April
Thursday

The ringing of her phone rang throughout her apartment, and Mai reached for the electronic on the coffee table in front of her.

"Hey, Yasu." Mai greeted as she answered his call, pausing the movie she was watching.

"Hey, Mai-chan!" Yasu said cheerily and she immediately narrowed her eyes. He sounded far too mischievous for this to be a simple phone call. "Madoka was just wondering if you would be able to come in tonight? You see, I'll be leaving early and she needs help closing up the office."

Mai frowned. Closing the office was fairly simple, though the women did seem a bit busier than usual this past week. "Sure, what time should I come for?"

"Right now, please!" Yasu said and then ended the phone call, leaving her staring at it with a perplexed expression.

He was acting odd.

Despite her reservations about it, Mai shrugged and began getting dressed to leave. Once she had finished getting ready, she left her apartment and walked down the steps, taking her time since she wasn't too far away from the office now.

She had moved about five months ago into an apartment closer to Shibuya, not that far from Masako's apartment and the office. With her full-time hours, she could afford moving out of her old apartment with the paper thin walls, which meant no more nosy neighbor and no more getting burned by the shower water when someone else in the apartment building flushed the toilet.

Her new apartment wasn't crazy fancy, rather just a more modern one than the traditional interior of her older one, and she had more space.

Her phone dinged with a text. It was Yasu, checking in with her.

Location?

She wrote back a text quickly, letting him know her exact location.

Check in's were a thing that had been established quickly after finding Gene's body and they returned to Tokyo. Part of the reason for Naru's extended stay in England was that he could avoid the fated death, so he was pretty much safe from it being so far away. The way Mai avoided fulfilling her fated death was that she was to not leave Tokyo and that she had to update someone whenever she was going somewhere.

Every time she left for school or work, she would text one of them to let them know she was leaving, and they would check up with her to make sure she had arrived or was still on her way. If she had to go somewhere that wasn't school, work, or home, then most often someone would accompany her or drive her to and from the locations. Aside from her time at home, Mai didn't spend much time alone, and she was thankful for it.

Something cold dropped onto the tip of her nose as she walked along the sidewalk and she looked up, frowning at the grey clouds quickly moving in.

"Shit." Mai cursed and picked up her pace. Of course it would start raining.

One rain drop turned into three, then much more and as Mai stopped at the crosswalk across the office, it began pouring. Lifting her bag over her head to try to shield herself, she stared at the red hand impatiently. She was going to be soaked before she even got inside.

Finally, the light turned green and Mai raced across the street, noticing that Shibuya was oddly quiet this evening and there was hardly anyone walking.

As she ran for the stairs to the office, a prick at the back of her neck made her aware that someone was behind her. And that they were watching her. She briefly glanced over her shoulder and noticed the shadow of a tall figure walking towards her and ran faster, reaching for the handrails on the stair case.

The women in the red car wouldn't be that tall... Wait. Didn't I see something in the news about a man following a girl home in the area? She thought, feeling tense.

They followed her to the stairs and Mai lowered her bag from her head, clenching her fingers around the handle and preparing.

The shadow reached for her and Mai felt her heart leap in her chest in fear. Reacting purely out of instinct, she swung her arm out with all the strength she could muster as she spun towards them, aiming for their head with her bag.

The black umbrella they held hit the steps as they let go of it to block, stopping it inches away from their head. The hand slowly lowered her bag away from their face and Mai's breath hitched, the pitter patter of the rain bouncing off the top of the fallen umbrella at their feet.

Clear indigo eyes stared back at her, a drop of rain travelling down strands of dark hair.

Mai's bag fell back to her side as he let go of it, her lips parting. "Na... ru?"

A voice from their right cut in. "Mai-chan, is everything alright?" Yuusei, the son of the women who owned the bakery below the office, peaked out of the front door. He was squinting through the heavy rain before his eyes widened just slightly. "Shibuya-san!" He exclaimed in surprise.

