Chapter 18 – (Kind of) Crossover with La Corda d'Oro
It was dark.
She heard someone playing piano.
Fantaisia by Chopin.
She know that piece, she used to play that piece a lot.
A moment later, she heard the door burst open
"Is it true that you enrolled in a music school?! How many times do I have to tell you, stop playing piano! I don't want you to play any instrument! I don't want you to be involve in music!" a man's voice angrily said
"But father, I love music! And I was chosen to play in concours!" a girl's voice pleaded
She heard a loud slap
"Unforgivable! You insolent child! If that's what you want, then I will destroy those fingers of yours!"
Then she heard a shrilling scream.
"Mai..." Naru gently shook her to wake up. She slowly open her eyes and saw him with a worried look, she blushed "Are you okay?"
She slowly nodded. She fall asleep in her desk again, not to mention its work hours. It's been months since they came back from England. After Luella Davis' birthday celebration, Naru asked Akira to book a ticket to Japan immediately. He's not in good mood after the party, maybe because Ren called him a 'hermit'? Mai laughed at the word. She and Akira didn't have time to go to Buckingham Palace to personally bid a goodbye to the royalties.
Naru look at her with a worried look, well, no one can see it so he let his stoic mask slipped "Do you have a dream?"
"Yes" she softly answered, she looked at him and softly smiled "I'm fine, Naru. It's just a bad dream. Do you need some tea?"
"Yes" he went back to his cave that he called 'office'
Hino Kahoko was practicing her piece for the concours on the roof top. After her magic violin - that was given to her by Lili, the fairy of music - was destroyed, she's now using an ordinary violin and she needed to practice harder since she's not from the music department to begin with, and still amateur. A General Education Department student like her to be chosen to be part of their school's annual concours, of course the Music Department students - who considered the 'elite' students, were jealous.
After she finished playing, she heard a round of applause "Amazing Kahoko! You're improving little by little!" a blue fairy with blond hair joyfully said as he fly in front of her.
"Thank you, Lili"
"Don't worry if you will be in the last place, just remember to enjoy music" he encouraged her.
She smiled at the fairy before her "I will. Thank you" she frowned when she saw the fairy shivered "What's wrong?"
"I don't know. I suddenly feel scared"
Then a shrilling scream was heard from the Music Department.
Mai gracefully playing the violin, it's her practical exam in her music class. When her piece ended, all of her classmates and teachers gave her a round of applause.
"Taniyama-san" One of her classmates called, she scowled when she turned to see who it was. He's one of stuck-up person she ever met, next to Naru. At least Naru have facts to support his claim, but him? Nah, never mind.
"Yes, Tsugawa-san?"
He flirtingly smiled, showing his dimples "Oh come on, you can call me Iori, Mai" she shivered when he said her name
"What do you want?" she asked, irritated, while putting her things on her bag
"Do you want to go out –"
"No"
He frowned at her "You know, you and Yukimura-san are the only girls in our department who constantly said 'no' to me. Why is that? I mean, I'm good-looking and rich."
She glared at him "It's because we have a good taste when it comes to men, Tsugawa-san."
He grabbed her arm when she's about to leave "So you're telling me that I'm not good?"
She pulled away from his grip and smirk, yup, she learned it from Naru "That's your words, not mine. Have a good day" and walk away from him.
She's in the cafeteria looking for her friend, and there, she saw her at the corner grinning like an idiot while looking at her phone.
She slowly approached her from the back, and since she's too engrossed by her phone, she didn't notice her. She looked at her phone and saw that she's texting somebody, and her eyes glint with excitement when she saw who it was.
"So, you have a date with Gene again after school?" She whispered, making her friend dropped from her seat and on the floor. She laughed seeing Akira's flushed faced.
"Mai! You're giving me a heart attack!" she go back to her seat and put her phone on her purse, still embarrassed. Mai's still laughing and took the sit next to hers
"I knew it! Something happen between the two of you in England!" Akira's face turned redder "Did he asked you to be his girlfriend?"
She shyly nodded "Yes"
"And you said 'yes', right? Please tell me you said 'yes'!"
"I told him that I want to know him better, before I can answer him"
Mai smiled at her "So, you're in the courting stage"
Akira's phone beep, a new text message, she smiled and replied back "Gene's waiting outside the gate, come on"
The two walked to the gate, and saw Gene being flocked by women, who tried to get his attention. When he saw them, he sighed from relief.
"Hey" He greeted looking at Akira, he smiled at her, Akira looked away to hide her blush. Mai cleared her throat.
"I'm here too, you know" she teased, waving her hand in front of him, when she saw him felt embarrassed, she laugh out loud. The bystanders are looking curiously at them
"Did Naru know that you are here?"
"Nope" Gene grinned at Mai "You better make him a cup of tea Mai, he will be in bad mood knowing that I sneak out"
She chuckled "Yeah. I'll be going now" she hugged her friend, waving them goodbye.
Naru got irritated, no one answered the phone that was ringing for ten minutes. Where the hell is Gene? He irritably thought. When the phone rings again, it was Lin who answered, after a few minutes he entered in his office.
"We have a client today, at four" he informed, he just nodded in acknowledgement
"Have you seen that useless medium?"
"He went out to buy snacks"
"That was one hour ago"
Lin nodded "Do you think something happened to him?"
"No. I don't think so"
"If you say so" Lin went back to his office. Naru heard a chime on the front door and heard his assistant's cheerful voice. He smiled.
"Mai, tea! You're late!" he yelled from his office
"Hey, I'm on time, Naru. Don't be a jerk!" he heard her answered, yes, she's not late, but he really loves to teased her
"You're three seconds late!"
"WHAT?!" she yelled, she almost dropped the cups that she took from the cupboard "Naru, what kind of clock do you have?!"
