"Um, hello?" A timid voice says from the door way. I turn toward the person with a smile. The man was in his early thirties and he was handsome. Even though he looked like he probably hadn't got much sleep in a few days, and hadn't shaven, he was well dressed. He had on a creme colored suit and a white tie. He was small (for a man, anyway). His face was a little red as I walk over.
"Hello, sir. My name is Mai Taniyama, you must be Kagame Uto." I hold out my hand and he shakes it with a polite smile on his face, "Why don't you sit down and I'll inform my boss that you're here for your appointment." He nods once and sits down. I let out a small breath and begin to walk to Naru's office.
It's been a while since I had worked under Naru. I've been Madoka's secretary for the past three years, and I'd gotten used to her tendencies. I was also a little nervous at the prospect of speaking to Naru again. The only thing that he's said to me since he got back yesterday was 'Mai, tea.' I mean, for all I know, he could be making fun of me every second. I did confess to the man.
Man.
Heh.
My mind can't process that Naru and I aren't kids anymore. I'm nineteen and Naru just turned twenty on September 19th. I was in my second year of college and was doing remarkably well. I'm majoring in English, Psychology, and Criminal Justice. Considering I plan to stay in this field for the rest of my life, I figured it would help.
I raise my hand to knock on Naru's door but I'm surprised when he opens the door himself. Nonetheless, I greet him with a grin, "Kagame Uto is here for his appointment." He nods and follows me to the sitting area. Lin is already there with his laptop. He glances up when we enter, and blinks at me, before looking back down at his laptop.
Hello to you too Lin.
I mentally roll my eyes and continue along in to the kitchen. I make two cups of coffee and a cup of tea before walking back in to the sitting area. It seems the men had been waiting for me. What gentlemen.
I place Naru's tea in front of him, and do the same with Lin and Uto-san's coffee. Uto-san smiles at me gratefully as he picks up his coffee (I notice his cheeks darken). I smile back at him.
He's so cute… for an older man.
'Hey, hey.' Gene's voice bounces around in my head, 'Remember, I want nieces and nephews.' I blush.
A throat clearing catches my attention and I see Naru glaring at me.
Oops.
I forgot about the interview. I send him a small apologetic smile, and I sit down next to Naru with my white notebook. It was quite amusing, the fact that Naru had a black notebook and I had a white one.
"Uto-san," Naru says with a fake smile, "Why don't you tell me why you've scheduled an appointment with us?"
"Well you see," he begins, holding the coffee cup tightly, "I have a small daughter. She will be six years old in a few days. Up until about a year ago, she was just an average toddler. Although she might be a little rude to new people, she really is a good girl. Most of the time, she just draws in her little notebooks and all over the walls of her bedrooms, no matter how many times I tell her to stop."
He smiles affectionately, before his handsome face changes in to a look of foreboding, "However, lately she's been acting… strange. Normally, she draws things like flowers, or cute little creatures that she calls her friends. But about a month ago, she began to draw creatures that were… terrifying, to say the least. She's been waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares and she'll have bruises that look like finger prints all over her body.
"At first I thought maybe she'd just seen a scary movie and was reacting to it, but I don't keep any scary movies in my home. I didn't want her to come across one, watch it, and become frightened. I interrogated my babysitter, but he said that he hadn't brought any movie over that would have frightened her. I figured it would blow over if I gave it time, but just incase, I brought her in to my room to sleep with me until I was sure she would be fine." His eyes begin to water, "However, she began screaming the first night she was in my room. When I woke up, she was pinned against the wall with imprints in her clothing as if several people were grabbing her roughly. I tried to pull her off the wall, but I couldn't. I was thrown across the room and was knocked out. Nearly four hours later, I was woken up by my daughter shaking me." He looks up at Naru, "Shibuya-san, you must help me. I have no idea what's happening to my daughter, and I can't bare to see this happen any longer."