Naru turned his head slowly, eyes lingering on her a moment longer. "Ito-san."

Yuusei waved. "Long time no see! It's pouring outside, you two should get inside!"

Naru reached down for the umbrella at her feet and Mai started, snapping back from her shock and she watched as he rose until he was upright. Her eyes followed him as he walked up the few steps between them, stopping beside her on the one she stood on, and she suddenly felt much smaller than before.

"Mai." He greeted quietly, tilting the umbrella over her head.

She noticed the water falling off the tip of the umbrella poured onto his shoulder and down the side of his face. Without thinking she reached forward and pushed it over him so he was covered.

Naru's eyebrow rose in question.

"I'm already wet." That sounded wrong. "... from the rain." God, she was an idiot. The clarification only made it worse.

Instead of tilting the umbrella back over her, he simply stepped closer so they could both take cover from the pouring rain and she tilted her chin up, blinking. Had he grown? He seemed so much... bigger. Both vertically and horizontally. His shoulders were wider than she remembered them being.

"Let's head in." Naru said and she was shocked when she realized he was waiting for her.

Mai quickly began the ascent to the office, hyperaware of how close they were and as they approached the door she turned to him. "I had no clue you were returning today."

His expression shifted, lips pulling down in a confused frown. "Madoka didn't tell—"

"Welcome back!"

His words were cut off by the abrupt course of voices yelling at them the moment he pulled the office door open and he stared flatly at a grinning Yasuhara as he pulled the string of a confetti cannon. Colourful streams of confetti popped into the air anti climatically, falling by Naru's deadpan expression in a hilarious contrast.

"Madoka. A word please." He said with a lot more bite in his tone and Mai watched in daze as Madoka followed sheepishly after the younger boy, though her mischievous wink she sent everyone showed how unconcerned she really was about Naru's cold demeaner.

Ayako, Bou-san, and Yasu waited until his office door had closed behind him before bursting into laughter.

"D-did you see his face?" Bou-san gasped as he clapped a hand onto Yasu's shoulder.

Ayako wiped her fingers underneath her eyes, trying to avoid smearing her mascara as she laughed. "The confetti was a perfect touch, Yasu."

"Thank you, thank you." Yasu bowed to everyone in the room like he had finished a theatre performance, one of his hands swept forward in front of his waist as he leaned forward. "I thought to myself all week—"

"You knew for a week?!" Mai cut in with a shrill voice.

Yasu ignored her outburst. "—what would make this moment so much more special? Then I knew. The dark, gloomy atmosphere Naru emits would be beautifully complimented when accompanied by confetti, the hallmark of celebratory and happy events!"

"You're dead, Yasu." Mai snarled at him before she became acutely aware of the cold water dripping from the ends of her hair and down the skin of her back, sending a cold chill through her. " After I change. Dead meat." She swiped her thumb across her neck in a threatening motion and felt satisfaction from seeing his cheeky demeaner falter just slightly when he realized she was not amused.

Briefly waving to the other members of the group as she disappeared around the corner to the restroom, Mai let out a long sigh of relief. Naru returned and she was not expecting it at all. She almost took his head off with her bag!

Pushing the thoughts away for now, she yanked open the storage cabinet tucked into the corner of the room and grabbed a bag she had placed there months prior for a situation exactly like this one. She spilled on herself and got caught in the rain so often that she started leaving an extra change of clothes at work.

Once she changed into the dry outfit, she went back to the common area and noticed that Naru or Madoka hadn't come out of his office yet. "Some welcome home party, huh?"

"Sorry, sorry! We're done now, I didn't mean to keep him from everyone." Madoka laughed as she exited the office with Naru just behind her, hair and clothes still damp from the heavy rain. Another figure followed closely behind the male and Mai's eyebrows shot up.

"Lin!" She greeted in pleasant surprise as Lin looked up, his face softening just a bit. "You must have come in while I was changing, how are you?"

