hara-san?" Yasu called, she looked at him, "Are you alright? Having someone sleep on your boyfriend's shoulder?" he asked, and everyone looked at him.
She cover her mouth with kimono, "Oh, I'm alright. I'm not the jealous type, Yasu. I understand that Naru is our boss, and even for a short period of time, Mai helped us on this case, and he considered her as his employee, so it's his responsibility whatever happened to her." She explained, trying not to show her irritation. The others made an 'oh' kind of expression, without knowing that person that they're talking about is controlling his anger.
Lin slowed down, and park the car in front of Mai's apartment complex "We're here" he announced, they all come out from the van, and Naru handed Gene the key to her apartment, when they entered inside, they were amazed, it's extraordinary! It was a well furnished apartment with two guestrooms. Naru opened the door on the right corner that has a monogram – a letter 'M' with a crown above it, so he assumed its Mai's. She carefully lay her down on the bed, and roam his eyes on the room it was well organized, and there are monograms on her wall too, the same monogram on her door. When he heard her friend's voice, he went out from her room and slowly closed the door, careful not to wake her up.
"How's Mai?" She asked Naru when she saw him coming out from Mai's room.
"She's still sleeping." He answered bluntly, he made Gene to move and sit beside him, she nodded from understanding; she looked at the others who are sitting on the circular sofa
"Please stay for lunch, as a compensation from taking Mai back here."
"We loved to but it depends on our –"
"We appreciate it if you prepare some veggies too." Naru interrupted his brother's reasoning, Akira smiled "Of course!" she went to the kitchen. Leaving them all at the living room.
Ayako crossed her arm "It's the first time you accepted an invitation for lunch – apart from our clients. You even bluntly declined a lunch from us."
Naru looked at them, he's about to answer but Masako beat him with it "You should get used to it Matsuzaki-san, now that Naru and I are involved you should expect some changes on him." Naru raised his eyebrow and glared at the medium, the others – except Lin, Madoka and Gene, seems to understand it.
They trailed their eyes on the living room, no TV, only a radio and amplifier, a landline phone, a magazine rack – which contains lots of manga, and a center table made of glass. Bou-san took a manga and read the pages to ease his boredom.
"Her apartment feels so lonely" Ayako said as she also took a manga and boringly flipped the pages.
"I wonder where her parents are." John said suddenly
"She no longer have her parents." Naru paused when he saw they are all looking at him "She's an orphan."
They went all silent. "So how come she afford to studied at Tokyo-U?" Yasu asked
"Thru scholarship" Gene answered.
Masako snorted "What a pity. I bet she really studied to death just to get the scholarship."
"Well, not really Hara-san. She easily passed the scholarship exam, she even finished it within twenty minutes" Akira enunciate, she narrowed her eyes at the medium, she may not have a good instinct like Mai, but she can smell trouble around the young medium.
She looked at the others, and smile "I haven't introduced myself to you right?" they all shook their heads, aside from Naru.
"I'm Yukimura Akira. Nice to meet you!"
Ayako dropped the manga that she's been reading "Yukimura?! As in the owner of Yukimura Airline Group?" Ayako asked in incredulity the others gaped when they heard Ayako's pronouncement. She just smile as an answer. "I'm Matsuzaki Ayako"
Akira stared at her "The owner of Matsuzaki Hospital Group?" Ayako proudly nodded, she pointed Bou-san "That idiot looking old man is Takigawa Houshou, he's an outlaw monk from Mt. Kyouya" Akira raised her eyebrow and started to laugh.
"HUH? What's with that description you old hag!"
Naru sighed listening at their squabbles, he pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt a headache begin to blossom. He cleared his throat to get their attention but it's not working, he sighed again to composed his self, and with his powerful and profound voice he only said one word which made them to stop "QUIET!"
The two stopped, and the room went silent, too silent.
"I-I'm Yasuhara Osamu, a researcher" Yasu suddenly said to ease the tension. John noticing this he cleared his throat and introduce his self as well "I'm John Brown, a priest and exorcist"
Akira gaped, "You mean like in the movie?"
John nodded and smile "The concepts are the same"
"But aren't you too young to be a priest and exorcist?"
"I'm already twenty-three years old"
Her eyes widened and blinked swiftly "You're older than me? Amazing! Looks can really be deceiving" John smiled at her… compliment, or that's what he thinks.
