A/N: I suggest listening to Tennenkyara wa go Aikyou from the Ghost Hunt OST while reading XD
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Poor Unfortunate Soul
- Part Two -
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I am definitely going to murder Osamu Yasuhara. The sooner the better. With very violent means. Using Sesame Street puppets if possible. And duct tape. Lots of duct tape.
With poise and with magnificence, snow fell for the first time that winter. A single flake broke away from its flock and glided across a window's expanse, hovering tentatively over the pane as if afraid it would disappear when it touched the wood.
Although clearly hesitant, the fragile snowflake trusted its newfound friend in the end, seeing as it was now sitting upon the pane. Mai thought it was strange for it to be alone; none of its kind followed to where it was resting. Shouldn't its family be accompanying it? Shouldn't there be someone there to comfort it? Perhaps this was why it trusted the windowpane right away, because it had no one else.
She felt sorry for the snowflake. It had been foolish to trust so easily. She knew she was being hypocritical for thinking this since she herself trusted immediately, but the current circumstances had transformed her into a cynical old lady, too bitter and too tired to believe. But she was right anyway; because of its naïvety, the ice crystal vanished from this world forever, melting after living only a few trivial moments.
The part-time investigator mourned its short life, drawing an angel beside it on the fogged glass and praying silently that it would find its way to heaven. She wondered if it was better like this—if it was better that the snowflake knew immediately that even friends couldn't be trusted. Maybe she should follow its lead. Maybe she should kill herself now because of that sneaky Yasuhara and his sneaky plans.
Osamu Yasuhara was truly a cruel young man. How could he do such a thing to a friend who trusted him completely? Could Mai's theory be true after all, that Yasu was the devil in disguise? Surely, a human being would not be this evil… And if he was the devil, was he doing this so he could eat her soul when she died?
"Mai, stop whining and get your ass out here!" the devil called from beyond door of Shibuya Psychic Research's cramped restroom. "We're celebrating Damsel-in-distress day, remember?"
Cruel, Mai thought, still staring at the space where the pitiful snowflake once nested.
"Oh ho ho, Mai Taniyama, have you given up already?" he laughed, his muffled voice laced entirely of wickedness. "You do remember the consequences, right? If you don't come out for the festivities, I might forget not to tell…"
"Evil, evil boy," she breathed. The consequences were even worse than this punishment. She never should have let him persuade her to… to purchase a deepest, darkest secret. Indeed, she was stupid to trust this young man, to be as naïve as the tiny snowflake that didn't know any better.
"Come out already, Mai!" Takigawa yelled from the lounge area, his amusement poorly concealed from his tone. "This couldn't be any worse than the punishment you had when you lost that bet last month!"
Lin's faint grunt was deafening to Mai's ears. Knowing that any small reaction from the stoic man was loud, loud, loud when it came to him, her cheeks reddened almost instantly. She slapped herself in an attempt to knock the color off, but the act only made the crimson streak widen.
"I don't even know how you're still alive in there!" Ayako yelled as well, her snickers evident to Mai even through the thick walls. "You should have died of hypothermia twenty minutes ago."
Even if they hadn't somehow cut off the heat in the restroom alone, she should have died long ago—she'd wanted to—but alas, the frilly clothing Yasuhara made her wear was thick enough to ward off the brittle cold. She didn't even know he got his hands on a costume such as this. The jackhammer was sure to attack her head again if she thought too hard about it.
Yeah, Mai, this couldn't be as bad as last month, she told herself, though the encouragement was lost to the winds, slipping out through the infinitesimal cracks in the window frame, frolicking along with the rest of the stupid snowflakes.
Last month's punishment was her ticket to a one-year cruise on the S.S. Mortification. Yasuhara had dressed her up yet again in an outfit: Lin's outfit. To top it off, she was ordered to follow the man around and to imitate everything he did. Her hair was even styled in the same way as his. Really, really mortifying. Especially since Lin himself seemed to be enjoying her humiliation.
But this… Her Lin cosplay was nothing, nothing compared to this! This was on a whole other level, something out of this world! No! She wouldn't do this. She didn't care anymore if the devil blurted out that she had an 'I love egg' tattoo drawn on the small of her back. It was his fault she had it in the first place. If only stupid, inebriated Mai hadn't listened to stupid, stupid, stupid Yasuhara and his manipulative drunken slurs…
"Ma-i~"
That goddamned devil.
"Hey, Big Boss! Did you know that Mai has a ta—"
A furious slam resounded throughout the office when the restroom's door met the wall adjacent to it. Between the jambs stood an equally livid Mai breathing heavily, hints of murderous intent leaking though her control, all creeping toward the shamelessly beaming Yasuhara. The onlooking members of SPR sucked in their breaths at the sight, some slack-jawed and some holding in laughter. Takigawa, Ayako, John, Masako and Lin had thought they were already immune to those idiots' shenanigans after almost three years together with them, but they all admitted to themselves that Yasuhara had truly outdone himself today.
