Yep, I'm sorry I'm a bit late.. I'm having some personal issues that is taking most of my time so you have to forgive me.. so I don't know when I'll be able to update, but I assure I will, I just need to sort out a few things okay?
I'm also very thankful for all the reviews and followers I've got ^^
EDIT: I edited the number on the caller display because I forgot why I choose that number.. :\
File 2.
The Unknown Cellar.
The first message was just dismissed, but when the same message came 9 more times, the fear started to rise. Who was sending these messages? Why were they coming every time the clock turned whole? After a little while, courage rose so the receiver sent a message back. The number from the caller was; 644426819, a strange and random number it seemed.
"Who are you?" the message coming back. Answers that only made the fear grow.
"Your worst nightmare."
Day 1.
11th May.
Mai yawned as she entered the office. The office she came to daily before Naru and Lin went back to England. Now she was back, working as an assistant, and for Naru? Tea maker of course. Mai sighed as she hung up her jacket and looked around. It was a bit dusty here and there, but otherwise, it looked just like it did a month ago. Mai then looked at the doors for Naru and Lin's office. As usual, they were closed and most probably locked if they weren't here. Was she earlier than them? She walked over to the kitchen and started to make tea. It occurred to her that Naru was running late because of traffic. The streets were hell right now, even if the holiday's were over. Actually, they ended the 5th May, the same days she left with her school, which wasn't usual, because 5th was a free day, but the school was being 'nice' to their students. Mai sighed as she poured a cup for herself. Then she heard the door to the office open, but it wasn't the front door, so Mai poured another cup and walked into the main room. She stopped by the couch, staring at a certain someone. Naru hadn't noticed her yet as he read something in his files while walking towards her, but stopping midways and sitting down on the armchair. Mai walked over and sat down the cup, startling Naru.
"Good morning Naru." she said, smiling. Naru looked up at her, then he looked down, nodding as well.
"At least your on time." he just said. Mai pouted, a vein nearly popping on her forehead. Mai stood up straight, glaring at him, but sighed right after wards before she sat down on the couch. She looked down into her cup, staring at the tea as she thought back on the weird messages she had been receiving since last night. Of course she wasn't going to worry Naru right after they had come home from a kidnapping case were she was the missing one. She had put her phone on silent mode and let it lay in her purse.
"And even if I wanted to tell him, how would I tell the biggest narcissist on the Earth that someone with a strange number is sending me really creepy messages?" she thought, looking over the edge of the cup with a pitiful look in her eyes. Mai's eyes went to her right as she glanced at Naru, who was still reading his files, all the while drinking some tea. Mai turned back to her cup, but she didn't drink, she just continued to stare into it.
"Mai." Mai was startled out of her self loathing as Naru called her. Mai sat up straight, blushing and almost spilling her tea.
"Y-yes?" she asked, looking at him. Naru wasn't reading anymore, nor was he hold either the files or the cup. Mai titled her head to the side, how had she missed him setting the cup down? And the files for that matter, they were resting on his lap, closed. Naru's eyes bored into Mai's own brown eyes. She wanted to look away, but couldn't. Naru's blue eyes was so deep, so piercing that Mai felt like he was looking right into her soul.
"If your ill go home!" he stated. Mai pouted.
"I don't have a cold Naru, I was just thinking about something." she napped back, crossing her arms stubbornly. There was no way she'd stay home from her first day at work after a month of nothing. It may have been just a month, and a month can pass fast, but it didn't for Mai. For her it felt like years rather that 4 weeks. Naru eyed her she thought about the messages again. She looked away, not wanting Naru to see the self pity and the fear in her eyes, but he did anyway, otherwise he wouldn't have straightened up.
"Mai." he sounded like he was ordering now. Mai turned back, looking at him.
"W-what?" she asked. Naru raised an eyebrow.
"Tell me." he said. Mai tilted her head to the side again.
"T-tell you what?" she asked nervously, knowing he had caught on to her worries.
"Tell me what is bothering you so you can concentrate on your work!" Naru said. Mai glared at his definition of worry, well, he didn't seem to be worried at all, but Mai was, and she didn't like it.
"I-It's nothing!" she said.
"Then why are you stuttering?" Naru asked. Mai turned scarlet. Naru seemed a bit amused at this, but then turned serious.
"Mai, tell me!" he said. She pouted.
"B-but Naru, it really isn't anything to-" she was cut of when he suddenly slammed the files into the table. Mai flinched, inching away. Naru glared at Mai, who glared teary eyed back at him.
"Mai.." he warned. Mai's bottom lip began to quiver and she looked down.