Naru gazes down at the notes that he'd taken down for a moment, before nodding, "We'll be needing three rooms, Uto-san. One for a base, and two rooms for sleeping."
"Oh, thank you so much." Uto-san says, a spark of hope shining in his eyes, "We'll have the rooms ready for you."
Naru nods and stands, "Please give all of your information to my secretary, and I'll contact you with the date of our arrival." I stand and lead Uto-san to my desk.
'This isn't going to take long.' Gene's voice bounces around in my head.
My phone lights up in my face as I continue to play the little game on my phone. The words 'unknown' flash across my screen and I lift an eyebrow to myself.
"Hello?" I say in to the phone. Who would be calling me this early in the morning?
"So you are awake." A deep voice says.
"Davis-san," I say, ignoring the butterflies that come with the sound of his voice, "May I ask why you're calling me this early in the morning?"
"Apparently, my brother feels the need to bother me when I'm peacefully asleep because he can't bother you." Naru sounded… delicious. His voice was deeper than normal, and slightly hazy, as if he'd just woken up. God, what is it about men and their morning voices?
"I'm not sure what to say, sir." I relent, turning over on to my back and staring up at the shadowed ceiling.
There's a pregnant silence between us, before Naru sighs, "Mai, listen to me, and don't speak until I'm finished. Understood?" Well now he sounded annoyed and angry.
"Yes sir."
"Before I left for England…" he begins, and my heart rate picks up, "About your confession… I'm… sorry… that I said it like that. You didn't deserve to be spoken to like that, even if I did just find Gene's body. I never meant for you to have the turmoil that you did."
"You know about that?" I whisper, feeling my eyes sting, but willing myself not to cry. I've done enough crying to last a life time.
"Yes," Naru says acidly, "I know about everything that happened after I left for Engand. Do you really believe that I'd just not check up on my own company, or are you that much of an idiot?"
Ah. There's the insult.
"Well," I sniffle, wiping my nose, on my shirt sleeve, that had begun to drip, "It's fine, Davis-san. I forgive you. I was never mad at you for that anyway. And it wasn't your fault. It was mine."
He's silent once again, before his voice comes over the line, "It would be inconvenient for you to continue to call me that Mai."
"Call you what?" I ask innocently.
Nu uh, Naru. It won't be that easy. You have to ask.
"By my given name." He says.
"I'm sorry, Shibuya-san." I retort, a small smile breaking out on my face.
"That either." He practically growls in to the phone. A shudder runs down my body, and I'm suddenly happy that he isn't here with me.
"Forgive me, Kazuya-san."
"Dammit, Mai." He growls, "Call me by my name."
"Oliver-san."
"By the name you gave me."
"Narcissist."
A sigh on the other in makes me giggle by accident, and Naru sighs again, "You're going to make me say it, aren't you?" I stay quiet, so he continues, "Mai, please call me by my name."
I grin in to the darkness of my room, "Yes, Naru."
"Thank you." He mumbles and then the line goes dead.
'Way to go, Mai.' Gene's gentle voice flits through my head, making me laugh before sunlight streaks across my room.
I'm at the office before Madoka, but after Naru. The air is frigid, but do-able. At least there wasn't snow.
"Mai?" Naru stares as I walk in to the sitting area of the office, he raises an eyebrow, "Your employee review that Madoka wrote stated that your arrival time had improved greatly, but I didn't think you'd be here early."
I toss him a sarcastic smile before making my way to the kitchen, "Tea?" He just grunts. I walk in to the kitchen and get with making tea and coffee. I know Lin is going to want it dark. He hates the cold air.
God. He really does feel like a grouchy grandfather.
I set Naru's tea in front if him, and it's then that I notice that he's reading a book in English. I grab the book and tilt it upward slightly so I can read the cover, 'Psychokinesis and Telepathy: How the Two Can Be Related' I then let go and walk over to the other couch, before sitting down on the warm furniture.
"No, Mai." Naru's sarcasm coated voice makes look up at him to see him glaring at me, "I don't mind if you grab my book and force me to lose my place."