"The kind of clock you don't have"
He smirked when he heard stomping from the kitchen. Then he heard a knock on his door "Enter"
"Here" she slowly put the cup of tea on his desk, she crossed her arms on her chest, and irritably tapping her foot
"Mai, I know I'm handsome. But don't stare too much, you might get blind from my sheer brightness"
Her faced was red from anger, and she feels there's a steam coming from her ears and nose "Well sorry burst your bubble Narcissistic, I'm just wanted to see if you have some manners and say 'thank you'" she yelled on top of her lungs "And by the way, Gene is on a date with Akira, he picked her up on the school earlier!"
Then she stormed out from his office and closed the door with a loud bang, which made his office shook a little.
"If you will destroy my office, I will deduct it from your pay"
"I don't care, Narcissistic! I'm not afraid!"
He chuckled. Hiring her was a good idea after all.
Four in the afternoon the front door chimes, a man with a purple hair on his thirties came, with a cigarette on his mouth.
"Welcome to Shibuya Psychic Research! I'm Mai. Do you have an appointment sir?" she politely ask. The man took the cigarette from his mouth, before he can answer, Mai speak again "This is a 'no smoking' facility, sir."
He smiled at her "Of course" he went out to throw the cigarette, after a minute he came back "I want to talk to your boss, I already made an appointment earlier"
"A moment, please" she stood up and knocked on her boss' office, when she got the permission to enter she peek inside "We have a client" He give her a nod, and she went to Lin's office.
"I'm Kanazawa Hiroto, and I'm one of the teachers in Seiso Academy..." she heard their client said.
"Seiso Academy?" Naru asked, raising his eyebrow, obviously not familiar with the school
"It's an elite music school in Japan, Naru" Mai informed him, bringing the tray with her
"Continue" he said to the client
He cleared his throat "Our students are practicing for the upcoming concours next week, but their accompanist will suddenly scream, and keep on saying that there's so much blood. Of course we ask them what happen, they said that when they are in the middle of playing their piece, there was sledgehammer being strike and crush their fingers. When we took them to the doctor, he said that nothing's wrong. But that's not the worst part Shibuya-san, all of the piano major students are now scared to play, and the victims got traumatized, the image of their fingers being crushed by a sledgehammer still buried in their minds. And now, no one will accompany the concours participants, they got all scared and backed out."
"Is there a body count in your school before?"
"None. No one died in our school ever since it was built."
Naru do his usual thinking pose, he glanced at Mai - who's staring at her trembling hands, then looked back at the client "We will take your case, Kanazawa-sensei. Expect us there tomorrow morning."
Kanazawa-san sighed from relief "Thank you, Shibuya-san"
When the client is gone, Naru called "Mai –"
"– Call the others, tell them we have a case, and to be here seven in the morning tomorrow. And before you leave, tea." Mai continued, imitating Naru's way of talking, when she saw her boss' shocked then annoyed face, she mocked "Is that all, boss?"
And of course, Naru hates losing "I'm glad that you are growing some brain cells, Mai" when she saw her face gets redder and redder from anger, he smirked and went back to his office.
"Jerk! Narcissistic! Idiot! Who do you think you are!"
He smiled when he heard her ranting and cursing but to a language that foreign to him.
The next day...
Mai was bored, riding with Lin and Naru, and Gene was busy texting with Akira... She sighed. She don't want to drive her car.
"So Gene, how was your date yesterday? Did Akira already say 'yes' to you?" Gene dropped his phone, and blushed. Naru looked at her with a questioning look. She smirked at him.
"Oh, so the jerk Oliver Davis didn't know that - mmmmppff" she was cut off by Gene's hand flying to cover her mouth.
And since Naru is a genius, it didn't took him so long to comprehend what was happening "I see. So you decided to court her"
"Yes" he replied softly
"But still, it's not an excuse why you sneak out yesterday. You know we have some work to do, and there you are, dating during work hours" And the 'Naru lecture' went on for at least thirty minutes.
Gene groaned "Aw Noll, don't be jealous, make your move on Mai already" the two people mentioned looked at him, blushing "What? Don't tell me the two of you are still on denial stage?"
"Gene!" Mai whined, obviously blushing harder. Gene laughed at her "So, did she say 'yes'?" Mai asked again, she wanted to change the subject.
He smiled at her "Not yet. I don't want to rush her" then he looked at Lin "Lin, no hard feelings for your brother, okay? I know that Kouen still loves her"
"Don't worry Gene, it was my brother's fault why they broke up before. I know he can understand if Yukimura-san will choose to be with you than him"
"True" Mai scoffed "He cheated on her, when she didn't accept his offer to sleep with him, he look for another girl to sleep with. And when she confronted him about it, he has the nerve to say that it was her fault because she refused him." Mai angrily said
"And he regretted it" Lin defended his brother "En regretted what he has said and done"
Gene snickered "But you know, 'Akira Lin' doesn't sound right. Japanese name with a Chinese last name."
"But 'Akira Davis' does?" Mai retorted, with a teasing smile on her face
"Of course!" he exclaimed "So as the 'Mai Davis', right Noll?" Naru glared at his brother's smiling face
"Idiot" he muttered softly. Gene laugh, he knows that his brother was trying not to blush.
After an hour, they arrived at the school, Bou-san and the others are the first who get out from their car, they were immediately greeted by a hyper student with a camera.
"Oh, so you are the psychic research team that our principal called" she cheerfully said, while taking pictures of them, she become more hyper when she saw Hara Masako
"Oh, the famous medium is with them" she took some pictures of her,
"What a cute kid!" she exclaimed while taking pictures when she saw John.
But when she saw the twins climbing out from the van, she blushed and squealed "Oh my! I don't know that ghost hunters are good-looking as well" she took several photos of them in different angle. When she's satisfied, she puffed.
