Naru was frowning when the time was closing on the sunrise, Akemi was already sleeping on one of the seats of the van with the door open.
'She must be completely tired...' Naru unknowingly tilts his head slight to the side as he took a step closer to the sleeping girl.
The Shibuya Psychic Research were conducting their usual week routine of checking the legitimacy of their cases before accepting them. So far, all they did was inspect then schedule their next meeting but even so, none of them were actual paranormal activity or that it was such a small thing that Naru disregarded the case completely.
It was decided to have Naru and Akemi together to conduct the inspections as Mai would empathize too much with a client and try to get the case on their radar or Naru is too critical about the little things that even those with potential often get declined.
Lin does not have that much to convey and Madoka prefers working at the office to keep people company.
Placing Akemi and Naru together balances their decision. Akemi often empathize with the client but Naru would keep her at bay with his commentary, and with her ability, she could convey the potential of the case to Naru— who it all depended in the end as it is his decision whether to take a case. Which Akemi could also influence by just being herself,
All that they were doing now was unpacking a few equipment used to examine the place. Naru opted to let Mai do the work, especially with the high school student being unavailable for almost a few weeks due to her exams. Not too much work was given to the girl, for her to focus on her studies— So Akemi carried all of her work for the mean time along with Mai's constant need for tutoring.
And true to their hard work, Mai passed her tests with flying colors. Akemi isn't such a bad instructor after all.
Naru kept his gaze towards the peaceful features on Akemi's face. Her lashes continue to flutter despite sleeping still. The cheek on the other side of her face mushed due to the seats she lain herself in.
Naru frowned when a few strands of her golden hair fell over her face— covering the sight he was obviously enjoying.
His fingers felt drawn to her, clasping one of her stray hair to try and push them back but the smooth texture of the strand made Naru hesitate on letting go.
He was compelled to stay where he was— just in time for Akemi to flutter her eyes open and wake up to seeing the sunrise behind Naru who shadowed over her.
"Ara~ so handsome!" Akemi sleepily sighs, her eyes softened at the sight she would never see clearly.
"..." Naru didn't know what to say but the sound of Mai yelling their names woke him up to what he was doing and so,
FLICK—!
"Ah!" Naru instead flicked her forehead and stepped away from the woman to sit at the passenger seat. Leaving Mai to take the back.
The high school student pausing mid walk, watching the two in confusion. Mai was a bit far from the two and couldn't tell what actually happened.
'Must be Akemi-sempai teasing Naru again.' Deeming it unimportant, Mai let's out a 'meh' before shrugging and sitting beside Akemi at the backseat.
Lin once again didn't have much to convey and started the ignition though his eyes strayed over Naru, who placed a hand over his own mouth and perked the arm on the lowered window. His gaze set outside, and remained quiet throughout the ride.
"Ara! Lin, would you mind driving over to my place today?" The other two inside the van paused.
Naru letting his hand fall and glanced back to Akemi, who was now wide awake. "Your place? Why?"
"It's my grandfather's birthday today and he really wants to meet you! He already met Mai, but you two are still unidentifiable to him— so please! Please, Naru, Lin! Can you guys come over?" Akemi elegantly places an inviting smile. A beacon of hoping passing her stature as she observed Naru.
Naru opened his mouth to decline but it was shocking when Lin was the one who spoke. "I don't see the problem if we went..."
Naru's brow furrowed and observed the Mechanic beside him with a suspicious stare. "Are you saying, we should go?"
Lin quietly keeps his eyes on the road.
"Naru, we should go! Can we go?" Mai pleading along, already missing Akemi's family especially the children.
Naru fixed himself on his seat. Silently choosing his options.
He sighs.
"Uwah! No matter how many times I see this place, it still surprises me how big it is!" Mai gushes over as the big gates of the Maruyama Clan opened with a buzz to reveal the castle like mansion of Akemi's family.
"My, what a pretty garden they have!" Madoka smiles over the sight of beautiful red roses around the house and beside for the front lawn held a few bed of different flowers. Unaware that it was all for appearance as their other back yards were instead filled with vegetables like a farm.
