Mai woke up with tears running down her face. She sniffed and snuggled closer to her pillow. Her eyes suddenly flew back open when she realized her pillow was slowly moving. Mai turned her head slowly upward only to be met with Lin's face. Her eyes widened and she began to blush. She laid there observing him. He seemed so peaceful while he slept.

"Lin-san looks so handsome when he sleeps." She thought. "Actually, he looks handsome all the time but I never really noticed just how attractive he really is. I've always thought about Naru. But, now." She stopped thinking and began to blush furiously. "What are you thinking Mai? You lo-." She cut her thoughts off as her eyes widened once again only in realization this time. "No way! I – I don't love Naru?" She looked again at Lin and felt herself blush. She swallowed hard and began to move slowly away from Lin. She had gotten a couple inches away when Lin brought her back to him, pressing her close in a hug-like hold. "Oh my, gosh! Oh my, gosh! Lin-san what are you doing?" She thought in her head. She began to panic.

Lin began to slowly awake to the smell of peaches. He slowly opened his eyes and yawned. He looked around still half asleep. He looked down and noticed brown hair which he figured to be the source of the peach smell. He began to sit up hoping not to disturb Mai. His eyes widened as he realized they were on a case and he had taken Mai to bed and ended up neglecting the monitors. He cursed and quickly got out of bed and headed downstairs. Luckily only Bou-san and John were up.

"Hey Lin where were you?" Bou-san asked as Lin walked to the monitors.

Lin made no respond and began to rewind the tapes and watch everything. He cursed when he saw there were temperature changes during the night. He cursed again and began to type everything and updating the records. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He then remembered Mai and last night. He looked to the door to see Naru enter the door.

"Report." Was all Naru spoke.

"Nothing to major last night. A few temperature changes but nothing unusual except in room 4. The temperature fluctuated rather dramatically." Lin's response was his usual business tone.

"Fine. You can go. Takigawa I need you to watch the monitors for a while." Naru ordered then picked up a file to read. "Where's Mai?" He asked without looking up.

"She's probably still asleep." Monk replied.

"Lin before you sleep go get her."

Lin nodded and left the room to go check on Mai. He remembered she had been rather frightened last night. He climbed the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Taniyama-san?"

"Yea?" She yelled out.

"Is it alright if I come in?"

"Sure! Just enter and I'll be out in a bit!"

He opened the door and raised an eyebrow at the mess near her bag. He closed the door behind him and stood near the door waiting for her to come out. When she did he felt an odd sensation in the pit of his stomach. She was wearing a plain black skirt with a white button up top. Her hair was pulled back into a pony tail with a black ribbon tied in a bow and she wore black ballet flats.

"Morning Lin-san." She walked over to her bag and folded everything, placing it neatly back in her bag. "What did you need? Or does Naru need his morning tea?"

"Naru does need his tea, but I do want to ask you something."

Mai stood up after zipping her back and smiled at Lin. "Sure, what is it?"

He raised an eyebrow slightly at her chipper mood when just last night she was terrified to the core and crying.

"Taniyama-san, are you alright?"

She frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?" She looked at him a tad confused.

He watched her and was getting a sense about her but he just couldn't place it. He sighed softly. "Very well then, go make Naru his tea."

Mai frowned again. "Lin why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Don't worry about it Taniyama, go make Naru his tea." He then turned and left her room and headed to his own to change. He let out yet another sigh. He was starting to get frustrated with things. His mind and his heart were fighting against each other. He didn't know what to think about how things were turning out. Why did he neglect work for her? Lin shook his head clearing those thoughts of his co-worker. He finished dressing and headed downstairs to eat breakfast then to go and watch monitors.

Mai was confused about Lin's questions. She kept thinking about them as she continued to head to the kitchen to make Naru his tea. "What did Lin mean? I mean I know I have bad dreams and all but for Lin to worry? Maybe Monk asked him to check on me…No, Monk would have bugged me until I told him. Then why?" She made it to the kitchen where several chefs were in the cleaning and cooking. She maneuvered around them looking for a tea pot.

"And what do you think you're doing in her young lady?" An Irish male voice spoke.

Mai turned her attention to the voice. It was an older gentleman. He stood at maybe a little shorter than Lin's height; he had gray hair with streaks of silver in it. His skin was pale and wrinkled from being aged but his dark green eyes looked fiery and filled with wisdom.

"I – I was just wanting to make some tea for my boss." She swallowed. "I was looking for a tea pot and haven't been able to find one."

"You shouldn't be in here. It's chef territory."

"Lay off her Cullen." Another male voice spoke.

Mai whirled around to see the male who met them at the door.

"Youichi you know the rules of the house." Was his reply.