Naru walked by her just then and his tone came out sarcastic. "Such a warm welcome. Be glad she didn't swing her bag at your head the moment she saw you." He said to Lin as he sat, and everyone swiveled towards her.

Disbelief flashed across her face at his misleading words, like she had attacked him personally, and she felt a hot flash of anger.

"You were stalking me like some creep!" She hissed furiously at Naru, who paused as he was pulling his jacket from his body.

"Oh, really? Stalking." He scoffed at her and finished pulling his arms out of the damp fabric.

"What does creeping up silently behind a girl— while she's wearing a skirt and going up stairs might I add— and wearing all black sound like to you?" She said with a raised eyebrow and looked to Yasu for support, which she received immediately. "Stalking!" They chorused together in deceivingly cheery voices.

"Don't flatter yourself." Naru replied flippantly as he threw an arm over the armrest of his chair.

"You're insufferable." Mai huffed out in defeat as she fell into one of the couches beside Bou-san, who was grinning widely as he looked back and forth between the two. "What?" She ground out.

"Oh, just thinking that some things never change." He laughed and placed a hand against her head endearingly.

Mai ducked her head in embarrassment, her thoughts spinning.

Naru was back?

Masako and John arrived when Mai had gone into the kitchen to make a batch of tea.

"Mai!" A course of voices greeted her as soon as she stepped out and she jumped, eyes widening as she looked up and saw the two new arrivals.

A smile broke out and she moved forward to meet John half way, returning his hug gladly. "John, I didn't know you were coming in!"

John smiled warmly and pulled away from the eighteen year old. "Of course, I came. I was told Naru and Lin-san would finally be coming back."

Mai ignored the irritated twitch that went through her. So even John and Masako knew before me? She thought bitterly as she set the tea down and moved towards the far end of the office by the shelves, where Masako and Ayako were standing.

Ayako turned and placed her hands on her hips, looking at Naru with a raised eyebrow. "Took you long enough."

Naru still sat in one of the armchairs, looking unfazed by the commotion around him. "I had unfinished business to attend to."

"Hmpf." Ayako sent him one last look but it lacked any weight. "Would it have killed you to kept in touch at least? I mean none of us knew when you'd actually be coming back!"

"You have my contact information, don't you?" Naru shot back without missing a beat, raising an eyebrow at her.

Ayako blinked, cheeks reddening, and she averted her eyes. "I guess you're right." She turned away from the younger male to Mai and Masako, leaning down to whisper to them with an annoyed expression. "Geez, that kid... should be a crime to have such a handsome face with that personality."

Masako sputtered into her tea, eyes widening and Mai couldn't help the laughter that fell from her lips at the look. It was rare that Masako's feathers were ruffled, and it always amused Mai to see her lose composure.

"Stop it." Masako muttered lowly and jabbed her elbow into Mai's side, cheeks pink.

Mai fell into the girl's side, still chuckling. "Don't be so shy!" She teased.

Masako's face only turned a shade darker and she moved forward abruptly, causing Mai to tip to the side at the absence of her previous support. "You two are so immature." She huffed and began walking forward, quietly taking the seat in front of Naru and starting up a conversation with him, eyes intent on his face.

Ayako slid into Masako's place, her eyes falling on the two. "You'd think after three years she'd give it a rest, huh?" She asked with a sigh.

Mai smiled wryly and she looked at Masako, whose face still hadn't lost its pink hue. "I don't think she ever properly confessed. It must be hard to move on if there's still the possibility of what if."

"Doesn't help that the kid only got more attractive." Ayako brought up Naru's appearance once more and Mai slowly tore her eyes away from Masako to look at Naru, who she hadn't yet observed fully.

Her eyes were barely on him for a second when he turned and met her stare.

Mai stiffened and spun immediately, coming face to face with Ayako. "How's your parents?" She asked casually, hoping that her change in subject wasn't caught by the red head.