I roll my eyes, "Like you won't be able to find it again, right? Jerk." He closes the book with a bang, and set it on the small coffee table. He picks up his tea cup and sips slowly.
After a few moments of awkward silence, he says, "How's your college classes going?"
I glance at him, "Are you asking as a friend, or as my employer?"
He raises an eyebrow, "Does it matter?"
I grin, "Yeah, actually. It does. If your my employer, then I'd say, 'They're going fine. I love all of my teachers and the classes are a real challenge.'"
"But as your friend?"
"I'd say, 'My English class is easier than my Criminal Justice class, and my Psychology teacher is an asshole.'"
Naru raises an eyebrow, "Then I'll ask as your friend, and you can tell me about this teacher."
My cheeks warm, "You really want to listen? I tend to ramble."
His eyes roll, "I'm aware, just speak, Mai."
"You and Noll looked extra friendly." Madoka nudges me in side from by my desk. The men were sitting on the couches, going over notes and possibilities for the case. She grins at me, "Lin and I walked in and you were having a discussion with him about Psychology?"
I roll my eyes, despite my darkening cheeks, "He asked me about school, so I told him. Drop it, boss." She laughs, but changes the subject to other matters, much to my relief.
About an hour later, Monk and Ayako crash through the door with arguments bouncing off of their lips. Naru glances up and glares, while Lin and Madoka ignore them. A smile pops to my face, and I stand up to greet my parent figures.
"Mai!" Monk exclaims, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing. I giggle breathlessly, and pat him on the arm. Ayako gives me a kiss on the cheek before smacking Monk in back of his head. Yasu and John weren't far behind them and then it was Masako.
"I expect everyone to be on their best behaviors." Naru says, walking up behind the van. We had just finished loading everything and we were just standing around waiting for Naru to be ready to leave.
I roll my eyes, but it's Ayako that answers him, "What are we going to do? Have sex with the babysitter?" Naru's eyebrows raise in question and I start giggling. Monk laughs loudly, along with Yasu and I. Ayako turns a red color but looks the other way.
We leave.
"No!" I scream, the pain in my lower abdomen making me scream as the man continues his assault, "Stop it! It hurts!"
"You're such a good girl," the husky voice above me says, "Such a good good girl."
"Help me!" I yell, "Please!" Morehands are on me. They all begin to touch me and yank at me until I'm sobbing for my daddy. "No!" I scream and then they all begin to hurt me again.
"Mai, wake up." A voice from above me says. My eyes open and they blink owlishly. Monk is standing above me with a grin, "Were they all that boring?"
I sit up and smile, "No, actually. Madoka wouldn't shut up, so I just fell asleep."
Monk chuckles, while helping me out of the van, "Her voice lulled you to sleep?" He laughs this time.
"Who's voice lulled you to sleep?" Ayako says, walking up.
Monk grins, taking the chance to tease his wife, "Your annoying and squeaky voice, ya old bat."
Ayako turns red and smacks him on side of the head, "You stupid little—"
"Matsuki-san, I'd appreciate it if you'd take Hara-san and go record temperatures around the building." Naru says, walking up behind the two of them. A grin settles on my face as Ayako turns red and walks away. Monk chuckles, but follows after his wife.
"Things never change, do they?" I ask, a fond smile on my face as they walk away. I glance at Naru who is ignoring me and I roll my eyes, before walking away.
About an hour later, the base is set up, and all of the temperatures are taken and written down. Masako has said that she doesn't feel a spirit.
I'm in the kitchen making tea, when I feel the emotions surround me. Cautiousness, fright, anger, and curiosity.
I turn to see a little girl standing in the door way. She had her hair over her eyes and she was holding a brown teddy bear. Her brown hair was scruffy and she had on a pair of pants and a long sleeved shirt.
"Oh, hello." I say, "You must be Aiko Uto." She watches me from the door way for a moment, before she takes a few steps forward until she's standing in front of me.
