March

"Taniyama Mai."

Mai jolted forward, her legs moving her up the stairs and across the stage to receive her high school diploma. The chairman of her school greeted her with a smile and she accepted the roll of paper with a bow.

As she turned, glancing at the crowd of families seated to watch their children graduate from high school, her eyes quickly scanned the crowd for the sight of familiar faces. She spotted John easily by his hair that stuck out amid the dark hair, then Ayako and Bou-san next, as they were standing next to him.

She raised her hand shyly to wave and they responded with wide smiles that warmed her heart.

"I can't believe we're graduating, Mai." Keiko whispered to her as she moved to stand beside her friend.

Mai shared her excitement. "I know, me too."

She really couldn't. Sometimes, high school dragged on impossibly slow and other times it felt as though Mai had blinked and days went by. Then days turned into weeks, then months, a year and then some, and now she was graduating from high school.

The graduation ceremony took a couple more hours, filled with speeches by teachers and awards given to students, ending with the infamous farewell song that graduating students in Japan often sang. Mai stood on the stage with her arms wrapped around the shoulders of her two friends, tears falling from her eyes as she sang with all her heart.

She felt as though her adolescence was ending and she wasn't ready for it.

As the ceremony ended and the students began leaving the gymnasium, Mai watched with a grin as girls took this last chance to request the second button of their crushes uniform. Their blushing faces and sparkling eyes struck warmth in her at the sight of it.

Ahh, to be young and in love. Mai thought wistfully.

"Mai!" Bou-san's boisterous voice reached her and she looked up, finding him standing at the front gates with John and Ayako at his side. "Mai, over here!"

Mai ran and she jumped into his open arms with a laugh. "You came!"

"Of course we came." Ayako scolded, looking scandalized that Mai had suggested otherwise. She elbowed the smaller male at her side, signaling him forward.

John smiled and held out a bouquet of flowers to Mai, pulling her into a brief hug. "Congratulations on graduating, Mai."

"Thank you." Mai accepted the flowers with wide eyes, looking down into the bright assortment of colours. She glanced back at her high school and her fellow graduates once more, reminiscing on all the fun and stressful times she had experienced in her three years at the school.

"I'll take a picture of you, stand in front of the school." Bou-san said and motioned for her to move into place. He waited until she was standing, her bouquet of flowers tucked into her arms, and then took a picture. He turned to someone walking by, asking if they could take a picture for them, before the three of them joined her.

Mai felt a bit teary eyed as she stood in between the three of them, smiling widely as the stranger took the photo for them.

As Ayako fussed over the camera, trying to see the picture, Mai glanced around. "I'm going to say goodbye to Keiko and Michiru, I'll be right back!"

The three of them cried once more as they hugged, like they weren't going to see each other ever again despite being friends. Then their families pulled them away and Mai made her way back to Ayako, Bou-san, and John. They were waiting for her by Bou-san's car and they all piled in, heading to a restaurant where they had made a reservation.

Mai glanced down at her phone, where a text from Yasuhara popped up on her screen. "Yasu says he and Madoka are there already, and that Masako should be arriving soon."

Masako had graduated today as well, so everyone would be eating together to celebrate.

Well, not everyone.

Mai smiled as she thought about Naru and Lin who were still in England. A year and eight months had passed since they left and Madoka became their temporary boss. There was still no word about when they would make their return and Mai wasn't counting down the days like she used to. After the year mark passed since they left, she stopped thinking about their return as much as she used to.

Life continued on, even though some part of her felt like it stopped the moment they left. She started her third year, turned eighteen, moved to a new apartment, even got her first boyfriend (that lasted only two months), and now she was graduating.

Much had changed for everyone else as well. Ayako and Bou-san finally made it official, after months of blatant sexual tension and denial, though nothing much changed in their dynamic. Masako got her own apartment in the city. John spent some time working with a diocese in England for a bit and then returned months later, his Japanese a little rusty. Yasuhara got hired as a part timer at SPR officially. Madoka added pink decorations to the office.

Mai eventually learned to just go with the flow of the changes, and she found time moving forward once more.

"Masako, congratulations!" Was the first thing Bou-san said as they arrived at the restaurant and saw that the other girl was already there with Yasu and Madoka.

Masako smiled gently. "Thank you."

She looked as beautiful as ever, if not more. Her hair was styled with a traditional hairpin and she had on a light layer of makeup that complimented her face well. A kimono, that was a lot fancier than usual, draped across her figure elegantly.

She looked up at Mai as she approached. "Mai, your makeup is running."

"Aren't you hot in all those layers?" Mai shot back, eye twitching as she took a seat next to her. She reached into her bag for a handheld mirror, finding that the mascara she had applied for today was running a little bit. "Ah, it looked good before I cried." She muttered as she cleaned up the black stains.

"I'm sure you looked beautiful." Masako commented, placing her hand gently on her arm before dropping it, the warm moment passing quickly.

Their rivalry relationship didn't change, though the other parts of their friendship had grown. Mai and Masako could confidently say they were close friends, and although they bickered every time they hung out, Mai couldn't imagine it any other way.

"So," Madoka said as she turned to Mai, grinning. "Now that you have all this free time... how about full time?"

Mai didn't miss a beat. "How about a raise?" Laughter erupted around the table and she giggled, nodding at Madoka. "Yes, I can do full time now that I'm no longer a student."

It was only in moments like this, when everyone was together, laughing about something or stumped on a case, that Mai thought about the missing presence.

April

Yasuhara glanced out the window of the office at the shades of budding pink. "They should be in full bloom soon. Should we go cherry blossom viewing like we did last year?" He glanced up when he received no answer, eyes flicking to the side where Mai's desk was.

She was asleep, with her chin resting in her palm.

Mai's desk was near the front door, as it always was, and situated in front of the window viewing the street. Behind her, the pink flowers on the trees and the orange hues from the setting sun were beaming down on her and he couldn't help but admire the scene.

Mai was very pretty indeed, he mused to himself as he watched her. He had always thought so, though she never took him seriously when he mentioned it.

When he first met her, she was sixteen years old and she looked it. She was petite, a little clumsy, and wore frilly skirts. At eighteen, Mai had grown into her figure, her lips and features were more defined, and she had cut her hair to her shoulders.

Her attitude and temper remained, much to his amusement, though now she was more quick witted and coy under the tutelage of Ayako. But looking at her now, with the rich background and serene expression, he saw the version of Mai that she rarely let show.

She had found her peace after months of struggle, it seemed.

"Noll, I wasn't expecting your call..." Madoka's voice traveled to his ears from her office and Yasu turned, perking up at the mention of their boss. He leaned closer, listening intently to the women's conversation, his mouth curving upwards into a grin.

Oho, what was this he was hearing?

He glanced at Mai mischievously and then listened to Madoka once more as she asked what date his flight was going to be booked for.

It looked like Naru would be coming back to Japan soon.

OHO, THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS ARE FINALLY PUBLISHED.

I'm so excited, y'all. like you don't even know.

I currently have five chapters already written but I will publish them periodically in small groups after I have finished writing each the arc of the story. So Naru's return arc are published together and whenever I finish writing all case chapters I will start uploading those because I find it makes it easier to adjust and more cohesive if I want to change something.

Also, I decided to make the rating for this fic Mature because there will definitely be more adult themes since our two main characters are adults now, BUT don't get your hopes too high because there will be no explicit spicy scenes since I cringe at myself whenever I try to write them.

Reviews are greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoy reading my second installment ;)