Thankfully, Ayako didn't notice and tilted her head. "My father is good. My mom on the other hand... overworking as usual." She sighed softly and raised her hand to run her fingers through her head. "I wish the woman would take some time to just relax. Go on a vacation or something. She's gonna age terribly if she keeps this up."

"Well, if she does at least you'll know what to look forward to." Mai quipped and let out a yelp as the red head shoved her, appalled.

"I'm not going to age terribly! I wear sunscreen every day."

Before the women could come for her, Mai moved forward and took the seat in between Madoka and Masako. "What are we talking about?" Mai asked Madoka and Lin, trying to ignore Masako and Naru on her right.

Lin lowered his teacup from his lips. "We were speaking about you, actually."

Mai stiffened. "Me?"

Madoka nodded at her. "Yes, I was telling Koujo about your notes on your shikigami."

"I'd like to read them, if you would allow me." Lin said to her. "I know you've made a lot of progress after getting over the initial hurdle with trying to communicate with him, but I haven't had the time to ask since we were so busy preparing to come back."

There hadn't been total silence from Naru and Lin since they were away. Mai had texted Naru in the beginning, asking how he was and just the basic stuff, but she learned very quickly that Naru sucked at texting. Always one word replies and never asking her questions back, leaving no room for conversations.

Madoka had told her that Naru did better with phone calls after Mai complained to her about it but she couldn't bring herself to actually phone him. So, after months of dead conversation, she just resorted to listening to the occasional updates Madoka provided them with about their stoic boss.

Mai and Lin, on the other hand, had regular contact. He was still directing her about Qigong, changing her routines as the months went by, and answering any questions she had about Baku.

"Of course." Mai beamed at Lin. "I have a lot of questions for you as well. I've been doing the adjusted Qigong and workout routine, but I think it's getting a bit too easy."

Lin blinked at her and when he saw the curious look she sent him at it, he just shook his head. "I was just thinking that you've grown a bit."

"Eh?" Mai's eyes widened at his words, and the mask she carefully kept up crumbled. Her face turned red all the way to the tips of her ears.

"She has, hasn't she?!" Bou-san laughed from behind her, his large hand ruffling her hair. "Our jou-chan is becoming a young lady. Yasu and I have been beating the boys off with a stick this past year, right?"

Yasu nodded sagely. "Especially the one below."

"The one below..." Lin repeated and then a lightbulb went off. "Ito-san's son? I didn't realize the Ito's were still in business. Wasn't her son a bit older?" A suspicious tone crept into his voice and Mai desperately tried to get the redness in her face to go away.

"He's only two years older..." She defended lamely before turning to glare at Bou-san. "And stop it, you! Yuusei-san isn't like that."

Bou-san's eye twitched as he thought of the twenty year old male. "Yeah, right. That boy always trips over his own feet coming to greet you whenever you come into the office."

Mai huffed, sending the monk a glare. "Because he's polite!"

"He never comes to greet me." Yasuhara chimed in.

Bou-san turned, and his hands landed on Mai's shoulder, a scary look coming over his face. "Mai! Should Yuusei ever ask you out then he must get my approval first! I will guide you on how adults date."

Mai clenched her eyes shut and she shoved Bou-san's hands off her. "You're hardly in any state to be giving out advise, Bou-san! Don't act like I didn't witness your complete lack of game with Ayako for months." This time, it was Bou-san's turn to turn beat red.

Madoka shared a discreet look with Lin, who also seemed amused by the situation.

Truly, she would miss these moments after returning to England.

Letting her eyes stray from the brown haired girl, Madoka looked to Naru who sat quietly and watched everyone interact around him.

It was a shame that she would have to leave before she saw the young man she watched grow up find his place once more in this unique group of people. She knew that Naru wasn't the type to take initiative in making connections with others and it always worried her, but the fact that he was sitting in this office was enough for her to know that things would be okay.

Naru had found something here with these people, and he had come back to it even after almost two years away.