"What a strange lady, I should've pose better" Bou-san mused
"Did she just called me a kid?" John asked softly, pointing to his self. Yasuhara laughed
"Yes, she did John. Maybe you should tell her how old you are"
"I don't know that we will be greeted by a camera, I should have put more make up" Ayako said, as she crossed her arms on her chest
"Yeah, I agree. So that they will not know how old you really are" Bou-san teased, and was answered by a punch from the angry miko
Naru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose "Can we get going now?" he asked the hyper student
"Sure! I will lead you the way. I'm Amo Nami, you can call me Nami-san. I'm a journalist." she happily introduced herself.
In the entrance, there's a statue that looks like a fairy, with wings and curly hair.
"Why there's a statue of a fairy on the entrance? Don't tell me this school believes in fairy and such" Yasuhara asked Nami-san.
"Oh that, I don't know the whole story but a legend said, that this school was blessed by a fairy of music. And the said fairy is still in this school"
"Really?" Mai and Gene's eyes sparkled "I want to see it!" Mai exclaimed
"Me too!" Gene seconded
"Idiots. It's just a legend" Naru coldheartedly shattered their dream on seeing a fairy
"But most legends are based on facts, Naru" Bou-san commented
"Right, like Peter Pan" he sarcastically said
"I said 'most' not all" Bou-san retorted. They all laughed hearing the two arguing.
When they entered the Music Department building, most of the female students were ogling when they saw the twins, and since Gene is too kind hearted to glare and ignore them (like what his brother does), he smiled at them, which made some of them faint.
And of course, some are glaring at Mai, because she's walking in between of the twins. She sighed, she never get tired of this. Nami-san was happily skipping to the principal's office, she's so proud walking with hot guys following her.
"By the way Nami-san, why they wear different uniform as you?" Mai can't help but notice when they are on their way to the principal's office
"It's because music students considered as an elite students, while us in the general education department are considered as a run-of-the-mill students" she explained, she stopped in front of the principal's office and knocked "Sir, the Shibuya Psychic Research Team are here"
In the office, there's Kanazawa-zan with a cigarette on his mouth "Ah, you're here. I will lead you to your base"
Since they are in the music department, their base is a music room, they move the piano to the next room, and put two couch with a center table.
"I hope this will be enough"
"This is fine. Kanazawa-sensei, please tell the victims to come here after lunch."
"Okay" he yawned, and scratch his head, and leave the room.
"Naru, where should we put the camera?" Bou-san asked
"Put it one on the music room across this one."
Ayako and Masako didn't need to be ordered what to do, they leave the base and have a walkthrough if they sense something, Yasuhara went to the library, John do the temperature readings on each music room, and Mai... Mai was looking around if there's someplace where she can make a tea.
"Naru, I'll be going to the cafeteria"
"Why?"
"So I can make your tea. We don't want to suffer from your tea withdrawal"
He don't want her to leave, but he needs her tea "Fine. Don't take so long"
"I know"
When she leave, Gene patted his shoulder "When will you make a move on her?" Naru glared at him "Don't give me that look, Noll."
"Help Lin to set up the base, useless medium"
"Aw... Don't be so spoilsport, idiot scientist"
After an hour, everyone is in the base. Masako said she didn't feel something, so as Gene.
Naru is already irritated, Mai still not here with his tea, and he's already hungry, not that he will say it out loud. He sighed for the umpteenth time, it's almost lunch time, and he doesn't want to interview the students with an empty stomach.
He was about to stand to find her, when the door opened revealing his spitfire assistant, carrying something, and a man with a green hair carrying some trays which he deduce that its food.
"Mai, what is that?" he asked pointing the thermos on her hand
"I don't know, maybe it's a thermos with your tea in it" she answered sarcastically, when she saw him scowl, she chuckled "Sorry I'm late okay? Don't worry I already brought some lunch"
While Mai was pouring the tea on the cups, the man put the trays on the table, and unwrap the foil covering it. They almost drool, when a meaty scent of freshly made shushi and cheese steak sandwiches enveloped the room "Dig in" the man smiled.
The SPR Team didn't need to be said twice; they just sat in the couch and munched away in silence. Mai give each everyone their tea.
"Thanks for helping me, uhm... Tsu.. Tsu... What's your name again?"
The man chuckled "It's Tsuchuira"
Mai tried to pronounce it, but she always got tongue tied with the 'tsu' and 'chu' "Ugh! I can't pronounce it!" she complained "What's your first name?"
"Ryotaro. Tsuchuira Ryotaro"
She smiled "I will call you Ryo-chan, then. Thanks for helping me, Ryo-chan"
"It's my pleasure, Mai-san. You're helping us, and it's the least that I can do" he bowed, and left.
She raised her eyebrow when she noticed they are staring, grinning, and scowling (which is Naru) at her "What?"
"The two of you are obviously flirting Mai-chan!" Yasu exclaimed, grinning like an idiot. She plopped down on the space next to Ayako, and took some sushi.
"Right! He's good looking too..." Ayako said with a blush
Bou-san snorted "You're too old for him, old hag" Ayako's pursed mysteriously flew over his face, and the two start their nonsense bickering again.
"Where did you met him, Mai? Because my brother is certainly not in good mood" Gene stated, and glanced at Naru who's looking at the monitor, eating sandwiches. He may look like he doesn't care, but he's obviously listening to their conversation.
"At the cafeteria. When he saw that I'm straggling on how to bring those trays and thermos, he offered a help" she explained
"You should've called us, Mai-san" John said, sipping his tea
"I was going to do that, but I forgot to bring my phone or the walkie-talkie" she sheepishly smiled, and scratch the back of her head
"In short, you're an idiot" Naru firmly stated, staring at her with his indigo eyes. She crossed her arms on her chest and huffed.