"Who are you?" Her voice is hesitant and shy but with an edge. She looks up at me and I'm shocked by the bright green eyes that seem to glow underneath her jet black hair, "Why are you here lady?"
I bend down to her level and grin at her. She seems shocked that I'm smiling at her, but listens when I speak, "My name is Mai Taniyama. I'm a ghost researcher and I'm here to help you."
"That's stupid." She asks, her voice angry now, "Get out." Her glare is fierce.
I glare back, "Now that's enough, young lady." She looks shocked, I continue to reprimand her, "You should never speak to someone who is trying to help you; you should be thankful."
Her eyes water, and she nods, "I'm sorry, Taniyama-san."
I feel my expression soften, "It's alright, Uto-chan. Why don't you and your friend there," I gesture to her teddy bear, "come with me and tell me and my friends about what's been happening to you? Oh, and call me Mai."
"Is Daddy gonna be there?" She asks in a small voice, and at my nod she grins, "Alright! I'll call you Mai-chan, but you have to call me Aiko!" I nod in agreement with the young girl. Instead of me leading her to Naru and the gang, she grabs my hand and leads me to our base.
As we walk in, Madoka and Ayako's eyes grow wide at the sight of the little girl. Monk and Yasu make faces that I can't decipher, Masako ignores us, and Naru and Lin move to the couch.
"You must be Aiko Uto." Naru says with a fake smile, and Aiko shys away from him. I look down at her and see her glaring at the young professor. Naru raises a eyebrow at the small six year old.
"Aiko-chan," I murmur to her, I bend down, "He can help you."
Aiko looks at me, and whispers, "But his smiles are weird. They aren't real."
I grin at her, "I know, I noticed too, but it's okay. He's a little rude. Can be temperamental. Is way too handsome for his own good and likes to tell people. Which means his ego is a million miles long," I stand up straight, and put my hands on my hips, "Not to mention he's a real jerk nearly all of the time and has a very odd tea addiction. To top that off he likes to lie about—"
"Mai!" Madoka giggles. I glance over to them all to see everyone but Lin and Naru trying very hard not to laugh. Lin was biting his lip, as if trying not to smile, and Naru was giving me the coldest glare I'd ever received from him.
I grin back, before looking down at Aiko, "However, despite all of that." I bend back down, and whisper in her ear, "He's a really good person. He'll help you, I promise. Aaaaannnnd I'm kind of in love with him." I pull away from her ear to see she has a face-splitting grin in her face. I laugh, "But keep it a secret, alright?" I hold my pinkie up, and she wraps hers around mine.
"Alright, Mai-chan!" She bounces over to the couch across from Lin and Naru and climbs up. I walk over and sit down next to her. She grins up at me and I grin back down at her.
Naru sighs and we all wait quietly for Uto-san to walk in. He does and he blushes when he realizes we were all waiting for him. He quickly moves to sit down on the other side of Aiko, who grins at him. Naru discreetly rolls his eyes before beginning, "Alright, Uto-san, why don't you tell me about the nightmares."
Aiko grows pale, before she grabs both my and her fathers hand, "There's a bad man and he likes to hurt me. He calls me a good girl, and he says it feels good. Another man is there, and he knows that the bad man is a bad man. I ask him for help, and he tries to help me, but then he's grabbed." Aiko looks down at her teddy, which was resting in her lap, "Then there's more people there, who hurt me."
"What do you mean by 'hurt you'?" I ask, reaching over and tucking some hair behind her ear. I lower my voice, "Do you mean hurt you down there?" I put emphasis on 'there', trying to have her to understand.
Aiko nods, "Yes."
Uto-san gasps, and I get the feeling she never explained this much to him. I toss him a look of sympathy and his eyes water. A knock on the door sounds, and a young high school male enters. He's got brown hair and brown eyes. Tan skin and he's not that tall either. He's too skinny and he has on glasses. All in all, he's not that much to look at.
