Thank you for those 9 people who reviewed, and to everyone who kept on reading DLM. You guys are awesome!
Oh and sorry to disappoint you, there won't be details about the case they took in the last chapter. This chap starts after they exorcised the ghost. But if you want, you could suggest cases like my other story but not about the plot sorry, it's all planned out. Maybe if I write the cases, this story will have more chapters than its supposed to be cause I think it could only be 12 or less than 20 based on my estimation.
Chapter 5: Restriction
~Mai's POV
Have you ever felt heavy? Like the happiness you're seeing is short-lived? Or that everything that you're feeling right now isn't supposed to happen at all?
You know, I'm happy SPR is back together, probably, starting tomorrow everything will be back to the way it is. Lin and Naru locked in their offices, me suffering from piles of paperwork then monk and Ayako would come barging in arguing about their ages and John behind them trying hard to keep their fight from turning into world war III. Yasu would sneak up behind me and show me and whispering god forbidden things to me making me blush ten shades of red. A sly Masako in the corner, with her sleeve covering her mouth and maybe Madoka could barge in and annoy Naru to his grave. Yeah, crazy as it sounds but it's something that could probably keep me sane. The happiness they bring because they're by my side.
I'm so happy it makes me feel utterly guilty.
"Mai" an all familiar voice anchored me back to earth
"Don't just stand there and drool in outer space like an idiot. Help load the van." He ordered while tidying up scattered folders and files on the table. I rolled my eyes and started mumbling about slave driving narcissists and agonizing equipments that feel agonizingly heavy.
"But before that Mai, tea" and then he stacked the folders in a box with a loud THUMP and carried it to the van. He gave me a look that clearly said I'll be expecting it when I'm back. I groaned and dragged my legs to the kitchenette to make tea obsessed boss. Though I'm happy that it saved me more time to carry god forsaken boxes of equipment down the stairs where I would miraculously find a way to trip and breaking the monitor into smithereens…metaphorically speaking, though part of it could actually be too good to be true. I waited for the kettle to boil while I prepare tea leaves, peppermint and raspberry extracts which I bought especially for tea making purposes. I took the courage to explore Naru's taste buds and found out he didn't spill my red tea blend outside the window and actually ordered more of it than my usual earl grey. At least I made sure there's peppermint, giving Naru tea without peppermint would lead you all the way to the pits of Tartarus. Oh yeah, I've been reading Percy Jackson series and awesome is an understatement.
"Mai" Naru said immediately upon arrival at the frame of the door.
"Yeah I know narcissist" I put a little drop of raspberry making the color of the tea crimson red. But hey, let me tell you, beware of giving sweet things to Naru well just imagine to the tune of this song except there's a small change in the lyrics
~Too much raspberry will kill you~
The scent of my specially brewed red tea filled the room, I took the cup strode over to Naru who was patiently and intently watching me make tea. Well of course I have the gift of blushing, well who knows I came from a long line of demigods whose parent is the goddess of blushes and she just gave me her blessing, gods! Enough of Percy Mai! And emptied my thoughts but I guess I emptied it to far that it affected my sense of sight. Black blotches appeared in my line of vision, introducing my head to the wooden floor and spilling red tea in the process. I heard Naru call and run to my side asking me what's wrong and other words that feels contradicts to what I feel right now like `alright' and I feel like punching him in the gut when he's so smart to figure out that I'm sprawled on the floor and writhing in pain.
Okay, the funny part is, I don't know which part hurts actually my head , or my burning chest or the fact that breathing is even painful.
"Na…ru" I whimpered, talking hurts too
I heard him call Ayako and well I completely passed out before I knew what happened next. But still,
The red tea was a waste.
~Naru's POV
I watched Mai make my new obsessive tea, red tea, which is only exceptional to her blend only. Earl grey is my usual refreshment because, well, I feel contented with it. That is until a brave soul entered my office offering a cup of red tea. The sweet scent that usually made me glare to the puerile being fond of sweets, but the first time the red tea filled the room with its mild sweetness coupled with a smooth glaze of mint calmed my nerves two times better than Mai's regular early grey flavor. The taste is surprisingly balanced like the peppermint and raspberry enjoy their company, not too sweet, just right and impeccably delicious that it doubled Mai's work load since I finish the tea faster than usual.
I watch her delicate hands work like she had been doing it for years. I tiny curve upwards briefly displayed on my face when I see her making tea with a smile plastered on her face, I still couldn't believe that she could stand working with me for months, I usually needed to look for assistants every week.
She took the cup and strode towards me and stopped then blushed. She must've had realized that I had been watching her all along. The small smile crept into a grin, blame that on my narcissistic side, I enjoy making her blush in different shades of red and ever since the first time she blushed at me, I decided that it would be my hobby. She shook her head lightly, probably trying to get rid of what she's thinking but I started to doubt that when she fell to the floor spilling the tea that I have waited for minutes into the mahogany floor.
"Mai! What happened? Are you alright? Seriously, you always trip out of nowhere you-"I stopped when I saw her writhing in pain and cautiously touched her forehead. Her temperature seems normal but beads of sweat start to form in her face, she looked like breathing was even painful.