"Are you jealous?" she challenged, smirking at him
Naru widened his eyes for a moment, "Why would I? I'm good-looking than him. He's nothing to compared me, I already have my doctorate degree when I'm on his age." he turned to the monitors again. He failed to see Mai's shocked faced, and Gene's teasing smirk. Right, his brother is obviously jealous.
"Last week when we practice, nothing seems unusual but when we're halfway thru it, I suddenly felt cold and then I saw a woman, strike a sledgehammer on my fingers, not just once but twice." the student cried, recalling everything what happened to her. She's the (former) accompanist of Fuyumi, a clarinetist.
The five accompanists before her also said the same: they play, temperature drop, saw a woman, crushed their fingers. The concours participants consist of a cellist, two violinists, flutist, trumpeter, and a clarinetist. They all need a piano accompanist in order to perform.
Some of the piano students exprienced it too, they don't believe in ghost so they dared each other to see if it's true or not. And now they are cowering in fear whenever they saw a piano.
"That was last week, can you still play now?" Naru asked
The student shivered, and cried harder "I can't. I'm scared I'm might see it again"
He sighed "Thank you. You may go"
Then someone enter the base, Naru scowled seeing who it was "I believe Kanazawa-sensei said, that only those victims are to be interviewed"
Ryo-chan chuckled "I'm one of the so called victims too, Shibuya-san"
"EH?" they were all shocked from what he said
"B-but your uniform! You're definitely not from the music department!" Bou-san pointed at him
"Don't underestimate the General Education students. In fact, one of the violinists is in the same department as me" he proudly said.
"So, you're an accompanist too?" Mai curiously asked
He smiled at her "No, I'm one of the concours participants" their eyes widened, he smirked and said "I play piano. I'm a pianist"
"EEEHHHH!" Ryo-chan covered his ears from their (almost) yelling
"Amazing!" Ayako exclaimed "A talented good-looking guy"
"I see, that's why it's weird when I saw that they don't have a pianist participating in the concours" Masako softly said, covering her mouth, to hide her blush
Naru snapped his notebook, and they all got quite "Can we have the interview now?"
"Of course" Ryo-chan said, and recalling what happened to him just like the others.
"Can you still play piano now?"
"Yes, I still can. My will to play the instrument that I love can't be shattered by a stupid ghost"
"I see. You may go now"
When Ryou-chan left, the team are now thinking about the case. Mai gave Naru and everyone their tea, it became her habit now, bringing him his tea every twenty minutes.
"It's an earthbound spirit" Ayako confidently said while looking at her newly manicured fingernails
Bou-san snorted "What's wrong with you old hag? That's what you always said ever since the first time we work together"
"And she's only useful when we have that case in a cursed house" Masako seconded, smirking at the angry miko
"Oh, so all of you worked at SPR ever since it was established?" Mai asked, she's interested on how Naru met his team.
"No. We met them six months after we came from England, it's a case on some abandoned old school building" Gene answered, sipping his tea
"So, before you met them it's only you, Naru, and Lin?" Gene nodded "Amazing!"
"And ever since our first case together, before we knew it, we are already working for Shibuya-san until now" John said
"It's already, what... More than two years already" Yasuhara said as he pushed his glasses
"I'm amazed you didn't got fed up with his bossy, and narcissistic attitude"
Naru looked at her "Because I'm too good-looking, Mai. They can't bring their selves to leave me." They all chocked from their tea. Mai's laughter echoed the room, and she asked them about their previous cases together.
It's almost four in the afternoon, Mai decided to have a walk in the building.
"Bring your phone, or a walkie-talkie with you" Naru ordered
"Roger, boss!"
She's two rooms away when she heard a sound of violin. She was mesmerized by tune. When she saw whose playing it was a man with blue hair, the door was ajar and she gently opened it, she don't want to disturbed the said man.
She looked around and saw a spare violin, it seems her hands has a mind on its own, she took the violin and joined him. It's Ave Maria, it's a simple piece. The man turned to see who joined him, he was shocked when he saw her but he didn't stop. Mai smiled at him, and he smiled in returned.
The two are too engrossed with their duet, and didn't realized that the students and SPR Team are gathering in the doorway, watching team. One of the students cried.
"What's wrong?" her friend whispered
"Their music, it's... it's gentle and heartwarming. The piece is not a love song, but it brought me to tears"
Naru's ears twitched when he heard it. That's true, their music is like a siren's voice that hypnotized you, and makes you obey everything. When the piece ended, Mai stared at the man.
"That was amazing!" she breathed out "Oh no! I didn't disturbed you, did I?"
The man softly smiled "You didn't. I'm Tsukimori Len" he stared closely at her "Have we met before?"
Mai shook her head "I don't think so. I'm Mai, by the way." she looked at her wrist watch "Oh no! I gotta go!" when she turned around and saw the students and her boss, she blushed
"Since when are you here?"
"Since you didn't answered your walkie-talkie" Naru coldly said
"Oops! Sorry. I'll be going now" she excused herself before they will tease her
"I will go with you" Naru volunteered, and she didn't complained. Both of them are quite, until Naru speak
"You're amazing earlier" Mai blushed, and softly mumbled a 'thank you', when she looked at him and saw him smile, she thought she's going to faint, all of her blood rushed to her face.
"Do you play an instrument?" Mai asked
Naru shook his head "Music is not my thing, but love listening to it"
"What kind of music do you prefer?"
"Classical"
"Like the music of Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, and others?"
He nodded "They are relaxing"
"True"
They ended up in the cafeteria. All the students stopped to look at them, some are whispering, the girls blushed when they saw Naru, and the boys tried to catch Mai's attention. The two ghost hunters sighed.