"I-It's.." she began when another door opened and Lin came into the main room. One look at the two and he did a u-turn, disappearing into his room again. Mai gaped.
"What the hell was up with that?" she thought. Naru glared even more and Mai could feel it now.
"My phone.." she whispered. Naru frowned.
"What?" he asked. She sat down the cup and stood up. Mai retrieved her phone and gave it to Naru, who looked at Mai, then at the phone.
"The.. the messages.." she whispered, sitting down again. Naru looked up the messages and his face suddenly hardened. Mai got a little confused at that. Then Naru just threw the phone over to her.
"It's just a prank." he stated as if it was nothing. Mai frowned.
"Why?" she was sincere, she didn't like it and Naru just thought of it as a prank.
"Why would someone send you a message like that?" Naru asked. Mai nodded.
"I know, I know.. but still.." Mai looked down at her lap, clenching her hands into the fabric of her skirt. She sighed, but couldn't help the tears that started to collect in the corner of her eyes.
"I couldn't sleep at all because of it.. and.. and when the messages first came in, the paranormal activity in my apartment just got worse." she sobbed. Naru stared at her for a long minute before he frowned.
"You should start wearing a charm." he stated. Mai's head jerked upwards, tears flowing down her cheeks.
"I tried, but.. but it.. burned up.." she sobbed. Naru's face now got really serious and he stood up.
"Mai, dry your tears." he suddenly said. Mai just continued to cry, trying to stop the tears with the back of her hands, but failing. Suddenly she felt something soft touch her hand and she pulled her hand away to see a handkerchief. Naru's handkerchief to be exact. Mai blushed and looked up at Naru, who was standing in front of her with this really cute, but a bit awkward expression on his face. Mai smiled a bit through her tears before taking the handkerchief.
"T-thank you." she managed through her sobs. Naru nodded and turned away. Mai calmed down a bit so she could dry her tears and saw Naru entering Lin's office and disappear. Mai's face fell.
"Your kidding me? I just poured my heart in front of you and you walk away? What kind of manner is that? You asshole.." she cursed him mentally. She looked down at the handkerchief and stopped.
"This.. smells like him.." she sniffed it some and blushed.
"Gods, I'm turning into a pervert, next thing I start stalking him.." she mentally kicked herself for her self loathing. She hadn't even noticed that Naru had returned, this time with Lin by his side. Mai looked up and squeaking.
"Geez, you have to tell me when your in the room, your scaring the shit out me.." she complained, holding a hand over her chest. It seems Lin didn't like it when he saw the tear stains on Mai's face, but didn't say anything. Naru walked over.
"Call the rest." then he started to put on his jacket. Mai stared at him with a wide mouth.
"O-okay.. and where are we- Naru, your tie is crooked." she said, standing up. She walked over and started to straighten up his tie. Naru looked down at her as she finished up what she was doing. Lin watched them with an amused smile from afar. Mai then stopped what she was doing and looked up. It took her about three seconds to turned dark red. Naru raised an eyebrow, but seemed a bit amused by her expression.
"And what did you say?" Naru asked. Mai sputtered a bit back and forth before Naru stopped her and told her to calm down.
"Where should I tell them to come to? I mean.. it looks like your leaving right away to me? Whose the client?" she asked. Naru stared down at her.
"The client is you." he stated and Mai's eyes widened at the same speed as her mouth fell. Her arms fell to her sides as she just gaped up at Naru.
"Mai, there are flies in this room." he stated and she shut her mouth with a loud clack. Naru turned away and walked over to the door.
"Now Mai." he said and she squeaked.
"R-right away." she ran over to the office phone. Naru left through the front door, but Lin didn't. Instead he came over.
"I'll help." he said. Mai looked up, a bit shocked, then she smiled.
"Thank you Lin-san, that'd be great." she answered.
Mai sighed as she looked up at the apartment complex she lived in. Soon she would have, well, for the first time she would have guests from her workplace. Awkward seeing she knew it wasn't on it's cleanest, but she couldn't go a fix that now. She turned just as another car parked behind the SPR's van. Bou was the first to show himself.
"Hi Mai-chan." he called, coming over, and ruffling her hair. Mai pouted.
"B-Bou!" she complained. Then Bou got whacked in the head and he turned to see Ayako glaring at him.
"Hey, what did you do that for?" he asked.
"For acting like an idiot." she answered as she passed him. Soon enough both Masako and John was there too. The priest smiled at Mai, who smiled back.
"So, Naru-chan, what's the case this time? It's the first time we've had a case in an apartment complex." Bou asked. Mai blushed, she had actually withheld that information on purpose. Naru glared at Mai, who giggled.
