Because this is technically a mystery. I have to introduce the suspects, but i think i made it too Oh well. Hope you like it. Also I can relate to Mai when comes to attracting creepy people. As my best friend pointed out to me. I like games, comics, manga and anime, i'm smart (says her, i'm really average) and friendly and i have boobs and an ass of course the creepers are going to My roommate is going to make a twilight zone like video about my creeper

Chapter 9

"So what exactly did the police say again?" Lin asked as they all gathered around the SPR office. He has actually dragged himself away from his typing.

"The officers think that the stalker is someone close to us is some everyday way we would not suspect." Naru repeated.

"So who do you guys think it could be?" Masako asked.

"Well I guess there are a few suspects. The ballet puts me near a lot of strange people." Mai thought about all the people who had access to her during rehearsals.

"So let's hear you list the suspects." Monk said.

"Well I guess we could start with Masaru." Mai put her finger to her chin as she tried to recall everything that he has ever done or said to her.

"He's the artist, right?" Masako asked.

"Yeah, he is. He's always at the rehearsals." Mai said. "I'm not sure for the reason, but he and Cooper are friends I think. Also I think Cooper likes having him around because he is using his artwork in the background and wants to make him as involved as possible and make sure he's not doing anything to offend him."

"How is he involved?" Lin asked. "Besides the artwork and backdrops?"

"Honestly, I have no idea." Mai shrugged. "I don't pay much attention to him. I only see him when Cooper calls us forward to so Masaru can say something about his artwork and Cooper says how it's incorporated in the choreography."

"Yasuhara, your always at the rehearsals with Mai." Naru asked him. "What do you see Masaru do?"

"Well, Masaru is kind of aloof. He shows up when called and then disappears. We he is around he and Mai glare at each other or call each other names." Yasuhara laughed.

"So he is an enemy?" asked Masako.

"I wouldn't exactly call him that." Mai said. "He may be a jerk, who I can't stand to be around more than I have to, but we seem to have this mutual respect when it comes to work."

"So he could have had access to, Mai's keys or personal belongings." said. Naru

"So is that how you think the stalker got in?" asked Ayako.

"That is he only explanation." said Naru. "The picture in some of the clue could only have come from someone who had been in the apartment and knew the layout and had memorized it all."

"So the stalker would have had to have been there multiple times or have a very good memory." said Yasuhara.

Mai shivered. She hated knowing that this person had been her home not only once, but got knows how many times.

"So Masaru could have made a mould of Mai's keys while she was busy rehearsing. Then he could have easily had copies made. Then if he had been observing your habits, he would have known when to slip away and into the apartment." said Lin.

"But there are still a few things left unanswered." explained Naru. "Firstly, how did he get access to the pictures? He would have had a connection of some kind. Secondly, how did he get in unnoticed? The police took the security tape footage from the halls and they showed nothing. He has the ability of invisibility or some how had the footage of him erased."

"In his studio there was piece he did for his uncle who is cop." said Mai. "But I don't like talking like he actually did this. It doesn't feel right."

"That could explain the access to the pictures. I'm so sure that answers the security footage though." Naru replied.

"So who else is on the suspect list?" Lin asked.

"I guess the married couple. I don't the husband is really a suspect, but his wife is another story." Mai grimaced.

"So is she always at rehearsals?" Lin asked.

"Yes, she and her husband are very wealthy and are the investors. I think that's why Cooper puts up with her. The husband doesn't seem to notice or mind it at all." answered Mai.

"I see." said Lin.

"Also this is the same woman who likes to feel up Mai." Yasuhara added. "But since that day that Mai pinched her in the ribs to escape, she has been very pouty. Like a spoiled child who didn't her way."

"So she too could have stolen her keys and had copies made. She certainly has enough money she could have paid someone to give her the pictures. She also could have paid someone off to erase the tapes." said Ayako.

"Did they question the security guard?" Masako asked.

"They did, but they said they got nothing from him." said Naru. "Even so they could easily detect whether or not the tapes had been tampered with."

"Who else?" Lin asked.

"Trinity Snow." Mai said. "She and I had an argument the other day. You see she has been trying to sign me as a client and constantly calling and emailing me. I finally lost it and told her off."

"So she is an American?" Masako asked. "She wouldn't have any connection in Japan would she? It would be harder for her."

"It would be." Answered Naru. "But depending on how much money she has, she could have bribed someone. Or found other ways of persuasion."

