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~Jealousy in the Office~

Chapter 11

Mai paled before flicking her gaze between her boss and Lin. As much as she liked Lin it would be extremely awkward if he were to come along and she wasn't sure Naru and Takumi could be in the same room without tearing each other apart.

"I-I'll just be outside..." Mai tried to assure Naru. Her boss gave her a disbelieving look.

"I can barely keep you out of trouble when I'm keeping an eye on you, and you expect me to let you leave this room without someone to keep an eye on you? Did you fall over and lose more of the few brain cells you have left?"

The girl's face went up in flames, although she couldn't decide if it was from anger or embarrassment though. Her mind was scattered with everything that was happening especially with the proximity of Naru, who still hadn't let her arm go, being so close to her. There was also the matter of what exactly she was telling Takumi. Mai groaned in frustration.

"Can't you just let it slide this once?" She begged. Naru's eyes flashed dangerously at her words. Okay, let's try NOT to make the narcissist angrier, Mai! She scolded herself. Sighing, Mai took a step outside the base. "Fine..." She grumbled, giving into Naru's demands. "Let's get this over with."

How she was going to talk to Takumi with Naru right there she had no idea. But she'd find a way. She had to. She sighed and continued to drag Takumi, who surprisingly stayed quiet throughout this, away from the base a little ways. She came to a stop outside a room only three doors down from the others. After a quick assessment she figured that even if the guys were eavesdropping, they wouldn't hear anything. But it didn't help that Naru was right behind her. Her eyebrow twitched.

"Do you have to be so close?!" She snapped. Smirking, Naru made no attempt to move from his current position. In fact, it was almost as if he moved closer. Mai growled and tried to shoo him away. "Is it necessary for you to be that close?" She whined, attempting to move further away from him. As she backed away, she accidentally bumped into Takumi, who still stayed surprisingly quiet and didn't move.

"I still don't understand why he has to be here while we talk." He muttered darkly, glaring at Naru. Naru glared right back, causing Mai to sweatdrop. It hadn't even been a minute and they were already fighting.

"And you call me childish." She mumbled under her breath. She turned away from Naru to address Takumi.

Naru narrowed his eyes at her words. He was not being childish. He was going to make such a comment when Mai shivered. He watched as Mai gently touched her forehead with her fingertips, as if she suddenly had pain run through her head. The brunette turned to Takumi. Her face was suddenly looking at him so lovingly. As if he were the whole world.

"Takumi..." He heard her say softly. She moved to place her hand against his cheek. "My dear Takumi."

Jealously hit Naru like a ton of bricks. His rational mind told him that this wasn't Mai. That she wouldn't do this. Hell, he wouldn't let her do this! He glared at the guy, who suddenly had Mai's full attention, to see that his eyes were widen in shock. Mai shivered noticeably. That's when he realized something. The temperature had dropped. He could have slapped himself for letting his emotions take over his mind like that. Mai wouldn't do this, but if the ghost was possessing her, or even just effecting her emotions, that was a different story completely. He had to do something and quick before this carried out anymore though. He moved quickly, placing a hand on Mai's shoulder.

"Mai." He called. The girl's head snapped up at the sound of Naru's voice.

"Naru?" She blinked.

"Yes Mai, that is my name. Thanks for the reminder." He mentally scolded himself. Why the hell did he have to tease her? And now of all times? Mai's eyes instantly flashed in annoyance. The irritation was short-lived, however, when she realised her hand was still caressing Takumi's face. She quickly pulled away as if her hand had been burned, face instantly turning red.

"S-Sorry..." She mumbled. Takumi snapped out of his shocked state.

"It's fine." While the two of them looked away from each other in embarrassment, Naru grew more irritated.

"We don't have all day. Hurry up and discuss whatever it is you need to so that I can get back to this case." He snapped. Mai pressed her lips together and glared harshly at him. She grabbed Takumi's arm again and pushed him forward so they would be a little ways away from Naru. Mai gave her boss a look that said she dared him to move. When he scoffed, she turned back to Takumi once again.

"Last night you asked me why I...turned you down..."

Takumi nodded. "Yes. I want to know why you won't go out with me. I mean I'm perfect." He gloated. Mai's eye twitched.

"Heh, well one reason is because of that high and mighty attitude you've got there." She mumbled under her breath, gritting her teeth. Takumi blinked in surprise before sneering.

"That boss of yours is worse then I'll ever be."

Mai flinched a bit. That really wasn't helping any of what she was suppose to be telling him. "That's not the main reason I said no though..."

Takumi's head snapped up at that. "So then what is the main reason?" He inquired.

"Um... I kinda already, ah...have someone that I reaaally like..." She said so low that it was almost a whisper. She looked to the side in embarrassment, her cheeks bright red. He looked at Mai in shock before snapping out of it.

"Surely you can't like him that much. I mean that boss of yours can't be any better than I am." He bragged. Mai blinked in surprise. He automatically got that she liked Naru? She blinked again but this time in annoyance when she realized what he said. He needs to stop being a cocky little brat. Crossing her arms she narrowed her eyes.

"Well he's a lot better than you." She spat quietly, trying to make sure that Naru didn't hear their conversation. "At least he doesn't go around saying how much better he is than everything else." That much. She mentally added. Takumi scoffed.

"Right. He doesn't need to because he acts like he's the king of the world, ordering you around like your his slave!"