Akira can feel Gene's stare at her, she faced him and raised her eyebrow "What?"
"I think I already met you before"
She rolled her eyes "Oh come on, what a lame pick up line you have there, man!"
Gene groaned "I'm serious. By the way, I'm Genichiro, Kazuya's brother, a medium, but you can call me Gene for short. And I don't mind dropping the honorifics either"
"I'm Mori Madoka, I'm their adviser and researcher" she grabbed Lin's arm "And this is Lin Koujo, my boyfriend" Lin just nod at her.
They heard the door opened and revealed the grumpy looking Mai, "Aki, meat?" she lazily asked
"At the kitchen" her friend answered
She looked at the people sitting on the couch, she raised her eyebrow at them and without any words, she went to the kitchen.
Akira apologetically looked at them and said softly "Sorry about that, I think she's having her PMS too. Come on let's have a lunch" she leads them to the kitchen, and the SPR followed.
They gaped when they saw the dining room, it's huge, and it looked more sophisticated with a round glass-made dining table at the center, and a mini chandelier on the ceiling. When they saw the filet mignon on the plate together with other side dishes their stomach growled. And they blushed.
Akira chuckled "So I guess you can't take another minute huh? Take your seat already."
They all settle their selves, and Masako waited for Naru to pull the chair for her, but frowned when he ignored her and went to Mai who's waiting for the water to boil. She pulled the chair with force than necessary and sit.
"Mai, do you have an Earl Grey tea?" He asked
She looked at him "Yeah, you want?"
He smiled "Yeah"
She raised her eyebrow and chuckled "I'll make one. Now, go sit there and wait. I can feel your girlfriend cursing me to hell already" she whispered.
Naru frowned at her last sentence, he looked at Hara-san and saw her murderous glare at Mai, he furrowed his eyebrow at her and when she met his eyes, she smiled – or rather wickedly smile at him. And he know what she meant with that smile. He mentally cursed.
Akira stepped in between them and cleared her throat "The two of you stop flirting. We're hungry! Mai come on, so we can eat!"
Mai groaned "Aki, we're not flirting, and I'm making tea for everyone" she said as she placed the cups on the tray and handed it to her friend. Naru went back to the table and pulled a chair next to Masako, he don't want her to make a scene.
The SPR amazingly stared at Mai as they watched how refined she is when holding the knife and fork, how she slowly chew her food, it looks like she's having a lunch with the queen. Mai felt her energy slowly restoring, when she felt the eyes looking at her moves, she looked at them and raised her eyebrow "What?" she curiously asked.
They all snapped at her question, didn't realize that they are all gaping.
"Ah… well…" Bou-san looked at Naru asking for help, but their boss blissfully eating, that brat!
"Well, you amazed us, you know. You looked so… classy" Ayako said, she's starting eating too.
"I believe this is what you called 'table manners' right?" she said in as-a-matter-of-fact tone, table manners that they always taught me since I was a kid, she mentally added "is there something wrong about it?" she asked curiously
"Eh? No, no. it's just that, it's rare to see someone with such refine 'table manners' like yourself" Madoka immediately said, waving her hands. She bobbed her head, she understood what she meant.
They have a friendly chat throughout lunch. At times, Naru joined the conversation, only if he's interested on the topic, like what they've talking now
"Eh? Mai-chan, you do ghost hunting too?" John surprisingly asked
She shook her head "Not really"
Akira grinned at them "I recommended Mai to those people I personally know, and having problems regarding to those things"
"And you do it alone?" Gene asked, when Mai nodded his eyes widened "That's reckless!" Naru and Gene both exclaimed, she raised her eyebrow at the twins.
"Geez, I know! But I don't pushed myself to the situations where I know can be dangerous"
"What did you do to the ghosts that you encountered? Did you exorcise them?" Bou-san asked, he's eating the crème caramel that Mai made last night before she went to Akira's house.
"No, I don't have that kind of ability"
"So how did you do it?" Ayako asked impatiently
"Parleying. I parleyed with them and convince them to move on"
Madoka bobbed her head "The same as cleansing" she concluded
Masako snorted "Nothing special" she shot a glare at her
"And I don't remember saying I'm special either" she glared at her too. The two have glaring contest; the people around them notice the silent war between the two girls. Naru pushed the plate slightly away from him, and drink the tea that Mai made, he mentally smiled "Mai, do you mind working with me?"