"I think it's a bad idea to be here. You're catching too much attention" Mai complained
"It's not only me, you too. I guess, good-looking people like us should get used to it already" he said, and went to a vacant table.
"Did he just said I'm good-looking?" Mai wondered to herself, blushing.
Someone knocked the door, and a girl from general education department came, carrying some fruits.
"Sorry for the disturbance, I'm Hino Kahoko and the principal wanted to give you this" she shyly said, and placed the basket on the table. A chorus of 'thanks' was heard.
However, Mai's attention was not on the girl, but on the little thing that flying above her. She rubbed her eyes and blinked again. The fairy also stared at her.
"You can see me?" he suddenly asked, Mai gasped that he can talk.
Hino stared at Mai "You can see him too?" she nodded at her, then Hino suddenly hugged her and cried "I'm glad that there's someone who can see him aside from me"
Naru cleared his throat "Care to tell me what's happening?"
"Eh? Naru you can't see it?" Mai tilted her head
"See what?" Ayako asked
"The fairy!" she exclaimed
"Where?" Gene jumped from his seat, she pointed above Hino-san "I can't see it"
"Only those people who love music from the bottom of their hearts can see me. I'm Lili, the fairy of music after all" he flew around Mai
"He said only those who loves music from the bottom of their hearts can see him"
Gene saddened "Aw... Not fair"
"So you're the fairy in the legend?"
"Yes"
"Uhm... I will go now" Hino said, bowing at them and leave, but Lili stayed.
"You're not going with her?"
Lili shook his head "I live in this school" he smiled, and sit on her shoulder. He cried when he saw Lin's shikis staring at him, and hide behind her "What's that scary creatures!"
Lin and Mai stared at each other "So there's really a fairy. My shikis are restless" Lin said looking at her, Mai nodded.
"Lili is crying Lin. He's scared of your shikis"
Lin chuckled and murmured something. Then Lili stopped crying, he went back sitting on Mai's shoulder.
"It's unfair! It's unfair! I want to see a fairy too!" Gene whined, stomping back and forth behind Mai.
Naru sighed "Pull out one or two of your teeth idiot, and you will see a Tooth Fairy tonight" They all laughed at his statement, and trying to comfort Gene.
"So, what information you gather Yasuhara?" Naru asked when they all sober
"Okay. First, there's a legend that the founder of this school once help an injured fairy, then the fairy promised to blessed his future school with music." Yasuhara paused, and looked at Mai "Can you asked him for more details Mai-chan?"
Mai looked at the fairy "The story is true. Nothing more, nothing less"
"He said it's true, nothing more, nothing less" she conveyed
"Okay. According to my research no one died in this school ever since it was built –"
"What?! So who is responsible in this haunting?" Ayako raised her voice, cutting Yasuhara off
"– however, there's a student last year that suddenly disappeared, months later, she was reported dead in her home, caused of death was suicide – asphyxia. And also, in her autopsy report, her fingers were crushed by a heavy object." he continue, without minding Ayako interruption.
"Wait, if she died in her home how come she's hunting in her school?" Bou-san asked
Naru was thinking the same "What's the student's name?"
"Misa. Hamai Misa" Lili gasped when he heard the name
"Lili? What's wrong?" Mai asked worriedly
"I know her. She loves playing piano very much, she can feel my presence and on the verge of seeing me physically. She was one of concours participants last year, and she's looking forward to it" he said, he can't help but cry.
Mai relayed to the team what Lili just said.
"So the ghost is angry at the piano students, and she knows that they need an accompanist to perform in concours, she attacked them psychologically? Like, crushing their will to play?" John said, looking at Naru
"That's possible"
"She didn't possessed someone, so far" Yasu stated, flipping the pages
"We're done for tonight. Let's end this up tomorrow. You can go to bed" Naru ordered his team. Mai stood up, and pour the last cup of tea from the thermos.
"Here" he looked at her and softly smiled, she blushed "G-good night, Naru, Gene, and Lin" then she left.
Gene has a bright idea how to pissed off his brother, before Naru can reached his cup, Gene beat him to it and drink it all in one gulp.
"THAT. WAS. MINE. IDIOT" the monitors were shaking, the couch and table were elevated at least one meter high.
"Noll! Calm down!" Lin barked
"Calm down?! That idiot drink my tea, that Mai made specially for me!" he raised his voiced which made the situation worst. Gene was giggling "Stop laughing, you useless medium!" Lin made a move before Naru will destroy the room, he knocked him out.
"Gene. I won't let you do this again" Lin sharply said
"I'm just experimenting on to what extent Noll can lose his cool, over a cup of tea"
Lin sighed "It's not just 'a cup of tea', it's Mai's tea. And you know that Noll is head over heels in love with her"
Gene chuckled "Right"
"Mama! I was chosen to participate in concours this year, even if I'm still a first year!" Misa cheerfully said to her mother when she got home
"I'm glad, Misa-chan... Do your best." her mother smiled warmly at her.
She's happy seeing her fingers hitting the notes. Music is her life afterall. Her mother is not that into music, and her father hated music to the core.
They have an upright piano at home, but her father chained it. And since her father will be away for business trips for six months, she decided to remove the chains.
Her mother was happy seeing her play, and she's happy for that.
One day, when her mother was out, and she's happily playing Fantaisia by Chopin. A moment later, she heard the door burst open
"Is it true that you enrolled in a music school?! How many times do I have to tell you, stop playing piano! I don't want you to play any instrument! I don't want you to be involve in music!" her father angrily said
"But father, I love music! And I was chosen to play in concours!" Misa tried to reasoned out to his father. But instead, he slapped her.
"Unforgivable! You insolent child! If that's what you want, then I will destroy those fingers of yours!" he crushed his daughter's fingers with a sledgehammer, that was hidden behind the piano.