Mai was clad from head to toe in Baroque clothing. She wore a princely costume of black and white with gold patterns and trimmings polluting the entire thing. The sleeves and the collar had several layers of lace—undoubtedly prickly by the looks of it—and the heeled white shoes she was wearing were pointed, a round hedgehog-like embellishment attached to each one. Instead of the skirt everyone had been expecting to see on her, she wore a pair of wedgie-worthy trousers; the kind most 17th century pompous twats would wear. A dark cashmere cape completed the suit along with a ginormous hat, plus its matching ginormous feather.
"Hey, kid…" Takigawa nudged Yasuhara with a pointed elbow. "Didn't you say that you're celebrating Damsel-in-Distress day..?"
"Yes, that is true."
"Then why is she dressed as a prince?" John asked, head tilting to one side.
"Yes, that is true."
"Who is the damsel, then?" Masako inquired, a kimono sleeve stifling her words.
"Yes, that is true."
They all turned to the four-eyed college student simultaneously, glaring and wordlessly cautioning him not to repeat those words. His only response was the broadening of his signature smirk as his glasses flickered with a familiar glint.
"Patience, my children," he said, imitating a newscaster's tone. "You'll know soon enough."
Seconds, then minutes passed in quiet anticipation—well, not totally quiet, what with Lin tap tap tapping on his keyboard. Takigawa and Ayako were the first to tire of waiting, demanding that Yasu be quick with his scheme. He shushed them just as their impatient whining escalated in volume. Wait for the signal, wait for the signal, he insisted.
"Tea, Mai!"
The demand came from the gloomy boss inside his gloomy office. Everyone but Yasu stared at the girl, who was near the boss's office door, nervously scratching at the lace circling her neck. She was usually quick to satiate her ill-tempered employer's tea addiction, but this time she simply stayed put, pouting as she tried to rein in another blush.
The signal, they all realized.
With bated breaths, they waited for Naru to storm out the door. He'd be furious and rabid, they were sure. Being tea-less did that to him.
Mai's flimsy heart hammered against her chest to the beat of prestissimo when the sound of familiar muted footsteps befell her ears. If she took action now, she could still make a break for it and run back to the restroom so Naru wouldn't see her like this. And after she changed back to her own clothes, she'd kill Yasuhara with number—
The door opened suddenly and Naru came out, furious as promised. At the same time, in practiced clumsiness, Mai fell to one knee. Her frantic eyes were fixed to a neutral wall, a single bead of sweat rolling down from her temple as she attempted to clear away thoughts of the repercussions to what she was about to do.
Instead, she thought of how lovely it would be if she could still escape. Perhaps it would be possible to outrun Yasu to the door? Maybe, if she wished hard enough, she'd turn invisible. Or, she could just go through with it to honor her loss, then bribe everyone later and demand that they forget all this happened.
Oops. Ooh yeah, it was hard to forget she was a poor college student and the rest of the people here were all probably rich.
Oh, to hell with it, she thought. One hand darted out and grabbed Naru's. In a diminutive flash, she lightly brushed her lips against his fingers.
"What are y—"
"I-I am here to s-save you f-from the darkness my… m-my..." She gulped. "P-p-prin-princess!"
A moment of unbearable silence broke out. The ticking of a clock became momentous, as were the air conditioning system's creaks and whirs. Her gaze was immobile against the wall, but she could feel a pair of dark blue eyes piercing right through her. She did not count the seconds, though she was sure the hush lasted only four at most, and then Lin's chortles rang at full volume inside SPR's walls, surprising them all; it was their first time hearing him laugh so boisterously. It wasn't long until the rest joined him, the stoic man's mirth infectious.
"Princess?!"
"What bet did you lose this time, Mai?"
"The look on Naru's face—priceless! Yasu, did you get that on your camera?"
"Hell yeah! It's even on video!"
Each comment caused Mai's reddened cheeks to darken further, intensifying her need to jump into a grave at this very moment. Their laughter chimed together behind her, but the person in front of her made her even more nervous. She had yet to face Naru's eyes, though she was sure that a stabbing glare was ready to fire.
"Mai," Naru said with a clipped tone.
She whimpered as her eyelids fluttered as rapidly as a hummingbird's wings in flight. A courageous moment seized her and forced her eyes up partially, the sight making her whimper even more. She was still holding Naru's hand.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, letting go of his hand as if a thousand eels had electrocuted her.
Naru's defeated sigh answered her.
"Where's my tea?"
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- Epilogue -
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"Hey, Yasu."
"Yes, my dear dashing princely prince?"
"Let's go buy some duct tape."
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A/N: Woo. After months and months of sitting on this, I finally got off my lazy butt to conclude the story. Hope I didn't disappoint :)
My endless thanks to archangelBBQ for your thoughtful input! …Though I'm not sure if you remember since it was so long ago… Nonetheless, be rest assured; you've cured me of my *that that thaaaaaaaat* sickness, hahaha.
Thanks for reading, all of you! *hugsss* Tell me your thoughts! Did it suck? Rock? Did Mai deserve her punishment? (Even though Yasu clearly had the upper hand since the beginning ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) )