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~Jealousy in the office~

Chapter 6

Without thinking, as soon as she could feel herself back in her body, she shot up grabbing onto the person closest to her. Sobs immediately escaped her lips as she clung tighter onto the person. She soon felt a pair of arms slowly wrap themselves around her.

"Calm down, Mai." Naru whispered. The terrified girl just violently shook her head. Sighing, he held her slightly tighter trying to make her understand he was there. Comfort was not his strong suit, but he would try. But only for Mai and Mai only. As Mai continued to cry in his arms, his hand moved to her head, running it through her hair softly. "It's okay now, Mai..." He continued to whisper to her soothingly.

Mai blushed when she realised exactly who she was crying to. But of course this was after she calmed down a tad bit. Despite being slightly embarrassed, she still didn't let him go. She felt safe in his arms. And with the strength that Naru was holding her with, she couldn't move even if she wanted to. Finally, after the tears had completely stopped, Naru, although reluctant, loosened his hold on her enough to be able to see her face. She still had wet streaks on her face from the tears and her eyes were red and puffy from crying so much. He carefully wiped away what was left of the tears.

"Are you calmer now?" Mai hesitantly gave a small nod. She didn't look at him but at the ground. Naru sighed, hating the fact that he had to ask this of her. "Are you able to tell me what happened?" He asked carefully. Wordlessly, Mai gave another small nod. Naru waited patiently, letting her begin her explanation in her own time. He felt her hands clutch his shirt when she finally began to speak and saw tears pricking her eyes again.

"I...I was a woman around in my thirties in the dream..." She started, taking deep breaths. Then, she continued with a shaky voice. "I w-was in a kitchen alone a-and I kept saying th-things like 'he's mine' repeatedly."

That's what Mr. Nakamura said he heard... Naru thought.

"I-I just felt so many emotions th-that I couldn't take it a-anymore!" She cried. "I was just so a-angry and sad...and lonely and helpless..." Naru winced looking at the girl he had come to care for. Hesitantly, he brought her closer in an attempt to give her some sort of comfort while she began to cry again. "I've never f-felt anything like that b-before!" She blurted, mumbling into Naru's shirt.

"It's okay, take your time. You don't have to re-live the pain. It was only a dream." He spoke carefully. Mai shook her head vehemently.

"But it wasn't! It did happen!" Mai looked up at Naru in fright. "I killed myself..." She whispered. Naru gave her a stern look.

"You did no such thing. Just because the woman whose body you inhabited for a dream killed herself does not mean that you killed yourself." He mentally slapped himself for speaking so harshly towards her. Mai stared at him sadly as a few tears slipped down her face.

"That doesn't mean the physical and emotional pain wasn't real..."

Naru groaned. He hadn't meant to make her cry even more. Comforting people really isn't his forte.

"It was real Mai, but it wasn't you. Ultimately it was just a dream that happened to have some significance to the past." He stated, attempting to explain what he meant more softly. He drew her back to him when she stayed silent and held her for a little bit longer. After what seemed like forever, Mai reluctantly pulled away.

"Where are the others?"

Naru sighed in slight annoyance at the mention of them. "I sent them out."

Mai furrowed her brows. "Even Lin?"

"He left on his own."

It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. After seeing Mai's reaction to her dream, he had left the two teenagers alone, trusting Naru to comfort her.

"Oh…" Mai glanced around base. It seemed oddly quiet without the usual noise. And also a bit awkward being all alone with Naru, who she just cried a river in front of. "U-um, sorry about your shirt." She muttered, blushing slightly. Naru, who was still holding her waist with his hands, stared at her for a moment before his lips turned upwards. This immediately sent Mai into a blushing mess as she tried to hide her face so he wouldn't notice. But of course Naru notices everything. He grabbed her hands before she could hide.

"What's wrong?" He asked with a slightly teasing tone. Mai pressed her lips in a thin line as she turned even redder.

"L-Let my hands go..."

"Why? So you can try and hide again?"

"W-well, I, uh..." She stuttered unable to find the right words while futilely attempting to pull her hands from Naru's grasp. Why did he have to be super strong?! Mai gave Naru a pouty look. "Can you please let my hands go?" Naru paused, seeing the look on her face. He couldn't believe he was actually thinking about letting her go. Why did she have to look so cute?! ...Wait, what? Again with the cute!

"...You haven't answer my question." He stood his ground.

"Fine." She huffed, puffing out her still red cheeks. "Yes, I'm going to hide again. Now can you let go of my hands?" Mai looked up at him hopefully. Naru smirked.

"I don't think so." He answered slyly. Mai groaned. She knew she shouldn't have been so hopeful.

"But why not?! You said-"

"I said that you hadn't answered my question."

Mai glared at him. "Then when will you let go?" Never? Naru thought. But he just slightly tightened his hands over hers. He smirked slightly.

"When you grow some brain cells." He left the words 'and figure out how much I care for you' unsaid. It seemed that the words he did say flared up her face anyways. He briefly wondered how red her face would be if he had said those other words. Was it worth the risk just to see another shade of red? Although I might finally to able to get through that thick head of hers if I say it too...

Mai looked at Naru angrily as he seemed to be lost in thought.

"Hey are you even listening to me, Narcissist? I said let my hands go!" She appeared to be still fuming from his previous comment. "Naaaruuuu!"

Naru winced coming out of his thoughts at the sound of Mai's loud voice. "Mai, quiet down."

"Well then, stop spacing out on me. I said let go of my hands." Mai glared, grumbling.

"And I said no." He retorted, inwardly smiling that it seemed Mai completely forgot about her horrible nightmare.

"Ugh, you jerk. Why not?"

"Mai." Naru called softly after a moment, making Mai freeze and all anger left her at his tone.

"Yeah?"

Naru took a slow, deep breath, shifting their hands so he was holding hers more securely. "Mai, I...meant what I said yesterday in the office."

Mai blushed. "But why?" She asked. It was one thing to say something and mean it. But it was completely different with reasoning.

"What do you mean 'why'?"

Mai tilted her head. "W-Why are you the only one allowed to flirt with me?" She asked timidly. Naru let out a breath.

"I thought that would've been obvious." He stated.

"Huh, what do you mean obvious?" She asked, confused. What the heck was he going on about?

"Mai, it means that I-" Unfortunately Naru was abruptly cut off by someone opening the base door.

MzShellSan: *Laughs evilly*

Naruisawesome: Yeah, so, we're already back with another chapter! ^.^ Though the reason it's shorter than usual is because of her. *Points to Shelly* She just had to want to stop there!

MzShellSan: What? We can't torture them some?

Naruisawesome: *Shrugs* I guess so! Haha!

MzShellSan & Naruisawesome: Please review!