Misa leat out a shrilling scream "No!" she fainted after seeing her precious fingers crushed.
"Why did you have to do that to my daughter?!" Misa heard her mother yelled at his father "She's not even your daughter! You bastard!" She gasped when she heard it
"That's right! She's not my daughter. I tried to love her as my own! But every time she played that stupid instrument, I can only remember her father's stupid face!" Her father shouted "Music was the reason why I went bankrupt before, because her father is better than me! That's why I killed him!"
Her mother gasped "What? You killed him, you monster! And now you hurt my daughter!"
She cried upon hearing the truth, so her real father was a pianist, and it's the only thing they have in common – their love in playing piano. She stared at her heavy bandaged hands. The doctor said that there's no way that she can play piano anymore. Music is her life, now that her life was taken away from her, there's no reason to live. But not until she kills the person who took it away from her. She waited for months to remove the bandage, and she took action on her plan. She poisoned her father, and she committed suicide.
"I will let them see and feel how I suffer. I will take away their will to play. No one will play in concours, anymore"
The setting changed into a bright surrounding with will-o'-the-wisp. Mai was crying after seeing what happen. A soft tap on her shoulder called her attention, and Gene's soft smile made her cry harder. She cried on his shoulder.
"How can he do that!"
"We can't do anything, it's already happened in the past Mai"
Gene patted her back to comfort her. After she calmed down, she smiled at him "I'm fine now"
"Let's go back and tell Naru what we saw" Gene stared at her and grinned "My brother is in bad mood, he didn't have his tea last night"
"What do you mean by that?! I certainly gave him his last cup of tea before going to bed"
Gene giggled "I pissed him off last night, and drink it all"
"WHAT?!" Mai exclaimed loudly
"Mai-chan, for the sake of the team, you're the only one who can tame the fierce dragon with your tea as a weapon"
"Idiot"
The last thing she saw was Gene's grinning face.
Mai woke up around five in the morning, she washed herself and dressed up, getting ready to end the case. She called Akira to deliver them a breakfast, and went to the kitchen in the cafeteria, she already asked permission from the principal to use it with a pretext of 'Shibuya-san's brain won't function without his tea every twenty minutes'.
First thing in the morning is to make Naru his tea, stupid Gene for spoiling his brother's mood last night. She sighed. She full the thermos with tea that will last until noon, she hoped that the case will end before that.
When she entered the based she was greeted by a scowling Naru, but when he saw that she's holding a thermos she saw flash of glint in his eyes.
"Mai, tea" he said and went back looking at the monitors "It's rare that you woke up early"
"Me and Gene have a dream about the case, and also, he don't want to face the fierce dragon because he didn't have his tea last night" Naru grunted, remembering how Gene drink his tea in one gulp.
"Here" she carefully placed his cup on the table, then the door burst open
"I smell tea!" Gene sniffed around. Naru gulp his tea before his brother do stupid thing again. The brother in mention chuckled.
"Mai, I remember you mentioned that you and Gene have the same dream last night"
"Yes, we have"
"Tell me about it"
She sighed and told Naru everything, every details from their dream.
"That's horrible" Masako softly said with a pale face
"I see. So she went insane after her death" Ayako stated
"Yasuhara, research who are Hamai-san's close friends"
"Sure thing boss!"
"Naru, what about our breakfast?" Bou-san smiled at the young boss
Before he could answer, a knock on the door interrupted him. And it was John who opened it for them.
"I'm looking for Mai-oujosama" a man in black uniform asked the priest
"Uncle Tora!" Mai jumped from her seat and greeted the man.
"Akira-oujosama asked me to deliver this to you" Gene's ears perked up when he heard Akira's name. He handed her a two paper bags, Mai looked at the content and smiled. She hugged him.
"Thank you, uncle. Where's Akira?"
"She went back to sleep after she made you and everyone a breakfast" Mai chuckled, that's so like her, he politely bowed "I'll be going now, Mai-oujosama"
"Bye! Thank you and take care, uncle!" she turned to face everyone and wagged the paper bags
"Guys breakfast! Courtesy of Eugene Davis' future wife" They all looked at the red faced Gene, who at the moment, wished that the floor will swallow him.
"Mai!" Gene whined, blushing like a teenage boy.
"So you asked Akira-san to make breakfast for all of us?" Naru asked her. Masako didn't failed to notice the sudden change on how Naru addressed Mai's friend, he called her by her first name.
The medium frown, she still like Naru and jealous at Mai and her friend who just suddenly showed up out of nowhere.
"Yes"
"How thoughtful of her" Yasu said
"Who's that man that delivered it?" Bou-san curiously asked
"That's uncle Tora, their chauffeur"
"Whoa!" is all they can say
She placed each bento on the table, Akira wrote a name on each bento to avoid mixing up with the others.
When Gene open his bento, his eyes widened, and his faced flushed, redder than a tomato, and have the brightest smile plastered on his handsome face.
Naru was curious what's on his brother's bento that can make him such reaction.
"Finally! She said yes!" Everyone jumped, especially Gene, from their seat when Mai squealed behind the red-faced medium to look at his bento. Akira arranged the vegetables that form the letters Y-E-S with a heart.
"Naru, look!" Mai chirped, she used her PK to grab his bento and placed on Naru's table. Everybody looked at it before Gene can complained. Lin smiled, and everyone gaped. Naru smirked and took a photo on it.
"You know what will happen if mom knows that you're in a serious relationship again, right?" Naru's smirk gone wider, when he saw his older brother's reaction
"It's payback from last night, useless medium" he sent the photo with a caption of 'Mom, Gene is in a serious relationship again, this was given by his girlfriend today at breakfast during our case. You can now expect grandbabies from him'
Gene groaned and and playfully glared at Mai, he was in a state of euphoria after he opened his bento and read the three-letter word, he didn't felt Mai moved behind him, not just Mai, but he didn't sensed everyone, it was as if he's floating from happiness.