"Sorry." she said, smiling sheepishly. Bou frowned.
"You forgot to tell us something Mai-chan?" he teased. Mai pouted.
"It wasn't on purpose.." she said, though that was a lie. Bou raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Is that so?" he teased. Mai complained with a groan and turned away from him, crossing her arms stubbornly, though blushing faintly.
"So, what's the case?" Ayako asked. Mai looked at her, then Naru.
"Mai." Naru simply stated. Mai tilted her head to the side.
"Yes?" she asked. Naru glared at her.
"The key!" she blushed and squeaked.
"S-sorry!" she stumbled a bit as she hurried over to the front doors, and opened the door with the key she had. The rest followed her to the elevator. Mai pushed the button to the floor she lived on as Bou began whistling.
"Naru-chan, is it clever to withheld information to your colleagues?" he asked. Mai spluttered and blushed.
"Ask Mai." Naru answered. Bou grinned.
"Well, tell us Mai, you have to sooner or later!" he said. Mai blushed.
"It's.. I'm not entirely sure what's going on either.. but.." she looked at Naru for help, but got none. The elevator 'plinged' and Mai turned around. The group on seven moved along the corridor, then Mai stopped them in front of her door, the door to her apartment. Bou looked at the name plate and gaped.
"Mai-chan, this is your apartment isn't it?" he asked. Mai turned her head before she nodded and turned back, unlocking the door. Mai moved aside so the rest could enter.
"I don't have enough slippers for all of you, but the floor should be clean.." she said. Just as Mai walked over the door step she got this really sickening feeling in her stomach and she fell over, collapsing on the floor.
"Mai?" Ayako was by her side right away. Mai gasped and held her stomach.
"Is everything alright?" John asked.
"I feel.. sick.." Mai managed.
"She's not the only one, Masako's like that too." Bou called at them. Ayako helped Mai up as she wobbled over to the couch. Mai sat down beside Masako, who looked just as sick.
"Mai? Hara-san? What do you sense?" Naru asked. Mai looked up at Naru and her eyes widened. Naru was standing right in front of the windows and what she saw just sickened her more.
"B-behind you!" she said loudly, pointing and covering her mouth with her other hand. Naru turned his head and promptly stopped. The window was covered in something that looked like blood.
I know who you are..
Naru walked over and touched the window.
"It's on the inside." he stated. He then pulled his finger back, smelling the substance on his finger.
"And it's blood." and that was the final straw for Mai.
"Why?" she cried, tears falling right away. Bou jumped from his spot in shock.
"Why me?" she sobbed. Masako turned to look at her in sympathy, despite having the same sick feeling. Ayako sat down beside the distressed brunette and hugged her.
"It'll be fine." she whispered, calmly stroking her hair. Mai wrapped her arms around Ayako's waist, sobbing into her chest. Naru turned around to see the pitiful sight, but didn't do anything to stop it, how could he do that? He, who was the most insensible person on Earth? Naru looked around for anything else out of the ordinary when suddenly Masako gasped, looking at something right in front of her, or maybe in front of Mai, Naru wasn't sure.
"What is it Hara-san?" he asked. Masako looked down.
"There's something.. in front of Mai.. but, it moved.." she said. Naru frowned. So it wasn't something in the apartment, it was something following Mai in person. That made it a bit more tricky. She could have met the spirit while on a case or simply passing by a spot, because her pk was strong enough to attract spirits, that Naru was sure of.
"Can you see what it looks like?" Naru asked. Masako nodded.
"Though it's a bit fuzzy, I can.. it's a man around twenty or older I think, but I can't see if his hair is brown or gray.. it was his face that gave me a chill.." she said. Naru didn't like what she was saying, was this some guy who had liked Mai, confessed and got rejected and then committed suicide before coming back to haunt her? No, well, yes, that was highly plausible when it was Mai they were talking about.
"What about it?" Naru asked, though he already knew the answer. How? Well, he doesn't know.
"A sick smile.. and.. murder intent eyes.." Masako said. Naru inwardly groaned. It was so obvious it was sad. But why the hell would he haunt Mai, who was sweet, caring, and goodhearted and, yeah, Naru was thinking about what he thought of her, not what everyone else thought of her, strange.
"Mai, can you see him?" he asked. Mai didn't look up from her crying spot, but she did nod.
"Do you recognize him?" he then asked. Mai now looked up, tears falling.