"Here we are."
"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Akemi's aunt, Eiko whose stomach resembled the size of a watermelon and was due any day now, asked as she gushed over Naru and Lin's features quietly to herself—
"Would you like to stay forever?!" The female children of the family: Megumi, Hikari, and the youngest Rini , beams towards the young boss, Akemi who was smiling like a lady beside him turned her eyes to Naru with fiery glaze.
"-Would you like to stay forever?!" She repeats along with the kids. Naru chagrined, his stance was stunned for a while before letting out an amused scoff and flicking Akemi's forehead lightly.
"Idiot." And coolly follows her Aunt, who watched the two in amusement. With a kind smile, Naru greets: "Dinner sounds wonderful, thank you for having us over."
"You staying sounds wonderful!" Naru turns to a small child, Rini; letting out a soft smile as he patted Akemi's cousin in the head. "Arigatou."
The little girl then held Naru's hand and pulled him over to her side of the table, having him sit next to her. Chiasa, one of her older cousins, let out a grin, nudging her elbow towards a happy Akemi.
"Looks like you have competition~!" Chiasa laughs. "Managed to tie him on the family yet?"
Akemi and the others were hit, they were trying to get him to agree on staying as an official family member through relation means but Naru was quick to deflect their advances. "We tried..." The little girls cries, Akemi sadly nodding along her little cousins. "We tried..." She repeats.
Then Rini perked up. Lifting a finger, as though teaching a point. "Maybe we can ask grandfather to adopt him?"
Akemi paled, stuttering out as her whole body turned cold. "No! Then— then he would be Akemi's uncle! My uncle!"
Another cousin, Yukio joins in and starts suggesting— hearing the idea of adopting Akemi's admirer. "Then maybe I can ask mother to adopt him!" The little girls smiles, obviously the teasing Akemi as the heiress let out a flustered cry. Realizing what they were doing, the other cousins joined along by agreeing to the adoption— stressing Akemi further.
"Then we would still be related!"
Unaware that Naru can hear them, he covers his mouth to stop a laugh; All this time watching their interaction.
When he noticed Akemi letting out a huff, a laugh almost fell out of his lips. He watched as the woman turned to a doorway, he followed soon after. Intrigued on what he would encounter next by just watching her.
"Mou~ those guys!" Akemi picked another cream puff, taking a bite out of it before it leaves the kitchen. One thing Akemi couldn't control, is her sudden urge to eat. Too into her thoughts to realize another presence joined her.
"Now, you know what I feel."
Akemi jumped at the sound of a voice behind her, "Naru-?!" his name coming out muffled due to her food. Finding it quite rude and embarrassing, Akemi covers her mouth to quickly finish the cream puff. Gulping it down in haste which in turn almost choked her as well as ignited hiccups.
Looking back, she could see the base of his aura. Naru leaning in the doorway with his arm folded with an amused aura around him. Leaving his stance to get the woman a glass of water,
"Here." Naru watched, his brow lifted in amusement and pure interest. This was fun.
"Yeah, but you secretly like it. I can tell~" Akemi gave out a smug grin, after composing herself— throwing a cream puff out of her hands and back to a vacant plate.
Stepping forward, he went further inside the kitchen. Akemi started to exchange weight on either side of her feet as she felt the air around the room turn warm. Not only was she caught on a vulnerable state but the feeling of Naru's penetrating gaze kept her ablaze. It didn't help either that this was the man she likes as well as adores.
Naru would tease: "Don't you want me to be in your family?" Don't forget good-looking. Abnormally handsome!
In quick turn of attitude— almost like an owl— Akemi perked immediately. "I do!" 'I will not let this rare specimen go!'
Naru paused, almost getting a bad feeling over Akemi's thoughts. "Even if it means being adopted into your family?"
Akemi slumped in disappointment. Irked to hear the suggestive idea once more,
And Naru could no longer hold it as he soon laughed. 'Her face! Pfft-'
"So you heard?" Akemi whimpered. Naru quickly composing himself as he finished laughing, a soft smile left behind his face as a trace of showing emotion.