"His name's Youichi." Mai thought.

"I may know them but she is a guest here. She doesn't and I'm sure uncle will have no problem with her fulfilling a request from her boss."

Cullen sighed and pointed behind him. "Pot's on the stove." He walked away.

"Sorry about him. He's head chef, been working here for so long he forgets his manners"

"Thank you." Mai said while blushing. She turned and walked to the stove.

"I'm Murakami-san's nephew Youichi." He smiled at her.

"Mai, Taniyama Mai. It's a pleasure to meet you Youichi." She smiled and grabbed the pot. It was filled with water already so she just turned on the stove.

"So, you're part of that ghost hunting team right?"

"Yes, S.P.R."

"Right." He watched her look in cabinets again for something else. "So, how did you get roped into working for such a company?"

She glanced over her shoulder. "It's a long story. Where is your tea?" He pointed to the cabinet beside him and Mai nodded her thanks and picked out Naru's tea.

"I've got time."

"Well." She began thinking of how to make in short. "To be honest I was looking at an old school not far from mine a while ago and I knocked over a camera, injured his assistant and was told that since I didn't have money to pay for the camera I'd have to work it off." She found the tea cups beside the stove as the water boiled. She began to make the tea. "In the end after the job was done and his assistant was back I was going to go back to my normal life but that didn't happen."

"Oh?"

"No, Naru err, Kazuya, my boss, called me and asked if I'd like to work for him and I couldn't help but say yes. Ever since then my life has been interesting." She picked up the cup and they began walking into the dining room.

"So, how did you injure his assistant?"

"Well after I knocked over the camera a voice startled me and I almost got crushed by a bookshelf. Lin saved me, which I am eternally grateful for."

"Lin?" He asked confused.

"Yea, he's the tall Chinese man." Mai blushed. "He didn't like me at first but over the years we've worked together I'd say our relationship has gone from strict co-workers to well, I wouldn't say friends." She paused, thinking. "Acquaintances is more like it. I mean I suppose that's what he'd call it."

Youichi nodded in silence. Speaking of the Chinese man he had entered the dining room and had heard the last bit of their conversation.

"So, do you like him?" Youichi asked curious. He opened the dining room door for her.

"What do you mean?" She smiled thanks and walked through the door.

"Like in any way?"

"I – I uh." Mai began to blush.

"So you do? That's a shame."

Mai looked to him curious. "Why?"

"Well, Mai-Chan you are a rather attractive female." He said and nodded. "I had hoped you hadn't had any one special in mind."

Mai blushed at his comment. "Well, I – Thank you for the compliment." They arrived at base and he opened the door for her and she entered. "Naru I brought you you're tea." She set the cup down and turned to leave for breakfast.

"Mai." Naru spoke.

"Yes Naru?" She half turned looking at him.

"Once you've finished breakfast, I need you to replace tapes and check room temperatures."

"Yes, Naru." She turned back and walked out the door. "Stupid work-a-holic jerk." She mumbled.

Youichi smirked at her and they walked together back to the dining room. "So Mai-Chan does he know you like him?"

"Huh? Who?"

"That guy." He saw Lin in the corner of his eye wanting to see his reaction.

"Ah, Youichi, I'm confused."

"The guy we were talking about earlier." He let out a small sigh.

"Oh." Mai blushed. "No, he doesn't and I highly doubt he feels the same way I do." She quickly glanced at Lin then sat down.

"That's a shame Mai-Chan, a true shame."

"Why do you want to know?"

"Mai you know I like you." He leaned close to her. "It's simple; I want to go out with you. Or in the very least, take you to my uncle's winter ball." He smiled at her.

"I – I uh." She couldn't think of anything to say.

"Wonderful. It's settled. You and I are going to the winter ball together." He smiled and sat down.

Mai looked at him confused on what the whole point of the conversation was and what in the world was he up to. Breakfast was served and they ate and continued to chat about random things but mostly about Mai's job. Neither of the two noticed Lin leaving the room nor the fact that he had his hand tightened into a fist.

Lin hadn't known why what the boy said bothered him so much. All he knew was that seeing Mai with him gave Lin a sense of emotions he was unfamiliar with. He knew of the feelings but he couldn't comprehend why he was feeling such feelings when it came to Mai. He sat down at a desk and began typing and continuing his research. "Maybe work will clear my head." He thought.

After three hours of work Lin's mind had cleared for the most part but it still went back to his questions and his confusion of his emotions. He sighed and looked around. The base was empty, not even Naru was in there. He began to think about Mai and last night then this morning. Lin let out a small growl of irritation as he couldn't wrap his head around it. He shook his head slightly to clear thoughts and began work once again.