"Are you implying that she seduced someone?" Mai raised her voice. "That's a really horrible allegation."

"Jeez, Mai." Monk tried to calm her. "How are we supposed to figure out who did this when you keep defending everyone we list as a suspect."

"I'm sorry, but its not fair to say this stuff with no one to defend them." Mai said.

"It's alright." Naru said. "This way we can look at it from both sides. No Mai, I wasn't exactly implying that she seduced them. She is an agent, although appears not to be a very good sales person, but nonetheless this is her career."

"So is that all?" Lin asked.

"No, there's one more person who could have done it." Naru said.

"Megumi?" Mai asked completely shocked.

"She does have accessed to your belongings. She is always running around. She could have easily done it." Yasuhara pointed out.

"She's an assistant. That's her job." Mai defended her.

"She is also a very big fan of Mai." Naru said.

"So what if she is? She's very sweet." Mai said.

"Yeah and the other day she was telling Mai all about how she became a fan of hers." Yasuhara explained.

"Wait you were eavesdropping?" Mai yelled.

"Of course." Yasuhara smiled at her. "I get paid to do it. So apparently she say the final performance Mai did for Swan Lake, you know the night where all profit went to charity?" The rest of the group nodded.

"So I guess she was in the park afterwards and saw Mai dance for that girl, and of course saw the cute thing Naru did when he proposed. So anyways she totally gushed to Mai about how that's what made her greater than everyone else and blah blah and Mai ate it all up and started to cry."

"You make it sound like she was lying to me." Mai was angry.

"Mai, she was totally kissing your ass!" Yasuhara argued. "Don't you see the movie? The girl kisses the stars ass then kills her or locks her away."

"Not everything is like a movie, you know." Mai stoop up with her hands on her hips.

"And this is coming from the person who compares things to the elements of manga or an actual manga." Masako added. Mai sat down and pouted. She realized they had a point.

"Why are you more eager to defend her that anyone else?" John asked in his usual kind voice. He had been quiet the entire time. Mai calmed down and looked down at her hands.

"I don't really know…" she trailed off. "I guess.. she just reminds me a little of me." Naru looked at her curiously.

"I guess you can see the similarities." Naru said gently. Mai looked up him. "She lost both her parents and to go live with an unkind guardian. She is an assistant like you were, but only she is more compliant than you ever were. You feel bad for her hardships."

"How did you know about her guardian?" Mai asked. "You did background checks on everyone already didn't you?"

"Of course." Naru sipped his tea. "I pride myself on being very thorough."

"So what was the point of all this?" an annoyed Ayako asked.

"A different way of looking at it and to hear what everyone else thought." He replied.

"I think there's another reason why you like to defend her." Yasuhara added. "It's because she always defends you. She may be quiet and shy, but when comes to you she is loyal it seems.

"After spending so much time with the theatre people, I have noticed many things. They all admire Mai for her skill, but at the same time they are all very critical of how she has handled her career. They might not say it to her face, but they do say it."

Everyone looked at Mai who awkwardly looked away.

"After your conversation the other day, she basically said you are great because of how you have handled your career and for choosing to have a marriage." Yasuhara said.

"Mai." Naru began.

"Don't say anything please." Mai looked at him. "I don't care what they think. I will tell you what I told them. I'm happy with my decision. This is what I want. I want to be here like this. Talking and working things out together. Being famous isn't important."

I really think i made it obvious, but i don't think it ruins it. You can all guess if you want, but i don't want to say who it actually is till the end. In case its not as obvious as it looks to me because i am writing this so i know all the secrets or at least most of them. I get carried away and then some how the story goes in a different direction than its supposed to because i couldn't kill someone when the time came or i felt bad making someone into the villian. Don't ask, i'm just weird. I think that was obvious after "Operation Twincest".lol I freaked my roommates boyfriend a fellow member of Japan Club. He didn't find it But i will promise to keep the stalker the same as i had intended before, if i changed it at the last minute nothing would make sense and all the hints would have been pointless. I hate it when the mystery ends and nothing made sense at all. In my opinion mystery should be able to be rationalized at the end. Mind bender or a mind fuck as i like to call some don't have be rational at all. Hence "mind fuck" because our brain basically says "fuck it." after trying to figure out what happened. i think mind fuck is in a song from Rocky Horror... Can't remember though...

Anyways never mind my hope you like the way the story is going. At least i know where its going not like a few times where i'm typing going "hmm i wonder what will happen next?" Please Review.