"Japanese"

"English"

'Thoughts'

--

Five years ago

17 year old Taniyama Mai stood at the departures lounge with tears dripping down her face. She was surrounded by the rest of her SPR family as they said goodbye once again to Oliver Davis and Lin Koujo. The Japanese branch of SPR were closing down for good. Oliver needed to go back to SPR for a family emergency and this time, he wouldn't be coming back. Mai smiled through her tears as she watched the two men walk through the door. She had long gotten past her crush on Oliver and had managed to become actual friends with both men. These days she even felt closer to Lin than she did to Oliver. The thought she'd probably never see Lin again made her heart ache for some reason she didn't understand.

Four years and 10 months ago

"Sorry Mai, something came up at work. I won't be able to make our dinner date tonight."

"It's fine, Ayako. Don't worry about it. These things happen."

Mai continued speaking to her priestess friend through the white cellphone at her ear as she moved around her small apartment cleaning. When she finally hung up, she dropped the phone onto a small side table and forced the sad feelings welling up to fade away. She hadn't seen Ayako or the others since Lin and Oliver's departure due to various incidents like the one just now. But she was sure they'd meet up again soon.

Four years and 8 months ago

A scream echoed through her small apartment. Mai cowered in her bathroom as a malevolent spirit hovered over her. Seconds later, she had been pulled into the spirit realm and into the spirit's memories. As she dreamed injuries appeared on her body in the same place that the spirit had received them.

Four years and 6 months ago

[Sorry Mai-chan. I'm in the middle of exams. I'll catch up with you later]

Mai looked down at the text that the last member of SPR to continue contact with her had sent her. It would be the last time she'd hear from her now first year University friend. The poor teenage girl had lost weight and was covered in partially healed cuts and bruises in varying colours. She'd taken to wearing long sleeves and pants to hide them from her classmates.

Every night a spirit came to visit her. Sometimes more than one. Every time she would witness their memories and experience their deaths in first person view. Every time she woke up, she'd become covered in the same injuries in her dreams. By now, she had experienced every kind of death possible. She'd witnessed more of the darker side of humanity than she could bear thinking about.

Four years and 10 months ago

18 year old Mai dropped a heavy backpack on her dining table as she stared down at the white envelope in her hand. It had an American postmark. Flipping it over the sender appeared to be some kind of lawyer firm. Mai sat down at the table before finally opening up the letter, silently thanking her time working for an Englishman to have learnt sufficient English to read this weird letter.

Dear Miss Taniyama

Please accept our belated condolences for the passing of your mother Miss Sofiya Stepanova.

We wish to arrange a meeting with you to discuss your inheritance and to arrange a formal introductory meeting with your Grandfather, Aleksandr Stepanov. Please know that we will be arriving in Japan on 17 September 20xx and will be visiting you then.

Yours faithfully

Patrick Williamson

Williamson, Snell & Goldsmith Legal

Mai read the letter twice more to make sure she fully understood the contents. 'Okaasan still has a father? I have an Ojiisan? What do they mean by inheritance?'

Mai's eyes drifted over the date mentioned for the lawyer's arrival in Japan before looking at the calendar on the wall by the kitchen door. Today was the 18th. The lawyer should have arrived in Japan yesterday. A sudden knock on her apartment door startled her.

Opening the door she found a middle-aged man who was obviously not Japanese waiting.

"Miss Mai Taniyama, I presume? My name is Patrick Williamson."