Mai stared closely at him "with you?" she repeated.
They all looked at Naru, it's so rare for him to personally hired someone. They gasped when he nodded.
Masako stared at her 'boyfriend' "Why is that Naru? You already have everything in your team, a medium, monk, researcher, miko, exorcist, even a diviner, and PK user. We don't need that girl, she maybe helped us this time, but I doubt she can handle the cases that you usually take." she shot a disgustful look at Mai, who only rolled her eyes in response.
"I don't recall giving you the permission to decide on what I should do on my company, Hara-san. And Mai, if she will accept the offer, will be working as my assistant" he said coldly, the kimono clad medium frowned at him for giving her such cold treatment, then Naru's words sink in her mind. Assistant… it means she will also go to the office every day too, spend more time with him, and then… and then… she panicked as she trailed her thoughts on whatever possible will happen leaving Naru and Mai alone.
"What?" she exclaimed "Assistant? You already have Lin and Gene as your assistant, why would you need more?" she can't help it but raised her voice, from anger.
"First, Gene is not my assistant; Second, we need more medium; Third, it's not for you to decide" Fourth, I want to spend more time with her, and Fifth, her tea is amazingly great he mentally added.
Akira was counting on her finger, and then looked at Naru "Eh? So you don't have a clairvoyant in your team?"
"None" he deadpanned bluntly
"Then Mai would be perfect! She's gifted with ESP!" she exclaimed, she looked at her friend with her sparkling eyes, "right, Mai-chaan~?" her friend glared at her.
Masako saw how Naru's eyes gleam, and before Mai could answer, she angrily slammed her hand on the table which made them jerked from surprise
"I won't let her!" she raised her voice, she glared at Naru "I have the right to decide Naru, after all I am your girlfriend. You should also listen to me"
"Masako, why are you so worked up about Mai working at SPR?" Bou-san asked curiously, Masako didn't answer, she don't want them to know that she saw Mai as a threat, a rival on Naru's attention… maybe she will steal him from her.
"Are you afraid that Mai will steal Naru away from you?" he asked as if he read what's in her mind
"I can't helped it! Every girl felt jealous when someone's trying to get the attention of their boyfriend!" she defended
Ayako rolled her eyes "Masako, you are his girlfriend. You should trust him, and besides, he won't ask you to be his girlfriend if he doesn't love you right?" Naru felt the goose bumps all over his body upon hearing Ayako's remark, and his body is trembling from anger.
Masako observed him, and saw him trembling, she put her arms around him, and she smile at them, "You're right Matsuzaki-san. As her girlfriend, I should support him whatever decisions he will make. I'm sorry" she looked at Mai "I'm sorry" her tone is telling her otherwise
"No problem" she bluntly said
"Ah guys" Akira called their attention "I think my ears played tricks on me four times, did you just said that Hara-san is Shibuya-san's girlfriend?"
Masako proudly nodded "Yes" she smiled sweetly, in fact, too sweet that made Mai wants to throw up.
Akira covered her mouth, and shook her head "Shibuya-san, i thought you're better than that. I can't believe you have a terrible taste in choosing a girlfriend. Ne Shibuya-san, by any chance, did she bewitched you?" Mai widened her eyes at her friend's tactlessness. Madoka immediately covered her mouth to control herself not to laugh, the others tried to stifle their laugh, Lin can't control but chuckled softly.
Masako's face flashed with anger, "What do you want mean by that?"
Akira shrugged "I mean, Mai is better than you, you know"
"AKI!" Mai called
Masako glared at her, she waited for Naru to defend her, but "whatever she did, it's worse than bewitching" is all he said.
"NARU!" Masako shot him a meaningful glare
He mentally cursed his self for being in such situation, he looked at Masako "What? I'm just kidding" he said in serious voice, he looked at Mai "So Mai, do you mind working with me?"
"She will be working for you Naru, not with you" Masako rectified
Mai raised her eyebrow, she really want to straggle that kimono clad medium, she's getting on her nerves "No" she retorted. Well, Masako wants war? She will gladly give it to her.