"Call her now, idiot" Mai smiled at the medium. And of course, he didn't need to be said twice, he excused his self from the group to call his now then girlfriend.
They are now in the Music Room 4, with Tsukimori Len, Yunoki Azuma, Hihara Kazuki. According to Yasuhara's research, Hamai Misa was Tsukimori Len's classmate when they were first years, and she's quite close to her seniors Yunoki and Hihara.
"So, why are we here?" Yunoki gently asked Naru. He's quite handsome, with that long violet hair and gentle voice, his one of the concours participants and he play flute.
"Do you know a student name Hamai Misa who died last year?" Naru asked the three music students.
"Yes" the three of them answered together
"She's the one who caused disturbance in this school" their eyes widened, and were shocked. It was Hihara who first to recover from the shock
"Wait! It can't be. She loves playing piano so much, it was like her life, there's no way she will do something cruel like this." Hihara defended her.
"Do you know how she died?" It was Bou-san who asked this time
"She committed suicide. That's what her mother said" Tsukimori softly answered
"Do you know what drove her to suicide?" Gene asked them
The three looked at each other, asking the same question. When they shook their heads, Naru told them what really happen her.
Hihara was shaking from anger "How... How can he do that to her. Hama-chan really loves music" Yunoki and Tsukimori both stayed silent.
"We will call her spirit, and I want you to convinced her to move on, since you are her close friends she might listen" Naru informed them. The three chorused an 'okay'
"How will we call her? She will only show herself if there's someone who will piano, right?" Ayako stated
"And the students are afraid to get near in the piano" John added
The team went silent. Then she volunteer.
"I will play" Mai said. They all looked at her, worried and shocked
"You can play it?" Yasuhara asked, he's quite surprise
"Of course. I play piano since I was a kid"
"But Mai, you know what will happen to those people after they played, right? They lost their will to play because of fear" Naru coldly said, but his eyes failed to hide his worries.
She smiled at him "As long as Ayako is fast to do the spell to bind the spirit before she will showed me a vision of crushing my fingers, then I will be fine" she looked at the miko "So Miko-sama, I'm counting on you" and winked at her
Ayako smug at her "Leave it to me"
Naru wanted to stop her, but when he saw the determination in her eyes to help the spirit, he didn't said anything. When Mai sit on the chair to position herself, they heard Tsukimori gasped, when they look at him, his eyes widened while looking at Mai.
"Are you okay Tsukimori-san? The ghost didn't appeared yet" Yasuhara tried to joked (but failed) at him
He looked at Naru and asked "What's her name again?"
Naru furrowed his eyebrow, he didn't want to answer him. So it was Gene who speak "Mai. Taniyama Mai" he saw his doubtful look for a moment, and then a small smile played on his lips
"I see"
"I'm ready!" Mai called their attention "What's Misa-chan's favorite piece?" she asked the three music students
"Chopin's Fantansia" Tsukimori politely answered. The SPR Team stared at his change of tone.
"Okay! Ayako get ready!" The miko become alert, when she heard Mai started playing the first notes.
Naru was awed at the pianist before him, she's looks so happy every time her lean fingers moves swiftly on each keys. The three music students were gaping at her performance.
"She's amazing!" Hihara exclaimed
"Of course, she is" Tsukimori firmly said, it was her after all, he thought with a smile.
"Do you know her, Tsukimori" Yunoki inquisitively asked. It's rare for him to praise someone
"No, Yunoki-senpai"
The room temperature rapidly dropped, its freezing to the point of seeing their breaths. Then a ghostly figured started to appear behind Mai, a lady with a long and curly black hair appeared, with a sledgehammer on her hands. Before the ghost of Hamai Misa made another move, Ayako already bind her. She screams. Mai looked behind her and gasped, she wanted to run, but she can't move.
"Everyone will suffer like I did!" Misa-chan screamed and glared at Mai "How dare you played my piece!" she wanted to charged her but the binding restricted her movements
Naru grabbed Mai from her seat, and stand in front of her, protecting her from the crazy ghost.
"Hamai" Tsukimori whispered and his eyes widened. He can't believe that the lively girl he knew turned to be a violent ghost. Misa-chan was shocked when she saw him, and the others.
"Tsukimori, Yunoki-senpai, Hihara-senpai"
"Why are you doing this, Misa-chan?" Yunoki softly asked, he pitied the ghost before him.
"He took away the thing that I love! It's unfair if it's only me!" she screamed "I didn't have a chance to play in concours..."
"We know that you were looking forward to it, Hama-chan but what you are doing now is wrong!" Hihara tried to reason out to her
"Hihara-senpai was right, Hamai. This is not you, the Hamai Misa that I knew was a cheerful lady who enjoyed herself while playing the instrument that she love" Tsukimori affirmed
"Tsukimori..." she whispered, she's started to cry
"He's right, the Misa-chan that I knew was a lady who listened to her senpai when she's asking for advice" Yunoki added
"Yunoki-senpai..." she's starting to sob
"Hama-chan, do you remember how those kids in park looked so happy when they heard you playing piano?" Hihara asked her, and it seems she's recalling the memory "Your music brought happiness to the people who heard it"
"Hihara-senpai..." she sank on the floor "I... I... want to continue to play, and made everyone happy... but that man..." anger once again flashed in her eyes "I won't forgive him!" she screamed and the room started to shake
"We have no choice but to exorcise her, we can't reason her out. Bou-san, John" The two exorcists were getting ready for Naru's signal
"Misa, please. You already killed that man" Gene tried to persuade her to move on "Please move on already"
"NO! I don't want my life to end!" she yelled and a sharp wind passed thru them "Bring back my life..."