"Well, there are other ways to be accepted in the family besides getting adopted." Naru shrugs, and Akemi blinks in surprise. Her eyes wide as plates and mouth gaping close to a fish,
"Are you... trying to flirt with me?" Akemi blinks while Naru gave out a smirk.
"I wonder what would happen if one of us were to say yes?" Naru teasingly wondered; not particularly referencing towards Akemi's question but of a more hidden insinuation.
"Dinner is starting! Where are our guests and Akemi?"
"They are looking for you. Let's go." Glancing back, Naru observed Akemi with a smirk as he saw her flabbergasted expression.
Leaving Akemi frozen in shock and her stomach flipping over different sides.
Akemi stayed like that for who knows how long, her stomach continued to flutter and her heart constantly reminded itself it beats rather abnormally wih loud thumps. It wasn't until Mai came inside the kitchen did she got out of her stupor.
"Akemi-sempai there you are! The others are looking for you— oh, you have cream on your face..." Mai points out towards the corner of her lips.
"Eh? Where?!" Akemi blushed, 'Does it mean that all this time I had cream on my face in front of Naru?!'
Mai watched Akemi try to clean the cream off but each time missed the mark. The highschool student could not help but adore her sempai even more. "Let me help, Akemi-sempai!"
'Even Akemi-sempai has this clumsiness around her! So cute!' Mai gave out a wide smile, a few snickers coming out of her lips as she wiped off the cream right below her lip. "Here..."
"Ara, thank you... you've caught me eating some in secret..." Akemi sheepishly pushed her fingertips together. Her mind still mushed over what happened between her and Naru that keeping her sophisticated image was becoming a bother. 'How embarrassing! And in front of Naru and my kohai no less!' A blush kisses her cheeks when she felt Mai's penetrating stare. Reminding Akemi of someone else's gaze though not as deep.
Mai lifts a hand to cover her grin. "So you've been...?"
With a soft voice, Akemi admits: "Occasionally... Just stress eating..." Akemi softly drawls, prolonging the words, still embarrassed for getting caught.
Mai laughs, patting the heiress on the back. "Well nevermind that! You're still amazing, Akemi-sempai!" 'So cute!'
"Well it would be more amazing if I don't gain weight in the process of it."
"Eh?" Mai froze. Blankly blinking when she heard a dark voice cover Akemi's, her eyes sharp and deadly as though gaining weight was a curse to all women.
'Maybe she should keep quiet that she doesn't gain weight no matter how much she eat...?'
Seeing Akemi's dark face, Mai agreed willingly without hesitation. 'Yup. Keep it to myself.'
After the celebration; the Birthday dinner was a success. It was filled by humorous cousins that constantly rebel under watchful eyes of their parents which made the party a lot more memorable. And along with them are the cute little Maruyama children that don't listen at all to anything and continue playing with their toys, the female Maruyama children mostly go towards the guests, particularly Naru and Lin— asking for the two to show them a trick while the boys wanted a photo or some story about their cases that could keep them up awake at night.
The adults find it adorable when the two relented, I guess no one is safe towards little Maruyamas. Mai could see it— the beauty that flows in their veins, as each and every one of them seemed to glow of perfection and beauty standards of Royalty.
'So jealous...' The high school student pouted as she watched the adolescent cousins, the group sitting together along with Akemi. Though that didn't stop them from keeping their extroversion and converse with the adults and youngs.
The family opted to have other guests around but they won't stay long. It was a surprise to see Ohashi-san, the former Prime Minister in the party as it turns out he is a friend of Akemi's grandmother. Which once again proved the versatile connection of the Maruyama Clan.
Mai wouldn't be shocked if they manage to have atleast one connection on every city in the world.
After the party, what was left was a more personal gathering over close relations. After a final song of Happy Birthday and the family tradition of one by one greeting the Birthday elder sorted by birth places; bowing and kissing his cheek (the kiss mostly frok the women) and applauding him for living this long despite having a passionate family (with a slice of their own weirdness?).
