A/N: Hello. I hope you are all doing well. And here I am, alive and well, together with a new story that might piss other readers because I am not updating/editing my other stories. Hihihi. To be honest, I already finished the other one but when I read over it, I felt embarrassed about the ending and decided to rewrite it again and when I started reworking it, I hit the block and couldn't write anything. And when I got some inspiration, I thought this instead of continuing the other work. I'm so messed up. I hope you enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ghost Hunt.

[Not Edited]

Title: As the Butterfly Wings Flap

Summary:

Mai found her mother's unpublished book while cleaning up. Later that night, she dreamed of a vision and concluded that her life was written in the novel she just read. Knowing that her ending in that vision and that book is tragic, she decided to do all what it takes to change her fate.

Chapter One: A Vision and A Book

"Haah!"

In the small dark room, a teenager sat from her bed, panting and looking so disoriented. Her chest is heaving erratically as her hands desperately reached for the switch. She closed her eyes as the lights almost blind her eyes but she opened it immediately to look around her. Her eyes anxiously looked around the room, almost as if she didn't know where she was.

"Where? I was sure I was being exorcise and… a-and…" Her throat is horse but she managed to speak as she quickly stood up from the softness of her bed.

Boxes are scattered everywhere beside her bed. All of them are carefully sealed and her suitcase is already beside her door. Seeing all the familiar stickers and posters still pasted on the walls, things came rushing inside Mai head. Letting out a painful yell, her knees became soft and her whole frame dropped down the floor.

"A dream. Yes, it's gotta be a dream –a nightmare. I-I should just get over with it." Mai muttered to herself while struggling to stand up but her eyes caught a glimpse of a yellowed book sitting on top of her table. Her eyes widened and snatched the book.

'FIRST DRAFT'

She shivered at the sight of those familiar words. She couldn't believe she was seeing this book once again. This book was beside her when she lost her breath and was also there when her ghost was slowly vanishing.

She looked around and she was sure this was really the room she used to live in and on the mirror, she was still the teenage girl who just lost her mother. Mai shook her head but what she was denying couldn't seem to leave her mind alone. Her hands reached to flip the cover and her eyes skimmed through the characters that was personally handwritten by her own mother. Memories of that vision came rushing again as her brain took in the sight of characters on the pages.

"It's real. No, it's not a dream. I felt it. No." Mai flipped the pages and went to the last page. Mai spotted some stains on the pages as if beads of water were dropped on the page. As Mai read the last paragraph, she also noticed the lack of grammar and the calligraphy going worst and worst as if the writer was having difficulty in writing it.

'took out a talisman… the ghost was contained in a cage made with burning energy… the man raised his arm… horrifying power came rushing out towards the lashing ghost… she vanished…'

Reading the bad written ending of the last paragraph that was written, Mai already couldn't contain her tears. She hugged the book closer to her chest and cried painfully. The thing she was so afraid about became a truth to her and she felt even more helpless that her mother knew about it. she had read about this book before and it was supposed to serve as a warning but she ignored it and treated it just like one of her mother's fiction.

Mai's mother, Taniyama Himeko, is a small-time writer that only have one book published under her name. She wrote so many fictions and Mai enjoyed all of them. The sixteen years old girl would read all of them whenever she missed her mother. Taniyama Daisuke left them when the girl was just starting to speak and Himeko passed away a year after Mai entered middle school.

It was hard for the young Mai to cope up with these traumatic changes and those novels that her mother left behind are the only comfort that gives her strength to move forward. Many helped her after her mother passed away. Her middle school teacher even kindly let her live on her house but after finishing her second year in middle school, she started to work and planned to move away.

Today is the day she was about to move out and yesterday, while packing, she founded one of the books that was written by her mother. The 'First Draft' is not one of the novels her mother wrote, 'First Draft' is not even its title. It is a warning about her daughter, Mai's tragic end.

Mai is not the protagonist of that novel. The story revolved around a girl named Kuruda Naoko. It started with the mystery of the old school building and Kuruda Naoko was warning her schoolmates not to get near it because it is haunted. Nobody believe her and she was frustrated. She insists that she can see ghosts. Then she discovered that she can make some things float with her mind. She showed it to the people and she amazed the public. After that, they also believe her when she said she can see ghosts.

She got popular and would always be invited in shows and the press. Kuruda Naoko lived happily under the spotlight and she was happy. The protagonist was even happier when she met her first love. She got together with him who fully accepts what she is and they happily married. But she was haunted by a ghost after their wedding.

And that ghost was named Taniyama Mai.

In the story, the ghost wouldn't leave Kuruda Naoko and her husband alone. They even tried to help her move on but the ghost was filled with hostility against them. When they were desperate, they hired experts from abroad and the experts helped them exorcise the malignant ghost. And that was the ending of the story. Well, not really the ending because it was not completed. The novel does not even tell what happened after the ghost was exorcised.

Mai Taniyama is a typical antagonist of a Horror-Romance story however as to why she is haunting the protagonists, the book did not say anything. The book was cut off like that so the answers of some plot holes remained unanswered.

"Mai-chan?" A kind-looking middle-aged woman opened the door of the small room and saw the teenager putting on her casual jacket. The girl looked towards her and she immediately noticed her red-rimmed eyes.