"No.. I don't.." a vase standing on the dinning table was pushed off, shattering when it hit the floor. Naru mentally cursed. Mai flinched and dug her face into Ayako's chest again. Naru sighed, wanting all but throw the damn spirit out, but knew he couldn't.
"Takigawa-san, Brown-san, take care of him." he stepped back. Bou and John nodded, both preparing themselves for the fight that would without a doubt happen anyway. But before they could even start exorcising the spirit it disappeared. Masako straightened up, looking around, confused.
"What is it?" Naru asked.
"He's gone.. he disappeared." she said. Naru frowned, it wasn't the first they just disappeared, but for it to let go like that? No way.
"It got scared?" Bou asked, grinning a bit.
"Spirits don't get scared." Naru stated.
"Then what happened?" John asked. Naru himself didn't have a clue, but it seemed Masako had.
"It seems to have pulled away for the moment, strangely enough." she said.
"I see." Naru turned towards the windows, looking out past the bloody message.
"Mai.." he turned back to see that she was drying her tears, nodding.
"What is it Naru?" she asked back. He shook his head, not at all sure about how to ask this with the rest of the team in the room. It seemed Lin sensed this so he told the rest to follow him, so they could set up some equipment, thus leaving Naru and Mai alone in her living room.
"Mai." he came a little closer as she stood up.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Was he someone who confessed to you?" he asked. Mai abruptly blushed.
"W-what?" she asked, looking very uncomfortable in this situation.
"He may be a spirit that wants revenge for getting dumped." Naru suggested. Mai looked back at him, now a little more serious.
"There was one.. one guy.. he was a student at To'o I think, I've never seen him before when he.. confessed.. but I rejected him, saying I already loved someone." Mai blushed a bit at that, hoping Naru wouldn't realize it was him she was talking about. Naru on the other hand, didn't think so, but he still got really jealous when he heard. He knew that she liked Gene, his brother, but still be unable to move on from that, and then there was his own jealousy. Why was he jealous? He just didn't know why. And he hated it, and himself for feelings this way.
"And he did what?" Naru asked. Mai shook her head.
"I have no idea, I never saw him again.." she said.
"My guess is he committed suicide after being rejected, seeing he just appeared in front of you as a ghost.." Naru said. Mai teared up and Naru found himself mentally beating himself up for that..
"Sorry.." he said. Mai shook her head again.
"I.. I think it's okay.. maybe." she whispered. Naru nodded.
"You should stay with some friends for the next few days until this has been solved!" he then said. Mai looked up at him.
"But he'd just follow me." Mai protested. Naru stopped himself from saying something he'd probably regret. But then again, if Mai stayed, she pretty much be a bait, and no matter how much Naru wanted to exorcise the bastard, he wouldn't risk Mai's well being for it.
"Stay, but with someone at all time." he stated. Mai lit up, then she smiled and nodded.
"Yes." she answered. The next second the rest of the team entered, holding all the necessary equipment, well, enough for an apartment anyway.
"Where are we putting the stuff?" Bou asked. Naru looked around, then at Mai.
"What? It's not the biggest apartment okay? Look, there's the study, that's the only place that I rarely use, it's the room next to the bathroom.
"So you have two rooms in your apartment, that's quite a lot for a student." Ayako commented.
"Well, I have to have one, besides, it's easier when I'm living alone."Mai stated. That caused a somewhat awkward pause. It seemed that the only people in the room that didn't get this really bad feeling was Naru, Lin and Mai herself. The group then realized that they should move before Naru got pissed. Mai watched as the team walked in and out of her study, then she turned towards Naru, just watching him as he sat down, opening his files and reading. Apparently he didn't even notice that she was looking at him, but Mai was glad he didn't, and at the same time, disappointed. She wanted him to notice her because she loved him, and that was the truth, he just didn't know it yet.
"Why is everything so hard with him?" she wondered, but knew that no matter how much she ask herself that question, she couldn't find an answer, except one. Love.
"Do I love him so much despite not being able to understand him at all?" she questioned herself. Was it really that hard? Or was she just to confused and reading to much into her heart to be able to understand him? She'd be damned if he knew so she didn't tell him.
"I love him, so why can't he see it too?" she thought, then she looked down, clenching her fists. She already knew the answer to that. To bad she wasn't confident enough to tell him, she had once and he had pushed her away. It was hard enough just to look at him now. Suddenly he looked up and their eyes locked. Mai couldn't look away, no matter how hard she tried.
"Damn.." she thought before she closed her eyes, looking away.
Hm.. do I sense angst and depression in the end? Mai is so loathing right now :\
Well, I hope you guys will review this chapter, no matter how boring or wrong it may have been..
See you around!