"Now!" Naru ordered the two exorcists when he saw that she don't want to move on.
Mai cried on Naru's chest, she don't want to see it. Masako and Gene closed their eyes, the spirit doesn't want to move on, she's been badly hurt physically and emotionally, she wanted her life back.
Exorcising her was quite tough, the two was exhausted when they finish.
"That was exhausting!" Bou-san complained, stretching his arms.
"You're just old" Ayako scorned
"Are you referring to yourself, old hag?" She punched him without a second thought.
"If I'm old, then you're a senile!"
"Again, you're describing yourself" Bou-san ducked before another fist landed on his face, unlucky for Yasuhara, Ayako's fist landed on his nose giving him a nosebleed.
"My love, look what the witch did to me!" he clung to Bou-san and buried his face on his chest, giving the monk a goose bumps
"Who the hell did you call witch?!" Ayako almost yelled
"Get away from me shounen!"
The team laughed at the scene before them. It's nice to have a break after what happen earlier, and to make sure if Hamai Misa was really gone, Mai played a piece once more. No temperature drop, no visions, until she's finish.
"So now we can tell the principal that it's safe again?" John asked to no one
"Yes. I want you to clean up while I will talk to the principal" Naru ordered his team
"Okay" they all mumbled, too tired to complain.
Someone grabbed Mai's shoulders when she's about to enter their base, it was Tsukimori Len looking at her.
"Yes?" she smiled
"That's why you look familiar, I know you" Mai's smiled faltered, and she grabbed him next door.
"How do you know me?"
"My parents used to perform during the Late Queen Anastasia's birthday. And you always play her favorite piano piece as your gift"
"Oh..."
"And you even play it during her funeral, five years ago" her eyes saddened when she remembered it "I only remember who you are when you sit in front of the piano earlier"
She smiled at him "I see"
"Your boss didn't know who you are, right?" she nodded, Len sighed "I thought he kidnapped you"
She looked at him with a shocked face "What do you mean by that?"
"Didn't you know that Sweden's Parliament is worried because their crowned princess went missing for almost three years?"
Mai softly laugh "I'm not gone missing, I ran away"
"I see" he smiled at her "My family are invited in your upcoming engagement party, but I doubt there will be an engagement to be held" she raised her eyebrow at his words "You love him, right? Your boss, I mean"
Mai blushed, and Len chuckled "I'll take that as a yes"
"I'll be going now, Len. Before Naru will complain that I had gone missing."
He bowed respectfully before her "I will lead the way, Your Highness"
And there, true to her words, Naru came back from the principal's office and he's in bad mood seeing that her favorite assistant is nowhere in the room.
"And where have you been?" he seriously asked when she saw him entered the room
"Tsukimori-kun invited me to see the concours next week" she lied
"What did you said to him?"
"Of course, I said no. I mean, I'm busy with school and work"
Naru softly smiled, knowing that she rejected his invitation "Hurry so we can go home"
Home... his chest felt warm, he's looking at Mai, whose cleaning the shelves, dreaming that someday in the future, she will be waiting for him in their home, heavily pregnant with their child.
Naru felt the blush on his face, and mentally shook his head.
"Noll, did you forget that I easily can read you mind?" Gene whispered from behind, he grinned when he saw his little brother blush "You're already dreaming about her being pregnant, but you can't even tell her how you feel?" he patted his shoulder, encouraging him "You better tell her, before that dream of yours will become a dream forever"
Naru didn't answer, but still staring at his favorite assistant, with a ghost smile on his lips.
Naru smirked at his brother, he's on the phone with their mother. She's too excited when she got his message, and now she's calling her eldest son to congratulate him, or so he thought.
"Mom! What do you mean you will pick a name for my child?" Gene yelled on the phone
"Oh c'mon! Don't be shy... I want my grandbabies to have unique names"
"She just said yes to me less than twenty four hours ago, and you're thinking about grandbabies? It will scare her."
"And oh, I will look for a church where you will held your wedding!"
Okay so she's not listening...
"And I will make a list who to invite...And then, for the honeymoon..."
Gene glared at his brother, it was his fault to begin with. If only he didn't informed their mother about his new found relationship with Akira, but Naru just smirked at him.
"Are you listening, Eugene Davis?!" their mother yelled from the other line
"What is it?!"
"We will go to Japan to have her measurements"
"In what?"
"Of course her wedding dress" she said in a 'duh-are-you-serious' tone
"WHAT?!" Gene gripped the phone tighter, he can't control her mother when she's too happy "Mom, like I said you will just –"
"No complaining! Bye, dear!" Gene stared at the phone, his mother just hang up on him.
"It's your fault, idiot scientist"
"If only you didn't pissed me off by drinking Mai's tea, that she prepared for me" he coldly said while reading a book. Then Gene's mischievous mind got an idea. He dialed their mother's number.
"Hey mom! Did you know, that Noll have been dreaming about his assistant being pregnant with his child in the future?"
Naru snapped his eyes, from the book to his grinning brother.
"WHAT?!" he heard their mother yelled from excitement "I want to talk to my Nolly!"
Naru groaned. Why didn't he thought that Gene will do something like this. Gene tossed the phone to him, and run to his bedroom to save his soul from the fierce dragon's roar.
"Mom –"
"OH MY GOD NOLL! YOU'RE IN LOVE?" he took away the phone from his ear, he's going to be deaf.
"Mom, calm –"
"So it's a double wedding?" then he heard her cry "I can't believe my sons will have their own family now"
"Mom, I said –"
And so, Naru spend almost four hours trying to calm down his over excited mother from her daydreams.