"Oh, my precious Mai. You must be very sad that you'll be leaving. You could just live with me as long as you want." The middle-aged woman said and rushed to hug the little girl as tight as she could.

Mai's eyes widened in shock as she felt the warmth of the woman's embrace. She only dreamed one night but what she saw felt like eternity. When she was in her dream, she had not been hugged like this for years before and after she died. Mai returned the hug and buried her face at the crook of that woman's neck. They stayed for a while, her teacher gently caressing her hair.

"Mikami-sensei, I will be fine. Besides, you already took care of my dorms and even paid for it. I can't impose on you and your family. I have a job and I can already pay for myself." Mai smiled at her and rubbed the woman's back in a reassuring way.

This teacher had done so much for her –both in reality and that vision. She had took her in when her mother passed away. When she wanted to take a job, this teacher would go with her and check if the job is alright and the workplace is safe. She also helped her in her studies and when she wanted to move out, she had helped her as best as she can. When she got in trouble in that vision, this teacher was the first one to help her and when she died, she was the first one who cried and mourn for her, taking care of her funeral.

So Mai was greatly in debt to Mikami-sensei and she was so grateful that she had met her in her life. Not separating from the hug, Mai vowed to do everything to make her Mikami-sensei happy. Mai gently pushed her teacher and smiled brightly.

"I will come visit you regularly. Please don't worry, Mikami-sensei."

"Okay. I know that you have a stubborn head so I really can't stop you when you already made up your mind." The teacher answered with a smile and had helped Mai bring down the boxes. She even went with the moving company and Mai to unpack in Mai's new dorm. They said goodbye after that day.

It was the start of summer vacation so Mai had a lot of time earning money. In her vision, she planned to move to Shibuya because she heard that a school is offering scholarships to financially lacked students so she tried very hard to study and earn money to be enrolled in that school. She got accepted and her fees were waved until graduation but this was not the important point.

Kuruda Naoko, the protagonist of that book would also attend that school a few months from now.

There are many plot holes and unanswered questions about the plot but Mai who have seen and felt everything in that vision knew everything. So of course she knew why the ghost Mai held a grudge against the protagonist. And she would never ever forget what had happened. She was not planning for revenge but she wanted to change and save herself and the people who was important to her. Whether it is from the protagonists herself or from something else.

For the last 2 months, Mai tried her best to earn money and using what she remembered from her vision, she practiced hard to gain all the skills she learned in that dream. She worked for a café and all of her co-workers are kind and caring. They pay is also good and she got a bonus for the overtime.

Mai like to work, especially overtime. It took her mind away from her life in that vision and it makes her feel like her incoming doom is not yet coming to her. And like her usual Saturday night, she stayed late for her overtime shift. As usual, she stayed at the cashier after wiping all the tables clean. There are few costumers coming at night so she can rest little while working. While reading her notes, she heard the chime ring and she immediately stood up and flashed her usual business smile.

"Hello! Welcome to Lilibeth Café. What would you like to order?" Mai had said her piece in her signature warm and energetic voice but her smile soon vanished when she saw the costumer's face.

"Uhm. I would like a cup of blueberry tea and a slice of chocolate cake please."

Mai stared at the young man in an astonished way. She couldn't believe this man came right in front of her eyes. Breathing and pretty much alive. She would never forget the smile on his face and the gentle twinkle in his eyes. There is no mistake, he is that spirit!

"Excuse me?" The young man asked, trying to get the cashier's attention upon noticing the stare directed to him. He thought that she was just like any other girls hovering after his looks but he noticed that her eyes look more like horrified than fawning.

"Miss?" The man called again, frowning at the cashier.

"… Eugene Davis?"

Silence reign for a few minutes. Indigo met brown, both pairs widened in shock. Silent questions floated in the air but no one between them dared to speak and ask. Mai snapped out of it first and pointed at one of the tables before running towards the kitchen to prepare what the man had ordered.

She came back with a tray and saw him sitting on calmly, looking expressionless and indifferent. But Mai knew that he would only look like that when he is nervous about something or when he was forced to face something that he is afraid or reluctant to face. Mai placed the cake and the tea in front of him and watch how he immediately pick up the cup. Mai waited for him to speak but even after a few minutes, he remained silent.

Eugene examined the young girl in front of him. She look like she was about the same age as him and he is sure he had never seen her prior to this. He could not have given his name to someone and this is his first visit in Japan. The BSPR are also tight-lipped about their information so it was impossible for this little girl to know him.

He looked at the girl and her actions and emotions are definitely telling him that she really knew him. He tried to maintain her poker face and sip his tea to ease the nervousness inside of him. He is a sociable person but he was really caught off guard that this person knew his name when he came here incognito. He really wished, at this moment, that his brother was with him to solve this impromptu crisis that he had encountered.

"I am Mai Taniyama. And yes, I know you… and your twin." Mai introduces herself and hesitated for a bit before saying the last phrase.

Mai knew this man and the other after her death. In that book, Kuruda Naoko and her husband hired some experts to get rid of the ghost Mai. And those experts are them together with other people. It is a bit complicated but what is more complicated than this are the fact that Eugene Davis, in that book and her vision, is helping as a spirit and his brother, Oliver Davis, is the one who personally exorcised her ghost self.