"Na…ru" she whimpered, with that I called Matsuzaki-san then glanced back at the brunette only to find her passed out. I carried her bridal style and walked down the stairs where monk and Ayako were looking shocked and were saying things like 'what happened?' or 'what did you do?' heck, is asking for some red tea a sin already?
Matsuzaki-san checked on her and told us that we should go to a hospital already since her breaths are getting shorter and she's wincing in pain. It took us ten minutes to arrive in the same hospital where I first met Mai again after four months. Ten minutes riding not less than 100 km per hour. The moment we entered, the doctors and nurses got a bed and started hooking her with tubes and wires which I don't like very much. They gave Mai a breathing mask and the nurses were pumping it with air. Instinctively, I grabbed her hand hoping it would do something, though it'd not allowed. It figures. Moments later, nurses were pushing us out of the ward as my grip on Mai was lost, just before the curtain closed, I saw Mai looking at me with pain in her eyes tearing up as the doctor injected her with something that made her gasp and arch her back. The heart monitor beeped wildly and people, specifically doctors were scrambling all over the e place. Finally, I caught a sight of a familiar face. Tsuki Jayson. He was in a white gown with a stethoscope around his neck. His slate grey eyes were clearly alarmed and his eyebrows were scrunched together. He entered the curtain and I don't know what happened next behind those sky blue curtains.
~Mai's POV
I woke up in a big room with white walls and sky blue accents below. Beside me is a mahogany desk with a vase filled with flowers, a basket of fruits and some medical equipment. On the opposite side is a metal bar that holds my bag of dextrose, a sofa and a window. It was sunny and bright, the birds are chirping as if everything is a pleasant morning except the unpleasant throbbing in my head. I thought, 'what happened again?' as I recalled a few memories of red tea and a narcissist but before I could fully remember, a dark-haired man in a white coat and slate gray eyed locked mine. And he doesn't look real happy.
It was an awkward situation.
I sat up on my bed finding the white blanket interesting while my dad sat next to me with a scary gaze that made the hairs in my neck stand in alarm…as if there's a storm coming. His shoulder rose as he inhaled air to speak and I cut him off before it's too late.
"I'm sorry!" I blurted out like some pig who screams 'BLEET BLEET' when he's about to be transformed into pork chop.
I heard him sigh practically because I closed my eyes afraid what he might look like.
"Mai…" he sighed again, like he's tired. Well he probably is…
"Tell me, just what kind of job do you do that made you…" he didn't finish his sentence and sighed again. I bit my lip, he is so not going to like this.
It's doomsday.
"Dad, I'm sorry…" I looked up to him pleadingly. He glanced at the ceiling like his trying to fight my puppy eyes stare.
"Answer my question" he said gently. This is not good…oh man. I sighed and croaked out the words.
"Paranormal Investigations…?" I said and I saw fire in his eyes. Uh oh
"Mai!" he shouted.
"Daddy please let me explain!" my eyes gave the most pleading look I could ever give hoping that he would give me a chance to hear my side of the story. But he was gritting his teeth and he looks so…so
"YOU PROMISED NOT TO GET INVLOVED AGAIN!" he screamed, and I cried. I know this has always been a very dangerous subject for my adoptive parents ever since…
"Dad, I know, but please…I love ghost hunting…when I think about how I can help those hopeless souls to move on I feel so happy…and…and…I'm sure mama and papa feels the same way."
"No…"he said with no hesitation. He balled his fists and turned his back on me.
"Dad please don't do this…" I started sobbing lightly
"No young lady, you are going to QUIT YOU JOB AND THAT"S FINAL!" and he stormed out of the room leaving me to drown the pillows with my tears. I heard a small creak in the door and I prayed that it wouldn't be any from the SPR.
"Darling…" mom stroked my hair tenderly and let my head lean In her chest. I wrapped my arms around her neck and cried.
"You father is just being protective…overprotective" she nodded and wiped the tears from my cheeks "But you know that already do you?" she smiled and I managed to nod as I sobbed the last few tears away.
"Is your job important to you?" she smiled
"No mom" I said "Not important, it's my life" I locked eyes with her and she nodded. Then she left the room after she tucked me in bed.
"Jayson…"
"NO I WILL NOT LET MY DAUGHTER-" she silenced him with a finger in his lips and a sweet warm smile.
"Our daughter…" she corrected. "I know how you feel, I don't like it either. But we shouldn't put a cage around her to keep her from flying" she rubbed her husband's arm tenderly making him sigh.
"Cages are safe..." he mumbled
"But very lonely…and that's the last thing you wanted her to be right?" he muttered some incomprehensible words again but all the woman did was smile.
"You were like this too when she said she wanted to live on her own…" he glanced at her. their eyes locked in a soft manner.
"Jayson let her do what she enjoys. Don't restrict her freedom while she still can" she said and her husband sighed. Her hands caught his face and brought it to her chest and stroked his hair like what she did to Mai.
"You know that eventually, we will have to let go…" he didn't speak, he just let the her warmth engulf him as he relaxed in her warm touch.
"It's hard…" he muttered and she smiled.
"Letting go is the hardest part, but it gives us strength and hope…"
A/N: So? Do I get reviews? ^^
I'll await you suggestions before I post my preview. You know sometimes my previews seem so wrong so I don't want to make it even more wrong that it is.
Thanks for reading! Luv yah guys xD