What right did he have to say that about Naru?! Mai fumed. Sure, he bossed her around but it's not like he didn't care for her!

"I don't understand what's so great about him anyway." He continued. "All he does is sit around ordering you all to do what he's too lazy and self-centered to do. I bet he doesn't even know how to write. He probably gets that old guy to do it for him."

An annoyed tick sign could be found on Mai's head right about now.

"What is that old guy's job anyway. Is he there to protect that spoiled brat because he can't do it himself?" Takumi continued, not even acknowledging the fact that at this point Mai was extremely mad, and as for Naru, he could hear them from the other side of the room. Having seen Mai beyond angry one too many times, Naru knew she was about to blow. He pondered the thought of stopping her but one look at Takumi was enough to throw such thoughts out the proverbial window. That guy deserved whatever Mai was going to give him. And if there was one thing he knew about Mai it was that when she was mad, really mad, she was even worse than Ayako.

Meanwhile Mai was seething. Just one more comment. One more and she didn't know if she could hold back anymore. Her hands opened and closed furiously as she tried to stop herself from doing something stupid. He's a client, Mai! No matter how much of a jerk he is, he's still a client!

"And then there's that old hag and her boyfriend or something. I don't know why he hired them. All they do is argue with each other and complain."

Okay, that was it. Mai had had enough! As the boy in front of her opened his mouth to speak again, the brunette lifted her hand up and brought it down harshly against his face.

"How dare you!" Mai seethed. "You have no right to say any of that!"

Takumi blinked in shock bringing his hand up and placing it against his face. He winced causing Mai to give him a look of satisfaction. Naru, too, tried to hide the smirk that was now on his face. He had to admit. Yelling, screaming, shouting. He would have expected that. Slapping him though... Takumi must have said something to really tick Mai off. Although he couldn't help but be curious as to what exactly he said to her. He's only been able to hear small bits of the conversation and nothing had really stood out to him. He'd have to find out the next time he got a chance. At least he knew Mai hated this guy's guts as much as he did though. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Mai shouting again.

"—you've only known me for two days! Next time get your facts straight before you speak! I'm sorry for slapping you, but I'm tired of that attitude of yours!" Then Mai turned around to leave. Naru watched as Takumi's face contorted to one of anger. Before he could think, Naru was making his way over to the pair. He wasn't about to let Takumi do something to Mai—if he did that is.

"How dare I? You just slapped me!" He growled. Mai whipped around from where she was standing and narrowed her eyes.

"Well, I wouldn't have slapped you if you hadn't had said those things!" Mai retorted.

"You're just mad because I was right." He shot back.

"They are no where near true!"

"Then why are you so defensive?" Takumi asked, sneering at her in annoyance.

"You know, for showing interest in a girl, you have a funny way of showing it!" Mai yelled back. She was too angry to realize Naru was right behind her.

"Oh yeah? Says the girl who was just caressing my cheek. What was that all about anyway?!" He demanded.

"I don't know! That wasn't even me doing it!" She really didn't know. One minute she was talking to Takumi then the next she was staring up at Naru. Takumi's anger quickly changed to curiosity and confusion.

"What do you mean it wasn't you?"

Mai took a deep breath to calm herself, trying to slowly dissipate her anger. "The spirit here is somehow able to have an influence on my emotions. Earlier in base we were watching the monitors when I suddenly started feeling very...furious, almost murderous, towards Lin. I really don't know why." She explained. "And now with you... I did that."

Takumi looked at her in shock before sighing. "So that wasn't you..." He muttered, slightly disappointed before looking up at Naru and narrowing his eyes. "I thought you were supposed to stop things like this from happening!" He accused. Naru glared at him.

"We have to know more about what exactly we're dealing with before we can do anything." He spoke, causing Mai to jump. She didn't realize he was that close to her. In fact it was like he was getting closer. Maybe it was just her being self conscious, but it didn't make her any less on edge. Why would he get any closer anyways...? It's not like he liked her or anything and there was no reason for it. It was probably just her imagination playing cruel tricks on her. She mentally sighed. She was hopeless. Stepping away from the pair, Mai noticed them glaring at each other and she gave them both a disapproving look.

"Now if you don't mind I'm going to base because this conversation is clearly going no-where. If you'll excuse us." She stated, grabbing Naru's arms and starting to drag him towards the base door. She tried to ignore her blush as she did. Not now, Mai. You're just making sure he leaves the room with you so you don't get attacked by the ghost. She mentally scolded herself. She suddenly felt Naru remove his arm from her grasp, making her feel a bit hurt. However, what happened next surprised her considerably. He moved his hand in order to grasp her smaller hand and continued walking as if nothing had happened. Mai looked up at him in awe. Slowly, she felt the blood rush to her face. At the familiar feeling she quickly turned her face away from his in the hopes that he wouldn't notice.

However, nothing ever gets passed Naru, but he just chose not to comment on it this time. He was happy just to secretly admire how cute she was being. Cute? He scowled. I did not just think that. He subconsciously tightened his grip on her hand. Risking a glance, Mai smiled at him, enjoying the feel of his warm hand against hers.

Naruisawesome: Well, there you go, what you've all been waiting for...

MzShellSan: YES! FINALLY! Woohoo, go Mai!

Naruisawesome: Lol as you can see, she's really happy Mai finally taught Takumi a lesson. ^_^;

MzShellSan: *grins* Take that you jerk! Don't bother Mai again!

Naruisawesome: Aha... Please review! ^.^