Chapter 3: Surprises
~Noll's POV
Noll arrived at the airport and was impatiently waiting for Lin to unload the things. Once Lin came back with their luggage in tow, Naru bit back a sigh and wore his emotionless façade. He took his luggage and called for a taxi and immediately went to their condo to unpack.
~Mai's POV
I opened my eyes only to be greeted by a bright light that made me wince. My vision was all blurry and my body felt numb. I tried to move my fingers and with much effort, I finally made a small twitch in my pinky.
"Taniyama-san you're finally up" an unfamiliar voice registered in my ears. I blinked several times before I got a clear view of a nurse who was changing my IV.
"How do you feel?" she asked me
"I feel terrible" she giggled.
"I'll get the doctor" she helped me sit up and left the room briskly. Now I was left alone in the hospital room to try and figure out how the hell I ended up in here. My memory wasn't cooperating that much and no matter how much I glare at ceiling, it won't give me answers.
~Noll's POV
We arrived at the SPR building where the rest of the gang had been waiting for us.
"Noll" Madoka chimed
"Come on! I know you're dying to see Mai already" she said teasingly while poking my cheek. I rolled my eyes but deep inside I get this weird tingling sensation in my stomach at the thought of seeing my danger prone assistant. We all boarded the van and despite my silence and the teams noisy bickering, I felt a wave of nostalgia overcome me. 'Maybe, I'm happy that I'm back?'
~Mai's POV
I was staring at the vase full of roses, tulips and lavenders, reminiscing… after quite some time it finally hit me.
Flashback
I was doing some filing Madoka assigned me that should be finished when she returns from England. Although my energy was betraying my will I forced myself to compile the pieced of dead trees against my will. I stapled a news clipping about a burglar incident written in bold capital letters and suddenly, all the energy I had seeped out of my body dropping the stapler while visions of the incident played in my mind. And to my horror, I was reliving the memories of the little girl who died along with her parents. And that was definitely not good for me. I saw the burglar mercilessly stab her dad and rape her mom before killing her in front of her eyes.
"This isn't a burglar incident! This is murder!" I exclaimed as the man grabbed me by the throat and restricted air from entering my little body.
"Mom, Dad…" I chocked but I knew they were history and yet here I am desperately asking for my parents even though they were dead. I closed my eyes and felt a quick pain in my throat and warm liquid draining out of me.
I immediately snapped out of my dream, my breath was ragged and my chest hurts like hell. I clutched my shirt like it would do any help. I tried to stand but to my luck I kissed the floor. The pain was overwhelming, every time I inhale I feel a sharp pain in my chest and I wish I never had to breathe at all.
'Medicine' I thought and I crawled on the floor to reach my bag, when I finally reached my bag, I rummaged through its contents and found out it wasn't there. I winced as a throbbing pain engulfed me, I collapsed on the floor once again, tears were threatening to fall…'it hurts so much'
"I want to die…" I thought, so that the pain would just end. And then all I could remember on the brink of my death were people special to me. My parents and the person I love…left me
"Don't leave me…" I whispered to nobody, tears streamed down my cheeks.
"Mai-chan! Tell me you're not sleeping again right?" I heard Yasu bickering at the door.
"Ya-su…" and everything went blank.
~Naru's POV
"So you don't know what happened?" Naru said and Yasu flinched faking a hurt look
"Ouch boss, I never thought she'd be sleeping on the floor…" he said and sighed.
"I just left for a few minutes" Yasu scratched his head, his face showing genuine concern and Naru's grip on the book tightened at that. Lin stepped on the brakes and y eyes wandered on the hospital in front of us. I sighed; I didn't expect to see Mai here after four months. We passed by a few halls and boarded the elevator going to the sixth floor. After leaving the elevator we passed by five wards and landed on Room 1101 with Mai's name written on it. And as I opened the door I saw a certain brunette that made my heart skip a beat. Her hair grew longer and she was staring at space when Yasu called her gaining her attention.
"Naru…" she said
Unbeknownst to us was a pair of shadows behind us.
~Mai's POV
"Naru…" was all I could say, I never expected to see him again…well at first I thought it would be best not to see him again but I just couldn't shake of this happy feeling.
"Mai" he said. I know this was very awkward for both of us, but I didn't want Naru to feel uncomfortable around me. I shifted my position so I was sitting on the edge of the bed with my feet barely touching the ground. I saw hesitation in his eyes and then he sighed. I looked below and saw a small bundle of roses. 'ah, so he was hesitating about giving me this…' I frowned at the thought but quickly replaced it with my trademark smile.
"Thank you" I said and I heard the gang snickering and whistling like there's some kind of show. I blushed beet red and glared at Yasuhara to stop whistling. But I noticed two figures behind them and when I recognized them, roses lay forgotten on the floor.
"Mai?" Naru asked as he saw me shocked.
"Mai, you better start explaining" a young man with dark hair and slate grey eyes, near his early 30's stepped inside of the room along with a woman with auburn hair and green eyes.
"Excuse me but who are-"although Ayako could say more, I cut her off
"Mom, Dad" I whispered
Preview:
"Mai, would you like to start working for me again?"
"I want you to quit your job! You're coming home with me young lady"
"Let her do what she enjoys! You shouldn't restrict her freedom while she still can"
'I'll just watch over you from a distance, as long as you're by my side I'm contented'