Mai decided to stay over for the night when it was soon decided for the SPR to leave, her choice of staying firmed when the women of the Maruyama Clan want her to join their own Slumber Party: Girls only, which for sure the boys would intrude on at the middle of their horror watching.
She really did planned on waiting with Akemi to see Naru, Lin and Madoka off but the children distracted the young girl and soon was gone to play. Mai really did want to wave them goodbye.
But no one can resist a Maruyama child.
Akemi stood outside their mansion with a bright moon and their post lights to keep the way clear. With the cold night, Akemi wore a thick jacket over her clothes— no need to be stylish about it as she is comfortable at her own home.
Akemi didn't bother glancing to the side, a small smile plastering over her lips as she decided to tease Naru. Especially on what he just did back at the kitchen. "You've grown taller..."
"I've always been taller." Was Naru's quick remark, his eyes that were watching the drive way turned to glance at the heiress.
"Really?" Akemi hums in thought.
"Hm."
"Then I guess, I should wear higher heels—"
"No need, such footwear would only hinder you on cases."
Akemi giggles at his quick disagreement, when the sight of the van picked up with Madoka and Lin already in the vehicle. Naru fixes himself up and turns to face Akemi.
"We're leaving." Naru says, not really knowing why he bothered to inform when she already knows he is leaving. His eyes narrows in suspicion when Akemi gave out a grin instead of waving him goodbye.
"Ara~ usually a goodbye comes with a kiss!" Puckering up her lips, Akemi muffled her giggling as she closed her eyes. A finger pointing directly on her glossed seduction,
Seeing how it was purposely glossed, Naru asks. "Do you do that to everyone?"
Akemi with her eyes still closed with a teasing grin on her lips, shook her head whilst assuring: "This rule only applies to you and our future children~!"
A few seconds of silence passed and Akemi had her fun. Knwoing that Naru wouldn't really do so, 'A kiss? Yeag right!'
So she soon relented and was about to open her eyes and say it was a joke but a hand on her cheek made her freeze.
Akemi's nose twitched. The scent of pavement road that suddenly got rained on filled her nostrils along with a slight patch of flowers. The cloudy scent of wet rain more prominent than the flowers.
Opening her eyes, she saw a contemplating air around Naru. '...eh?'
Naru's hand on her cheek twitched as she opened her eyes, perfectly lining her majestic colored eyes to his. And Akemi for sure could tell he moved slightly forward when at that same time the two jumped by the car horn calling over Naru.
"Naru~ let's go!" Madoka sweetly calls over.
Naru didn't move nor stepped back.
Akemi gave out a wry smile when he didn't, and cuts off the awkward air that seemed to seep in between the two. "Guess we can continue later, ne~?"
Akemi fought off her blush when she was engulfed of Naru's very own: It smelled so sweet and refreshing like fruity flowers and sweet fruits mixed with his own bubble scent cologne.
Akemi hid her smile as she relished the scent, 'So this is how he blushes... Hihi!'
"Hn." Naru hummed and left without a word, not even looking back and Akemi preferred it that way or he would see the full smiles she had on her lips.
"What a beautiful family! Don't you think so too, Naru?" Madoka innocently asks as Lin honked the van once as a goodbye.
When he didn't answer, Madoka looks backs cocking her head to the side. "Naru? What's wrong?"
"N-nothing... I think..."
"Ara! Naru, your face is bright red, are you feeling okay?"
"Did you catch a cold?" Lin asks as he drove out.
Naru placed a hand on his temple, his brows furrowed when the blush on his cheeks slowly diminished back to his pale tone. "It's... difficult to put into words. Don't mind it..."
Madoka hums, nodding while returning back to facing the road. "If you think so..."
"..."
A/n: For those who wonder how rich or big the Maruyama Clan name is, I have to say they are like Hayate the combat Butler's Sanzenin name, Wealth and house.
Hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Next coming up is the Vacation house episode! Don't remember the name but i think its that! ehehe~