"Um, Uto-san?" He says (where have I heard that voice before?), peering at all of us questionably.
"Kei-kun!" Aiko cheers. She's hops off the couch and over to the boy, he hugs her back with a smile on his face.
He smiles at all of us, "Um, hello. My name is Kei Meguni."
My instincts tell me to grab that child and run like hell is on my heels, but instead I stand and grin at the high schooler. I walk around the couch and towards him with my hand held out, "Hello! I'm Mai Taniyama. We're here to help with the strange phenomenon that has been happening around here."
Kei blushes and shakes my hand, "Um, he-hello Taniyama-san."
I shake his hand firmly, "It's nice to meet you, Meguni-san."
He blushes and suddenly makes up some excuse about Aiko going to the park and he brings her out. Aw. Why'd he leave?
A sharp laugh shakes me from my confused state and makes me turn around. Madoka is the one laughing. I raise a confused eyebrow, and Monk clears his throat, "Uhem, Mai?"
"Yes?"
"Next time, try not to… come on so strong." He looked slightly proud but slightly frightened at the same time.
"What do you mean?" Even I could hear the confusion in my voice.
"Mai-chan," Uto-san begins, "I think he means that your personality is more dominating than anything, and Kei-kun is a shy boy. You were a little… too bold for the boy."
"I don't find she was." Ayako states, her arms crossed over her chest, "Did you see the way he was eyeing her up? Shy boy, my ass. Mai's personality is what's going to get her a real man."
"Of course you'd think that—"
"Mai?" Comes Naru's monotone voice. I throw my head in his direction to show him that I'm listening as I watch Ayako and Monk argue. They were so funny.
"Yes, Naru?"
"Tea."
All too soon, it was night time and I was not prepared for whatever this was.
Naru had sent Ayako and Monk to stand at Aiko's door, while John was sitting in her room. He was currently reading her a bed time story. Lin was sitting at the monitors watching everything around the house. I have no idea where Naru was but I know that Uto-san must be with him.
"Lin?" I say, staring lazily at the clock that read 2:56am. The stoic man glances at me briefly, "Do you want tea?"
"Yes, please." Lin's deep voice vibrates around the silent base. I stand up and make my way towards the small kitchen.
As I'm waiting for the water to boil, the door creeks open. I turn to see Kei-kun walking in. He blushes when he sees me, "Uh, Taniyama-san. H-Hi!"
"Hey Meguni-san." I say bubbly, my eccentric nature shining through my sleepiness. He moves towards the ice box calmly, but he jumps when the kettle for the tea goes off. I giggle at him, but take the kettle off of the stove.
As I'm inserting the leaves, a pair of arms circle around my waist. I freeze.
"You are one pretty lady." A voice says. It sends shivers down my spine.
"Meguni-san, what are you—"
"Sshhhh." He says, turning me around and placing a finger to my lips. Fear curls in my belly as I see the way he's leering at me. My heart begins to race. He leans forward and places his nose in my hair, "Taniyama-san, I don't think you understand what you do to me."
"Stop it." I state firmly, trying to push him away, but the lanky teenager is stronger than he looks. He grabs my wrists and pulls them behind my back with one hand while he traces my cheek bone with the finger on his other hand.
"God, you're gorgeous." He murmurs, leaning down.
'Don't let him do that to you, Mai!" Gene's voice vibrates around my skull. I've never heard him angry before, and it's probably scarier than any of Naru's worst glares.
I suddenly bring up my leg and my knee connects in between his legs. He drops immediately to the ground and I place my foot on the area he's desperately trying to cover. He lets out a silent shriek as I do. I lean down and rest my arm on top of my elevated knee as he looks up at me with pain filled eyes.
"Ever try that again and I'll make sure to not only call the cops, but I'll tell every single one of those men in there too." I say cruelly. He nods rapidly and I take my foot off his privates.
I grab the tea kettle and make my way out of the kitchen.